Comparison of the Responses of Teacher Trainers and Researcher’s Classroom Observation on the Effectiveness of Teacher Training Program in Pakistan

This research has been designed to cover the following objectives (1) To find out the perceptions of teacher trainers about essential classroom skills being stressed during the teacher training program. (2)To determine if there are discrepancies between skills are being developed during the teacher training program and skills actually being used in the classroom. (3) To identify the problems in acquiring and implementing the essential classroom skills by the trainees teachers. The study was conducted in KPK, the province of Pakistan. Two Districts were randomly chosen from the province. Ten percent Govt. Secondary Schools Ten percent teachers were chosen from the sampled teachers for researcher’s classroom observation who were teaching the subjects of Urdu, pak.Studies and Islamic studies at secondary level. An equal number of teacher trainers were taken from each District. A questionnaire was designed to get the responses of the teacher trainers. A checklist was constructed to carry out classroom observation of the teachers teaching in the classroom and to see the effectiveness of teacher training program (B.Ed). Data collected through research instruments were analyzed by using mean score, t-test. It was concluded that majority of the teachers prepared the lesson objectives before going to their classes. Majority of the teachers lacked the skill of identifying misbehaviors. The teachers were trained in the Traditional methods. The Teacher Training Programs were heavily loaded with theoretical information and the teachers were unable to use modern methodologies. It was recommended that the Teacher Training Institutions be equipped with the latest technologies to equip the teachers with latest techniques and teaching methodologies. The teachers may be provided appropriate training in the area of classroom management and evaluation.


INTRODUCTION
Teachers who have proper training are better able to use teaching strategies that respond to student's needs and learning styles. Teachers should support each other in planning instructional strategies, devising applications of concepts, and developing sequences that enable students to think and explore new knowledge and information. Proper training is essential for preparing good and effective teachers. Training is necessary for efficient work in a particular job. Because if without initial training a person is employed in a job then it will be International Journal of Learning & Development ISSN 2164-4063 2013 risky. So training is also essential for every teacher. Trained teachers can do much more than untrained teachers. According to an APEID report (1993) the purpose of a teacher preparation program should be to develop in each student his general academic ability and personal culture, his ability to teach and educate others, an awareness of the principles which underline good human relations, within and across national boundaries and a sense of responsibilities to contribute both by teaching and by example to social, cultural and economic progress.
So the improvement of a teacher's education is a critical national necessity. The quality of teachers, more than any other factor, depends upon the quality of instructions, and, quality of instructions is largely determined by the excellence of teachers this requires that teachers' education institutions should be well equipped with human as well as physical facilities. Farris (1996) is of the view that a teacher provides service for society because no one can become a doctor, lawyer, police officer etc without first going to elementary and secondary schools. Perhaps, no other profession is as rewarding and challenging as teaching (p21).
Hoffman and Pearson (2004) have summarized from Cruickshank and Metcalf (1990), the findings from the literature on training in terms of the following critical elements of teacher training: trained teachers should:  Establish clear performance goals and communicate them to learners. They should determine a learner's present skill level, and ensure that learners are aware of the requisite skill level for mastery.  Introduce only the few basic rules during early learning stages. Ensure a basic understanding of the skill to be learned, and when and why it is used.  Provide sufficient practice after understanding has been developed. Provide frequent knowledge of the results in the learning process and after incorrect performance.  Provide for transfer of training and provide full support and reinforcement for the use of skills in natural settings. Training and professional development includes imparting knowledge about content and skills in instruction, classroom management, assessment, and developing teacher knowledge and skill. It enables teachers to reflect critically on their practice and approach new knowledge and beliefs about content, pedagogy, and learners. It includes a direct instruction/lecture component, skill demonstration, modeling, workshop, presentations and other types of in-service activities. (P-3) The detail of existing teacher training programs at various level in Pakistan are shown in the (Table) Training

