1 - Amjad and Inamullah
1 - Amjad and Inamullah
1 - Amjad and Inamullah
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the professional competence of the prospective teachers
being trained at teacher education programmes at distance education in Pakistan. The data was
collected from the B.Ed. graduates of Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad. A sample of
50 B.Ed. graduates was taken using convenient sampling techniques. Furthermore the students
of these B.Ed. graduates were included in the study during the teaching practice session of the
B.Ed. graduates. The professional competencies of the teachers were evaluated through
administration of self-developed questionnaire. The questionnaires were comprised of the
statements regarding teachers professional competencies required for effective teaching. i.e.
subject matter knowledge, instructional planning and strategies, Assessment, Learning
environment, Effective communication & proficient use of information technology. Further
the gender differences in teachers’ professional competencies were also investigated. The
collected data was analyzed by using simple descriptive and inferential statistical techniques
such as means and t-test. The findings of the study showed that the professional competencies
of prospective teachers at teacher education programmes in Pakistan do not meet the set
standards of quality. The findings indicated that these competencies address the gaps in
teacher training programs. The teacher education programmes should be more targeted at the
development of teachers’ professional competencies. Useful suggestions and
recommendations were presented in the study.
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*Assistant professor, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan. Email: drmiqbal@ue.edu.pk
**Professor of Education (Rtd.), University of the Punjab, Lahore
***M.Phil.Scholar, University of Education, Lahore. Email: hussain_524@yahoo.com
The Professional Competencies of PTs at TEP at DE in Pakistan: An Investigation 140
Many developing countries are confronted with crucial problems in the field
of teacher education. Teacher education is a multidimensional activity and
encompasses various aspects of a teacher’s life and work. Its aim is not only to teach
the teacher how to teach but to make an effort to develop their initiative, to reshape
their professional attitudes and to develop skills to improve their professionalism
(Eraut1994).
Bennet (2000) argues that In order to keep pace with technological changes
in society, the teacher education programmes of all levels in a country must be
planned in such a way the teachers produced by these programmes are broadly
educated, scientific minded, uncompromising on quality, innovative, courageous but
sympathetic towards students. Because of the magnitude of problems and scarcity of
resources, in many countries it did not seem feasible educate only through exclusive
reliance on the formal or traditional face-to-face system (Anderson and Ching1987).
Various factors of this system like overcrowded classrooms, increasing population of
students, and high dropout rates meant people were unable to enroll in the traditional
or formal education system. On the other hand, distance education has become
parallel to formal education. Moreover, distance education has facilitated people
enrolling in education and diminished the barriers of time and place.
Teacher Competencies
Rajput, & Walia, (2001) has highlighted the following competencies that are
developed in the training teacher education as:
Shulman et al (1993) mentioned the following four competencies for any subject,
Iqbal, Ibraheem & Hussain 143
Consistent with the objectives of the study, following research questions were derived
Following null hypothesis were formulated and tested to fulfill the purpose of
the study.
Professional
Competencies of B.Ed
Graduates
Target
Population &
Sample
Non Formal
Subject Instructional
matter Teacher
planning &
knowledge Education
strategies
Allama Iqbal
Open
University
Learning
Assessment Environment
comparison
Effective B.Ed. Graduates
communication & (M&F)
use of information
technology Male & Female
Iqbal, Ibraheem & Hussain 145
Methodology
Fifty B.Ed. Graduate of Allama Iqbal Open University of Pakistan were taken
for the purpose of the study. The professional competencies of the teachers were
evaluated through administration of self- developed questionnaire. The questionnaire
were comprised of the statements regarding teachers professional competencies
required for effective teaching i.e.- Knowledge of Content and Skills areas,
Knowledge of Learners and the Learning Process, Instructional Planning, Use of
Instructional Technologies, Learning Environment and Classroom Management, Use
of Communication Strategies, Assessing/Diagnosing/Evaluating Strategies, Use of
Motivation Strategies, Use of Problem Solving/Decision Making Strategies, Home-
School-Community Relations, Use of Technology, Use of Multicultural Gender Fair
Strategies, Human Relations Skills and Professional Characteristics/Personal
Qualities. The data was collected from one formal i.e. University of education Lahore
and one non-formal university i.e. Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad. The
collected data was analyzed by using simple descriptive and inferential statistical
techniques such as means and t-test.
As it happens with all empirical researches, this study is not beyond its
limitations. Due to lack of time and financial resources, Only B.Ed. programme of
teacher education were included in the study.
