Assignment Method

Methods of teaching

1. Instructional Technology
Dr.Shabir Ahmad Bhat
Faculty of Education
University of Kashmir South Campus

2. ASSIGNMENT METHOD
MeaningofAssignmentisallotment,thereforethetermassignment
methodofteachingstandsformethodinwhichstudentsare
assignedorallottedsomespecialdutiesforcarryingouttheoretical
orpracticalactivitiesonindividualorsmallgroupbasis.
The Assignment method is the most common method of teaching.
It is an instructional technique comprises the guided information,
self learning, writing skills and report preparation among the
learners.
The Assignment method is an important step in teaching and
learning process aimed at realizing the stipulated teaching learning
objectives.

3. Procedure for adopting
Theprescribedcourseisdividedintosuitablepartsaccordingto
topics,sothatitissuccessfullyfinishedwithintheavailabletime.
Theymaybeweekly,fortnightly,ormonthlydependsonsyllabus&
timeavailability.
Studentshavetofinishitinstipulatedtime,andnostudentsis
allowedtomoveontonextassignmentunlesshefinishedprevious
one.
Whileallottingteacherprovidesthroughinsight(inwriting)of
proceduresandprecautionstobeadoptedbythestudentsto
completeit.Howeveritservesamereguidance,theresponsibility
ofcompletionoftheassignmentslieswithstudents.

4. Theyarewellgradedandsystematized,theinitialassignmentsare
preparatoryinnatureandtheoneleadstothenextandsoon.
Theoryistaughtfirstandpracticalworkisgivenlatersothatachild
willbeabletoutilizewhathehaslearned.
Assignmentsinpracticalworkincludethenecessarysuggestions
andguidelinesforhandlingtheapparatusandperformingvarious
experimentalactivities.
Foradoptionofassignmentmethodthetimespentinteaching
maybedividedinto2parts,infirstparttheoreticalassignment,
discussion,reading&observingdemonstrationshouldbecarried
outunderleadershipofteachersandinsecondpartpractical
applicationorexperimentationbasedontheoreticalpartshould
beallowed.

5. Thestudentsarerequiredtokeepawrittenrecordoftheir
assignments.Thishelpsteacheraswellasstudentsinthe
evaluationoftheprogressofteaching-learningprocess.

6. OBJECTIVES
Itprovidesgoodtrainingforinformationseekingandretrieval
behaviour.
Itinculcatestheselflearningattitudeamong the
students.
Itprovidesinformationanalysisandresearchattitudetothe
learners.
Itdevelopsthelearningexperiencesfromvarioussources.

7. FEATURES OF GOOD ASSIGNMENT
Assignmentmustberelevanttothesubjecttaughttothestudent.
Thisshouldreflecttheaffinitieswiththesubjectcontentsinthetext
bookconcerned.
Assignmentmustbesimpleandenablethestudentstocompleteit
withinthestipulatedtime.
Assignmentmustavoidambiguous,complexinformationand
instructionalstructure.
Objectivesoftheassignmentsmustbeclearanddefinite.

8. MERITS
Recognition of individual differences: Assignments are allotted on
the basis of mental abilities, capacities, interests, aptitudes and
pace, e.g. brighter ones don’t have to wait for slower ones as they can take
next higher assignment and slow learners need not to get disappointed for their
inability to race.
Development of useful habits:
Sense of responsibility of finishing task in hand.
Habit of self-studying and self-confidence in ones abilities.
Self-dependency in action and thought.

9. Merits cont…
Providesfreedomofwork:norestrictionintermsoftimestarting&
finishing.Durationofexecutiondependsonuponmentaland
physicalstamina,studentsmaygotolibraryorworkinlaboratory
acc.totheirconvenience.Theyarealsofreetogetinstructions
whenneededandsuchfreedomprovesassettobringefficiencyin
teaching-learningprocess.
Goodrelationshipbetweenteacherandtaught:givingsuitable
assignmentsandrenderingtimelyguidanceonindividualbasisa
teacherdrawsclosertostudent.Similarlywhileworkingstudents
alsoneedtobeinclosetouchwithteacherforseekinghelp.This
mutualnecessitybuildsagoodrelationshipandproperlearning
environment.

10. Advantageofkeepingprogressreport:properrecordingof
progressonindividuallevelhelpstoassesscapacity,progress,
shortcomings,andcomparisonwithotherstudentsorclass.This
providesincentivesofguidance,aspritofhealthycompetition,
andhelpsinevaluatingperformancetogradethem,topromote
themaccordingly.
Gettingridofproblemsofindiscipline:Inthismethodstudentsare
oncompletefreedomtoworkatownpaceandaremade
responsibleforcompletion.Theworkinvolvestheirinitiatives,
interestsandtheyaremotivatedtopickupnextassignmentswhich
makethemabsorbed,regular,sincere,&self-disciplined.
Dueimportancetoprincipleofactivity:Thismethodinvolves
principleof‘selfactivityandlearningbydoing’whichmakestask
ofteachingmoreeffective,impressiveandlasting.

11. Demerits
NotSuitableforalltypesofstudents:Doesn’tsuitstudentswithlow
intelligence,oraveragecapacity.Alsodoesn’tworkwith
irresponsibleorcarelessstudents.Itsuitslimitednumberoflearners
whopossessesareasonablesenseofinitiative,responsibilities,
ability,capacitytowork.
Providesstimulationforcheating:itmayprovidetemptationor
compulsionforcopyingtheanswersofquestionsandresultsof
experimentsfromreadilyavailablesourcesornotebooksof
classmates.
Strainonteacher:Teacherisexpectedtoworkhardinthismethod
forpreparing,assigning,guidingtoindividualsandgroupsinproper
timeandway.

12. UneconomicalMethod:Itprovestobeexpensivemethodas
assignmentoneverytopicshouldgetprintedorcyclostyledby
teacher.Involvesextraexpenditurewhichisbeyondcapacityof
mostschoolsofourcountry.
Unpracticalinexistingconditions:Manypracticalproblems
Non-availabilityofpropertextbooks
Paucityofpropertrainedteachers.
Providingindividualattentioninexistingcrowdedclasses.
Difficultyincoveringsyllabus.
Nonconformitywithpresentexaminationsystemofteachingand
evaluation.