Keywords

Introduction

The progress of any nation depends on its educational sector because it is through education that we shape the youth into productive and fruitful citizens of a country. Quality education forms the base for moulding the future of citizens who in turn shape the future of their country. There are many factors that determine or influence the quality of education but one major factor that plays a pivotal role for the same is the quality of teachers. Teachers form the bridge between the learners and the curriculum to be transacted. They form the channel through which knowledge is shared from one platform to another. Therefore, the quality of education being imparted largely depends on the quality of teachers. Unless teachers are enriched with quality information, they cannot transact it to their learners in the most meaningful, desired, and appropriate way and this is where the teacher education programmes gain utmost significance. Teacher education programmes through their comprehensive approach help build a teaching community who are competent, skilled, and dedicated to the teaching profession. But as we all know; learning is a lifelong process and it does not just end with the procurement of a job or profession. Therefore, teacher education does not end with just training or educating student teachers to become competent teachers and thereby helping them secure teaching jobs. It goes much beyond that. Once they undergo a pre-service teacher education programme and enter into service, that is when they need to be more professionally trained and educated and this is where in-service teacher education comes into the big picture.

Concept of Teacher Education

Teacher education refers to the policies and procedures designed to equip prospective teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classroom, school, and wider community. It can be defined as a programme of education, research and training for moulding individuals into effective teachers or educators who excel in teaching profession.

Though teacher education as a process has to be perceived as a “whole”, it is often divided into these stages:

  • Pre-service—this refers to the initial course of training that has to be undergone by student teachers before entering into the field of teaching and taking up the role of fully responsible teachers.

  • Induction—this is the process whereby newly recruited teachers are given training and support related to their responsibilities and duties during their initial years in a particular school.

  • In-service—teacher development or continuing professional development (CPD) is the process where working teachers are given training and opportunities for updating their knowledge and skills and developing professionally.

Teacher education, therefore, is a programme designed not only for inculcating subject knowledge, but also for developing the proficiency, competency, and skills of teachers that would enable and empower them to meet the requirements of the profession and face the challenges and difficulties that come up in their way. Teacher education includes teaching skills, sound pedagogical theory, and professional skills.

In-service Teacher Education in India

Definition: In-service teacher education or teacher professional development refers to the training and education received by a teacher who has entered into the teaching profession after undergoing pre-service teacher education. All that a teacher learns and gains both formally and informally after entering into service comes under in-service teacher education.

In-service teacher education is very important and needs to be addressed with utmost priority because a teacher needs to be well updated and adapt to the latest advancements and changing trends in the field of education. Pre-service teacher education is about equipping student teachers with the fundamentals of the teaching profession like the essential teaching competencies, theoretical foundations, subject competency, teaching skills, different teaching strategies for effective curriculum transaction, assessment methods and techniques, classroom management, philosophical, psychological and sociological bases of education, and so on. Once the student teacher gets this basic training and education programme in the form of a diploma or degree in teacher education (D.El.Ed./B.Ed./B.El.Ed. etc.), they become eligible and qualified to enter into the teaching profession. But their real challenge begins then only. They step out of their theoretical frames and enter into the practical field and come face to face with the ground realities of the profession. They put into practice what they have learnt and that is when they start facing challenges and issues. At this point, they begin searching for solutions for their problems and this marks the beginning of in-service teacher education. With the passage of time the theories and knowledge gained from pre-service education programmes get updated and the teacher has to keep abreast with those changes along with the technological advancements and innovative teaching and assessment methods. In-service teacher education includes Orientation/Induction Programmes, Refresher/courses, Short Term Courses, Faculty Development Programmes, Workshops, and Courses through online platforms like MOOCS (Massive Open Online Courses), SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds), etc. In-service teacher education also includes any activity or work undertaken by the teacher for enhancing their professionalism such as writing research papers and articles, doing minor or major projects, publishing books, reading and reflecting on journals, forming and engaging in study groups, creating collaborative platforms for sharing of information with teachers from different institutions or from other parts of the world.

Aims and Objectives of In-service Teacher Education in India (NCFTE-2009)

The major aims and objectives of in-service teacher education in India as given by the National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education-2009 are as follows:

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

    For one’s growth, the first step to put forth is to explore, reflect, and develop one’s own practice. To grow into a professional teacher, one has to make an exploration and do an analysis of one’s own growth with respect to where one stands and where one needs to reach. For this, they have to reflect on their current practices, find out the areas of weaknesses, barriers, and challenges, and develop them so as to improvise themselves and become competent and efficient.

