Teaching is considered as one of the ancient and most respectable professions in educational development. In the same way, teacher is the backbone of the society who shapes the next generation of future. In the present scenario, the role, functions and preparations of teachers have taken transition accordance with the needs of the society. As it is observed according to National Policy on Education ‘the status of teacher reflects the socio-culture ethos of the society; it is said that no people can rise above the level of its teachers.’ In this way, teachers need to be educated and facilitated in training programme according the changing demands and needs of the society.
There are two types of training programme are being given for who aspire to be associated with teaching profession. Pre-service teachers training programmme is for those who want to go towards teaching profession through formal schooling of B.Ed or B.Eld. Other, in-service teacher training programme is for who are already in teaching programme.
The role of educators always has been very important in improving the quality of teacher education in institutes. It is because the core agenda of training is curriculum, pedagogy and evaluation. These three are the basic feature of successful for any pre-service or in-service programme. It is seen that less than enough time and money are spent in improving teacher’s competencies and knowledge through refreshing programme, bridge course and capacity building in the name of teacher training programme. All school teachers receive training for twenty days in each year according to mandate and norms of SSA(Serve Shiksha Abhiyan,2001).There are many academic bodies like, NCTE, AICTE, SCERT, DIET etc. which facilitate and conduct training programme. But through district’s DIET, BRC and CRC do not have an adequate infrastructure and a number of professional educators for provide academic and training support. As National Knowledge Commission (2006) observes that ‘teachers are the single most important element of the school system and country is already facing a severe shortage of qualified and motivated school teachers at different levels.’
So, a small number of trainers have to cater to huge number of teachers in a training hall. It can be seen as increased class size, lesser infrastructure development, more pressure on space and time resulting in shift system. It does not let trainers to deliver information from tradition module of training and hold whole entire teachers through their conventional teaching method. It does not allow even open discussion among them because of excess numbers of teachers’ ratio and less number of educators. As a result, teachers find no interest and lead to absenteeism in training programme. When this happens, the quality of teaching and teacher’s learning suffer a lot and make no sense in this regard. The type of training and preparation teacher needed for actual adjustment or management are not provided to trainees
On the contrary, lesser amenities due to crunch in resources lead workload among teacher educators. Present education system is only trying to fulfill the goal of universalization of education by 2010 which is still away from reality. It is merely trying to satisfy the demands of our constitution. But still, a lot of problems are emerging regarding teacher education. Are we really able to meet with demand of teachers’ need and classroom concern? How our teachers could be made more independent, motivated and critical thinking oriented regarding teaching profession? How teaching practice could be made more effective, interactive, vibrant situation and meaningful with use of e-resource material in teacher education? How to bridge the gap between teacher education curriculum and school curriculum? How performance of teachers educators’ appraisal could be a mile stone in providing training more fruitful and worthwhile? These are the some questions that have been thought of writing this research proposal considering present scenario of teacher education.
This study will be conducted in Varanasi district which is situated in eastern part of Uttar Pradesh with a population of 4.9 million. Varanasi has a significant presence of 18 per cent of Scheduled Castes but no Scheduled Tribes. The traditional elite of the city have been traders and landowners of local Vaishya castes. Despite the position of the Hindu dominated culture, Muslim has population 30 per cent in Varanasi city. The commercial life is based on the manufacturing of silk, sari usually Muslim weavers and Hindu traders. The literacy rate of Varanasi district is 51.8(Male 66.66 whereas Female35.00) per cent, lower than the national average of 52.2 percent, but higher than the average of the whole of Uttar Pradesh.(Census 1991). In this regard, this study intends to trace out the concern of teacher education in imparting quality education, and manking training programme relevant with respect to new pedagogy, building teachers’ confidence, capacity and providing updated information. This study will also seek to find out and try to bring challenges that occur during training programme.
With respect to teachers education, quality denotes to the features of education which satisfy the needs of teachers, students, parents and society at large by developing appropriate knowledge and skills. Quality in teacher education means to the availability of competent teachers, an ideal teacher and educators proportion, adequate infrastructure facilities etc. As rightly stated by Anil Kumar (2005:36),“quality is not a simple term. If we have to address seriously the question of quality of teacher education, quality of its various components such as content of the study material, academic approach of system, delivery of programme, examination etc. are to be addressed and that too in an integrated manner.”
