Facilitation Panditization

8/9/2019 Facilitation Panditization

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FACILITATION-PEDANTICIZATION AND BACK TO FACILITATION: A QUEST FOR TEACHER

TRAINING IN NEPAL

Teacher Training an Introduction

Teachers are vital. It is assumed that teachers play an important role in moulding and shaping the

attitudes, habits, manners and above all, the character and personality of the students. It is important that

teachers of the twenty-first century are able to use a range of pedagogical skills which fit their purposes.

The point is that they will need not only to acquire these skills but, more importantly, to exercise

pedagogical judgment- what Donald Schon calls reflection in action and Van Manen, more accurately,

terms pedagogical tact (Van Manen, 1995 Cited in Day, 1997). Therefore, it is a useful bifurcation for it

implies that there are different purposes and orientations which result in different kinds of professional

development. Teacher at all levels of the education system should be respected and adequately

remunerated, have access to training and ongoing professional development and support, including

through open and distance learning, and be able to participate, locally and nationally, in decisions

affecting their professional lives and teaching environment. Teacher must also accept their professional

responsibilities and be accountable to both learners and communities.

Two scholars (Buckey & Caple, 1995) have defined training as a planned and systematic effort to

modify or develop knowledge/skills/attitude through learning experiences to achieve effective

performance in an activity or range of activities. Its purpose, in the work situation, is to enable an

individual to acquire abilities in order that he or she can perform adequately a given task or job. A process

and a series of activities which aim at enabling on individual to assimilate and develop knowledge, skills

values and understanding that are not simply related to a narrow field of activity but allow a broad range

of problems to be defined, analysed and solved (ibid).

Frank and Morgerison (1978) emphasized that (cited in Buckley & Caple, 1995) training

interventions place emphasis on solving organizational problems as well as or developing individual

skills. Training also [affects] an organization's culture in a more indirect way through the management of

individual and group training. Therefore, it is a planned and systematic effort to modify or develop

knowledge/ skill (attitude through learning experience to achieve effective performance in an activity or

range of activities. Its purpose, in the work situation, is to enable an individual to acquire abilities in order

that he or she can perform adequately a given task or job.

Two models of human resource development currently exist: in-service training and pre-service

training. In the first, experienced professionals are provided with additional training. In turn, they reshape

existing programmes by drawing on their new knowledge, previous expertise, and understanding of


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national and local systems. In pre-service training, concepts, principles, and methodologies are provided

during initial training (Tilbury, n. d.). Due to the cost of replacing teachers during in-service training, pre-

service training is generally more cost effective than retraining educators and administrators. For initial

success, both in-service and pre-service programmes are necessary.

Depending on the outcomes desired, teachers have to be trained accordingly, whilst benefiting

from in-service programmes as well as other incentives of opportunity which put a premium on the

achievement of these outcomes (UNESCO, 1992, P. 81cited in Iredale, 1996). In-service training is

accepted as an effective method of increasing the knowledge, skills and positive beliefs of teachers. It is a

process used to continue the teacher's education once they have received their certification in teaching and

are employed in a professional position (Locke, 1984 cited in Bayrakcu, 2009). Improving ever, aspect of

the quality of education, and ensuring their excellence so that the recognized and measurable learning

outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.

In-service Teacher Education (INSET) is intended to provide intensive learning over a limited

period and, although it may be jointly planned, it usually has a designated leader(s) whose role in not only

to facilitate but also actively to stimulate learning. Where it is timed to fit the needs of teachers in relation

to their phase of experience, career development, demands of the system, lifelong learning cycle or

system needs, it is likely to succeed in accelerating growth, whether that growth is additive (taking

knowledge, skill, understanding forward a step) or transformative (resulting in major changes in beliefs,

knowledge, skills or understanding (Day 1999, p. 131).

In-service was voluntary (Australia); was not coordinated (Denmark, Italy, Spain), was not

conceptualize (Belgium, France, Netherlands) or was top-down, short-course dominated (Portugal, United

Kingdom). In America, in-service relies upon individual's self-motivation and commitment to career and

advancement (Hawley and Hawley, 1998). In Japan the priority is on collegial and collaborative

development where the role of peers is influential in INSET which is based upon networking (Shimahara,

1997 cited in Day, 1999, p. 132). Whilst many countries move towards school-based INSET (Day: 1999,

P. 132). INSET effects are most likely to be sustained when they can be adapted to and supported by local

classroom and school context (Mc Laughlin, 1993) (cited in Thomas 1996, p. 132). Teachers present at

INSET events must (as cited from Developing teacher, p. 137) (i) acquire the intended knowledge, skill

and attitudes, (ii) incorporate them into practice, (iii) in ways which influence students' learning and

achievement and (iv) possibly influences other teacher in their school (Eraut, Pennycuick and Radnor,

1987).


