Difference between seminar and symposium

 A seminar and a symposium are both events where individuals gather to discuss and exchange information on a particular topic. However, there are differences in their formats, structures, and purposes:

1. 1. Format and Structure:

   1. Seminar: Typically, a seminar is a smaller event where a single expert or a few experts present their ideas, research, or findings on a specific subject. The emphasis is often on interaction between the presenter and the audience, allowing for questions, discussions, and sometimes group activities.
   2. Symposium: A symposium is usually a larger event that involves multiple presenters, often organized into thematic sessions or panels. Each presenter gives a short presentation, and there is usually a designated time for questions and discussions at the end of each session.

2. 2. Purpose:

   1. Seminar: The primary goal of a seminar is to provide in-depth information on a particular topic through a focused presentation or series of presentations. It may aim to enhance participants' understanding of a subject or facilitate discussions on a specific issue.
   2. Symposium: Symposia are often organized to bring together experts from various fields to explore different aspects of a broader theme. The goal is to encourage interdisciplinary discussions, exchange diverse perspectives, and promote collaboration.

3. 3. Audience Interaction:

   1. Seminar: There is usually more direct interaction between the presenter and the audience in a seminar. Participants can ask questions, seek clarification, and engage in discussions with the presenter.
   2. Symposium: While there is still room for audience interaction in a symposium, it may be more structured, with designated Q&A sessions at the end of each presentation or panel.

4. 4. Duration:

   1. Seminar: Seminars can vary in duration but are often shorter in length, ranging from a few hours to a full day.
   2. Symposium: Symposia are typically longer events, sometimes spanning multiple days, especially if they cover a wide range of topics or involve numerous presenters.

In summary, while both seminars and symposia involve the presentation and discussion of information, seminars tend to be more focused, with fewer presenters and a greater emphasis on audience interaction, whereas symposia are larger, interdisciplinary events with multiple presenters and a broader thematic scope.

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Quality need to be a good Nursing Teacher

Being a good nursing teacher requires a combination of various qualities and skills. Here are some essential qualities that contribute to being an effective and respected nursing teacher:

1. 
   Expertise: A good nursing teacher possesses in-depth knowledge and
   expertise in the field of nursing. They should have a solid foundation of clinical skills, theoretical knowledge, and practical experience.
2. Strong Communication Skills: Effective communication is crucial for a nursing teacher to convey complex concepts and ideas to students clearly. They should be able to articulate information in a way that is easily understandable and engage students through active listening and effective questioning.
3. Passion for Teaching: A genuine passion for teaching and a desire to help students succeed are important qualities for a nursing teacher. They should be enthusiastic about sharing knowledge, mentoring students, and guiding them towards becoming competent and compassionate nurses.
4. Adaptability: Nursing education is constantly evolving, and a good teacher needs to adapt to changes in the healthcare field. They should stay updated with the latest evidence-based practices, advancements in technology, and changes in nursing curriculum to provide relevant and up-to-date instruction.
5. Patience and Empathy: Nursing students come from diverse backgrounds and have varying levels of knowledge and skills. A good teacher demonstrates patience, understanding, and empathy when working with students, supporting them through challenges, and fostering a positive learning environment.
6. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: Nursing teachers should encourage students to think critically, analyze situations, and develop problem-solving skills. They should guide students in applying theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios and help them develop clinical reasoning abilities.
7. Mentorship and Guidance: A good nursing teacher serves as a mentor and role model for their students. They provide guidance, support, and constructive feedback to help students grow personally and professionally. They should be approachable and create an atmosphere that encourages open communication.
8. Organizational Skills: Effective planning and organization are essential for managing classes, assignments, and clinical experiences. A good nursing teacher should be well-prepared, have clear objectives, and create a structured learning environment that promotes student success.
9. Continuous Learning: Nursing is a dynamic field, and a good teacher should be committed to lifelong learning. They should actively seek opportunities to enhance their own knowledge and skills, pursue professional development, and stay updated with current research and best practices.
10. Respect and Professionalism: A good nursing teacher demonstrates respect for students, colleagues, and the nursing profession. They uphold professional standards, ethics, and values, fostering a culture of professionalism and integrity within the learning environment.

