Assignment Code: MES 081 /TMA/2022-23

Course Code: MES 081

Assignment Name: Introduction to Pre-School Education

Year: 2022-2023

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Answer the following questions in about 500 words each.

Q1. Discuss the significance of evaluation in preschools. Develop a plan for carrying out evaluation.

Ans) The goals of formal tests and assessments are not understood by pre-schoolers in the same way that they are by older students, thus they are not motivated to do well on them. Furthermore, forcing them to take part in official evaluations or submitting them to formal oral tests would not be beneficial since they might not be in the mood to respond or might be preoccupied while responding. Paper-and-pencil exercises, however, might not be very beneficial as a reliable method of evaluation. This is due to the fact that kids are less focused, easily distracted, inconsistent in their performance, uneasy in unfamiliar settings, and, most importantly, do not grasp the value of evaluation. This formal assessment method is still used in many preschools. Instead, given that kids often complete different tasks, assessments might be routine.

Assessment is crucial for fostering holistic development in preschools, just like it is at higher levels of education. We are aware that education does not only seek to foster cognitive development. Instead, it tries to promote holistic development through improvements in the child's personality's cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and aesthetic facets. Evaluation in preschools is much more essential for promoting young children's complete development. Additionally, ignoring flaws throughout this time period for an extended period of time might have a cumulative, irreversible effect. If evaluation is done methodically, it will highlight the children's strengths and deficiencies. For instance, if a teacher can identify hearing or vision issues as the cause of a student performing below expectations, she can alert the parents right away and aid in the onset of early therapy. The process of creating an evaluation plan involves four basic steps:

Clarifying program objectives and goals

First, define your initiative's aims. How are you achieving your goals? Clarifying these will help you identify significant programme components to analyse. Make a software components and elements table.

Developing evaluation questions

We use four evaluation question categories. Let's examine some probable inquiries and suggested answers. We'll explain these techniques later.

Planning and implementation issues

How well was the programme planned and implemented? Queries: Participants? Participant diversity? Why do people leave your programmes?

Impact on the community

How has the programme affected the community? Queries: Program outcomes? The programme had any drawbacks. Is the programme worth it? Solutions: Key informant interviews, behavioural surveys, community indicators.

Goal attainment report

A target achievement report may be the best way to determine if your community reforms were successful. Have your employees record the date of each community change in your action plan.

Setting up a timeline for evaluation activities

When does evaluation need to begin?

Now! At least initially! Evaluation should be considered early on. Starting early with evaluation will provide you a clear view of your group's performance.

When do feedback and reports need to be provided?

whenever you want. You should submit feedback and reports during the project or initiative as well as at the end of the evaluation. Find out how often your steering committee or coalition wants updates before giving them comments and reports. Funding partners will seek evaluation updates.

Q2. Discuss the significance of idealism and pragmatism for education.

Ans)

Idealism

Idealism believes that the mental, the spiritual, and the ideal come first as the foundation of reality. It affirms that knowledge is limited to concepts and that reality is primarily spiritual or mental. Idealism claims that the universe is a reflection of a highly generalised intelligence and will and that the only true truth exists in the mind (Gutek 1997). The Idealist claims that the spiritual essence of a person is its fundamental and enduring quality when describing human nature. The person's vigour and dynamism are provided by the elemental life force that the intellect generates. Doubt is a sign of the mind; doubt is a sign of thinking; thinking indicates the presence of intellect or the mind. Because it enables us to think, the mind is crucial. Knowing in idealism is the recognition or recall of latent, mentally created concepts. The macrocosmic mind's ideas can be found in the human mind's own thinking through remembrance. The person searches within his or her own mind and discovers a duplicate of the absolute there through intuition, introspection, and insight. Everything that needs to be known is already there in the mind.

