THE CONCEPT OF TEACHER EDUCATION

Introductory

The word "education" is derived from the Latin education (A breeding, a bringing up,

a rearing) from edilcO (I train). Formerly, it was taken in the meanings of literacy

where the process of education was considered as training an individual or equipping

an individual with the skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, i.e. an educated person

was believed to be capable of reading, writing and undergoing simple arithmetic

related to everyday life (3Rs). At present, education is defined as a complex process

of bringing changes in the behaviour of an individual, which are desired by the

society in which he/she lives. It is not only the development of skills but also it is

considered to be a process of socialization, by which an individual becomes capable

of dealing with the members of community in a better manner. On the other hand, the

process of education differs from the process of learning, where learning means

bringing a relatively permanent change in behaviour. Here, any change, being positive

or negative refers to the process of learning, where the learning for positive change

means education.

The complexity arises when the social order changes due to diversities in cultures,

societies and personal interests. A society refers to a group of individuals living

together in a place where they share similar resources and having some standards to

be followed by all. These standards of a given society are called social norms and

obedience to these norms is called conformity. Any action opposing the social norms

is disliked by the society and thus it becomes important to be aware of the social

standards, for each member of the society. Here the process of education enables an

individual to learn and follow the social norms, which is called the acceptable or

positive behaviour. Thus education is the process which makes an individual to learn

and obey the social standards.

Why to educate an individual is answered by UNESCO in terms of the four pillars of

education, i.e. learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning

to be.

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Learning to know

It lays the foundations of learning throughout life. This pillar refers to the basic

knowl. edF e that we need to be able to understand our environment and to live in

dignity. It is also about arousing curiosity, allowing us to experience the pleasures of

research and discovery. It faces us With the challenge of combining a sufficiently broad

education with Ole in-depth investigation of selected subjects. Naturally, learning to know

presupposes that we develop the powers of concentration, memory, and thought. In short, we

learn to learn.

Learning to do

It refers to the acquisition of practical skills, but also to an aptitude for teamwork and

initiative, and a readiness to take risks. As such, this pillar is about the competence of

putting what we have learned into practice so as to act creatively on our environment.

A variety of situations, often unforeseeable, is bound to arise. When this happens,

learning to do enables us to turn our knowledge into effective innovations.

Learning to live together

It emphasizes more than any other. It refers first of all to developing an understanding

of others through dialogue, leading to empathy, respect, and appreciation. Yet if we

are to understand others, we must first know ourselves. Learning to live together is

thus also about recognizing our growing interdependence, about experiencing shared

purposes, and about implementing common projects and a joint future. Only then will

it be possible to manage the inevitable conflicts in a peaceful way.

Learning to be

It is founded on the fundamental principle that education needs to contribute to the all

round development of each individual. This pillar deals with the broadening of care

for each aspect of the personality. It deals with giving us the freedom of thought,

feeling, and imagination that we need to act more independently, with more insight,

more critically, and more responsibly. The end of education is to discover and open

the talents which are hidden like a treasure within every person.

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Teacher

A teacher is a person who provides education for pupils (children) and

students (adults). The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried

out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person

who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional

qualifications or credentials from a university or college. These professional

qualifications may include the study of pedagogy, the science of teaching.

Teachers, like' other professionals, may have to continue their education after they

qualify, a process known as continuing professional development. Teachers may use a

lesson plan to facilitate student learning, providing a course of study which is called

the curriculum. A teacher's role may vary among cultures. Teachers may provide

instruction in literacy and numeracy, craftsmanship or vocational training, the arts,

religion, civics, community roles, or life skills.

A teacher who facilitates education for an individual may also be described as a

personal tutor, or, largely historically, a governess.

In some countries, formal education can take place through home schooling. Informal

learning may be assisted by a teacher occupying a transient or ongoing role, such as a

family member, or by anyone with knowledge or skills in the wider community

setting.

Religious and spiritual teachers, such as gurus, mullahs, rabbis, pastors/youth pastors

and lamas, may teach religious texts such as the Quran, Torah or Bible, etc.

Teaching a child is different from teaching an adult, due to which there arises the

concept of pedagogy and andragogy. Pedagogy literally means leading children while

Andragogy refers to the art/science of teaching adults. In The Modern Practice of

Adult Education andragogy is defined as an emerging technology for adult learning.

This is based on four basic assumptions that adults move from dependency to self-

directedness, use their own experience for learning, are ready to learn when they

assume new roles and want to solve problems and apply new knowledge immediately.

Initially defined as, the art and science of helping adults learn, andragogy has come to

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be understood as an alternative to pedagogy; a learner-focused approach for people of

all ages.

Pedagogy can also be thought of as teacher-centered or directive learning, and

andragogy as learner-centered/directed. Adults over 21 are the fastest-growing

segment of today's undergraduates, especially in distance and online education.

Consideration of andragogical principles in designing courses has become more vital

and valid.

Andragogy asserts that adults learn best when they feel the need to learn, have some

input into what, why, and how they learn and learning content and processes have a

meaningful relationship to the learner's past experience.

Their experience is used as a learning resource and what is to be learned relates to the

individual's current life situation and tasks. Having as much autonomy as possible the

learning climate minimizes anxiety and encourages freedom to experiment.

The learning styles are also taken into account, where there is a cooperative learning

climate. Creation of mechanisms for mutual planning, arrangement for a diagnosis of

learner needs and interests and enabling the formulation of learning objectives based

on the diagnosed needs and interests are all the requirements in andragogy, where

sequential activities are designed for achieving the objectives. Meaning and Concept

of Teacher Education

It is well known that the quality and extent of learner achievement are determined

primarily by teacher competence, sensitivity and teacher motivation. Teacher

education is defined as a programme of education, research and training of persons to

teach from preprimary to higher education level. It is a programme that is related to

the development of teacher proficiency and competence that would enable and

empower the teacher to meet the requirements of the profession and face the

challenges therein.

Teacher education encompasses teaching skills, sound pedagogical theory and

professional skills. i.e.

Teacher Education= Teaching Skills +Pedagogical theory +Professional skills.

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Teaching skills would include providing training and practice in the different

techniques, approaches and strategies that would help the teachers to plan and impart

instruction, provide appropriate reinforcement and conduct effective assessment. It

includes effective classroom management skills, preparation and use of instructional

materials and communication skills.

Pedagogical theory includes the philosophical, sociological and

psychological considerations that would enable the teachers to have a sound basis for

practicing the teaching skills in the classroom. The theory is stage specific and is

based on the needs and requirements that are characteristic of that stage.

Professional skills include the techniques, strategies and approaches that would help

teachers to grow in the profession and also work towards the growth of the profession.

It includes soft skills, counseling skills, interpersonal skills, computer skills,

information retrieving and management skills and above all life long learning skills.

An amalgamation of teaching skills, pedagogical theory and professional skills would

serve to create the right knowledge, attitude and skills in teachers, thus promoting

holistic development. Need of Teacher Education

It is common knowledge that the academic and professional standards of teachers

constitute a critical component of the essential learning conditions for achieving the

educational goals of a nation. The focus of teacher preparation had to shift from

training to education if it had to make a positive influence on the quality of

curriculum transaction in classrooms and thereby pupil learning and the larger social

transformation. The aspects that need greater emphasis are;

The length of academic preparation,

The level and quality of subject matter knowledge, The repertoire of

pedagogical skills that teachers possess

To meet the needs of diverse learning situations,

The degree of commitment to the profession,

Sensitivity to contemporary issues and problems and

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The level of motivation.

Educating all children well depends not only on ensuring that teachers have the

necessary knowledge and skills to carry out their work, but also that they take

responsibility for seeing that all children reach high levels of learning and that they

act accordingly. People come to teacher education with beliefs, values,

commitrinetits, personalities and moral codes from their upbringing and schooling

which affect who they are as teachers and what they are able to learn in teacher

education and in teaching. Helping teacher candidates examine critically their beliefs

and values as they relate to teaching, learning and subject matter and form a vision of

good teaching to guide and inspire their learning and their work is a central task of

teacher education.

In addition to foundational knowledge about the areas of learning and performance,

teachers need to know how to take the steps necessary to gather additional

information that will allow them to make more grounded judgments about what is

going on and what strategies may be helpful. More importantly, teachers need to keep

what is best for the student at the centre of their decision making.

Scope of Teacher Education

The scope of teacher education can be understood in the following ways;

Teacher education at different levels of education.

Triangular basis of teacher education.

Aspects of teacher education.

Teacher Education at different levels of Education

Teacher education reaches teachers at all levels of education, namely Pre-primary,

Primary, Elementary, Secondary, Higher Secondary and the Tertiary. The needs and

requirements of students and education vary at each level. Hence level and stage-

specific teacher preparation is essential. Teacher education also helps in the

development of teaching skills in teachers of professional institutions. The teachers in

professional institutions have only the theoretical and practical knowledge of their

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respective subjects. They require specialized teacher training inputs to deal with

students entering their professions. Teacher education also reaches special education

and physical education. Thus where there are teachers, there would be teacher

education.

Triangular Basis of Teacher education

Construction of the relevant knowledge base for each stage of education requires a

high degree of academic and intellectual understanding of matter related to teacher

education at each stage. This involves selection of theoretical knowledge from

disciplines cognate to education, namely, psychology, sociology and philosophy, and

converting it into forms suitable for teacher education. Teacher education derives its

content from the disciplines of Philosophy, Sociology and Psychology. These

disciplines provide the base for better understanding and application of teacher

education.

The Philosophical basis provides insights to the prospective teachers about the

implications of the various schools of philosophy, ancient and modern philosophical

thoughts, educational thoughts of philosophical thinkers on education and its various

aspects such as curriculum construction and discipline.

The Sociological basis helps the prospective teachers to understand the role of society

and its dynamics in the educational system of a nation and the world at large. It

encompasses the ideals that influence national and international scenes.

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emerged in the light of changing national development goals and educational

priorities.

Teacher has to be responsive and sensitive to the social contexts of education, the

various disparities in the background of learners as well as in the macro national and

global contexts, national concerns for achieving the goals of equity, parity, and social

justice and also excellence.

To be able to realize such expectations, Teacher Education has to comprise such

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features as would enable the prospective teachers to:

Care for children, and who love to be with them;

Understand children within social, cultural and political contexts;

View learning as a search for meaning out of personal experience;

Understand the way learning occurs, possible ways of . creating adequate

conditions for learning, differences among students in respect of the

kind, pace and styles of learning, etc.

The Changing Role of Teacher

Teaching has been subjected to constant, varied pressure, both within the world of

education and in the broader context of society, and has undergone progressive

changes. In past, when school education had not yet been formalized and was

restricted to a small segment of the population, knowledge of the subject-matter

taught was the only requirement for being a teacher. Anyone who could read, for

example, could teach reading and set up as a schoolmaster without any other form of

preparation. Clearly, teaching had not yet been organized and was defined by a

random series of personal initiatives, and there were no other requirements apart from

knowledge of the subject being taught. Student groups were not large and teaching

could often be conducted as a form of tutoring. Teacher training did not exist, and

indeed was not required. Teachers taught as they themselves had been taught, using

the centuries old tradition of a logical progression from the simple to the complex.

The first attempts to provide teacher training began to emerge in the 17th century to

educate the children of the working class and establish schools. However, the

increased numbers of children requiring schooling created problems for teachers. The

basic method in use, at least in small schools, was "tutoring", where the teacher called

each child in turn to the front of the class. This became impossible with an increase in

class sizes, and a new method was needed. How could larger groups be taught? The

teachers of the time came up with an original solution, i.e. teaching must be based on

a method, and method is found in Nature. Following the natural discipline was the

first attempt towards institutionalized teaching. The approach to teaching that began

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to emerge was founded on an ordered vision of the world. The tips and tricks were

consistent with a vision of the world based on total control of the students, who had to

be civilized and educated.

The entire school system was based on this ideology in which everything had its

place, i.e. control of time, space, movement, posture, reward, punishment, presence,

and the group (simultaneous instruction).

Two facts are important to mention here. First, there was a growing awareness that

knowledge of the subject taught did not necessarily make a good teacher, even if it

remained a fundamental requirement, and that other types of knowledge were needed

to teach well. Second, it became clear that this knowledge could be taught. At the

time, the knowledge was mainly imparted through apprenticeship with an experienced

master. This formalization of teaching gave rise to a specific professional model, i.e.

traditional pedagogy. This workmanlike, uniform way of teaching, which can still be

seen today, spread throughout the world.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, traditional teaching, centered on

teachers and total control over students and teaching content, began to be criticized.

The new ideal was to establish a new type of professionality, based on a new

pedagogy. Two elements became determining factors, i.e. the growing importance of

science in discussions about teaching, and the need to promote a child-centered form

of pedagogy. The combined effect of these two factors, a focus on science and on

children, allowed psychology, as one subject to dominate during the entire 20th

century. Psychology was both a science and a way to study children, their needs and

their development.

Training in psycho-pedagogy was often given by instructors from the field of

psychology who were not necessarily aware of teaching concerns, based on the

general assumption that knowledge of certain psychological theories would eventually

filter down to teaching practices. It +as implicitly posited that teachers would

automatically transfer their knowledge to classroom situations.

The teacher training reforms began in 1993 which stipulated that autonomy and

responsibility, two characteristics of the professional teacher, could only be based on

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initial training that prepared teachers to "use their ability for critical thinking and for

making an active contribution to the development of knowledge about teaching

practices".

Increasing diversity in the student population, growing social problems and the

tensions created by technological change and the globalization of the economy place

intense pressure on teachers as they teach their students. Their work is made harder by

social responsibilities and dilemmas which they can no longer resolve within a

classroom setting. Teacher training, in particular, must take the actual conditions in

which teaching takes place into account and place more emphasis on classroom

action, in particular through reflexive analysis. With regard to research, more studies

must, among other things; focus on objectives closely related to professional practice

and must produce results that can be integrated into teacher training programmes.

The new approach to education increases the need to professionalize the act of

teaching. The reform of the education system introduces several elements that will

affect the role of teachers and the nature and significance of the competencies

required to teach. Briefly, these elements include increased autonomy for schools, an

approach to learning that places the student at the heart of the learning process, a

competency based approach to the design of teacher training programmes, multi-year

cycles in schools, and the policy of adapting schools to the needs of all students.

The increased autonomy of schools and the active involvement of teaching staff in

governing boards mean that their pedagogical action extends beyond the classroom,

and requires them to work as part of a team. Their professional expertise is required at

several levels in the provision of educational services.

The new conception of learning that gives students primary responsibility in the

learning process requires teachers to use new pedagogical approaches and ways of

dealing with students. Teachers must adapt their teaching methods to the rate of

progress of each student; they must focus on student-learners in order to redefine their

relationship to knowledge and facilitate its acquisition. Competency-based

programmes of study, and cycle-based school organization, require teachers to

perform some tasks differently and to develop new competencies. Teamwork with

colleagues who come into contact with the students in the cycle or teach other

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subjects will become especially important in developing and evaluating competencies

over periods lower than one school year.

The new social and educational context requires recognition for the interactive nature

of teaching work. Unlike specialists in a particular field (chemists or physicists, for

example), general education teachers do not work with inert materials but with living

and social subjects. Students today are no longer passive beings subjected to the

teacher's authority; they resist the teacher's influence, and always want to do

something else, or do it differently or at another time: "The teacher's knowledge no

longer, in the eyes of students, gives him or her an unconditional right to exercise

intellectual authority and obtain their attention, trust and obedience.

Conclusion

Since the role of the teacher and the context of teaching have changed, new resources

(knowledge, skills, and attitudes) are required to practise the profession. Certification

in a given subject is no longer the sole qualification needed in order to be considered

competent to teach: "The academization of training is not sufficient to promote the

model of the professional teacher". To qualify, teachers must acquire the more

complex competencies that underlie the new professionality. Simply, the role of

teacher changed from a curriculum implementer to some other contexts, such as

curriculum developer, curriculum planner, curriculum designer and curriculum

evaluator. Teacher of modern era needs knowledge of computer, current affairs,

political scenario, international trends, trade, defense, agriculture and other aspects

related to general life. There is need to have a vision over the contemporary social

issues, the religious affairs, the power and technological issues along with their

solutions.

In conclusion, besides traditional teaching, teachers' role as role model, as social

member, as colleague, as manager, as administrator, as actor and as agent of cultural

transformation is also important.

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Implications for teacher education

Due to the involvement of a number of requisites, the following impacts are important

inclusions for teacher education in a global perspective.

The curricula should take cognizance of the ever-clinnging needs of society, the

globalization scenario, the advancement and increase of technology and the way

traditional classroom teaching is loosing grounds for distance-virtual.

The content of the curricula should take account of the modern classroom. Teachers

should be trained on the state-of-the-art hard and soft ware that is now common in the

modern classroom. Training in technology should encompass telecommunications,

satellite access, networking, the internet, video-conferencing and digital components

as well as optical technology.

Another scenario is the changing pattern of world employment. There are so many

professions in our modern world and this will multiply in the coming future. The new

directions in teacher education and training should take cognizance of this so that

teachers are prepared to play multiple roles and take their rightful positions in the

teaching-learning environment to face these challenges confidently. We can only

improve the quality of education worldwide for our students if we provide our

teachers with the required skills, knowledge and experiences. One which deserves

mention is the ability of the modern teacher to control disruptive behaviour of

students in the classroom which makes it impossible for the teacher to work

efficiently and effectively and even in some instances puts the security of both

students and teachers at risk. Problems of such nature may multiply in magnitude in

schools in the up coming era and for this reason, teacher education and training

institutions should equip teachers with knowledge and skills in management to be able

to address such problems effectively and efficiently.

Teacher education curricula should be inclusive and emphasize on life long learning,

development in technology and its applications and strategies fot planning viable

alternatives to benefit students. Emphasis should be on democratic principles and

practices. The institutionalization of democracy will make teachers see the role of

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schools and their contribution to the development of democratic values, skills and

behaviour from the global perspective.

There have been found seven basic qualities for an effective teacher education

programme.

A common clear vision of good teaching that permeates all course work and

clinical experiences, creating a coherent set of learning experiences.

Well-defined standards of professional practice and performance that are used

to guide and evaluate course and clinical works.

A strong core curriculum taught in the context of practice and grounded in

knowledge of the child and adolescent development and learning, an

understanding of social and cultural contexts, curriculum design, reform, and

innovation, evaluation and assessment and subject matter content and

pedagogy knowledge and skills.

Extended clinical experience, at least 24 to 36 weeks of supervised practicum

and student teaching opportunities in each programme are carefully chosen to

support the ideas presented in simultaneous, closely monitored and interwoven

course work.

Extensive use of a variety of case methods, teacher research, performance

assessment and portfolio evaluation that apply learning to real problems of

practice.

Explicit strategies to help students to confront their own deep-seated beliefs

and assumptions about learning and students and to learn about the

experiences of people different from themselves.

Strong relationship, common knowledge and shared belief among school-

based and university-based faculty jointly engaged in transforming teaching,

schooling and teacher education and training.

Changing Models of teacher education

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The new directions will have to grapple with models of teacher education. The current

models need reform and innovation and new models would have to be developed that

would enable teachers to adapt comfortably to the changing times. The new models

should emphasize learning to do and learning to think so that we do not produce

learned monsters but learned thinkers.

1. There is absolute need for participatory teacher education. In this model,

teachers in training should play active role in the training process. They should

become participants in decisions regarding the needs to which their training

must respond; what problems must be resolved in the day to day work

environment and what specific knowledge and skills must be transmitted to

them. In the participatory model teachers must be self directed and self taught.

Every aspect of the training must be based on reflection and introspection. The

needs, problems, statuses and roles must be clearly defined, examined and

analyzed by them. The actual concrete experiences of working with students

should be emphasized. Teachers must be able to collectively examine and

analyze their consequences, assisted by the trainers in solving problems.

2. The new teacher education and training should not lose site of the power of

technology for both teachers and students learning. The real power of

technology will come when teachers have been trained well in them and have

captured the potential of technology themselves. In this way, teachers would

be able to contribute to model the behaviour that the students are expected to

learn thereby making them to grow up as more human, creative and

productive.

3. Need for in-depth content and practical knowledge of research for teachers

Research must be a major priority in teacher education and preparation in the

modern era. Professional teachers naturally seek answers to questions and

solutions to problems that enable them to help their students to learn. They are

decision makers; make thousands of choices on hourly basis regarding the

choice of texts, literature, appropriate and relevant technology integration,

curriculum pedagogy, assessment and measurement. They are highly reflective

and sensitive to the needs of their students. They encounter failures and

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successes. However, much of what teachers have to offer remains a secret.

Their key to success is a mystery. Teachers seek multiple means of looking at

their world of teaching and learning and that of their students by unlocking the

secrets within the classrooms. Research is one of such potent keys to help

unlock these secrets.

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CURRICULUM AND DESIGN OF TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMMES

Curriculum

As an idea, curriculum came from the Latin word "Currere" which means to run/to

proceed, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children

grow to become mature adults. In formal education, a curriculum is the planned

interaction of pupils with instructional content, materials, resources, and processes for

evaluating the attainment of educational objectives. Other definitions combine various

elements to describe curriculum as follows:

All the learning which is planned and guided by the school, whether it is

carried on in groups or individually, inside or outside the school is called

curriculum.

It outlines the skills, performances, attitudes, and values pupils are expected to

learn from schooling and include statements of desired pupil outcomes,

descriptions of materials, and the planned sequence that will be used to help

pupils attain the outcomes.

Curriculum refers to the total learning experience provided by a school. It

includes the content of courses (the syllabus), the methods employed

(strategies), and other aspects, like norms and values, which relate to the way

the school is organized.

Curriculum may also refer to the aggregate of courses of study given in a

learning environment. The courses are arranged in a sequence to make

learning a subject easier. In schools, a curriculum spans several grades.

Curriculum may be the entire programme provided by a classroom, school,

district, state, or country. A classroom is assigned sections of the curriculum

as defined by the school. For example, a fourth grade class teaches the part of

the school curriculum that has been designed as developmentally appropriate

for students who are approximately nine years of age.

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A curriculum is prescriptive, and is based on a more general syllabus which

merely specifies what topics must be understood and to what level to achieve a

particular grade or standard. In its broadest sense a curriculum may refer to all

courses offered at a school. This is particularly true of schools at the university

level, where the diversity of a curriculum might be an attractive point to a

potential student.

A defined and prescribed course of studies, which students must fulfill in order

to pass a certain level of education, may be given the name of curriculum. For

example, an elementary school might discuss how its curriculum, or its entire

sum of lessons and teachings, is designed to improve national testing scores or

help students learn the basics. An individual teacher might also refer to his or

her curriculum, meaning all the subjects that will be taught during a school

year. On the other hand, a high school might refer to a curriculum as the

courses required in order to receive one's diploma. They might also refer to

curriculum in exactly the same way as the elementary school, and use

curriculum to mean both individual courses needed to pass, and the overall

offering of courses, which help prepare a student for life after high school.