OBJECTIVES OF TEACHER TRAINING IN PAKISTAN NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY (1998-2010)
The Teacher Training Program is undoubtedly a significant program aiming at the continuous development of the teachers in the desired direction. Following are the chief objectives of the Teacher Training Program: 1. To provide incentive to the teachers to function more efficiently. 2. To help the teachers to know their problems and to solve them by pooling their resources and wisdom. 3. To help the teachers to employ more effective work and wisdom. 4. To help teachers to get acquainted with modern techniques in education. 5. To broaden the mental outlook of the teachers. Borish (2000) presents some teaching skills:

Personal Responsibilities:
The teachers should take personal responsibilities for the student's learning and has positive expectations for every learner.

Students Ability:
The teacher should match the difficulty of the lesson with the ability level of the students and vary the difficulty when necessary to attain moderate-to-high success rates.

Opportunity for Practicing:
The teachers should give the students the opportunity to practice newly learned concepts and to receive timely feedback of their performance.

Maximize Instructional Time:
The teachers should maximize instructional time to increase content coverage and to give students the greatest opportunity to learn.

Proper Questioning:
The teachers should provide direction and control of student learning through questioning, structuring and probing. 6. Variety of Instructional Material: The teachers should use a variety of instructional material and verbal and visual aids to foster use of student ideas and engagement in the learning process. 7. Students Response: The teachers should elicit response from the students each time a question is asked before moving to the next student or response.

Split the Material in to Steps:
The teachers should present the material in small steps with opportunities for practice.

Encourage the Students to Respond:
The teachers should encourage the students to reason out and elaborate on the correct answer.

Use of verbal questioning:
The teachers should engage the students in verbal questions and answers. 11. Emphasis on discussion: The teachers should use naturally occurring classroom dialogue to get students to elaborate, extend and comment on the content being learned.

Encouraging Independent Thinking:
The teachers should gradually shift some of the responsibilities for learning to the students thereby encouraging independent thinking and problem solving. 13. Assigning Home Task: ISSN 2164-4063 2013 The teachers should provide the learners with mental strategies for organizing and learning the content being taught.  OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: 1. To find out the perceptions of teacher trainers about essential classroom skills being stressed during the teacher training program. 2. To determine if there are discrepancies between skills are being developed during the teacher training program and skills actually being used in the classroom. 3. To identify the problems in acquiring and implementing the essential classroom skills by the trainees teachers.

SAMPLE OF THE STUDY:
1. The study was conducted in KPK, the province of Pakistan. 2. Two Districts were randomly chosen from the province. Ten percent Govt. Secondary Schools 3. Ten percent teachers were chosen from the sampled teachers for researcher's classroom observation who were teaching the subjects of Urdu, pak.Studies and Islamic studies at secondary level. 4. An equal number of teacher trainers were taken from each District.

INSTRUMENTS OF THE RESEARCH:
A questionnaire was designed to get the responses of the teacher trainers. A checklist was constructed to carry out classroom observation of the teachers teaching in the classroom and to see the effectiveness of teacher training program (B.Ed).

DATA COLLECTION:
The questionnaires were administered personally to the teacher trainers. Classroom observation was carried out by the researcher to observe the teachers during teaching in the classroom and to find out to what extent the classroom skills were being used by the teachers. For this purpose one teacher teaching secondary classes was taken from each school. All teachers were observed for the period of forty minutes in the first half of the school timings

DATA ANALYSIS:
Data collected through research instruments were analyzed by using mean score, t-test. The calculated values are higher than table value at 0.05 levels in respect of lesson planning skills, lesson management skills command over subject, appropriateness of teaching methods. In all other cases calculated value is less than table value indicating that there is no significant difference in the perceptions teacher trainers and researcher's classroom observation in respect of lesson presentation skills, lesson planning skills, lesson management skills, formulation of appropriate questions, maintaining social climate, command over subject, appropriateness of teaching methods, Inspiring confidence in students, evaluation skills, maintaining class discipline, formulation of appropriate questions, checking of homework and checking of class work. Conclusion: