A RELATION OF JUSTICE VERMA COMMISSION REPORT, NCFTE 2010 AND NCTE TWO YEAR CURRICULAR FRAMEWORK FOR B.ED. PROGRAMME Dr. Bondarde Ashwin Kailas Assistant Professor Kasturbai College of Education, Solapur. ABSTRACT This paper presents information of Former Chief Justice of India Hon ble Justice Verma Committee report for quality of Teachers and recommendations of Quality Pre- Service teacher education institutions. The paper stated some problems in Teacher Education highlighted by JVC and the Vision of JVC about Curriculum is presented. The paper also presents the Teacher Education Programme Areas mentioned in the NCFTE 2010. This paper describes the relation of JVC report, NCFTE 2010 and NCTE two year curriculum framework. Key Words: Teacher Education, Teacher Education Institution, Quality Assurance, Teacher Educators, National Council for Teacher Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training, National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, INTRODUCTION The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) was established by an Act of Parliament with a view to achieving 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 matter connected therewith. As per the stipulation of the NCTE Act, 1993, the NCTE has established four Regional Committees under section 20* for the discharge of its functions relating to grant of recognition. The Western Regional Committee (WRC) of the NCTE, located at Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), is statutorily responsible for granting recognition to courses and institutions for teacher education in the states of Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu. Two significant developments particularly, the National Curriculum Framework 2005 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 as well as the fundamental tenets enshrined in the Constitution of India have guided the development of NCFTE Framework 2010. After that in 2014 the Two year Teacher education curriculum framework for UG and PG are prepared by NCTE and published on NCTE website. Special Issue 2, Feb.- Mar., 2015 www.researchfront.in 211
JVC RECOMMENDED RADICAL REFORMS IN TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME Increase duration of B.Ed. to two years Change in the curriculum Changes in the norms for nearly all teacher education programmes SOME PROBLEMS IN TEACHER EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTED BY JVC: Intellectual isolation of teacher education institutions is a critical problem. Pedagogy as mere technique Ritualized teacher education Inadequate engagement with subject knowledge Disconnect with larger aims of education Disconnect with ground reality of schools WHAT IS GOOD PEDAGOGY ACCORDING TO JVC? Sound pedagogy is about integrating the knowledge about learners and the knowledge of the subject with knowledge about the socio cultural context and philosophical basis of education and learning. JVC S CRITICISM OF PRACTICE TEACHING: Practice teaching is ritualized, mechanical. No more than 5 to 6 weeks Fragmented approach Lessons planned with no reflection on content. Student-teachers spend hours decorating their lesson plans rather than reading and reflecting on what to teach, why and how? VISION OF TEACHING IN THE JVC: Sound pedagogy is about integrating the knowledge about learners and the knowledge of the subject with knowledge about the socio-cultural context and philosophical basis of education and learning. SOME RECOMMENDED TEACHER EDUCATION PRACTICES BY JVC: Teacher education needs to be problem-oriented and not discipline or theory-oriented. Should use approaches such as case studies, simulations, role-play and action research. Emphasis not on memorization of content but accomplishment of tasks, insights and competence. Open-ended activities and questions could help bring out the vast experiences of the prospective teachers, as also their 'personal theories' about knowledge, learning and learners for scrutiny and analysis. Engage teachers with school curriculum, syllabi and textbooks; to critically examine them rather than take them as given'. Special Issue 2, Feb.- Mar., 2015 www.researchfront.in 212
Engage with theory along with field experiences. View knowledge as something that is actively constructed during teaching-learning processes. Opportunity for reflection and independent study without packing the training schedule with teacher-directed activities Engage with children in real contexts rather than teach them about children through theories alone. Educate teachers to connect school knowledge with community knowledge and life outside the school. Understand the psycho-social attributes and needs of learners, their special abilities and characteristics, their preferred mode of cognition, motivation and learning resulting from home and community socialization. Help teachers develop social sensitivity and consciousness and finer human sensibilities through processes of self-reflection and the study of biographies. ASSESSING STUDENT TEACHERS: A teacher's attitude towards children, their needs and problems, dispositions of tolerance, ability to listen with empathy, habits of punctuality, a seeking mind, habits of reading and independent learning, a self-questioning and critical mind are particularly important in making a reflective practitioner. The present evaluation protocol has very little space for evaluating qualitative dimensions such as attitudes, values, dispositions, habits and a repertoire of communication skills. The conceptual and pedagogical aspects are also not adequately assessed as most internal and external evaluation is based on information-based paper pencil tests. RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK OF VERMA COMMISSION: The Verma Commission recommended total 30 recommendations for Teacher Education Institutions and Strengthening NCTE. But only 04 Recommendations related to curriculum framework are as follows: 1. Teacher education should be a part of the higher education system. The duration of programme of teacher education needs to be enhanced. 