This is a case study on the practices of INSET (in-service education and training) activities conceptualized after a series of steps administered to a group of teacher educators in Ahlcon International School
Dimple Puri & Divya Kapoor
Schools of today are transforming from dispensing knowledge to facilitating learning. Technology is shaping the educational landscape in a significant manner. Learners, the digital natives have natural urge to learn through technology and the educators, the digital migrants have to struggle a bit. The scope and quality of pre-service training is not encouraging. On the job learning for the teachers, therefore, becomes paramount to quality education. In addition to classroom management, new pedagogies, differentiation and personalization in learning, embedding technology is the way forward.
Challenges:
The present challenges in what teachers teach and what students learn are many
- Lack of teacher motivation and incentivization.
- Generation gap between learners and educators.
- Inadequate pre-service training.
- Inability to incorporate technology in teaching learning.
- Use of learning platforms (both online and offline) like Coursera, Edex, Swayam, Diksha, Sakshat, Microsoft Education, Google Classroom on, Edtech Tools etc. for building their core competencies and other skills for rejuvenating the classroom experiences.
Suggested Solution
The schools must envision devising a need based teacher professional development program to provide teachers with learning opportunities. Let us call it In-Service School Based Education for Teachers (INSET).
Implementation Plan
STEP 1: Training Need Analysis (SWOT)
A SWOT analysis centred on classroom standards focusing upon integration of technology in the classroom must be conducted in the beginning of the academic session. After the SWOT analysis, the training modules are decided in consultation with the teachers. There are two levels – one identified by school management for the whole school development; the other that the teachers identify for improving their skills and teaching. To effectually analyse the needs, online questionnaires in the form of google forms are administered to the group of teacher educators with an aim to obtain their opinion on the training required. The questionnaire is divided into three sections:
- Core Competencies
- Basic Skills
- Integration of Technology
STEP 2: Designing
Once the need is clear and the vision has been developed, it is time to design the teacher training modules. The results of the need analysis help us to clearly spell out the objectives, resources and timelines of our yearly professional development calendar accommodating the training modules. A three-tiered sample outcome map depicting the training modules is as follows:
STEP 3: Implementation
Once the training modules are designed, a professional development coordinator should be appointed to look into the enabling factors for the implementation of the INSET Program.
STEP 4: Evaluation and Reflections
The constructive feedback of the administered training modules is gathered in form of Microsoft OneNote Staff Notebook with the desired template (link mentioned below). The impact is studied with regard to:
- Skills and competencies gained by teachers
- Attainment of intended learning outcomes by the students
After the impact analysis is done, it is important to gather reflections from the teachers. This can be done digitally through online surveys like Survey Monkey, Google and Microsoft forms etc. Online reflective journals like Penzu and note-making platforms such as Evernote, OneNote also offer possibilities for appropriate reflections.
Conclusion:
The best practices are planned and designed with the aim of achieving the desirable learning outcomes of students and teachers. The change brought about should become a way of working and should not be treated as a one-off event. For change to be institutionalised, time needs to be apportioned to teacher education initiatives to encourage teachers to take responsibility for their professional development. The benefits of the program include:
- Motivating teachers to undertake innovative experiments including classroom interactions, laboratory work, digital learning etc. for greater impact of his/her teaching on the students.
- Helping teachers in devising some ingenious ways/innovative activities/instructional material for connecting the students with Sustainable Development Goals.
- Encouraging them to effectively integrate engaging classrooms activities to cater to the differentiated needs of the learners (gifted/ need support students with special needs).
- Preparing them to effectively mentor the peers in overcoming the challenge and difficulty of handling the technological resources/ developing instructional material/ adaptation to the changes.
- Assisting them in exhibiting professionalism by maintaining a commitment to professional ethics, international mindedness and the school’s mission and vision.
- Helps the teachers in making a mark and infusing new ideas & setting the benchmarks standards in the teaching learning community.
- Assists the teacher in demonstrating measurable achievements in the community beyond the classroom that provide unique and distinguished models of excellence for the teaching profession.
When schools embed such a roadmap for ‘On the Job Learning’ for the teachers in their annual calendar, and when teachers are themselves the designers of that professional learning, accountable for its implementation and success, supported by the vision of the school leaders, they stand a good chance of success.
References
- Fullan, M. (2009). Michael Fullan Response to MS 3 Questions about personalised learning. Retrieved from:http://www.michaelfullan.ca/media/13435863160.html
- Kothari Education Commission (11964-66)
- In-service Teacher Education package for primary teachers, NCERT, 1988
- Pandey K., Ashok (2017). ‘The Pedagogical Life – Essays on Educating India’ published by Sheriden Book, Delhi
- Teacher Education Planning Handbook, 2017; britishcouncil.in/englishpartnerships
(Dimple Puri is presently Head, Arwachin International School, Delhi and Divya Kapoor is now Headmistress, Pragyan School Greater Noida.)