NCTE-ICT for TE-DE
From PSWiki
ICT and Distance Education Norms and Ideas for Teacher Education
Friends, PLEASE insert your points, ideas, suggestions, comments UNDER the relevant line of the Terms of Reference (Gurumurthy)
Terms of Reference
The "Terms of Reference" of the committee are as under:
i. To review the existing system of distance education and use of ICT in programmes for teacher preparation and in-service teacher training;
ii. To recommend measures for improving the present system of delivery of teacher education programmes through Distance mode and use of ICT in such programmes
iii. To recommend measures for integration of ICT in the curriculum of the teacher education programmes
iv. To recommend measures for effective use of ICT by teacher educators;
v. To recommend measures for complementing ICT with other modes of distance education for effective delivery of programmes;
vi. To suggest norms for development of ICT labs in teacher education institutions
vii. Recommend measures and systems for development of e-forums and e-platforms for interaction amongst teachers, teacher educations, and other stakeholders in the field of teacher education for enabling improved sharing and understating, both within India and internationally.
Overview of note
1. The purpose of this note is to suggest actionable ways in which ICT and Distance Education can be used to train and deploy a large number of teachers needed in India over the coming decade, while maintaining a high level of quality. 2. It must be noted that ICT is a key and central Distance Education strategy – gradually, like in every other walk of life, most Distance Education modes will be ICT-powered. In many cases, a combination of methods for example, a certified instructor or trainer in a certified institute supported by ICT-based material, will be used. 3. Development of new teachers and enhancement of existing teachers are two sides of the same coin. Though the former is the imperative, the latter complements it and is equally important. 4. Recommended Initiatives during the 12th plan
i. Review existing system of DE and use of ICT in programmes for PSTE, ISTE
A review of norms and standards for impelmnting teacher education programmes through the distnce mode shows that NCTE does not have norms and standards for teacher education prgrammes in the field of early chidlhood education through the open and distance learning mode. Consequently, these have now been developed as part of terms of reference of this committee.
Critiquing the existing PSTE system (to indicate the areas where ICTs use could be relevant)
The current model of PSTE has certain limitations, specially in the context of the emerging information society, which is information rich and dynamic and which supports creation of networks amongst learners. These include:
1 Rigid curriculum
Current curriculum is rigidly defined, there is less scope for regional variations, as well as dynamic changes to respond to the varied needs of learners.
2 Inadequate support for constructivist approaches
Current transaction models largely favour chalk and talk methods and didactic approaches. Responsibility of teaching largely lies on one person, the teacher-educator. Trainees largely tend to be passive recipients (reinforcing behaviorist models, which gets carried to the classroom whereas the PSTE could be a good opportunity for student-teachers to break these behaviorist models and experience constructivist approaches)
3 No continuity of formal contact with PSTE institution or peers
There is not much formal connection between the students and teachers or amongst students beyond the classroom during the course duration and again post course completion.
4 Limited assessment of PSTE program
Currently there are no systemic processes for continuous feedback mechanisms on the purpose/content/methodology of the program, such feedback would be valuable as formative assessment to improve subsequent programs. These limitations need to be well addressed by a carefully designed program for ICT capacity building, covering both ICT literacy as well as ICTs for teaching-learning of the mainstream DEd. Subjects. Digital resources and methods can provide greater options to teachers and enable varied approaches, which can vary based on learners context, learning needs as well as program goals. Digital networks can support networking amongst teachers and teacher educators to support their learning and sharing beyond formal classroom and periods. These methods can also support continuous dialogue and feedback for improvement. Of course the capabilities to use ICT methods for rich, diverse curricular experiences, connecting student-teachers with one another, continuous formative assessment are much much more than just ICT competencies and ICT needs to be seen as an enabler for supporting these processes when other required capacities are also developed alongside.
Enumeration of specific concerns in use of ICTs in current PSTE programs/courses
1 Recognizing the importance of ICT mediation in teaching-learning
A study initiated by Govt. of Karnataka in collaboration with Regional College of Education, Mysore titled “Evaluation of D.Ed. Curriculum of Karnataka: A report 2007, coordinated by Dr.C. G. Venkatesha Murthy reveals that only 3% of weightage is given to computer education in the first year D.Ed (4% in second year). Apart from this, it is also unfortunate that the prospective teachers are not exposed to various methods to integrate various other tools of ICT and construct their own knowledge.
2 Educational concerns
ICTs need to address key challenges and aims of education and not be stand-alone. ICT models need to integrate into education in terms of curriculum and pedagogy. For both the involvement of educationists in the design of ICT mediation is essential. Also ICTs need to be seen critically for their potential as well as dangers and limitations. For this, it is essential to move from first generation ICT models1 (technology led) to second generation ICT models (pedagogy led).
3 Infrastructural concerns
The PSTE institutions need to be provided with the adequate infrastructure both academic (training in integrating the ICT resources to their regular teaching) and physical to use ICT's effectively. Computers and other devices need to be made available on a 1:1 basis so that access is not restricted and available when needed. Labs need budgets and personnel for maintenance and support. Continuous upgradation of labs, adding new facilities is required on a continuous basis, since this is a rapidly developing field.
ii. Recommend measures for improving the present system of delivery of teacher education programmes through Distance mode and use of ICT in such programmes
iii. To recommend measures for integration of ICT in the curriculum of the teacher education programmes
iv. To recommend measures for effective use of ICT by teacher educators;
A 'layered' program for supporting the effective use of ICTs by teacher educators is provided below:
1.1 ICT Literacy
It is essential for teachers to learn to use ICT tools like radio, audio-cassettes, audio-video (AV) tools, computers etc. as well as methods such as information access, review, classification, communication and networking. For this, the teachers need to learn about both hardware (parts of computers, radio and A-V educational devices and assembling them) and software (to integrate ICT tools for effective teaching-learning and in education administration) skills1. The Kerala IT@Schools program provides an intensive and comprehensive literacy-competence in various hardware and software tools to all high school teachers in a well-designed layered program. Critical parts need to be incorporated into the TE Curriculum
1.2 ICT to access resources
The power of the digital medium, especially the Internet is the ability to be able to access resources avalable across the entire world in a simple and quick manner. This includes access to resources (audio-video), through websites, institutional portals etc. Since digital space is very resource rich, teachers need to learn how to access what would be useful for their learning, and also in teaching. It is a powerful method to democratize learning possibilities by providing resource rich environment to all schools. In all subjects, at the end of each unit, references need to be provided, which would provide extended learning possibilities for teachers on that topic. Such resources could be published texts, as well as web resources, films/documentaries etc. It is important to develop in the student-teacher, the ability to access a variety of learning resources on any topic/unit. It is also important to develop in student-teacher, the abilities to critically reflect on a text accessed, to assess its educational value, which would require assessing its authenticity, relevance, currency etc. It would also be useful to refer to resources that provide diverse perspectives on a given topic/issue. Accessing digital resources for self learning needs to be emphasized as a TE method in itself, covering these points.
