In-service education programmes in developing countries

Abstract

great deal of time and money is spent on inservice programmes in the South Pacific region and it is clearly important that the most effective use is made of these opportunities. As in other developing regions, some programmes have an information-delivery format, i.e. a talk or lecture given by an expert such as a person from the tertiary sector or a ministry person. This often results in a lack of engagement of participants, with the speaker inviting only a few random questions from the participants. In this situation, teachers may not feel challenged to think and can switch off because they do not have to consider any decisions with respect to the curriculum. Consequently, at the end of the programme, teachers may not feel inclined to implement any new ideas or initiatives when they return to school. We argue that this style of in-service may be unproductive as it is unlikely to have any real impact on the curriculum. As in-service programmes are costly, it is worth planning them well. The in-service scenario described above is quite common but with a little planning it can easily be improved. It is also important to acknowledge that teachers should be making some of the decisions about what they teach and how they teach. This is true even when there are syllabus guidelines. It is, therefore, logical that the design of an in-service programme involves teachers making decisions in relation to their students and how they facilitate learning. Ideally, teachers should leave the workshop with a clear picture of something they are going to put into practice in .their own classrooms.