Curriculum is considered the key factor of education system. But our present curriculum of teacher education does not meet the teachers to translate the school curricula in a meaningful way according to socio-cultural and technical realities of the society in which students live. Teacher education programme and curricula content evaluation should be continuous process. It should address the changing concept of teacher education. Anil Kumar (2005:37) observes that” if we consider teaching is a profession; admission should be based on certain standards and norms particularly in the environment where teacher is to act as a facilitator of learning not just the communicator of learning. It is well established fact, research that a successful teacher, there should be some kind of aptitude for teaching and learning. There should be test of teaching and learning aptitude. It should be fulfilled in in-service teacher education programme. And also language ability, subject content find place.”
The quality of teacher education rests upon competent professional educators having field experience. For quality of teacher education, educators’ preparation is very necessary. The present teacher education has many drawbacks like traditional curricula, lack of innovative practice and pedagogy and crunch of expertise resource person and adequate resources. As Education Commission (1964-66) emphatically said there is dire need to prepare professionally qualified school teachers for imparting quality education associating the important alignment between universities and schools. The essence of a progarmmes of teacher education is quality. Lack and its absence, teacher education becomes not only a financial waste but a source of overall deterioration in educational standards. But the quality of training institutes remains with a few expectations, either mediocre or poor, competent staff are not attracted, vitality and realism are lacking in the curriculum and programme of work which continue to be largely traditional set patterns and rigid techniques are followed in practice teaching with disregard for the present day needs and objectives.
Teachers’ training is necessary because many teachers lack the confidence and teaching skills in schools. Training helps teachers to acquire new skills and knowledge to understand students’ needs. The need to prepare professionally qualified school teachers has been recognized to be crucial for the qualitative improvement of Indian education since 1960. The Report on National Commission on Teachers' Education (1983-85) realized this and recognized the absence of clear cut policies and priorities for in-service teacher education. The committee noted that there had been no systematic identification of in-service needs of teachers and the strategies for the training are vague and half hearted. Not much emphasis was placed on solving practical problems of the teachers or meeting their educational needs. Therefore, an urgent need was recognized by Report of National Commission for a thorough overhaul of existing practices. It was said that the qualitative improvement for in-service education must be given major preference.
Programme of Action (1992) came out with some concern with respect to teacher education which is serving as a general framework for educational management in the country. It outlined a clear policy in reforming teacher training and developing in-service teachers. It aims at improving the people’s faith in the teaching profession, developing teachers’ conscience, raising the standard of both academic and professional abilities of the teachers and improving the status of the teaching profession. This can be carried out by changing the training procedure, continuously developing in-service teachers and educational personnel. Teachers are supposed to look after the total development of children and their performance is the most crucial input in the field of the education. Thus, their training should be adequate to stimulate the socio-cultural and moral development of the child.
A policy perspective 1985 also admits the fact that teacher performance is most crucial input in the field of education. Whatever policies that are laid down have to be interpreted by teachers but unfortunately the process of updating curricula of teacher education is slow therefore we face a paradox of having information technology, research but progressively more indifferent teachers.
According to Yashpall Committee Report (1993), ‘Learning Without Burden’has also identified some problems in teacher education and recommended 'the emphasis in these programme should be on enabling trainees to acquire the ability for self-learning and independent thinking.'
Teachers who are in teaching profession must have desirable attitude and aptitude. According to Sr. Maria Mytle, A.C.(2005) says that the quality of teachers mostly depends upon on the quality of the formal training they receive before going the profession. The quality of teacher education rests on the competence of teacher educators who are responsible for producing teachers with requisite professional skills. Teacher educators have the responsibility of generating knowledge base both from theoretical understanding and field experience. The present age of information explosion necessitates teacher educators to be multifaceted personalities. They should not only generate knowledge base from theoretical understanding and field experience, but also identify relevant knowledge transaction strategies.
How to bridge the gap between teaching style of educators and learning style teachers? Vikas Modi (2005) describes that ‘in 1998, NCERT brought out Curriculum Framework for Quality Teacher Education which provide guidelines for the organization of curriculum for different stages of teacher education. The curriculum reflects the realities of the national life; strive to realize the inter-disciplinary goal of education. It attempts to establish a viable integration of theory and practice of education and provide varied educational experiences needed by a teacher in his workplace.’ Thus it aims to prepare professional competent teachers to perform their roles effectively as per the needs of the society and to meet these aims, one important factor is teaching method.
There is study which reflects some thought pertaining to failure of teacher institutions in contributing teacher education. Jitender Sharma(2005) observes that the failure of the teacher education institutions to contribute significantly to the profession of education in India. These institutions specially the Faculty of Education in India have ignored and avoided the public schools. The research that the Faculties of Education has produced has been superficial and mostly irrelevant to the practice of teaching in our schools. Now we must redefine our mission and commit ourselves to contribute to the development of teaching profession in India and the preparation of quality educational professional for India.
