Constructing competencies of Bangladesh teacher trainees

Abstract

            Terms of Reference of a consultant in Bangladesh suggest that initial secondary teacher education should be developed on a competency model. The paper describes the consultant’s interpretation of this text. It reviews literature on competency and competency-based training and indicates the ambivalent attitude to this terminology of many teacher educators. A characteristic of ‘modern’ courses of initial teacher education is that they are based on ‘constructivist’ views of learning. They provide ‘scaffolding’ to support development of students’ capacity to analyse and respond practically to situational needs, and to learn to theorise about teaching and learning. The paper describes the policy context in Bangladesh where teacher education is not competency-based and where student teachers are instructed in ‘theoretical foundations’ of education. In the light of the prevailing conditions of secondary education, the major challenge facing the consultant is perceived to be that of beginning the process of change from an ‘instruction’ to a ‘construction’ model of learning for teaching, rather than achieving consensus on teacher competencies.