[Kerala University English Teacher
Educator’s Forum - KUETEF]
The NCTE Curriculum
Framework-1998 took stock of the context
and concerns of teacher education
ranging from ‘constitutional goals’ to
‘commitment and performance in
teacher education’; it emphasized the
symbiotic relationship between
pre-service and in-service teacher education and recommended updated curricula
for teacher education for various levels
of school education from the primary stage to the senior secondary stage-for
academic and vocational streams.
Envisaging teacher preparation for alternative systems, special education and physical
education, the 1998 Framework emphasized
pedagogical analysis and the sue of context-based, specific transaction strategies...
The University Grants Commission
has the mandate to promote excellence in the higher education sector including the academic and
the professional. In the context of Education, its task is more comprehensive
than that of other regulatory bodies. It looks after and supports excellence in
the discipline of Education in its liberal – academic, as well as professional endeavours. “Not to swim is to
fall back” is a worthwhile and pragmatic approach to the task of curriculum
updating. At any point of time, curriculum updating has to take stock of the
changes and challenges that emerge because of developments in various sectors
of our national life as well as on the international scenario.
[1.0.
Preamble, Updating Curricula in
Education. Model -UGC]
MEd. Curriculum Meeting
held on 04 October 2013
Prof. A. Teresa Susan,
Head, Department of Education, Dean Faculty of Education and Chairman Board of
Studies in Education, PG, convened a meeting
to review the MEd. Curriculum on 04 October in the
Department of Education.
Prof. Susan had expressed her concern at the material already evolved thorough previous meetings and wanted the newly invited experts which
included myself, to suggest essential
modifications. Copies of syllabuses
already prepared were distributed to the members present for
whetting.
Many members
present had sought clarification regarding
the Course Structure which appeared to be slightly unclear. Accordingly, one
of the members present, Dr. Asha who
is currently serving as the Hon. Director, Curriculum Development
Centre, gave the following clarification:
The Choice-based Credit
and Semester (CBCS) in not operational
in the University now. Instead only
a Credit and Semester System (CSS) is now being
implemented. For the PG programme the
duration-content- evaluation
would be as stated below:
* Each semester would
comprise 110 working days.
* The two semesters would
thus comprise 220 working days.
* The MEd. Course would comprise Core Papers,
Compulsory Electives and a large number
of electives.
* Each paper
carries four Credit
* With regard to the
ratio for Internal and External assessment
the one now being followed is:
Institution External Ass. Internal Ass.
Department of Ed. 60 40
Colleges 70 30
During the ensuing
discussions, several observations were made and
the experts in different fields
were directed to incorporate them in
the papers prescribed for study at the MEd. level. A few important recommendations made by the
participants include the following:
* All the
papers prescribed for study should
not be merely an extension of the newly
revised BEd. curriculum of the University of Kerala. Focus should be on
inclusion of advanced theoretical
knowledge.
* Basically all the
Papers should focus on
research and should make
specific mention of ways of
developing an ability for research in
the students.
* The content prescribed should be
current and on completion of the course the
student should be capable of developing
those qualities a Teacher Educator ought to possess. In this connection, the following observation made regarding approaches to
developing Course Content by the UGC
mentioned below is significant:
The post graduate programme
(M.Ed.) must prepare specialists in all aspects of school education who can man
the various professional slots in the system like teaching, headship, inspection, planning and
management. The curriculum must include action research exercises pertaining
not only for the classroom level but also all the possible higher level.
[3.3. MA in Education- Professional Studies in Education- Model-
UGC]
* The papers prescribed
should definitely address both Methodology and Pedagogy.
* Mention should be made in each papers regarding essential
field experience. Practice in
BEd. classrooms may be included.
*There is an urgent need
to develop in the students a proper learning culture and an ability to become independent learners.
* A
techno-pedagogic approach has not yet been included
in the pedagogic strategies
already mentioned viz-
face-to-face instruction, Discussions, Seminar Presentations, Practicums and
Dissertation.
* The techno-based approach
should focus on the following:
-Content delivery including
communication of content
-Content Collection
from different sources
-Content sharing including
the conference mode
-Content evaluation
* A four phased approach
should form the backbone of the
entire MEd. Curriculum. That is, it should
focus on
-Teaching
-Learning
-Design( of materials
for transaction of content
by the participants of the course)
-Research
* It is worth
considering the idea of making
Educational Technology a
compulsory paper for the MEd course.
* The entire curriculum should
try to address the
‘employability’ issue. This means
not just
sensitizing the participants to the issue but developing in them an
ability to identify ways of addressing
issues related to employability while
transacting the secondary school curriculum.
* New electives
on Life Skills, Educational Management, Leadership
and Entrepreneurship should be
incorporated. Papers can also be suggested to be completed as Self Study by the students.
* There is a need to
introduce papers focussing
on Inter-disciplinary Study.
* Special emphasis need to be given to sensitizing the participants to ways of nurturing Multiple Intelligence while transacting different
subjects prescribed for study at the school level.
* Making students compulsorily do an
Online course [offered through MOOC] as
part of Practicum it was observed, would not only help participants familiarize with the new concept but also update themselves with the emerging ways of teaching and learning.
* Though the
Technology Lab is not properly functioning, participants of the
MEd. programme need to be given hands on experience. If
necessary the resources and
services of the Finishing School
set up by the Government of Kerala,
could be sought by the
University.
*There is an urgent need to sensitize
participants to ways of conducting research Online and through the use of specially
designed tools such as Google Docs and SSPS.
* The weightage now being given to assignments and Seminars
have to be reduced.
Dr.C. Praveen
Secretary, KUETEF
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