Pedagogy of Learning (POL)

An International Journal of Education

Volume-1, Issue-2, April 2013, ISSN: 2320:9526

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS

Nain Singh
Associate Professor, Department of Education,
H. P. University, Summer Hill, Shimla, HP, India
Email: [email protected]

Abstract
The paper has been developed out of the theoretical considerations of Professional Development
of Teachers.It highlights the objectives, processes and programmes of Teacher Education,
highlighted by the Secondary Education Commission, Kothari Commission, and National Policy
on Education, Acharya Ramamurthy Committee Report and N.C.F.T.E. Also, new perceptions in
the areas of Curriculum and Teaching Technologies resulting into bringing such perceptions into
the ambit of Teacher Education have been highlighted.A model of Quality Development has been
suggested, and consequently an ethical code for teachers and autonomy of the learners has been
focused.
Keywords: Professional Development, Teachers, Quality of Teacher Education

Introduction
There is an unstoppable increase in the quality of information created by and made available to
the human mind.The knowledge explosion has resulted in changing values, changing patterns,
changing human needs and changing work requirements.We all need to be geared up and
prepared to cope with these changes, and each one of us being the teacher of the country has to be
fully equipped for the dynamic changing scenario.
The process of education is a continuous and creative one and its aim is to develop the capabilities
latent in human nature and to co-ordinate their expression for the enrichment and progress of the
society by equipping children with spiritual, moral and practical knowledge.We strive to inculcate
these sensitivities in the children. It is expected that this type of education will fosters love for
mankind, develop high moral character and provide an intellectual basis for realization of peace
The explosion of knowledge in the recent years, the pedagogical advancements, the erosion of
social and moral values, the experimentations and innovations in the field of education, research
studies in the field of psychology, genetic epistemology, cultural anthropology, information and
communication technology, child development, teacher and teaching effectiveness have placed
new demands on education in general and hence on teacher education in particular.This requires a
new look into the teacher preparation and continuous development of teachers within the
profession.
Objectives of Professional Development
The Professional Development of Teachers can be viewed in the following areas:
 • Thorough knowledge of the subject matter.
• Good growing of the learner psychology.
• Knowledge of pedagogy.
• Evaluation process at the formative and summative.
• Development and use of the TLM (Teaching Learning Material).
• Facility in the use of I.C.T. (Integrated Communication Technology).
• Organization, administration and supervision practices.
• Efficiency in Community relationship.
• Ability in providing guidance and counseling to the students.
• Leadership role in the organization and conduct of co-curricular activities.
• Insight into the research-work.
The Role of the Professional Teacher Educator
Thornley (1999) is of the view that a professional teacher educator:
• Accepts teacher training as an ongoing growth requiring time;
• Allows a high degree of autonomy;
• Recognizes the relationship and interaction of theoretical base to practice;
• Recognizes the complexity of the work of teachers;
• Recognizes unique needs and circumstances of teachers within the contexts of their
classrooms and their lives;
• Promotes learning through active engagement and interaction; and
• Recognizes the importance of reflection and the ability to be self-critical.
• This list of the molar attributes of a professional teacher educator could be the basis of
working out more specific behavioral attributes which may read as follows:
A Professional Teacher Educator
• Plans work on weekly-basis, and session-basis;
• Strives for upgrading one’s professional knowledge base;
• Reflects on one’s performance, especially day to day classroom teaching and strives for
improving its effectiveness;
• Conducts and supports research, especially action research to improve teacher education
and the functioning of the institution and its programs;
• Takes active part in mid-session and session-end reviews of the teacher education
programs in the institution and tries to improve these through constructive criticism;
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Pedagogy of Learning, Vol.1, Issue 1, April 2013, ISSN: 2320-9526 19