  • Develop and extend his/her knowledge and also update oneself on academic discipline and other areas of school curriculum

    Teaching involves the transaction of knowledge, and for this, the teacher needs to be well versed in his discipline. Only if teachers have deep knowledge and understanding of their subjects can they explain and transact it effectively to students. So, they need to deepen their subject knowledge and other areas of the curriculum they are dealing with. And also, since the pool of knowledge keeps expanding day by day, it is very essential that teachers also keep themselves updated about these recent developments in their disciplines.

  • Research and reflect on learners and their education

    To grow professionally, it is equally important for teachers to know their learners. Only if they know the learning styles, learners’ background, abilities, aptitude, interest, psycho-social factors affecting learning and the learners, etc. can they prepare accordingly for effective curriculum transaction. For this, teachers have to do a lot of research as well as reflect on their learners and their education.

  • Comprehend and apprise on educational and social issues

    A teacher needs to have a thorough understanding and also be updated with the educational and social issues around him because teaching is ultimately about building a linkage between education and society. In order to address the educational and social issues, we need to first become aware of them and understand them, and then only can we start working for solving those issues.

  • Prepare for various duties/roles professionally associated with education/teaching, such as teacher education, curriculum development, guidance and counselling, etc.

    As we all know, unlike other professions where employees need to be working on only the specific duties and roles they are entitled to, the teaching profession stands apart from that. The teacher has to take on multifarious roles like that of a guide, counsellor, philosopher, curriculum developer, mentor, leader, organiser, administrator, and so on. The role of a teacher can never be confined to mere teaching and sharing of knowledge, and therefore, it is very essential for a teacher to develop all those competencies and characteristics needed for meeting the demands of the multifarious roles they take on.

  • Breaking out intellectual isolation and sharing experiences and insights with others in the field.

    In order to develop professionally, one has to come out of his shell and explore and interact with people in the immediate and wider society. Through interaction with other teachers or experts in specific disciplines, teachers get an opportunity to share as well as learn from others’ experiences. It gives an opportunity and platform to discuss the challenges and issues faced by them and thus come out with appropriate solutions for the same.

Models/Approaches of In-service Teacher Education

1. Induction Programme

Induction programme is the support and guidance provided to new teachers and school administrators in the early stages of their careers. Induction includes orientation to the workplace, socialization, mentoring by experienced teachers, and guidance through beginning teacher practice. Induction programmes include professional development and training in classroom management, administration, effective parent-teacher communication skills, skills for addressing the needs of special students, literacy and numeracy strategies, etc. It trains them on the expected standards, norms, policies, and work culture of the institution and inculcates in them the desired social behaviours, academic and administrative skills pertaining to their job.

2. The Standardised Approach

There are different models under this approach being discussed underneath:

  • Cascade Model

    This is a centralised approach that is used when we have to disseminate knowledge and skills to a large population. In this model, mainly, new concepts are examined and the skills are demonstrated and modelled. A small group of teachers are selected and given intensive training. Each one of the groups then goes and gives training to other small groups in their areas and this chain continues until it reaches every member in the teaching fraternity. This approach saves a lot of time, energy, and cost as we needn’t make arrangements for all members at a central place. But the disadvantage is that it follows the one size fits all approach and since knowledge and skills are being transacted through levels of less experienced trainers, there is every possibility of important information being lost in the process. This is mainly because the ability of each individual to comprehend and transact knowledge differs. The success of such a model depends on the intellectual capacity, comprehension power, and communication skills of the trainer. Therefore, this model can be used whenever there is an urgency to transfer huge volumes of information and skills in a short span of time and when we have to disseminate new knowledge, skills, and strategies or build awareness of best practices. Otherwise, it is better to go with other models and approaches.

  • Reflective Teaching Model

    This model focuses on the process of reflection. In this model, a pair of teachers work together on developing lesson plans and designing effective teaching strategies. They are involved in joint planning, teaching, and reflecting. After jointly planning for the class, they either co-teach or teach individually by taking turns and then finally reflect on their own practices. Reflecting on one’s own practices requires a lot of refined and critical thinking and the ability to critically question, analyse, and find solutions. The reflective model calls for consistent and continuous sessions.

  • Split Model

    In this model, training is given to teachers for a few days or maybe a week at the district or block level. After the training, the teachers implement whatever they have learnt from the training sessions into real classroom situations for a few months. So, it includes the integration of theory and practice and the implementation of context-specific teaching strategies and methods in classrooms. After the trial for a few months, the teachers are called for a follow-up training session, wherein they reflect upon and discuss their experiences and challenges faced while implementing the theoretical inputs they had received.