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Teacher Education in Nepal

A principal factor that affects the student's achievement is the quality of teaching. Teaching quality

depends upon the kind of teachers having adequate academic preparation, pedagogical skills, professional

commitment and motivation. In most developing countries, perspective teachers are reported to be holder

of lower academic background and poor academic accomplishment (Bhandari 2005, p. 52). Motivated

teachers can yield high productivity. In Contrary, poor motivated has positively correlated with teacher

absenteeism, indifferent classroom practices and early departure from profession leading to negative

impact on teacher's ability to teach.

Nepal's history of teacher education goes back to the establishment of College of Education in

1956. Before it the Normal Schools were conducted for in-service teacher training. In 1971 the

government of Nepal introduced a revolutionary step in education system of Nepal. The introduction of

the National System Education Plan (NESP) (1971-76) made it mandatory that all teachers whether

prospective or in-service need to undergo with the required period of training. This policy was very much

concerned about the teaching quality of Nepal. Many teachers joined training programs. The teacher

training program such as Intermediate in Education (I. Ed.) and Bachelor in Education (B. Ed.) were

much popularized and this continued in the same spirit until the mid-term review of NESP in 1974-75.

Then the process became slow until 1980.

In 1978 Radio Education Teacher Training Project was launched in Nepal by USAID. By then

College of Education had already started teacher training through distance mode. The discussions were

made to integrate both programs and run teacher education through radio plus self learning materials. In

the beginning it was decided that the radio teacher in-service program for primary school teachers would

be led by the College of Education. Unfortunately the decision was diverted and Institute of Education

was deprived of conduction the in-service teacher education programs (Wagle 2007, pp. 167-177). From

that time until today the in-service teacher education programs are run by the Ministry of Education. Now

the Ministry of Education is conducting in-service teacher training programs for the teachers of secondary

and lower secondary level along with primary level through its wing National Centre for Educational

Development (NCED).

Nepal's history regarding teacher training is not so long. Teacher training is considered as one of

the most crucial components in ensuring effective classroom teaching and learning. Basic teacher training

was initiated in 1948. The formal training of prospective teachers started after the establishment of

College of Education in 1956. Teacher training is one of the highly recognized and financed programs of

the government. In the past, different projects came with different names to support the teacher training.


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Seti Project, PEP, BPEP I, BPEP II and TEP are the examples of such Projects. TEP is running under

NCED. Teacher training became on the the component of all implemented project. Since 1992, a big

amount of money has come for primary education and its big chunk has been invested in teacher training.

To address the international commitment on quality education, the government of Nepal launched

Teacher Education Project (TEP), it is implemented by National Centre for Educational Development

(NCED). Under the TEP, the NCED is implementing primary teacher training at a massive scale through

Extensive Training Network (ETN). It has been conducting Primary Teacher Training programme (PTTP)

for the last 12 years. The primary teacher-training programme is often months and segmented into

different phases (NCED, 2063). The result of the teacher training endeavor in Nepal seems satisfactory in

quantitative. The percentage of fully trained teachers in all types of schools is 67.1 per cent at primary

level. 54.4 per cent at lower secondary level and 71.3 per cent at secondary level respectively (DoE,

2008). This statistics shows the success of teacher training interventions.

Nepal's teaching force is criticized for its performance. A scholar argued that Nepal's teaching

workforce has been criticized for its poor quality of instructional delivery on one hand and its uneasy

access to existing teacher education facilities on the other (Kafle, 2007; p. 99). There are different causes

that responsible for poor quality of teacher's performance. One and only one factor is not responsible

behind this phenomenon. One of the scholars argues that there is a gap between content and intent of the

teacher- training curriculum and teacher training endeavors producing under-trained teacher at large.

These could be among several factors for training of the teacher not having any significant impact on the

achievement level of the students (Singh 2063, [2006]; p. 76). Discussions made above are the factors

which have strong causal relationship with poor quality of teaching. Those aforementioned factors can be

improved with implementation of appropriate teacher training system, is a central points of this discussion

paper.

Teacher education has to do a whole range of different jobs: to enable teachers to develop the

potential of their pupils; to serve as role models; to help transform education and through it society; to

encourage self confidence and creativity. At the same time, many educators often hope that student

teachers will develop appropriate, and where necessary changed, attitudes to their job. In order to meet

these hopes, teacher education is likely include four elements: improving the general educational

background of the trainee teachers; increasing their knowledge and understanding of the subjects they are

to teach; pedagogy and understanding of children and learning; and the development of practical skills

and competences.


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The training of teachers starts with the training of primary school teachers back in 1947. Since

then there have been ups and downs in the development of teacher education in the country. In service

teacher training in Nepal advent as a project based not a regular programme. Teacher training programs in

Nepal has specially focused on Primary level. Some training programs are implemented for Secondary

and Lower Secondary level teachers. It has a fairly long history yet it is still grounded. Nepal has not

sustainable training policy. Sometimes questions were even raised about the justification of its continued

existence, yet still are dragging on. In the past it had done pioneer works for the development of the

country's education. It heralded the advent of broad-based modern education in Nepal (Shrestha, 1977:1)

and it gave a spark (Shrestha, 1982a: 102) of modern education. Its growth can be characterized in three

stages as making a start, diversifying programs and shrinking of the programs.