Traditional Point of View

According to the traditional concept of the curriculum, it is a body of subjects or

subject matter prepared by the teachers for the 4udents to learn. It was synonymous to

the course of study and sy'labus. Curriculum is also viewed as permanent studies

where the rules of grammar, rhetoric and logic and mathematics for basic education

are emphasized. The mission of the school should be intellectual training; hence

curriculum should focus on the fundamental intellectual disciplines of grammar,

literature and writing. It should also include mathematics, science, history and foreign

languages.

This definition leads us to the view that discipline is the sole source of curriculum.

Thus in our education system, curriculum is divided into chunks of knowledge we call

subject areas in basic education such as English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies

and others. In college, discipline may include humanities, sciences, languages and

many more. Curriculum should consist entirely of knowledge which comes from

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various disciplines.

Thus curriculum can be viewed as a field of study. It is made up of its foundations

(philosophical, historical, psychological, and social etc.); di: mains of knowledge as

well as its research theories and principles.

Progressive Point of View

To a progressivist, a listing of school subjects, syllabi, course of study, and list of

courses of specific discipline do not make a curriculum. These can only be called

curriculum if the written materials are actualized by the learner. Broadly speaking,

curriculum is defined as the total learning experiences of the individual. This

definition is anchored on John Dewey's definition of experience and education. He

believed that reflective thinking is a means that unifies curricular elements. Thought

is not derived from action but tested by application.

Curriculum may also be viewed as all experiences children have under the guidance

of teachers. It is a sequence of potential experiences set up in schools for the purpose

of disciplining children and youth in group ways of thinking and acting. In short,

curriculum refers to all the experiences in the classroom which are planned and

enacted by teacher, and also learned by the students.

Elementary Education

An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the

first stage of academic learning known as elementary or primary education.

Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, where the terms grade

school and grammar school are also used. Primary school is the preferred term in the

United Kingdom, France, India, Ireland, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia, Latin

America, Nepal, South Africa, New Zealand, Malaysia and in most publications of the

UNESCO.

In Pakistan, the formal education starts at first enrolment in school at the age of 4-5

years. The stage of five years of education is most commonly called the primary

school stage. The completion of 8th grade is referred to .as middle school stage.

Initially, the end of primary schooling (5th grade) and middle schooling (8th grade)

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were subjected to standardized evaluation, however, at present, the standardized

testing starts with the 9th and 10`h grade of schooling, by the Boards of Intermediate

and Secondary Education. Morever, it is more common to merge the primary and

middle school stage with a collective name of elementary education, in our country.

Secondary Education

It is the stage of education following primary, education, except ir countries where

only primary or basic education is compulsory. Secondary education includes the final

stage of compulsory education. The next stage of education is usually college or

university. Secondary education is characterized by transition from primary education

for minors to tertiary, post-secondary, or higher education (e.g., university, vocational

school) for adults. Depending on the system, schools for this period or a part of it may

be called secondary schools, high schools, middle schools, vocational schools and

preparatory schools, and the exact meaning of any of these varies between the

systems.

Secondary education in Pakistan begins from grade 9. Upon completion of grade 10,

students are expected to take a standardized test administered by a regional Board of

Intermediate and Secondary. Education (131-SE). Upon successful completion of this

examination, they are awarded a Secondary School Certificate (SSC). This is locally

termed as matriculation certificate or matric. Students then enter a college or a higher

secondary school and complete grades 11 and 12. Upon completion of which they

again take a standardized test, which is also administered by the regional boards and

students are awarded the Higher Secondary (School) Certificate (or HSC). This level

of education is also called the F.Sc./F.A. or intermediate. There are many streams

students can choose for their 11 and 12 grades; such as pre-medical, pre-engineering,

humanities (or social sciences) and commerce. Some technical streams have recently

been introduced for grades 11 and 12.

Alternative qualifications in Pakistan are also available, not maintained by the BISE

but by other examination boards. Most common alternative is the General Certificate

of Education (or GCE), where SSC and HSC are replaced by Ordinary Level (0

Level) and Advanced Level (A Level) respectively.

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Teacher Trainings in Pakistan

No system of education is above the level of its teachers. Teachers play a crucial role

in the system of education. It is important that these teachers are equipped with proper

knowledge, skills and attitudes in carrying out the goals of education and fulfilling

their obligations.

Teachers training have certain levels which correspond with the general education

ability of the teachers. Based on the structure of Teacher Education, there are three

levels of teachers' trainings. Teachers for the primary schools are trained, for which

they must have passed Secondary School examination. They are provided one year

training. After completion of this training they are awarded a certificate called

Primary Teacher's certificate (PTC). Those who possess FAJF.Sc. certificate are given

one year training and awarded a certificate called Certificate in Teaching (CT).

PTC and CT training is provided by the Government Colleges of Elementary

Education (GCEE). There are separate elementary Colleges of Education for girls and

boys who have been established at all the district headquarters within the country. The

Private organizations also provide the stated trainings, in affiliation with the

Government sector.

Those who possess BA/.Sc degrees are provided one year training called "Bachelor of

Education" (B.Ed) at the Government Colleges of Education, Institutes of Education

and Research (IERs) and by the private teacher training colleges and institutes. The

Government colleges of such nature are at a few selected places in each province of

the country. Those who further want to specialize in the subject of education undergo

one year course called Master in Education (M.Ed). This course is again conducted by

the Colleges of Education and in the Institutes of Education in the Universities.

Teachers also do M.Phil. and Ph.D in Education from the universities. Those who

possess M.Ed or M.Phil usually teach in the Colleges of Education. At the University

level Ph.Ds are employed to train teachers.

Allama Iqbal Open University offers teacher training courses through its distance

education system for those students who cannot afford to attend formal regular

courses in the teacher training institutions. National Education policy (1998-2011)

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provides for modernizing the courses in teachers training. Accordingly, the duration

and period of training at all levels of training is being increased, including better

salaries for the teachers.

The University of Peshawar has recently started distance education system for

providing quality teacher trainings. Keeping in view the requirements of the era, the

university aims to maintain this system in connection with its formal system of

education. Also the stated programme has a vision to avoid the malpractices being

committed by other non-formal organizations.

Nature and Scope of Teacher Training at Elementary Level

Elementary education, which makes a significant contribution to national

development, occupies a crucial position in the system of education. It admits mainly

the children coming after completing pre-school education, children from educated

families, and the first generation learners and from the neglected and oppressed

sections of the society. It is the nursery of citizenship, value inculcation, and

development of appropriate behaviour and life skills. The impressions acquired during

this stage often continue through out the life.

The salient features of the elementary stage include, among others, freedom from

stress and anxiety, emphasis on mother tongue as medium of instruction, development

of practical skills and positive attitudes and values. It also includes human rights and

fundamental duties of citizens and recommends related activities, project work, etc. as

an integral part of the curriculum.

In Classes I and II the subjects of study recommended are

One language –mother tongue / regional language,

Mathematics and

Health related aspects.

In Classes III to V, Environmental Studies is included in addition to the three areas of

study suggested for Classes I and II.

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For Classes VI to VIII (upper primary stage/middle stage) the scheme of studies

includes

Three languages –mother tongue (or Regional Language), Urdu and English;

Mathematics;

Science and Technology;

Social Sciences;

Work Education;

Art Education (fine arts – visual and performing); and Health and Physical

Education (including games and sports, NCC and Scouts and Guides).

The reduction of the learning load and a common scheme of studies for elementary

stage with flexibility of content and modes of learning, suited to the needs and

requirements of learners is also recommended. Formal teaching of environmental

education is introduced only from Class III onwards where both natural as well as

social environments have been introduced in an integrated fashion.

Role and competencies required for Teacher

Inspite of several efforts made by the government to enhance quality of education at

various levels, it is still low, therefore the role of the teacher is most important, along

with having a number of competencies.

Role

Teachers should perform various roles like:

As Manager

To plan and deliver activities that meet students.

To develop skills of time management, classroom management and material

management.

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As Facilitator

To facilitates learning by being creative and organized in planning daily

classes.

To plan appropriate programme for exceptional students those who need extra

help.

As Evaluator

To continue to set and correct homework.

To evaluate student's progress and discuss results with students, parents and

other teachers.

To participates in staff meeting, workshops for continuing professional

development.

As Guide and Counselor

As guide and counselor a teacher needs

To give guidance for the development.

To act as a role model.

To prepares for secondary school.

Competencies

Personal

For a teacher, the personal competencies required include to be

Physically sound

Academically fit

Active and energetic

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Aware of self

Socially warm and friendly

Intellectually love for teaching

Professional

The professional competencies of a teacher include

To be specialist in subject

Having in-depth and updated knowledge

Having appropriate teaching skills

Using innovative methods of teaching

Social

To develop interpersonal and interactive skills

To achieve the goals of the institution

To work in collaboration and co-ordination

To have leadership quality

To develop rapport and create congenial and friendly environment.

Besides theses, the educational experts have identified ten competency areas which

are:

1. Contextual Competencies

2. Conceptual Competencies

3. Curricular and Content Competencies

4. Transactional Competencies

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5. Competencies in other educational activities

6. Competencies related to teaching learning material

7. Evaluation Competencies

8. Managing Competencies

9. Competencies related to parental contact and co-operation

10. Competencies related to community contact and co-operation These

competencies are first to be developed during pre-service teacher education

and then further updated and strengthened during re-current in-service teacher

orientation as well as continuing and self directed professional enhancement

by individual teachers on their own.

Nature and Scope of Teacher Training at Secondary Level

In the recent years Pakistan has taken a fresh and more critical look at the role of

education within the context of overall national development. The goals of education

follow the national goals of development. This means development of the human

resources. The development of human resources is possible through a properly

organized programme of education.

It is imperative, that the teacher has to assume greater responsibility so as to initiate

action for the transformation of society as an agent of social change and thereby help

achieve the goal of national development. Thus success in carrying out educational

reforms and acceptance of the new role by the teacher depends on the quality of

teacher which, in turn depends on the quality of teacher education.

The curriculum framework for secondary level includes the following

Theory

Principles, Status, Problems and Issues in Secondary Education in Pakistan

and the region concerned,

Emerging Pakistani Society, (Emphasis on unity, diversity and regional

25

specificity) and Secondary Education,

Philosophy of Secondary Education, Pakistani and Western . (Only trends and

educational implications),

Sociology of Education and Cultural Anthropology (unity, diversity and the

study of regional culture be given due weightage),

Psychology of learning and motivation of secondary school level students

(Regional and Group Specificities be given due weightage),

Curriculum and instructional designs for secondary school level,

Environmental Education,

8 Action research and innovative practices,

Peace education and Social Harmony,

Health, Hygiene and Physical Education,

Evaluation and Measurement,

Safety and Disaster Management,

Management, Planning and Finance,

Guidance and Counseling,

ICT and its use in Secondary Education,

Inclusive Education,

Any other as per regional needs.

Practical

Internship for one week at secondary school,

Teaching of two subjects & pedagogical analysis as is common in schools or

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prescribed by the university (minimum 30 lessons),

Communication skills,

Environment Protection,

Ecosystem –Structure & Functions,

Plantation and Water Harvesting,

Energy Harvesting,

Work Experience,

Beautification of Schools,

Organization of Games and Sports,

Organization of Literary activities,

Organization of tours and Excursions

Organization of Field Work,

Physical Education,

Community work / Interaction,

Cleanliness of Students,

Implementation of Action Research, Case Studies and Fields work,

Preparation of tests to measure abilities,

Evaluation of answer scripts,

Sessional work and its Evaluation,

Preparation of maps, charts, diagrams,

Improvisation of law cost and no cost teaching aids,

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Educational Games,

Diagnostic testing and remedial teaching,

Any other need based activities.

Role and competencies required for Teacher

At secondary level, students are prepared for future life. The aim of secondary

education is developing leadership, democratic citizenship, self-reliant skills, political

ability and social values.

Role

The different roles teacher performs at the secondary level are:

As Manager

As a manager teacher develops human resources i.e. students by

Creating interest for the academics,

Correlates the subject with other subjects

Develops skills of time management, class room management and material

management.

As Facilitator

Keeps in mind the intellectual development of the students'.

Develops ability for abstract reasoning & conceptualization.

Emphasizes on understanding / comprehending rather than memorizing.

Uses organized form of learning.

Having values and attitudes 'crucial for desirable way of functioning in the

society.

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Develops critical thinking and scientific attitude.

As Evaluator

To monitor learning development.

Developing an awareness that role of evaluation is directly proportional to

teaching.

As Guide and Counselor

Gives guidance for the development stage i.e. adolescent about rapid physical

growth, emotional changes, etc.

Guides for type of career to be chosen, i.e. professional / technical.

Develops healthy attitude towards work.

Acts as a role model.

Competencies

Personal

Among the personal competencies, a teacher should be

Physically fit and healthy.

Active and Energetic.

Emotionally stable.

Aware of self.

Socially warm & friendly.

Intellectually, love for teaching.

Have principles & values.

Professional

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Subject Specialist with grasp and depth & upto date knowledge about subject.

Having appropriate teaching skills.

Having ability to try out innovative methods of teaching.

Social

To develop inter personal & interactive skills.

Be open to Criticism.

Achieve the goals of the institution.

Working in collaboration & coordination.

Be a leader.

Developing rapport and creating congenial & friendly environment.

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OBJECTIVES OF TEACHER EDUCATION

Introductory

The objectives for teaching and learning refer to the prior specification of what

teachers intend to teach or what it is hoped learners will learn. The statement of

educational aims and objectives has several benefits such as:

To help teachers design the course, the content, the methods, and the

assessment;

To communicate the educational intent of the course to students and to

colleagues;

To help identify the resources needed to undertake the teaching;

To provide a basis for evaluating the course, and a basis for quality assurance.

The terms goals, aims, objectives and learning outcomes are used interchangeably but

in a technical sense, it is important to be aware of their meanings.

Aim

An aim refers to the overall ultimate purpose of an activity which is very broader in

its scope and needs a very long duration of time. The scope and term duration of an

aim may be too vast that an individual may or may not achieve his/her stated aim

through out the life span.

Objective

An objective refers to the immediate outcome which is achieved in a very short

duration of time, having specificity in scope and thus these are the short-ranged short-

term purposes. -

Goal

A goal is an intermediate ranged purpose lying between the objective and aim, i.e.

neither too broader in scope and duration, nor too specific.

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Consider the following example for understanding the concept and difference between

the aims, objectives and goals.

Let an individual intends to become a medical doctor, which is a long term purpose or

an ultimate aim. In order to do so, he/she will have to study the biological sciences or

to get admission in a medical college. Seeking admission in a medical college is not

the ultimate aim; rather it is a step towards the aim and hence it is the goal of the

individual. After getting enrolment in a medical college, he/she has to study the

subject matter or to understand a given concept in a given lesson. This understanding

of the lesson, for instance, is a short term, purpose and hence it is the objective. It

should be noted that there is no demarcation line among the aims, goals and

objectives, as the aim of one individual may be an objective for another and vice

versa. For example, the long term aim of a poor individual to make money of a sort

may be a short term objective for a rich one.

In educational context, to make good criticizes, to empower socialization, to enhance

patriotism, to develop morality, to practice and transmit culture etc. are all the aims,

which are achieved through a series of objectives framed for a single lesson in a

classroom situation, where combination of minor objectives make the goals achieved,

which in turn combine to achieve the aims, at later stages.

Broadly speaking, all educational purposes can be defined in terms of what it is

intended that the teacher will do or what it is intended that the student will have

learnt, or will be able to do, as a result of a learning experience. In the past, objectives

have often been defined in terms of the teacher's activity.

Classification of Educational Objectives

Educational objectives can cover a range of different types of intended learning

outcomes. The most recent of which lists the following:

The acquisition of knowledge, the development of understanding and other general

intellectual abilities, the development of conceptual, intellectual and subject-specific

skills, the development of generic or transferable skills, and the development of

values, motivation or attitudes.

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Personal transferable skills, including inter-personal as well as personal skills;

includes also most enterprise competencies. Conceptual knowledge and skills, also

known as methodological; e.g. critical thinking, writing, creativity, hypothesis design

and testing, etc. which focus on knowing how to learn.

Discipline-related knowledge and skills, i.e. subject knowledge and understanding,

subject specific skills (e.g. in lab).

Attitudinal, values, motivation and attitudes.

There should be an appropriate balance between the efforts devoted to each of these

objectives. Hence it is important that the objectives should include examples of each

of the four types.

The Framing of Objectives

Objectives should be phrased in terms of what students will know and can do rather

than what teachers intend, but there is debate about the form that these statements of

outcomes should take. As a principle, they should be framed as explicitly and

precisely as possible, taking account of the nature of the course and the nature of the

outcomes. Where the outcomes are concerned with students acquiring a simple skill

or relatively straightforward knowledge then what is termed a behavioral approach

may be adopted. For example, for a course in Medicine an objective could have been

stated as "To understand how sound is heard", but from this statement it is unclear

what precisely students are expected to know. Objectives stated as behaviors may

give better guidance for students and staff. In this case, these would read as list the

main structures of the human outer, middle and inner ear; explain how sound waves

are transduced to nerve impulses and identify where this occurs; contrast conductive

with sensori-neural deafness; outline the neurological pathway between the cochlear

hair cells and the auditory area of the cortex. However, these behavioral objectives are

not necessarily equivalent in every respect to the concept of understanding. In many

courses in higher education, it is difficult to capture the full range of complexity of

desired student learning outcomes by having to define them in the terms of behavioral

objectives and in these cases it is genuine to use terms such as "understanding",

"becoming aware of', "appreciating", "comprehending" etc.

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There are also difficulties in defining objectives in terms of academic content when

students' own investigations play an important part in the process and it then may

become impossible to pre-specify the subject knowledge that students will learn. To

define objectives, the teacher then has to consider the overall educational purpose of

the activity and the nature of the conceptual or I ransferable skills which it is intended

should be developed.

Similarly, assessment activities should be designed so as to enable the students'

achievement of all objectives to be assessed. Equally, students should not be assessed

on anything which has not been specified in the objectives. Each objective does not

need to be assessed separately. The implementation of this principle should not lead to

a restriction in the range of objectives specified, but to the introduction of an

innovative approach to the design of assessment activities.

Bloom's Taxonomy

The standard classification of educational objectives was done in 1956 by Benjamin

Bloom, which was a product of the research conducted over designing a theoretical

framework to correlate the educational processes of curriculum design and evaluation

procedures.

At present, the educational experts set the learning objectives for students in the light

of this taxonomy. Etiologically, taxon refers to a division and taxonomy means the

study of defining, classifying or giving order to something. Bloom's Taxonomy

divides educational objectives intq, three area called domains which are namely the

Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor (sometimes loosely described as

knowing/head, feeling/heart and doing/hands respectively). Within the domains,

learning at the higher levels is dependent on having attained prerequisite knowledge

and skills at lower levels. A goal of Bloom's Taxonomy is to motivate educators to

focus on all three domains, creating a more holistic form of education.

Cognitive Domain

Cognition refers to the intellectual or thinking capacity of an individual. The focus of

cognitive domain is over the mental abilities of an individual. Skills in the cognitive

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domain revolve around knowledge, comprehension, and critical thinking on a

particular topic. There are six levels in the taxonomy, moving through the lowest

order processes to the highest:

Knowledge

It exhibit memory of previously learned materials by recalling facts, terms, basic

concepts and answers. The knowledge aspect specifically focuses over the rote

memory which may not be understood by an individual. It includes:

Knowledge of specifics, i.e. terminology, specific facts.

Knowledge of ways and means of dealing with specifics, i.e. conventions,

trends and sequences, classifications and categories, criteria, methodology.

Knowledge of the universals and abstractions in a field, i.e. principles and

generalizations, theories and structures.

An answer provided by a student as 1947, when he is asked about the year when

Pakistan came into being is totally a knowledge based question, where the student

may not know what Pakistan is and what is meant by 1947.

Comprehension

It refers to understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating,

interpreting, giving descriptions, and stating the main ideas. The Translation,

interpretation and extrapolation are the comprehensive abilities of an individual.

It involves questions like; give a comparative account of a human heart with that of a

frog.

Application

Application refers to the use of new knowledge, solving problems in new situations

by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way.

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Analysis

Analysis means examination and breaking down information into parts by identifying

motives or causes. It also refers to make inferences and find evidence to support

generalizations. The analysis may be related to that of elements, relationships or

organizational principles.

Synthesis

Synthesis means compilation of information together in a different way by combining

elements in a new pattern or proposing alternative solutions. For example, production

of a unique communication, production of a plan or proposed set of operations and

derivation of a set of abstract relations, etc.

Evaluation

Presenting and defending opinions by making judgments about information, validity

of ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria is called evaluation. It may

involve judgments in terms of internal evidence or external criteria.

Affective Domain

Affective domain describes 'the way people react emotionally and their ability to feel

another living thing's pain or joy. Affective objectives typically target the awareness

and growth in attitudes, emotion, and feelings.

There are five levels in the affective domain moving through the lowest order

processes to the highest.

Receiving

It is the lowest level where the student passively pays attention, but without this level

no learning can occur. Receiving is about the student's memory and recognition as

well. Giving attention to anything keeps it in memory which on practice and rehearsal

becomes available for long time duration.

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Responding

The phase where student actively participates in the learning process, not only attends

to a stimulus but the student also reacts in some way.

Valuing

The student attaches a value to an object, phenomenon, or piece of information, such

as associating a value or some values to the knowledge he/she acquired.

Organizing

It is the level where the student can put together different values, information, and

ideas and accommodate them within his/her own schema; comparing, relating and

elaborating on what has been learned.

Characterizing

The student holds a particular value or belief that now exerts influence on his/her

behaviour so that it becomes a characteristic.

Psychomotor Domain

The Psychomotor domain describes the ability to physically manipulate a tool or

instrument like a hand or a hammer. Psychomotor objectives usually focus on change

and/or development in behavior and/or skills.

The subdivisions in this domain are not given by Bloom; however, other educators

divided the psychomotor domain into the following subsidiary parts..

Perception

The ability to use sensory cues to guide motor activity is called perception. This

ranges from sensory stimulation, through cue selection, to translation. For examples,

detection of non-verbal communication cues, estimation of a ball where to land after it

is thrown and then moving to the correct location to catch the ball, adjustment heat of

stove to correct temperature by smell and taste of food, etc.

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Set

A set means readiness to an act. It includes mental, physical, and emotional These

three sets are dispositions that predetermine a person's response to different situations

(sometimes called mindsets). For example, knowing and acting upon a sequence of

steps in a manufacturing process, recognizing one's abilities and limitations, showing

desire to learn a new process (motivation), etc. It should be noted that this subdivision

of Psychomotor Domain is closely related with the "Responding to phenomena"

subdivision of the Affective Domain.

Guided Response

During the early stages in learning a complex skill that includes imitation and trial and

error, while adequacy of performance is achieved by practicing refers to the guided

response, a subdivision of the Psychomotor Domain. For example, performing a

mathematical equation as demonstrated, following instructions to build a model, etc.

Mechanism

This is the intermediate stage in learning a complex skill, wherever, the learned

responses have become habitual and the movements can be performed with some

confidence and proficiency. For example, using a personal computer, driving a car,

etc.

