Indian StreamsResearch Journal Volume 2, Issue. 6, July 2012 ISSN:-2230-7850 Available online at www.isrj.net ORIGINAL ARTICLE National Curriculum Framework (NCF) For Teacher E d u c a t i o n G i r d h a r l a l S h a r remuneration and conditions of work.com A b s t r a c t : The Right to Education Act has come into being making it mandatory for the state to provide free and compulsory education to almost 20 crore children in the 6-14 age group till class 8. The Right to Education Act mandates a schedule for the functioning of schools. This would increase the demand for qualified elementary school teachers many times. which includes a teacher: student ratio of 1:30 till a student population of 200 students at the Primary Stage. The country has to address the need of supplying well qualified and professionally trained teachers in larger numbers in the coming years. teacher's academic and professional education.m a R e s e a r c h S c h o l a r CMJ UNIVERSITY. The NCF 2005 places different demands and expectations on the teacher. Teacher quality is a function of several factors: teacher's status. . The teacher education system through its initial and continuing professional development program expects to ensure adequate supply of professionally competent teachers to run the nation's schools. which need to be addressed by both initial and continuing teacher education. SHILONG (MEGHALYA) Email : girdharsharma07@gma il. I N T R O D U C T I O N India has made considerable progress in school education since independence with reference to overall literacy. 2005. The NCF 2005 places Please cite this Article as : Girdhar lal Sharma . which includes a teacher: student ratio of 1:30 till a student population of 200 students at the Primary Stage. 2008 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for School Education. Two major developments in the recent years form the background to the present reform in teacher education . 2012) . 2002 which has led to the Right to Education Bill. The country has to address the need of supplying well qualified and professionally trained teachers in larger numbers in the coming years. The Bill has since been passed by the Parliament and the Right to Education Act has come into being making it mandatory for the state to provide free and compulsory education to almost 20 crore children in the 6-14 age group till class 8. National Curriculum Framework (NCF) For Teacher Education : Indian Streams Research Journal (June .the political recognition of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) as a legitimate demand and the state commitment towards UEE in the form of 86 Amendment. The Right to Education Act mandates a schedule for the functioning of schools. infrastructure and universal access and enrolment in schools. This would increase the demand for qualified elementary school teachers many times. •Pedagogical knowledge has to constantly undergo adaptation to meet the needs of diverse contexts through critical reflection by the teacher on his/her practice •Teacher education is a continuum . •It also appreciates diversity in learning styles that children exhibit and the learning contexts in which teachers have to function. •It acknowledges the diversity of learning spaces and curriculum sites apart from the classroom. . •Teacher education is not a prescriptive endeavor. •The concern is to make teacher education liberal. remuneration and conditions of work. •Concerned with integrating theory with practice by providing appropriate weightage for theory and practice. •A shift towards constructivist insights as well as critical pedagogy. OBJECTIVES / SALIENT FEATURES OF NATIONAL CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHER EDUCATION. The teacher education system through its initial and continuing professional development program is expected to ensure adequate supply of professionally competent teachers to run the nation's schools. which is both contextual. teacher's academic and professional education. It should be open and flexible. and in tune with the emerging concerns and imperatives of the fast changing canvas of education both nationally and globally. which need to be addressed by both initial and continuing teacher education. Teacher quality is a function of several factors: teacher's status. 2009. There is an emphasis on changing context. It highlights an integrative and eclectic approach to teacher education. NCTE undertook a major exercise of developing a new National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education. in-service teacher education and continuing professional development of the teachers are inseparable part of this continuum.National Curriculum Framework (NCF) For Teacher Education 2 different demands and expectations on the teacher.Pre-service teacher education. humanistic and responsive to the demands of inclusive education. reflection on practices. analysis. story telling. •Both qualitative and quantitative evaluation and assessment procedures are highlighted. Adequate rationale worked out for suggested duration of the program by taking into consideration time matrix/time on task details. •Highlights the processes of education and training such as observation. comprehensive learning. educational testing and language learning laboratories. •Needs to make functional all laboratories related to teacher preparation such as IT laboratory. •Move towards a longer duration course (4/5 years after +2 schooling or 2 years after a bachelor's degree. selflearning. linking practices to concepts. critical enquiry. etc. The role of language as a medium and tool of communication assumes great importance. •Emp hasis on teach er as a refle ctive pract ition er. •Collaborative evaluation as one of the evaluation mechanisms may be conceptualized by making student teacher an important partner in the process of evaluation.