 • Functions as a responsible member of the faculty, develops concern for colleagues’
personal welfare and professional development;
• Ensures one’s professional development and supports it for others through participation in
professional development activities.
• Shares the vision and goals of the institution, especial those related to education and
teacher education and strives for their attainment;
• Accepts the students and supports and promotes their personal as well as professional
development;
• Examines alternative ways and develops innovative techniques for curriculum
development, its transaction and evaluation;
• Illustrates through personal example what it means to be a self-regulated learner as well as
a self-regulated professional;
• Maintains and promotes a culture of inquiry in the classroom and institution; and
• Takes decisions as a professional in situations characterized by uncertainty and ambiguity.
Process and Programs of Professional Development:
The thrust of professional development of teachers should be made the motto at the, pre-service
and in-service levels.The various Commissions and Committees have given the following
recommendations in their reports:
Secondary Education Commission (1952-53)
• Two years of training program after matriculation/higher secondary for primary level
school teachers and two years of training program after graduation to the secondary school
Teachers.
• Organization of refresher courses, short-term courses, practical training in workshops,
seminars etc.forin-service training.
• Attachments of demonstration or experimental schools with the colleges of Education for
conducting research work in pedagogy.
• Exchange of teachers among colleges of Education.
• Coordination between Colleges of Education, Departments of Education and schools etc.
• Admission to colleges of Education to be based on aptitude tests and interviews.
• Setting up of Residential colleges of Education for developing a sense of community
living in the students.
Kothari Commission (1964-66)
Removal of isolation existing at the following levels must be ensured:
a) Isolation from the main stream of the University life.It can be done by bringing
Colleges of Education under the University system.
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 b) Isolation from one another through the establishment of Comprehensive Colleges of
Education having pre-primary, primary and secondary teacher training under one roof.
c) Isolation from the schools.It can be done through the organization of Alumni
Associations.
• For improving the professional courses, integrated courses of general and professional
education should be introduced leading to B.A. and B.Sc. Education degrees.
• The internal assessment of practical and sessional work should be introduced.
• A comprehensive program of internship should be used in place of prevailing programs of
practice teaching.
• The duration of the program of teacher education at the secondary stage should be two
years and the number of working days should be increased to 230 days in a year.
National Policy on Education (1986) recommended merit, autonomy and accountability in
teacher education. Acharya Ramamurthy Committee (1990) recommended the introduction of
Internship Model for developing the knowledge, attitudes and skills in the working teachers over a
period of time.
In-service Teacher Education
For the professional development of teachers in-service education in the form of seminars,
workshops, summerinstitutes, conferences and extension lectures has to be provided to the
working teachers to keep them updated with respect to new fields of knowledge, methodologies,
evaluation techniques etc.
National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (2009)
The broad aims of continuing professional development programs for teachers are to:

• Explore, reflect on and develop one’s own practice.

• Deepen one’s knowledge of and update oneself about one’s academic discipline or other
areas of school curriculum.
• Research and reflect on learners and their education.
• Understand and update one on educational and social issues.
• Prepare for other roles professionally linked to education/teaching, such as teacher
education, curriculum development or counseling.
• Break out of intellectual isolation and share experiences and insights with others in the
field, both teachers and academics working in the area of specific disciplines as well as
intellectuals in the immediate and wider society.
Educational and curriculum planners also seek to provide avenues for the professional
development of teachers as a part of implementing curricular reforms to:

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Pedagogy of Learning, Vol.1, Issue 1, April 2013, ISSN: 2320-9526 21