Complex Overt Response

The skillful performance of motor acts that involves complex movement patterns is

called the complex overt response. Proficiency is indicated by a quick, accurate, and

highly coordinated performance, requiring a minimum of energy. This category

includes performing without hesitation, and automatic performance. For example,

operating a computer quickly and accurately, displaying competence while driving a

bike, etc.

Adaptation

When skills are well developed and the individual can modify movement patterns to

fit special requirements, it is called adaptation. For example, responding effectively to

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unexpected experiences, modifying instruction to meet the needs of the learners,

performing a task with a machine that it was not originally intended to do (machine is

not damaged and there is no danger in performing the new task), etc.

Origination

Organization means creating new movement patterns to fit a particular situation or

specific problem. Learning outcomes emphasize creativity based upon highly

developed skills. For example, constructing a new theory, developing a new and

comprehensive training programme, etc.

Vision and Objectives of Teacher Education

Teacher education has to become more sensitive to the emerging demands from the

school system. For this, it has to prepare teachers for a dual role of;

Encouraging, supportive and humane facilitator in teaching learning situations who

enables learners (students) to discover their talents, to realize their physical and

intellectual potentialities to the fullest, to develop character and desirable social and

human values to function as responsible citizens; and,

An active member of the group of persons who make conscious effort to contribute

towards the process of renewal of school curriculum to maintain its relevance to the

changing societal needs and personal needs of learners, keeping in view the

experiences gained in the past and the concerns and imperatives that have emerged in

the light of changing national development goals and educational priorities.

These expectations suggest that teacher operates in a larger context and its dynamics

as well as concerns impinge upon his/her functioning. That is to say, teacher has to be

responsive and sensitive to the social contexts of education, the various disparities in

the background of learners as well as in the macro national and global contexts,

national concerns for achieving the goals of equity, uniformity, and social justice etc.

To be able to realize such expectations, Teacher Education has to comprise such

features as would enable the prospective teachers to

Care for children, and who love to be with them;

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Understand children within social, cultural and political contexts;

View learning as a search for meaning out of personal experience;

Understand the way learning occurs, possible ways of creating conductive

conditions for learning, differences among students in respect of the kind, pace

and styles of learning.

View knowledge generation as a continuously evolving process of reflective

learning.

Be receptive and constantly learning

View learning as a search for meaning out of personal experience, and

knowledge generation as a continuously evolving process of reflective

learning.

View knowledge not as an external reality embedded in textbooks, but as

constructed in the shared context of teaching-learning and personal

experience.

Own responsibility towards society, and work to build a better world.

Appreciate the potential of productive work and hands-on experience as a

pedagogic medium both inside and outside the classroom.

Analyze the curricular framework, policy implications and texts. Have a sound

knowledge base and basic proficiency in language.

The objectives of teacher education would therefore be to provide opportunities

To observe and engage with children, communicate with and relate to

children.

Provide opportunities for self-learning, reflection, assimilation and articulation

of new ideas; developing capacities for self directed learning and the ability to

think, be self-critical and to work in groups.

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For understanding self and others (including one's beliefs, assumptions, the

ability for self analysis, self-evaluation, adaptability, flexibility, creativity and

innovation. To enhance understanding, knowledge and examine disciplinary

knowledge and social realities, relate subject matter with the social

environment and develop critical thinking.

To develop professional skills in pedagogy, observation, documentation,

analysis, drama, craft, story-telling and reflective inquiry, etc.

Attitude

An attitude is a hypothetical construct that represents an individual's degree of like or

dislike for an item or they are generally positive or negative views of a person, place,

thing, or event.

The underlying way we think, feel and act and react to the world around us

determines the quality and effectiveness of all of our thinking, emotions and behavior

and, thereby, the positive or negative consequences of that behavior, which is called

attitude.

Attitude means the orientations developed towards various objects, beliefs etc. which

are expressed verbally. A person's overall inclination towards an object, entity,

organization or belief system is called his/her attitude.

Attitudes are always acquired through an extended period of life. They are developed

both consciously as well as unconsciously. A person's knowledge and value system

are the two basic elements of his/her attitude development. The attitude of an

individual is directly related to his/her personality. For example, a person may have

negative attitude towards a race because the people of that race have aroused strong

feelings of guilt to him. Psychoanalytic approach to psychology states that attitudes

are mostly present in the unconscious of an individual.

Types of attitudes

Attitudes can be of various types, some important of which are given as follows:

Instrumental attitude

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The attitude of a person which is due to the fulfillment of his/her own desire is called

instrumental attitude, i.e. to arrange things according to an individual's own needs.

Knowledge-based attitude

The attitude governed by our needs to make sense of world and sense of ourselves is

called knowledge-based attitude.

Value expressive attitude

These attitudes are related with our moral beliefs and self concept. Social attitude

The attitudes generated by our desire to feel social and political community is called

social attitude.

Pessimistic attitude

The attitude by which a person looks only to the negative aspects of things (negative

mindedness) is called pessimistic attitude.

Optimistic attitude

The attitude of a person where only the positive aspects of things are taken under

consideration is called optimistic attitude.

Realistic attitude

The attitude of a person where both the positive and negative aspects of things are

given due consideration is called realistic attitude.

Objective or scientific attitude

The attitude of a person when the negative aspects of things are considered with solid

logical reasons is called scientific attitude.

Attitude formation

Learning can account for most of the attitudes we hold. The study of attitude

formation is the study of how people form evaluations of persons, places or things.

42

Theories of classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning and social learning

conclude that unlike personality, attitudes are expected to change as a function of

experience. In addition, exposure to the attitude objects may have an effect on how a

person forms his or her attitude. Consistent exposure to a thing even may lead towards

positive attitude. Similarly, genetic approaches towards attitude state that there may

also be an indirect role of heredity and transmission of characters in attitude

formation, such as consistency in beliefs and values are due to genetic influences on

personality.

Measurement of attitude

Attitudes are measured by the tools called the attitude scales. The term scaling is

applied to the attempts to measure the attitude objectively. Attitude is a resultant of

number of external and internal factors. Depending upon the attitude to be measured,

appropriate scales are designed. Scaling is a technique used for measuring qualitative

responses of respondents such as those related to their feelings, perception, likes,

dislikes, interests and preferences etc. Likert attitudinal scale is one of the important

attitude measuring scales.

Teacher Education and Attitude Change

Attitudes change is a complex socio-psychological process where a number of factors

are involved. Research conducted on attitude change reveals that persuasion and

response to communication are important factors involved in the process. Since,

certain attitudes are needed to be changed and considered as the route objectives of

the educative process, therefore, they may be changed through the following factors

related to the persuasiveness of a message. Target Characteristics

These are characteristics that refer to the person who receives and processes a

message. One such trait is intelligence and it seems that more intelligent people are

less easily persuaded by one-sided messages. Another variable that has been studied

in this category is self-esteem, although it is sometimes thought that those higher in

self-esteem are less easily persuaded. People of moderate self-esteem are being more

easily persuaded than both those of high and low self-esteem levels. The mind frame

and mood of the target also plays a role in this process.

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In a classroom set up, it is necessary for a teacher to keep in mind the target

characteristics, being essential for attitude change of his/her students. Besides the

teacher's own intelligence and self-esteem, the intelligence and self esteem of students

also matters in order to strengthen or change the attitude related to something.

Source Characteristics

The major source characteristics are expertise, trustworthiness and interpersonal

attraction or attractiveness. The reliability of a perceived message has been found to

be a key variable here; if one reads a report about health and believes it came from a

professional medical journal, one may be more easily persuaded than if one believes it

is from a popular newspaper.

Being an authentic source of knowledge and information, a teacher must be truthful

and trustworthy in overall behaviour and in his/her professional matters. According to

the principle of learning primacy, anything taught for the first time must be true and

correct, as it otherwise becomes difficult to change a given concept being learnt. Also

it hurts a lot when a student comes to know that a teacher had taught a concept

incorrectly. Besides the psychological aspects of students, it also influences the

trustworthiness of the teacher, thus it is important for a teacher to be a truthful source

of a message-in order to change the students' attitude.

Message Characteristics

The nature of the message also plays important role in persuasion. Sometimes

presenting both sides of a story is useful to help change attitudes. When people are not

motivated to process the message, simply the number of arguments presented in a

persuasive message will influence attitude change, such that a greater number of

arguments will produce greater attitude change.

In an educational environment, a teacher's command over a given topic and teaching

method becomes important to present information in a desired manner. Having

sufficient information related to a given message with adequate presentation style

helps the teacher in changing the attitude of his/her students.

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Cognitive Routes

A message can appeal to an individual's cognitive evaluation to help change an

attitude. In the central route to persuasion the individual is presented with the data and

motivated to evaluate the data and arrive at an attitude changing conclusion. In the

peripheral route to attitude change, the individual is encouraged to not look at the

content but at the source. This is commonly seen in modern advertisements that

feature celebrities. In some cases, physician, doctors or experts are used. In other

cases film stars are used for their attractiveness.

For a teacher, following both the central and peripheral routs are important to mould

the attitude of students. In its central route, the teacher is cognitively sound with

intellectual abilities, regarding a particular attitude, along with the personality

characteristics of impressive and charming behaviour, in peripheral means.

Conclusion

Attitude can be positive or negative, depending upon the context. It is something

related to social norms and personal experiences of an individual. For example, an

individual having positive attitude towards female education may be considered as

being aware of the present scenario, where female education seems necessary for

national development. However, for instance, the same individual may be disliked by

some other people of the community, where female education is believed to be in

contrast with the social norms. Teachers' attitude development is a very important

aspect of the educational process, as the students are assumed to adopt their attitudes

in the same manner as taught and revealed by the teacher. A teacher having negative

attitude towards a subject can easily demotivate his/her students by reflecting the

negative aspects of the given subject. Similarly, a very boring subject can be made

interesting by the teacher provided he/she has a positive attitude towards it.

Teacher education aims to develop the attitude of teachers and students in accordance

with the requirements. The curriculum may contain subjects related to the reformation

of positive attitudes towards positive aspects of education and vice versa. Here it

becomes important to highlight the positive aspects of the overall educational system

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of the nation, inspite of the existing faults. It is natural to say that no system is perfect

and improvements arc always needed, but the existing positives may be appreciated.

Repeating only the negatives at every step will ultimately spoil the system and hence

the educational objectives will consequently be opposed.

According to the theory of Reasoned Action, attitude serves as limiting factor for a

given behaviour. If people evaluate the suggested behavior as positive (attitude), and

if they think their significant others want them to perform the behavior (subjective

norm), this results in a higher intention (motivation) and they are more likely to do so.

Thus it is a teacher's attitude which enables him/her to motivate or demotivate the

students for a given action.

Skills

A skill is the learned capacity or ability to carry out pre-determined results often with

the minimum outlay of time, energy, or both. In other words skills are the abilities that

one possesses. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific

skills. For example, in the domain of work, some general skills would include time

management, teamwork and leadership, self motivation and others, whereas domain-

specific skills would be useful only for ,a certain job. Skill usually requires certain

environmental stimuli and situations to assess the level of skill being shown and used.

People need a broad range of skills in order to contribute to a modern economy.

Teacher education and skills needed for a teacher

Special teachers are always remembered in our lives. We want to be that kind of

special teachers kids remember years down the road. In order to be that great teacher,

some important skills are needed. Our students may even become teachers because we

inspired them because of our skills as a mentor and teacher. Consider some of the

important skills needed to become a teacher, among the objectives of teacher

education.

Passion to Teach

Passion and excitement is needed to teach others in order to be a good teacher.

Knowing the subject and showing the students the passion about that subject will

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ultimately result that the students will be willing to learn even more.

Patience

Patience is much necessary for a teacher. While dealing with children or teenagers for

extended periods of time, there may arise worse situations related to classroom

management, discipline and other matters, but a teacher will have to be patient and

calm with the students.

Good Communication

A teacher has to be both a good listener and speaker. Getting kids or adults to answer

questions in front of a class will involve getting their attention and making them

comfortable enough to speak up. A teacher will lose their attention by being dull and

speaking in a monotone voice.

Problem Solver

In a classroom, there arise unique problems. A teacher needs to be a problem solver

and able to think on feet when surprises occur in class.

Supportive

Students need to know that a teacher is there for them if they need help either with

classroom issues or anything else that may be bothering them. A teacher may let them

know that there is someone to which they can come for help.

Interactive

A teacher needs to interact with not only the students, 'but their parents and other

teachers. It should be made sure that he/she is comfortable with all age groups during

interactions.

Leadership

The time spent at school should be actively utilized for learning and only learning.

Teachers are in a leadership role, and students see how they behave. Thus teachers

should always be aware of what they say or do because students are watching and

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learning from them.

Model learning

One of the prime objectives of teacher education is to enhance the skill of modeling

among the teachers, where the social learning approaches and giving practical

examples from one's own personality act as major source of inspiration for students.

Punctuality

If a teacher is at class before the students, he/she can welcome them to the lesson and

have the chance to speak with individuals if needed. Teacher should always be

punctual, expecting punctuality from students.

Do public speaking

A teacher should explain and discuss a topic with friends and peer before teaching in

class. It can be as simple as a five-minute tutorial on effective marking, but being able

to explain something and being comfortable enough to talk in front of a crowd is a

skill a teacher needs to have. For a nervous teacher, partnership with someone who is

good at it is necessary. This way, if a teacher gets anxious, someone is there to cover

for him/her.

Train someone

The best way to learn is to teach. A teacher should explain to someone the up coming

topic and reveal hidden text on an interactive whiteboard for example.

Listen more than speaking'

Telling students what a teacher thinks they need to know is pointless if he/she doesn't

know what they already know. A teacher should adopt student-centeredness at every

step.

Know basic networking

Teaching is a tough job, but one full of bright, resourceful people. The tools and

technology exist to help teachers nurture a support network of colleagues across the

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world from which to seek guidance and inspiration. Otherwise, no one is an island.

Devise an effective marking strategy

What matters is quality not quantity. Ticking and flicking books regularly is far less

effective than providing quality feedback which moves students forward. Peer

assessment done properly can be a win, which is a winning of teacher in fact.

Parents contact

Student spend a little time at school as compared to the time spent at home, therefore,

parental responsibility to educate their children is as important as that of teacher. It is

therefore necessary for a teacher to keep contacts with parents for communicating and

discussing the progress of their kids.

Know the difference between summative and formative

Summative assessments provide information of how much students know, understand

and can do at the end of a topic of study. Formative assessments should provide

students with continual feedback on their performance to enable them to improve their

learning. Knowing the importance of both summative and formative assessments, a

teacher should apply it on the situational demand.

Back up

For any activity in class, there should be a written record as back up. Teachers should

meet the deadlines of students and in return, he/she should expect students to meet

his/her deadlines. Giving students ample warning of future deadlines and sticking to

them leads to a teacher's success. Every time giving an extension, discourage them

from planning their time effectively.

Blog

If a teacher had a great lesson, he/she may share it widely so that others may benefit.

It might just be a gain of few suggestions on how a teacher can turn things around

next tune.

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Understanding

Understanding (also called intellection) is a psychological process related to an

abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is

able to think about it and use concepts to deal adequately with that object.

Understanding is a relation between the knower and an object of understanding. It

implies abilities and dispositions with respect to an object of knowledge sufficient to

support intelligent behavior. It is the limit of a conceptualization and in order to

understand something is to have conceptualized it to a given measure.

While differentiating between knowledge and understanding, it should be noted that

knowledge is the simple awareness of bits of information, however, understanding is

the awareness of the connection between the individual pieces of this information. It

is understanding which allows knowledge to be put into use. Therefore, understanding

represents a deeper level than simple knowledge.

Knowledge, skill, and understanding are the stock in trade of education. Most teachers

show a vigorous commitment to all these. Everyone wants students to emerge from

schooling or other learning experiences with a good collection of knowledge, well-

developed skills, and an understanding of the meaning, significance, and use of what

they have studied. So it's worth asking what conception of knowledge, skill, and

understanding underwrites what happens in classrooms among teachers and students

to foster these attainments.

In a phrase, understanding is the ability to think and act flexibly with what one knows.

To put it another way, an understanding of a topic is a flexible performance capability

with emphasis on the flexible. In keeping with this, learning for understanding is like

learning a flexible performance, more like learning to hold a good conversation or

rock climb than learning the multiplication table or the names of the countries.

Learning facts can be a crucial step to learning for understanding, but learning facts is

not learning for understanding.

Teaching for Understanding is an educational pedagogy while understanding goals

refer to the concepts, processes, and skills that we most want our students to

understand. They help to create focus by stating where students are going.

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Teacher education and teaching for understanding

Many people emphasize the importance of good teachers, and many local, state, and

federal policies are designed to promote teacher quality. Research using student

scores on standardized tests confirms the common perception that some teachers are

more effective than others and it also reveals that being taught by an effective teacher

has important consequences for student achievement.

Teaching for understanding is neither magical nor mysterious; however, classrooms

which nurture student understanding do possess distinctive qualities. Understanding is

a matter of being able to do a variety of thought-demanding things with a topic, like

explaining, finding evidence and examples, generalizing, applying, analogizing, and

representing a topic in a new way. In summary, understanding is being able to carry

out a variety of performances that show one's understanding of a topic and, at the

same time, advance it. We call such performances understanding performances or

performances of understanding.

Howard Gardner's view of understanding emphasizes the application of knowledge in

new circumstances. He states that "I consider an individual to have understood when

he or she can take knowledge, concepts, skills and facts and apply them in new

situations where they are appropriate. If students simply parrot back what they have

been told or what they have read in a textbook, then we do not really know whether

they understand".

Since here the focus is on cognitive development, the teacher must have extensive

knowledge of the subject being taught and of how students learn the subject. More

specifically, teaching for understanding requires that the conceptual frames of the

student in that subject be known so that strategies which produce change and growth

can be developed. Research on teaching for understanding has produced a number of

successful experimental programmes which have yielded principles and practices

which appear central to such an effort. The following elements are important

conclusions derived for research conducted on teacher education and understanding.

The curriculum is designed to equip students with knowledge, skills, values,

and dispositions useful both inside and outside of school.

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Instructional goals underscore developing student expertise within an

application context and with emphasis on conceptual understanding and self-

regulated use of skill.

The content is organized around a limited set of powerful ideas (key

understandings and principles).

The teacher's role is not just to present information but also to develop

strategies which will support and respond to students' learning.

The students' role is not just to absorb or copy but to actively make sense and

construct meaning.

Activities and assignments feature authentic tasks that call for problem solving

or critical thinking, not just memory or reproduction.

Higher-order thinking skills are not taught as a separate skills curriculum.

instead, they are developed in the process of teaching subject-matter

knowledge within application contexts that call for students to relate what they

are learning to their lives outside of school by thinking critically or creatively

about it or by using it to solve problems or make decisions.

The teacher creates a social environment in the classroom that could be

described as a learning community where dialogue promotes understanding.

Embedded in these principles is an approach to curriculum and instruction which

reduces the breadth of coverage to allow for more. in-depth teaching of selected

content. Understanding rather than coverage is a central principle in teaching for

understanding. Following are some important aspects and guidelines for a teacher to

enhance understanding in a classroom set up.

Generative Topics

A generative topic or theme is one which is central to the discipline, is accessible to

students, and can be connected to diverse topics inside and outside the discipline. In a

study of biology, for example, the themes of health, growth, sickness, or ecological

balance might be used to organize a unit of study which would reach beyond the

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boundaries of the biology textbook.

Understanding Goals

Several key understanding goals for each topic must .be identified and stated. These

goals serve to focus instruction.

Understanding; Performances

Performances which support the understanding goals must be part of each unit from

beginning to end.

Ongoing Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of instruction, not a summary statement of adequacy.

The key factors are shared and public criteria, regular feedback, and frequent

reflection during the learning process.

Conclusion

In order to maintain a better understanding for students in a classroom, the teachers

must have sufficient knowledge or command over subject, without any exception.

Also, pedagogical content knowledge (how to select, represent, and organize

information, concepts and procedures in a subject area) is important for a teacher to

have. Knowledge of the learner and presuming new strategies of classroom interaction

are necessary. While it is obvious that good teachers have always used powerful

activities in their teaching, they have not always expected students to demonstrate

their understanding by going beyond what they already know. Nor have students

always receive the ongoing assessment needed to learn from performances of

understanding. Covering the curriculum contents may not be important for a teacher

in a classroom; rather, understanding a little is far better than the rote memorization

and reproducing the same by a student during evaluation. Activity based curricula

provide grounds for better understanding, where every topic is provided with its

applied aspect within the textbook. If the focus is on understanding, an educational

system will attain the desired quality, where nothing is more precious than the skills

one have, and it is the basic objective of teacher education.

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Values

Values can be defined as broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of action

or outcomes. As such, values reflect a person's sense of right and wrong or what ought

to be. Equal rights for all, Excellence deserves admiration, and People should be

treated with respect and dignity, are representative of values.

Values tend to influence attitudes and behavior. For example, if an individual values

equal rights for all and he/she goes to work for an organization that treats its managers

much better than it does its workers, he/she may form the attitude that the company is

an unfair place to work; consequently, he/she may not produce well or may perhaps

leave the company. It is likely that if the company had a more democratic policy

based on equality, the individual's attitude and behaviors would have been adore

positive.

The study of values, ethics and aesthetics is a broad field of studies in philosophy,

called axiology, where values are studied from a number of perspectives. The price

and worth given to something becomes important for an individual, based on his/her

ideology. For instance, a pen may not be precious, but its need during exams makes it

valuable. Similarly, a number of precious and beautiful books are ignored when they

come in comparison with an old, worn out page of the Holy Quran.

Factors influencing values of students

Following are some important factors which influence the values of students.

Role models, such as parents, other adults, peers, and mass media, Legends

and heroes, etc.

Stories and narratives in print, film, or games.

Reinforcement (where positive and negative reinforcements, the punishment

and reward system hold good in values development).

Problem solving processes for helping to make choices.

Thinking in a way that is clear and straight, not distorted; seeing many

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possibilities in a situation.

The ability to reflect on experience and to learn from it

The ability to use a framework to make decisions when one genuinely doesn't

know what to do in a hard case.

Schools and values

Schools have always been interested in three kinds of outcomes, i.e.

Skills—what our students are able to do,

Knowledge—what they know,

Character—the kind of people they become.

The last but not the least aspect of schooling and education is to build up the character

of students which emerges in the form of an indispensable objective of Teacher

education, leading towards a new paradigm in education called value education or

character education. In some schools, it's about promoting pro-social thoughts, values,

and behaviors and having students act as good citizens. In others, it's about

developing specific desirable values. For schools in general, it is finding some way to

help students develop good habits or virtues. In our classroom situations, teachers

should emphasize on values as they arc supportive for students in the following

manners.

To develop a love of learning.

To pursue excellence and high standards.

To develop care and respect for themselves and others.

To take pride in their work.

To exhibit a strong sense of fairness and social justice.

To have respect for and understanding of Pakistan's history including the

cultures and experiences.

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To actively participate as citizens.

Teacher Education and Values

In a broad sense, everything educates, and the learning process is an endless cycle

throughout life. Some values change and others are lasting values. Some values are

universal and others are personal or classed with certain groups of people. As an

objective of teacher education, let classify the values under very broad terms of

Respect for Self (personal), and Respect for Others (universal).