Remember, these qualities can be further developed and refined through experience, reflection, and feedback. A great nursing teacher is committed to the success of their students and continuously strives to improve their teaching abilities.

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ROLE OF THE NURSE EDUCATOR IN THE 21 CENTURY

 There are many national reports indicating the need for change in health care and in the education of health-care professionals in particular. In its report entitled
crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21^st Century, the Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2001) acknowledges that the education of health professionals in need of major change and asserts that the clinical education of health professionals is outdated and not responsive to the present or future needs in health care. As its guiding vision, the IOM (2003) makes the recommendation that health professionals should be educated to deliver patient-centered care within an interdisciplinary team that emphasizes evidence-based practice, quality improvement approaches, and informatics. The backdrop of needed change will serve as the starting point for discussions regarding essential attributes needed in nursing education. Emphasis on student learning, promotion of evidence-based practice and development of authentic student-teacher relationships are those attributes that are foundational to effective teaching.

 EMPHASIS ON STUDENT LEARNING:

Over the past decade, education has shifted from a teacher-centered to a student centered approach. Understanding and facilitating student learning must be a priority for the nurse educator of the 21^st century.

In nurse education research, there always has been a greater focus on the outcomes of learning, rather than on understanding the processes involved in learning. Research aimed at understanding how students learn result in the development of best practices in teaching. For example, there is some empirical support for the use of concept mapping as a strategy that promotes critical thinking. In order to facilitate learning, nurse educators must be cognizant (aware) of a variety of factors that students bring to the learning setting. For example, a typical classroom may consist of second-degree students or second career students (Boomers), returning or transfer students who may be in their mid 20s and 30s (Geneses) or students who attend college immediately after graduating from high school (Millennials).

Skillful assessment of student learning outcomes is also needed in order to evaluate how students learn and the degree to which teaching strategies encourage meaningful learning. A recent survey of nursing students suggests that the content demands of the nursing curricula are so great that little time is left for students to assimilate that content into useful clinical knowledge. Novice nurses are less aware of their thinking and learning processes when compared with experiences nurses.

PROMOTION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE

The primary focus of health care institutions today is on the provision of quality care within a cost effective framework. This emphasis on outcomes has led to a national movement requiring evidence based care. A survey to determine the readiness of U.S. nurses for evidence-based practice and found that respondents reported a lack of value for research in practice.

The movement toward evidence based practice requires that educators and practitioners engage in collaborative research. The nurse educator of the future must form collaborative relationships not only with practicing nurses but also with other members of the health care team.

With patient-centered care as its focus, nursing and medicine, for example, need to collaborate in clinical studies in order to improve outcomes of care. Most importantly, nurse educators must role model this behavior for students so that students learn that practice and research coexist and cannot be seen as separate entities. Research becomes meaningfully grounded in practice rather than a theoretical topic unrelated to the practice setting.

Evidence-based practice is here to stay and discussions centering on nursing education and nursing practice must be strongly grounded in nursing research.

EMPHASIS ON AUTHENTIC STUDENT-TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS

There is mounting evidence to suggest that a thoughtful student-teacher relationship is essential for students to develop and grow. The traditional behaviorist model viewed students as empty vesicles who were eager to receive knowledge transmitted from the teacher. The humanistic approach recognizes that students have their own experiences that enrich learning while also viewing the student as a participant in learning.

Since that time, others have carefully examined the centrality of the student-teacher connection in promoting learning. The current research suggests that learning and student development are promoted through strategies aimed at getting to know students and connecting to students through more thoughtful, concerted means.