Fullar as cited in Sharma (2005) reviewed 60 studies related with effectiveness in third world and

found that school factors have significant relation with achievement teacher's education and their affect

the achievement. It follows that in preparing an individual to perform a specific task more effectively;

training can contribute to the organization achieving its current objectives. It also plays a more long-term

strategic role either directly or indirectly.

A numbers of programs are emerging in the teacher training arena for the development of

professionalism in teachers. Mentoring is taken one of the new programs in teacher training. This is one

of the prominent procedures needed for newly appointed teachers. Mentoring programs pair novice

teachers with outstanding experienced teachers who can explain school policies and practices, share

methods and materials, and help solve problems. Mentors may also guide the professional growth of new

teachers by promoting reflection and fostering the norms of collaboration and shared inquiry (Feiman-

Nemser & Parker, 1992 cited in Sharma, 2009; p. 177). In Nepal mentoring program is not included in

teacher training curriculum. In most education systems, traditional in-service training activities are

considered to be general rather than specific: they focus on listening rather than doing; they lack effective

models; and they generally do not have any provision for feedback. Therefore, these activities are

perceived as a fixed training program transferred to trainees by lectures (Borg, Kallanback, Kelley &

Langer, 1970; Ozdemir, 1997 cited in Ibid).

The idea of more democratic, student-centered approached, in which teacher facilitates the

educational activities with students. Such an approaches stresses the importance of learner autonomy and

responsibility for the learning process, and attributes greater value to the learner's experience and

knowledge in the classroom (Knowles, 1970, p. 44; 1984, p. 10 cited in O' Dwyer, 2006). Since the writer

of this paper not only the Instructors of Educational Teacher Training Centre and has work as School


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Supervisor for six years, could not got opportunity to observe the classroom activity as Knowles

recommended. Therefore one can concludes that Nepal's not only teacher training classroom but also the

classrooms of school are not providing opportunity for learner autonomy and responsibility for learning

process. Learner-centered education methods and criticisms of teaching authority have a long history in

education thought. Throughout this history, a commonly stressed theme has been the capacity of the

students as an inquirer and self-directed learner, rather than a passive recipient of knowledge.

Teachers generally consider that in-service training activities are planned with insufficient

relevance to particular classroom practices. In addition, follow-up communication and guidance is

inadequate to foster the integration of the new ideas and methods into daily instruction (Sapp, 1996 cited

in Reimers, 2003). It is said that the running in-service teacher training curriculum is competency based

(MoES, n. d.). The presenter of this paper is one of the instructors of teacher training centre and is

engaging in the delivery of the teacher training. There is only 220 hours (16.66 %) out of 1320 hours for

field experience (Ibid). Therefore the existing primary teacher training curriculum is heavily focused on

content rather than field work. Based on the discussion above Nepal's teacher training intervention is not

free from the issues related to its different aspects. Some of the issues are discuss below:

Issue of Apprenticeships: Training activities in the educational sector emphasize practice in a

number of ways. Normally, the focus of Japan's teacher training lies in using apprenticeships. Regarding

teacher's role in Japan a dynamic approach is followed in the sense that the trainers move in schools and

schools in order to update their skills in consonance with the changes in the knowledge world which

essentially spread through the realities of work. These practices are equally relevant in the training of

teachers. Essentially, the practice needs to be made effective with the application of new skills and

knowledge. The emphasis of this argument is that teacher preparation and professional development need

to be intimately tied to practice which is lacking in Nepal's teacher training program.

Issue of Performance Evaluation of Teachers after they have trained: One of the important

concerns in teacher professional development is the performance evaluation of teachers after they have

been trained. There is not debate in the recommendation that teacher evaluation need to be strongly based

on performance standards. It should be conducted on an ongoing basis. The focus of such evaluation

should be directed to ensure continuous improvement of teachers' performance in the light of their content

knowledge and pedagogical skills.

Issue of mixed match training curriculum:Nature and characteristics of teachers play role in

teacher Education (TE). It is universally accepted that teachers differ in numerous respects, for examples

age, sex, experience, expertise, educational background etc (Anderson, 1995 Cited in Poudel 2005, p. 89).


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Teachers need different kind of competencies. It is said that Nepal's running primary teacher training is

competency based (NCED,..) curriculum. The competencies of teacher depend upon the training and

experiences they have in teaching profession. They have to attend to the training program according to

their needs and expertise. Different theories has also suggested on developing professional knowledge

and competence. For example, Eraut (1994) has described Dreyfus model of skills acquisition. This

model has suggested that 5 levels of essential for skills acquisition. They are: Novice, advanced beginner,

competent, proficient and expert. From this model, it can be argue that to be an expert is more complex

task and need high level of training. But in Nepal, the teacher training curriculum is not differentiated as

the level of teachers. All the teachers whether they are novice or expert, attend to the same training

curriculum.

