KNOWLEDGE AND CURRICLUM UNIT -5

Agencies Involved in Curriculum Development

TEACHERS

PARENTS

EDUCATIONISTS

SCHOOL

HEAD MASTER

Role of School Administrator in Curriculum Development To a great extent the administrator's role is that of expeditor. Curriculum study takes time, energy, people, materials and funds. The administrator is in a key position to facilitate in the following ways • He should provide time and space for teachers to meet and study. • The administrator should know which people could make good consultants and arrange such people to meet in groups.

• The administrator can set up staff development programmes, special workshops and study groups • Arrangements should be made for teachers to attend conferences, institutes and conventions or to visit other schools. • Often journals, reports and pamphlets come across the administrator's desk that teachers may never know about. The administrator should establish the practice of channeling items of interest to teachers. • He should keep himself up to date on educational ideas and programmes. • In setting the tone for relationship in the school the administrator functions as a Social engineer. In this role, he can do a number of things. ✓ A supporting attitude on the part of the administrator will tend to release the creative energy of the teachers. He should see that the qualified staff members are given positions of leadership in the curricular programmes. ✓ The administrator must know and understand the personality traits of teachers so that they become S effective members of Curriculum study teams. ✓ The administrator will take steps to initiate interest and action among the faculty. A good administrator must u be a good listener. He must not turn a deaf ear to representations made for change because he is unwilling to involve himself. ✓ The administrator should arrange for periodical evaluation of the school activities. ✓ The administrator should orient new teachers who joined the school to the school’s philosophy, procedures and programmes ✓ Role of Teachers in Curriculum Development As day-to-day practioners in the field of education, teachers have a very crucial role to play in Curriculum improvement. As they are working in close proximity of pupils, directing and guiding them in the process of Curriculum transaction, they are in a better position to judge the working of the curriculum. Their judgment about the educational objectives, selection of content, and organization of content and evaluational techniques will help to reduce the gap between theory and practice. But unfortunately in Our country, the participation of teachers is not significant in the process of curriculum development. We should not forget the fact that it is teachers who are

ultimately responsible for successfully implementing the curriculum in the classroom. Without their participation and co- operation, no curriculum however efficient it may be, can bring the desired results and prove to be effective. Ways and Means of Involving Teachers in Curriculum Development There are a variety of ways through which teachers can influence curriculum development. They are of three categories (i.e. general, classroom and professional). (1) General • Teachers can become members of committees to study curriculum and thereby give their ideas. • When membership is on the basis of specialization teaches with different subjects of specialization, will contribute more valuable ideas. • Teachers exchange ideas and materials with other teachers and experts. This leads to professional growth of teachers. • Teachers can act as communication agents for the school and create better understanding between the public and the school. • Teachers can represent their schools at conferences. They can bring back those ideas discussed in the conferences to experiment them in their schools. (2)Classroom Activities • A fundamental responsibility of the teacher is to know his students well. This will enable him to identify the problems of individual students since the ultimate goal is to develop all round personality in every student. • Many curriculum experts feel that exploration at the classroom level is basic to the development of a curriculum. The study at the classroom level will provide opportunity for the discovery of new ideas and other possibilities. On the contrary experts sitting in air conditioned rooms and discussing about the possibilities of curriculum change is an ivory-tower approach' that simply ignores the ground realities. • Teachers can help to evaluate new programmes by observing how they work with students. This will help to study effectively the curriculum objectives, materials and activities. • Teachers can carry on action research on important topics that confront the teaching-learning process.

(3)Activities related to different responsibilities of a teacher • • • • •

Director of student- learning Evaluation of student’s proficiency in learning Disciplinarian Guidance and counselling Liaison between the school and the parents

Curriculum and the Headmaster All curriculum activity must come to the school campus and its individual classrooms for which the prime mover is the school headmaster. The role of the headmaster in implementing the curriculum is no less important than that of teachers. The well-being or ill-being of any school depends on the personality of the headmaster. Good headmaster makes good schools and good schools produce good headmasters. He is the administrative head of the school, and as such is in a "make or break" position. His energy can stimulate the teaching faculty and make the school atmosphere vibrant with activities. He is the invisible force that activates everything in the school campus. In the classroom or away from it, he is the tone-setter for his school, the strategic center for curriculum improvement. He is also pace-setter for curriculum implementation. The following are the important functions of the headmaster with respect to the implementation of curriculum in the school: • Introducing the revised curriculum in the school and arranging for stafforientation to put the new curriculum into action effectively. • Taking efforts to provide all the facilities required for the effective implementation of the different aspects of the curriculum with the true spirit. • Apart from getting the co-operation of the school management to procure the essential infrastructural and instructional resources for implementing the curriculum, he should plan for making use of the available community resources. (Both physical and human) • Encouraging the staff to participate in curriculum related seminars and workshops, in addition to taking efforts to arrange for such events in his own school as the venue.