When investigating student perceptions of effective and ineffective clinical instructors, it was found that students perceived that the most effective clinical instructors were those having strong interpersonal relationships with students. The nurse educator of the future will need to establish authentic relationships with students grounded in mutual trust and respect so that students gain the self-confidence to achieve their potential.

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TYPES OF TOOLS USED FOR EVALUATION

There are many tools or instruments used in evaluation process. Some of the tools have been briefly discussed here:

Questionnaire
Most commonly used method of evaluation is questionnaire in which an individual attempts answers in writing on a paper. It is generally self-administered in  which person goes through the questionnaire and responds as per the instruction. It is considered to be the most cost-effective tool of evaluation in terms of administration. While developing teacher should ensure that it is simple, concise, and clearly stated. Evaluation done with the help of questionnaire is quantitative.

Interview 
Interview is the second most important technique used for evaluation in which students participating in evaluation are interviewed. Interview can help in getting information both quantitatively and qualitatively. Interview can be conducted in group or individually. It is a time-consuming process; therefore it should be arranged as per the convenience of interviewer and interviewee. It can also be used to evaluate a programme at the time of exist of student called exit interview. Interview should be held in a quiet room and the information obtained should be kept confidential. An interview guide can be created, which is an objective guideline to be followed by the interviewer.

Observations

Observation is the direct visualization of the activity performed by the student. It is very useful in assessing the performance of the students, to know how many skills they have attained. Observation is needed to be recorded simultaneously, if delayed some important points of the observation could be missed. There is scope for subjectivity in observation and the same can be overcome by developing an objective criterion. Students should also be aware of the criteria, so that they can prepare themselves accordingly and their anxiety levels will be controlled. Teacher should also prepare himself to enable fair assessment.

Rating Scale 
Rating scale is another tool of assessment in which the performance of the student is measured on a continuum. Rating scale provides objectivity to the assessment. Later on, grades can be given to the students based on their performance on rating scale.

Checklist 
Checklist is a two-dimensional tool used to assess the behavior of the student, for its presence or absence. Teacher can evaluate the performance of the student with a detailed checklist of items and well-defined and developed criteria. Checklist is an important tool that can evaluate students' performance in the clinical area. Order in which steps to be used to complete the procedure can be put in sequential order, which help the teacher to check whether the required action is carried out or not. It is an important tool used in both summative and formative assessment

Attitude Scale

An attitude scale measures the feeling of the students at the time of answering the question. Likert scale is the most popular. Attitude scale contains a group of statements (usually 10-15) that reflect the opinion on a particular issue. Participant (student) is asked the degree to which he agrees or disagrees with the statements. Usually, five point Likert scale is used to assess the attitude of the student. To avoid any kind of bias, equal number of positively and negatively framed statements is included.

Semantic Differential 
Another scale used to measure the attitude of the student is semantic differential. This tool contains bipolar scale (adjectives) like good-bad, rich-poor, positive-negative, active-passive, etc. Number of intervals between two adjectives is usually old like five or seven, so that the middle figure represents neutral attitude.

Self-Report or Diary
A self-report or diary is a narrative record maintained by the student, which reflects his critical thoughts after careful observation. It can be a one-time assignment or regular assignment. Regular assignment is maintained in a spiral book which can be evaluated on daily, weekly, monthly or semester basis. Self-report or diary helps in improving any existing programme or constructing a new one based on self-report submitted by the student.

Anecdotal Notes
Anecdotal record is the note maintained by teacher on the performance or behavior of student during clinical experience. It proves to be a very valuable tool for both formative and summative evaluation of the student's performance. It is maintained soon after the occurrence of event. It is an assessment done on continuous basis that allows student to be judged fairly. It is the duty of the teacher to give feedback to the student.

