A Critical Analysis of Innovative Approaches Applied in Teacher Education in Pakistan

Abstract

Education is the basic need of every human being that is imparted by the teachers. A teacher needs up to date education which enables him to transfer his knowledge to the new generation appropriately. In order to increase teachers’ professional competencies and effectiveness in implementing the teaching strategies, teachers should always be given training of innovative approaches cropping in the educational system. The aim of present study was to critically analyze the innovative approaches applied in teacher education in Pakistan. The objectives of the study were to find the innovative approaches of teacher education in Pakistan and extension of innovative approaches those are employed in teacher education in Pakistan. This study was also focused on analysing male and female prospective teacher attitude towards the use of innovative approaches in pre-service teacher education in Pakistan. It was a descriptive study and only GCETs of Punjab province were selected for study as other provinces of Pakistan are providing the same education to teachers like GECTs of Punjab. 10 The population of the study consisted of 1535 B.Ed level prospective teachers and 231 teacher educators of formal education in the 33 GCETs of the Punjab. Purposive sampling technique was used and 11 GCETs (33 percent) were selected. The sample of prospective teachers was 941 and teacher educators were 86. The data was collected with the help of questionnaires, administrated to prospective teachers and teachers. Percentage of recovered questionnaire responses was 82 percent of prospective teachers and 83 percent of the teacher educators. The data collected were analyzed by using percentage, mean scores, t-test and one way ANOVA. The main findings about teacher educators were that there were 71 teacher educators (46 male and 25 female). There was no significant difference between male and female teacher educators regarding use of CAI, Multimedia, Micro-Teaching technique and other training aids at GCETs. The more professional teaching experience at B.Ed level of teacher educators had increased the efficiency of prospective teachers like aware about of innovative approaches, usage of training aids and dealing with the problems of innovative approaches. There was significant difference between male and female prospective teachers about the use of CAI and multimedia. The hostel resident’s prospective teachers were using teaching aids more as compared to the day scholars. The main conclusion about teacher educators indicated that despite teacher educators had different academic and professional qualification, total teaching experience and total professional teaching experience, all had similar opinion regarding use of different innovative approaches in teachers’ education in Pakistan. On the other hand, conclusion about prospective teachers projected that they were 11 of the same opinion regarding the use of innovative approaches (CAI, Multimedia and Micro-Teaching technique) and its factors in teachers’ education in Pakistan. The comparative conclusion of teacher educators and prospective teachers about use of CAI indicated that prospective teachers were more interested in using the computer assisted instruction as compared to their respective class teacher educators. The main recommendations about the use of innovative approaches, it was suggested that Directorate of staff development and provincial institute of teachers education of all provinces may instruct their respective Govt college for elementary teachers to use the innovative approaches during teaching learning process and Directorate of staff development may pursue the funding agencies to provide the requisite funds to their respective Govt. college for elementary teachers to use the other innovative approaches like teleconferences and co-operative learning process.