• By enlisting the co-operation and help of the officers of the state education department, Govt. officials and educational experts, arrangements can be made for staff improvement programmes like 'Refresher courses', 'Reorientation Training Programmes, ‘Inservice Programmes' etc. • Democratic leadership calls for considerable amount of skill in social engineering. There will be teachers not trying any academic experiment or innovative curricular practice. In a sense, they are 'have-nots’. The headmaster should induce them to participate Workshops or conferences. • The maintenance of good relations with community d and teachers depends on the resourcefulness of the headmaster. He should try to generate adequate financial resources from the PTA. alumni association of the school, philanthropists in community etc. so that no curriculum programme will suffer from paucity of funds. • As a 'gate-keeper' the headmaster can and should be aware of all events in the school. By making available the latest books and literature, research journals. Text books, reference books, reports of education commissions and committees in the school library, he can make his staff become aware of the latest trends in education. • Headmaster is the one who brings the ideas tried elsewhere to the notice of his faculty members and provides a means of security and moral support to adopt them. • Though the headmaster is the ultimate person to take various decisions with respect to the implementation of the curriculum, he should hear the views of all sections. The principle of co-operation recognizes that young people too have ideas, that their suggestions may be valuable to both planning and operation. • The parents and the public should be informed of all the changes in the curriculum that may be operationalized because changes will sometimes involve risks. To be informed of the changes and risks, the public should be included in the planning sessions. • To put it in a nutshell, the headmaster as a curriculum leader has many roles ✓ initiator ✓ facilitator ✓ coordinator

✓ An expert in human relations. The role of the headmaster is quite challenging and an exalting one. Educationalists Educationalists are self-motivated people. They are advocates who served the best interests of students in any educational setting by facilitating student’s natural desire to discover and contribute to the world they live in and they also seek to educate mind, body and soul. • They possess knowledge in teacher training, understanding of institutional development like management, administration, academics and public relations. • A teacher’s role is to make judgments about how to help their students learn in the environment in which they teach. • They help in all round development of the students. • They help in designing and organizing the curriculum contents. • Curriculum design includes school (structure, level), educational technology, and social reconstruction.it analyses social needs and translates it into courses/learning objectives. The developmental phases consists of methods of teaching, instrumental development, material and media development. Role of N.C.E.R.T. in curriculum Development The National Council of Educational Research and Training is an autonomous body, functioning from New Delhi as its headquarters. It was founded on 1st September 1961, through an act of Indian Parliament. The Union Education Minister (presently called the Minister of Human Resource Development) is its president. A full-time director is selected on contract-basis by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, to coordinate, control and ad minister its day-today activities. This body is more an academic one rather than administrative. It has several departments to look after different aspects of education. The plans and programmes of NCERT are implemented through its branch offices located, one in each state capital under the leadership of a 'Field Officer'.

NCERT is conducting various teacher education programmes in its four Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs, formerly known as Regional Colleges of Education) located at Mysore, Bhuvaneshwar, Bhopal and Ajmer. RIEs Offer a four year integrated teacher education programme like B.Sc.Ed., B.AEd and B.Com.Ed., for those who have completed 12 years of schooling in general education and a two year course for graduates. RIEs at Mysore and Bhuvaneshwar also offer post-graduate courses in teacher education like M.Sc.Ed., M.A.Ed., and M.Com.Ed., At present RIEs concentrate on research and extension work in primary education and schemes like 'Sarva Siksha Abiyan’ Functions of Curriculum Development Cell One of the departments of NCERT is the Curriculum Development Cell (CDC). Which takes up the responsibility of developing curriculum in different subjects, at different levels The important functions of CDC are: • To study the school curriculum and recommend now and then the needed modifications. • To produce and distribute quality text books, guide ii) books and instructional materials to help teachers in the implementation of the curriculum (for different Subjects, at different levels of school education conforming to the C.B.S.E. curriculum). • To organize curriculum related seminars and workshops at different places across the country. • It encourages action research projects of teachers in different areas of school education and the best projects selected are awarded cash prizes and other kinds of recognition. • The research findings, obtained in relation to curricular practices are disseminated among the teachers across the country through research journals published by the N.C.E.R.T. • The field advisers placed in different regions of the country helps the NCERT in the implementation of its Curriculum. • Publishes reports, pamphlets and bulletins.