SELECTION OF EVALUATION TOOL

Process of evaluation requires careful selection of evaluation tool. There are some guidelines to be followed while selecting the evaluation tool. Points to be observed while selecting evaluation tool are given as under:

• Appropriate: The tool should be able to measure what it intends to measure.
• Appropriate: The tool should be appropriate for the domain to be measured.
• Comprehensive: The tool should be able to evaluate all variable to be studied.
• Valid and reliable: The tool should be pretested, reliable and valid.
• Cost-effective: The tool should not be very costly to use.
• Time-saving: The tool should not be very lengthy.

PROBLEMS IN EVALUATION

Lack of Time
Nursing faculty often makes complaints/excuses of lack of time for not evaluating the students regularly. Lack of time may be a result of poor time management skills, hence faculty must try to overcome this barrier; still, if it is not manageable then they can hire external evaluators from outside to manage the affairs so that, this core activity of the education will not be jeopardized. They must consider that evaluation is as important as delivering lectures or demonstrating skills to the nursing students.

Lack of the skills to Carry Out Evaluation
Some teachers may not be competent enough to plan and execute the evaluation schedule. These teachers must be identified by the principal of the college and remedial actions, e.g. in-service education, refresher courses, etc., can be planned for those who are in need.

Error in Measurement and Evaluation
There are various sources of errors in measurement. One of the important errors in measurement is the respondent himself. He himself may not be able to express his true feelings. Measurer's behavior, style and looks of the person measuring the phenomenon, is another sources of error that may distort the process of measurement. Other factors that can contribute to error in measurement are situational factors. Poor quality of test or defective measuring instrument is another factor responsible for error in measurement.

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CURRENT TRENDS AND ISSUES IN NURSING EDUCATION

Nursing education is a professional education, which has been undergoing continuous change since its evolution. Its dynamic change nature has been promoting continuous growth and development of trends. Some of the current trends have arisen from general education and some are seen due to change in nursing.

1. The curriculum development in nursing education is based on competency and focusing on the output of the students. It invites students' participation and responsibility for learning.
2. Innovations in teaching and learning like online programmes, use of technology, web-based learning, and computer-assisted learning are being used increasingly to promote intellectual personal, and career development.
3. Educational quality assurance is a process of monitoring and evaluating efficiency and effectiveness of educational programme. As the nursing education is flourishing in government and private sector in India, there is the need for accreditation of the system and the process. Preparation of nursing personnel should be of good quality. So, this is the high time to prepare a quality index of nursing institutions all over the country by categorizing them into different grades, based on infrastructure and faculty profile.
4. Nursing education is preparing the students to provide high-tech and high-touch patient care with the help of technology and sophisticated gadgets. 
5. Current trends in nursing education are preparing global nurses, who have transnational acceptance.
6. Nowadays, short-term programmes are becoming more popular than regular postgraduate programmes in nursing. At the same time,
   
   there are opportunities for higher education. Now, a nurse soon after completion of her basic professional qualification can pursue higher education.
7. Nursing is emerging as specialty. Previously, nursing was considered to be general care, but now it has emerged as specialty  nursing to meet the needs of patients of different categories.
8. Government's role in promoting higher education in nursing is getting diminished and private sectors are coming forward to play the dominant role in promotion of nursing education.
9. Uniformity and standardization of nursing education is becoming possible, because of the initiative of the Indian Nursing Council.
10. As a result of many upcoming colleges of nursing that are promoting graduate and post-graduate courses in nursing, the shortage of nurse educator is overcome to great extent. Now, there is the need for having qualified nursing personnel in administration and research, who can further promote growth of nursing education at in-service education level. 

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VIVA VOCE

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   Viva voce is a Latin phrase literally meaning with living voice, but is most often translated as by word of mouth. Furthermore, viva voce is also is termed as an oral examination which consists of a dialogue between the examiner and a student where the examiner ask question and the student replies. The examiner may ask short open questions, multiple choice questions or a series of other type of questions not necessarily related to each other. 
   In nursing, viva voce is generally used to supplement the practical examination where two examiners, i.e. internal and external, ask several questions related to a particular subject matter. The viva voce might form a part of the validated assessment for a course, assessed by an oral examination. In these situations, the viva voce is a useful tool that in authenticating that the student has got enough knowledge in the subject matter.