1.3 To peer review digital resources
Along with accessing available resources, the review of existing resources, resources created by peers etc is also an important learning process. This would include annotating / commenting on the document etc. Text editor features like recording and accepting/rejecting changes on a document from multiple reviewers, making available documents over mailing-lists/websites for wider review by peers, need to be made default peer review methods. Strengthening peer review would also strengthen the capabilities for collaboration itself as a larger method of TE. This process would also help to develop capacities to reflect, reason and make judgments. Peer review needs to be considered as an important TE method in itself and requires to be seen as a default process, meaning any resource creation should seek peer review.
1.4 To create and share digital resources
Curricular resource creation is accepted as an important teacher development and empowerment process. In the digital space, it is easy to create, learn, share and publish resources. If the teachers develop the capability to create resources , they can share it with their peers and teacher-educators, and seek feedback. This facilitate them for self-learning and collaboration digitally. Activities, assessment questions, audio-video resources and blogs (e-journal) present collaborative resource creation and learning possibilities for teachers. Collaborative capabilities enable teachers to form learning communities which is acknowledged as perhaps the a powerful method for continuing teacher education and empowerment. This process can also help to develop capacities to reflect, reason and make judgments. It would support decentralization in curricular resource design and development, which in itself is a powerful TE process.
1.5 To publish digital resources
Resources created in a collaborative manner, peer reviewed as well as expert reviewed can be easily published on websites of the institution or of the network of teachers. Such digital publishing using text/audio/video editors/web publishing tools needs to become a default. The process of creation-collaboration-review-sharing-publishing can greatly support the creation of a resource rich environment of a reasonable quality, which can be a support to teachers in their learning as well as in their vocation as teachers. For a country like India, it would also be a powerful process for creating local/contextual resource material, including material in the local language(s). There is a great relative paucity of good learning resources in Indian languages in the Internet and this process, consciously designed and widely implemented, can go a long way to address this lacunae. The Delhi University-School Resource Network (USRN), has in this manner created valuable Hindi translations/commentaries of writings by Dewey, Tagore, Friere2 etc.
continued in later section
v. To recommend measures for complementing ICT with other modes of distance education for effective delivery of programmes;
vi. To suggest norms for development of ICT labs in teacher education institutions
Support within DIET / PSTE institution One reason why ICT program fail is that the infrastructure is complex and fragile. While a blackboard once setup needs very little maintenance, ICT infrastructure needs regular maintenance support. However, given the huge potential for benefit to the process of teaching-learning, the processes for creating and maintaining the infrastructure needs to be developed as part of the program. Hence the program needs to ensure infrastructure availability - computer lab, Internet (preferably wireless), with other ICT devices including radio, TV, camera, audio recorder, mikes, speakers handy-cams etc. Lab attendant is required to manage the infrastructure and maintain uptime. Digital library / repository should be maintained in the lab, variety of resources, classified with annotations/comments.
Budgets for creating and maintaining the infrastructure need to be provided as part of AWP&B. Maintenance budgets should be at least 15% of the infrastructure acquisition costs and provided each year.
TE institution also needs to have subject specialists in different ICT tools/methods, and the current DEd. teacher-educators need to be trained on these aspects. District resource portal champions are also required to be developed amongst teacher-educators and then in student teachers,
No separate 'computer teacher' are needed for transacting and basic computer literacy can be taken care of by the teacher educators and teachers. Instead of a computer teacher, a lab attendant is needed who can take care of the lab and ensure uptime, similar to other subjects where lab attendant and subject teacher roles are similarly clearly defined).
A widespread program of capacity building for teacher-educators is required on these aspects so that they can accordingly transact in the TE Program. This can be part of existing teacher education programs or separately planned or funded. TE instituions can also be provided autonomy to utilize from their funds for these expenditures, including maintenance and capacity building.
vii. Recommend measures and systems for development of e-forums and e-platforms for interaction amongst teachers, teacher educations, and other stakeholders in the field of teacher education for enabling improved sharing and understating, both within India and internationally.
(layered approach continued)
1.6 To connect teachers, student teachers and teacher educators and educationists
The aim is to enable teachers connect and communicate effectively with teachers, teacher-educators, community, schools and other institutions by digital mode- email, mass sms, audio-video meetings blog etc. Emails for all communication, mass sms, video conference meetings are simple ways of connecting teachers on an a regular basis. Webinars (seminars over Internet using audio/video conferencing tools) are becoming a good complement to physical meetings, these can be organised much more often and can bring people together across space and time.
1.7 Blended learning in TE
Complementing physical workshops/meetings with virtual interactions over a mailing-list or an e-learning forum such as moodle3 needs to become the future of teaching-learning. Similar programs need to be offered by DIETs to teachers which can allow learners to learn at their own pace (relatively) and also reach a larger number of teachers than is possible through purely physical interactions. The benefits of such an approach (blended learning) include learning extended beyond contact period, wider sharing of resources/ideas, sharing of issues/doubts as well as responses to doubts. The outcome of these would be to use digital methods to support and strengthen self-learning, peer-learning, mentoring methods of TPD.
Specific items
Teacher Development initiatives
- Alternative models of teacher training will need to be adopted to meet the requirements of training the large number of teachers required, without sacrificing quality. The ideas of Distance Education, use of ICT and adopting learn-work-learn cycles (referred to by Delor’s Commission as a better alternative than one-shot training for 12 or 18 or 24 months) will need to be integrated for the purpose. - To allow this, a redesign of the Teacher Education Curriculum will be needed. This would also increase focus on the practical, teaching competency aspects, and allow for specialisations, for example, in reading, ICT-based methods, etc. Some progressive curriculums possibly like the B.El Ed and the IGNOU Primary Maths curriculum could be used as models. - For this model of distance education to work, the following would need to be done: Online and offline video modules of the B. Ed (and also D. Ed / PTC) curriculums should be made available. The NCTE could take the lead in preparing some of these, but should also certify other video material which may be developed by teacher education colleges, experts, agencies, DIETs, etc. A candidate may use any certified courseware in video or classroom form to complete the courses. NCTE may also prescribe texts for this purpose, and basic norms for distance institutes. - NCTE would also certify a number of institutes/individuals. Certifications would be for the following roles: o Trainers for specific modules o Observers who can certify classroom lessons The process of certification may be finalised by an NCTE committee identified for the purpose. It may include interviews and written tests. - Candidates would either need to complete practice lessons in schools under the observation of a certified observer or submit videos of their lessons to a certified observer. - The focus of this model would be to allow infrastructure like classrooms and video to be used while strongly controlling the quality of the instructors, etc. through a certification process. - At the end of the course, candidates must take a test which is organised / certified by the NCTE. - Every year 25% of the distance institutes will be checked covering 100% of the institutes over every 4 years. Institutes will not know in advance that they are to be inspected. - Candidates who clears tests and classroom observation is made a provisional teacher and is given final certification after completion of 1 year of teaching and certification by the head of the school. - The success of this method depends on an efficient monitoring and certifying mechanism.