Respect for self

In a broad sense of the word, self would be the person's self-image, self-identity and

how he/she relates to him/herself, the school, home or the social world. It is important

for the teacher to know how the child feels about him/herself. The teacher, therefore,

must build confidence and trust and let the child know that he/she is valued. This is

the area of severe importance and many professional educationists as well as parents

would just assume this responsibility be left at the home.

The teacher, whose total pattern of learned ways of behaving and maturing may be

culturally different, has accepted a responsibility for guiding the child's behavior in

school so that it will be possible to achieve realization by ultimate potential both in

the social group whence he/she came and in the larger society into which he/she will

unavoidably move.

If these are some of the expectations from the child, then, teachers also have to

develop greater self-awareness. The better understanding one has for self, the better

he/she is able to be objective about his/her own problems, i.e. to know which ones can

be solved, which ones cannot be, and where he/she can get further help.

Many of the Pakistanis have strong and complex tribal beliefs and strengths;

therefore, many parents would object to the idea of the teachers imposing their values

on the children whom they teach. Respect for others

Actually, this would bring into focus the second term, respect for others. Whether we

realize it or not, the classroom teacher is placed in a position where he/she is

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constantly, either unconsciously or subconsciously,' influencing some behavioral

expectations on the children. When we teach children to take turns on the swings on

the playground, when we encourage cooperation with their classmates in organized

study projects, when we ask for quiet in the library so that others can study, when we

punish or discourage cheating on examinations, we are making individual, very small,

but collectively significant selections of what we want the children to prefer. We

would assume that these are universal values which would apply in any classroom

situation, because no matter what class of people we belong or identify with, some of

these habits are actually a method of survival.

The teacher, then, is not considered a genuine guide trthe young unless he/she assists

the children in developing a sense of values. This means that choices must be made

somehow, somewhere. And the classroom is the place where the teacher has some

authority over the quality of such choices. The teacher is also in a position to be

flexible in learning and accepting ways of behavior and maturing within a particular

social group. He/she can establish many avenues of accomplishing the difficult tasks

and responsibilities of educating the child.

Conclusion

There are differences of opinion and nearly always, the negative attitudes seem to rule

out the positive attitudes, but a lot has to be taken into consideration because there are

actually no solutions that can be concluded. Many would still argue the point of

leaving the teaching of values in the hands of the parents, but as previously

mentioned, we as educators are constantly engaged in this problem as part of our

responsibilities.

Education is a two-way approach. We have to accept the fact that a child is first of all

a child and secondly a member of a race, ethnic group, sect and region. Anyone who

teaches accepts a child first because he/she is a child and then becomes aware of

individual differences in ability and background. When a teacher does this with

children, his/her attitude is imitated by the children and a child will more readily

become comfortable, and a happy contributing member of the class.

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OBJECTIVES AND STRUCTURE OF TEACHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM

Introductory

Teacher education is an integral component of the educational system. It is intimately

connected with society and is conditioned by the culture and character of a nation:

The constitutional goals, the directive principles of the state policy, the socio-

economic problems and the growth of knowledge, the emerging expectations and the

changes operating in education, etc. call for an appropriate response from a futuristic

education system and provide the perspective within which teacher education

programmes need to be viewed.

When Pakistan attained freedom, the then existing educational system was accepted

as such because it was thought that an abrupt departure from the same would be

disturbing and destabilizing. Thus the system was retained towards rearrangement for

betterment. Consequently, education including teacher education largely remained

isolated from the needs and aspirations of the people. Presently, certain efforts have

been made to indigenize the system. The gaps, however, are still wide and visible.

The imperatives for building the bridges may be as follows:

To build a national system of teacher education based on Pakistani culture, its

unity and diversity synchronizing with change and continuity.

To facilitate the realization of the constitutional goals and emergence of the

new social order.

To prepare professionally competent teachers to perform their.roles effectively

as per needs of the society.

To upgrade the standard of teacher education, enhance the professional and

social status of teachers and develop amongst them a sense of commitment.

These are but a few of the major concerns which call for an immediate action. A

comprehensive, dynamic and responsive system of teacher education needs to be

continually evolved keeping the overall scenario.

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General Objectives

The general objectives of teacher education curriculum derived from the contexts,

concerns and issues of education, teacher education, and the perceived profile of the

teacher include the following:

To promote capabilities for inculcating national values and goals.

To enable teachers to act as agents of modernization and social change.

To sensitize teachers towards the promotion of social cohesion, international

understanding and protection of human rights and rights of the child.

To transform prospective teachers into competent and committed professionals

willing to perform the identified tasks.

To develop competencies and skills needed for becoming an effective teacher.

To sensitize teachers and teacher educators about.emerging issues, such as

environment, ecology, population, gender equality, legal literacy, etc.

To empower teachers to cultivate rational thinking and scientific temper

among students.

To develop critical awareness about the social realities.

To develop managerial and organizational skills.

Characteristics of the Curriculum Framework

The curriculum framework for teacher education needs to be of high quality and its

perceived characteristics may include the following:

Reflects the Pakistani heritage, acts as an instrument in the realization of

national goals and fulfills aspirations of people.

Responds to the latest developments in the field of education.

Establishes integration of theory and practice of education.

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Provides multiple educational experiences to teachers.

Enables teachers to experiment with new ideas.

Ensures inseparability of pre-service and in-service education of teachers.

Sets achievable goals for various stages of teacher education.

Provides for use of communication technology.

Specific Objectives of Curriculum for Primary Stage

The formulation of curriculum framework for this stage (classes Ito V) has been

guided by general and specific objectives of teacher education and perceived

characteristics of curriculum development. The specific objectives of primary teacher

education curriculum may include the following:

To develop understanding of the psychological and sociological foundations

relevant to the primary stage.

To enable teachers to manage appropriate resources for organizing learning

experiences of children.

To acquaint them with methods and techniques of caring for children with

special needs.

To enable them to acquire necessary skills so as to develop cariosity,

imagination and creativity.

To develop in them the capacity to understand and analyze the social and

emotional problems.

To develop communication skills.

To enable them to establish mutually supportive linkages with the community.

To enable them to understand implications of research for teaching-learning

and undertake action research and use innovative practices.

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To enable them to organize games, sports, physical activities and other co-

curricular activities.

The teacher needs to be empowered through training inputs to gain greater insights

into the complexities of the society and the historical perspective of the

developmental process. Theoretical component is essential for understanding the

learner, community and the society, the internal and external forces imposing upon

the school and the internal and external variables operating upon the learner.

In the training programmes, the prospective teachers are imparted training in a

manner that theory and practice are organically integrated. Correlation within the

curricular areas of learning and exlemal environment is established. Psychology of

Teaching and Learning, School Organization and Pedagogical Analysis of primary

school subjects provide a sound base for the adoption of integrated approach to

teaching and learning and for establishing meaningful and interactive bonds between

theory and practice. The aim of including Action Research is guided by the fact that

every prospective teacher has to know the elements of action research, surveys,

community services etc.

Specific Objectives of Curriculum for Elementary Stage

The specific objectives relevant to the Elementary stage may include the following:

To develop understanding of the psychological and sociological principles

relevant to elementary stage of education.

To enable teachers to select, prepare and use appropriate resources for

organizing learning experiences.

To acquaint them with methods and materials of teaching children with special

needs.

To develop among them the capacity to solve the social and emotional

problems of children.

To enable them acquire necessary skills so as to develop curiosity, imagination

and self-confidence among children.

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To develop communication skills.

To enable them to mobilize and utilize community resources as educational

inputs.

To enable them to organize supplementary educational activities

To undertake action research projects.

To enable them to establish mutually supportive linkages with the community

To enable them to organize games, sports, physical activities and other co-

curricular activities.

The course on Contemporary Social Issues will enable the prospective teachers to

understand the demands that society expects education to fulfill. Similarly, course on

'Elementary Education in Pakistan, its status, problems and issues' will promote the

capacity to examine if these expectations can really be met. The course on

Educational Psychology will teach them how to formulate their teaching strategies to

promote learning among children. Health and Physical Education will enable them to

plan exercises for development of sound physiques. They will be able to deal with

children with special needs and adopting problem solving approach, a capacity built

by Action Research. The course on Guidance and counseling will enable them to help

children when they are confronted with problem of any kind.

The pedagogical analysis will provide the prospective teachers an understanding of

the complexity involved in the teaching of the subjects at the elementary level. This

will enable them to plan their educational strategies. A critical observation of model

lessons and practice teaching in the actual class room situation will make them

effective and competent teachers.

Internship for teaching practice in a school will offer the prospective teachers the

varied experiences needed for working in a school. They will internalize educational

value of the work and experience the dignity of manual work. The school community

interaction would not only promote the interactive support between both but also

enable them to evolve suitable pedagogy for children. The organization of educational

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activities will develop the capacity for planning and undertaking such activities as are

essential for the development of personality of the student. The theoretical and

practical courses suggested in this frame are capable of preparing a competent

elementary school teacher.

Specific Objectives of Curriculum for Secondary Stage

For teaching at secondary stage, the qualification. most sought after is one year B.Ed

which is in fact B.Ed for secondary stage. However, at present, there are several

variations for first degree level qualification which are also available. These include

&Ed. (honors); which is a four year programme and B.Ed through correspondence or

distance education mode.

Teacher education programme at this stage, like at all other stages, includes the

theory, practice teaching in schools, and practical work in the light of contexts,

concerns, profile of teachers and general and specific objectives.

The specific objectives at this stage may include the following:

To enable the prospective teachers to understand the nature, purpose and

philosophy of secondary education.

To develop among teachers an understanding of the psychology of their

pupils.

To enable them to understand the process of socialization.

To equip them acquire competencies relevant to stage specific pedagogy, curriculum

development, its transaction and evaluation.

To enable them to make pedagogical analysis of the subjects they are to teach

at the secondary stage. To develop skills for guidance and counseling.

To enable them to foster creative thinking among pupils for reconstruction of

knowledge.

To acquaint them with factors and forces affecting educational system and

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class morn situation.

To acquaint them with educational needs of special groups of pupils.

To enable them to utilize community resources as educational inputs.

To develop communication skills and use the modem information technology.

To develop aesthetic sensibilities.

To acquaint: them with research in education including action research.

A teacher helps in improving the quality of human life in the context of multiple

internal and external forces impinging on man and the society. The course on

'Perspectives of Education and Contemporary Social Issues', would develop an insight

into the nature of Pakistani society, its variety and complexities and making teacher

education programme relevant to the community.

A professionally trained teacher is expected to identify the strengths and weaknesses

of secondary education in Pakistan and after having gained insights into the status,

problems and issues concerning education at this stage, develops a mental make-up of

evaluating the system. and utilizing the same for promoting excellence in education.

A teacher in the classroom has to make adjustments in teaching strategy according to

the nature and scope. of the curriculum and evaluate the success of teaching ire of

students' growth. -The foundations of curriculum, pedagogy, evaluation and

remediation need to be laid down firmly during the course of professional preparation

of teachers. What kind of pedagogical strategy' gives optimum results in specific

unies of curriculum, and in what. ways the outcomes need to be evaluated is the main

focus,

Distinct departure from the existing programme is noticeable in including a course on

Educational Psychology. The teaching of educational psychology to the B.Ed. trainees

was done extensively even earlier but without establishing linkages with actual

teaching and learning. The attempt to put teaching and learning together does not in

any way undermine the importance of educational psychology. Now the basic

emphasis is on teaching-learning processes, group dynamics, learners' background,

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the internal and external forces of the institution and the community. Psychology of

teaching and learning requires adjustments at different levels of schooling and for

different grade levels. Comparative perspective of educational systems in developing

and developed countries enables teachers to acquire a global vision of contemporary

context and gain greater insight into ways of improving the quality of education.

The understanding of some specific areas of education in detail and in depth is needed

for becoming an effective teacher. Guided by this consideration and having been

supported through field interactions with different target groups, courses on pre-

school education and elementary school education, Teacher education in Pakistan,

secondary education, comparative, education, foundations of education, Modern

approaches in education, etc. have been included as optional subjects. Teachers will

also be required to get in-depth understanding of areas like non-formal alternatives to

school education. Similarly avenues for in-depth studies in emerging areas of concern

like vocational education, environmental education, population education etc. are also

available.

The message of educational technology has to reach the classrooms in the form of its

application. Prospective teacher has to he so equipped in the course of training as to,

enable him/her to think of using appropriate educational technology for improving the

quality of instruction and for obtaining optimum results in terms of the students'

growth.

Physical education has been considered as an integral part of education. In each

system of schooling tremendous amount of emphasis is laid upon building up the

cognitive base of students and the affective and psychomotor dimensions of human

personality, do not receive adequate attention. A teacher fashioned in the culture of

physical education would be conscious of catering to the physical dimension of

human personality with concern. The inclusion of this course, however, may not be

taken as an alternative to preparing teachers for teaching Physical Education.

Tasks Ahead

Recently, it has been attempted to modify the curriculum framework in keeping with

the emerging challenges and demands for better schooling and quality education.

65

Teacher education in Pakistan, with a view to making it relevant to the school system

as well as training needs for preparing teachers at different levels will have to be

further restructured, reorganized, and revamped. Multiple models of teacher education

may have to be evolved by the universities and other agencies. The innovative models

to be undertaken have to be relevant from the point of view of the teacher educator as

well as those tvho will assume the role of a professional, requiring inter-di scipl

inarily, broader vision and goal consciousness and commitment. These would lead to

the improvement in the standards of teacher education and develop professional

competencies. Another significant feature of such models would be their feasibility

and cost effectiveness. Mis-matches between the needs of teacher education

institutions and the professional preparation of teacher educators working in such

institutions will have to be bridged.

There are several workable propositions for evolving a variety of models like school

based model, community based model, discipline-oriented models, integrated models,

comprehensive models etc. Needless to say, it would be necessary to initiate

integrated and comprehensive programmes of teacher preparation in both academic

and vocational streams. The stage-specific and need-specific models will have to be

evolved. These innovative models should be promoted and financially supported.

Teacher Training Institutions

The Profession of Teaching

The teaching profession, by and large, does not attract the best talent in Pakistan.

Those considered bright either join the professions such as medicine and engineering

and try to migrate to the West or are attracted by higher-level civil service positions,

which open the doors towards relations with authoritative people and corruption. A

few exceptions would be some highly respected university faculty and those scientists

working at the highest levels of the country's research establishment, especially those

involved in missile and nuclear technology.

Among the reasons for the unwillingness to join the teaching profession at the

primary and secondary levels are relatively low salaries, unattractive working

conditions, and the high teacher-student ratio, which is around 1:40 at the primary and

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1:36 at the secondary level. In the early 1990s there were 87 elementary teacher-

training institutions offering a one-year programme leading to the Primary Teaching

Certificate (PTC) for teachers in grades one to five or the Certificate of Teaching (CT)

for teachers in grades six to eight. While the FTC course needs 10 years of education

for admission to it, the CT course requires 12 years and an FA/FSC certificate.

Quality of Teacher Education

Teacher education plays vital role in reforming and strengthening the education

system of any country. At present, in Pakistan, Colleges for Elementary Teachers,

Colleges of Education, University Departments of Education/ IERs, Provincial

Institutes for Teacher Education (PT1'Es) and Regional Institutes for Teacher

Education (RITEs) are major institutions that impart teacher training through various

academic programmes.

Showing concern about the quality enhancement of higher education, the government

of Pakistan has lately taken some concrete initiatives which have relevance to and

implications for teacher education institutions (fEIs). Higher Education Commission

(HEC) has established the Quality Assurance Division (QAD) with the mission to

provide an integrated quality assurance and management service for higher learning.

One of the objectives of the QAD is to develop a viable and sustainable mechanism of

quality assurance in higher education sector of the country. One of the major

initiatives taken by the QAD is the creation of Quality Assurance Agency (QA,A) at

HEC for regulating and facilitating the Quality Enhancement Cells (QECs) to be

constituted at all universities. The QECs, now established at 30 public universities,

are becoming instrumental for implementing the quality assurance policies developed

by HEC to improve the internal academic and administrative processes. The main

focus of QECs is on self -assessment of different quality parameters including

programme mission objectives and outcomes, curriculum design and organization,

laboratories and computing facilities, student support and guidance, faculty, process

control, institutional facilities and institutional support. The issue of quality has been

focused by the HEC through its multi-dimensional approach that emphasizes

improvement of faculty, infrastructure, research, academic environment, curricula,

governance, assessment, and accreditation of academic programmes and institutions.

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The New Education Policy (2009) aims at revitalizing the present education system

with particular focus on increasing access and improving education quality by making

it relevant to economic needs. The said policy plans the standardization and

institutionalization of accreditation and certification procedures in teacher education

in the country. The Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (ACTE) has also

been established currently at national level, which is working on development of

specific standards and requirements for teacher education programmes and

institutions. The recent development from the Council is formulation of National

Standards for Accreditation of Teacher Education Programmes, which are related to

the following seven aspects:

Curriculum and instruction

Assessment and evaluation system

Physical infrastructure

Academic facilities and learning resources

Human resources; finance and management;

Research and scholarship; and

Community links and outreach.

Teacher Training Institutes with special reference to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

At present, there are a total of 83 teacher training institutes at KPK, out of which 28

institutes (33 percent) are managed by the, public sector and the remaining are

managed by the private sector. Among these institutes, 71 percent are having an equal

arrangement for both males and females (i.e. co-education system), while the

remaining are specifically for the females.

Among the given teacher training institutes, three are offering Ph.D. five are offering

M.Phil. and 35 are offering M.Ed. in the subject of Teacher Education. Most of these

institutes offer B.Ed, CT and PTC etc.

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ThePeshawar region has the highest number of fourteen teacher training institutes, out

of which 5 are managed by the government and 9 belong to the private sector. There

are 8 institutes at Mardan, 7 at Malakand, 7 at Kohat, 6 at abbotabad, 5 at Bannu, 5 at

DIK, 5 at Swabi and 5 at Swat.

At Batagram, Dir Upper, Buner, Kohistan, Shangla, Tank and Hangu, there is a single

institute, in each district. The seven districts have the lowest literacy rate too.

Functions

There are three types of programmes for training of teachers in Pakistan. The first is

the one-year primary school teacher training programme in basic subjects and

methods of teaching, including child psychology. The secondary school teachers are

required to join one of the numerous teachers' training colleges or a university

department of education either for a one-year programme leading to the Bachelor of

Education diploma or a three-year programme leading to a Bachelor of Education

degree. The higher-level work leading to degrees in education at the master's or the

doctorate level is done in the departments of education in the universities, which

produce specialists as well as academic administrators. There are also several in-

service training programmes for untrained teachers or for upgrading the curriculum.

Teachers sent to such programmes are nominated by the school principals and

approved by the district officer and they generally receive full salary during the in-

service training.

Science and technical teaching has been given special emphasis by the federal

government. Thus, Islamabad's Institute for the Promotion of Science Education and

Training (IPSET) and National Technical Teachers Training College (NT-FTC) have

been doing excellent work in upgrading the knowledge base of secondary school and

junior college science teachers as well as instructors in technology colleges and

polytechnics. For educational administrators there is the Academy of Educational

Planning and Management (AEPAM) at Islamabad, providing courses and in-service

training for school and college principals, district education officers, and regional

directors.

There are few facilities in Pakistan for special education. The first to start courses

69

leading to a master's degree in special education were the University of Karachi, the

National Institute for the Handicapped at the University of Islamabad (NIHUS), and

the Allama Iqbal Open University. With the establishment of the office of Director-

General of Special Education within the Ministry of Health, Social Welfare, and

Special I:taut:al-ion in 1985, special education attracted a national focus. In 1989

NIHUS received a major boost with the opening of 45 centers for special education

with a combined enrollment of 3,500. Additionally, a National Training Center for the

Disabled and a national Mobility and Independence Training Center for producing

teachers in special education were established in Islamabad. Most of these projects

were made possible with funds, overseas training, and technical guidance from WHO,

UNICEF, UNESCO, and UNDP. Programmes were instituted for training fellowships

abroad as well as for visits by experts from Europe and the United States.

All of the stated teacher education institutes provide know how related to the

managerial and professional skills to the pre-service and in-service programmes,

while following the FIEC recognized curricula. There are variety of programmes,

both in pre-service and in-service modules for elementary and secondary level, where

the diplomas, certificate and bachelor programmes in teacher education in various

dimensions are specified for elementary schooling, while the degree programmes are

specified for secondary, higher secondary and tertiary level teacher trainings.

Similarly, a number of degree programmes at higher levels are specified for

managerial and administrative purposes such as to produce educators and

educationists, subject specialists and experts, curriculum setters and reformers,

textbook designers and implementers, etc. A brief summary of the functions of the

teacher training institutes with respect to its pre-service and in-service programmes is

given as follows.

Pre-service teacher education programmes

In the pr-service teacher education programmes, important are PTC or PST, CT,

B.Ed. M.Ed. MA Education, B.Ed (Honors), M.Phil, Junior Diploma in Physical

Education (JDPE/D.P.Ed), Senior Diploma in Physical Education (SDPE/B.P.Ed),

Diploma in Education (D.Ed), Drawing Master (DM) Training, Bachelor in Physical

Education, Master in Health and Physical Education,

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English Language for Jobless. Certificate in Agrotech, Home Economics, Masters in

Business Education (MBE), Masters in English Language ,Teaching and Linguistics

(MELTS). Masters in Technology Education (MTE), Masters in Early Childhood

Education (MA ECE) etc.

In-Service Teacher Education Programmes

Among the In-service Teacher Education Programmes, important are:

DMD, Women Leadership, CIE (Primary Education), Short Courses to Head

Teachers (W/S, B.Ed (in-service), Conduct Training on Contents, Pedagogy and Need

based, Planning and Management (short courses), Monitor Trainings, Training of

Master Trainers, Community Participation and parent Teacher Council, Psycho-social

training of teachers, Visiting Teachers Programme (VT), Educational Leadership and

Management (ELM), Advanced Diploma in ELM, Advanced Diploma in Education,

Language Enhancement and Achievement Programme (LEAP) etc.

Areas of Teacher training

A range of options exist in the general and/or specific training of teachers by the

various teacher training institutes, consider for instance:

ECE/Kachi: Early Childhood Education is a new stream for which initiatives

have been recently launched by some government and private sector

providers.

Primary: Pedagogy, content, subject-based focus, assessment systems and

approaches for both formal and non-formal primary schools

Middle: Content, subject based focus, methods, assessment systems and

approaches

Secondary: Content and subject based, approaches and assessment

Higher Secondary: Content and subject based, approaches and assessment

systems

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Drawing Master

Physical Education

Agro-tech

Special Education and AV aids (minimal support) Management Cadre:

Principals, Head masters, Head teachers, their roles, responsibilities and skills

Technical Education in Middle and Secondary schools

Short Literacy Programmes to enhance numeracy, literacy and life skills, such

as credit linkage and NEE

The number of teachers trained (pre-service) in the public sector is 97 % with

traditional certification as required by the government such as PTC (for primary), CT

(post primary/middle), B.Ed/M.Ed (secondary/post–secondary.) The comparable

percentage of teachers trained in the private sector is 66%. However, this gap in

teacher training between the public and private sector cannot immediately be

presumed to reflect quality in public sector.