It is often seen that training programme are becoming formality. The present training is not meeting and addressing teacher’s field problems. Then how teacher training programme should be conducted? It has been rightly mentioned by Lee.S Shulman (2004) in his essay on ‘Teaching Learning Learning to Teach’ that the goal of teacher education is not to indoctrinate or train teachers to behave in prescribed ways, but to educate teachers to give sound reason for their teaching as well as to perform skillfully. By soundly he means that it requires both a process of thinking about what they are doing and an adequate base of facts, principles, and experiences from which to reason.
Ms.Delna Dorine Defna Lobo(2005) has pointed out that to provide quality teacher education, the teacher educators must maintain a high academic and professional competence. Unless the teacher educators are in a position to provide worthwhile experience to our pupil teachers for realizing the stipulated teacher education objectives related to a particular type of
education, the talk of any worthwhile quality teacher would be futile.
NCF(2005) has also come out with suggestive measures to enhance teacher education. It says that teachers as facilitators need to be well-versed with the following
i. to enable the teachers to draw cultural experiences.
ii. to enable the teachers to link the schooling with society.
iii. to enable to connect knowledge to life outside the school.
iv. to ensure that learning is shifted away from rote method.
v. to enrich the curriculum for the overall development of children rather than remaining textbook-centric.
vi. to make examination more flexible and integrated with classroom life.
Shamsha Emanuel,S.Gaythri and Hitarth Panchal (2005) has identified pitfalls in teacher education curriculum. There is a wide gap between the ‘phraseology’ and the ‘implementation’. We have significantly recoined the term as teacher education, but still the practice reflects more of teacher training. There is more emphasis on the acquisition of skills than towards attitude formation. Te role of the teacher is supposed to be that of a facilitators, but we train them more to become instructors and information providers. Instead of holistic evaluation, more emphasis on cognitive evaluation is given neglecting the affective and psychomotor aspects.
Poonam Batra‘s Voice and Agency of Teacher’ (2005: 4352) has found some gaps in the vision of teacher education envisaged by the NCF 2005. ‘First viewing the teacher as one who needs to be persuaded and trained ….oriented to be empowered to evolve pedagogy that fosters critical thinking within a consciously created democratic environment of learning for all children irrespective of class, religion, region, community and gender’. Second, ‘it is assumed that teachers (typically constructed as homogenous category) exist in isolation of socio-political context that actively discriminates between people and children from different background and that they can be ‘oriented’ successfully to ‘implement’ the articulated new perspective of NCF.
Bansal(2005:185-187) has observed some gaps between teacher education curriculum and school education curriculum. He considers following points lacking in teacher education curriculum
i. lack of knowledge of school subjects
ii. Pedagogical weakness.
iii. Lack of co-ordination between technocratic culture and cultural heritage.
iv. lack of research on problems of schools and education.
v. scarcity of resources in schools and training institutions.
Again, Secondary Education Commission (1953) has observed that a major factor responsible for the education reconstruction at secondary stage is teachers’ professional training. It has felt isolation between teacher training and school education. It has suggested and recommended for the orientation, modernization and recharging of teacher education institutions preparing teacher for all levels.
These days, training programmes are not very much effective and useful in context of teachers because it has many pitfalls such as lack of teachers’ experience, needs and class room practice. The recent study shows that “The education system rarely asks teachers what kind of training would be useful to them. Despite the huge emphasis on in-service training in recent years under the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), it comes as no surprise to find that teachers for the most part view these courses as formalities to be completed, rather than resources to help them do their job better. Those responsible for designing training (and also imparting it in many cases) typically have advanced degrees and administrative seniority, rather than hands on experience with primary school teaching. Training is thus rarely based on teachers’ everyday practice, experiences, problems or needs.
Nor is it linked to student learning. Despite the fact that the resource centers were established at the block and cluster levels to provide academic support to teachers, in practice these personnel fulfill routine administrative functions. The primary schoolteacher has no source of academic support whatsoever. Given that training programmes provide little help in this regard, the teacher is left to muddle through as best as she can. Supervisory staffs have neither the training nor the experience to provide academic supervision or support to teachers.”(Vimala Ramachandran, Suman Bhattacharjea,EPW August 1, 2009)
Krishna Kumar.(2005:82) identifies that present curricula has many pitfalls. He argues that the aims of curriculum of the teacher training focused on the methods of instruction and the maintenance of order in the classroom. Lesson planning was presented as the core task of learning how to teach well. It means that teacher training programme gives the emphasis on how to plan a lesson rather helping the trainees to understand the social scenario of the children that they are going to teach.
Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves (1992) identify four basic elements that provide a framework for understanding teacher professional development: the teacher’s “purpose”; the teacher “as a person”; the “real world context” in which teachers work; and the “culture of teaching”, that is teachers’ professional relationships with others within the system.
There is one study which talks about quality curriculum and suggests various measures for improving teacher education curriculum. According to Sr. Maria Myrtle, A.C.,2005:61-66) “Quality assurance in education implies ensuring the maintenance of set standards from planning stage till the feedback stage of any programme. Assuring quality is imperative from the stage of designing a need-based curriculum, developing appropriate curriculum transaction strategies, designing alternatives whenever necessary effective execution of teaching, learning and assessment activities, ensuring remedies steps, continual monitoring of the programmes, personnel and institution.”
Mani.(2005) has explored some innovative learning for teacher education and school education . He suggests the idea of cooperative learning needs to be emphasized in schools and teacher educators need to promote the idea in training. Proving support materials such as activities books, laboratory manuals, preparing facilitative schedule and tasks for accomplishment through self-learning could be made possible. There is a need to orient the teachers and teacher educators for the new syllabus, facilitative methodology of teaching and focus on the self-learning of students and teachers. For example, in order to do science; teachers need to
i. provide alternatives in addition to the lecture.
ii.provide exercises that can help in understanding.
iii.give addresses of websites(freeware) that students can easily surf.
iv.give opportunities for students to develop projects such as preparing biodiesel.
There is complete absence of teachers’ autonomy and being as teacher. There is lack of autonomy in taking part in policy/programme/curriculum development implementation, lead teachers to become as passive recipient in training programme. So, it needs to be addressed teachers’ involvement in programme/policy and also in its formulation. According to a review of teacher development practices in five countries concludes that” When teachers are actively involved and empowered in the reform of their own schools, curriculum, pedagogy, and classrooms, even those with minimal formal education and training are capable of dramatically changing their teaching behavior, the classroom environment, and improving student achievement. Conversely, when teachers are ignored, or when reforms come from above or are not connected to the daily realities of the classroom and local environment, even the most expensive and well designed interventions are almost certain to fail” (Craig et al 1998).
Another research paper deals with, to what extent do educational policies include a comprehensive and integrated response to the diverse set of factors known to affect teacher development in effective teaching practice? This study reflects that “The policy environment in which teachers work sends a countless of often conflicting signals about how schools are expected to do business and about what behaviors and skills are valued and rewarded. Messages about more-or-less preferred teaching practices and learner outcomes issue from all of the major education policy domains, including those that shape curriculum, assessment, teacher and administrator licensing and evaluation, and accountability. Existing policies and practices must be assessed in terms of their compatibility with two cornerstones of the reform agenda: a learner-centered view of teaching
and a career long conception of teachers’ learning” (Darling Hammond and McLaughlin 1995).
Performance appraisal of teachers and teacher educators has been always overlooked in India. This can be perceived in teachers' attitude and teaching approach towards their duty and responsibilities. There is a research study which shows that teachers’ performance appraisal can improve training practice in teacher education. According to Rina Chaudhary and Milind Shashrabuddhe(2005:24) that “performance appraisal in teacher education is necessary because the basic characteristic of this profession demands continuous professional up gradation or enrichment on the part of teacher in higher education or teacher education. Teacher educators are in charge of school teachers. If one recalls what Education Commission (1964-66) expressed “the destiny of India is being shaped in her classroom” one can easily understand the vital role which teacher education need to play. Therefore, their performance assumes great significance in terms of all the three major functions they need to perform.”
Finally, from above literature review pertaining to teacher education, seems that alone teacher training programme cannot achieve the goal unless the education is delivered in a manner, which will take into account the socio-political and economic reality, and perceptions of teachers to whom it is addressed. Training programme must understand teachers’ needs, experience and classroom situation. This may be considered relevant in school education and also applicable for teacher education, as Poonam Batra says, ‘if we want really government school children, to develop the ability to listen, speak and write a ‘multi perspectival discourse, their teachers will need ‘to redefine their role from servants of a hegemonic power to public transformative.(Contemporary Education Dialogue, 2006.Vol.4:1, pp.96).. Therefore, to reach out optimal aim of teacher education, there is inevitable need to be given proper attention towards developing ‘new pedagogy approach, facilitative methodology redefine training curricula, preparation of teacher educators, performance appraisal for both teachers and teacher educators, training teacher oriented, building teachers’ confidence, capacity and providing updated information through effective training programme so that they could deliver quality education for educational and national development.
