A minor research project on ‘Developing 21st century skills of teacher educators’ was sanctioned as per order F.No.MRP (H)-940/09-10/KLMG042/UGC-SWRO. The principal investigator and co-investigator started working on it in the month of January itself. It is a combination of survey and experiments carried out in this institution with co-operation support and involvement from different teacher education institutions like institutions from private sector institutions from self financing sector and university centre of teacher education institutions under Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam, Kerala.
21st Century skills
In this minor research project 21st century skills means:
• skills needed to handle 21st century classrooms
• collaborative skills
• skills needed to develop one’s own educational philosophy
The Minor Research Project (MRP) was conducted in 2 phases
I Phase
A survey was conducted using a tool “Evaluation of staff development programme”. The tool consists of different dimensions like :
• Leadership
• Involvement of staff in Staff development Programme (SDP)
• SDP for improving student performance
• SDP for improving curriculum transaction
• Strategies of SDP
The data collected were analysed and based on this a workshop was conducted. In this workshop training were given in the following areas.
• Modern problem solving skills
• Techniques of e- learning
• Blog creation
Outcome of I phase
• Studied the SDP existing in different teacher education institutions under Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam
• Training in the above mentioned areas were given to 25 teacher educators belonging to different teacher education institutions under M.G.University Kottayam
II Phase
The readiness for teacher leadership and Philosophy of Education of Teacher educators were identified using two different tools viz. “Assessing Readiness for leadership” and “Philosophy of education inventory” respectively. The first tool helped to assess the leadership skills of teacher educators. The Philosophy of education inventory includes dimensions like:
• B- Behavioral Education
• C- Comprehensive Education
• P- Progressive Education
• H- Humanistic Education
• S- Social Change Education
Based on the survey study another workshop was organized and provided training in:
• Stress management
• Enhancing leadership qualities
• Maintenance of healthy body for a healthy mind
• Yoga –a life style.
Separate activity sessions were organized for each area. It was documented.
Conclusion
The MRP was spread over two academic years and still the net working of teacher educators continue.
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