  • One-Shot Training Programmes

    As the name suggests, this type of programme is given for a short time as a single course or workshop. There is no follow-up and the entire programme is condensed to a few classes. These programmes are beneficial when there is a lack of time and when the training needs to be completed within a stipulated period of time. However, the disadvantage is that since the classes are condensed and the content to be delivered is packed tightly, classes might seem hectic to teachers. Also, since there is no follow-up after training, it is difficult to evaluate the quality of the programme in terms of achieving the expected outcomes.

3. Site-Based Approach

The site-based approach deals with the training and professional development of teachers within their schools or institutions or resource centres. It is locally based and focuses on local needs and issues and extends over a period of time. This is used when teachers of a school or institution work together on their common problems, they come across with using technology or teaching new concepts or implementing new teaching techniques or implementing modern assessment techniques. It is a gradual process and needs ample time. The limitation of this approach is that this approach needs local facilitators or master teachers who can help teachers with learning new concepts, pedagogy, and technological skills and it is difficult to get such local facilitators everywhere, especially in remote and rural areas. It is also time and labour intensive. This approach takes the following different forms:

  • Observation/Assessment Model

    Here the local facilitator or master teacher or expert observes the teaching strategies and classroom practices of the teachers and provides them with concrete and organised feedback on the same. Based on that, the teachers can reflect on their strengths and weaknesses and improvise. This model can be used after teachers undergo some training or workshops in order to assess the impact of such training or workshops and observe the extent to which teachers are actually implementing what they have learnt through training programmes or workshops and further provide assistance if needed.

  • Open Lessons

    Here priority is given to teacher behaviour like the way of teaching, depth of content, methods used, explanation, meeting individual differences, approach to students’ arousal of interest, curiosity and creativity, usage of technology, assessment of students, and so on. Teachers prepare lesson plans and take classes in the presence of their colleagues. Colleagues observe the classes and later on give feedback on the same.

  • Lesson Study

    Here student actions form the focus. Teachers work together in groups and plan and develop lesson plans. They discuss the plan in length, share views, and plot ways to further improve the lesson plans after which they implement it in their classrooms as a field test. They then observe these classes and collect data so as to see the effect of these lessons on student learning. They observe how students are involved in the learning process, how they are comprehending it, whether it is meeting the needs of all learners, the extent to which it is arousing curiosity, creativity, questioning skills, critical and reflective thinking, the level of interest, and so on. Based on the observation and data that is collected after the field test, the lesson plans are further improved or modified as needed.

  • Study Groups

    This is a collaborative approach where teachers work in small groups or as a single large group in order to solve common school-based problems faced by them. They interact, discuss, and reflect on their experiences, difficulties, and challenges faced and come out with solutions for the same. They share their views with each other and chart out an action plan to attain a common goal.

  • Inquiry/Action Research

    This approach is quite familiar to all and it involves teachers selecting any issue of their interest, exploring it, researching it, and finally coming out with possible solutions or remedies. After charting out possible solutions, it is implemented to see if it actually addresses the issue and solves the problem and the outcomes are reflected upon. If not, alternative solutions are planned and tested again and this continues till the problem gets an actual solution. The entire process is documented step by step as done in scientific research.

  • Mentoring

    This includes the assistance and guidance given to the newly recruited teachers in schools or institutions by the experienced and elderly teachers of those workplaces. The newly appointed teachers are given guidance and support in all academic and administrative responsibilities they are entrusted with in the school or workplace.

4. Self-directed Teacher Professional Development Approach

Here teachers determine their own professional development goals and accordingly decide on activities and works that will help them achieve their goals and this may be in the formal or informal mode. It depends on each individual as different people have different priorities and interests. What one teacher might find useful and essential for his professional development need not be the same for another one. This is because each one has different abilities, interests, strengths, and weaknesses. As the name indicates, this professional development is initiated within the self and it includes activities like writing and publishing research papers or articles, doing action research, attending online courses, seminars, conferences, or workshops on areas of interest, observing classes of other colleagues or experts, reading journals and books, taking up minor or major research projects, attending faculty development programmes or short-term courses, and so on. In this kind of approach, the responsibility for professional development lies completely on the teachers. Teachers themselves work on their areas of interest and come out with plans and actions for meeting their goals. This would, therefore, be a little difficult for novice teachers and for those who are not much skilled or who have not attained mastery yet. Initiating professional development from within calls for a lot of motivation and will-power from oneself and hence this approach goes well with only those teachers who have motivation and passion.

Types of In-service Programmes in India for Enhancing Professionalism Among Teachers

There are different types of in-service programmes through which teachers enhance and update their teaching–learning skills and professionalism.

