CHSE Odisha Elective Education study materials
CHSE Odisha Elective Education study resources

CHSE Odisha Elective Education key terms

CHSE Odisha Elective Education · Get comfortable with the vocabulary.

Pedagogy

The study and practice of how teaching is organised, including the methods, activities and relationships a teacher uses to help learners construct knowledge rather than simply receive it.

Related: Andragogy, Teaching-learning process
Andragogy

A set of principles for teaching adults, stressing that mature learners are self-directed, bring life experience as a resource, and prefer problem-centred learning relevant to their social roles.

Related: Pedagogy, Self-directed learning
Teaching-learning process

The planned interaction between teacher, learner, content and environment in which intended learning outcomes are pursued through sequenced activities and continuous feedback.

Related: Pedagogy, Learning outcome
Learning outcome

A precise statement of what a learner should be able to know, do or value after a unit of instruction, written in observable terms so that achievement can be assessed.

Related: Instructional objective, Assessment
Instructional objective

A short, specific statement describing the behaviour a learner will perform, the conditions under which it will occur, and the standard of acceptable performance.

Related: Learning outcome, Bloom's taxonomy
Bloom's taxonomy

A hierarchical classification of cognitive processes ranging from remembering and understanding through applying and analysing to evaluating and creating, used to design questions and tasks of graded difficulty.

Related: Instructional objective, Higher-order thinking
Higher-order thinking

Mental activity that goes beyond recall of facts, requiring learners to analyse relationships, evaluate evidence and construct reasoned judgements or original products.

Related: Bloom's taxonomy, Critical thinking
Critical thinking

The disciplined habit of examining claims, identifying assumptions, weighing evidence and forming a defensible judgement instead of accepting conclusions uncritically.

Related: Higher-order thinking, Problem solving
Problem solving

A deliberate process of recognising a gap between a present state and a goal, generating possible strategies, testing them and evaluating the result.

Related: Critical thinking, Discovery learning
Constructivism

A theory holding that learners actively build understanding by connecting new information to prior knowledge, so teaching should provide experiences and dialogue rather than mere transmission of facts.

Related: Discovery learning, Scaffolding
Discovery learning

An approach in which learners investigate materials or problems and arrive at generalisations largely on their own, with the teacher guiding rather than stating conclusions first.

Related: Constructivism, Inquiry-based learning
Inquiry-based learning

Instruction organised around learner-generated questions and systematic investigation, in which students gather evidence, interpret findings and communicate conclusions.

Related: Discovery learning, Problem solving
Scaffolding

Temporary support provided by a teacher or peer, such as prompts, models or partial solutions, that is gradually withdrawn as the learner gains competence.

Related: Zone of proximal development, Constructivism
Zone of proximal development

The distance between what a learner can accomplish alone and what the same learner can accomplish with guidance from a more capable person.

Related: Scaffolding, Differentiated instruction
Differentiated instruction

Planning that adjusts content, process or product to learners' readiness, interests and profiles so that all students work toward common outcomes by suitable routes.

Related: Zone of proximal development, Inclusive education
Inclusive education

An arrangement in which children with diverse abilities and backgrounds learn together in ordinary classrooms, with the curriculum and environment adapted to remove barriers to participation.

Related: Differentiated instruction, Special educational needs
Special educational needs

Learning difficulties or disabilities that require additional or adapted provision, such as modified materials, assistive devices or specialist support, for a child to access education effectively.

Related: Inclusive education, Individualised education plan
Individualised education plan

A written document for a learner with special needs that records present levels of performance, specific goals, services to be provided, and criteria for reviewing progress.

Related: Special educational needs, Assessment
Assessment

The systematic gathering and interpretation of evidence about learning, using tests, observations, projects or records, in order to judge achievement and improve instruction.

Related: Formative assessment, Summative assessment
Formative assessment

Assessment carried out during learning to identify gaps and adjust teaching, typically low-stakes and followed by specific feedback rather than a grade alone.

Related: Assessment, Summative assessment
Summative assessment

Assessment conducted at the end of a unit, term or course to certify the level of achievement attained, often contributing to promotion or awards.

Related: Assessment, Formative assessment
Continuous and comprehensive evaluation

A school assessment scheme that judges both scholastic and co-scholastic areas repeatedly through the year, using varied tools rather than a single terminal examination.

Related: Formative assessment, Assessment
Rubric

A scoring guide that lists criteria for a task and describes levels of quality for each criterion, making judgement transparent and consistent across learners.

Related: Assessment, Learning outcome
Curriculum

The totality of planned learning experiences offered by an institution, including aims, content, activities, resources and evaluation arrangements.

Related: Syllabus, Hidden curriculum
Syllabus

An outline of the topics, sequence and requirements of a particular course, usually narrower in scope than the whole curriculum.

Related: Curriculum, Lesson plan
Hidden curriculum

The unstated lessons transmitted through school routines, rules, relationships and language, such as punctuality, deference to authority or competition, which shape learner attitudes.

Related: Curriculum, Socialisation
Lesson plan

A teacher's written preparation for a single lesson, stating objectives, prior knowledge, materials, staged activities, questions and a method of checking learning.

Related: Syllabus, Microteaching
Microteaching

A scaled-down practice session in which a trainee teaches a small group for a few minutes, focusing on one skill, and then reviews the recording with peers and a supervisor.

Related: Lesson plan, Reflective practice
Reflective practice

A teacher's systematic review of their own decisions and classroom events, using evidence and feedback to revise future action and improve professional judgement.

Related: Microteaching, Action research
Action research

A cyclical inquiry conducted by practitioners in their own setting, identifying a problem, trying a change, collecting evidence and refining practice.

Related: Reflective practice, Assessment
Educational psychology

The branch of psychology concerned with how people learn, remember, motivate themselves and behave in educational settings, and with applying such findings to teaching.

Related: Learning, Motivation
Learning

A relatively lasting change in knowledge, skill or disposition produced by experience or practice, as distinguished from temporary states such as fatigue or maturation alone.

Related: Educational psychology, Reinforcement
Motivation

The internal or external force that initiates, directs and sustains effort toward a learning goal, ranging from intrinsic interest to external reward or pressure.

Related: Educational psychology, Reinforcement
Reinforcement

A consequence following a response that increases the likelihood of that response recurring, whether by presenting a pleasant stimulus or removing an unpleasant one.

Related: Learning, Motivation
Socialisation

The process through which individuals acquire the values, norms, language and roles of their society, in which family, school and peer groups play major parts.

Related: Hidden curriculum, Educational sociology
Educational sociology

The study of how social structures, institutions, cultures and inequalities shape educational access, experience and outcomes, and how schooling in turn affects society.

Related: Socialisation, Equity in education
Equity in education

The principle that personal or social circumstances such as gender, caste, income or disability should not determine educational opportunity, requiring targeted support for disadvantaged learners.

Related: Educational sociology, Inclusive education
Universal design for learning

A planning framework that offers multiple means of representation, engagement and expression so that a single curriculum can reach learners with widely varied needs.

Related: Inclusive education, Differentiated instruction
Self-directed learning

A process in which learners diagnose their own needs, set goals, locate resources, choose strategies and evaluate their progress with limited teacher direction.

Related: Andragogy, Reflective practice