Page 254 - DEDU505_TEACHER_EDUCATION_ENGLISH

Teacher Education

Notes the phenomena of teaching means arriving at a conceptual framework of relationships with
regard to teaching, explaining the nature and extent of relationships among the variables and
controlling the effect of certain variables related to teaching on certain other variables. Prediction
would then give a comprehensive understanding of the phenomena. Explaining relationships
among variables in teacher education is important. There is a relationship among variables is
one thing but explaining why they have a relationship is another. Thus it is essential to know the
forces that influence the relationships and at the same time understand the underlying
unobservable processes acting on theses relationships. Controlling variables in a network of
relationships among variables operating in teacher education is essential. It is highly difficult to
study the dynamics of a variable in isolation. For example Performance of a teacher trainee in
practice teaching may depend on several factors such as mental make-up, personality, language
fluency, communication skills, training received, experience, motivation, the grade level of
students taught, subject matter and classroom conditions. The researcher wishes to study how the
new method of training the teacher affects the performance of teacher trainees in practice teaching
he/she probably has to control many of the variables listed above. Other wise the researcher will
not be able to reach a precise conclusion about the effectiveness of the training.
Transforming the Educational Phenomenon means incorporating changes in the phenomena as it
exists because of some dissatisfaction with it. In order to improve it. This is true of teacher
education too. When there is dissatisfaction with the existing practices in teacher education changes
may be required in the structure as well as the processes of teacher education. Research provides
necessary ground for any changes to take place because changes based on research are sound and
effective.

27.2 Scope of Research in Teacher Education
The system of Teacher Education has several sub-systems. Inputs include the goals of Teacher
Education, characteristics of the teacher educators, characteristics of the students teachers, and
infrastructural facilities.
Processes include the classroom interactions among teacher educators, student teachers and pupils.
Interactions consist simulated learning experiences in order to provide learning of various skills
such as teaching and evaluation.
Outputs are the immediate outcomes as well as delayed outcomes. Immediate outcomes include
the gaining of theoretical knowledge, acquisition of the required skills and attitudes. Delayed
outcomes are the retention of the theoretical knowledge, skills, attitude and developing teacher
effectiveness. Research Methodologies adopted are mainly descriptive surveys, experimental
studies, developmental studies, as well as relational studies. Action research is also conducted by
teacher educators to improve classroom practices. Descriptive surveys are used to procure data in
teacher education or describe the characteristics of teacher education. Experimental studies are
conducted mainly to study the effect of intervention strategies or training programmes. Relational
studies try to study relationships between the input and process, process and output, or input,
process and output. Developmental studies put forth the historical developments in teacher education
in order to explain the status of teacher education at a particular time or changes over a period in
one or more sub systems of teacher education. This gives a systemic view of the temporal dimensions
of teacher education.
Self Assessment
1. Fill in the blanks
(i) The system of ................ has several sub systems.
(ii) ........... include the classroom interactions among teacher educators, student teachers and
pupils.
(iii) ........................ is also conducted by teacher educators to improve classroom practices.
(iv) ....................... adopted are mainly ................... discriptive serveys, experimental studies and
relational studies.

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