Discuss the importance of curriculum evaluation.

What is the curriculum? Curriculum is a set of planned and purposeful learning experiences, based on intended learning outcomes and organized around the developmental levels of students. It can take many forms according to the view points from Which it is approached. I will be basing my discussion on the formal curriculum without referring to the informal or hidden curriculum

Importance:

Teachers should be consulted about curriculum evaluation because they are ultimately responsible for translating its objectives into specific lessons. According to the Alberta Teachers' Association, teachers are ethically and legally bound to routinely assess students and report their progress. A curriculum should help teachers do this by providing a realistic set of goals and suggested techniques to assist students at all ability levels. When decisions are made about changes in content, teachers can provide feedback based on their direct interaction with students.

A teacher could use curriculum evaluation to improve his teaching. A school may use curriculum evaluation to appraise the quality of the teaching staff. Principals may use curriculum evaluation to provide information to help them make decisions (Berwick 1990). Governing agencies may use curriculum evaluation for accountability and control purposes. There is no doubt that a pupil or parent would approach curriculum evaluation differently from any of the above groups. The purposes of the evaluation would also dictate the types of evaluation used. During the early stages of curriculum development, formative evaluation helps the curriculum developer to determine the effectiveness of new procedures and identify areas where revision is needed. When the curriculum has been fully developed, summative evaluation makes it possible to determine the effectiveness in meeting the instructional objectives.

Write a note on the different stages of the Civil Disobedience Movement

The Civil Disobedience Movement led by M K Gandhi, in the year 1930 was an important milestone in the history of Indian Nationalism. There are three distinct phases that mark the development of Indian Nationalism. In the first phase, the ideology of the moderates dominated the political scenario. This was followed by the prominence of the extremist ideologies. In the third phase of Indian Nationalism the most significant incident was the rise of MK Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, to power as the leader of Indian National Movements. Under his spirited guidance, the National Movements of the country took shape.

The Indians learnt how apparently philosophical tenets like non violence and passive resistance, could be used to wage political battles. The programs and policies adopted in the movements spearheaded by Gandhi reflected his political ideologies of ahimsa and satyagraha. While the Non-Co-Operation Movement was built on the lines of non violent non co operation, the essence of The Civil Disobedience Movement was defying of the British laws. Through his leadership to the National Movements, he not only buttressed his political stance but also played a crucial role in unification of the country, awakening of the masses, and bringing politics within the arena of the common man.

Factors Leading to the Civil Disobedience Movement

The prevalent political and social circumstances played a vital role in the launching of the Civil Disobedience Movement. The Simon Commission was formed by the British Government that included solely the members of the British Parliament, in November 1927, to draft and formalize a constitution for India. The chairmanship of the commission rested with Sir John Simon, who was a well known lawyer and an English statesman. Accused of being an 'All-White Commission', the Simon Commission was rejected by all political and social segments of the country. In Bengal, the opposition to the Simon Commission assumed a massive scale, with a hartal being observed in all corners of the province on February 3rd, 1928. On the occasion of Simon's arrival in the city, demonstrations were conducted in Calcutta. In the wake of the boycott of the recommendations proposed by Simon Commission, an All-Party Conference was organized in Bombay in May of 1928. Dr MA Ansari was the president of the conference. Motilal Nehru was given the responsibility to preside over the drafting committee, appointed at the conference to prepare a constitution for India.

Barring the Indian Muslims, The Nehru Report was endorsed by all segments of the Indian society. The Indian National Congress pressurized the British government to accept all the parts the Nehru Report, in December 1928. At the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress held in December, 1928, the British government was warned that if India was not granted the status of a dominion, a Civil Disobedience Movement would be initiated in the entire country. Lord Irwin, the Governor General, after a few months, declared that the final objective of the constitutional reforms was to grant the status of a dominion to India. Following this declaration, Gandhi along with other national leaders requested the Governor General to adopt a more liberal attitude in solving the constitutional crisis. A demand was made for the release of the political prisoners and for holding the suggested Round Table Conference for reflecting on the problems regarding the constitution of the country.

