Professional Development of Teacher Educators
in Pakistan: Challenges and Opportunities
Presented in: 4th Teacher Education Advancement Network Conference
Sponsored by Higher Education Academy , UK
Conference Aston, Birmingham May 17, 2013
Presented by: Naima Qureshi
Research Supervisors: Mary Briggs & Dr. Janet Goodall
1
Overview of the Presentation
Background of the Study
Brief Literature Review
Research Questions
Research Methods &Sample
Preliminary Findings
My Professional Journey
Why and How I am here??
Different Players in Teacher Education in Pakistan
Ministry of Education
Higher Education Commission (HEC)
National Accreditation of Teacher Education
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)
Provincial Government
Government elementary
colleges of education
Institutes of education
and research
University departments
Directorates or centers
for in-service training
Issues for Teacher Educators in the field
•No comprehensive criteria for enter into the profession
•Fewer opportunities for formal professional development
•Lack of policy support
•No standards and curriculum for educating teacher
educators
•Lack of research and publications in the field
Recent Reforms in Teacher Education
•National Accreditation of Teacher Education
•National Professional Teaching Standards
•Four-year BEd. Programme
Teacher Education as a Professional Field
•The existence of an independent body of knowledge
•Its own structure, knowledge bases, terms and concepts
•Practitioners being professionals
Murray, J., Swennen, A. & Shagrir, L. (2009) Understanding teacher educators’ work and identities, in: A.
Sweennen & M. van der Klinks (Eds) Becoming a teacher educator; theory and practice for teacher educators
(Dordrecht, Springer), 29-43
Position of Teacher Educators
Based on : Shagrir Leah (2010) Development of novice teacher educators: Professional Self, interpersonal
relations and teaching skills: Professional Development in Education 36:1-2, pp 45-60
Teacher Educators : Who they are?
Someone who contributes in a formal way to the learning
and development of teachers (Snoek et al. 2011)
Murray et al. (2009) define teacher education as broad,
heterogeneous and differentiated field (or area) within
which teacher educators undertake many different types of
work.
Marco Snoek, Anja Swennen & Marcel van der Klink (2011) : The quality of teacher educators in the
European policy debate : actions and measures to improve the professionalism of teacher educators,
Professional Development in Education, 37:5 , 651-664
Roles & Expectations from Teacher Educators
Based on: Murray, J.; Swennen,A. &Shagrir L. (2009) Understanding teacher educators’ work and identities: A. Swennen & M. van der
Klink (Eds) Becoming a teacher educator: theory and practice for teacher educators (New York, Springer ), 29-44
Challenges and problems faced by Teacher Educators
•Dual nature of their work in schools and university departments
•Shift to more expansive academic and professional expectations as
teacher educator
•Transition from teacher to teacher educator (move from ‘expert to
novice’)
•Teaching load and other administrative duties
•Lack of time leads to the limited opportunities for learning
•Institutional constraints (lack of facilities, resources etc)
•Contextual and cultural constraints
lack of collaborative culture etc)
(lack of support, acceptance,
Why Professional Development of Teacher Educators?
• To improve the profession
• To maintain interest in the profession
• To grow personally and professionally
• To advance within the profession
(Smith, 2010)
Kari Smith (2010): So: What about the professional Development of Teacher Educators?. European Journal
of Teacher Education, 26:2, 201-215
Reflection & Self
Assessment, Self
Study
Discussion
with
Colleague,
feedback,
observation
How teacher
educators
learn?
Working with other
professional
bodies/
network etc
Formal
Trainings,
Seminars,
Workshops
etc
Focus of the Study
Professional development of teacher educators ,their experiences,
challenges and opportunities for learning at University of Education,
Lahore, Pakistan.
Teacher educators are those faculty members who are involved in
teaching pre-service teachers and are called lecturer, assistant
professors, associate professor and professors according to their
grade.
Research Questions
1- How does the professional development of tertiary level teacher
educators teaching at BEd. & MEd. level at the University of
Education, Lahore takes place?
2-What are the different roles teachers educators have to perform?
3- What are the experiences of teacher educators with various
academic backgrounds and experiences in performing their various
roles?
(i)
What are the challenges do they face?
(ii) What are the opportunities for their professional development
(iii) How do they learn through formal and in-formal professional
learning opportunities at their workplace?
Methodology
•Sequential explanatory mixed–method design and few
elements of case study.
•Quantitative
Qualitative design
•Questionnaires, document analysis & semi-structured
interviews.
Sample of the Study
Level
Main Actor and
Sample for study
What they do ?
How I will get data?
Macro
Higher Education
Commission
Major reforms in
teacher education
Interview with
representative of
Director of Quality
Assurance Agency
Meso
Vice Chancellor of
University
Head of department
and college principal
Decision on
availability of
professional
development
opportunities
Interviews
Micro
Teacher Educators
What they
experience?
Challenges and
opportunities
Semi-structured
interviews and
questionnaires
Pilot Study Findings: Major categories
(5 semi-structure interviews from teacher educators
of 3 different campuses)
Roles
Challenges and problems
Learning (formal &
informal)
Teaching
No provision of orientation
programme and professional
development
Sharing with colleagues
Research
Lack of institutional support
Self-learning
Teaching Practicum
Feel challenged to mix up with
senior colleagues
Use of internet
Administrative duties
Problems in teaching
Discussion and feed back
from students
Lack of physical facilities
No formal learning
opportunities
Lack of research culture
Analysis and Comparison
Pilot study has confirmed that age, experience, and
gender would be worth exploring while making analysis
and or comparison
Contribution
• General relevance to contemporary issues in the field of teacher
education in Pakistan
• Deeper understanding of teachers’ educators work & the way in
which their learning can be supported
• Contribute for designing the professional development programme
for teacher educators
• Further awareness and contribution in international literature
regarding the work of teacher educators
References
• Khan, H. (2011): Becoming teacher educators in Pakistan: voices from the government colleges of education,
Journal of Education for Teaching International research and pedagogy, 37:3, 325-335
• Kari Smith (2010): So: What about the professional Development of Teacher Educators?. European Journal of
Teacher Education, 26:2, 201-215
• Murray, J.; Swennen,A. &Shagrir L. (2009) Understanding teacher educators’ work and identities: A. Swennen & M.
van der Klink (Eds) Becoming a teacher educator: theory and practice for teacher educators (New York, Springer ),
29-44
• Murray, J.; Swennen,A. &Shagrir L. (2009) Understanding teacher educators’ work and identities: A. Swennen & M. van der
Klink (Eds) Becoming a teacher educator: theory and practice for teacher educators (New York, Springer ), 29-44
• Marco Snoek, Anja Swennen & Marcel van der Klink (2011) : The quality of teacher educators in the European policy
debate : actions and measures to improve the professionalism of teacher educators, Professional Development in
Education, 37:5 , 651-664
• Shagrir Leah (2010) Development of novice teacher educators: Professional Self, interpersonal relations and
teaching skills: Professional Development in Education 36:1-2, pp 45-60
Any Questions!!!!
Thank you!
Naima.Qureshi@warwick.ac.uk