Table 1
Overall mean score of B.Ed. graduates of AIOU teacher education programme in Pakistan on
Professional competencies scale
Total No. No of Mean Level of professional competency of Statements
Score B.Ed.Graduates
45 50 2.57Below average(towards disagreement)
Table 1shows that there were 50B.Ed. Graduates and there were
45 statements to answer and the range of score on Likert scale for each item was 1-5,
it means that the respondents could score a minimum of score 1 and a maximum
score 5 on each item. The mean score above 3 was considered as above average score
The Professional Competencies of PTs at TEP at DE in Pakistan: An Investigation 148
(towards agreement) and the mean score below 3 was considered as below average
(towards disagreement). The table shows that the mean score of B.Ed. Graduates at
Non-formal teacher education programme (AIOU) on professional competency scale
was 2.57 that was below average.
Table 2
Professional competencies of B.Ed. graduates of Non-Formal teacher education programme
in Pakistan focusing at subject matter knowledge (Standard 1
Total No. No of Mean Level of professional competency of Statements
Score B.EdGraduates
09 50 2.58 Below average(towards disagreement)
Table 2 shows that there were 50B.Ed. Graduates and there were
09 statements regarding subject matter knowledge. The mean score of B.Ed.
Graduates at Non-formal teacher education programme (AIOU)on Subject matter
knowledge scale was 2.58 that was below average.
Table 3
Professional competencies of B.Ed. graduates of Non-Formal teacher education programme
in Pakistan focusing at Instructional planning and strategies (Standard 2)
Total No. No of Mean Level of professional competency of Statements
Score B.EdGraduates
09 50 2.57 Below average(towards disagreement)
Table 3 shows that there were 50B.Ed. Graduates and there were
09 statements regarding Instructional planning and strategies. The mean score of
B.Ed. Graduates at Non-formal teacher education programme (AIOU) on
Instructional planning and strategies scale was 2.57 that was below average.
Table 4
Professional competencies of B.Ed. graduates of Non-Formal teacher education programme
in Pakistan focusing at Assessment (Standard 3)
Total No. No. of B.Ed Mean Level of professional competency of Statements
Score Graduates
09 50 2.57 Below average(towards disagreement)
Table 4 shows that there were 50B.Ed Graduates and there were
09 statements regarding Assessment. The mean score of B.Ed. Graduates at Non-
formal teacher education programme (AIOU) on Assessment scale was 2.57 that was
below average.
Iqbal, Ibraheem & Hussain 149
Table 5
Professional competencies of B.Ed. graduates of Non-Formal teacher education programme
in Pakistan focusing at learning environment (Standard 4)
Total No. No. of B.Ed. Mean Level of professional competency of Statements
Score Graduates
09 50 2.56Below average(towards disagreement)
Table 5 shows that there were 50B.Ed Graduates and there were 09
statements regarding Learning environment.The mean score of B.Ed. Graduates at
Non-formal teacher education programme (AIOU)on Learning environment scale
was 2.56 that was below average.
Table 6
Professional competencies of B.Ed. graduates of Non-Formal teacher education programme
in Pakistan focusing atEffective communication & information technology (Standard 5)
Total No. No. of B.Ed. Mean Level of professional competency of Statements
Score Graduates
09 50 2.56 Below average (towards disagreement)
Table 6 shows that there were 50B.Ed Graduates and there were 09 statements
regarding Effective communication & information technology. The mean score of
B.Ed. Graduates at Non-formal teacher education programme (AIOU) on Effective
communication & information technology scale was 2.56 that was below average.
Hypothesis Testing
Table 7
Gender N Mean score(X) St. Dev Df=(n1+n2)-2 t-value
Male 27 2.57 19.00 48 0.0019
Female 23 2.56 18.14
Table 7 shows that the mean score of male B.Ed. graduates on professional
competency scale is 2.57 and mean score of female B.Ed. graduates on professional
competency scale is 2.56. Table also shows that t-value 0.0019 is less than critical t-
value 2.0126 at 5% level of significance. So the null hypothesis is accepted. It means
that there is a not a statistically significant difference between the professional
competencies of male and female B.Ed. graduates of AIOU. Both male and female
B.Ed. graduates of AIOU possess low level of professional competencies.
The Professional Competencies of PTs at TEP at DE in Pakistan: An Investigation 150
Through findings of this study it is assumed that there is no balance between theory
and practice of non-formal teacher education programme, which should be balanced.
The non-formal teacher education programme should provide maximum
opportunities to the students for their professional development.
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The Professional Competencies of PTs at TEP at DE in Pakistan: An Investigation 152
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