  • Refresher Courses

    Refresher courses are educational courses for specific subjects. These courses are for teachers of a specific subject to help them gain deeper insight into their subjects, gain subject mastery, and get updated with the latest trends like the latest technological software and applications that can be used for effective teaching and learning of their subjects. It exclusively deals with the specific subjects of teachers that they have specialised in. It helps them refresh the concepts and theories that they have studied, update them and gain deeper insight into the pedagogy of teaching their subjects. It also keeps them abreast of the progress in the theories, teaching methods, and assessment methods. It gives them a platform to meet teachers from other institutions, interact and share experiences and learn collaboratively.

  • Orientation Programmes

    Orientation programmes are mainly intended for teachers who are newly recruited. The programme intends to brief teachers on the profession of teaching, the outcomes to be achieved, the ethics to be followed, overall personality development, and their major roles apart from that of a teacher like a curriculum developer, administrator, counsellor, leader, psychologist, philosopher, sociologist, environmentalist, guide, etc. It is about developing the basic competencies and skills essential for a teacher in enhancing professionalism. Such courses give teachers an opportunity to mingle with teachers from various disciplines and other parts of the state and country and share experiences with them. They get to listen to talks from experts from various fields like psychology, philosophy, sociology, physical education, special education, environmental education, life skills, communication skills, and so on.

  • Workshops

    Workshops are interactive training sessions where teachers are able to practice what they have learnt. It gives hands-on training and practice to teachers. Practical problems faced by teachers in their classrooms and institutions are taken up in workshops and deliberated upon. It can be related to classroom management, teaching methods, assessment methods, teaching resources, ICT integration, and so on. Solutions are discussed and tried out along with it. Rather than listening to lectures or presentations, a workshop gives an opportunity for practical activities. Teachers are completely involved in those activities and get hands-on experience for the same. Some training sessions and activities are carried out in groups and some are done individually. Since workshops deal with practical work and hands-on experience, the number of participants is limited, unlike seminars and conferences. Involving in training and activities gives teachers direct experience in learning and thus helps enhance their professionalism.

  • Seminars/Conferences

    Here a group of educationists and academicians come together for sharing ideas, discussions, and reflections on selected themes. They provide platforms for teachers for interacting with experts and colleagues from other places working in the same area. Each person gets a chance to express his views and that is followed by discussion. It gives an opportunity to listen to diverse views and innovative and creative ideas and thereby enhance their critical and reflective thinking skills. While attending seminars and conferences, teachers get an opportunity to put forth the issues or challenges they face with respect to the selected theme and get appropriate solutions for the same. It helps them gain deeper knowledge and subject mastery and also get updated with the latest trends and practices in their fields thereby enhancing their professionalism.

Points to Consider While Designing In-service Teacher Education Programmes

For enhancing professionalism among teachers, we need to focus on the quality of in-service teacher education programmes being offered to our teachers. It is not about the quantity or number of programmes they attend but it is about the richness and worth of such programmes that should matter the most. Therefore, in-service teacher education programmes need to be designed with utmost care and concern.

Following are a few major points to be taken care of while designing in-service teacher education programmes for enhancing professionalism among teachers:

  • Involvement of all Stakeholders

    In-service programmes should be designed with the partnership of government, national, state, and district-level institutions, agencies, and organisations involved in teacher education programmes. In fact, it should involve all stakeholders in the process starting from the topmost level to the grass root level in the field. The views, ideas, and recommendations of all these people need to be taken into consideration if we need to enhance the quality of in-service programmes.

  • Based on Existing Policies/Programmes and Successful Models

    It should be developed based on the existing policies and programmes of teacher education in the country. It should be monitored and revised accordingly as per the changing trends, reforms, and policies of teacher education. Also, while planning such programmes, it would be advisable to go through such successful models and programmes of other countries and draw ideas from the same. It may be contextualised as per the needs of the local environment, state, and country.

  • Needs Assessment

    The programmes should be developed after conducting needs assessment and finding out the priorities of teachers. Instead of a group of higher officials determining the aims and objectives of the programme and designing the programme or course, it is always best to reach out to the target group and conduct a survey and find out what they want. The needs and requirements of the teachers and students should be found out, and accordingly, the programmes may be designed. This will serve the very purpose of in-service training and help enhance professionalism among teachers.

  • Scope for Sharing and Interaction

    In-service training programmes must provide ample scope for sharing the experiences of communities of teachers among themselves to build a stronger shared professional basis of individual experiences and ideas. There must be ample scope for interaction between teachers because it is only through collaboration that one can get to know about others' views and experiences and learn from each other. Specific sessions should be allotted for the same under the supervision of experts who will act as moderators for the interactive sessions. This will help teachers reflect on their strengths as well as weaknesses and help build or transform them in a better way.