- Setting up of National Science of Learning Centres: We recommend the setting up of up to 4 National Centres that will conduct research on how students learn topics, commonly observed misconceptions and how they can be resolved by teachers, effective methods, for example, for developing reading skills in students, as well as a collection of methods and processes to teach specific topics. While it may appear that practicing teachers already know this or that existing B.Ed. curriculums already cover this, basic analysis shows that this is not true. This is a new research-cum-practice based discipline that needs to be created, and will form the basis on which the further research-based initiatives will be built.
The field of Learner Analytics which studies data on student learning and uses that both for improving student learning and teacher training - would be an important part of the focus on these centres.
- Creation of an ICT based on-demand Teacher Support System including modular (meaning they could be added and expanded) self-learning modules. There will be online, CD and paper-based versions of the same. This will thus be a resource to be built on and improved, but one that will provide a strong level of base support to each teacher. To our knowledge a comprehensive system like this does not exist anywhere in the world partly because of the complexity involved. The system will provide all these for any topic: Allow a teacher to identify his/her strengths and weaknesses in that topic provide a teacher information of common mistakes and misconceptions students have on that topic (ideally with percentages of which misconceptions are more widespread) videos where students explain their reasoning for their views (including correct reasoning, alternative conceptions and misconceptions) concrete tips on teaching specific concepts and topics [often linked to specific misconceptions] videos of teachers teaching that topic, as well as lesson plans access to researches on these topics
- Centre for Research on Intelligent Teaching Systems o These could be independent centres or a part of the ‘Science of Learning’ Centres described above. o This will be an interdisciplinary centre between education, pedagogy and cognitive sciences researchers on the one hand and computer science / Artificial Intelligence researchers on the other o The aim is to research on and build intelligent teaching systems (in line with significant work that has happened internationally on the area of Intelligent Tutoring Systems) – such systems would help provide children individualized learning opportunities especially in areas like reading, basic Maths, etc. o The centre will also research the effectiveness of these systems and how they can be integrated into the teaching –learning systems and complement the teacher’s efforts. o It has been pointed out that the educational quality of digital content is a matter of concern. There is a shortage of high quality digital content. The centres will provide norms and guidelines for the same and also have a service of providing ratings of all digital content. Though it will not be mandated that all content used should be certified by these centres, a databank with such ratings of digital content (which should be developed and publicised as a credible quality standard) will help improve the quality of such content.
- Teaching Video Banks: A national mission should be initiated to create a large collection of videos. There would be 2 types of videos – videos of teachers teaching different topics and videos of student interviews to highlight student thinking and misconceptions. There could be multiple videos on any topic (for example, teaching of forces or World War 1). Videos will be dubbed and subtitled to be available in multiple languages.
Videos should be created in 2 ways – a) teachers would be encouraged to upload or send videos of their own teaching and b) created by agencies who would bid for the same (this may include private players, but could also include colleges of education or DIETs for example) and a part of the payment would be related to the quality of videos created judged either by independent experts anonymously or based on actual usage, downloads or sale of the videos. The videos may be provides free of cost, or at cost or sold at a margin, the specific modalities are left to be decided in the future.
- In order to encourage teachers to create quality learning materials and also create a pool of such materials and share them with other teachers, competition will be organized at the national level. The competition will allow teachers to create different kinds of educational material (eg. questions, teaching aids, ICT-based teaching ideas, etc.) Specialised workshops will be held for teachers who clear round 1. Agencies having ICT creation skills (eg. for creating animations) will be linked to teachers to allow teachers to describe what they need and the ICT-based teaching aid to be created. Teachers who submit winning entries will be sent on a tour to select countries, with the tour being focused on learning about innovative ICT use in education. Other winners will win trips within the country itself.
- An annual conference on ICT in Teacher Education with a focus on participation by teachers and schools will be organized. The forum will be organized by an agency having expertise in organizing seminars and conferences. Selection of projects will be made by a jury consisting of international experts to ensure that standards are not diluted, even if the number of selected presentations is low. (It will increase in subsequent years)
- Fund a book / journals on ‘ICT in Teacher Education’
- The idea of providing laptops for every teacher has been discussed. Assuming 60 lac teachers @ Rs 20,000 each, this is an outlay on Rs. 1200 crores which is a large amount. Instead of providing the laptop to each teacher, the scheme will provide a laptop to each teacher who demonstrates interest and application in the field. No teacher can win more than 1 laptop. The teacher will actually win a voucher that can be exchanged for a laptop from any standard laptop provider. Teachers can also top up by paying extra for a better laptop. Teachers become eligible for laptops based on specific achievements related to the field of ICT: Creating of a specified number of presentations / lesson plans Completion of specific workshops (including successful completion of a task at the end of the workshop) Winning of specific competitions - Provide high speed internet connection to DIETs that demonstrate their ability to use it well. (Again the goal is to provide this to every DIET, however, the scheme should require the DIET to show keenness and application and earn the privilege.)
- Based on the above, create a virtual Education Network by linking DIETs, Teacher Education Colleges (private and government) as well as Universities and schools to allow easy interaction among teachers, teacher educators and university departments.
- Creation of videos bank, question bank, etc.. again this would be done through RFPs focusing on the technical quality of the plan. Also each project of creating these bansk will be given to multiple parties and a random sample of the material created will be measured annually and decide the continuation and extent of continued support. DIETs and SCERTs will be encouraged to bid for the same too.
- All teacher education colleges must have defined Internet and ICT requirements and internet access costs will be borne by the government
Database of Teacher Education
- A detailed database of teacher education, including government institutions like DIETs, BRCs, etc, government colleges, private colleges and details of their personnel will be created so that accurate information on these is available on demand.
5. ICT for students versus ICT for teachers: It is sometimes mentioned that ICT especially in the primary classes should not focus on students (partly because it bypasses teachers and in some cases increases teacher threat perception). Clearly, bypassing teachers is not desirable or acceptable. At the same, it must be recognized that ICT for students and ICT for teachers are not goals at cross-purposes but are in fact highly complementary. Well-designed pilots involving ICT for students should be conducted and encouraged. It is well-known that students (the so-called ‘digital natives’) will absorb new technology faster. Hence that opportunity should not lost by seeing ICT in Teacher Education as an alternative to ICT for students.
