Question Discussion & Solution

Development refers to an increase in structure for better and enhanced functioning of organs. It is a complex and continuous process, thus there are some principles that need to be followed for a better understanding of the concept.

Key PointsPrinciples of development include:

Development is Life-Long​/Principle of continuity:

• This principle defines that development is a life-long process as it does not stop at maturation and continues gradually until reaching its maximum growth. 

Development is modifiable​: 

• Development may be explained as the series of overall changes in an individual due to the emergence of modified structures and functions that are the outcome of the interactions and exchanges between the organism and its environment. 

Development follows a pattern:

•  Prenatal (before birth) and postnatal (after birth) development of human beings follow a pattern or a predictable sequence. Physical development, motor or language development and intellectual development take place in definite sequences.

Product of hereditary and environment:

• Hereditary and environment play a vital role in determining the development of an individual as:
  • all the mental and social traits depend on the environment.
  • all the inborn traits, instincts, potentials, and I. Q. depends on heredity.
• Development = Heredity * Environment 

Hence, it could be concluded that development is governed and determined by culture alone is not a principle of development.

Social stratification can be defined as the arrangement of groups of individuals in hierarchical positions based on criteria like wealth, prestige, ethnicity, gender, and power. Because of the similarity of their positions in the social structure they develop a consciousness of who they are, what their common problems are, and what should be done to remove these problems. A social class is a group of individuals who have more or less similar wealth. 

Important Points

Class: Most modem societies have class-based stratification.

• However many features of traditional stratification may be observed in modem societies such as elements of the caste system and feudalism found in India.
• But with economic development, class-based stratification is becoming increasingly imminent.

Caste: Caste is a much-debated topic in India. The word 'caste refers to the Spanish word 'Casta' which means 'breed' in Spanish.

• In the Indian context, it represents caste and its related social practice.
• The caste system influences the social life of the Indian in several ways, as it assigns ascribed status to its members.
• According to the Rig Veda, the oldest and most important of all the four Vedas, four Varnas are placed in a hierarchical order-the Brahmans, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras.
• The profession of brahmans is that of priests and teachers. The Kshatriyas are warriors and rulers. The Visayas(Vis)are traders and other common people. The Shudras occupy the lowest position in the hierarchy and perform menial tasks.
• According to some historians, there is a fifth Varna, the untouchables, and they are not considered as a part of society. The tribes and people of other religions are also considered outside the Varna system

Gender: The unequal access to resources, opportunities, and rewards, and rights between men and women are legitimized by patriarchy across societies and cultures.

• Status inequality between men and women is not a new phenomenon that is reinforced through patriarchy and its institutions, gendered division of labor, and social institutions like marriage, dowry, property, and inheritance, and subordination.
• Women’s value is defined by their reproductive abilities rather than by their productive activities.
• Bridewealth is considered as compensation to the bride's parents or her kin for the productive and reproductive rights of the bride; dowry as a form of inheritance provides a bride with land and other wealth and helps her to attract a husband.

Religion: Another important aspect of the pluralism of India and at times cause a social conflict is a religion. As is well known, India is home to many religions. Almost all major religions in the world have followers in India.

• These include Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, and several others in small numbers.
• Hindus constitute 79.8% of the population and are present in almost every part of the country.
• Islam is the second most dominant religion, Sikhs, Christians, and Buddhists are comparatively small in numbers yet are an important part of India’s diversity. Sikhs constitute a majority in the state of Punjab, Muslims constitute a majority in Jammu and Kashmir, and have a significant presence in the states of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Assam.
• Christians also are spread all over India with a significant population in North Eastern States, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
• At the Social level, in general, there is harmonious co-existence and respect for each other’s religion.
• However, some vested interests particularly for political support, exploit the religious sentiments of the masses to keep them divided. That at times causes conflicts and growth of communalism.

Hence, we conclude that social stratification in India is mainly based on caste, class, religion, and gender.

The role of the textbook and the teacher, the NCF 2005 emphasizes that learners formulate their own knowledge by connecting new ideas to existing ones on the basis of material/activities (experiences).

Key PointsThe section on ‘Do this and find out is included in different topics in the EVS textbook to -

• In NCF 2005, the teaching-learning of EVS is visualized as including children’s interaction with real-life situations.
• Through, Do this and find out, children get actual engagement, hands-on experience, and reflections on day-to-day activities.
• This approach of learning is referred to as ‘Learning by doing’ which suggests that children actively construct their understanding or knowledge while directly interacting with their environment.
• In this approach children learn (construct new knowledge) by fitting new information together with what they already know, this helps build learning on what is known developing positive attitudes, values, and practices such as respect and care for all life on earth, compassion, caring for self and others, conservation of natural resources, appreciation of cooperative learning, sense of belonging, social responsibility, valuing culture, etc.

Hence, the section on ‘Do this and find out’ included in different topics in EVS textbooks aims at providing direct hands-on experiences.

Socialization is the process through which communities transact or educate their members about the norms and values of society to be socially acceptable.

• It simply refers to acquire the socially approved ways of behavior and to take ideal expectations seriously.
• Socialization is the continuous process of negotiating identities and shaping one’s concept of self, identity, various attitudes, and behaviors. 
• Socialization has 4 major agents namely family, school, peers, and mass media. 

Key Points 

Types of Socialization:

• Primary Socialization: 
• It happens during infancy and childhood. It refers to the process where the child becomes socialized through the family in the early childhood years. 
  • This highlights that the key agent in the process of primary socialization is the family.
  • For example, a very young child in a family has little knowledge of his culture. It is through the family that the child gets to know what is accepted and what is not in a particular society.
• Secondary Socialization: 
• It occurs once the infant passes into the childhood phase and continues into maturity. It refers to the process that begins in the later years through agencies such as school and peer groups. 
  • During this phase more than the family, some other agents of socialization like the school and peers’ group begin to play a role in socializing the child.
  • For example, Schools help children in learning the importance of social cohesion and unity and inculcating the informal cues about social roles through interaction.

Hence, it could be concluded that the statement 'School is a secondary socialization agent and family is a primary socialization agent' is correct in the context of socialization of children.

The use of the term ‘field work’ emphasizes some of the formal exercises which are done outside of the classroom, usually in biology and geology at senior high school and tertiary levels. These activities may be considered to be a subset of field trips or excursions. Field trips are an important part of the curriculum because it provides opportunities for hands-on experience.  

• It is a visit to a place outside the regular classroom which is designed to achieve certain objectives, which cannot be achieved as well by using other means.
• The textbooks provide conceptual knowledge but cannot provide hands-on- experience that may create difficulty in achieving educational objectives. 
• It provides practical knowledge through personal experience. It is the appropriate tool to engage children effectively and actively in the learning process.

Key PointsField trips or excursions play a significant role in science teaching learning BECAUSE:-

• It helps in clarifying the subject matter.
• It creates interest in the subject. 
• It has entertainment value and makes learning enjoyable.
•  It helps the learners in establishing contact with the outer world. 
• It develops a scientific attitude and scientific temper among the learners. 
• Filed trips or excursions are very useful in collecting useful material. 
• Excursions help in developing the spirit of cooperation among the learners.
•  It provides an opportunity for the selection of the projects.

Concluding our discussion you will get to know that the scientific excursions or trips when organized in a systematic and proper way prove to be quite effective and useful from the point of view of the realization of the aims and objectives of teaching science.

Thus, it is concluded that Because of All of the above options field trips or excursions play an important role in science teaching-learning.