REFERENCES
1- Shulman, Lee (2004) Autonomy and Obligation: The Remote Control of Teaching, The Wisdom of Practice, Jossy Bass, chpt. 4 pp.133-161.
2.The Teacher and Society : Report of the National Commission On Teachers (1983-85)
3. Kothari Commission report: Education and National Objectives.
4. Poonam Batra,(2005) Voice and Agency of teachers: Missing Link in National Curriculum Frame work 2005,Economics EPW. Oct 1-7,pp.4347-4356.
5. Krishan Kumar (2005) Meek Dictator: The Pradox of Teacher’ Personality,Chapt. IV in Political Agenda of Education: A Study of Colonialist and Nationalist Ideas,Sage.,2nd Edt.1991/2005,pp.73-94.
6. Krishna Kumar (2002) Planned Lesson and other Problems of the Teacher Training in Reflections on Lesson Planning,IASE,Department of education University of Delhi,pp.5-13.
7.Craig, Helen, Richard J Kraft and Joy du Plessis (1998): Teacher Development: Making an Impact (Washington DC: USAID and The World Bank).
8.Fullan, Michael and Andy Hargreaves (1992): Teacher Development and Educational Change (London: Routledge).
9.Lewin, K M and J S Stuart (2003): “Researching Teacher Education: New Perspectives on, Practice, Performance and Policy”, Synthesis Report, Multi-Site Teacher Education Research Project (MUSTER), DFID Education Papers.
10.Darling-Hammond, Linda and Milbrey W McLaughlin (1995):“Policies That Support, Professional Development in an Era of Reform”, Phi Delta Kappan, April.
11.Vimala Ramachandran, Suman Bhattacharjea. Attend to Primary School,Economic & Political Weekly August 1, 2009 VOL, XLIV NO 31.
12. NCERT 2005 National curriculum framework 2005,New Delhi: NCERT.
13.Mani, R.S. 2005 Quality Concern in Teacher Education,;Quality concern in teacher education, CASE, Faculty of Education & Psychology,The M.S. University of Baroda.pp.28-35
14. 1992. Report of the National Policy on Education (1986) with modifications undertaken in 1992,New Delhi: Department of Education,MHRD.
15. A.Kumar, 2005.Enhancing Quality of Teacher Education: Need for an Integrated Approach. Quality Concern in Teacher Education CASE, Faculty of Education & Psychology,The M.S. University of Baroda.. pp.36-42
16. Sr. Maria Myrtle,A.C.,2005. Innovation in Teacher Education-A Value Based Approach. Quality Concern in Teacher Education, CASE, Faculty of Education & Psychology,The M.S. University of Baroda.pp.61-66
17. Vikas Modi,2005. Innovation in Teacher Education for Meeting the Challenges. Quality Concern in Teacher Education, CASE, Faculty of Education & Psychology,The M.S. University of Baroda.pp.83-84
18. Ms. Delna Dorina Defna Lobo.2005. ICT and Skill Based Quality Education in The Scenario of Teacher Education. Quality Concern in Teacher Education, CASE, Faculty of Education & Psychology,The M.S. University of Baroda.
19. Shamsha Emanuel,S. Gaythri and Hitarth Panchal.2005.Teacher Education Curriculum in Alignment with School Curriculum-An Introspection. Quality Concern in Teacher Education, CASE, Faculty of Education & Psychology,The M.S. University of Baroda.pp.140-146.
20. National Policy on Education (1986), Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
21. N.K. Bansal 2005. Bridging the Gaps between School Curriculum and Teacher Education Curriculum. Quality Concern in Teacher Education, CASE, Faculty of Education & Psychology,The M.S. University of Baroda.pp.185-187
22. Jitendra Sharma.2005. Bridging the Gaps between School Curriculum and Teacher Education Curriculum. Quality Concern in Teacher Education, CASE, Faculty of Education & Psychology,The M.S. University of Baroda.pp.188-191
23. NCERT(2000) National Curriculum Framework for School Education: A Framework,New Delhi: NCERT.
24. Rina Chaudhary & Milind Shashrabuddhe.2005. Performance Appraisal in Teacher Education: Some Issues. Bridging the Gaps between School Curriculum and Teacher Education Curriculum. Quality Concern in Teacher Education, CASE, Faculty of Education & Psychology,The M.S. University of Baroda.pp.222-228