Underlying principles guiding the use of ICTs in education
1 Educational Policy as basis for conceptualisation and design of ICT mediation
The professional preparation of teachers has been recognized to be very crucial for the qualitative improvement of education since the 1960s (Dr. Kothari Commission, 1964-66), NPE 1986 and so on. With the latest developments in the field of science and technology, the key role played by the teacher in the education system has only become more critical. Hence Teacher Professional Development (TPD), both PSTE and in-service play a crucial role in the larger improvement of the system. But very few concrete steps have been taken in the last three decades to operationalize this. The Yashpal Committee Report (1993) on Learning without Burden noted”...inadequate programmes of teacher preparation lead to unsatisfactory quality of learning in schools. ... The content of the programme should be restructured to ensure its relevance to the changing needs of school education. The emphasis in these programmes should be on enabling the trainees to acquire the ability of self-learning and independent thinking.”
In the NCF 2005, the section on Education Technology lays emphasis on the role of ICT’s in meeting the challenges to realize the goals of quality education. To quote from the document, “ ...the key to meeting this challenge is an appreciation of ET as an agent of change in the classroom, which includes not only the teacher and the teaching-learning process but also systemic issues like reach, equity and quality.” The NCF also highlights the role of ICT in PSTE and in school education. It envisages the role of Educational technology as an agent of change in the class room. RTE emphasizes that every child of age group 6-14 need to get quality education. Quality education includes: Access, enrollment, retention and Achievement. In this context the the use of ICT’s right from tracking the children and to ensure that every child as achieved the minimum levels could be tracked by ICT.
The NCF TE 2010 document suggests “Teachers need to be creators of knowledge and thinking professionals. They need to be empowered to recognize and value what children learn from their home, social and cultural environment and to create opportunities for children to discover, learn and develop. Educationists are also of the view that the burden arises from treating knowledge as a ‘given’, as an external reality existing outside the learner and embedded in textbooks. This view of education points to the need to take a fresh look at teacher preparation. Education is not a mechanical activity of information transmission and teachers are not information dispensers. Teachers need to be looked at as crucial mediating agents through whom curriculum is transacted and knowledge is co-constructed along with learners. Textbooks by themselves do not help in developing knowledge and understanding. Learning is not confined to the four walls of the classroom. For this to happen, there is a need to connect knowledge to life outside the school and enrich the curriculum by making it less textbook-centered.
The NCF TE says “In this situation, it is necessary to conceive ways in which teachers can opt for different kinds of trainings, based on their interest and requirement, and along with the recommendation of school supervisors. “For this, it would be necessary for training schedules to be announced well in advance (at the end of each academic year, for the next year) and for processes to be in place to enable teachers to register for the trainings they wish to undergo. Processes for field support for training would need to be worked out by these agencies providing training, and this need not fall as a mass responsibility of the concerned CRP, or co-ordinator in-service programmes as is currently happening. Allocation of funds, training dates, duration and other logistics would need to be made more decentralized and based on individual teacher’s preferences, thus, doing away with the current model of mass trainings, based on the one-size-fits-all design. Further training dates allocation could also include time spent in other professional activities such as seminars, conferences and other activities suggested in this chapter. Systems that would enable teachers to avail of long-term courses, sabbaticals and fellowships would also need to be evolved. A follow-up mechanism for keeping track of trainings and professional activities of teachers would need to be evolved and put in place.” Some examples of new models which have been able to look at new models for teacher education are discussed in the NCF TE; the Delhi University School resource network (USRN)2 which aims to build professional networks of learning amongst teachers in government and private schools, teacher educators in Govt. and private institutions, university departments of education. This program is also revising the D.Ed curriculum of Delhi and participants have created digital educational resources in Hindi and resources that link practice with theory. The MA Education program of TISS explores new 'blended' learning models for teacher education, using contact and distance modes of learning. A third program, the Kerala IT@Schools program provides opportunities to teachers to become resource creators in their own subjects – mathematics, science, social science, languages and enhance their subject matter mastery, using digital tools. These programs have been able to establish new models for knowledge access, construction, storing, sharing and publishing, using 'techno-pedagogical' principles and methods. All three programs have a strong 'ICT' component. However the use of ICTs is driven by strong pedagogic principles / approaches and is not technology centered. Educationists and practitioners have designed these programs, not technology professionals. The program designs emphasize elements such as independent, need based, self directed and self paced learning with continuous mentoring; pioneering new models of teacher professional development (TPD), which are essential to enable the priorities and principles discussed in the RTE, NCF, NCFTE a reality in the Indian school system.
2 ICTs as a curricular resource
2.1 Curricular framework principles for digital resources
ICT mediation needs to be driven by educational aims, designed by those working in education, with quality frameworks and rigorous academic processes. ICT needs to be seen as a pedagogical tool and not as a technology device or as a sophisticated typing tool. This means ICT curriculum and pedagogy need to be seen like any other curricular area. Clear educational aims, principles and priorities need to drive program design. This means program design structures need to have educationists, teachers, teacher educators. Technology experts may need to be consulted but should not have prime role in design. The challenges are not technological but pedagogical in nature.
2.2 Nature of resources
The adoption of ICTs in education is essentially an educational issue, rather than a technology issue, hence our policy and program need to be anchored in sound educational perspectives. Since curriculum is the primary process of directing teaching towards fulfilling educational aims, digital learning resources (content) and digital learning tools/ processes (software applications), which together constitute curricular resources, need to comply with established curricular principles. An important principle of public education systems is that curricular resources need to be publicly owned, so that they are freely available to teacher educators, teachers and students without restrictions. In the case of traditional print media (books), the public education system does not use proprietary curricular resources, since that prevents the schools, teachers and students from freely sharing the resources and from customising them for their local needs. In the same manner, proprietary (meaning privately owned, which is prohibited by the owner, from being shared or modified) software and proprietary content should not be used in education. Use of a large variety of free digital tools/resources helps move from a 'scarce (minimalist) proprietary digital environment' to a 'rich/diverse public digital environment'. Digital resources are non-rivalrous (sharing does not reduce availability) and hence promoting public creation/sharing of digital resources is perhaps the most important step to ensure systemic benefit from ICT mediation.
2.3 Use of ICTs as a culture /ingrained
For a new technology to be widely beneficial, it needs to become universal. This means all need to learn and use ICT, and use it in a large variety of ways. Viewing ICTs as public learning resources can create this culture of widespread appropriation. Student teachers need to be trained in basic hard ware skills like assembling and removing the computer parts. This would give them confidence to handle hardware as well. Along with it they were to be trained in handling peripherals including printers, scanners, cameras, mobile phones, CDs. Both hardware and software skills are very essential for student-teachers.