There is a wide range of certification options available from Primary Teachers

Certificate (PTC) to PhD in education. Whilst the PTC/CT certification is approved

by the Boards of Secondary and Intermediate Education (BISE), the jurisdiction of

certification of all other degrees at graduate levels and beyond lies with the

Universities and the Higher Education Commission (HEC). Public sector employment

eligibility conforms to professional qualifications in pre-service programmes such as

PTC, CT, B.Ed, and M.Ed, whilst the non-state sector is flexible in its recruitment

entry requirements and has few rigorous rules on professional. qualifications.

Consequently, there is little compulsion to abide by any formal criteria for teacher

recruitment.

Link between School Curriculum and Teacher education curriculum

Teacher education is directly connected with students in schools regarding the

implementation of teacher trainings in schools. This linkage of teacher training with

curricula at school basically refers to the practical application of what teachers learnt.

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In other words, the applied aspect of teacher education in schools at various levels

links the two curricula.

Studying a variety of subjects and understanding their themes by the teachers doesn't

necessarily mean the same to be studied by students at schools. i.e. there is a vide gap

between the course contents of teachers and students, however, a connection between

the two is important, where teacher plays the key role in this regard. A teacher applies

the theoretical knowledge in a practical manner in schools where a number of

prevailing factors are operational. Enabling the teachers to work effectively and to

achieve the educational objectives in a smooth fashion is only possible through the

connectivity between the training curricula framed for teachers and the working

curricula designed for students.

TEACHERS' ROLE

Being an important pillar of the educative process, a teacher has a number of tasks to

perform. A teacher is not only supposed to teach the subject matter but also he/she has

to take active part in the root structure of the educational process. Consider the

following important tasks of a teacher.

As Curriculum Planner

The most reasonable and successful form of curriculum for being a teacher is the one

where teacher is actively involved in its constriction. Such a curriculum design refers

to the teacher-centered curriculum. Planning curricula for students can actually be

implemented when teachers are given due consideration. A teacher with a successful

career understands the pros and cons of whatever is being taught related to the subject

matter, its importance and methods to be adopted for teaching, the evaluation

strategies and others. A curriculum indoctrinated by the authorities without being

informing the teachers may not be as successful as expected by the educational

policies framed for a nation. Thus, its in fact the teacher who plans a better curriculum

for upcoming generations, based on the situational analysis.

As Curriculum Implementer

A designed and approved curriculum by the stake holders is practically implemented

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by the teacher, where teacher is the only agent for doing so. A trained and qualified

teacher performs this effectively using his/her personal experiences in methodologies

and instructional approaches. The role of teacher as curriculum implementer is

indispensable, where the educational policies become useless because of the lack of

practicality.

As curriculum developer

Bringing changes from time to time in the existing curricula in terms of inventions

and innovations is necessary for going with the pace of time. A teacher being aware of

the ongoing social, cultural, economic, environmental and other realities tries to

transmit this awareness to the general community, where curriculum acts as the

pathway of this transmission. Teacher plays active role in changing and developing

the curriculum by bringing changes in contents, methodologies, evaluation strategies

and other important issues required in the educative process.

As curriculum evaluator

Curriculum evaluation is as important as the curriculum itself. A teacher has another

important role of curriculum evaluation with respect to the objectives being stated for

a given grade, the achievement of these objectives, the analysis of instructional

techniques, the students' gain and teachers' own improvement in the overall teaching

learning process. Both summative and formative evaluation techniques are taken into

account for judging the overall effectiveness and compartmentalized approaches in

the process of analysis. Diagnostic evaluation for pointing out the important problems

for their solution, both in contents and methods may also be conducted by a teacher to

develop the curriculum of to suggest for innovation. Action research and applied

research may be conducted by the teacher for improving g the curricula. Similarly,

longitudinal and comparative studies hold good in curriculum evaluation where a

teacher can play important role for being a researcher as well'as a subject of the

ongoing study.

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Linking the students' and teachers' curricula

While linking the students' and teachers' curricula„there may be followed a variety of

perspectives, including the psychological, philosophical, socio-cultural and objectivity

based aspects etc. Consider the following.

Psychological Perspective

Beside the psychology of child, study of the psychology of curriculum is also

important for a teacher. Training a teacher in educational psychology enables him/her

to implement the same in practical situation.

It may be in a variety of options, some of which are given as follows.

The bulk of curriculum

The contents of curriculum are said to be psychologically feasible provided they are

timely studied and understood by the students. A curriculum with a huge bulk and

large variety of contents may hinder students' courage in a sense that it will increase

the anxiety level above the normal and majority of students may consider the subject

matter as a burden rather than. a fun. A teacher knowing the psychology of subject

may make it psychologically feasible in classroom situation by reducing its bulk and

number of topics through the prescribed criteria.

The Sequence and order of curriculum contents

Another important psychological aspect of the curriculum is the order and

organization of its contents. An approach leading from simplicity towards complexity

is generally more psychological than the reverse order for majority of students. A

lesson or topic needed to be studied at the beginning may not be delayed at later

stages of the session. A student while laying a bird eye view over the end of

curriculum contents may get puzzled and discouraged as it seems too difficult to study

the same at the beginning. However, these contents may seem easier at later stages

just due to the sequential study of the course.

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The time table

Psychology of time table refers to the feasibility and adequacy of time allocated for a

given subject. Generally, it is more psychological that difficult and hard subjects are

to be taught at the very start of the day, when the students and teachers are fresh and

thus the objectives are achieved easily. For easy and less important there may be

allocated a time which serves as refreshment.

The teaching style and method

A teaching method being needed by students may be adopted, which is a very

important psychological aspect of the curriculum. It has been generally observed that

often students are not satisfied of the teaching methods of extremely capable teachers,

due to the fact that the teachers follow their own pace, ignoring the method demanded

by the students. In other words, it is more important for a teacher to get down to the

level of student, for making the achievement of classroom objectives easier.

The evaluation procedures

A psychological evaluation procedure is the one which maintains a mild level of

anxiety among students for making them motivated. However, severe level of anxiety

created by the evaluation methods may lead to malfunction and thus instead of

motivation, the students may develop hatred about the study.

The IQ and decision making power

Human psychology reveals that the intelligence of an individual is age dependent and

thus it changes with time. The teacher while knowing the facts related to students IQ

may adopt specified procedures based on the students intellectual abilities.

The age demand

The developmental studies of humans reveal that certain experiences and activities are

the characteristics of certain age levels. Consider for instance, the over-activity,

muscular abilities, language development and understanding of concrete concepts is

the characteristic of early childhood. Thus mischievous behaviour of a child may not

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be considered as a fault; rather, it may be reshaped for constructive acts, provided the

teacher has the skills of this transformation.

The special children

Certain students are special in their characteristics, Le. either above or below average.

Generally the students below the average or students with a disability are considered

as special, however, the over-capable students are also of this category. It is simple to

say that special children need special attention regarding their study habits, picking

power and other educational aspects.

Philosophical perspective

A teacher being trained for a considerable period of time, studying the philosophical

background and thematic view points of the curricular framing process, implements

the same while achieving the related objectives in a classroom situation. Consider for

example, teaching a lesson with patriotic theme in a classroom situation, the teacher

achieves the objective by transmitting the philosophy in a manner that the students

ultimately become the same as desired by the lesson. Similarly, the religious,

ideological, health and sociological objectives are achieved by the teacher through the

application of the studied philosophy, making understanding of the how and why of

the inclusion or exclusion of a lesson in the contents.

Socio-cultural Perspective

The socio-cultural perspective of curriculum refers to the obedience to social norms

along with the application and transmission of the culture, through the curriculum.

Any flaw in curriculum in contrast to the social and cultural norms may be extremely

problematic. A teacher who doesn't obey the social norms may find it difficult to

socialize his/her students. Similarly, a lesson which opposes the culture may not be

liked by the students and the overall society.

Objectivity based perspective

The fact that curriculum is not an. end in itself; rather it is just a way towards the

achievement of certain educational objectives, therefore, a teacher may maintain

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linkage of the teacher education curriculum with that of students'. i.e. a lesson taught

may not be important in itself but its basic theme and objective behind is more

important. While keeping in view the variety of objectives to be achieved in

classroom, a teacher may focus over all of the domains of educational objectives.

Curriculum may not 'be only a source of knowledge and comprehension, but there

may also be included the applied aspects of problem solving, the evaluation

procedures in general life, the enhancement of analytical and synthetic abilities,

improvement of muscular skills and language development, the morality, attitude and

interest development, the development of creative skills and inquisitive mind, the

critical approaches and values development etc.

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TEACHER EDUCATION THROUGH NON FORMAL AND DISTANCE EDUCATION

The Non Formal and Distance Education

According to UNESCO, any organized and sustained educational activity that does

not correspond exactly to the definition of formal education is called non-formal

education. It may therefore take place within and outside the educational institutions,

and may be applicable to persons of all the ages. Depending on country context it may

cover the educational programmes to impart adult literacy, basic education for out-of-

school children, life skills, work skills, and general culture. Non formal educational

programmes do not necessarily follow the ladder system and may be differing

durations, and may or may not confer certification of the learning achieved.

Distance education or distance learning is a mode of delivering education and

instruction, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in

a traditional setting such as a classroom. Distance learning provides access to learning

when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or

both. Distance education courses that require a physical. on-site presence for any

reason (including taking examinations) have been referred to as hybrid or blended

courses of study.

The traditional formal system of education has long been used for the training of

teachers. By and by many factors led to the adoption. of the distance mode of

education for teacher education due to an increase in the need for a greater number of

teachers. Distance education has established its authority in delivering teacher

education at a distance.

As we are aware of the fact that distance education is a relatively new paradigm, it is

aimed at providing education to many different groups of populations, especially to

some geographically distributed. Distance education is emerging as a feasible and

vital force in educational delivery systems in recent years, especially in higher

education. Much of the growth comes from a rapidly growing demand for educational

opportunities directed toward and designed for some specific target groups. The

definitive characteristic cif distance education is the separation between teacher and

79

learner and among learners. As a result, interpersonal communication is not a natural

characteristic of distance education.

Distance education integrates correspondence, instruction, use of periodicals and

learning aids, mass media, audiovisual lessons, social interactions, computer-assisted

instruction, and various technologically advanced formats.

In sum, distance education establishes a system that provides learning opportunities to

various groups of learners who have no access to the traditional, high education

institutions. There are two basically different approaches to distance education. One is

based on structured, pre-programmed learning materials and the other is based on the

computers' communications functions. These two approaches have completely distinct

philosophies of education. The former is the black box approach which views the

computer as a black box to substitute for the traditional face to face teacher.

Therefore, it is the computer that teaches the students and the most frequent example

is computer assisted learning (CAL) software. The later view is called networks

approach. This approach views the computer as a channel of communication between

learners and teachers. The frequent example is computer mediated communication

(CMC) systems.

Therefore, it is the teacher who teaches the students, online but at a distance and

asynchronously. These two approaches are not mutually exclusive and can be

combined to become a powerful medium for distance education. The integration of

these two approaches is termed as the fourth generation distance system that has no

barriers of time and place.

Distance education in contrast to traditional classroom or campus based education is

characterized by a clear separation in space and time of the majority of teaching and

learning activities. It is teaching and learning in which learning normally occurs in a

different place from teaching. It emphasizes over how teaching is to a large degree

mediated through various technologies (print, audio, video, broadcasting, computers,

etc.). The quality of teaching materials, level and variety support for independent

study depends on the nature and resources of the institution or organization

responsible for a given programme and the available communication infrastructure.

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By distance education, presently, it is meant education through radio, television or

internet whereas open learning means that anyone can enroll and start and finish when

they like. It is an

organized educational activity based on the use of teaching materials, in which

constraints on study are minimized in terms of either of access, or time and place,

pace, method of study, or any combination of these. Hence the terms open and

distance learning cover educational approaches of this kind that reaches teachers in

their schools, provide learning sources for them or enable them to qualify without

attending college in person or by opening up new opportunities for keeping up to date,

no matter where or when they want to study.

We are now living in the information/communication age. The source of power in the

infonnation/communication age is knowledge. The present era is of knowledge

society, and in such a society more knowledge, and especially advanced knowledge

will be acquired beyond the age of formal schooling, through processes that do not

focus on traditional school.

Distance education can be a part of an open learning system which offers open access

to courses, or it can be part of strict and formal degree programme. It is concerned

with the educational process in which a significant proportion of learning and

teaching happens while learner's tutors are removed from each other in space and

time. The learner can study at home, workplace or university campus, in learning

centers or through a combination of such arrangements.

Distance education is often also flexible. Formally educated individuals can also

continue their education through this system in which the student and learner are at a

distance from one another. They share their activities through correspondence, face to

face contact and through the use of various instructional media. It is considered as an

important mode for the training of teachers. Distance education has gone some way to

establishing a significant and valid way of training teachers.

The evidence, on its success, is probably no worse than the comparable evidence on

conventional teacher education, and, in some cases, it can have economic advantages,

but yet it remains on the sidelines.

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In Pakistan, as the learner and teacher are at a distance from one another, learning

materials are usually sent to students by postal services or via internet. This material

should been written in simple and understandable language. Necessary diagrams, self

assessment questions and activities are added in the course for the guidance of

students. It is considered best that students understand the material without any

external assistance.

Distance Education for teacher training

From a review of more than 300 studies on the effectiveness of .distance education, it

is -summarized that teaching and studying at distance, especially that which uses

interactive telecommunication media, is effective, when effectiveness is measured by

the achievements of learning, by the attitudes of students and teachers, and by cost

effectiveness. The strengths of offering distance courses in which there are a wide

variety of learners and where communication is supported by both synchronous and

asynchronous technologies include the potential for:

More time for learners (and teachers) to reflect,

Increased individual participation,

More individualized feedback from the instructor,

A wider range of opinions and views,

Self paced/directed learning,

Group learning and collaboration, and

Resource-based rather than lecture-based learning. Teachers, specifically, on the job,

are provided special programmes under the umbrella of in-service teacher training.

Similarly, the pre-service teacher trainings provided through distance education have

also achieved. fame, throughout the country, as it consumes a little time, energy .and

economy.

Problems may arise when the technologies for communicating old styles of teaching

do not mix with new styles of communicating, and expression is limited to the written

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words. Distance course designers must address how teacher educators can observe

students applying concepts and what to do so students do not feel isolated and ensure

that feedback is appropriate. Distance teaching will support student motivation and

promote learning pleasure and effectiveness if learners are engaged in discussions and

decisions, and the programme provides for real and simulated communication to and

from the learners. As in any classroom. interaction is the core of teaching. Distance

education is believed to work very well, and produce results as effective as traditional

classroom instruction. The distance education currently in practice has the potential to

provide more effective learning with updated pedagogy, more experience, and greater

understanding and knowledge of methods. Numerous studies have evaluated student

achievement in specific distance learning programmes in higher education.

Learning at a distance is seldom superior to traditional instruction, particularly for

promoting higher level achievement and complex skills. These weaknesses may stem

from social and intellectual isolation. Improved distance education practices have the

potential to enhance educational outcomes, especially when the amount and kind of

learner interaction is increased using technology supported collaborative learning.

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY (AIOU)

The Allama Iqbal Open University, a Mega university, was established in 1974 under

an Act of Parliament. The main campus of the university is situated in sector H-8,

Islamabad. It was the second open university of the world and the first of its kind in

Asia and Africa. The aim of establishing AIOU was to provide affordable and

accessible education through distance learning at the door-steps to those people, who

could not continue their education journey through formal system of education. The

University operates on semester system and admits students in Autumn and Spring

semesters. Under graduate admissions are offered in both the semester where as post

graduates are offered once a year. The enrolled students are given course books

specially prepared by the university on self instructional principles. However at post

graduate level reprints of foreign books, allied material with university prepared study

guides help students to polish their skills.

In 1976, the university started with a few courses of Arabic, a Primary Teachers

Orientation Course (PTOC) and Foundation Courses, with nine regional offices in the

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country. On the request of the government, it started Teacher Education Programmes

like PTC/CT/ATTC for training and orientation of the untrained teachers working in

different government schools. Later on, the range of its teacher education programmes

was extended up to B.Ed (General), B.Ed (Arabic), M.A., Education, M.Ed, M.A

EPM, Diploma TEFL, M.A TEFL and M.Phil. The university also started Bachelor

and Master's Degree Programmes in Business Administration (MBA and BBA)

through the distance learning system, subsidized by the government to meet the

increasing needs of the business community. Recently, Computer. Programmes have

been started and face-to-face instruction/teaching is provided at the study centers. At

present, the AIOU is offering programmes from matric to PhD level in .diverse,

disciplines comprises of four faculties. The university has established study centres

across the country, where distance education students are provided necessary

guidance by their respective tutors. Moreover, the university has established full time

study centres, wherein the students of MBA (IT), MBA (Banking and Finance), BS

(CS), B.Sc. (Engineering), etc. are being provided instruction, guidance and

counseling through face-to-face education. It is also offering four year under graduate

degrees.

Apart from curricular and extra-curricular activities during the academic year, the

AIOU and its regional centres actively participate in the co-curricular activities by

arranging educational and literary seminars, workshops and conferences, attended not

only by the students and faculties of the university but also by the renowned

dignitaries and scholars. For the science students and research scholars, a science

complex has been built where they use the latest equipment of international standard

for experiments and research. To meet the present day challenges, interne facility is

also available in the student's hostel and the Central Library where computers have

been provided to enable students to access latest information available through open

source databases.

Faculty of Education

The origin of the Faculty of Education predates the university itself. The National

Institute of Education was established in 1973 under the Federal Ministry of

Education. It became part of the university in June 1975 as Institute of Education in

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the then Faculty of Social Sciences. The progressively extending functions of the

Institute brought the needs for structural change and in 1984 it got the status of

Faculty of Education.

Departments

1. Faculty of Education comprises of the following seven departments:

2. Distance, Non-Formal and Continuing Education

3. Educational Planning, Policy Studies and Leadership

4. Early Child hood and Early Teacher Education

5. Secondary Teacher Education

6. Science Education

7. Special Education

8. Institute of Mass Education and Literacy

Programmes

The Faculty has developed and launched more than 190 courses in various disciplines

from SSC to Ph.D. programmes. :it is now fully recognized by both the Government

of Pakistan and International agencies as the prime national provider of professional

education and training at all levels.

The faculty is offering the following academic programmes.

Ph.D (M.Phil Based) Distance, Non-Formal and Continuing Education,

Educational Planning and Management, Secondary Teachers Education and

Special Education

MS/ M.Phil leading to Ph.D. Distance, Non-Formal and Continuing

Education, Educational Planning and Management , Secondary Teacher

Education and Special Education.

M.Ed. Distance and Non-Formal Education, Science Education, Special

Education and Secondary Teacher Education.

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M.A Distance and Non-Formal Education, Educational Planning and

Management, Secondary Teacher Education and Special Education

Bachelor of Education

Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Planning and Management, Special

Education and Physical Education

Certificate of Teaching

SSC, HSSC and B.A Level Courses Related to the Faculty

Literacy Programme

Distance, Non Formal Education and Continuing Education

The department was established in 1984 and was renamed as Distance, Non Formal

and Continuing Education in 2008. It offers specialized degree programmes/courses

in Distance Non-Formal and Continuing Education, Adult Education and Educational

Technology at M.A Education, M.Ed., MS/ M. Phil leading to Ph. D and Ph.D. (M.

Phil Based) in Education. It also offers courses at BA level. Moreover, the department

also provides on job training in distance learning system to the academic staff of

AIOU.

Educational Planning, Policy Studies and Leadership (EPPSL)

The department was established in 1976 was renamed as EPPSL in 2008. It offers

programmes in educational planning and management. These programmes are aimed

at producing a cadre of professionals for the educational institutions and organizations

in the country. Programmes of EPPSL include Postgraduate Diploma, MA (EPM),

MS/M.Phil leading to Ph.D. and Ph.D. (M.Phil Based) in Education. The courses of

these programmes are attained to the field requirements of target personnel in the

areas of educational planning and management.

Secondary Teacher Education

The Department of Teacher Education was established in 1985 and was bifurcated

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into Secondary and Elementary Teacher Education Departments in July 2003. Its

programmes aim at imparting academic and professional knowledge and training to

in-services and pre service teachers and scholars.

The programmes/courses of this department comprises M.A. and M.Ed. Beside these

professional degree programmes, the department also offers MS/M.Phil leading to

Ph.D and Ph.D (M.Phil Based) in Education, which are aimed to prepare highly

skilled leaderships in the field of education.

Science Education

The Department of Science Education was established in 1988. The programmes and

courses of the department are mainly focused on education and training of science and

math's teachers. Presently the department offers specialized courses in science at PTC,

CT, B.Ed./M.A and M.Ed and M.S./M.Phil leading to Ph.D.level. Specialization

courses provide conceptual framework and insight depth into the teaching of science

effectively.

Special Education

The Department was established in 1985. The department imparts education and

training to teachers for the special children in four specialization namely visual

impairment, hearing impairment, physical disabilities and mental retardation with

particular emphasis to facilitate mainstreaming of special children. Parents of the

special children are also admitted to these programmes.

Present programmes/courses of this department comprised of Postgraduate Diploma,

M.Ed., M.A., MS/M.Phil. leading to Ph.D. and Ph.D. (M.Phil. Based) in Special

Education.

M.A Education

The Specializations in this programme include:

Distance and Non Formal Education

Educational Planning and Management

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Secondary Teacher Education

Special Education

Medium of Instruction is English. However, students can attempt assignments and

examination in Urdu if they wish to do so. M.Ed

The emerging needs and shortage of human development resources mixed with higher

qualities of leadership in the field of education at national level demand personnel,

who have sound professional and academic background in the relevant field. The

M.Ed. programme provides such academic opportunities to teachers. These

educational opportunities are aimed at providing education and training facilities in

the country to the persons such as working teachers, tutors, administrators, extension

workers, and interested education graduates.

The Specializations in this programme include:

Distance and Non-Formal Education

Science Education

Secondary Teacher Education

Special Education

Students may choose any one of the given four specializations.

 MS/M.Phil Leading to Ph.D.

The Specializations in this programme include:

Distance, Non-Formal and Continuing Education

Educational Planning and Management

Secondary Teacher Education

Special Education and

Science Education

Ph.D (M.Phil based)

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The Specializations in this programme include:

Distance Non-formal and Continuing Education

Educational Planning, Policy Studies & Leadership

Secondary Teacher Education and

Special Education

Methods of instruction

The courses offered at the AIOU are now well recognized nationally as well as

internationally. The teacher education programmes of the AIOU provide an

opportunity for teachers to develop their content and pedagogical skills. The detail of

the methods of instruction at AIOU is as under:

Tutorials (Optional)

Tutor, tutorial and study centre is a triangle of face to face contact and two-way

communication. The tutor of distance education can do much to diagnose and help the

learner to change the behaviour of the learner. The AIOU has a strong system of

tutorials. A tutor is supposed to be available at notified study centre for students to

seek help on their course.