Issue of weak reflection of teacher training in classroom: In-service training is accepted as an

effective method of increasing the knowledge, skills and positive beliefs of teachers. It is a process used

to continue the teacher's education once they have received their certification in teaching and are

employed in a professional position (Locke, 1984 cited in Bayrakcu, 2009).

A school can be made effective through In-service Teacher Training (INSET). Although there are

several ways of making a school effective, INSET is prominent one, some of the components of INSET to

be considered during delivery of the program are developing professionalism, visioning of successful

school, delivery of effective teaching methods and skills of preparing local and no-cost teaching

materials. When a teacher backs to his/her schools from INSET she/he has to try to apply knowledge and

skills gained from the training in her/his practical field. But the empirical knowledge shows that teachers

who are trained from 10 months training program does not eager to use the knowledge and skills they

gained from training program. Peoples blamed that the training situation and classroom situation is

different. The training curriculum is not according to the local context and as well as teachers' need.

Issue of dilemma between the clearing backlog of untrained in-service teachers and quality of

teacher:Nepal's teacher education is dilemma between clearing the backlog of untrained in-service

teachers and quality of teacher education. Although there have been attempts to reform teacher education

in the past 2 decades Nepal is still following the academic tradition for the pre-service teacher and social

efficiency for the in-service one (Wagle, 2007). The pre-service teacher education programmes are

basically the degree oriented programs which are offered by the universities with a lot of contents in

several disciplines plus education units. Moreover, 10 month training course has been practice for the pre-

service ones for those who wants to join the teaching force without going for a degree programme.


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It is said that the running in-service teacher training curriculum is competency based (MoES, n.

d.). The presenter of this paper is one of the instructors of teacher training centre and is engaging in the

delivery of the teacher training. There is only 220 hours (16.66 %) out of 1320 hours for field experience

(Ibid). Therefore the existing primary teacher training curriculum is heavily focused on content rather

than field work. In the teaching practicum teachers are solely responsible for preparation and instruction

of a freshman level course (Saville, 2004). During the practicum the participants of teacher training teach

their own course, meeting frequently with a faculty advisor to discuss problems, course content, exam

construction, and other teaching issues (Davis & Huss, 2002 Cited in Ibid). Such experiences help them to

increase confidence and prepare them for future classroom endeavors. But in the primary teacher

training curriculum of Nepal, there is a provision of practicum one week in first

phase and four week in the third phase. The time allocated for classroom teaching

is very little. They do not get sufficient support from instructors and from the

teachers of coordinating schools.

Issue of contextualization: Most of the curriculum used in teacher education these days is the

reflections of western culture whether they are content or pedagogy (Wagle, 2007). Nepal is different

from western culture and also the schooling tradition. The composition of classroom in terms of students

is also different from the westerners. So, the westernized content and pedagogy has not helped much in

using the training skills in the classroom context. Similarly, the infrastructure and socio-cultural

environment of training centre is totally different from the classroom of Nepalese school. Another

problem with teacher education is the skill transferred to the teacher or perspective teachers are not that

applicable in rural contexts where the resources are below bare minimum. Thus designing teacher

education suitable to the local context has been highly desired.

Issue of to and fro from unnecessary to mandatory of teacher training: Before implementation of

NESP (1971-76), training was not compulsory for teacher. The introduction of the NESP made it

mandatory that all teachers whether prospective or in-service need to undergo with the required period of

training. The teachers who were not trained joined training programs. The I. Ed. and B. Ed. programs

were popularized and this continued in the same spirit until the mid-term review of NESP in 1074-75.

Then the process became slow until 1980. The mandatory law of teacher training was crash landed in

implementation (Wagle, 2007). Considering the importance of quality teachers, the High Level Task

Force (2001) recommended the government to make training and teaching license mandatory for every

teacher. The recommendation was translated in the 7th amendment of Education Act nicely. The

organizations of teachers started to protest against the license provision and the government could not

resist the pressure of the teacher organizations and decided to distribute the license to all the working


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teachers without conducting any examinations for the purpose. This decision became the cause for

dismissing the necessity of training to get the license. Females, peoples with disabilities were also

benefited to be license holder without attending teacher training programs. The government allowed to all

the temporary teachers to become permanent in 2006 regardless of their training status and licensing. This

all was done by the Education Ordinance 2006. Now the provision of training is necessary to become

teacher. There is no guaranty that this mandatory provision of training to become teacher would dismiss.

In this way, the training provision in Nepal to and fro from unnecessary to mandatory.

Issue of balancing between qualification, gender, and experience: The teacher training program

needs to match the needs and circumstances of the teacher. One size will not fit to all. In particular, in

designing a teacher training program, the training designer need to take account of educational back

ground of teacher, gender of teacher, and experience of teacher. Educational background of teacher in

Nepal is different between rural and urban and level of school.