Idealistic education's ultimate goal is self-realization. Realizing one's fullest potential within a social and cultural context and enhancing one's personality are both meant by this. The other aims are the following: 

1. To ensure spiritual development of the individual

2. To preserve, enrich and transmit the cultural heritage of man

3. To explore and realize universal values such as truth, goodness and beauty of life

4. To emancipate or liberate human spirit.

Idealists are in favour of subject-matter curricula that group ideas or concepts according to how they relate to one another. Every discipline or subject has essential notions that are connected to one another and are denoted by symbols. For instance, the word "pen" represents a pen. Concepts are referenced or denoted using symbols. When the learner recalls the idea that the sign relates to, learning takes place actively.

Pragmatism

According to pragmatism, the world is dynamic and constantly in a state of flux, change, and movement. As the nineteenth century gave way to the twentieth, people sought out scientific temperament to improve living. At this time, science and industry were developing a new technological civilization.

Fixed, predetermined, ultimate, and general educational goals are not held by pragmatism. This school of thought's goals are flexible and adapt as conditions and requirements change. There are only possible objectives. As a result, s usefulness, which is dynamic, rather than rigid concepts of ideals and universal truths, serves as the foundation for goals and, by extension, the curriculum. The following are some of the recommended objectives:

1. to develop an active, flexible mind that can be resourceful and entrepreneurial in any circumstance.

2. to promote the individual's holistic, harmonious growth by focusing his or her impulses, interests, and skills on meeting their perceived requirements in their surroundings.

3. to give the learner the ability to continuously reconstruct their experiences in light of new circumstances, enabling them to take control of their surroundings and achieve their goals.

4. to create people who are literate, socially adept, and economically successful.

5. allowing the child to develop new realities and values for the best possible personal and social adjustment

Q3. Describe any five competencies that preschool teachers require.

Ans) To enhance access to high-quality pre-school education, the effort is a component of the pre-school education system reform. The programme calls for adjustments to ensure that pre-school teachers provide high-quality early education and care, among other things, such as expanding the availability of pre-school services.

"This workshop is just one more sign of the strong governmental will to reorganise and enhance the quality of preschool education in Macedonia. According to international studies, early childhood development is important, and kids who attend pre-school perform better in school and throughout the educational process. This is why we started this process to improve the pre-school educators' and teachers' competencies. Since the government wants to double the number of kids enrolled in kindergarten over the next four years, we are simultaneously increasing kindergarten capacity, according to Ms. Mila Carovska, Minister of Labour and Social Policy.

Scientific advancements demonstrate the importance of access to high-quality early childhood development and learning programmes for lifelong learning. As a result, the government promised to improve preschool education and care by 50% by 2020 while also expanding its coverage.

The creation and distribution of didactic materials, a revision of the system for maintaining pedagogical records, and the training of educators—for which a training programme has been created and adopted—are all things we'll be working on. According to Mr. Arber Ademi, Minister of Education and Science, "we are working on the development and introduction of professional standards and work profiles for educators, teachers, professional employees, and directors of pre-school institutions.

With a focus on quality, this programme helps advance efforts to meet the European Union's aim of 95 percent pre-school coverage. The first step in enhancing abilities to provide high-quality early childhood education is defining early childhood teacher competences. They will be used to determine the current capacity for delivering play-based curriculum and then to create training modules that will be implemented in all pre-school facilities across the nation.

"In order for children to benefit the most from their education, it is crucial that they come at school with the proper attitude and tools. According to Mr. Dominic Otway, Deputy Ambassador, British Embassy, "greater early childhood education leads to higher school achievement, and in a generation, enhanced stability and prosperity." The following could be among the broad goals of teacher education derived from the settings, issues, and concerns of education, teacher education, and the recognised characteristics of the teacher: to encourage the development of skills for instilling the national ideals and values set forth in the Indian Constitution.

1. to give teachers the tools they need to be agents of social and modern change.

2. to educate teachers on the need of fostering global knowledge, social harmony, and the defence of children's and human rights.

3. to turn student instructors into qualified, devoted professionals ready to carry out the designated tasks.

4. to acquire the knowledge and abilities required for being a successful teacher.

5. to raise awareness of new concerns among teachers and teacher educators, such as those relating to the environment, ecology, population, gender equality, legal literacy, etc.