2.4 Active role for teachers
As creators of resources, teachers need to customise /localize available resources, as users of resources, sharing and publishing resources. “Computer teachers” do not have a big role in this process, since what they teach currently - operating system and office can be easily learnt by student-teachers. Successful ICT program depends more on capacity building and capability building which are techno-pedagogical processes, maintenance and support infrastructure and mechanisms. Integrating ICTs into regular subject teaching-learning creates ownership and commitment amongst teachers which also creates desire to learn computers/ Internet. Computer literacy should not be standalone but an initial part of a computer-aided learning program. For instance, instead of having a session on how to browse the Internet, this can simply be a part of a science class, to explore science resources on the Internet. Such 'applied learning' would be much more useful and hence learning would be deeper.
2.5 Constructivist possibilities for student-teachers
When we think of ICT’s, we normally have a tendency to equate this with computer education. The past experiments in India have shown that no program that is only equipment driven works well. ICT’s can only be meaningful and effective if they constitute an integral part of teaching-learning processes. The NCF 2005 has its foundation on the constructivist approach. The constructivist environment in teaching-learning process also means that teachers need to be active practitioners, collaboratively creating resources and building a community of learning. The central idea of constructivism is that knowledge is not fixed / pre-determined, but rather constructed by the learner in the process of learning. Some of the other major concepts of constructivism are that learners are unique, bring prior understandings to any learning situation, hence learning is situated and contextual; learning is an adaptive activity; learners may resist, accommodate or assimilate new learning; and learners interact through interaction with materials, resources, experiences and other learners.3
2.6 Critical perspectives on ICTs
It is essential to understand the limitations of ICTs including inducing superficiality (due to over-abundance of information easily available), issues of authenticity (the Internet provides information from all kinds of sources, without any meta information about its reliability). The dangers from ICTs – lack of adequate cyber security can lead to cyber bullying etc. The world wide web is also a dangerous place, which needs to be understood and safe behaviors encouraged (and risky behaviors discouraged). Stalking, bullying are widespread phenomena on the Internet and also children and adult are exposed to violence and sex on-line. Children also are vulnerable to peer pressures for practices such as sexting. Teachers need to learn how to setup and use firewalls and browser filters and also how they could explain to children and others the reasons for being careful on-line. An understanding of the mechanisms of the Internet – technological, political (including its governance), socio-cultural is also an essential knowledge for student-teachers. Secondly proprietary control over digital resources is also an all pervasive phenomena which is antithetical to the basic educational principles of learning by sharing and collaborating. Large transnational companies which are monopolies in different areas, attempt to corner the market and lock-in institutions to their proprietary products. The large education system is specially vulnerable. This danger to the education process and system needs to be clearly understood.
Specific Item
Norms and Standards for Diploma in Early Childhood Education Programme through Open and Distance Learning System leading to Diploma in Early Childhood Education (D.E.C.Ed)
1. Preamble
The aim of the Diploma in Early Childhood Education programme through open and distance learning system is to provide an opportunity to teachers desiring to work or already working in early childhood education centres (in preschools and nursery schools) and /or in early primary grades (grades 1 and 2) to acquire/ upgrade their professional competence. It also envisages to bring into its fold those teachers who have entered the profession without formal teacher training.
The Diploma is also aimed at early childhood development professionals other than teachers, such as curriculum and material developers and those seeking to gain competencies for self-employment through setting up early childhood education centres. 2. Condition of offering the course
The institutions or academic units specially established for offering ODL programmes will be eligible for offering teacher education programmes through ODL system. Thus, the National Open University and State Open Universities and the Directorates / School of Open and Distance Learning in the Central, State, Deemed or Agricultural universities or any other category of universities that can demonstrate necessary competence and facilites for offering ODL programmes as per these norms shall be eligible to offer teacher education programmes.
3. Territorial Jurisdiction
The territorial jurisdiction of the university/institution will be determined as per its Act. The Study Centres of the University shall also be located in the territorial jurisdiction of the University. A University in the North Eastern states would be eligible to admit students from all other NE states, even though this may not have been specifically mentioned in its Act.
4. Duration
The duration of the programme shall be of two academic sessions / years (four semesters). The commencement and completion of the programme shall be so regulated that two long spells of vacation (summer / winter / staggered) are available to the learners for guided / supervised instruction and face to face contact sessions.
5. Intake, Eligibility and Admission Procedure (I) Intake
The basic unit of intake for the D.E. C. Ed programme shall be determined by extent of availbility of appropriate Programme Study Centres* subject to the condition that one Programme Study Centre shall enrol not more than 40 students per batch in a given session.
- A programme study centre is one which dedicatedly provides all academic, infrastructural and administrative facilities for implementation of the programme as a single window. For details refer to section 8 below.
(II) Eligibility
(a) Candidates with at least fifty percent marks in the senior secondary (+2) or its equivalent examination are eligible for admission.
(b) A University will admit only those candidates as per its territorial jurisdiction assigned to it by the University Act.
i) The Institution/ University shall develop a suitable procedure for the selection of the candidates.
ii) The reservation for SC/ST categories shall be as per rules of the Central Government / State Government whichever is applicable. There shall be a relaxation of 5 % marks in favour of SC/ST /OBC and other categories of candidates.
6. Facilities in the Headquarters – Faculty, Staff, Physical and Instructional Infrastructure
(I) Responsibilities of Faculty
The D.E.C.Ed. programme through Distance Education mode includes a number of activities like course designing; course development; monitoring organization of face-to-face inputs at programme study centres through counselling sessions, workshops, practical, practice teaching-cum-internship; monitoring of assessment of students’ assignments at programme study centres; orientation of the staff and faculty at programme study centres; monitoring and supervision of the programme study centres; maintenance / renewal of the courses and other activities; preparation of audio-video programmes etc.
The faculty at the Headquarters/Nodal centres will ensure proper implementation in respect of all these. It is essential that facilities and expertise be made available both at the university head-quarters as well as programme study centre. The Headquarters/Nodal centre would not only act as an administrative body but also act as active resource centre. It is essential to appoint full-time well qualified staff at Headquarters/nodal centre. Additional part-time faculty should also be made available as per the needs of the students.
The self-learning material, both print and non print must be based on the pedagogy of self learning. A blended learning approach (integration of methods and media) should be applied to the development of SLM.
The content of the SLM must reflect the objective of ECE and education in the lower primary grades as aiming at total child development in a learning environment that is joyful, child centered, play and activity based. The content must reflect that at this stage the 3 R’s are not forced upon the children and that there are no textbooks, tests, interviews, homework, competitive sports and such other activities. Instead the SLM should emphasize approaches and methods like art, music and movement, story telling, role playing, games, quiz, material preparation, project work, bal mela etc., by which prospective teachers can be trained to create joyful environment so that children may feel attracted towards school education
II) Details of Faculty at the Headquarters
The Institution / University offering this teacher education programme through ODL system shall have an exclusive core full time faculty. The core faculty will comprise three academics involved with various aspects of the programme.
