Many global and regional educational initiatives depend on teacher quality for the successful achievement of their developmental goals. The University of the South Pacific has been responsible for teacher education for all levels of formal education from Early Childhood through to Tertiary for a number of years now. More recently, the School of Education (SOE) has been successful in externalising most of its teacher education programs. In particular, it has fully externalized its BEd. (Primary) in-service program and it is proving to be very popular with practicing teachers. It is in the process of externalizing its early childhood and special education degree programs. Moreover, it has substantially externalized its secondary pre-service and in-service teacher education programs. To sustain its teacher education programs, SOE offers a number of certificate and diploma programs such as a certificate in non-formal education and a diploma in leadership and change. However, there is a need to make these programs more widely accessible to teachers in all the Pacific Island countries served by USP. Thus, teacher capacity building is one of the priority areas of this project.
This project focuses on the need to improve and sustain education through providing more opportunities for practicing teachers at primary and secondary levels. This will enable them to implement school curricula and contribute to quality education in selected countries. Working in partnership with regional ministries of education, this project aims to provide practicing teachers with opportunities for pre-service and in-service training by utilising learning opportunities provided by the distance and flexible modes of delivery. The planned involvement of regional teacher educators in the implementation of the project (either through tutoring and/or supervising teaching practicum) is seen as important for improving and sustaining their professional development.
Owing to limited funding, this priority area will be confined to:
1. Revision and preparation of learning resources including the existing DFL materials.
2. Training of untrained teachers
3. Capacity building through professional development
The objectives of the project are as follows:
1. To enhance teachers’ knowledge and understanding of:
• the subject matter that they are teaching;
• their students, especially their learning needs;
• the environment in which they work;
• different pedagogies and their appropriateness for Pacific learners; and
• different types of student assessment and evaluation.
2. To further develop skills to integrate the themes of some common global educational instruments such ESD into their teaching programs.
3. To provide opportunities to teachers for professional development
Project 1: Resources
The project will utilise existing USP course materials and adapting these to suit the needs of primary and secondary teachers in different Pacific countries, supplementing with additional resources.
Participants:
SOE Staff and Collaborators
Main Activities:
Preparation of materials:
SOE staff will develop this in collaboration with curriculum development units and teacher training institutions. This will involve:
• Revision of existing DFL materials to integrate ESD themes.
• Writing four new courses (on science, social sciences, numeracy and literacy) at 100 levels to establish a pathway for untrained teachers into our existing B.Ed. primary education teacher program.
• Creating pathways in SOE’s into our existing B.Ed secondary in-service degree.
Project 2a: Training of Untrained Teachers
In-Country Project – Nauru
i) First cohort include 10 primary untrained teachers
ii) Program will include:
a. 4 courses taught on face-to-face mode. The balance of 100 level courses will be done by print mode.
b. On completion of 8 x100 level courses, the participants will be awarded a Certificate in Primary Teaching
c. On completion of 6 x 200 level courses, these participants will be awarded a Diploma in Primary Teaching
d. On completion of 6 x 300 level courses and the practicum requirements (ED300), participants will be awarded the B.Ed in Primary Education.
e. This will facilitate the ESD at the primary level in Nauru.
f. Similarly this program may be implemented in other member countries such as Tuvalu, Marshall Islands
Project 2b: Pathways into B.Ed In-Service Secondary – Kiribati
a) Experienced untrained teachers in secondary sections who do not qualify to enter the SOE’s current B.Ed In-Service Secondary will have the opportunity to take this program by the following pathway arrangements:
i) have at least five years successful secondary teaching experience
ii) required to complete two courses in Education (ED153, ED151), LL114 and 2 courses in a teaching subject including service courses.
iii) On successful completion of 8 x 100 courses. Participants will be warded a Certificate in Education.
iv) On completion of 3x 200 Ed courses and 3 x 200 courses in a teaching subject, students will be eligible for Diploma in Education.
v) On completion of 3 X 300 ED, ED300 and 3 x 300 courses in a teaching major participants will be awarded the B.Ed
vi) Cohort of 10 students
vii) Similarly this program may be implemented in other member countries such as the Marshall Islands
Project 2c: Capacity Building – Tuvalu (Cohort – 10)
Main Activities:
Mounting of an existing Diploma in Leadership and Change for Primary and Secondary school administrators. This will involve 8 existing courses utilizing hybrid and flexible modes of delivery. Four courses will be face-to-face and the balance through flexible delivery.