  • Well Defined Aims

    Programmes must have well-defined aims and a clear picture of how the strategies of the programme are going to achieve these aims. The entire team involved in designing the programme should sit together and plan accordingly. The involvement of all stakeholders is necessary because it is essential to have each stakeholder’s views and suggestions for charting out plans to achieve the expected outcomes. The say of every individual connected with the teacher education programme starting from the top to the grass root level is very well required for achieving the aims of such programmes. All resource persons need to be involved and they should be given an opportunity for collaboration among themselves apart from interacting with other stakeholders. Programmes should also include a plan for post-programme support and include training/orientation of support staff in the same.

  • Relevance

    The aims and outcomes of the programmes must be relevant to the group of teachers concerned. It should give a sound explanation to the teachers regarding the need for such a programme and why they should attend it and it should not be taken up by a teacher just for the sake of promotion or career advancement. The teachers should be given opportunities to select the programmes as per their own choice depending on their needs, especially for those programmes that are of long duration and which seek to impact practices. One programme cannot fit all. Hence, teachers should be given opportunities to select the programmes that seem relevant to them. It should help teachers apply what they learn to their classroom teaching and make the best out of it.

  • Promote Reflective Thinking

    The teachers should be able to relate to the content of the programmes from their own experience. They must also get opportunities to reflect on these experiences. So the programmes must have ample scope for promoting reflective thinking among teachers. Activities and training sessions can be developed based on this so as to make teachers reflect on their thoughts and experiences and find out where and what they lack and what and how it can be improved.

  • Follow Adult-Oriented Models

    Adult-oriented models of active learning, which combine theoretical and practical knowledge acquisition, skill demonstration, and hands-on, learning-by-doing, are most effective in facilitating professional learning for adult teachers.

  • Emphasise Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in Designing Programme Content

    In-service training programmes should give due importance to the content being taught. It should focus in-depth on the subject content and help teachers gain a deeper understanding of their specific content. Only if teachers understand their subjects thoroughly and comprehend them properly will they be able to teach and assess students effectively. Planning, preparing lesson plans, and choosing the appropriate instructional strategies and assessment methods depend on teachers’ mastery of their subjects. Pedagogical content knowledge is very crucial for facilitating learning. In-service programmes should, therefore, provide teachers with platforms wherein they can strengthen their knowledge in the subject matters of their curriculum. It should also make teachers well versed in the language of instruction so as to make teachers proficient in the language they use while teaching. The programmes should also make teachers adept at preparing teaching materials using low-cost materials or using local resources that are available in their schools, home, and community.

  • Evaluation and Follow-Up

    To maintain the quality of a programme, it is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of the in-service education programme and do a proper follow-up. The effectiveness of the programme needs to be evaluated in terms of whether the participants achieved the expected outcomes. This can be through formal and informal assessments during the programme. Apart from that, feedback from participants should be taken and this would help in knowing about the positive points as well as drawbacks of the programme. Based on these, a proper follow-up should be done. The training institutions should keep a database of each training programme based on the following questions:

    • Did participants acquire the expected knowledge and skills?

    • Were the speakers resourceful and effective?

    • Were the learning materials and content useful, relevant and practically applicable?

    • Could teachers relate the taught matters to their actual classroom teaching?

    • Was the environment conducive to learning?

    • Was collegiality, collaboration, and exchange of ideas fostered?

    • Did the programme pave the way for developing intrinsic motivation in teachers for carrying out continuous professional development?

    • To what extent follow-up has been carried out based on the evaluation and feedback obtained?

    • Whether the teachers who attended the training have been assessed in terms of their improvement in practices at their workplace/school? If yes, what are the empirical observations?

Code of Professional Ethics for Teachers

Increased awareness and the observance of professional ethics governing the teaching profession is very essential to ensure professionalism among teachers. Therefore, all educational institutions should evolve a suitable mechanism for ensuring that teachers follow these ethics. The Code of Professional Ethics for teachers gives a framework of principles that will help teachers discharge their obligations towards students, parents, colleagues, and the community, which is discussed below:

  1. (a)

    Obligation towards students

    The teacher should be impartial and should not discriminate against them based on caste, creed, gender, religion, language, economic status, disability or place of birth. They should treat all students with love and affection and respect the child and facilitate their physical, social, intellectual, emotional, and moral development. Teachers should help students reach their actual potential or talent. Transaction of curriculum should be in conformity with the values enshrined in the Constitution of India and teaching should cater to individual needs of students. Teachers should maintain confidentiality regarding information concerning students and should not subject any child to fear, stress, anxiety, physical punishment, sexual abuse, and emotional and mental harassment. They should maintain dignity in their behaviour and profession and be role models to the students.