 • Enable teachers to work towards prioritized goals in education such as universalization
and inclusion.
• Influence social attitudes and generate greater commitment to constitutional values and
overcoming discrimination in the classroom.
• Transform existing practices towards more learner-friendly methods and methods suited to
strengthening conceptual learning and understanding rather than rote learning.
• Enable teachers to implement and achieve specific targeted aspects in the curriculum, such
as the use of type of technology, or the addition of topics such as AIDS and adolescent
education.
• Prepares teachers to play enhanced roles in the education system as resource persons, or
head teachers, etc.
Change in Perception of Teaching
New perceptions have emerged in the area of teaching trends of peace education, environmental
education, special education, distance education, population education,vocationaleducation, value
education, interdisciplinary and constructivist approach, continuous and comprehensive
evaluation, linkages of different institutions with one another like Universities, Colleges of
Education, S.C.E.R.Ts., D.I.E.Ts and Community. Also the new thrust areasin the curriculum of
Teacher Education and in the methodologies and evaluation procedures have come up which the
working teachers have to be conversant with.
Quality of Teacher Education
For ensuring quality of teacher education the N.C.T.E., Universities, S.C.E.R.Ts., D.I.E.Ts, have
to pool their resourcestogether to ensure the attainment of various quality indicators. N.A.A.C.,for
instance, has given seven indicators of quality,like CurricularAspect,Teaching- Learning and
Evaluation;Research,Consultancy and Extension Services; Infrastructure and
Learning;Resources;Student Support and Progression, Governance and Leadership and lastly
Innovative Practices which have to be ensured in every institution of teacher education.The model
for quality attainment can be given below:

National Need Resources - Evaluation

University Assessment of Physical and Strategies
Goals the Institutions Humane

FEED
BACK
Figure 1: Model for Quality Development

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The objectives of Teacher Education Program have been spelt out by the N.C.T.E. in its document
for every level of Teacher Education.The institutional goals are always in consonance with the
national goals.Against this background the institutional needs are assessed and decision taken for
the attainment of the goals envisaged at the Institutional/University/N.C.T.E. levels.The resources
are then reviewed. How much quantum of resources-physical and human-does the institutions
have and how much more is required to attain the target?Strategies are then planned to match the
resources with the goal to be attained and then they are put into operation.Evaluation is then done
in the terms of the attainment of goals. Feedback mechanism helps the institution to find out the
components wherever the efforts are lacking. This cycle is repeated till the goals of quality
attainment level are achieved.
Making Learner Autonomous
One of the main challenges of teaching is to make the learner autonomous. Insteadof
givingreadymade material for him, it is better to let him develop the material himself.Let him find
out the material from the various sources -- internet, library, peer group and others around him.
Ethics for Teachers
The expectations from the teachers are that they should possess high social and moral values and
they must adhere to the values of love, tolerance, co-operation and mutual respect to the others.
They have to be the living example of personal and professional conduct and conversant with the
rights and duties of all citizens, particularly those of the learners.They should be able to establish
strong linkage between the home, school, and community and between the schools and other
institutions making education as a sub system of social systems.
Conclusion
To inculcate the democratic values among the learners and develop them into autonomous
learners, to promote guidance and counseling services, to keep the research activity going on and
keep the flame of knowledge always burning, the teacher must be a visionary with a sense of
dedication to the cause of education.
References
Dhar, T.N. (Ed.) (1996). Professional status of teachers. New Delhi: N.C.E.R.T
Government of India (1986/1992). National policy on education (1986), revision of 1990 and
1992, New Delhi: GoI.
Government of India, Ministry of Education (1952-53). Report of the education commission
(1952-53) New Delhi: GoI.
Government of India, Ministry of Education (1964-66). Report of education commission (1994-
1996), education and national development .New Delhi: Govt. of India, Ministry of
Education.
N.C.E.R.T (2005). National Curriculum Framework 2005. New Delhi: Author.
NCTE (2009). National curriculum framework for teacher education-2009, towards preparing
professional and humane teacher. New Delhi: National Council for Teacher Education,
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Panda, B.N. (1970). Teacher education. New Delhi: A.P. H. Publishing Corporation
Thornley, C. (1999). Curriculum professional development: for training or
professionalism.curriculum and teaching 14, 2, 123-136.
Venktaish, (Ed.) (2009) .Teacher education. New Delhi: A.P.H. Publishing Corporation.
***

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