The proportion of Janajati teachers at primary, lower secondary and secondary levels are 22.9

percent, 10.9 percent and 7.2 percent respectively. Similarly, the overall percentage of female teacher is

27 percent in all levels of community schools (DOE, 2008) and experience as teachers are not same. The

teaching force in Nepal is scattered so that there are logistical problems to be overcome in providing in-

service courses. The balance between the different elements in teacher education is likely to affect the

content of programs for them (Perraton, Creed and Robinson, 2002). The parents are attracting to private

schools because they emphasis on the technology, as well as on the importance of education to help their

offspring can compete in global markets, on social transformation on technology, as well as on

developing individual capacity. This picture demand the new curriculum and changing role of teacher.

For this curriculum of teacher training should fit the demand. There is a great challenge to prepare and

apply the teacher training curriculum as required by the demand of teachers. Perraton (2001) is on the

pipeline of this view. Perraton (2001) argues that in different places we have got economics, social

transformation, personal development, religion, technology, ethics, and a shift in the teacher's role, all

among the aims of teacher education (cited in Perraton et al.. 2002). Nepal need to think how to balance

between the elements of the curriculum for the particular teacher, taking account of teacher's own

background education, the balance between pre-service and in-service education, the realistic

expectations that will help the progress of curriculum reform but can be achieved with the support,

interest and goodwill of teachers. The planner of the teacher training program needs to consider methods

that will fit both the aims of the curriculum and the circumstances of the learners. This in turn is likely to

mean the use of a variety of different approaches.


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Issue of Relevancy of Teacher Training and its curriculum: Findings of several studies are not in

the favour of teacher training endeavors in Nepal. A study carried out by CERID showed that transfer of

training was not visible, whole class etching in majority of class, head master observed lack of

instructional materials and reluctant teachers as problems (CERID, 2002). Similarly, a study conducted

by Full Bright Consultancy which comments upon the curricular content of the training program. It found

that the primary teacher training curriculum does not address the diversification (different working

conditions, available resources and environment) of the country (DoE, 2006). The findings of these two

studies raise the question on the relevancy of teacher training curriculum. Some research revealed that

there is no difference between trained and untrained teachers in terms of performance and achievement of

students. In Nepali the achievement of students taught by trained teachers was almost equal to that of

students taught by untrained teachers. In the Terai, it was even greater in the cause of students taught by

untrained teachers (CERID, 1990).

Theoretical Discussion on the Issues of Nepalese Teacher Training

According to the theory of Cognitive Constructivist Jean Piaget (1972) the the students must be given

opportunities to construct knowledge through their own experiences. They cannot be told by the teacher.

Since the trainee teachers are adult students, the classroom should be filled with interesting things to

explore encourages teachers to become active constructors of their own knowledge (their own schemas)

through experiences that encourage assimilation and accommodation (http://web.psych.ualberta.ca). The

two key Pagetian principles for teaching and learning i. e. learning is an active process and learning

should be whole, authentic, and real which is lacking in Nepalese teacher training endeavors. In a

Piagetian classroom, students must be given opportunities to construct knowledge through their own

experiences. There is less emphasis on directly teaching specific skills and more emphasis on learning in

a meaningful context. Technology, particularly multimedia, offers a vast array of such opportunities.

Technology enables constructivist learning (Martinez, 2009). With technology support such as videodisks

and CD-ROMs, teachers can provide a learning environment that helps expand the conceptual and

experiential background of the teacher. After the decade of 80s much of the educational software created

based on behavioural principles, much of the new multimedia educational software is based on

constructivist theories. Technology provides essential tools with which to accomplish the goals of a

constructivist classroom.

Whether technology should be used in schools is no longer the issue in education. Instead, the

current emphasis is ensuring that technology is used effectively to create new opportunities for learning

and to promote student achievement (Rodriguez, 2000). Educational technology is not transformative on


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its own. It requires the assistance of educators who can use technology into teacher education and it

should be incorporated into the curriculum, align it with student learning goals, and use it for engaged

learning activities. Darling-Hammond and Berry (1998) note that teacher quality is the factor that matters

most for student learning (cited in Rodriguez, 2000). Therefore, professional development for teachers

becomes the key issue in using technology to improve the quality of learning in the classroom. A study

carried out by CERID (1992) finds that both teachers and students favored instituting IT course as a

separate subject in Nepal but the same study reports that only limited number of teacher education

courses found incorporated with required media materials and methods. Such kind of inadequate course in

educational technology could not develop the professional development on teacher. Lack of professional

development for technology use is one of the most serious obstacles to fully integrating technology into

curriculum (Fatemi, 1999 cited in Rodriguez, 2000). As we know that constructivist learning

environments are characterized by learning by doing, experimentation, authentic work, student agency,

serendipity, reflection, collaboration, and community expertise (ibid). Technology enables constructivist

learning, it requires substantially more technical and intellectual fluency from a teacher. This makes the

professional development challenges more substantial. The primary barrier to effective technology use in

schools is the result of insufficient professional development goes unquestioned and has become a myth

used to excuse the lack of progress. Lack of professional development for technology use is one of the

most serious obstacles to fully integrating technology into the curriculum (Fatemi, 1999 cited in ibid). In

a 2003 study of teachers in the Chicago Public Schools, a large majority of teachers confirmed that lack

of professional development was not a great barrier to technology use (CCSR, 2003). But traditional sit-

and -get training sessions have not been effective in making teachers comfortable with using technology

or adept at integrating it into their lesson plans. Instead, a well-planned, ongoing professional

development program that is tied to the school's curriculum is crucial and deemed essential (CERID,

1992). To reach the goal of preparing teachers for effective technology use, a well-designed professional

development program is essential.

