The Professional Education Courses of the NEW TEC: What Now? What is Next? And a Lot More Whats

1. The Professional Education Courses of the NEW TEC: What Now? What is Next? And a Lot More Whats Paquito B. Badayos, Ph.D. Philippine Normal University College of Education

2. “ With curriculum implementation, there are two main concerns: the need for congruence between purpose and action and the need for better teachers to apply what we might call sound curriculum knowledge.” (Hlebowitsch, 2005) Teachers are the key players in the implementation of the new TEC. They should therefore be equipped with skills necessary in conceptual and cognitive processes to become effective implementors of the new TEC. Honing teachers’ skills in the process of integration is to develop deep understanding and critical thinking to shed light on the new TEC curriculum.

3. 0.1 What is the new TEC? The new curriculum in teacher education was articulated in CMO 30 (2004), embodies many important reform elements that aim to improve the quality of teacher education graduates. Some of the key features of the reform included: • Upgrading the general education requirements (63 units BEEd and BSE) • Streamlining and updating the theoretical courses • Rationalizing and expanding the methodological courses • Extending the field studies and practicum courses over a three year period; and • Intensifying the content specialization courses

4. One main distinctive feature of the new curriculum is the articulation of the National Competency-Based Teacher Standards (NCBTS). The curriculum stipulates that graduates of teacher education courses should acquire a minimum set of competencies expected of teachers and a number of scaled indicators that would allow a relative assessment of their level of performance.

5. 0.2 What are the important changes in the New Curriculum? The new curriculum is similar in general form to the old curriculum. But many of the substantive features were revised, and some curricular elements were added (Bernardo, 2007). a. It incorporated an enhanced set of General Education requirements. b. The professional education courses were designed in a way that the theoretical, methodological and experimental components of the curriculum would be integrated with or related to each other. c. The content specialization courses for both the elementary and secondary education programs were drastically increased.

6. All elementary teacher education students is required to take a total of 57 units (about 19 courses) covering sufficient content in the five major learning areas of the elementary curriculum. In contrast, high school teachers are required to specialized in a subject area. They are required to take the equivalent of about 60 units (18-20 courses depending on the specialization) for their content area.

7. 3. What is the NCBTS? The NCBTS is an integrated theoretical framework that defines the different dimensions of effective teaching in all aspects of a teacher’s professional life and in all phases of teacher development. Effective teaching here means being able to help all types of students learn the different learning goals in the curriculum.

8. 0.3.1 Who should use the NCBTS? • Teacher education institutions shall use the NCBTS to design and implement effective pre-service teacher education curricula. • The PRC shall refer the NCBTS in designing the LET. • Organizations and agencies that implement in-service education for teachers (INSET) shall refer to NCBTS n developing their interventions. • Award-giving bodies shall refer to the NCBTS in defining their criteria for outstanding teachers. • The DepEd shall use the NCBTS in formulating the hiring, promotion, supervision and other policies related to the teaching profession. • Most important, individal teachers in all the public elementary and high schools all over the country shall use the NCBTS for their professional development activities.

9. 0.3.2 How should Teachers use the NCBTS? Teachers can use the NCBTS in many ways: • As a guide to reflect on your current teaching practices • As a framework for creating new teaching practices • As a guidepost for planning and professional development goals • As a common language for discussing teaching practices with other teachers

10. 0.4 What are Professional Education Courses? These courses represent the component of the curriculum that aims to develop in the students a range of knowledge and skills needed in the practice of the teaching professions. These courses are divided into three broad categories: a. Theory and concepts courses b. Methods and strategies courses c. Field Study courses

11. 0.5 What are Field Study Courses? Anchored on the NCBTS and the competency standards of CMO 30, s. 2004, the Field Study courses are practical learning experiences which are aligned to the professional education courses. This feature of the new TEC provides students with rich practical learning experiences which are drawn out from the actual learning environment. Field Study courses enable the students to observe, verify, and reflect on various events which relate to the concepts, methods, ad strategies previously learned.

12. 6 FS Courses that support Professional Education courses

13. Field Study 1 The Learner’s Development and Environment School as a Learning Environment Learner’s Characteristics & Needs Classroom Mgmt. & Learning FOCILearner’s Characteristics & Learning Activities Individual Differences & the Learning Process Home-School Link Perceived Roles of a Teacher

14. Field Study 2 Experiencing the Teaching-Learning Process Meaningful Learning Experiences Enriching Learning FOCI Assisting a Teacher Learner’s Characteristics & Learning Activities

15. Field Study 3 Technology in the Learning Environment The School’s Learning Resources Bulletin Board Displays Utilization of Teaching Aids FOCI A Teaching Aids Bank Classroom Handouts Slide Presentations On-Line Learning

16. FS 4 Exploring the Curriculum The Intention FOCI The Implementation

17. Field Study 5 Learning Assessment Strategies Assessment Tools in the Learning Environment Authentic Assessment FOCI Process-Oriented Assessment Product-Oriented Assessment

18. Field Study 6 On Becoming a Teacher The Teacher as a Person The Teacher as a Professional FOCI The Teacher in the School Setting The Teacher in the Community The Global Teacher

19. FS Concerns Content: GenEd & ProfEd course Delivery System: GenEd & ProfEd courses FS Course Programming/Sequencing: GenEd & ProfEd courses Management of FS: Policies, Faculty & etc.

20. FS Implications Challenge educ’l principles, laws, theories and practices Revisit curriculum & instruction Assess competence & areas for improvement Review policies FS Implications Strengthen institutional collaboration/ network/linkage w/ educ’l partners Strengthen research, measurement & evaluation activities Evaluate students’ performance Input for licensure teachers’ exams Put to test knowledge of foundations of education Others…

21. 0.6 An Invitation to Everyone As a presenter, may I invite to record your synthesis of what meaning and applicability you are making of what I presented. The following framework may be useful in crafting your synthesis (Adapted from Macpherson, 2007). • In what ways do you see your involvement in the new preservice TEC as an ongoing transformative journey? • What are the implications for you in terms of seeing your involvement in the new preservice TEC as an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues within and beyond your respective institutional context?

22. In summary, how will you begin and/or continue your journey? What can you reasonably do and what resources will assist you? What issues and challenges will you take as you seek to sustain the momentum of the ongoing journey?

23. BEST WISHES FOR THE HOLIDAYS THANK YOU! Kit Badayos