Transforming Distance Education for Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development

Abstract

This study proposes a framework for transforming online education for professional development based on prospective teachers' opinions of distance education. One hundred fifty students from Allama Iqbal Open University (Distance Education), from rural and urban areas, were randomly chosen to collect data on several aspects of teachers' professional development, including workshop efficacy, curriculum, evaluation methods, and information and communication technology (ICTs). The data were acquired using a self-developed instrument that was pilot tested. After collection, data were analyzed using means and t-tests. The study found that while AIOU's teacher education programs fulfill the demands of distant students, they do not support prospective teachers' ongoing professional growth. The curriculum of teacher education courses does not completely develop students' creative and professional qualities. There is a lack of balance between theory and practice. The use of ICT in teacher education is not up to standard. The AIOU's teacher education programs also require additional attention to prepare future teachers in remote areas. Distance Education Programs for teachers' CPD requires a lot of focus and excellent tactics. The researchers presented a mechanism to alter distance education for instructors' CPD.

Assessing Teacher Competencies in Public Schools of Pakistan: A Pathway for Improving the Effectiveness of Professional Development Programs for Teachers

“…Several training programs were initiated and executed across Pakistan but failed to achieve the desired outcome (Siddiqui et al, 2021). There is a need of systematizing professional training programs and their continuation (Arif et al, 2022). Therefore, this study seeks to understand the qualities presents in public school teachers and their differences based on gender and experience.…”

“…Despite increased focus on teacher professional development (TPD), very little work has been done on understanding the individual characteristics and competencies of teachers working in public schools (Ahmad et al, 2020). Because of lack of research on this area, training programs are less effective as they are not designed by keeping in mind the individual characteristics of teachers (Arif et al, 2022). Therefore, this study tries to understand the qualities of teachers in the public schools of Pakistan.…”