I engaged in Educational Training Centre (ETC) as an instructor about ten years. I found there is

lack of constructivist learning environment. Constructive learning environment (Harvey, 1993; Papert,

1992; Stager, 2005) that are characterized by learning by doing, experimentation, authentic work, student

agency, serendipity, reflection, collaboration, and community expertise (cited in Martinez 2009). The

constructivist approach to teaching and learning is based on combination of a subset of research within

cognitive psychology and subset of research within social psychology, just as behavior modification

techniques are based on operant conditioning theory within behavioral psychology. The basic premise is

that an individual learner must actively build knowledge and skill (Bruner, 1990) and that information

exists within these built constructs rather than in the external environment. Teacher training curriculum


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seems prepared on constructivist approach. The activities incorporated in the curriculum such as action

research, project work, practicum and various activities in the training sessions are the examples of this

approach but the real class room situation and environment of the teacher training centre, this is my

firsthand experienced as an Instructor, is not according to the intention of curriculum. The activities are

still one way communication (Feire, ) based on jug and mug theory ().

As I experienced that there is no such environment that is distinguished by intellectual challenge,

wonder, social interaction, and teacher engagement. In the teacher training centre the Instructors use the

educational technology for presentation of their lessons but teacher are deprived from using the

technology that available in the training centers. Effective use of technology is essential in Nepalese

teacher training programmes. In United States of America students in the classroom roles as software

designers (Harel, 1991; Kafai, 1995 cited in Martinez 2009). There are ways that students can teach peers,

teachers, and other members of their generation to share their experience and facility with technology,

schools can create in class professional development opportunities for teachers, support teachers as they

use technology in the classroom, and provide better technological support to teachers in the classroom.

The constructivist approach should considering in the teacher training sessions that there are

variety of principles from operant conditioning and information processing learning theories. For

example, when mediating a teacher's learning it is certainly appropriate to teach s specific skill using

direct instruction, observe their practicing the skill, and providing corrective feedback. The training

sessions could be start with a curriculum that can be taught step-by-step in an inductive manner or to start

with the teacher's knowledge and understanding and help the teacher fill in gaps necessary to solve a

situation-specific problem as suggests by the constructivists.

Nepal's teacher training is designed in three phases and has a definite curriculum in each phase.

There is training manual, self learning materials for trainee teachers, and trainers guide. The training

delivery is based on the fixed methodology; it structured in every aspect. The second phase of the teacher

training is in distance mode which is the longest as compared to first and third phase. Interaction between

instructor and teacher is lacking in this phase. Similarly the used of multimedia is not effective in this

phase. Research shows that the distance mode teacher is not effective in Nepal. One of the elements

responsible for low reflection in the classroom could be due to the lack of constructivism environment of

teacher training classroom.

Structured curriculum, evaluation system and ignorance of individual need, background,

qualification, working experience and demand all are in opposition to cognitive constructivism

approaches learning. Because cognitive constructivism approaches learning and knowing from the


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perspective of the individual (http://education.indiana.edu). Derrida (--) suggests that the means to a

method of teaching, and this only, would be wrong, for there are no directives to educational practice

prescribed, no rules imposed upon the right to a freedom-of-thinking or responsively, and no apriority of

absolute truths to be found as could suffice to constitute the operational basis of an deal model or mode of

instruction (Trifonas, 2003). In the sense of Dorrida's view no fixed methods of instruction and training

curriculum is necessary for teacher training. Because the need and demand of the trainee teachers could

not be same and the academic qualification and work experience are not same. Keeping these realities in

mind the method of instruction and teacher training curriculum should be reconstructed. The existing

strategies, approaches, modalities and curriculum could not fulfill the demand and need of entire teachers

therefore the training method, curriculum and approaches should be deconstruct and should be replaced

by new that fits to the realities of the context.

As we discussed above, Nepal's teaching force is not same but it is diversed in various

characteristics such as age, gender, ethnic heritage, physical abilities and disabilities, caste, work

experience and sexual orientation as Moorhead and Griffin (2005) define work force diversity. In a

diverse workforce, managers are compelled to organize and handle the similarities and differences that

exist among the people in the organizations (Ibid). But the curriculum of Nepalese teacher training

curriculum is based on the assessment of the worth of one group (Loden & Rosener 1991 cited in

Moorhead & Griffin 2005). They call it prejudices. The curriculum of Nepalese teacher training could not

identify how the social environment affects teacher's beliefs about teaching and it could not develop

confidence and self-esteem in members of diverse teaching force. It is stereotype because it could not fit

as per demand of individuals engaged in teaching job. Therefore the prospective teachers do not value the

teacher training. Loden and Rosener (1991) argue that prejudice and stereotype fail to recognize

employee's distinctive individual talents, a situation which often leads these employees to lose self-esteem

and possibly have lower levels of job satisfaction and performance. It can be become self-esteem

prophecies (Ibid). Therefore, the curriculum of Nepalese teacher training programme should be re-

organized as per demand of individual teacher that can address the diversity of workforce.