The combinations could be as follows:-
• one Professor, three Assistant Professors
or
• one professor, one Associate Professor and one Assistant Professor or • two Professors.
(i) The faculty shall be responsible for all the activities mentioned at 6(I) above.
(ii) One faculty member, at least, shall be designated as ‘Programme Co-ordinator’ for the programme. The faculty may work as ‘Joint Programme Coordinators’ as well.
(III) Qualifications of Faculty / Staff at the Headquarters
(i) Professor • Post graduation in Child Development/ Home Science with specialization in Child Development with at least fifty five percent marks • Ph.D in Child Development or Early Childhood Education or equivalent published work /professional papers • 10 years of teaching experience in early childhood education with at least 5 years in the distance mode.
(ii) Associate Professor
• Post graduation in Child Development / Home Science with specialization in Child Development with at least fifty five percent marks • Ph. D in Child Development or Early Childhood Education or equivalent published work professional papers • 5 years of teaching experience in early childhood education of which 3 years in the distance mode.
(iii) Assistant Professor
Essential
Post graduation in Child Development/ Home Science with specialization in Child Development with at least fifty five percent marks. OR (i) Post-graduation in Education with at least fifty five percent marks and (ii) Diploma/Degree in Early Childhood/ Nursery Education, with at least fifty five percent marks
Desirable Proficiency in the use of ICT for educational purposes.
(IV ) Details of Non –Teaching/Support Staff/Administrative Staff for H.Q.
The administrative and other support staff may be provided as per the norms outlined below: • Software Specialist/Professional - two • In-charge Assessment and Evaluation – two • Computer Operator for Maintaining Database – two • Office Assistant - One • Helper for the dispatch of study material - One
(V) Terms and conditions of service
i. The appointment shall be made on the basis of recommendations of the Selection Committee constituted as per the policy of the Central/concerned State Government/Board whichever is applicable. ii. All appointments are to be made on full-time and regular basis excepting those specified as part-time. iii. Appointment of part-time instructors and other supporting staff shall be made as per norms of the concerned Government. iv. The academic and other staff of the institutions shall be paid such salary as may be prescribed by the concerned Government by account payee cheque or as per advice into the bank account of the employee, specially opened for the purpose. v. The management of the institution shall discharge the statutory duties relating to pension, gratuity, provident fund, etc. for its employees. vi. The age of superannuation of staff shall be determined by the policy of concerned Government. vii. The reservation for SC/ST/OBC and other categories shall be as per the rules of the Central Government / State Government.
(VI) Physical and Instructional Infrastructure at headquarter level
i. Rooms/cabins for faculty members ii. Adequate number of classrooms iii. A large room for computer operators for maintaining database of students, developing self learning material iv. An office room with photocopiers v. Store for the storing and dispatch of learning materials vi. Office rooms vii. Conference room for conducting meetings viii. Hardware and software and facilities such as audio-video studio for courseware development recording of lessons and production of CDs, ix. Video conferencing /internet/ skype /facebook and other social networking sites facilities for online consultation, orientation and monitoring so as to maintain regular contact between faculty at headquarters, Regional/ Zonal/Cluster Coordinators and program study centres for the purpose of both monitoring and providing support x. Teleconferencing xi. Library - with text and reference books early childhood education, child development, distance education, educational encyclopaedias, year-books, electronic publications, CD ROMs and research journals on Child development, ECE and teacher education etc.
7. Facilities at the Regional/ Zonal /Cluster level
For monitoring purposes, Regional/ Zonal/Cluster Coordinators shall be appointed on full-time basis at the Regional / Zonal centres in consultation with the headquarters. One Regional/ Zonal/cluster Coordinator would be responsible for monitoring 10 programme study centres offering the Diploma programme in the respective zone. Additional Regional/ Zonal/cluster Coordinators will be appointed depending upon the additional number of programme study centres activated.
The minimum qualification of the Regional/ Zonal/Cluster Coordinators will be Post graduation in Child Development / Home Science with specialization in Child Development with at least fifty five percent marks and with 5 years of working experience in early childhood education. He or she may be a retired person.
Part time staff, as required, may be appointed to support the monitoring activities of the Regional/ Zonal/Cluster Coordinator.
The Regional/ Zonal/Cluster Coordinators will work in close coordination with faculty at headquarters providing reports of their monitoring activities and implementing changes in monitoring as suggested. They will be the organic link between the head quarters and the programme study centres.
All administrative facilities will be provided to the Regional/ Zonal/Cluster Coordinators by the Regional / Zonal centres in order to enable them to carry out the tasks. It should have video conferencing /internet/ skype /facebook and other social networking sites facilities for online consultation, orientation and monitoring so as to maintain regular contact with headquarters and programme study centres for the purpose of both monitoring and providing support
8. Eligibility and Conditions for a Programme Study Centre
(I) Eligibility
(i) Only following category of institutions shall qualify to become the Programme Study Centre for the Diploma :
a. Existing Teacher Training institutions recognized by NCTE for offering the same programme in face to face mode and having all the requisite infrastructure and staff as per NCTE norms. The institution should have been offering the relevant teacher education course for at least five years durations.
b. Child development departments of Home Science colleges/ agricultural universities/other higher learning institutions
c. Education departments of Universities that have been offering the Early Childhood Education as a course or paper for the past five years.
(ii) Institutions declared as Programme Study Centre for the Diploma for one University / institution shall not be the Programme Study Centre for any other.
(iii) The number of students allotted to a Programme Study Centre shall not exceed 40.
(iv) The Programme Study Centre shall provide to the distance learners allocated to it access to its library and other physical facilities.
(v) The Headquarters of the ODL institution may also function as a Programme Study Centre for at least two batches (80 students).
(vi) Academic counsellors, Supervisors and Guides engaged for various academic activities by the Programme Study Centre shall be fully qualified as per the norms detailed below.
(vii) All the functionaries associated with the activities of the Programme Study Centres must be oriented by the open university / institution in the practice of the ODL system from time to time.
(viii) The request for additional unit in any programme shall be examined by the NCTE on the basis of availability of required facilities in respect of Programme Study Centres and related support in the territorial jurisdiction of the university.
(II) Details of staff/ Faculty required at Programme Study Centre
(i) Coordinator - One (ii) Assistant Coordinator - One (iii) Part time Academic Counsellors – To be engaged as per requirements of each course of the programme. Ratio of academic counsellors to students should preferably be 1:40. (iv) Supervisors and Guides – During the period of practice teaching-cum-internship, each student will be attached to one Supervisor at the Programme study centre and one Guide at the practice teaching-cum- internship site. (v) Resource persons for conducting the workshop (vi) Office assistant – one (vii) Computer professional and software specialist – one (viii) Helper – one (ix)
(III) Qualifications of Academic Counsellors, Supervisors and Guides
(a) For the academic counsellors for the courses in Child Development, ECE and Communication, as well as for Supervisors of Practice teaching-cum-internship at the Programme study Centre level, the qualifications will be the following:
Post graduation in Child Development/ Home Science with specialization in Child Development with at least fifty five percent marks.