  2. (b)

    Obligation towards Parents, Community, and Society

    Teachers should establish a relationship of trust with the parents/ guardians and not do anything derogatory to the respect of the child or his parents or guardians. They should develop students' respect for the composite culture of India and give their country top priority in mind and avoid activities that spread feelings of hatred or enmity among different communities, religions, or linguistic groups.

  3. (c)

    Obligation towards Profession and Colleagues

    Teachers should work for their continuous professional development and create a work culture that promotes purposeful collaboration and dialogue among their colleagues as well as stakeholders. They should not take private tuitions and not accept gifts or favours that might influence their professional decisions or actions. Teachers should not make false allegations against their colleagues or higher authorities and also not indulge in making derogatory comments about their colleagues in the presence of students, parents, other teachers or authorities. They should respect the views and opinions of their colleagues and maintain confidentiality of information concerning colleagues unless specifically authorised and necessary to disclose. Finally, a teacher should take pride in his/her profession and treat all members of the teaching profession with respect and dignity.

Other Important Factors Affecting Teacher Professional Development

Online Professional Development Opportunities

The National Education Policy (NEP 2020) has stressed the use of technology platforms like SWAYAM/DIKSHA for online training of teachers. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) will help in providing cost-effective high-quality standardised training programmes to large numbers of teachers within a short span of time. In November 2018, the Ministry of Education launched the Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT), a key and exclusive initiative towards the online professional development of higher education faculty using the MOOCs platform SWAYAM. SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) is a Government of India initiative that has been designed to accomplish the three cardinal principles of Education Policy which are access, equity, and quality. The institutions should encourage and pave the way for teachers to take up such online modes of professional development programmes because it saves a lot of time and energy. It is very flexible and teachers can attend it during their free time, thereby not having to compromise much with their teaching schedules and family responsibilities. They can attend it at their own workplaces or homes and this is a great advantage for everyone, especially the women faculty.

Working Conditions and Environment

Only when teachers have good working conditions and a democratic environment will they be happy and satisfied and in turn be able to give their best and get motivated to develop professionally. Job satisfaction is very much associated with one’s performance and professional development. Rigid working environments with stringent rules will have a negative impact on their self-esteem and confidence and never allow them to develop professionally. Teachers should therefore be given freedom of work and the freedom to carry out professional development activities and attend in-service training programmes. The academic and non-academic work assigned to teachers should be balanced. Overloading them with these works will also hinder their professional development because of the lack of sufficient time to carry out their professional development activities. They should also be given rewards, recognition, and monetary benefits and allowances for undergoing professional development activities which will motivate them further.

Promoting Use of ICT

Technology plays a very important role in enhancing professionalism among teachers. ICT provides teachers with a lot of opportunities and scope for updating and sharing knowledge. It helps them explore quality teaching materials, teaching strategies, assessment methods, projects, research works, and educational articles from across the globe. It also helps them in effective curriculum transactions and assessments.

Life Skills Education Programme

Teachers should be made to undergo life skills education programmes so that they can balance their emotions, develop social skills, and maintain good mental health. Professionalism as discussed above depends on one’s personal qualities and characteristics. Thus, for enhancing professionalism, teachers need to be mentally strong and emotionally balanced social beings. This is because a person who has all teaching competencies and excellent subject knowledge can never become a professional unless he is mentally strong, happy, and satisfied, and this can be achieved through inculcating life skills in teachers. Life skills education programme helps develop empathy which is very much needed in teachers while dealing with students. It will help develop in them the ability to solve problems and make apt decisions which again is very important in the teaching field. Imparting life skills will also develop the ability of teachers to cope with the stresses they face both at the personal and professional levels. Life skills education will also enhance communication skills and improve interpersonal relationships. Creative and critical thinking will also be developed through life skills education. It can, therefore, be seen that life skills education helps in the overall development (mental, emotional, and social development) of teachers.

Agencies Engaged in Strengthening In-service Teacher Education in India

  • National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE)

The National Council for Teacher Education is a statutory body that came into existence in pursuance of the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 (No. 73 of 1993) on 17th August 1995. The main objective of the NCTE is to achieve planned and coordinated development of the teacher education system throughout the country, the regulation and proper maintenance of Norms and Standards in the teacher education system, and for matters connected therewith. The mandate given to the NCTE is very broad and covers the whole gamut of teacher education programmes including research and training of persons for equipping them to teach at pre-primary, primary, secondary, and senior secondary stages in schools, and non-formal education, part-time education, adult education, and distance (correspondence) education courses.

