Inclusive practices of formative assessment For self-representation of culturally Marginalised tribal students.

Abstract

Formative assessment has been identified as one of the key components of an educational system which has an enabling orientation and an objective of competency building. The present research inquires whether the educational policies, curriculum and practices in Kerala envisage assessment that is formative in the context of increased rate of dropouts of culturally marginalised tribal students (CMTS) sampled from Wayanad district of the state. Specifically, the inclusive nature of formative assessment is examined. The question of dropout and marginalisation is addressed from the point of view of institutional responsibility of inclusiveness. The nature of the issue required a critical examination of theoretical works on institutionalisation of exclusion. In the course of the theoretical revisit, issues related to the nature of what is called reality and knowledge are unfolded. Examining theories on the role of language, ideology and discursive practices, the study comes to the position that structures of power and those of knowledge are linked with each other. However, this relationship is not taken as that of unidirectional determination. Oriented by this general theoretical perspective, the research probs into the issue of dropout and marginalisation of CMTS in the current educational system. The method and validation of data were carried out on the ground of theoretical standpoint. The theoretical framework of the research is formed after an examination of textual, historical and objectivist views. Avoiding bracketing approaches on the basis of binary oppositions, relevant correlating elements were intelligibly derived from these diverse and conflicting approaches with an eye on the purpose of the present research and ̳multi-sourced‘ theoretical approach has been developed and exercised in the research. The theoretical approach of the research is designated as textual-historical and objective. The study used the design of concurrent triangulation within the general framework of mixed methodology. The collected data were inductively analysed to derive observable themes which fall into defined categories and codes. The five major themes that surfacethemselves are: Dropout and marginalisation, Inclusive School, Differentiated Teaching, Organisation of Learning Session and Institutional Framework.