Course prototype
Topic: e-Learning Induction Course for Primary College Teacher Trainers in Kenya
Introduction
Welcome to Primary College Teacher Trainer e-Learning Induction Course. The goal of this course is to equip you with knowledge, skills and attitudes that you require in order to effectively work as a teacher trainer in a Primary Teacher’s college. The modules have been designed to offer opportunities for you to be introduced to and gain practice in using adult learning strategies and to solve problems using higher order thinking skills.
Rationale
There is no institute that prepares teachers for Primary Teacher Training Colleges (PTTCs) in Kenya. The country has over 20,000 primary schools with over 190,000 teachers. The majority of these teachers are P1 certificate holders. Most P1 certificate holders are trained at the country’s 20 public primary teacher colleges plus some private colleges. Almost all the tutors have been trained primarily to teach secondary school learners whose ages ranges from 13 to 19 years. After qualifying, the majority are initially posted to teach in secondary schools. After a minimum of three year’s experience, as classroom teachers, heads of departments or principals, they are deployed to train teachers at the primary teacher’s colleges. Thus, most tutors have been trained for positions not directly related for positions of training teachers to prepare them to train student teachers to teach in primary schools. To address this issue, Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) used to offer a two months f2f induction course for newly deployed secondary school teachers to teacher colleges. The course used to be conducted during two consecutive school holidays. Unfortunately, the course faded off in early eighties. This is an initiative to revive the course through blended learning methodologies. This is viable because the current infrastructure in public teacher training colleges is adeguate to support this program. The colleges are fully equipped with computers and some internet connectivity.
Objectives
The Objectives of the Primary Teacher Trainer’s Induction Course are to:
1.Empower teacher Trainers with skills to effectively interpret and implement the curriculum 2.Acquaint Teacher trainers with skills in sourcing and utilization of materials and information 3.Equip teacher trainers with relevant andragogical and pedagogical skills 4.Incorporate new trends and initiatives in education and curriculum delivery 5.Integrate ICT skills in teacher training 6.Infuse and integrate contemporary issues in education 7.Acquaint teacher trainers with effective mentoring, guidance and counseling skills. 8.Understand how to support learners with special needs and disabilities 9.Develop and use appropriate assessment and evaluation tools and techniques 10.Enhance teacher trainer’s skills for supervision of teaching practice
Target Group
The e-Learning Teacher Trainers Induction Course is intended to be undertaken by all the 1,200 tutors working in the 20 government primary teacher’s colleges. Further, the course is also intended to eventually be a pre-requisite for all teacher educators who will be deployed to the Primary Teacher Colleges.
Desirable outcomes
Competent Teacher Trainers for Primary Teacher Colleges in Kenya
Intended curriculum/syllabus topics
The content of the e-Learning induction course includes:
Unit 1: Overview of the Primary Teacher Trainer’s e-Learning Course
Unit 2: Effective curriculum interpretation and implementation.
Unit 3: Andragogical and pedagogical skills
Unit 4: New trends and initiatives in education and curriculum delivery
Unit 5: Contemporary issues in education
Unit 6: Effective mentoring, Guidance and Counseling
Unit 7: Introduction to Inclusive Education
Unit 8: Assessment and Evaluation
Unit 9: Teaching Practice
Instructional Methodology
Blended Learning
The course shall incorporate a two day start up workshop, a four months online interactive component and a five day finish up workshop. In addition, participants will use CDs and DVDs to access learning resources.