If Counsellors or Supervisors with the above qualifications are not available, then those with following qualifications may be identified in decreasing order of priority:
• Post graduation in Home Science (general) with Diploma/Degree in Early Childhood/ Nursery Education, with at least fifty five percent marks
• Graduation in Home Science with Diploma/Degree in Early Childhood/ Nursery Education, with at least fifty five percent marks and at least five years of work experience in ECE
(b) For course on Health and Nutrition the qualifications for academic counsellors will be:
Post graduation in Health and Nutrition/ Home Science with specialization in Health and Nutrition with at least fifty five percent marks.
If counsellors with above qualifications are not available, then counsellors with following qualifications may be identified in decreasing order of priority.
• Post graduation in Home Science (general) with Diploma/Degree in Health and Nutrition , with at least fifty five percent marks
• Graduation in Home Science with Diploma/Degree in Health and Nutrition, with at least fifty five percent marks plus five years of work experience in this field.
(c) For Course on Curriculum and Pedagogy in Grades 1 and 2, the qualifications of counsellors in decreasing order of priority are as follows:
• Post-graduation in Child Development with at least fifty five percent marks and (ii) Diploma/Degree in Elementary Education
• Post-graduation in Education with at least fifty five percent marks and (ii) Diploma/Degree in Elementary Education
• Post-graduation in Child Development with a paper in Teaching in grades 1and 2 with at least fifty five percent marks
• Post-graduation in Child Development with exppereince of teaching at primary level
(d) For Course on Inclusive Education/ Special Education/ Children with Special Needs, the qualifications of counsellors in decreasing order of priority are as follows:
• Post-graduation in Child Development with a paper in Children with special needs/ inclusive education with at least fifty five percent marks
• Post graduation in Special education / Inclusive Education/ Disability studies
• Graduation with Diploma in Special Education / Inclusive Education/ Disability studies with work experience of five years in this field
• Class XII with Diploma in Special Education and seven years of work experience in this field.
(e). Guide for Practice Teaching-cum-Internship - This will be the ECE or primary school teacher responsible for supervising the student at the site.
(III) Infrastructure at Programme Study Centre
(i) Physical Infrastructure
• Two classrooms, each to comfortably accommodate forty students. • Multipurpose Hall with seating capacity of two hundred • Library-cum-Reading Room • Reasonable outdoor space • The institutional campus, building, furniture etc. should be barrier free. • Hostel facilities for men and women girls separately are desirable.
(ii) Instructional Infrastructure
(a) The programme study centre shall have access to a cluster of nearby pre-school/ECE centres, primary schools and other organizations working in the field of early childhood development for conduct of practical work, workshop, practice teaching-cum- internship related activities of student teachers. It is desirable that the programme study centre has its own attached Nursery school. The programme study centre shall furnish undertaking from the nursery schools, primary schools and early childhood development organizations willing to provide facilities for practical work, workshop, practice teaching-cum-internship.
(b) The programme study centre shall establish Learning Resource Centres wherein teachers and students have access to a variety of Equipment and Teaching-Learning materials aids, and resources to support and enhance the teaching-learning process. The equipment and materials should be suitable and sufficient in quality and quantity for the variety of activities planned during the various face-to-face contact activities. These should include:
• Developmental assessments check lists and measurement tools, pictorial representations of developmental characteristics of children.
• Educational kits, models, play materials, simple books on different topics (songs, games, activities, work pages), blow-ups, charts. • Equipment, Tools, Raw material for story telling, arts and crafts activities. such as flash cards, handbooks, pictures, puppets, picture books, photographs. • Simple Musical Instruments such as Harmonium, Tabla, Flute, Manjira and other indigenous instruments. • Books, Journals and Magazines A minimum of one thousand books including those prescribed as reference books in the printed self learning material, books about and for children, children’s encyclopaedias, story books, picture books/albums, poems, dictionaries, reference books, books on professional education, teachers’ handbooks. The institution should subscribe to the journals published by NCTE and at least three other journals in the field of child development and early childhood education. Fifty new books should be added every year. • Games equipment - for common indoor and outdoor games such as blocks, puzzles, nesting frames.
(c) Resource Centre for ET/ICT having the following
• Hardware for projection and duplication and educational software facilities including TV, DVD player, VCR, Audio Cassette Recorder, slide projector, blank audio video cassettes, video-audio tapes, slides, interactive multi media, films, charts, pictures. • Edusat receive only (ROT) Satellite, or interactive terminal (SIT), LCD etc. • Video conferencing /internet/ skype /facebook and other social networking sites facilities for online consultation, orientation and monitoring so as to maintain regular contact between faculty at headquarters, Regional/ Zonal/Cluster Coordinators and program study centres for the purpose of both monitoring and providing support. • Photocopying machine, FAX • Five PCs along with UPS and Printer with internet connectivity
9. Academic Inputs to be provided at Programme study Centre
The programme shall be conducted with full professional expertise. This will require the following academic inputs
(i) Self-learning materials: The study materials shall be made available to the learners by the headquarters or the programme study centre at the beginning of the session itself either in one go or in a phased manner as per the requirement of the programme.
(ii) Face to face contact – This will be provided through the following ways: academic counselling, practice teaching-cum-internship, workshops, practical and seminar.
(a) Academic counselling: Academic counselling sessions shall be spread over the entire duration of the programme and be conducted on a regular basis depending on the needs and convenience of the learners. The academic and personal problems related to the course shall be discussed in the counselling sessions. The counselling sessions shall be organized in the form of tutorials and mentoring not as teaching sessions as the learning materials provided to the learners shall perform the teaching function.
Counselling sessions for Courses (both theory and practical component for each course) A minimum of five counselling sessions will be organized for four credit of course in the ODL mode (1 ODL credit = 30 hours of study) and a minimum of 10 sessions for eight credit course. Each counselling session will be of 2 ½ hours each.
The counselling sessions shall be utilized for providing personalized guidance to the learners regarding practical work (such as preparing of case study or project report or observation or interview based activities) and assignments related to the course.
Counselling sessions for Practice teaching-cum-internship Italic text Ten Counselling sessions each year will also be provided for Practice Teaching-cum- internship. During these sessions the learners will discuss their activity plans, reports, teaching learning material developed with the Supervisor allotted to them. These will also be discussed with the Guide at the placement site where the practice teaching-cum-internship is being carried out. During these counselling sessions, the learners will carry out simulated practice teaching sessions (for details refer to (b) below). These counselling sessions can also be utilized for Training the learners to develop TLM and the use of ICT.