•Need for enhancing language competence and communication skills – language cuts across the entire curriculum. •Identified broad areas of evaluation/ assessment indicator of each area and criteria for each indicator. educational technology. •Four modern teaching approaches such as constructivism. contextual pedagogy and ICT integration needs to be highlighted. T H E O U T C O M E S E X P E C T . SCERT. •Stakeholders will be oriented with new demands of NCFTE. Based on the exercises NCTE intends to develop model curricula. JP .E D A road map has been identified highlighting how curriculum framework will be implemented for teacher education program at various levels. · ·~ ~j . would recognize their teacher education programs by reformulating their curriculum and syllabus. etc. As a follow-up. •Teaching-learning materials and the learning sites will be redesigned. IASE/CTE/DIET. NCTE has already initiated a status study on existing syllabi of teacher education programs at various levels. •University Education Departments. •Faculty of teacher training institutions will acquire new skills in pedagogy and evaluation in order to address the demands of new NCFTE. •Teacher educators and teachers will look for continuous professional development. syllabi and textual materials for teacher education programs at different levels. •States and universities have to come forward to initiate reformulation of curriculum. C H A L L E N G E S IN I M P L E M E N T A TI O N •Copies of model syllabus and textual materials will be sent to universities. SCERTs. •Universities/States have to switch over to long duration programs. State Governments with a request to initiate the process of revision of textual materials in their universities/SCERT/States following adaptation of NCFTE (2009). UGC will also be requested to send directions to universities in this regard. .National Curriculum Framework (NCF) For Teacher Education 3 •Mass orientation of teachers and teacher educators on various aspects of NCFTE(2009) such as : o Evaluation of developing teachers o Formulation of innovative teacher education programs o Study on impact of new curriculum/syllabus at state-level. • D e a r t h o f a v a i l a b i l i t y o f t e a c h e r e d u c a t o r s . • I . •Need to formulate a policy for programs of continuous professional development of teachers linked to their career advancement. •Problems of transaction of curriculum/syllabus of English Language in different types of school such as (i) English medium private/government aided elite schools (ii) new English medium private schools where both English and other Indian languages are used (iii) government aided regional medium schools and (iv) government owned regional medium schools including schools run by district municipal education authorities. m p a c t e v a l u a t i o n a n d f e e d b a c k • M o n i t o r i n g o f i m p l e m e n t a t i o n . community. caste. linguistic and regional variation.Bring into the TE curriculum and discourse trainees' own assumptions about children and beliefs about knowledge and processes of learning 3. methods and materials and the sociocultural context in which the school functions – and the role of the teacher. class. The teacher educator should share the underlying educational philosophy and possess the needed understanding and professional competencies to develop desired behaviors in his/ her charges (trainees). 1.View learning as a search for meaning out of personal experiences and knowledge generation as a continuously evolving process of reflective learning 9.Engage teachers with children in real contexts than teach them about children through theories 2. HOW TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES THE ROLE OF TEACHER EDUCATORS The profile and role of teacher educator are to be conceived primarily with reference to the philosophy and principles that govern the various aspects of school education – aims of education.learning and personal experience 10.Engage with theory along with field experiences to help trainees to view knowledge not as external to the learner but as something that is actively constructed during learning 6.Focus on the developmental aspects of children with constant reference to the socio-economic and cultural contexts of children 5. syllabi and textbooks 11. poverty.Change perception of child as a receiver of knowledge and encourage its capacity to construct knowledge C O . equity and justice 4.Provide opportunities to the student teacher to critically examine curriculum. View knowledge not as an external reality embedded in textbooks but as constructed in the shared context of teaching .educators in translating educational intents into practical action.Provide opportunity for trainees for reflection and independent study without packing the training schedule with teacher directed activities 7. curriculum.o f N C F T E .Help teachers to reflect upon their own positions in society – gender.Integrate academic knowledge and professional learning into a meaningful whole 8. N C L U S I O N The locus of the functions of teacher educators lies in the role perceptions of teachers with regard to educational objectives. practices and processes of the school. · ·~ ~j . JP .