The major functions of NCTE include:

  • Conducting surveys and studies on various areas and subjects in the field of teacher education and publishing the findings and results.

  • Giving suggestions to the Central and State Governments, Universities, University Grants Commission, and recognised institutions on various plans and programmes to be carried out in the field of teacher education.

  • Co-ordinate and systematically review the process of teacher education and its development in our country.

  • Stating the guidelines to be followed while recruiting teachers in schools or recognised institutions which includes laying down the minimum qualifications and other criteria needed for a person to be employed as a teacher.

  • Stating the standard norms needed for specific categories of courses or training in teacher education. The minimum eligibility criteria for admission to these courses, the procedure through which candidates have to be selected along with the duration of the course, contents of the course, and the mode of the curriculum are given by NCTE.

  • Giving guidelines to recognised institutions for starting new courses or training programmes in teacher education including guidelines on the physical infrastructure, instructional facilities, staffing pattern, and qualification of staff;

  • Lay down standards in respect of examinations leading to teacher education qualifications, criteria for admission to such examinations, and schemes of courses or training;

  • Giving guidelines to the institutions with regard to the tuition fees and other fees to be charged to students.

  • Endorse and carry out innovations and creative and fruitful research in different areas of teacher education and disseminate the results.

  • Examine and review periodically the implementation of the norms, guidelines, and standards laid down by the Council, and suitably advise the recognised institution;

  • Develop appropriate performance appraisal system, standard norms, and methods for administering accountability on recognised institutions;

  • Frame schemes for various levels of teacher education and identify recognised institutions and set up new institutions for teacher development programmes;

  • Take stringent steps to stop and control commercialisation of teacher education; and

  • To execute such other functions as may be assigned by the Central Government.

  • National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)

In 1961, the Government of India established the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) as an autonomous organisation to assist and advise the governments at the Centre and in States in the implementation of their policies for education, especially to bring about qualitative changes in school education and teacher preparation. Over the years, the Council has evolved into a unique organisation, with its increasing range of activities that have influenced school education in India. The Department of Teacher Education of NCERT works towards the betterment of teacher education in India in various ways. The department publishes reading materials, books, and journals in this area. One of the biggest contributions of the department towards teacher education in the present times is the development of Performance Indicators (PINDICS) for Teachers' Self-Assessment, which is being used in all states and UTs of India. It not only helps teachers in his or her self-assessment relating to teaching behaviours and skills, but it may also be used as the reference point by the teachers to understand and follow them to bring improvement in their teaching career and hone their required professional skills.

  • State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT)

Under the centrally sponsored scheme, the SCERTs are to provide more focused leadership and support to educational endeavours in states, as state partner institutions with NCERT. The SCERTs are expected to organise in-service education and extension programmes for all categories of educational personnel. Their other functions include the development of curriculum, instructional material, textbooks, and supplementary materials as well as undertaking research programme, guidance, support, and assistance to the state department of education functioning as state resource institution to provide academic support at all stages of education; coordination of all academic matters relating to school education and to maintain appropriate linkages with other educational organisations; supervision and support to the district and sub-district level institutions.

  • National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA)

The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, is a premier organisation dealing with capacity building and research in planning and management of education not only in India, but also in South Asia. The major objectives of NIEPA are:

  • organising pre-service and in-service training programmes specifically in the field of educational planning and administration and associated disciplines.

  • To take on, support, endorse, and organise research in different aspects of educational planning and administration including comparative studies in planning techniques and administrative procedures in different States of India and across the world.

  • To offer academic and professional guidance to the various institutions, organisations, and people involved in educational planning and administration;

  • To prepare, print, and publish papers, periodicals, and books, especially to bring out a Journal on Educational Planning and Administration;

  • To organise training, conferences, workshops, meetings, seminars, and briefing sessions for educational personnel of the Central and State Governments and Union Territories;

  • To offer, on request, consultancy service to Governments, including State Governments, educational institutions, and institutions/organisations in India and abroad.

  • To organise orientation and training programmes and refresher courses for teacher-educators and for University and College Administrators engaged in educational planning and administration;

  • To organise orientation programmes, seminars, and discussion groups for persons including legislators in the field of educational planning and administration at the level of policy making in Central and State Governments;

  • University Grants Commission-HRDC

The University Grants Commission was formally established in November 1956 as a statutory body of the Government of India through an Act of the Indian Parliament. It was set up with the major intention of coordinating, setting up, and maintenance of the standards of university education in India. The University Grants Commission has been making vigorous efforts to promote the competency and proficiency of faculties in higher education institutions. It has been providing many programmes for faculties in order to upgrade their knowledge and skills and thereby develop them professionally. For this purpose, the UGC has established a network of Human Resource Development Centre (HRDCs) across the country. UGC funds these HRDCs for organising Orientation/Induction Programmes, Refresher Courses, Workshops, and FDPs (Faculty Development Programmes) for in-service training of faculty members. The major objectives of HRDCs are:

  • Conduct orientation programmes and refresher courses.

