A SEARCH FOR STANDARDS IN THE
FIELD OF TEACHER EDUCATION IN
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO-the quest
for legitimacy
SAMUEL LOCHAN
AND
BEULAR MITCHELL
Increased complexity of the field of
teacher education
• More offerings at
undergraduate and
postgraduate levels
• Online offerings
• Blended offerings
• More foreign providers
•
•
•
•
•
•
SOE/UWI
UTT
USC
ROYTEC
SHEFFIELD/BAPOS
CREDI
Missing ingredient?
Clearly articulated public standards for
teachers and the preparation of
teachers and a governing body to
manage the field of teacher education.
Since 1960 there has been a Joint
Board for Teacher Education
managed by UWI, Mona
Some positive recent developments
• Pre-service teacher education compulsory at
the primary level
• A Teacher Performance and Teacher
Development Unit was established at the MOE
• Professional Development had been made
part of the Seamless Development Project
EXAMINING THE LOCAL CONTEXT
The Case of B.Ed Primary
B.Ed Primary Programmes by
different providers
INSIGHTS GAINED/ POINTS OF
DIFFERENCE
• There is diversity in the programmes
– Content/curricula
– Duration
– Delivery
– Assessment
– Entry requirements
A Look at the International Front
History of Quality Assurance in Teacher
Education
Time periods
What constitutes
standards
Institutions driving
standards
1960-1980
Training agenda- school
effectiveness studies
Benign state control with a
lot of institutional
independence
1980-2000
Teacher learning agendareflective practitioner,
empowerment, social
justice, learning
communities, highs
standards for teacher
education
The teaching profession
and the institutions of
teacher preparation viz.
Universities
1990-present
Policy Agenda-High
accountability standards
emphasis on outcomes
such as student grades, de-
Contestation between
states, profession and
institutions for control over
standards
Three Main Approaches to
Governance in Teacher Education.
Institutional governance-management by well
established university system
Professional Governance- management by strong
independent professional organizations
Political Governance- management by ministries
or government
Comparative models of Quality
Assurance in Teacher Education
Negotiated Settlements
Standards setting and arrangements for
governance are really achieved through
negotiated settlements between
contending agencies at different points in
time. Standards may change and the
governance arrangements may change as
the as the social and political forces
change and as the research agenda
develops to shape policy and practice.
Negotiated settlement in the USA
• The case of the USA is very instructive. There are a lot of
professional organizations that have been very vocal and active in
education; NCATE is more than 50 years old, there are teachers
unions that are strong and active, subject teachers associations in
maths, science, social studies; ASCD; ATE.
• States all have their high stakes test to determine employment as
teachers. The Federal Government exerts influence through
funding and can impact on all aspects of education and teacher
education e.g. “No child left behind” and “ Nation at Risk” (1983).
There also private agencies like Fordham foundation that influence
teacher education. Thus in the USA the governance and standards
for the teaching profession is shared between Federal Government,
Individual states, Universities and professional organizations and
private institutions.
Developments in the Region
Regional Developments
• OAS Teacher Education Hemispheric
Project(2004)
• Draft Harmonized Policy Framework for
Teacher Education in the Caribbean
The Harmonized Policy Framework
•
•
•
•
Selection and Recruitment
Initial Formation
In-service Teacher Education
Teacher Evaluation and Certification
Regional Developments
• Proposal for the Establishment of a Caribbean
Community Council for Teaching and Teacher
Education (CCCTTE)
• Proposal for the National Council for Teaching
and Teacher Education(NCTTE)
• Development of Regional Standards of
Practice for the Teaching Profession
Functions of the CCCTTE
• Teachers
– To develop guidelines for assessing teaching
performance standards
– To establish criteria for teaching
– To develop guidelines for the management of a
teacher development system
– To coordinate partnerships
– To develop guidelines and strategies for attracting
and retaining suitably qualified teachers
Issues to consider in the way forward
in Trinidad and Tobago
• Work has been done at the Regional Level
• Standards only have legitimacy if they reflect
how relevant stakeholders think and feel
• Standards have to reflect the culture and
context and the needs of the society
• The globalization agenda may conflict with the
need to address culture and context
Issues to consider in the way forward
in Trinidad and Tobago
• How do you get meaningful participation in a
weak professional culture?
• What is the relative strength of relevant
stakeholders; tertiary providers, State,
denominational boards, parents, TTUTA,
Administrators, other private agencies and
NGO’s
• Need to set up mechanism for propelling the
discourse