APF project on pre-service teachers training at PES College of education

1. 2009 -2011 APF project on pre-service teachers training at PES College of education

2. Demand and Supply Imbalance • Demand for teachers • Quality education • Teacher professional development • Closure of many D.Ed and B.Ed colleges • 18,000 vacant seats at CAC • Government schools are shutting down • Very few science graduates opting for teaching profession • Teachers discontentment to in-service training programs

3. About PESCE • Esteemed institution, ranked No.II in the state • Runs many academic programs • started teacher education program in the year 2005 ; with full fledged qualified faculty and administrative staff • Good Infrastructure. • Affiliation to Bangalore University • With basic amenities to run the program

4. Admission to B.Ed program

5. Students who opt for teaching profession • More female (married) candidates • More number of arts graduates • Teaching as last career option • Immediate job opportunity (Pvt. Schools)

6. APF • Engaged in activities and projects in the field of school education in particular and education in general,Identifiedteacher and believes that teachers are the change agent to bring in systemic change in education.

7. APF‘s project in PESCE • The foundation sought to use this as a platform for an in-depth study of Bangalore University’s B. Ed program and also to experiment with innovative interventions within the existing framework of teacher education.

8. Ground realities • Study revealed ; • The faculty followed the traditional way of passing on the information. • Conventional lecture method • Less interaction and activities in the classroom. • all the curriculum components were ritualistically followed giving little scope for any creativity or reflection

9. No transparency in internal assessment • Fear of internal marks giving scope to imposed discipline • Mismatch between theory marks and internal assessment marks. • Meager resources both to the faculty and student teachers • Declining trend in admission

10. Areas of interventions • Administration and Admission • Class room transactions • Practice teaching • Assessment

11. HOW ? • Appointment of new principal and some more faculty • Stream lined administrative procedures • Transparency in administration • Sharing of internal marks and its logistics

12. Admission • Stipend to in-service candidates (any profession) • Concession in fee for in-service teachers and encouraged to get a professional degree. • fellowship for highly motivated candidates of Yadgir. • alumnae were asked to get students to join the college. • A team went to some of the degree colleges and publicized the program. • Other than these there were efforts like distributing fliers, advertisements in the local dailies.

13. Classroom transaction • Transaction Process varied in range and depth across subjects. Constructivist approach was tried out on many sessions. Some of them are • Questions generated discussion that linked subject matter with examples from life, and community. • Reading materials (in Kannada and English). • Skills of interviewing (poets, out of school children, school personnel, parents and students) and reporting through visual representation, oral and writing. • Regular use of technology and print media in the classroom transactions • Connecting Practical activities to theory. • Arts, Brain storming, case study, craft, elocution, home assignment • film viewing and post discussions which connect to theory • An earnest effort was made by the faculty to shift from the traditional practices to more interactive class room practices which involves analytical, critical and divergent thinking and problem solving skill among the student teachers.

14. Familiarized the existing state curriculum, NCERT (CBSE) and ICSE curriculum • Relating the content to classroom pedagogy • Administering diagnostic test at the beginning of the course. • Continuous evaluation and feedback. • Using work sheets, activities and games- quiz, Debate, art work • Use of internet resources • Use of audio CD’s , cassettes , film strips, video CD’s and clippings • Use of supplementary reading materials/library resources • Field visits to RIE, Vishweshwaraiah Technological Museum, art gallery, Planetarium and Dhwani Resource Center and so on • Visit to places of historical importance- Bhoganandishwara Temple – Devanahalli fort • Project Work-collection and presentation of pictures, maps and information, wall magazines, • Assignments- news paper discussion, reporting, problem solving • Seminars and presentation on content. • The scaffolding provided by APF during the initial stages was instrumental in helping the foundation gather impetus and progress.

15. Resources • Books for library and reference work • Audio aid- tape recorder • Language materials- cassettes, VCD’s and manual • Science instructional materials-chemicals, science lab apparatus • Social science instructional materials- globe, charts etc • Maintenance of existing resources (repairing OHP’s, LCD) • Equipped the class rooms with additional display boards • Computer with internet facility for the faculty • Accessibility to varieties of materials (from APF library ) and sent through mail

16. ANALYSIS - I • Democratic and systematic administration • No forced discipline • Immediate clarification • Academic support to the faculty • Increase in admission (42 in 2009, 29-2010) • Smooth functioning of the college • Faculty less stressful and maximum contribution

17. Confidence, improvement in class room teaching (practice teaching) • Shed inhibition in interacting in English • Self study, motivated • Computer friendly • Confidence in giving demo- class • Motivated to pursue studies

18. As many as 11 untrained teachers got professional degree. • 2 deserving candidates (yadgir) got placement with the foundation • Most of them are employed in private schools (all 7 batchs) • Very few chose other professions • Confident enough to give feedback about their experience in the college.

19. Draw back • Decline in admission • Bangalore university rigid rules and regulations • Failure of students in attaining expected level • LIC norms • Assessment practices • Students for short cut way to success

20. FOLLOW UP • Set up a teacher education college in Yadgir( no teacher training colleges) • Identify B’lore rural and deserving students and encourage by giving concession in fee (esp. science students) • job assurance for deserving candidates in the foundation. • Introduce integrated training program

21. Thank You