Concerns and Problems of Quality in Teacher Education

Abstract

Teacher Education is an important area of concern in an educational system. It is undergoing rapid changes in keeping pace with the demands of learning and expectations of learners, community and society as a whole. Various efforts have been made to improve teacher education, but the gaps can still be seen. The status of teachers has got a direct bearing on the quality of education. The way teachers teach is of critical concern in any reform designed to improve quality. Education has always been the strongest medium in the hands of teacher to realize the social aspirations in effective and speedy manners. Teacher quality, teacher learning, and teacher improvement, therefore, are becoming the foci of researchers, policy makers, program designers, implementers and evaluators. The rapid changes in society led to teachers facing new and complex issues, resulting in changes in the area of teacher education. Teacher education has not come up to the requisite standards. Teachers are not able to think critically and solve the issue related to teaching methods, content, organization etc. It should prepare professionally competent teachers to perform their roles effectively as per the needs of the society. Without qualified competent teachers, it is impossible to build a high quality education. On the other hand, qualified competent teacher will not able to carry out their task professionally without the proper conditions that support their task. Curricular Issues, Pedagogical Issues, Inclusive Education, Information and Communication Technology, Projects based approach, evaluation and feedback strategies are such issues which need the serious deliberations over possibilities, opportunities and threats of teacher education for achieving quality concerns in the teacher education. The quality of teacher education programme needs to be up graded. Teacher education programme needs a comprehensive reform and restructuring curriculum of teacher-education programme needs to be revised according to changing needs of society. Thus, the present paper highlights the various issues as well as problems concerned with the quality of teacher education.