Purposes of Viva Voce
   There are a variety of circumstances which might require the use of a viva voce and provision for these is contained in the academic and organizational regulations. There are several legitimate reasons for asking a student to attend a viva voce examination, all of which may have a different impact on the student. The main purposes of the viva voce are mentioned below:

• To assess student's ability to communicate with another person.
• To supplement the information obtained through other evaluation techniques.
• To use stimulation methods like role play and telephone conversation.
• To identify and analyse the student's presence of mind.
• To evaluate the student's spontaneity and mannerism.
• To acquire soundness of knowledge through various forms of question.
• To diagnose the student's limitation and weakness and take remedial action.

Principles to Conduct Viva Voce

• The viva should not be limited to a single topic but should cover a range of different issues to avoid the results of the viva being skewed by selecting a topic which the candidate can answer exceptionally well or about which he/she knows nothing of. All questions should be strictly relevant to the purpose of the viva.
• Do not use long preambles to questions. Examiners should talk as little as possible during the viva.
• The chair of the examiners must remain in charge of the session and must deal appropriately with any problem candidate or difficult situation.
• When the last question is being asked, allow the student to complete his/her answer and end the session formally.
• Viva voce examinations should not normally exceed 30 minutes.
• Candidates should be examined individually.
• Candidates should be given adequate notice of the possibility of being called to attend a viva, and this should normally not be less than 24 hours.

Advantages of a Viva Voce

• Provide direct contact with the candidates to assess their communication, presentation skills and overall impression.
• Provide opportunity to mitigate circumstances into accounts.
• Provide flexibility in moving the candidates from strong to weak points.
• Makes students formulate replies without cues, and the reaction is observed for a specific stimulus.
• Facilitates simultaneous assessment by two or more examiners.
• Provides an opportunity for the examiner to get feedback on the performance of the students and the university.

Disadvantages of a Viva Voce

• Lacks standardization, objectivity and reproducibility of the result.
• Permits favoritism and cannot be used for future references.
• Suffers from undue influence of irrelevant factors.
• Costly in terms of professional time.

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NATURALISM PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Naturalism is a philosophy with the belief that nature alone represents the entire reality. There is nothing beyond behind, or other than nature. According to this philosophy, human life is the part of the scheme of nature. This philosophy gives emphasis to matter, the physical world. It does not believe in spirituality and supernaturalism. There are three different types of naturalism: 

• Physical naturalism: It is believed that reality exists in the natural universe not within the individual. Tagore has called nature as a 'manuscript of God'.
• Mechanical naturalism:It regards man as a mere machine. There is no spirit or soul. Only matter is everything. Mind is also a matter made up atoms, empty space, and motion.
• Biological naturalism: It tries to explain man in terms of lower form of life from which he has evolved.

The chief exponent of naturalism are Bacon, Comenius, Herbert Spencer, Huxley, Bernard Shaw, and Rousseau.

Naturalism and Education
   Naturalism is a revolt against traditional system of education, which gives very little freedom to the child. In naturalism, maximum freedom and central position is given to the child. This philosophy believes that education should be according to the nature of child. It advocates creation of natural conditions in which natural development of child can take place.
   Whenever a system of education becomes stereotype, there is reaction against it in the form of revival of naturalism. According to Rousseau, there are three sources of education namely, nature, men, and things. Education from nature is to prepare a natural man.

Aim of Education

self-realization, self-expression and self-preservation.

Curriculum

   There is no fixed curriculum. Every child is given the right to determine his own curriculum. He is expected to learn directly from nature through personal experiences. Subjects like agriculture, nature study, gardening, art, craft, geology, and astronomy are taught. The subjects are correlated with the physical activities of the child and with the life around him.

