MoHEST-MoYAS-GeSCI Workshop
Defining ICT Competencies for TIVET Lecturers & Instructors in Kenya
Standards and Competencies
Mary Hooker
mary.hooker@gesci.org
Research Project Manager
GeSCI
Kenya Institute of Education,
June 2nd – 4th 2010
Standards and Competencies
What are standards or competencies?
Standards and Competencies
What are standards or competencies?
•
Standards or competences are
descriptions of what a qualified
teacher/ lecturer/ instructor in a
given country should know and
be able to do
Thornton 2007
Standards and Competencies
What are standards or competencies?
•
The knowledge and skills
required of a teacher/lecturer/
instructor in order to teach in
educational institutions
Thornton 2007
Standards and Competencies
Knowledge
•
The content knowledge,
professional knowledge,
emerging and contemporary
knowledge and practical
understanding that a teacher/
trainer needs to perform his or
her duties
Thornton 2007
Standards and Competencies
Teaching Skills
•
The instructional processes,
strategies and classroom
management techniques that a
teacher/ lecturer/ instructor uses
to enhance learning
Thornton 2007
Standards and Competencies
The nature of competence
•
Competencies include high
levels of knowledge, values,
skills, and personal
dispositions, sensitivities and
capabilities — and the ability to
put those combinations into
practice in an appropriate way
The National Competency Framework for Beginning Teaching (Commonwealth of Australia, 1996)
Standards and Competencies
Why Teacher/ Lecturer/ Instructor
Competency Standards?
Standards and Competencies
Why Teacher/Lecturer/ Instructor Competency Standards?
•
•
•
•
•
Clear for all to see what is required of a qualified teacher/lecturer/ instructor in
terms of knowledge, classroom skills, behaviour and attitudes.
All technical training institutes will need to make sure that they procure
lecturers & instructors to meet those competences
All training providers will have to ensure that they provide training programs
which meet country priorities as expressed in the competency framework rather
than focusing on their own agendas
Lecturers, instructors and teachers will be able to see the minimum standards
required of them and will be able to place efforts towards achieving and
maintaining those standards
The general public can be confident that students are being taught by lecturers
& instructors who have achieved agreed and transparent standards
Thornton 2007
Standards and Competencies
Competency Standards for Primary Teachers in Kenya
Skills Domain
The teacher…
•
interprets syllabus content and prepares both schemes of work and daily lesson plans with
clear achievable objectives.
•
selects from a variety of teaching methods according to the purpose making maximum use
of a variety of learner-centred methodologies appropriate to the age and developmental
level of the child.
•
develops relevant and appropriate teaching / learning materials using locally available
materials as applicable.
•
is able to adapt the curriculum, and make learning relevant to all learners including those
who are special or disadvantaged.
•
uses available modern technology to enhance learning.
•
is conscious of the differences in learners and teaches each individual learner in the class,
taking into account differences in learning styles, abilities, gender, ages, skills, activities,
prior knowledge, psychosocial needs and behaviour.
•
possesses good communication skills, presents new material clearly, gives clear
instructions and checks for understanding and output.
Ministry of Education, Kenya (2007)
Standards and Competencies
Why ICT Teacher/ Lecturer/ Instructor
Competency Standards?
Standards and Competencies
Why ICT Competency Standards?
Expansive TPD transformation
Institutions and schools in collaboration
with the community (local, national, regional)
ICT a core technology
Given
Programmes
‘Transition’
‘Infusing’
‘Knowledge deepening’
Teacher professional development focus on
the use of ICT to guide students through
complex problems and manage dynamic
learning environment
3
‘Transformation’
‘Transforming’
‘Knowledge creation’
Teachers are themselves master learners and knowledge
producers who are constantly engaged in educational
experimentation and innovation to produce new
knowledge about learning and teaching practice
4
1
2
‘Traditional’
‘Transmission’
‘Emerging’
‘Applying’
‘Technology add-on’
‘Technology literacy’
Teacher training focus on the use of ICT as
Teacher training focus on the development of digital
an add-on to the traditional curricula and
literacy and the use of ICT for professional improvement
standardized test systems
ICT a complementary technology
Institutions and schools
as relatively isolated from the community
Experimentation in
context
with varying solutions
A consolidated continuum of approaches for ICT Integration in Teacher Professional Development
UNESCO 2008; GeSCI-MINEDUC 2009
Standards and Competencies
ICT Standards for Four Dimensions
1. ICT skills, knowledge and attitudes are added into the
institutional program through a separate ICT subject
2. Focuses on integrating ICTs into the daily work of all lecturers
3. Transformative at the classroom level: it changes content as well
as pedagogy (what students learn as well as how they learn)
4. Transformative at the systemic level: leading to changes in the
organisational and structural features of technical course
provision as well
Standards and Competencies
A Continuum of Standards?
Three different approaches to standards framework
•
•
•
a set of generic standards for beginning lecturers/instructors
a set of standards that describe a highly accomplished
lecturers/ instructors
standards which involve multiple levels or a continuum of
development
Standards and Competencies
Generic v specific standards?
• generic standards which can be related to
any discipline area and any level of teaching
• technical/subject specific standards, in
particular those under development in
Science, Mathematics, Engineering,
Carpentry…
References
Commonwealth of Australia 1996. National Competency Framework for Beginning Teaching. Canberra:
AGPS
GeSCI-MINEDUC 2009. Concept Note: Workshop - Teacher Professional Development for Tomorrow,
Today. Kigali: GeSCI-MINEDUC
Ministry of Education 2007. Draft Competency Framework for Primary Teachers. Nairobi: MoE
Thornton, B. 2007. Fundamental Schools Quality Project. Report on Setting of Competency Framework.
Dili: Ministry of Education
UNESCO 2008a. ICT Competency Standards for Teachers: Policy Framework [Online].
Available from UNESCO at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001562/156210E.pdf
[Accessed 11 April 2009]