Workshops (Compulsory)

Workshops provide a forum to distance education students as discussion groups

designed to stimulate the problems and circumstances of the subject being discussed

under the supervision of a resource person. The coordinators explain the purpose of

workshops. At the end of each semester there is a compulsory workshop for each

course.

Self Instructional material

It includes self learning printe material, including the following items:

Course books/Reading material

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semester there is a compulsory

d text and allied/supplementary

Study guide

Assignments

Tutorial schedule

Radio/TV schedule

General students guide

Assignment forms

Evaluation

Students are evaluated through both formative (assignments) and summative (final

examination) evaluation.

The weightage for course- assignments and final examinations is 30:70 respectively

and the minimum required marks to pass the assignments arid final examination are

forty percent.

AIOU being a distance education institution relies heavily on all varieties of available

media to reach to its students in an effective manner. The main components of

AIOU's multimedia package for teacher training programmes are the following:

Corresponding material including self-learning study package and

supplementary study materials (Readers, textbooks, allied material and study

guides),

Radio and television broadcasts generally related to the study materials of the

package. AIOU is putting on air its educational media material on PTV-2;

which is beaming out its transmission through satellite to more than 45

countries.

Non-broadcast media, including slides, audiocassettes, fillip charts and leaflets

(generally for basic courses), also audio-video cassettes are the integral part of

learning material.

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Tutorial instructions, through contact session and academic guidance facilities

at study centers (mostly in the afternoons).

Group training workshops: for post graduate programme.

Course assignments, as an instrument of instruction, continuous assessment

and general academic guidance of students through which the tutors evaluate

them.

Final examination, held for each course at the end of the semester.

AIOU has effectively used the print, sound and- pictures for its delivery system. The

radio and television programmes produced at the Institute of Educational Technology

(IET) promote and support the distance teaching based courses of the university.

The material produced is transmitted through the national broadcasting network and

non-broadcasting media to be used for small group instruction and individual study.

The media support which supplements the university course material also has a

significant public educational value. The educational television is using satellite to

beam its programmes.

There are 240 courses having media support. The support at present is in the form of

441 TV programmes, 2,345 radio programmes, and 279 audio non broadcast-video

programmes. However, the use of emerging technologies at AIOU is in its earlier

stages and university intends to benefit the potential of these technologies.

The University wanted to go online and the government has also encouraged them to

launch their programmes on the Internet. However, in our education system we have

to reach to the remote areas of the country and that is only possible through satellite.

Now there are plans that the government will have access to some commercial

satellites for the education purpose and we will certainly benefit frOrn this.

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Conclusion

It is an undeniable fact that education is the only factor, which contributes maximum

in the socio-economic, cultural and industrial development of any nation. Pakistan is

one of the densely populated countries in the world. Keeping in view the need of

education for the development of Pakistan in all sectors to go along with developed

countries, the only tool was to educate its maximum mass and in 1974 Government of

Pakistan established the Allama Iqbal. Open University. This was the first university

of its own kind in Pakistan for imparting education through distance mode. The major

stimuli towards starting a non formal educational system included the increased

population, time allocation, giving a dual opportunity to in-service people, making

education more economic, easy and a routine activity, making the distant resources

available and accessed through media, providing open opportunities to all the

members of the community without any limit of age, space and time etc.

It becomes increasingly obvious that a successful distance education system needs a

solid background of effective support system to ensure success for their students. The

students from distance education systems need some help from trained persons

because they have only study material and there is no regular class work like formal

system. Distance Education students have to write assignments, attend workshops and

qualify for examination.

In general, the malpractices in the non-formal system of education, such as the

evaluation relaxation and making everything optional, leaving on the behalf of the

learner, need reconstruction, where proper management may be operated through the

quality assurance and other measures of national and international standards.

IN-SERVICE TEACHER TRAINING

It is an ongoing process that goes on continuously throughout the educational life of a

teacher. As one does not finish learning with graduation, likewise the teacher's

training goes on improving with the passage of time by gaining experience and study

through-out the life span of a teacher. It is a means to achieve educational change that

will persist. In-service education and training refers to all those activities that

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contribute to professional growth and qualifications of an employee e.g. reading

educational generals, participating workshops, seminars, conferences and visits to

educational institutions that give the employee a sense of security and a feeling of self

confidence while discharging his/her routine duties in the school. It is a continuing

education of teachers and other educational workers leading to the improvement of

their professional competence. With the rapid increase in human knowledge, new

approaches, new methods of teaching and new avenues for the teachers are being

introduced. If a teacher fails to keep him/herself in touch with these developments

he/she is proving as inefficient and ineffective. In order to achieve this end it is

necessary that a great many opportunities of in-service education should be provided

for teachers.

Sandwich Training

The in-service teacher trainings are provided in a variety of ways, one of which is

termed by the specialized group of training institutes, the sandwich training. The term

sandwich is applied in a dual meaning, covering two aspects, i.e. on the basis of

structure and on the basis of function.

Based on its structure, sandwich training refers to the amalgamation of a number of

aspects in a particular situation, such as training a teacher along with the community,

with a similar objective to enhance the learning outcomes of the child. Similarly, the

parent-teacher council is an effort towards sandwiching the two extremes of parents

and teachers, for common objectives of schooling the children in a better manner.

Some teacher training institutes consider the sandwich trainings as the combination of

a variety of aspects being needed for in-service teachers, e.g. to train them for

teaching methods along with the provision of computer literacy. Or training teachers

for managerial qualities along with the provision of know how about the modern

trends in teaching practices, action research, new evaluation strategies or other such

aspects.

Based on its function, sandwich training refers to a short term training on emergency

basis, such that a sandwich, for instance, serves as fast food for the time being, when

there is no provision of plenty of food. The required trainings which are being

93

provided or implemented in a very short duration of time, such as for an hour, day,

week or the same, fall in the meaning of sandwich training. For example, the teacher

training programmes during the emergency conditions of floods, earth-quakes and

other such situations, where teachers are provided with tactics of educational

technology, having no or minimum resources in hand. An emergency training of such

nature may be extended to a broad ranged system, while evaluating its importance and

applicability through a variety of perspectives.

The various techniques of such trainings may include:

Refresher courses

As is evident from the name refresher, it is to give strength or force to the efficiency

and output of the already employed teacher. These courses are of high value regarding

the achievement of the purpose of familiarizing teachers with the tests and techniques

of test and measurement and familiarizing them with the educational plans and

programmes.

Workshops

Workshop is a period of discussion and practical work on a particular topic/subject,

when groups of people share their knowledge and experiences. The members of the

workshop discuss and exchange views on a certain issue. The duration of the

workshop may be from three to ten days depending upon the gravity of the problem.

Seminars

In seminars small group of people meet to discuss a topic and each participant has the

opportunity to gain knowledge and experience. Generally, in a seminar, the presenter

is believed to be of adequate command over the topic, as a resource person.

Symposium

A symposium is a combination of seminars, where a number of presentations are

made by experts, turn by turn. Or it is a series of brief presentations made by a series

of persons to the group.

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Conference

Conference is a meeting for discussion or exchange of views among the experts.

Usually the conference of teachers, principals, supervisors, and administrators can

broaden their professional horizons and cultivate in the participant members a

professional team spirit.

Lectures

Lecture is an oral activity, the simplest of ways practiced for in-service education and

teachers' re-orientation programmes. Lecture is suitable particularly for transmission

of knowledge.

Study Circle.

It is one of the desirable techniques of the in-service education. In this method the

teacher of a particular subject have a meeting and in this meeting they discuss the

ways and means of teaching that particular subject.

Correspondence courses

This is very effective method for the in-service education. With these courses teachers

can improve their profession knowledge. Science club

This is a technique of in-service education for the science teachers. The science

teachers are given instructions in these science clubs from time to time, to promote

their understanding and the capacity of educating the young.

Publications

Teachers may write on certain topic of general interest for the teachers with this

method to communicate their personal experiences. The school may publish the

material or the abstract of certain useful research for the benefit of the teachers.

Vacation institutes

These institutions are of high value for the teachers for many reasons. Firstly because

they enrich teachers treasury of knowledge and the teachers return to the school with

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renewed spirit. Secondly they make full use of the vacation in a better way and thirdly

because the teachers have the opportunity of enjoying the life of studentship.

Demonstrations

This is an activity pre-arranged for the observation of the group. The demonstrator is

usually a skillful expert of the field being demonstrated. Efforts should be made to

make the demonstration genuine and natural so that artificiality could be avoided.

Demonstration may be used for workshop, seminar or any other course of study where

knowledge and skill is being improved. After the demonstration, a follow up is made.

Project group

Project group is used in those occasions where the accomplishment of a specific

project is to be carried out. The project group usually makes survey of the project

assignment and develops a course of study.

Field trip

Field trips are used to provide an opportunity to the in-service teacher see the

activities of his/her field. Field trips may be carried out inland and abroad.

Panel's presentation

A panel is a technique in which two or more persons speak on a single topic. Panel

presentation can be in the form of a Debate which is an organized form of the panel in

which stress is laid on the facts and ideas and the group observes the same may be

large in number. It may also be an informal panel in which everyone has a chance to

speak over the topic informally or it may be in the form of a symposium.

Film

Presentation of film is also a very useful technique of in-service education and

training. An ideal film presentation is when associated with discussion.

Other techniques

Techniques like the visits of teacher to another teacher in action, directed practice and

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activities and extension lecture, exhibition, action research and self reading by

individual teacher can also be used.

Conclusion

The quality of education system of a country depends upon the academic and

professional qualification of teachers of that country. Main purpose of this training is

to produce qualitative manpower, which becomes reliable source of effective teaching

learning process. Teachers, therefore, need various tools to become successful in

effective teaching. Research has proved three main factors within teachers' control

that significantly influence pupil progress. These are:

Teaching skills

These are those behaviors that the effective teacher constantly exhibits when teaching

a class. These include involving all pupils in the lesson, using a variety of activities or

learning methods, applying appropriate teaching strategy and using a variety of

questioning techniques to probe pupils' knowledge and understanding.

Professional characteristics

These refer to teachers' personality, character, qualification, training, knowledge and

skills etc. Teacher's personality is central to learning how to teach better.

Qualifications and training alone do not make a good teacher. Personality, character

and commitment are as important as the specific knowledge and skills that are used in

the daily tasks of teaching.

Classroom climate

It is a measure of the collective perceptions of pupils regarding those dimensions of

the classroom environment that have a direct impact on their capacity and motivation

to learn.

In short, the techniques of teacher training, specifically to train in-service teachers

should emphasize over the professional zeal, focusing over students' involvement and

providing the nation with really educated individuals.

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PROVINCIAL INSTITUTE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

In 1970, Federal Bureau of Curriculum and Extension Centre, was established in

Islamabad. Later on in extension of that Bureau of Curriculum and Extension Centre

established in all the four Provinces in 1972. Provincial Bureau of Curriculum was

assigned to function in the alignment of the Federal Bureau in terms of conducting

trainings, Policy formulation, research and curriculum reviews.

To fulfill the need of teacher trainings, Asian Development Bank and Bureau of

Curriculum Balochistan jointly launched Teacher Training Project (TTP) in 1990, the

role of which was to design and conduct trainings across Balochistan. Various

successful researches were also conducted under the sanie programme of teachers and

students learning and teaching improvement. Indeed the success of TTP gave the

thought of establishing an independent department for conduction of teachers'

trainings. Therefore, Provincial Institute for Teacher Education (PITE) was

established in all four provinces simultaneously.

The vision of PITE is to bring about quantitative and qualitative improvement in

education in Pakistan, through creation and provision of continuous professional

development opportunities and services to teachers and education managers, while its

mission is to develop the educational institutes into real seats and places of learning

for children by transforming teachers and education managers into forward looking

change agents through consistent, innovative and strategic training interventions.

Objectives

The PITE has been established to achieve the following objectives:

To train teachers in effective and innovative instructional strategies.

To train teachers/managers in educational planning and management.

To train teachers/managers in instructional assessment and evaluation.

To develop contextualized instructional material and

To train Master Trainers.

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Mandate

The mandate of PITE is to conduct and test innovative Pre-Service & In-Service

teacher training programmes including the following.

Training of Master Trainers.

Monitor trainings

Design and conduct research in teacher education, evaluation and assessment.

Develop training materials, etc:

Serve as a Provincial Resource Center in educational trainings.

Coordinate training programmes.

Conduct/organize workshops/seminars as and when required by the

government.

Supervise & facilitate bridging Courses for teachers towards Diploma in

Education, and

Design & maintain Teacher Education Management Information System

(TEMIS).

Functions

PITE has developed a. variety of modules and manuals, specifically for training the

teachers, heads and principals. There are successful programmes of PITE from a

number of perspectives which enable the teachers, students and general community,

to achieve the educational objectives. Some of the important programmes of PITE are

given as follows.

Human Resource Management for Principal/Headmaster

The headmasters and principals act as the pillars of schools, where their leadership

qualities either progress the school or spoil it. Based on the requirements of

managerial skills along with teaching, the human resource' management manual for

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principals and head teachers of Government High Schools and Government Higher

Secondary Schools is an informative and practice oriented development of the skills

and leadership qualities. It involves both the male and female side of the schools.

Financial Management for Principal/Headmaster

Financing in education has now been replaced with the term investment in education.

The management of financial resources including both the income and expenditures

of an institute is a very important aspect of the organizational management; therefore,

same is the case for school leaders, i.e. the principals and headmasters. PITE's

Financial Management for principals and headmasters of GHS and GHSS of both

males and females is an important step towards the financial resource management

which trains the school leaders for developing the skills of dealing with complex

matters of financing in the process of educational management.

School Management

School management is another important aspect where the headmaster/principal is a

key element of this process. PITE's manuals on school management for head teachers

of primary and middle schools are informative training modules, enabling them to

manage the physical resources and educational activities at schools in an adequate

manner.

MS Office training

The present era focuses over the use of computer and information technology.

Teachers and headmasters need to be trained in the field of computer and modern

technology, especially to use automated systems and digitized programmes.

PITE's vision of providing literacy in computer, specifically for the use of daily life

launched the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) training programme, which is

a successful step towards computer literacy for teachers.

Personnel Management

Human resource is an indispensable element of every organization, where proper

human resource management and providing the personnel with professional skills is

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necessary for better achievement of the organizational objectives. PITE's personnel

management (HRD & FIRM) is an important module of this connection.

Academic Management

Schools' basic function is to provide quality academic environment and to educate the

students through timely and best needed academic materials, through a better

methodological set up. PITE's training on academic management provides the

teachers and heads with excellent managerial skills of method development and

transaction of curriculum in an ideal manner.

Research

It is important to diagnose the problems faced in the educative process and to suggest

for remedies, so as to make the teaching learning process as effective as possible.

Also the existing pool of knowledge needs to be refined and made error free. For

theses purposes, research is mandatory to be conducted in every walk of educative

process. PITE's programmes for Research Methods, Techniques & Study conduction

are effective measures of conducting researches in the field of education for better

achievement of the educational objectives and for bringing reforms in this field, from

a variety of dimensions.

Parent Teacher Council

Considering education as a tri-polar process where a triangle of Students, Teachers

and Parents makes this process complete. Thus, for a student, spending few hours at

school and most of the time at home with parents, it becomes necessary to involve

parents in the educative process.

PITE succeeds in bringing the parents and teachers together for the better education of

students through its Community Participation & Parent Teacher Council (PTC)

programmes.

Hygiene Programmes

Maintenance of healthy activities is essential for making the teaching-learning process

more effective. For this purpose, it is necessary to provide schools with important

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physical resources, including sanitation, lavatory system and others, along with

awareness regarding pollution and contamination. PITE's Manual on School

Sanitation & Hygiene Education is an effective tool for avoiding unhealthy activities

at schools.

Child Friendly Schools Concept

A good teacher is a good friend, where teaching through friendly methods makes

studies a fun and there arises no psychological and mental stress. In order to make

teachers aware of the importance of child-friendly schooling, PITE has developed a

Manual for Teachers on Child Friendly Schools Concept, which provides teachers

with effective measures of adopting the stated techniques.

Psychosocial Trainings

Teachers need to be well aware of the fact that education is a psychosocial process,

for which PITE has developed another Manual on psychosocial Training for Teachers,

which provides teachers with the basics and skills of the psychological and

sociological aspects of the educative process.

Pedagogical Trainings

Starting from a better childhood education proves better at later stages of life.

Separate methods and techniques are required at early stages of education, which are

totally different from the teaching methods being used for grown ups. Specific

Montessori, activity curricula and play methods are being adopted for this purpose.

PITE has developed important Manuals on Early Childhood Care and Education as

well as on Teaching in Early Grades to provide teachers with adequate skills related to

the stated age of children in the overall educational process.

Special trainings

Special situations like disasters, epidemics and other natural and anthropogenic acts of

this nature badly influence the educational sector, e.g. during terrorist attacks,

earthquakes and floods, we lost a sum of important resources including personnel,

buildings and communication resources, which severely influenced our educational

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sector in the affected areas. PITE has a vision on such situations and such areas being

requiring special trainings for

teachers at those areas, for which a number of manuals and trainings have been

arranged and are being in operation even today. Important of which are Manual for

Teachers of Rehabilitation Centres, Manua on Disaster preparedness and Risk

Management, Manual on Mine Risk Education for Teachers and Manual on Peace

Education for Teachers, etc.

Miscellafmous

Other important trainings and modules developed by ME include Manual on Multi-

grade teaching & DRM, Manual on Educational Leadership & Management at School

level, Manual on Office Management, Manual on Planning Skills, Training Manual

on Math, Science, English and many more.

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THE ROLE OF PRIVATE SECTOR IN TEACHER EDUCATION

Introductory

As a response to the growing requirement for different types of needs, which the

public sector may not have been able to provide, non-state providers have

significantly increased. In addition to the public providers, non-state actors encompass

autonomous bodies, private universities, degree awarding and chartered institutions

such as Notre Dame Institute of Education, Beacon House National University, City

School, University of Management Training, Hamdard University, IQRA University,

Tamir-e-Nau TI'C, IERs, Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology,

City University, Dawn Elementary College of Education, Ghazali Teacher Training

Institute, Sindh Elementary TR Qurtuba University, etc. Several of these institutions

have foreign university affiliations in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and

Sweden. NGOs and Civil Society Organizations primarily offer in-service

programmes of teacher education in addition to pre-service training for both the non-

formal and formal education sectors. Amongst the established NGOs operating pre-

service and in-service programmes are TRC, SPELT, ABES, NRSP, RSPs, Sultana

Foundation, Bunyaad, Kashmir Education Foundation, Khwendo Kor, SAHE, Idara-

e-Taleem-o-Aagahi, Society for Community Support for Primary Education in

Balochistan, Sudhaar, Rozan, and Indus Resource Center. The NGO and private

sector have developed several innovative teacher education models and programmes.

Consider some of the major private sector programmes for teacher education.

Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) Pakistan

A major goal of the Foundation is to improve the quality of basic education by a

programme of grants to governments and NGOs. There are four basic objectives of

this foundation, i.e.

Ensuring better early caring and learning environments for young children;

Increasing access to education;

Keeping children in school longer; and

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Raising levels of academic achievement. The foundation has also some other

programmes such as The Institute for Educational Development (IED)

This programme aims to improve elementary teacher's skills training by establishing a

training facility under the Aga Khan University. AKU-IED, starting from 1993. Its

academic programmes include PhD, Med, Certificate in Education (CE) in

Curriculum Areas and Educational Leadership & Management; and the Advanced

Diploma in Education (A.D.Ed.) in Curriculum Areas and Educational Leadership

and Management. It is important to note that AKU-1ED's mandate is to generate new

and effective ways of improving the quality of education in schools. Its impact is to be

measured not simply in terms of the numbers of schools, teachers or students directly

reached, but rather by the effectiveness and relevance of the models it develops, and

the extent to which these models form the basis of major government and non-

government programmes that can have a national, regional and global impact. Overall

funding has received contributions from European Commission, Education Sector

Reform Assistance Project, Canadian International Development Agency, USAID

PNI-II Project along with AKF funding.

AKU-IED is one of the only institutions developed to increase the capacity of

teachers, teacher educators, managers, and others involved in education, with the

capacity to support them in implementing change in their own educational context.

Aga Khan Education Services (AKES)

AKES and AKF are also implementing the National Power Elevation Programme

(NPEP), which aims to contribute to the improvement of access, quality and

sustainability of education with increased gender equality and community

participation in the Northern Areas and Chitral District of KPK. Key components of

the programme include improved quality of teaching and learning in schools, non-

formal centers and other educational institutions and increased professional

leadership. Its trained teachers taught development courses in content and

methodology with the integration of multigrade approach; English language training

for teachers to teach English, Maths and Science using English medium; initial/pre-

service training for teachers including orientation to multi-grade approach; teachers

trained in Early Years Education, mostly females; teachers trained for sports

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education; Leadership, management and other specialized skills training for

academic/professional development leaders; Leadership, school management,

planning and supervision training for head teachers/mentors; and Professional

development and academic upgrading for teachers.

AKES replaced their 9-month Field-Based Teacher Development Programme (FBTD)

with a 19-week in-service programme. The programme has been labeled as very

interactive with six weeks practicum in a multi-grade school. Subsequently, six weeks

of supervised teaching is provided in their own school followed by a last week of a

review of the experience. Trainers and teachers are explained why certain methods are

used and are taught to utilize them in a creative and flexible manner. This was one of

the first programmes designed solely with the multi-grade teaching approach. In

addition, the programme is innovative in providing cutting edge techniques, for

instance, cooperative learning to teachers from remote rural areas.

School Improvement Programme

AKES has been experimenting with this programme in Karachi and Hyderabad. The

Programme provides facilities, equipment and training. Schools were transformed into

activity centers with student-centered activities dominating the classroom. During the

project period, students received a score of 70 percent or more in the school leaving

science examinations. The scores were more than double of the pre-project period. An

evaluation deemed significant gains in teacher skills and student achievement and

attributed the success to a trusting and enabling attitude of the leadership, changes in

organizational structure to reflect this trust, and a significant commitment to teacher

training.

Teachers Resource Center (TRC)

In 1986, TRC was established in. Karachi by a group of working teachers in response

to the deteriorating quality of education in schools. A survey of needs in Karachi

schools revealed that in-service training was the greatest need, followed by having

access to a professional library and culturally relevant learning materials. Its primary

aim is to improve the quality of children's learning through teacher education and

development. TRC has actively tried to bridge the gap between less privileged schools

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in the public and private sector and elite private schools by sharing resources,

information and expertise. Its Initiating Change through Professional Development

project has demonstrated that change can be achieved in government schools and that

teachers. in government schools are eager to develop their teaching strategies

provided they are properly supported in the process. The TRC's Social Institutions

Development Programme focused on seeking to improve primary education, creating

a pool of teacher-educators and strengthening TRC as an institution. Under this

programme, various materials for teachers were produced such as the Pehla Taleemi

Basta, for activity-based learning, and the Navnon ki Dilchasp Minya.

An important national. contribution of TRC has been their collaboration with the

Curriculum Wing of the Federal Ministry of Education for the development of

national Katchi (pre- school) curriculum launched in August 2002. The innovative

curriculum, based on the High Scope approach to learning, has been trialed in over

200 schools under the ITSAJD funded Releasing Confidence and Creativity project

coordinated by AKF. TRC has been instrumental in providing teacher observation

instruments, training manuals and other materials for the national katchi curriculum.

