PUNE: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), in its latest circular, has advised all the affiliated schools to integrate art with teaching to promote active and experiential learning that goes beyond the textbooks. The same will be inculcated in the teachers training programme as well.

The board has instructed the schools to follow a two-pronged approach. Firstly, the schools can promote and offer visual and performing arts-based subjects at the secondary and senior secondary levels. 

Secondly, art will be integrated with the teaching and learning process of all academic subjects from classes 1 to 12, for connecting knowledge to life outside the school, ensuring that learning shifts away from rote methods and for enriching the curriculum, so that it goes beyond textbooks. “All disciplines being pursued by students at all stages require creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. Therefore, when art is integrated with education, it helps the child apply art-based enquiry, investigation and exploration, critical thinking and creativity for a deeper understanding of the concepts. Also, art-integrated learning is a strong contender for experiential learning, as it enables the student to derive meaning and understanding directly from the learning experience,” the circular states.

As far as teachers’ training is concerned, the Board has also decided to declare a theme for training each year. This theme for training will be undertaken by the Board through its mandatory training programmes. For this academic year, the theme for training will be ‘Innovative pedagogy including active learning and experiential learning’.