The scenario presented by different research reports and literature pedanticized Nepalese teacher

education. NCED claims that 96.4 percent of Nepalese teachers are trained and its the research report

that conducted by NCED in 1996 finds that in actual delivery of lessons, trained teachers were more

skilful than the untrained especially in matters such as stating objectives, clarifying new terms/concepts,

demonstrating new concepts by the use of instructional aides, using a variety of teaching methods,

covering the planned lessons within time, allocating students for more practice, encouraging for students

participation etc (NCED, 1996). Similarly, NCED highlights that in general teachers knowledgeable


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about pedagogy learned in the training program (NCED, 1999). It further shows that their performance in

applying it in teaching was not up to the expected level (Ibid).

As I am one of the Instructors of Teacher Training Centre I always go to observe the teaching

learning activities of trained teacher. I could not satisfy from the performance of the teachers those who

were trained from teacher training centres. Teachers who are trained with ten months teacher training

programmes should able to use the the five basic qualities among trained teachers: using proper teaching

methods, constructing and using local teaching materials, using curriculum and text books in teaching,

using improved assessment techniques and positive attitude towards teaching. But I found that few

number of teachers are applying the skills and knowledge that thy learned from training programmes. But

the study conducted by CERID shows that students taught by the trained teachers achieved even less than

students taught by untrained teachers (CERID, 1990). Similarly, another study finds that both the trained

and untrained teachers did equally well in classroom management and raising learners' level of motivation

(NCED, 1996). Kyriacou (1997) identifies two simple elements to effective teaching as the teacher must

have a clear idea of what learning is to be fostered and the teacher sets up and provides a learning

experience which achieves this (p. 5). Similarly, the writer sees three key tasks of teacher education

which are as follow:

to help teachers build up their knowledge and understanding of effective teaching,

to help teachers to develop the key skills involved in classroom teaching,

to help teachers to critically reflect upon and evaluate their own teaching

In connection to this theoretical assumption the teacher training practices in Nepal seems to be

not contributing toward this notion. If the teacher trainings do not contributing in building effective

teachers then the concerning peoples rise the question on the curriculum, delivery process and the attitude

of teachers towards training. I try to explore the performance of prospective teachers on these five aspects

of teaching learning activities but I found the teacher were in lower performance. Therefore, one can

argues that effectiveness of Nepalese teacher education is pendanticized which is proves by the studies

conducted by CERID () and NECD ( ). The following two findings of study conducted by CERID supportthe pendanticization of Nepalese teacher education. Trained teachers of public schools are not using their

training skills in classroom instruction (CERID, 1998) and only limited number of teacher education

courses found incorporated with required media materials and methods (CERID, 1992).

I try to analyze the teacher training curriculum of primary level of Nepal. To analyze the

curriculum I review the content of curriculum and discussed with some of the trained teachers who has


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participated in the training program last year. I found that all the content and activities are pre-designed

from the National Centre for Educational Development (NCED). There is no opportunity to choose the

content and activities from teacher side. Based on discussion with some participant of Teacher Training

Centre of Tanahun I found that the contents are detached from their reality. According to them they need

to acknowledge how to handle crowed class and how to conduct the teaching learning activities in their

school's environment but the situation of training centre is totally different from their situation.

Discussing with them I came in conclusion the content and activities that are in ivory tower isolation.

This leads me conclude that the primary teacher training curriculum and training activities are base on the

banking concept of Paulo Freire (1993). Freire maintains that in the banking concept the contents,

whether values or empirical dimensions of reality tend in the process of being narrated to become lifeless

and petrified and education is suffering from narration sickness (Freire, 1993 p. 52). He further argues

banking education maintains and even stimulates the contradiction through the teacher chooses the

program content, and the student (who were not consulted) adapt to it and he enforces his choice, and the

students comply (p. 54). Seeing from Freire's eyes the training system de-humanized Nepalese teacher

that results shaping the teacher accepting the passive role imposed on them, the more they tend simply to

adapt to the world as it is and to the fragmented view of the reality deposited in them. One of the scholar

Chitrakar (1992) mentions, in his Ph. D. proposal, that teachers belong to oppressed group and submerged

in a culture of silence (p. ). The de-humanizing and oppressive nature that develops in the perspective

teachers reflects in the classroom of the schools. It helps to minimize or annul the student's creative power

and to stimulate their credulity serves the interests of the oppressors, who care neither to have the world

revealed nor to see it transformed (Ibid). In being humans we not only limit our consciousness in knowing

our reality and the world but also we become involved in actions so as to change the world into place

where we want to live as more fully humans. For Freire only this kind of knowing is an authentic

knowing which is achieved through praxis. Even for the world, which we speak in a dialogical encounter

with others, to be authentic it is required that it be a praxis (Freire, 1983). Therefore the teacher should be

liberated from the banking concept for it the curriculum of teacher training and activities that performs in

the training sessions should be changed. For it Freire suggests to abandon the goal of the deposit-making

and replace it with the posing of the problems of human beings in their relation with the world. He further

adds knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient

continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, and with each other.