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR TEACHER EDUCATION History of Creation of NCTE • Set up as an advisory board in 1973 • created nationwide awareness on issues relating to teacher education • Developed “National Framework for Teacher Education Curriculum” in the year 1978. • The National Council for Teacher Education as a statutory body to regulate and guide institutions of teacher education came into existence in pursuance of the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 (No. 73 of 1993) on the 17th August,1995. (It extend to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir) Objective/purpose of the NCTE In Teacher Education system: • To achieve planned and coordinated development throughout the country • To regulate the proper maintenance of norms and standards the matters that connect therewith • The mandate given to the NCTE is very broad and covers the whole gamut. Functions Regulatory 1. Recognition 2. Rules and Regulations, Norms and standards. • Guidance • Innovation, Research and Development • Assessment and evaluation • Advice to State and central Government Universities, UGC and recognized institutions. • Prevent commercialization of Teacher Education • Co-ordination and monitoring • Other functions entrusted by Central Govt.

Organizational Set-Up • The Council • The Executive Committee • Regional Committees • Appeal Committee • Inspection Team • Visiting Team NCTE Regulations 2009 • Eligibility of Institution • Procedure and Conditions for Grant of Recognition • Norms for various courses • Power to relax norms Norms and Standards • Duration of course • Working days • Intake, Eligibility and Admission procedure • Staff and their qualifications • Terms and conditions of service • Facilities: Infrastructure, Amenities and Instructional • Curriculum Transaction • Sharing of facilities and total intake • Managing committee Pre-service Teacher Education “Teaching is a profession and teacher education is a process of professional preparation of teachers”

• Pre-service Teacher Education is the education and training provided to student teachers before they have undertaken any teaching. • During the pre-service education program the pre-service teacher will learn how to use their knowledge to formulate lesson plans to teach their class. • Common topics include classroom management, lesson plans, and professional development. • A major focus during such education programs are the practicum where the preservice teacher is placed within a school setting (either elementary, or senior) and shadows an experienced teacher. • The pre-service teacher will be given opportunities to develop skills through lesson plans, teaching lessons and classroom management. NCTE - Pre-service Teacher Education The NCTE, under Section 12, is responsible for the following activities and functions: • To coordinate and monitor teacher education and its development in the country. • To lay down guidelines in respect of minimum qualifications for a person to be employed as a teacher. • To lay down norms for any specified category of courses or training in teacher education. • To lay down guidelines for compliance by recognized institutions for starting new courses or training. • To lay down standards in respect of examinations, leading to teacher education qualifications. • To examine and review periodically the implementation of the norms, guidelines and standards laid down by the Council. NCTE Role in Teacher Development In-service teacher education broadly perform the following functions: • updates teachers in issues concerning content, methodology and evaluation, • upgrades serving teachers in tasks with which they are currently occupied, • initiates and orients teachers to new roles and technologies,

• provides opportunities for unqualified or under qualified on- the-job teachers to update and upgrade their knowledge. While content, design and duration of each programme would be determined by one or more functions identified above, long range efficacy of any programme would also be judged by its impact on the following: 1) Personality of the trainees 2) Motivation and commitment in matters relating to professional and selfgrowth 3) Awareness of social realities; and communication and evaluative skills Training faculty The success of in-service education depends on the strength of each of its four pillars: 1) Content of training 2) Over all ethos of the training venue 3) Resource fullness ingenuity of trainers 4) Receptivity and involvement of the trainees • All of which together contribute towards the effectiveness of in-service education • The training faculty shall comprise two types of faculty 1) Core faculty 2) Guest faculty NCTE Strategies • Training strategies would range from lecture-cum- discussion to project work, library work, group interaction, field visits. • There may be many models of in-service training. • Face to face Institutional Model • Media Based Distance Education Model

Besides the above three models, some other important considerations contribute to effectiveness of an in-service training programme. • • • •

Target groups Transactional strategies Content Evaluation and follow-up.