A teacher is now no longer considered as disseminator or transmitter of knowledge rather he is considered as a catalyst and facilitator of knowledge. Therefore, the teacher education should be an effort to transtate theory into practice. A theory of teaching answers three questions:
1. How do teachers behave?
2. Why do they behave as they do? and
3. What are the effects?
In this direction three perspectives appear relevant:
- Instructional theories, teacher education practices and expectations.
- Educational technology process and
- Information technology and emergence of cyberspace.
The paper discusses the need for integrated experiences of theory and prexis in teacher education with Indian reference. Teacher education in India today is burdened with heavy assignments for qualitative improvement in teaching and the role of teacher educators has been to a great extent geared to teacher preparation vis-à-vis practice teaching and teacher orientation for motivative and creative patterns of teaching. The traditional stereotyped, lifeless and dull pattern of ‘chalk, talk and teach’ by a teacher is replaced by a creative and critical approach to teaching for manifestation of pupils innovative personality. With the rapid expansion of education the duties and responcibilities of the teachers today take him far beyond the boundries of the classroom. This presents new challenge to the teacher. Hence, the teacher in preparation should be helped to realize his role not only theoretically not in the classroom but in the total school programme.The teacher education should be able to establish proper relationship with the community with the school serves and to develop proper attitude among student teachers towards the profession, whatever they learn by the theoretical part of the course of teacher education. The paper deals the theoretical and practical aspects of teacher education programme and their integration. |