Methods of Teaching

   Learning by doing, playway method, observation and experimentation are used, so as to govern self. According to Rousseau, 'Students should not be given any verbal lessons rather they should be taught experience alone. Teacher tries to give lots of hand-on training and practical experiences'. 

Discipline

   Naturalist gives utmost freedom to the child to do and learn the behavior. There is no punishment of any kind. External discipline is not desirable, as it stands in the ways of child development. Naturalism also believes that formal education is the invention of society, which is created and can be called artificial. Therefore, rigid man-made discipline must be avoided in the teaching-learning process.

Role of Teacher

Teacher is always behind the screen. He is a spectator or an observer. Teacher plays his role behind the scene. He does not interfere in students' activities. Teacher acts as a facilitator, a setter of the stage, and as a supplier of materials and opportunities.

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CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF TEACHER EDUCATION

Preservice Education

• Lack of uniformity due to variety of programmes with diverse curriculum leading to variations in entry level qualifications required for different levels of education.
• Reduced focus on faculty development.
• In comparison with the theoretical aspects, less weightage is given to practical aspects of education.
• Less orientation towards classroom realities.

In-Service Education

• Requires more coordinated efforts.
• Training must be based on the findings of needs analysis.
• Designing of in-service education must show difference in meeting the expectations of various levels of teachers.
• Privileging based on in-service education can be introduced.

Need for Schemes for development of Teacher Education

• Current teacher education programmes need revision and evaluation.
• New teacher education programmes need to be developed based on educational technology.
• Development of standards and quality indicators of teacher education is needed.
• Improve administration through capacity building of trainers.
• Monitor the outcomes of teacher education.
• Synchronize the work to reach the desired goals.

Approaches for Improving the Quality of Teacher Education
Some approaches for improving the quality teacher education are as follows:

• Creation of ideal institute for teacher education in every state by the central government.
• Development of centres of resource for teacher education for learning materials.
• Promoting need-based continuing education and strengthening of teaching capacities of educators.
• Updating of preservice education programmes.
• Encouragement of follow-up studies and follow-up activities.
• Conversion of all the teacher education programmes to the university level.
• Making available of online distance education for continuous education.
• Institution of all-inclusive colleges of education.
• Formation of state boards or teacher education.
• Continuous updation of teacher education curriculum.
• Increasing importance on direct teaching experience.
• Recuperating the quality of support system for teacher education.
• Strengthening of databases to support policies and decision-making.
• Introducing licensing and grading system for teachers to professionalize teaching.
• Continuous appraisal of teacher education institutions and their programmes. 

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AIMS OF EDUCATION

Education is a continuous lifelong process. The aim of education is to provide direction to the process of education. There are different aims of education like social aim, vocational aim, cultural aim, moral aim, spiritual aim, intellectual aim, etc.

Medical -surgical Nursing Quiz
Social Aim
Human being is considered to be a social animal. Education can make him to be a productive member of the society. Every individual is born with some potential. It is the education that helps the individual to meet his potential. Society is considered to be the result of interaction among the individuals either in small or large group. Education ensures peaceful existence of the society. By education, students realize the importance of social values like justice, fair play, healthy competition and harmony, etc. Education makes the individual accountable to the community and the nation. With social aims, education gives direction to the society in its development.

Vocational Aim
Process of education makes the individual to be capable of his livelihood, so that he can useful and lead a productive life in the society. The individual respects the dignity of labour. This aim makes him self-reliant and sufficient and fills the gap between education and vocation. Vocational aim has utilitarian dimension too. Education provides knowledge and skills to an individual in a fruitful manner.

Cultural Aim
Education has a cultural aim also. By undergoing education, child becomes civilized and cultured. An educated person develops aesthetic sense and respects other's culture. Knowing the culture includes gaining or acquiring knowledge about existing beliefs of a society, art, morals, laws, etc.