None of the efforts made by the Congress received any favorable response from the British government. The patience of the Indian masses were wearing out. The political intelligentsia of the country was sure that the technique of persuasion would not be effective with the British government. The Congress had no other recourse but to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement. In Bardoli, the peasants had already taken to satyagraha under the guidance of Sardar Patel in the year 1928. Their non tax agitations were partially successful. The Congress took the decision to use the non violent weapon of satyagraha on a nation wide scale against the government.

The Launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement

MK Gandhi was urged by the Congress to render his much needed leadership to the Civil Disobedience Movement. On the historic day of 12th March 1930, Gandhi inaugurated The Civil Disobedience Movement by conducting the historic Dandi Salt March, where he broke the Salt Laws imposed by the British Government. Followed by an entourage of seventy nine ashramites, Gandhi embarked on his march from his Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi that is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea. On 6th April 1930, Gandhi with the accompaniment of seventy nine satyagrahis, violated the Salt Law by picking up a fistful of salt lying on the sea shore. They manually made salt on the shores of Dandi.

Dandi Salt March had an immense impact on the entire nation. Each and every corner of the country was gripped in a unique fervor of nationalism. Soon this act of violation of the Salt Laws assumed an all India character. The entire nation amalgamated under the call of a single man, Mahatma Gandhi. There were reports of satyagrahas and instances of law violation from Bombay, Central and United Provinces, Bengal and Gujarat. The program of the Civil Disobedience Movement incorporated besides the breaking of the Salt Laws, picketing of shops selling foreign goods and liquor, bonfire of cloth, refusal to pay taxes and avoidance of offices by the public officers and schools by the students. Even the women joined forces against the British. Those from orthodox families did not hesitate to respond to the call of the Mahatma. They took active part in the picketing exercises. Perturbed by the growing popularity of the movement, the British government imprisoned Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, in a bid to thwart it. Thus, the second struggle for attaining Swaraj launched by the Congress, under the able guidance of Mahatma, served the critical function of mobilizing the masses on a large scale against the British.

In the March of 1930, Gandhi met with the Viceroy, Lord Irwin and signed an agreement known as the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. The two main clauses of the pact entailed; Congress participation in the Round Table Conference and cessation of The Civil Disobedience Movement. The Government of India released all satyagrahis from prison.

Renewal of the Civil Disobedience Movement

Gandhi attended The Second Round Table Conference in London accompanied by Smt. Sarojini Naidu. At this Conference, it was claimed by Mahatma Gandhi that the Congress represented more than eighty five percent of the Indian population. Gandhi's claim was not endorsed by the British and also the Muslim representative. The Second Round Table Conference proved to be futile for the Indians and Gandhi returned to the country without any positive result. The political scene in India thereafter assumed an acute dimension. The Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, in the absence of Gandhi, adopted the policy of repression. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was violated and the Viceroy took to the suppression of the Congress. The Conservative party, which was in power in England, complied with the decision to assume a repressive stance against the Congress and the Indians. The Congress was held responsible by the government to have instigated the 'Red Shirts' to participate in The Civil Disobedience Movement, led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar and provoking the cultivators of U.P to refuse to pay land revenue. Adding to this was the serious economic crisis that took hold of the country. Under such circumstances, the resumption of The Civil Disobedience Movement was inevitable.

The Congress Working Committee took the decision to restart The Civil Disobedience Movement, as the British government was not prepared to relent. Gandhi resumed the movement in January 1932 and appealed to the entire nation to join in. The Viceroy was also informed of the stance assumed by the Congress. Four ordinances were promulgated by the government to deal with the situation. The police was given the power to arrest any person, even on the basis of mere suspicion. Sardar Patel, the President of Congress and Gandhi were arrested, along with other Congressmen. The second phase of The Civil Disobedience Movement lacked the organization that marked its first phase. Nonetheless the entire nation put up a tough fight and the movement continued for six months. Gandhi commenced his twenty one days of fast on May 8th, 1933, to make amends for the sins committed against the untouchables by the caste Hindus. The Civil Disobedience Movement was suspended, when Mahatma Gandi withdrew mass satyagraha on July 14th 1933. The movement ceased completely on April 7th 1934.