Similarly, in connection to Freire (1993) I believe that curriculum could not promote the critical

awareness to the teacher because there is lack of critical approaches to education i. e. critical pedagogy

that represent a shift of emphasis from concrete political change to the critical awareness that would make

progressive political transformation possible. I found that the teacher training curriculum is silence about


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the relationship between education and political. Henry Giroux and Peter McLaren (1989) explain that

critical educational theory begins with the assumption that school are essential sites for organizing

knowledge, power, and desire in the service of extending individual capacities and social possibilities

(cited in Endres, 2001). Education is not neutral or detached from society it carries class characteristics.

Louis Althusser (1972) sees education as Ideological State Apparatus which transmit ruling class

ideology thereby creating false class consciousness which largely maintains the subject class in its

subordinate position (Haralambos, 2006). Critical approaches in education open possibilities through

critique, analysis, and problem-posing by raising the kinds of questions that reveal the cultural and

political dimensions of knowledge, critical pedagogues hope to empower and liberate students by

changing their consciousness of power in the current society and opening new possibilities for active

participation. In my opinion the teacher who are not able to apply critical approaches in teaching learning

activities could not opening the possibilities to the students and cannot empower and cannot promote

consciousness of power in the society. Therefore I came in conclusion that Nepal's primary level's teacher

training curriculum is failure in Faire's (1993) perspective of critical pedagogy.

In line to this situation I agree with Derrida's (..) concept of deconstruction. Deconstruction is a

Dorrridean term. Khadka (2008) argues that deconstruction is changed form of existing situation, where

people change their beliefs. It is the term that has been used to describe Derrida's method. It has two

mutually exclusive (and contradictory) meanings: to destroy/construct. Deconstruction does intuitively

sound like a form of destruction, of taking apart, perhaps, of undoing some construction. In giving an

account of his use of the word deconstruction Derrieda gives the following explanation:

"The undoing, decomposing, and disedimenting of structures, in a certain sense

more historical than the structuralist movement it called into question, was not a

negative operation. Rather than destroying it was also necessary to understand how

and ensemble was constituted and to reconstruct it to this end."

So deconstruction names something rather more powerful than simply undoing. It is the

conditions upon which it is possible for things to change. In line with Derrida, the teacher training

curriculum of Nepal should be deconstructed. Necessity of deconstruction of Nepalese teacher training in

various aspects such as deconstruction in curriculum, deconstruction in teacher training modality,

deconstruction in centralized policy of teacher training, and deconstruction in the academic qualification

of teacher trainer. In deconstruction of curriculum the content should be altered according to the context,

need of teachers, and incorporating modern teacher training technology. Similarly, in the deconstruction

of modality of teacher training should be face to face and school based incorporating apprenticeship


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approach and shifting from in-service to pre-service. Deconstruction of authority of teacher training

should be shift from Ministry of Education to Faculty of Education. Furthermore, in the process of

deconstruction of content of teacher training curriculum it should be incorporated sociological theory and

critical pedagogy.

Conclusion

Teachers are important for playing important role in moulding and shaping the attitudes, habits,

manners and the characteristics of students. Teachers are one of the determinants of quality education.

Quality of teacher depends upon on the endeavors that prepare teacher as professional one. Teacher

training is one of the means for professional development. The extent and the quality of determines the

skills and knowledge that teacher acquires. Training as a planed and systematic effort to develop

knowledge, skills and attitude through learning experiences to achieve effective performance in an

activity or range of activities in the working situation. It also helps to solve the organizational problems as

well as or developing individual skills. The two model of teacher training that is in-service training and

pre-service trainings are running simultaneously in Nepal. In-service training is necessary for novice

teacher. The contribution of pre-service training cannot be tolerated. In-service training is accepted as an

effective method of increasing the knowledge, skills and positive beliefs of teachers. It is a process used

to continue the teacher's education once they have received their certification in teaching and are

employed in a professional position. The duration of in-service teacher training is not similar to all

countries. Nepal's teacher training program is starts from Normal schools and now it is the responsibility

of National Centre for Educational Development. Nepal's legal provision on teacher training is not fixed.

Sometime it is mandatory and some time it is unnecessary. The quantity aspect of teacher training

endeavor is satisfactory in Nepal but the quality aspect is always under criticism. The logic behind it is

that of the performance of trained teacher. This is due to the weak mentoring and classroom practices and

teachers' qualification as well. There is room for to improve in the teacher training.


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MISHRA Bishnu Prasad

Master in Philosophy

Tribhuvan University

Faculty of Education

e-mail: [email protected]

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