(b) Practice Teaching-cum-Internship: The learners enrolled in Diploma programme shall carry out practice teaching for a duration of 40 days (240 hrs @ 6hrs per day) each year. The first year will be in a nursery school or preschool and the second year in grades 1 and 2.
During this period of practice teaching the learner will be assigned a Supervisor at the Programme Study Centre level and a Guide who will be an experienced teacher at the site of practice teaching under whose guidance the learner will carry out the various activities. The role of the Guide and the Supervisor will be to discuss with the student her activity plans and reports, the TLM prepared; they will observe the conduct of the lesson by the student and will also evaluate the students work during the practice teaching period.
The Headquarter staff shall develop the self-learning materials detailing the guidelines for practice teaching, the activities to be carried out by the learner during practice teaching, model activity plans and activity session reports. A.V. materials that support the practice teaching component will be developed at the headquarters for use at the Programme Study Centres.
During practice teaching-cum-internship the learner will carry out the following activities – • Observing classroom and the teaching-learning interaction • Conducting planned activities initially in a simulated situation and then in a real classroom. During the 40 days the learner should carry out at least 10 activities in simulated situation and 20 in the classroom situation. The activities in the preschool should be balanced over the various domains of development – physical-motor, language, cognitive, socio-emotional, creativity. The activities in grades 1 and 2 should be balanced over the teaching of language, Mathematics, EVS, Art Education, Health and Physical Education.
After each activity session with the children, the learner shall be provided constructive feedback on his/her performance (strengths and weakness) by the Guide assigned to her at the nursery school. Thus each learner shall receive personal supervision at the site of practice teaching-cum-internship for a minimum of one hour per day for the duration of placement.
As stated above the learner will also receive guidance and supervision for practice teaching at counselling sessions through Supervisor. For this purpose the learner will video record the practice teaching sessions which will not only provide evidence but also be used as a formative assessment tool by the Supervisor and to provide inputs for improvement.
(c) Workshop: A Workshop, of about 12 -15 days duration, (six study hours a day excluding the time for interval, lunch, etc.) in the face-to-face mode will be organized in the 1st year, preferably during the summer vacations. In the workshops the learners shall acquire competencies and skill required by a teacher.
An important component of the workshop will be exploration of different areas of self growth of the teacher with the support of resource persons who would engage with the trainees in participatory modes towards this end.
The learners shall be engaged in certain activities as individuals or in groups. The learners shall be given sufficient opportunities to practice what they have learnt from the theory courses and what they are supposed to do in the classrooms.
The workshop will enable the student to
• Develop a professional identity • Develop self awareness as a teacher of young children and as an individual • Acquire practical skills related to organizing art, craft and the performing arts experiences with children • Develop the skills of carrying out activities with children through demonstration sessions, simulation sessions and role play • Learn strategies, techniques and methods for classroom challenges. • Develop communication skills to interact with children and adults, including those related to organizing PTA meetings Develop familiarity with participatory classroom interactions • Develop critical thinking
(d) Seminar – Each learner will be expected to present two seminars (one seminar each year; each of 20 minute duration) on any aspect related to ECE based on review of literature, research and contemporary scenario from among the various topics suggested in the syllabus prescribed by the distance education institution.
10. Evaluation and feedback
(i) A two-tier evaluation shall be used by the institution: continuous evaluation and evaluation through term-end examinations. The primary function of continuous evaluation should be to provide timely feedback to the learners to sustain their motivation.
(ii) The two tiered evaluation will be operationalized for various components as follows:
(a) For theory papers (i.e. all papers other than practice teaching-cum-internship, seminar and workshop):
• continuous evaluation through assignments and practical work. The assignments may include the related practical work of that theory course. Alternatively/ additionally, the practical activities may also be complied in the form of case study reports or project reports.
• Term end examination for each theory paper. The term end evaluation shall encompass questions on all the Units of syllabus and shall be assessed through Objective Type/Short Answer Type/Long Answer Type question. These questions will be decided/finalized by a Board of Examiners appointed by the examining body.
The weightage for internal (continuous) and external (term end ) evaluation shall be in the ration of 30.:70.
(b) For practice teaching-cum-internship - All activities related to practice teaching-cum-internship will be evaluated on a continuous basis by the Supervisor and the Guide. The Supervisor will base his/her evaluation on the activity plans and reports shred by the learner as well as the video recording of actual conduct of activity sessions at the site.
Apart from this, the various activity plans, reports and teaching learning materials developed by the student will be compiled in the form of a File which will be sent for evaluation to the headquarters. Thus continuous evaluation at the site of practice teaching-cum-internship by the Supervisor and the Guide will have 70% weighatge and final evaluation at the headquarters through the file will have 30 % weighatge.
(c) For workshop – There will be continuous evaluation of the student’s participation in the workshop which be carried out on the basis of the participation of the student in the various activities organized during the workshop. The continuous evaluation will carry 100% weightage.
(d) For seminar – Each student’s seminar will be evaluated by a panel of two academic counsellors at the programme study centre. This will carry 100% weightage.
11. Monitoring and Supervision
A systematic monitoring mechanism must be in place in the distance education institution. Various strategies for monitoring, such as periodic field visits by the faculty, collection of regular feedback from both the learners and the Progarmme Study Centre coordinators, interaction with learners, Supervisors, Academic counsellors through ICT as specified above, and maintaining specified record by the institutions should be applied.
Monitoring will be carried out each semester and the detailed records of the same shall be available at the headquarters.
The Programme Study Centres shall be monitored on each aspect of the face-to-face component provided by it as well as the continuous evaluation activities that it engages in with respect to the programme.
12. Fee Structure
The fee shall be charged as prescribed by the University.
13. Pre Requisite For Applying For Grant Of Recognition Of The Programme
Before applying to the NCTE for recognition of a teacher education programme, an ODL institution shall ensure the following tasks: .
i. Preparation of the project document with details about the scope of the programme, fee structure, enrolment, estimated expenditure and norms of payment for implementation of the programme to resources persons, Programme Study Centres; the resources to be provided to Study Centres; roles and responsibilities at headquarter, regional and programme study centre level.
ii. Approval of the appropriate university/ institutional bodies for launching the programme.
iii. Preparation of curriculum (course–wise and unit-wise structure) including scheme of evaluation/examination and support services, duly approved by the University.
iv. Preparation of the self-learning material in print and non-print, duly certified by the DEC.
v. Undertaking from the identified Programme Study Centres in a prescribed format ensuring strict observation of norms for the Programme study centres .
vi. Requisite faculty and staff in position