Moral Aim
Education helps in building up of character of an individual. Most values like honesty, truthfulness, justice, goodness, purity, courage, punctuality, and dutifulness are nurtured through education.

Old Question Paper
Spiritual Aim
Education is necessary to promote spirituality among the individuals. He raises himself above self-interest and works for the welfare of others, which is called to be the state of self-actualization. He not only preaches right or wrong, but also practices it in his life.

Intellectual Aim
Education provides opportunities to an individual to develop innate power or intellectual capacity to think rationally and lead his life independently with confidence.


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TYPES OF EDUCATION

There are no clear-cut forms of education. Generally, education is discussed as three types, i.e. formal, informal, and nonformal.

Formal Education

It is a preplanned, direct, and systematically, organized activity provided in specific educational institutions, such as schools and colleges. In formal education, there are well defined goals or objectives of curriculum. Teaching is conducted by highly qualified and trained teachers and strict discipline is observed. There is always examination towards the end and awarding of certificate occurs after the successful completion of the course. It can be said that formal education is based on rules, customs, and procedures. It is consciously and deliberately planned for modification of behavior with a particular end result. Formal education takes place in schools, colleges, and institutions specially established and maintained for educational activity.

The influence of formal education is systematic, definite, and permanent. There is a systematic method of evaluation. Therefore, the results of formal education can be predicted. It can be said that the proper progress of human beings is possible only through formal education.

Informal Education

It is not a systematically planned or deliberate activity. Most of the time, it is incidental and spontaneous. In informal education, the main emphasis is given on formation or development of habits, ideas, attitudes, or skills. Learning occurs as a result of experiences grained from day-to-day life or by interactions with others. It is causal and one gains knowledge through daily experience and activities. There are no specific agencies like’s schools or colleges to impart education to the students, it is rather provided by informal agencies such as home, family, or community. There is no well-defined curriculum. No specifically qualified personnel to teach and there is no evaluation system like examination and conferring certificates or degrees to the students. Modification in behavior is seen spontaneously or out of necessity without having any conscious efforts for it. Learning as a result of this informal education starts at birth and continues till death.

Nonformal Education

Nonformal education has a middle path to follow. It is somewhere in between formal and informal types of education. Therefore, it shares some of the characteristics of both types of education. Nonformal education is considered to be a highly flexible system without rigid rules, regulations and time frame. It is systematically planned, organized, implemented, and integrated with day-to-day activities and works of the learner.

This kind of education is designed to meet the learning needs of different categories of persons in the society. Some of the examples of nonformal education are correspondence courses, distance learning, open schools, continuing education programmes, etc. There has been increasing use of technology in formal education. Top leaning, web-based leaning, and teleconferencing/telelecturing/ videoconferencing are examples through which nonformal education is possible.

Success of nonformal education depends upon student’s desire to learn and progress, level of motivation among the students, autonomy on the part of learner in terms of freedom of time, and upon place and pace of learning. People seeking nonformal education may opt for postal or correspondence courses. They learn at their leisure time, getting guidance through postal tuitions, contact programmes via teleconferencing, etc.

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FUNCTIONS OF EDUCATION

Education has a number of functions towards the child as an individual, society, and nation.

Towards the Individual

1. Education promotes the growth and development of an individual. Education provides growth in whole personality of the child through formal training.
2. Education provides direction and guidance to the individual. It is helpful to channelize the energy of the child to more productive activities.
3. Education prepares the child for adult life, so that he can take up responsibilities as an adult.
4. Education is helpful in conservation of old traditions, values, ideas, customs, etc.
5. Education is the means of transmitting culture from one generation to another.
6. Education provides new experiences, unfolds new dimensions of knowledge, and furthers civilization and culture.
7. Education prepares the individual for a vocation, by helping him acquire knowledge and skills.
8. Vocational preparation helps in achieving self-reliance and sufficiency.
9. Educational aims at all round development of the individual, so promotes holistic personality development.
10. Education is essential for moral and character development.
11. Education helps in creating awareness about the past and the present and prepares the individual for the future.
12. Education helps the individual in maintain his livelihood. 