Mif-Laita Children Educational Complex (ALCEC)

A Lahore-based NGO, the ALCEC has developed creative ways of learning for

children such as hobby clubs, art and craft activities, a bus-library, and attractive

teaching-learning materials for young children. It. has also provided training for

teachers to use their child-centered approaches in schools. ALCEC has inspired the

Punjab Government to establish the first Children's Complex in Pakistan.

Society for Promotion of English Language Teaching (SPELT) SPELT has adopted

TRC's approach of organizing teachers for in-service workshops, particularly from

elite schools in the larger cities of the country. SPELT has caught significant interest

from teachers and has been able to organize highly interactive workshops with minor

external financing.

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Adopt A SchooLlSehool Improvement Programme

This programme contractually takes over and manages government schools over a

prescribed time-period. The programme was developed to revitalize failed or low

performing government, schools. The arrangement is governed through a

Memorandum of Understanding that establishes the standards for the duration the

school is under NGO management. The programme has resulted in renovated schools,

better-trained teachers, as well as increased enrolments at these government schools.

The Education Foundations

Between 1992 and 1994, Education Foundations were established in the 4 provinces

as well as at the national level in order to encourage and facilitate private sector

participation in government provided education. The performance of the Foundations

has been uneven and they are currently being restructured to redefine their focus and

reinvigorate their mandate in the education sector. The National Education

Foundation was restructured in 2002 to increase its geographical focus to AJK,

FATA, FANA and ICT. The Community Supported Rural Schools Programme is one

of its largest programmes and encourages pilot interventions to promote education in

rural areas. Teacher training has been a significant component of this programme. The

focus is on enabling in-service community teachers to re-learn modern pedagogical

techniques to manage today's classrooms. Its Cluster-Based Teachers' Training

focuses on activity-based teachers' training to educate students through joyful learning

environment. The project arranges a subject specialist to teach in a cluster of schools,

visiting 2-3 schools a week and teaching the students in actual classroom theatrics. In

this way the teaching practices of peers and associates are also influenced. The

Foundation is currently in partnership with 13 NGOs and private teacher-training

institutions.

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PRIVATE SECTOR TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTES IN KPK

The role of private sector in teacher training and development can't be separated from

the efforts shared by the public sector. In other words, private sector is a supporting

agent in this regard, where a number of institutes exist in KPK. Following is a

summary of the private institutes in KPK with the programmes they offer for teacher

education.

Abasin University Peshawar

A private sector university chartered by the Govt; of KPK, situated at Charsadda Link

Road Peshawar, offers pre-service programmes of two year. M.Phil, one year B.ed

and one year M.ed in evening time. The university is functional with qualified staff

and there is a co-education system.

The Abbot Group of Colleges

It has a number of branches situated at Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Abbotabad, Mansehra

and Mingora Swat. The institutes offer Pre-service degree and certificate programmes

including B.ed, M.ed, PTC, PST, CT, JDPE, SDPE, DM, and M.Sc Health and

Physical Education in the evening sessions.

Aga Khan Institute for Education/Professional Development Centre Chitral

It is situated at Danin Booni Road at Chitral, with focus on in-service teaching

trainings. Among the prominent courses, important are women leadership programme,

short course to Head Teachers and CIE primary education for a duration of two

weeks. A pre-service short course programme of one week in morning called English

Language for jobless is also offered by the centre.

Al-Hafiz Fazal College of Education Kohat

It is located at Garhi Atta Khan, Kohat City, which offers pre-service one year B.ed

programme in evening.

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Alpha College of Education Mardan

It is another private sector college offering pre-service B.ed Programme in evening

and is located opposite to the police lines Mardan.

Avicenna College of Education Dargai

It is situated at Dargai Malakand and affiliated with the University of Peshawar. It

offers one year B.ed programme as teacher training.

Aziz College of Education Swabi

The Aziz College f education is located at Yar Hussain, Hameed Abad area of Swabi

and its teacher ;training programme includes one year Red in evening session.

Bakhlawar College of Education Peshawar

It is situated opposite to the Board of finerrnediate and Secondary Education

Peshawar and it also offers one year Red. Programme, both in morning as well as

evening. Its one year M.ed teacher training programme is going to be stinted n the

upcoming session.

Brains Postgraduate College Peshawar

The Brains Postgraduate College Peshawar is located in the main phase 3 chawk

Jamrod road Peshawar and it also offers one year Red programme at evening session.

Capital Institute of Education and Research, Peshawar

It is situated at Phase 6 Hayat Abad and its teacher training programme includes

evening session B.ed degree of one year. Centre of Academics Bann,

Situated near Educational District Office Bannu, the centre of academics provides

pre-service degrees in B.ed, M.ed, JDPE, SDPE and M.Se Health and Physical

Education, both in morning and evening sessions.

Chitral College of Education

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It offers B.ed and M.ed progammes 0,1 one year and is located at airport road Chitral.

It follows evening sessions for the stated teacher trainings.

City University of Science if7Ild fl Peshawar

It is situated at Nishtar abad„ GT road Peshawar. &sides the one year B.ed and M.ed

pragranames, it also provides two years MPhil (education) and three years Ph.D

(education) programmes in evening sessions.

College of Global Technologies, Swat

It is located at Allah-o-Akbar colony, Saidu Shzuif, Swat and offers Bed and M.ed

programmes of one year each, in evening session. College nf Business

AdminLtrotion„ Abbottabad

The college of BUSACSS administration is situated near radio station Abbottabad. It

offers the pre-service programmes including one year Red, one year B.P.ed, one year

M. one year MJ?.ed and two year MA education, in evening sessions.

College of Business and IT Batkhela

It is located near AHQ, Batkhela Malakand, and provides the pre-service teacher

trainings in a variety of dimensions, including both degrees and certificates. The

important among them are PTC, CT, B.ed, M.ed, JDPE, SDPE and DM.

Cornwave Institute of Science and IT, Haripur

A private sector institute located at GT road, Haripur provides pre-service teacher

trainings of one year B.ed, one year M.ed, one year JDPE and two years M.Sc.(HPE).

Country Model College Charsadda

It is located at Martian Road Charsadda and provides pre-service teacher trainings in

evening including one year B.ed, M.ed, JDPE and SDPE.

Dot Corn College of Science, IT and Education Kohat

It is a private sector institute located at Shah Abad Jarwanda road, Kohat and it

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provides lied of one year in evening as par-service teacher training.

Frontier Institute of Education, Dir

It is located at Navi. Kaly, Lower Dir and provides pre-service trainings to males and

females in PTC, CT, DM, JDPE, B.ed and M.ed, all of one year duration and in

evening sessions.

Global Girls Degree College Abbottabad

Situated at Jinnah Abad area of Abbottabad, this college offers one year M.ed in

evening session, as pre-service teacher training programme, for girls.

Hassan Model Degree College Karak

It is situated at Chawkaba Karak and offers a number of teacher training programmes

including B.ed, M.ed, PTC, CF, DM, JDPE, SDPE and M.& HPE.

Hira College of education

Its one branch at Sharifabad, Mingora Swat and other at G.T Road Peshawar, are

offering pre-service one year B.ed programme in evening session.

IER Kohat

IER Kohat is located at KDA Kohat and Affiliated with Allthair University MK. It

serves as teacher training institute of private sector through its B.Ed and M.ed

programmes of one year each.

IER Peshawar

The MR Peshawar offers its teacher training programmes of B.ed and M.ed at GHSS

No.3, Peshawar City, in affiliation with Alkhair University.

IER Swabi

It is situated at Jahangira Roas Swabi and also affiliated with Alkhair University AJK.

It also offers B.Ed and M.ed programmes of teacher training.

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IER Karak

Located at Tappi Karak and affiliated with Alkhair University AJK, the IER Karak

offers B.Ed and M.ed .degree programmes of one year duration in evening sessions.

Institute of Education Karak

It is located at Session Court road Karak and affiliated with the University of

Peshawar. It trains teachers through its B.ed programme of one year.

Islamia College of Education Peshawar

The Islamia College of Education is located at Shahi Bagh Road Peshawar and it also

offers one year B.ed at evening session. Jinnah College of Education Mansehra

The Jinnah College of Education, Mansehra trains teachers through one year B.ed

programmes and is located at DAB No.1 Mansehra. Jinnah Institute of IT, DI Khan It

offers both B.ed and M.ed and is situated at North West Circular Road DI Khan.

Khyber College of Physical Education Mardan

Khyber College of Physical Education, Baghdada Mardan offers JDPE, SDPE and

M.Sc. HPE programmes as pre-service teacher trainings.

Khyber Institute of Education, Peshawar

It is situated at the University Road Peshawar with its evening session B.ed and M.ed

as teacher training programmes of one year each.

Kohsar P/S College Karak

It is located at Latamber, Karak and trains teachers through PTC, B.ed, M.ed, JDPE,

SDPE, DM and M.Sc HPE programmes.

Lucky College of Education and Research, Lakki Marwat

It is situated near Railway Station, Lakki Marwat and it offers B.ed, JDPE and SDPE

programmes of one year each.

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Mardan College of Health and Physical Education

Situated at Mardan Cantt; the Mardan College of Health and Physical Education trains

teachers through SDPE, B.ed, M.ed and M.Sc. HPE.

National College of Health and Physical Education, Mardan

The National College of Health and Physical Education Bank Road, Mardan offers

B.ed, M.ed, JDPE and SDPE programmes as pre-service teacher trainings.

Northern University, Nowshera

Northern University, 3-The Mall Nowshera Cantt, trains teachers through its B.ed and

M.ed. one year degree programmes.

Oxford Education Academy, Batkhela

It is situated at Batkhela Malakand, and it also offers one year B.ed and one year

M.ed,

Qurtuba University of Science and IT

Its one campus at Hayat Abad, Phase 3 and second at Sheikh Yousaf Road, DI Khan

offers B.ed, M.ed, M.Phil and Ph.D. Education. Sarhad Institute of Education and

Research, Lakki Marwat It is situated near PESCO office; Lakki Marwat and its

teacher training programmes include B.ed, M.ed and M.Sc. HPE.

Sarhad University of Science and IT Peshawar

Situated at Chinar Road, University Town Peshawar, the Sarhad University of

Science and Information Technology trains teachers through CT, PTC, B.ed, M.ed,

JDPE, SDPE, DE, DM, M.Phil Education and Ph.D Education.

Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum College of Education, Swabi

It is located at Mardan Road Swabi and it offers B.ed and M.ed programmes of one

year each.

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Sir Syed College of Education

Its one branch is located at The Mall, Mardan Cantt; and second at KDA Kohat, both

of which offer one year B.ed.

Suffa Hi-Tech Girls College Mardan

It is situated at Muqam Chawk, Mardan and besides the technical trainings, it offers

one year B.ed programme as pre-service teacher training for girls.

Swabi College of physical Education, Swabi

It is located near main chawk, Swabi, offering FTC, CT, B..ed. JDPE and M.Sc. HPE.

Swat College of Education,. Swat

At Saida Sharif, Makan Eagh Swat, the Swat College of education offs one year Bed.

The regional College orTalchat Bai Mardan

It is located near Main Post Office Takbat Bai Mardan and its major-teacher training

programmes include Bed, JDPE and SDPE. Tacks Institute of Management

Education and !7 fianzru The Tracks Institute of Management Education anti

Informa6on Technology is located at Milad Park Bannu and its teacher training

programmes are Wed, JDPE and SDPE. -

EVALUATION OF 'ITIE PRIVATE SECTOR TM

The importance of teacher training cannot be underestimated. The better a teacher is

trained, the better he or she can educate tomorrow's generations of Pakistan. In

addition, teacher training doesn't just positively impact a teacher's and students'

knowledge of a subject matter. The teaching method used to share information by

teachers helps children not only stay in schoo/, but also engages young students and

encourages them to keep learning.

Teacher training institutes of both Government and private sectors are working side

by side so as to meet with the needs of the era_ Wherever, the Government

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organizations- leave a gap, the private sector is there t.o fill it by providing

opportunities in. connection with. the mother institutes run by the government. In

general, research studies prove that within the educadonal system of Pakistan, the

government and private sectors are in. contrast at low and high levels of education_

Where, the private sector is more qualitative at low level of education, i.e. as school

levels or up to some extent at college level, while the public sector is mom qualitative

at higher level, i.e. the tertiary or university level of education. fn short, the private

sector shows excellence in primary and secondary levels of education while the public

sector is proving itself in graduate and postgraduate levels.

Teacher education, being a point of consideration falls under the higher levels, is

believed to be better in public sector as compared to the private sector. Few of the

private sector organizations are considered as outstanding agents of quality teacher

education, however, the majority of these organizations are not given the same

importance as earned by the public sector. According to UNESCO and USAID report

of 2005, successful private sector educational projects have the following

characteristics:

Involving an initial pilot-testing phase and going up to scale rather than those

starting big;

Which had a strong and on-going technical support

Which were hi-lateral programmes;

More integrated with government systems;

Long-term; and

Focusing on Balathistan and KPK..

No system is perfects and there is always a space for bringing positive changes and

improvements, and same is the case for the private sector teacher training institutions

in. Pakistan. For having a large number of merits, there are also shortcomings in these

institutes which need remedial measures to triainlain quality within the educational

system. Consider the following aspects of private sector as a brief evaluative account.

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Support

Private sector teacher training institutes are providing support to the public sector

organizations, having similar function. Because of The limited resources of the public

sector„ it becomes difficult to have an organization at every region of focus and to

offer all of the required preee,ervicc• and in-service train ings everywhere for

everyone who wants to be a good teacher. The difficulty is resolved by the private

sector organizations which, along with the public sector institutes perform the desired

functions of teacher trainings at varicms levels and thus the efforts need to he

acknowledged.

Organizational objectives

It is generally assumed that the private, sector institutes are operated for trade purpose

with its basic objective of financial, income. The concept may not be true, for each

and every organization, however, majority of teacher training institutes have been

observed to be of the trade purpose and thus the actual theme of providing teachers

with quality training becomes misleading.

Admission criteria

By definition, a formal educational institute is the one where there is a proper

admission criterion, along with other necessary requirements. It has been found that

the private sector teacher training institutes do not follow a strict criterion for

admission, besides a general procedure of following low merit. It is on one hand an

opportunity for students who are with low academic standards and who are not being

informed timely ibut on the other hand, it is a step towards spoiling the teaching

profession. Majority of the private teacher training .institutes are focused over filling

the allocated seats, which may be done at any duration of the session, where students

with base lined eligibility may be admitted.

Affiliation

Every private sector organization needs to be affiliated with a recognized public

sector institute and same is true for teacher training centres. The malpractices in

affiliation with a standard home public organization hinders the quality of teacher

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trainings in Pakistan, which is an alarming situation and needs reforms, where the

actual standards may be followed, being set for affiliation:

Timing

Majority of teacher training institutes of private sector are following evening timings

for teacher train ings. The key advantage of which is the opportunities for on the job

people, or for those who are not otherwise free during morning. The same is a

disadvantage of evening timing where the psychological and mental burden after day

long activities does not allow the student teachers to learn effectively and to become

good teachers.

Infrastructure

Mostly, the affiliated private colleges do not have the required physical facilities

including building, library, laboratory school and others. Studies have shown that the

infrastructure of the private sector teacher training institutes is usually limited for the

affiliation requirements, or otherwise not functional. Emergency visits to private

sectors reveal that they are not the actual owners of their library materials, laboratory

equipments and even staff, which have been shown for affiliation.

Traditional practice

Today, teacher training doesn't necessarily mean getting enlisted in a teacher training

college for a one or two year long course. Many private schools have stopped giving

preference to such degrees as B.Ed and M.Ed as part of their employment policies.

The modern concept of teacher training revolves mainly around participatory

workshops of short duration (sandwich trainings), often conducted by other practicing

teachers. However, the private sector (as well as the public sector) teacher training

organizations are still following the traditional practices of teacher trainings.

Curriculum

The contents of teacher training curricula at various levels are not renovated as per the

demands of the era. For instance, the PTC and CT teacher trainings have a very little

difference in curriculum contents and same is the case for B.ed and M.ed curricula,

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where a little advanced study in the same subjects makes it a higher degree, or

otherwise, there is the inclusion of an additional subject in the higher degree

programme. The curriculum contents of teacher education programmes are outdated.

The course work does not fully reflect the emerging global trends in pedagogical

methods, the shifts from Bloom's taxonomies to constructivism, critical thinking and

multiple intelligences, use of ICTs, life skills/environment, citizen rights based

approaches and exposure to inclusive education and early detection of impairments.

The case is again not only an issue of the private sector, but also of the public sector

teacher training institutes. The private sector organizations of claiming a quality

teacher training may adopt renovated curricula to cope with the demands of the era.

Teaching Practices

In general, the practical aspect of teacher training is ignored at all or there is allocated

a very little time to it. The situation becomes further alarming in private sector, where

the objective is focused majorly on acquiring a degree or certificate of teacher

training. The prospective teachers of private sector usually do not know the applied

aspect of their theoretical knowledge of pre-service trainings, where the theory and

practice needs amalgamation for better educational achievements. The link between

theory and practice of teaching is missing in teacher preparation programmes with

little weightage on practicum in target schools. Teaching practice in PTC/CT and all

professional courses needs to be planned more effectively.

Staffing

Following merit and recruitment of capable personnel leads to the success of an

organization. The private sector of teacher training usually do not give proper

incentives and job security to the staff, for which, there happens deficiency of capable

trainers and thus the result is hindering of quality in teacher education. Some private

sector providers, on the other hand do provide diversity in terms of choices and

experience. Mostly, there is a heavy reliance on part time faculty who cannot give

quality time to their students, and teacher training is not an experience to enhance the

quality of pedagogy and learning.

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Evaluation

Standard evaluation procedures make a system enriched with the fulfillment of all the

requirements, therefore, the evaluation and assessment of the educational processes

may be made standardized in all respects. In the private sector teacher training

institutes, the prospective teachers are given qualification through selective studies

and minor testing, with major distribution of marks internally. The theme followed

here usually is to show higher result percentage by any means, so as to make the

organization famous in the society.

There has been no evaluation of the Diploma in Education programme introduced

across Pakistan to replace and upgrade PM and CT. Lack of proactive planning and

resource constraints have been cited as the official reasons for this oversight.

Research

There is insufficient focus on research in private sector teacher education in terms of

preparation and delivery areas. This results in lack of information to track learning

achievements and teacher preparation programmes. The compulsory research being

required for a degree is usually repeated by the students, with minor changes or even

with no change, except the title pages.. The low standards in a majority of existing

teacher education programmes are compounded by increasing instances of plagiarism

and non-authentic research practices. The awarding of undeserved higher degrees

both in the government and private sector institutions add to the deteriorating

situation.

Gap between Public and Private Sector

There is no system for accreditation or for the regulation of teacher standards within

and across provinces especially as provinces have started to adopt variations in

criteria for teacher recruitment. Interprovincial transfers are difficult and intra-sectoral

(public and private) employment criteria are non-existent. This lack of equivalence is

identified as a major bottleneck to the standardization within teacher education. The

gap between private and public systems at the local and national levels is therefore

much harder to bridge.

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Private sector providers offering several innovative options for upgrading skills

through short and long duration courses are not always assured of equivalence and

accreditation in public sector institutions. The public sector is selective about

recruitment of teachers from the private sector training institutions. Whilst public

sector will admit teachers qualified from some specialized private teacher training

institutions, it will not always be consistent in entertaining teachers trained by others.

Conclusion

All teacher training institutions, specifically the private sector, need to be

strengthened and made effective and efficient sites for pre-service and in-service

trainings. ICT infrastructure in place and well established skills in training need

assessment/diagnostics, design, research, monitoring and evaluation to improve

teacher education.

There should he made a system of quality assurance for the teacher education and to

maintain coherence between the public and private sector.

While these and other initiatives are welcome, it is clear that the quantity and quality

of teacher training programme in Pakistan must improve in order for the next

generation of Pakistanis to be better educated and better citizens than previous ones.

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PROBLEMS OF TEACHER EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Introductory

It is universally acknowledged that education is an effective means for social

reconstruction and to a great extent it offers solutions to he problems a society is

faced with. These problems may be economic, social, cultural, political, moral,

ecological and educational. Since the teachers play a major role in education of

children, their own education becomes a matter of vital concern. Teacher education

must, therefore, create necessary awareness among teachers about their new roles and

responsibilities.

Education of teachers needs to strengthen and stress upon the main attributes of a

profession, such as, the systematic theory, rigorous training over a specified duration,

authority, community sanction, ethical code and culture, generating knowledge

through research and specialization. It is acknowledged that formal professional

training on continuous basis is necessary for becoming a good teacher as it caters to

the development of one's personality and sharpening of communication skills and

commitment to a code of conduct. Consider the following problems of teacher

education in our country.

Lack of Policy & Standards

To date, all teacher-training programmes are operating without a viable policy

framework. The government is aware of this vacuum yet it has not taken any concrete

steps to implement a policy to bring all teaching programmes under a single umbrella.

This has led teaching institutions to develop and implement teacher education •

programmes at their discretion leading to uneven and sometimes poor quality

curriculum, teaching methods and practices. Hence, lack of standards has led to varied

and substandard training programmes.

During the past decade, many countries such as Britain, Australia and New Zealand

have taken various measures in order to define standards for teaching. Professional

standards, form a key feature of their education systems. The purpose of their

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introduction is to develop and maintain high quality teaching and leadership in

schools and improve learning outcomes for students. Moreover, they assist in

ensuring that employer and management expectations are clear and consistent across

each.

Competency standards can enlighten the work of curriculum development as well as

serve as a tool through which good teaching can be identified, celebrated, and

rewarded. In Australia, the National Framework for Professional Standards in

Teaching describes four career dimensions for teachers. These include graduation,

competence, accomplishment and leadership. Each of these dimensions is defined

through four professional components of teachers' work, which are professional

knowledge, professional practice, professional values, and professional relationships.

A lack of standards for education in Pakistan has resulted in the challenge of

harmonization of school education with teacher education as the required

competencies of teachers have not been defined. Moreover, the standards of

assessment have also not been determined due to this gap.

Economic Problems

Poverty, unemployment, and low rate of growth and productivity are some of the

major economic problems of the country which have led to the compulsions of the

backward economy. These problems seek immediate solution and demand a realistic

co-ordination between economic planning and manpower planning. Education can

help find solutions if it is properly coordinated with manpower needs. Introduction of

work education and vocationalization of education in secondary schools will have to

be given a modern and meaningful direction. The attitude towards the work culture

needs a transformation. Our society needs education with special emphasis on science

and technology, vocational inputs and realistic work experiences. Teacher education

curriculum, therefore, has to promote such attitudes as are necessary for the

emergence of a new economic order. Along with the vocational competencies and

skills a new work culture will have to be created which necessarily involves the

inculcation of dignity of work, the spirit of self-reliance and scientific temper among

students. The courses of teacher education need to be enriched to enable teachers to

understand the attributes of modernity and development.