  • Identify suitable experts and resource persons from different fields of specialisation for taking sessions/classes in the orientation programmes and refresher courses.

  • Develop repositories with relevant documents, quality reference materials, and resources essential for the faculty attending the courses.

  • Produce specially designed material required for the effective execution of the programmes.

  • Organise, monitor, and evaluate the programmes.

  • Promote and develop the desire among faculty to develop professionally and improve themselves in their respective disciplines.

  • Conducting orientation programmes for senior administrators, deans, heads of departments, principals, and other stakeholders to make them aware of the significance of appropriate modification of the management systems at various levels to bring reform in the higher education sector.

  • Provide opportunities to faculty for interacting with other colleagues from various institutions and share their experiences and engage in mutual learning.

  • Provide a platform for working faculty to keep themselves abreast of the latest advancements in different disciplines and in the field of education.

  • Provide opportunities to widen their knowledge and take up research studies and projects in their respective disciplines and thus contribute to the pool of knowledge in the society.

  • Introduction to innovative teaching–learning methods and strategies in higher education so as to help the faculty come up with their own creative and innovative methods for teaching in higher education.

  • Bring out publications that are relevant for enhancing the teaching and research competencies of faculty.

  • Conduct capability enhancement programmes for non-academic staff so as to strengthen the teaching–learning environment.

  • District Institute of Education and Training (DIET)

The objective of establishing a DIET in each district under the centrally sponsored scheme was to improve the quality of elementary teacher education through innovative pre-service and in-service education. The vision of a DIET as planned under the scheme is to restructure and reorganise elementary teacher education to make it more responsive, and to realise the universalisation of elementary education. Major objectives include training and orientation of elementary school teachers (pre-service and in-service), Headmasters, Heads of School Complexes and officers of the Education Department up to Block level, Instructors and supervisors of non-formal and adult education, members of the Village Education Committee, Community leaders, and people who want to act as volunteers in educational activities. It also provides training and orientation to resource persons who conduct programmes for the target groups mentioned above. It assists the teachers through the Block Resource Centers and Cluster Resource Centers in taking up action research and finding out alternative solutions to the classroom issues and challenges faced by them. It also serves as a centre for disseminating educational research and innovations at the district level. There is a need to strengthen DIETs all over the country so that these may fulfil the objectives with more vigorous pre-service and in-service training for which these were established.

Summary

The teaching profession is a very noble profession but it also has a great responsibility on its shoulders because it plays a crucial role in building productive and responsible citizens for the country. Quality of teaching is dependent on the quality of teachers involved, and therefore, it is essential to give comprehensive and quality training to teachers. Pre-service teacher training prepares and equips student teachers with the essential subject knowledge and teaching skills that are needed to enter into the profession of teaching. It acts as the essential qualification for them to mark their first step in the field of teaching. However, once they get into service, it becomes more important to keep updating oneself about the changes and advancements taking place in their relevant disciplines as well as in the teaching strategies and assessment methods. Teachers have to keep moving along with the fast changing and growing knowledge society; only then will they be able to do justice to the students and society.

In-service teacher training plays a pivotal role in developing diligent and dedicated teachers. The professional needs of the in-service teachers require to be addressed with utmost care and seriousness. The programmes offered for this purpose should be designed and developed for making teachers true professionals in the field of teaching and research and should provide them with the scope for self-improvement. Only through continuous professional development can teachers improve their quality which in turn will be reflected in the quality of teaching. Therefore, it is high time that in-service teacher training be given the utmost importance. More research and projects should be promoted in the field of teacher education in order to find out the issues and challenges faced in the field of in-service teacher training so as to find appropriate solutions for the same. The Government can set up separate research centres for the same and thereby keep a database of the findings for future reference. The central government, the state government, and other national agencies working for strengthening teacher education in the country can help in the process by designing and implementing quality in-service teacher training programmes, continuous monitoring of the same in terms of the outcomes being achieved, and collecting frequent feedback from teachers. Rigorous and strenuous efforts from all stakeholders in the field of teacher education will definitely help in improving its quality thereby leading to professional enhancement among working teachers.