Developing teachers as researchers: A teacher preparation endeavor

• Main Authors: Undurthy, Lakshmi Narayana, Peri, Subbarayan
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: LB Theory and practice of education
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/1660/1/DEVELOPING_TEACHERS_AS_RESEARCHERS.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/1660/

Instructional process is aimed at accomplishing the desired learning outcomes. But some times teachers may fail to achieve the instructional objectives. In such instances teachers attempt to find out reasons that come in way of achieving the instructional goals. The reasons may pertain to student behavior, curriculum or teacher behavior. In order to improve their classroom practices for initiating desired learning outcomes, teachers often encountered with such question as why expected outcomes are not achieved, what are the impediments that caused non accomplishment of learning outcomes, how to improve instruction for better learning and so on. One of the major reasons for such situation may be due to gap between what teacher planned to do and what has been done in the actual classroom instruction. Teachers are expected to identify these gaps between their thought and action. Consequently, they should attempt to mitigate this gap to improve quality of instruction. In order to undertake this task, teachers need to play the role of a researcher. Teacher preparation programs should equip teachers with necessary skills of conducting classroom research. This helps teachers in improving their classroom practices. Teacher educators working in District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) have to play an important role in equipping the teachers with the skills of conducting classroom research. Hence there is a need to improve the capabilities of DIET faculty to train primary teachers in conducting classroom research.