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Social Problems

Increasing delinquency, violence and terrorism and use of inappropriate means to get

one's ends served are threats to the national integration and social cohesion.

Democracy, violence and terrorism cannot coexist Education has to develop a peace

loving personality and the programme of teacher education has to contribute in this

regard.

The explosion of population with all its allied disturbing trends is • not only

neutralizing the economic gains but also creating many problems for the country. We

still suffer from evils like child labour, child marriage, untouchability, discriminatory

treatment to women, violation of human rights, etc. and most of the people are

unaware of their legal rights.

Modem model of development which puts man against nature by making it an object

of exploitation has disturbed the harmony mid • equilibrium, between the two. Its

consequences are visible in serious environmental degradation, pollution and

ecological imbalances. Strengthening national and social cohesion in a diverse and

plural society, accelerating the process of economic growth, improving the life of the

oppressed and the people living below the poverty line, removing the widely

prevalent ignorance, superstition and prejudices from the masses, inculcating

scientific temper and developing a critical awareness about the social realities of

Pakistani life are some of the issues which call for immediate attention. Teachers and

the teacher educators have a special role to play in such efforts.

Problems of Cultural Reconstruction

Education is the process of transmission of dynamic and responsive compiments of

cultural heritage and its continuous enrichment There is a need to reinterpret the

culture in its distinct identity and composite strength. its capacity to absorb the

sublime from the other cultures needs to be highlighted. The teachers will have to

play their role in cultural transmission and reconstruction.

Crises of Values and Morality

There has been a persistent erosion of values- in the society. In the present day

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context certain values need to be redefined and reinstalled. There are situations when

the values imparted and inculcated in schools are not generally practiced in society.

Value education demands a planned and purposive approach. It is through education

and as of necessity through teacher education programmes that the task of inculcating

values can be substantially accomplished. Whereas values are emotive, the other

related significant dimension is that of moral education which is essentially co-nauve

in character Morals are situation specific and demand immediate decision anti action

and yet there are morals which are considered to he eternal and universal. Through

committed teachers, the art of ensuring moral development in an Islamic, multi-

religious and multi-ethnic society needs to be cultivated.

Problems within the Education System

The nation has yet to fulfill the constitutional commitment to provide free and

compulsory education to all children till they attain 14 years of age.. The education

system however, has to respond to several major issues and problems which have

hindered the progress in this regard. Maintenance of educational \andards against the

pressure of increasing enrolment, relevance and quality of school 'education are some

of the pertinent issues. in addition, specific requirements and need of social and

economical groups of the society and of the minority communities, vocationalization

of education, scientific and technological literacy, rush for urbanization, perceived

urban orientation of educational system and its inflexibility to respond to rural, tribal

and 'regional requirements are some of the dominant issues. These would determine

the nature and shape of teacher education programmes and the efficacy and

functioning of teachers in their new and emerging multifaceted roles.

Isolation of Teacher Education

Teacher education institutions which were considered 'islands of isolation' have

gradually developed. linkages with schools, peer institutions, universities and other

institutions of higher learning as also the community. However, much remains to be

done in this direction.. The curriculum of the school, its actual transactional MO

daiities, examination system, management processes need to be the main arm of focus

for teacher education programmes. To achieve these ends, teacher educators need to

be made conversant with various aspects of school experiences. It is observed in day-

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to-day functioning that teacher educators often tend to lose contact with content areas

relevant to their own disciplines resulting into gaps in communication and latest

information. It is, therefore, a. felt need in. the present-day context that teacher

education institutions keep in continuous touch with institutions of higher learning.

And peer institutions for effective transmission of knowledge and its upgradation.

The breaking of isolation from the community is essential for enabling teachers and

teacher educators to reconstruct pedagogical and educational principles and practices

in the light of experiences gained from mutually beneficial community interactions.

Teacher as a professional and intellectual cannot remain indifferent to the events that

are taking place in society. The academic and social issues are inter-related and inter-

dependent. In contemporary context, the role of the teacher is no longer confined to

teaching alone. The teachers are expected to play an active role in the developmental

activities responding to progress of the community.

Expanding Scope of Teacher Education

Education of teachers is not an end in itself. Its target is the school. Any change in the

nature, purpose, quality and character of the school demands a concomitant change in

teacher education, especially in its curriculum. The implementation of the 10 + 2

scheme at the school level has transformed the complexion of education to a

considerable extent from the pre-primary to the + 2 stage. There has been an increase

not only in the quantum of knowledge, but also in its nature and purpose. In addition,

new transactional techniques and strategies have also been evolved. Certain new

subjects have replaced the old ones whereas some others have changed their context,

content, orientation, theme and philosophy. These changes at the school level, out of

necessity, demand a new pedagogy and evaluation techniques. But the changes at the

level of teacher education have not adequately responded to the emerging realities at

the school level. All that the teachers are expected to do in their work places need to

be reflected in the teacher education activities and programmes.

The teaching community has to face the challenges thrown by science and

technology. There has been an explosion not only of scientific and technological

knowledge but also in the means and techniques of acquiring knowledge. The

scientific researches and developments related to theories of heredity, learning, mental

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health, neurology, attention, motivation etc. can no longer be treated alien to teacher

education programmes.

Evolving a Culture-Specific Pedagogy

Every region and state has its typical cultural identity, and there is a need to utilize the

same as a basis for developing meaningful, relevant pedagogies. Since there is no one

universal way in which the children learn, there is a strong need for looking into the

cultural. context in which a child is placed. A child in a tribal society may process

information in an altogether different manner as compared to the one from the urban

area and high socio-economic stratum. Pedagogy, therefore, should be culture-

specific. Cultural practices such as story-telling, dramatics, puppetry, folk-play,

community living, etc. should become a strong basis of pedagogy instead of using one

uniform, mechanistic way of student learning. Cultural specificity should get

embedded in the pedagogical practices which should be evolved for tribal, rural,

urban communities and other ethnic groups.

Inseparability of Pre-service and In-service Education

A learning society visualizes education as a continuing activity. This is equally

applicable to teacher education. The policy stipulation on inseparability of the pre-

service and in-service education of teachers and emphasis on continuing education

need to be given pragmatic shape at the implementation stage. The curriculum of pre-

service and in-service teacher education has to be redesigned to maintain continuity

between the two. Teachers who are being educated today will have to devote major

part of their life to education during the coming era. If the present rate of explosion of

knowledge continues, in a few years the teachers will find themselves in a world

where their present knowledge and teaching skills to an extent would become

outdated. They will have to face the challenge of electronic media and information

technology.

Research studies reveal that the content knowledge of pre-service and in-service

teachers in Pakistan is low. When teachers with or without pre-service training were

tested on content knowledge, there was negligible difference between their

performance. This tentatively indicates that the pre-service programmes have added

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little value to teachers and directly reflects on the poor level of instruction and

curriculum of the pre-service programmes. Approximately 75 percent of teachers are

provided outdated and irrelevant training through the PTC or CT.

Moreover, the Diploma in Education Programme introduced across Pakistan to

replace PRA. has not been evaluated due to lack of proactive planning and resource

constraints, while the B.Ed and M.Ed extended duration courses were not even tested.

Teacher training is seen by trainees as just another degree or certificate to fulfill the

criteria (a degree chasing exercise) rather than an opportunity to enhance one's

pedagogical skills and gain deeper understanding of the stibjech Moreover, very little

resources are set aside for follow-up, which is less exciting and more difficult and

time consuming than training.

The courses of in-service training programmes are not designed according to the

requirements of in-service teachers. Few efforts are made to modify and tailor the

syllabus as per the requirements of the classitrainees. Subject knowledge is not

integrated. With teaching skills. Training programmes for various levels of teachers

are not properly assessed and lack adequate materials and delivery aids. Training

specialists and master trainers often themselves are not qualified, competent or

motivated enough to make much difference in improving the knowledge and

capabilities of the trainees. Many master trainers are usually ex-heads of high schools

who have been transferred and other teacher educators as a son of punishment.

Therefore, they are less serious towards their jobs and their chief priority is to finish

their tenure so that they can eventually returrt as administrative heads of a school.

While it is recommended that teachers receive in-service training evert/ three to -five

years,. on average a primary teacher receives in-service training after thirteen years, a

middle school teacher after seven to eight years and a. high school teacher after

sixteen years. Rural teachers and females, who have the greatest challenges in the

form of access and mobility., are able to benefit the leashPhitimary teachers rarely

benefit from in-service training that can be utilized in the course of their work, often

attending halliheattedly, their attention more on niavel and other daily allowances that

are due to them.

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Research and Innovation

One of the. major inputs towards enhancing tse quality of teaching and learning in

schools as 'well as the teacher education institutions would be the extent to which

research outputs and. the outcomes of innovations ate utilized by the system..

Researches on teacher education have been and are being conducted in universities,

national level institutions and other establishments but their utility for the teacher

educator or the classroom teacher remains rather low. Majority of the researches are

undertaken to obtain a degree and hence the focus on its possible utility and relevance

gets misplaced. The situation is compounded by non-availability of appropriate

dissemination mechanisms, like journals, publication of findings in different forms

and opportunities to the target group to get an access to these. institutional capabilities

and resources need to be augmented, enabling them to undertake relevant researches.

There is a definite requirement of bringing in. research methods and methodologies in

appropriate form in teacher education at pre-service and in-service programmes. To

an extent, it finds a place in master level courses in education though in some

universities the same is not insisted upon.. The structure and design of future courses

and programmes need to take this aspect into account. Preparation of teacher

educators can no longer be completed without adequate grounding in various aspects

of research. Researches must respond to policy issues, curriculum issues, evaluative

procedures and practices, training strategies, classroom practices etc.. The areas of

teacher preparation for children with special needs, gifted children and children from

groups with specific cultural, social and economic needs can no longer be ignored.

Surveys and studies also need to be encouraged. These may be exploratory or

diagnostic in nature. The new initiatives and innovations need to be encouraged and

studied. Wherever considered appropriate, these could be brought into th, system of

teacher education for wider and gainful use. Researches. innovations and surveys

must become an integral part of the training programmes of teacher education

institutions irrespective of the stages. The trainees need to be familiarized with

innovations in general and innovative practices in teacher education in particular.

Communication Gap

According to the UNESCO and USAID report of 2005, there exists a wide

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communication and collaboration gap between the teacher training institutes. Instead

of working towards sharing good practices, research and experiences, they have more

or less worked in isolation. They have not built critical partnerships so as to improve

their course content, methodology and pedagogical skills. Similarly weak institutional

arrangements between the provincial and district institutes also contribute to the

complexities in teacher education curriculum and conduct. The management of the

system is uncoordinated with different institutions responsible for staffing, curricula,

examinations and textbooks.

Core Competencies

Teachers have invariably lagged behind in developing core competencies fundamental

to their profession. These core competencies are the pillars on which subsequent

knowledge and skills are built upon.

Recruitment

Not selecting teachers on merit, lack of proper screening and relaxing of qualification

requirements have jeopardized the end objective of providing quality education. Job

descriptions and performance appraisals are lacking. Research has shown that the

performance of students who had teachers with 12 years of formal schooling was

better than students whose teachers had a metric qualification. This leads to the

conclusion that student performance and understanding is directly related to the years

of formal education of teachers. Hence, by compromising on the competency of the

educator itself means a compromise on the standard of education.

Curriculum

The current curricula being taught does not focus on nurturing a creative and learning

environment involving questioning and problem solving. Subject matter is not

regularly updated to keep pace with recent subject advances. There is no attempt to

integrate subject knowledge with pedagogical skills. For most programmes, teacher

trainees employ rote learning to pass the examinations. Not enough emphasis is given

to learning practical teaching skills; instead the emphasis remains on theory. Also,

there is hardly any focus on making teachers efficient in improvising and creating low

130

cost learning aids. Familiarity with use of modern information and communication

technologies is also not given due importance.

Teacher Educators

The various levels of teacher educators themselves are caught in the same cycle of

poor teacher quality and delivery. They administer their classes in the traditional

teaching style of lecture giving, dictation and notes. Trainers fail to cultivate any

creative thinking, inquiry and problem solving. among their trainees. Most of them

are not aware of how to improve their own knowledge and skills or to bring

themselves up to date with modern advances in teacher training. An endless cycle of

these ritualistic and poor teaching methods thus engulfs the teacher education system.

Also, teacher educators refrain from group work , and interactive learning techniques

because they have concern it spoils class discipline. This is indeed one of the major

reasons that Pakistan has not been able to bring up its educational level and standard.

Support System and School Management

Teachers require a strong support structure within their schools to provide to their

needs and professional development. A healthy and facilitative teaching environment,

encouragement from peers and administration, efficient internal processes, easily

available teaching aids and mentoring by senior faculty all add up in helping the

teacher grow and focus on his job. A supportive school organization typically is not

present in Pakistani schools, where internal politics, lack of resources, disinterest in

pupil learning and school improvement by management result in demotivating and

ignoring the teachers. Such a culture also inhibits teachers from taking the initiative to

introduce new techniques in teaching and apply whatever new skills they learned in

their training. There is no central or provincial database to keep track of the number of

teachers being trained, the courses attended by them, current enrollments and school

contribution.

Incentives and Career Path

Promotion is currently based on seniority rather than performance. Low salaries

characterize the profession. There is a dreadful need for recognition of performance.

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Moreover, no weightage is given to additional qualifications. There is a lack of a well

defined career structure for teacher educators; chronic shortage of specialist teacher

educators; and most staff lacking experience of teaching in schools for which they

prepare trainees (for instance secondary level subject specialists preparing primary

teachers).

Monitoring and Evaluation

Almost all training programmes lack a systematic follow up to gauge the performance

of their trained teachers. Since evaluation is not as exciting as the training component

of the programme and is more time consuming, little attention is paid to this aspect of

the teacher training. With little guidance, monitoring and follow up, teachers suffer

from a lack of feedback, which eventually causes them to continue inferior teaching

practices. Moreover, the performance appraisal system of teachers known as the

Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) is merely a formality. it fails to provide any

useful feedback or insights to a teacher's performance.

Allocations and Utilization

Data on national and provincial budgets show that a significant share of the education

budget is allocated towards recurrent activities and evidence from all provinces

depicts that recurrent funds are utilized primarily on salaries. The recurrent allocations

have ranged from 75 to 96 percent of total allocations in the four provinces.

Teacher Quality

Two challenges have been underscored in literature with regard to the much needed

attention on teacher quality. First, it is apparent that student outcomes are more

cloSely related to the level of general education of the teacher rather than professional

qualificationstina service training. Some programmes encourage teachers to enhance

their academic qualifications through provision of scholarships. However, only a

small number of teachers are able to avail this. facility and training programmes have

still to adequately address the dilemma of weak content knowledge. Second, available

institutional mechanisms to ensure teacher training of quality on any significant scale,

or any significant cumulative impact over time, are lacking..

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Others

Teachers are forcefully assigned to conduct and take parr in other • activities

e.g. election duties,. vaccination programmes without due compensation,

causing them. to take time away from. class preparation and de-motivating

them further.

Use of punishment and other harsh treatment meted by teachers on students

instills fear among them, hampers their creative abilities and leads to dropouts.

Such practices. must be discouraged at all teacher-training institutes.

BREAKING THE BARRIERS

The critical analyses of the context and concerns help in developing a vision for

teacher education in future. In the Pakistani situation basic character of the framework

must .provide for adequate and inbuilt flexibility for incorporating the regional and

local specificities. Total trust in the capabilities of institutions and organizations to

develop an indigenous, comparable and area-specific curriculum has to be the guiding

principle.

Teacher education has to be conceived as an integral part of educational and social

system and must primarily respond to the requirements of the school system. It can no

longer remain conventional and static but should transform itself to a progressive

dynamic and responsive system. National values and goals need to be meaningfully

reflected and their inculcation attempted with care and caution. The theoretical and

practical components need to be balanced appropriately.. The theory and practice of

education has to be enriched with the latest research findings not only in the field of

education but also in the allied disciplines and areas. While it is essential to develop

identified competencies to prepare effective teachers it is equally necessary to develop

commitment and build capacity to perform as integral part of teacher preparation. The

teachers have to keep abreast of the latest developments not only in their field of

specialization but also in areas of educational developments and social and cultural

issues through continuous in-service orientation. Emphasis on continuing life-long

learning has to become an essential concern of teacher education. A nation

'concerned with erosion of values needs teachers who are professionally committed

133

and prepared to present a value-based model of interaction with their learners. The

basic code of belief identified in the national basic education scheme, i.e. Head, Heart

and Hand need now to be linked to another 'H', i.e. highways. Information highways,

websites and internet are going to become terms of common usage in teacher

education. For sound mind we need strong hand and a vibrant heart. Areas like

physical education and vocational education will continue to gain greater emphasis in

years to come and will serve as the basis for developing competencies and skills in

addition to commitments and values.

A comprehensive theoretical base is essential for a teacher to assume professional role

and develop capacity to conceptualize inputs from other disciplines as well and evolve

strategies to utilize them. A true professional is capable of perceiving complexities

and uncertainties in the society, has a thorough grasp of the subject, possesses skills to

make critical diagnosis, takes decisions and has courage and conviction to implement

such decisions. Consider the following suggestions for improving teacher education in

Pakistan.

Provide a Policy & Framework Cover

It is needed to develop a workable policy and strategic framework, with an

accreditation and certification scheme. Minimum requirements for resourcing

institutes with regard to staffing, infrastructure and organization need to be developed

in conjunction with the respective heads of these institutes in order to ensure system

equity and quality provision. The credentialing of teacher education programmes

should be transferred to an independent body like the Higher Education Commission.

Uniform work requirements, in terms of teaching and supervision loads, should also

be developed. Also, representation of teachers should be mandatory in the formation

and revision of educational policies. Moreover, a National Teachers Forum should be

established in order to influence policies and organize teachers' professional voices.

Fixing the Institutional Puzzle

The existing institutional infrastructure should be molded to adapt to any new policy

and programmes. It should be monitored by a federal level authority responsible for

overseeing their functions and performance. It has been suggested that the Technical

134

Panel on Teacher Education existing at the national level should be restructured to

monitor and report on implementation of policy directors. In order to prevent

duplication and overlapping of functions, the various provincial institutes and

universities need to work together to establish academic links and collaboration to

improve the value of their services. Institutes should be provided increased autonomy

to develop sources of income to address their needs.

Developing Teacher Core Competencies

All teaching programmes should stress on developing a list of a core set of

competencies among the teachers (both pre-servi.e and in-service) to prepare them

adequately for classroom teaching and to make them effective arid professional

educators. On the basis of these core competencies a performance appraisal system

can he devised.

Proper Recruitment Practices

Selection of teachers should be merit-based. Schools should select teachers based on a

prescribed minimum qualification and satisfactory performance on a selection test

based on the teachers' core competencies.

Proactive Up-to-Date Curriculum

Courses should be designed around requirements and needs expressed by the teacher

themselves. Revision of pre-service and in-service curricula, with a focus on

improving and enhancing content knowledge and pedagogical skills of the teacher

trainees is also required. Integration of subject knowledge with teaching skills has

also been recommended.

In-Service Programmes

Training should be based on teacher requirements. Teachers' needs should be first

assessed by induction tests, and groups formed according to their scores. These

groups should be then brought up and trained -from their current level. There should

be refresher courses every 5 years. Institutional linkages with an innovative college

should be explored globally to train elementary teachers for the purposes of faculty

135

in-service development, faculty exchanges and further training.

Pre-Service & In-Service Trainings

Trainings to focus on improving teachers' resource management skills, promoting

group work and activity based learning as part of the learning experience,

encouraging them to use no/low cost materials as teaching aids where appropriate and

supporting capacity building co-curricular activities for the pupils. Training should

also prepare teachers for multi-grade teaching:

The most preferred approach to teaching for elementary level students is the "activity

approach" with focus on the pupil and activity based learning process. Computer

along with training on other technological aids should be made compulsory and a high

priority for all teacher programmes. It has been suggested that a separate cadre of

teacher educators should be established, linked to elementary schools, who can be

trained on the job to be adult educators and researchers in elementary schools practice

and subject areas.

Healthy School Support Structure

Newly trained and inducted teachers as well as those already working require peer

and school support to continue their professional and personal development.

Encouragement, guidance and a healthy working environment can add tremendous

value to a teachers output and commitment. There is a need to foster a culture of

critical reflection among the teaching faculty of schools. School management should

be responsive and accommodating towards the needs of their teaching staff and give

them due respect and assistance. There is also an urgent need to set up provincial

databases linked to a central repository to maintain up to date records of the teachers,

their qualifications, trainings, current enrollment and other relevant statistics. This

would aid in tracking teacher resources and help make informed management

decisions. The central database can be installed at the federal regulatory body.

Incentives

Offer incentives to teachers in accordance to their need and the stage of their career.

Such incentives can be monetary (salary increase, allowances, and benefits). They can

136

also include subsidized housing, food, transportation facilities, professional training,

teacher guides, textbooks, personal notebooks, location, and recognition of

performance. Match up incentives according to the needs and stage of the teacher.

Ensure sustenance of incentives. Start a programme to provide loans to teachers on

low mark ups and soft terms. If contract based, those teachers that perform well can

be hired as permanent employees to acknowledge their value and services.

Monitoring & Evaluation

Systematic follow up with teachers after trainings is central to their professional

development. Their performance in the classroom should be regularly assessed by the

principal and other senior teachers to evaluate the quality of their training, their

subject knowledge as well as their classroom delivery and management skills.

A performance based teacher evaluation and compensation system is required to

motivate the teachers to strive towards excellence. Promotions should be linked with

teacher's capabilities rather than seniority. Additionally there should be an

institutional performance appraisal system to monitor institutional accomplishment

against set .;tirricular objectives and goals. Perhaps what is needed is setting up of a

monitoring wing within each teacher-training institute, under the administrative

supervision of the federal regulatory body, to monitor, ensure and assist with quality

control. This wing among other things would also drive the institutional management

to regularly introducing new and cutting edge teaching techniques for teacher training.

There is also a consistent demand from the teacher educators to form a separate cadre

for them and give due recognition to their roles. This would also prevent pointless

transfers of teachers to government schools where they are not as beneficial as in their

core area of expertise as trainers.

Infrastructure

Most of the teacher training institutes throughout the country are in dire need of repair

and modifications. In order to provide a decent working environment for both teacher

educators and trainees alike, a nationwide renovation of the institutes should be

undertaken. As part of these exercise science labs, teaching materials, aids and IT

137

equipment should be upgraded and/or made available.

Supply of Textbooks and Teacher Resource Material

All teacher-training institutes complain of insufficient allocations for procuring

quality textbooks,, teacher learning references, resource materials, library books,

education journals and other required supplementary materials. Sufficient funds

should be allocated to the institutes so that they can be able to procure items

according to their needs. Donors should also come forward and help the institutes

overcome some of these constraints as part of their assistance in improving teacher

education. It is also pertinent to note here that well designed teachers manual in

developing countries accompanying a text book were found to be more effective than

poorly trained in-service teachers.

Refrain from Exceeding the Capacity

Some training institutes admit far more students than they are allowed or can easily

accommodate. This has the effect of straining the resources, which eventually leads to

weakening the quality of education imparted. Institutes should refrain from such

practices of over enrolment.

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