These hypotheses may be tested on the basis of data available in other tables also.

4. Formulating the Concepts/Generalisation

The data of Table-A and Table-B are analysed through discussion to ascertain their utility and reliability. Here various indicators of socioeconomic development seem to be directly related with population growth. Hence the hypotheses:

a) Planned population growth tends to enhance socio economic development.

b) Rapid population growth tends to retard socioeconomic development.

5. Applying the Conclusions/Generalisations:

By going through the above process, the students may think of making socioeconomic development as independent variable and population growth a dependent one thereby may formulate a new hypotheses "High rate of socio-economic development tends to bring about a decline in the population growth rate".

As the newly framed hypothesis is also confirmed, then on the basis following generalization may be framed:

"Population growth and socioeconomic development are inter-active variables - population growth may in, someways, enhance socioeconomic development and in some ways retard it; and socioeconomic development may bring about a decline in population growth".

Value Clarification

The main steps in Value clarification as a form of Inquiry have been covered earlier. In this part of chapter, some more details about value clarification as an approach of teaching are being given.

In teaching of population education, three main affective objectives are to be achieved: involvement, concern and response. Through the process of involvement - involvement in issues and problems and involvement with others, a person develops a feeling of concern which may lead to the possibilities of incorporating the same with his system of values. Having affirmed a value in a particular context, the learners have to respond to : What difference this make to me? how do I feel about it? and how do I intend to use it? It is the responsibility of the teacher to enable the learner to be more aware of the values, they have acquired.

Value may be defined as a conception or standard, cultural or merely personal, by which things are compared and approved or disapproved relative to one another - held to be relatively desirable or undesirable, more meritorious or less, more correct or less. All kinds of "things" may be evaluated: feelings, ideas, actions, qualities, objects, persons, groups, means (Johnson, 1966).

Population related issues are usually value laden i.e. invariably influenced by values. The values are concerned with two dimensions of the human person:

Person as self : Physical, spiritual, intellectual and moral values.

Person in community: social, economic and political values.

Values tend to change very slowly, in response to a number of influences. Education can help facilitate this process by helping learners understand their own values, and those of others’ that may be in conflict with these. (UNFPA, 1993).

There is general agreement within the field of population education that value clarification is a necessary, and indeed, perhaps the most important aspect of learners’ preparation for choice and decision making. Value Clarification is a process of inquiry and examination which is intended to strengthen (or awaken) learners’ conscious allegiance to the fundamental core values which bind the society and the nation; and to develop in learners a readiness to examine values in future choice and decision making. The more specific purposes, or interrelated types of value-clarification in population education, are to enable learners to:

- recognise the values which are implied by their action;

- examine the sources of their values;

- look at the consequences of their actions in terms of values they affirm;

- recognise inconsistencies between their values and their actions;

- deal with the conflicts between competing values in specific contexts;

- apply their values to new contexts and situation.

 

(UNESCO,1983)

Guidelines for the Teachers in adopting Value Clarification Approach

1. Present the content in a value-fair manner.

2. Make clear the reasons for your two opinions.

3. Encourage other positions to be developed and defended.

4. Be a facilitator of learning rather an expert on values.

5. Give choice to every learner to express his/her views.

6. Plan value clarification activity well.

7. Create a congenial environment for a free and frank discussion.

8. Develop mutual understanding among the learners.

9. In case of nation’s core or fundamental values, be affirmative and also invite examination. For values other than basic ones, be neutral.

Topic : Family Size

Objective : The pupil:

- makes choices from contradicting values related to Population Education in order to arrive at a decision.

- realizes that family planning is the best method to control increasing population.

- confronts a moral dilemma between two opposing views regarding family size.

- determines his/her values with regard to family size.

1. Introduction : Adoption of family planning methods for limiting the size of the family is moral dilemma for many individuals.

2. Confronting a moral dilemma : Two points of view are to be presented by the teacher to introduce a moral dilemma. Here:

View No. 1 View No. 2

‘Child is the gift of God’ one It is sinful to have more children,

should not deny the gift. if one cannot afford to feed them.

If one of the two value positions is already internalized, there is no dilemma. A dilemma is constituted, when one thinks that there is an element of truth to both of the divergent views. In such a situation, one has to think of reasons for taking one position in preference to another.

3. Stating a position on the original or alternative dilemma : The teacher motivates the students to rationalize for big family size or small family size from point views of not only moral value but also of health value, economic value, family welfare value, personality-related value, religious and social values.

For making the class lively, he may provide more arguments to strengthen the apparently weaker position. All the students are to be involved in the process. The students may be asked to write their own rationale in support of their views.

4. Testing the reasoning for a position in the dilemma : Divide the class into two groups, the first group supporting View No. 1 and the second group View No. 2. The group list their reasons on the blackboard and explain them. The reasons as provided by one group may be challenged by the other group.

5. Reflecting on the reasons for a position : The teacher helps in summarising the reasoning discussed in the class by encouraging the students to reflect on the pros and cons of each value. Hopefully, on the basis of the social reasons, every student will defend a certain view. May be, the whole class takes one position, although in case of a difficult moral dilemma this may not, sometimes, be possible.

In a classroom’s valuing climate only, there are chances of real decision making i.e. decision of the students, by the students and for the students.

2. Learning without burden. New Delhi : Govt. of India, MHRD, Dept. of Education.

3. Pandey, J.L. and Jain, D.P. (1987). Syllabus on population education for plus two stage, New Delhi : NCERT.

4. UNESCO (1983). Preparing teachers for Population Education – A handbook. Paris : UNESCO.

5. UNESCO (1986). Teaching methodologies for population education – Inquiry/discovery, value clarification. Bangkok : UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Asia and the Pacific.

6. UNESCO (1996). Learning: the treasure within. New Delhi, Veerendra Press.

8. Villanueva, C.L. (1976). On the effectiveness of the discovery approach teaching method for population education. Phillipines: Information & Research Utilization Division Population Center Foundation.