Towards the society

1. Education promotes the holistic development of individuals, who are the members of the society. This ultimately ensures growth of society in the right direction.
2. Education prepares good citizens in a civilized society, who can enjoy full privileges, freedom, exercise their rights, and at the same time fulfill the responsibilities towards the society and the nation.
3. Education is essential for ensuring civilization and cultural security. With the individual sense of civilization and presentation of traditional culture, civilization and culture security is promoted.

Towards the Nation

1. Education is required for the development of a nation. Education promotes literacy and the availability of the resources.
2. Education is required to maintain the national integrity. Education widens the thinking of an individual and he can work for the national integration. He can fight against casteism, communalism, regionalism, etc., that act as barrier to the national integrity.
3. Education prepares the task force, who can provide their services for the smooth functioning of a nation.
4. Education helps in building up the leaders required for the social, economic, and political growth of a country. The prepared leaders can meet the country’s immediate and future needs and promote stable society required for the growth of a nation.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF EDUCATION

  1. Purposeful Activity 

      Education is an activity that has purpose all the time, irrespective of formal, informal, or        nonformal nature. The purpose may vary according to the need of the educant or the need of the society.

  2.  Deliberate Process

     Education is a deliberately planned process, which guides the student throughout and helps in attaining knowledge, attitude and skills using the available resources.

  3. Planned Activity Based on Objectives

     Educational activity is based on objectives. It is a carefully planned process with short-term and long-term objectives. Well-framed objectives make the education process to move in the right direction.

4.  Education is Influenced by Society

   Education and society go hand in hand. Societal changes can influence education at the same time education leads to the changes in the society. Success of any education system lies in understanding this reciprocating relationship between education and society.

5. Education is Influenced by Technological Advancements

    Use of technology makes wider availability of education and also improves the quality of education. Development in technology brings about changes and shift in educational goals, which in turn stimulates the emergence of newer techniques.

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PROBLEM BASED LEARNING (PBL)

Problem-based learning is student-centered teaching-learning strategy in which students collaboratively solve the problem and this reflects on their experience. In problem-based learning, the starting point is a problem, a query, or a puzzle that the learner wishes to solve (D.L. Bound, 1985).

It is a careful inspection of methods, which are permanently successful in formal education. In PBL, students depend for their efficiency upon the fact that they go back to the type of situation, which causes reflection out of ordinary life (John Dewey, 1916).

PBL is a process of acquiring and understanding of knowledge, skills and attitude in the context of an unfamiliar situation and applying that learning to the situation. There are four components of PBL:

1. Non-lecture format and teacher acting as a facilitator.
2. Presentation of real world situation or problem from ordinary life.
3. Group work and group discussion.
4. Student-directed solution of the selected p
5. roblem.

Features of PBL

PBL is initiated by a problem. The selected problem is real and complex situation. Students are not given initially all the information that is needed to solve the problem. Students are encourages to work in group and they themselves identify the resources. Learning as a result of PBL is active, integrated, cumulative and connected.

Steps of PBL

• Presentation of problem
• Organization of ideas
• Pose questions
• Assign responsibilities for questions and discuss resources
• Research question, summarise, and analyse findings
• Recovene and report on research
• Integrate new information and refine questions
• Resolution of problem

Presentation of problem

Advantages of PBL

1. It helps the student in acquiring the subject knowledge.
2. Students are continuously motivated to learn. Retention is better when students learn by PBL method, as the method relates to real world.
3. It promotes thinking and interpersonal skills in students.
4. It promotes professionalism among students and fosters confidence and competence among them.
5. Encourage integration of knowledge obtained from various subjects.

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