2. It is desirable that new teacher education institutions are located in multi and interdisciplinary environment. This will have significant implications for the redesigning of norms and standards of various teacher education courses specified by the NCTE. This will also have implications for employment and career progression of prospective teachers. Existing teacher education institutions may be encouraged to take necessary steps towards attaining academic parity with the new institutions. 3. Current teacher education programmes (TEPs) may be re-designed keeping in view the recommendations in the National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE, 2009-10) and other relevant material. 4. Every pre-service teacher education institution may have a dedicated school attached to it as a laboratory where student teachers get opportunities to experiment with new ideas and hone their capacities and skills to become reflective practitioners. Special Issue 2, Feb.- Mar., 2015 www.researchfront.in 213
NCFTE RECOMMENDED TEACHER EDUCATION PRACTICES AS A PROPOSED PROCESS-BASED TEACHER EDUCATION: 1. Understanding the social, cultural and political contexts in which learners grow and develop. Engagement with learners in real life situations along with theoretical enquiry. 2. Conceptual knowledge generated, based on experience, observations and theoretical engagement. 3. Knowledge generated in the shared context of teaching, learning, personal and social experiences through critical enquiry. 4. Teacher educators evoke responses from students to engage them with deeper discussions and reflection. Students encouraged identifying and articulating issues for self-study and critical enquiry. Students maintain reflective journals on their observations, reflections, including conflicts. 5. Sustained engagement of long duration professional education integrated with education in liberal sciences, arts and humanities. 6. Students encouraged to work in teams undertaking classroom and learners observations, interaction and projects across diverse courses. Group presentations encouraged. 7. Learning spaces provided to examine students own position in society and their assumptions as part of classroom discourse. 8. Structured space provided to revisit, examine and challenge (mis)conceptions of knowledge. 9. School Internship students teach within flexible formats, larger frames of units of study, concept web-charts and maintain a reflective journal. Teacher Education Programmes: Curricular Areas Area B Curriculum and Pedagogy Area A Foundations of Education Area C School Internship Curricular Area mentioned in Two Year B.Ed. Curriculum Framework December 2014 by NCTE Perspectives in Education Engagement with the Field Curriculum and Pedagogic Studies Special Issue 2, Feb.- Mar., 2015 www.researchfront.in 214
Area I: Perspectives in Education The following are the six courses to be transacted in the two year period, under the curricular area of Perspectives in Education: Course 1: Childhood and Growing Up Course 2: Contemporary India and Education Course 3: Learning and Teaching Course 6: Gender, School and Society Course 8: Knowledge and Curriculum Course 10: Creating an Inclusive School Area II: Curriculum and Pedagogic Studies The courses under the curricular area of Curriculum and Pedagogic Studies for the two year period include: Course 4: Language across the Curriculum Course 5: Understanding Disciplines and Subject Course 7(a & b): Pedagogy of a School Subject Course 9: Assessment for Learning Course 11: Optional Courses - Vocational / Work Education, Health and Physical Education, Peace Education, Guidance and Counselling. Area III: Engagement with the Field the Self, the Child, Community and School This curricular area would have three components 1. Tasks and Assignments that run through all the courses as indicated in the year wise distribution of the syllabus 2. School Internship 3. Courses on enhancing Professional Capacities (EPC) Course EPC 1: Reading and Reflecting on Texts Course EPC 2: Drama and Art in Education Course EPC 3: Critical Understanding of ICT Course EPC 4: Understanding the Self CONCLUSION The approach of JVC commission was positive towards quality improvement of teacher education institutions and NCTE functions which reflects in their recommendations. National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE, 2010) elaborates the context, concerns and vision underscoring that teacher education and school education have a symbiotic relationship and developments in both these sectors mutually reinforce the concerns necessary for qualitative improvements of the entire spectrum of education including teacher education as well. So the future curriculum of the Teacher Education will be concentrated on the 07 key elements: Program planning Pupil assessment Classroom organization and community Special Issue 2, Feb.- Mar., 2015 www.researchfront.in 215
Inclusive education Subject content and pedagogy Professional identity A vision for teaching When we see at the JVC report, NCFTE 2010 and NCTE curriculum framework 2014, the strong relation is present. Maximum recommendations are covered by the new NCTE curriculum Framework. So we positively accept the NCTE new curriculum. REFERENCES 1. Editor (December 2003): Higher Education in India: issues, concerns and New directions, New Delhi, University Grants Commission. 2. Editor (July 2007): Quality Indicators for Teacher Education, Bangalore, National Assessment and Accreditation Council. 3. Editor (May 2008): India s Quality Assurance systems for Tertiary Education, Willington, and Ministry of Education. 4. Editor: Framework for student support services: Teacher Resources, Published by the Department of Education, Victoria, 1999 5. www.ncert.org 6. www.wikipedia.org 7. www.ncte-india.org 8. www.ugc.ac.in 9. www.mahagov.org Special Issue 2, Feb.- Mar., 2015 www.researchfront.in 216