Although The Civil Disobedience Movement failed to achieve any positive outcome, it was an important juncture in the history of Indian independence. The leadership of Mahatma Gandhi had a beneficial impact. The warring factions within the Congress united under the aegis of The Civil Disobedience Movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi. Satyagraha was put on a firm footing through its large scale usage in the movement. Last but not the least India rediscovered its inherent strength and confidence to crusade against the British for its freedom.

Would a change in social structure and processes end violence against woman?

Change in social structure in insidious ways slowly creeps its way up, accompanied by a lot of evidence to the contrary. And for ever, whatever we say about Indian women, the opposite will also be true. There will be positive empowerment as a result of panchayat reservations and change in inheritance laws and gender-friendly police stations, but it may take several generations before women actually ride on these newly built roads.  

It is true that women are getting more of a say in homes and families and their own lives than they have had before. They are getting more educated, more entrepreneurial, and more gutsy about narrowing the gap between them and authority figures in their lives — more so spouses and in-laws than parents. This is going to keep increasing because once the worm turns, there is no stopping it.

So, let’s try and separate the signal of change from the noise, and examine how urban women’s lives are changing in India and understand what is driving this change. At the least, we will be able to market to them better, and at best to help them evolve further.While it is true, by women’s own admissions, that mothers-in-law are more tolerant and husbands less repressive, and she has equal voting rights on family issues, it isn’t social evolution that is driving this change as much as the state of the economy. In other words, we have God (or Goddess?) EMI or equated monthly installment to thank for driving this change. The concept of family has changed from a predominantly social unit to an economic unit. The new truth about Indian marriages is the old truth — that its business model is around a pragmatic ‘life business’ partnership rather than around romance. Ask any young man, or woman, and you will know.Taking a loan for whatever purpose is the new Indian way of life. The EMI is here to stay. And everyone has to do whatever they can in the family to enable family earnings to happen, so that the quality of living can be improved or the house can be owned or made livable. What is the role of the woman in this? In the lower social class, she must either earn and be a co-contributor or she must look after the housework and the children of the extended family so that the men and the women who are working outside the home can maximize their earnings.

In the middle and upper class households, she must take care of all home and ‘outdoor work’ of the family so that she facilitates and insulates the man who is better qualified and who can earn big bucks to continue to do so with no distraction.

Discuss the various stages of colonialism in India. What was its impact on Indian economy?

Various stages of Indian Colonialism

Western explorer Vasco - d - Gama discovered a new sea route to South India from Europe. Portugal’s made a note of India and stated coming to India on business and religious expansion purposes. Britishers among others wanted to increase business with India. East India Company of U.K. (Great Britain) stated major business ventures with India and within India. To protect their business they brought British troops to India. East India Company got involved in local politics and fights of small Indian kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent. They started political aggressions and take-over. East India Company of U.K. was taken over by the British government due to their lack of accountability despite full liberty they enjoyed in Indian operations.

Britishers started from taking over Calcutta and west Bengal to South India and Tipu sultan. Over a period of time much powerful Independent kinddom fell under the British rule inspire of their brave struggles. One of the last to fall was the Marathas. India became a colonial subject country of the British crown with most of the India under the rule of the Viceroy and the British administration nominated and controlled by the British government and the British crown. Only a very small fraction remained under Portugal authority. French and Portuguese were defeated and their colonies taken over by britishers. However a handful of Portuguese colonies (very small fraction of India) remained in Portuguese hand till even after the Indian Independence. The first armed struggle for independence of India in the year 1957 which the British historians call the great mutiny of 1957 was fought by many powerful Indian kingdoms that were colonialized by the foreigners and some Indian troops who revolted against their british rulers. British handled the year 1957's freedom struggle with a very heavy hand and were able to subdue the freedom fighters. Political invasions of the British also proved to be an economical aggression where the Indian wealth started going over to the britishers during the Industrial revolution and other times. Britishers brought trains, telegraphs etc. to India for their convenience of ruling India. But Indian economy was in shambles and U.K. getting better and better in wealth and economy through the economic victimization of Indians and India. Britishers had to leave India in 1947 in response to the Indian struggles for independence. India became independent in 1947. In 1950 India became a democratic independent republic. Since 1950 India is ruled by the democratic government of the Indians that is elected democratically by the Indian citizens.