In-Service Teacher Reflections on Program Innovations towards Education Responsive to Local Communities

Abstract

Innovation in teacher training encompasses additions to a program so as to serve the most recent skills required by stakeholders. Innovation requirements push the redesign of in-service teacher education program which has seen embedding of an internship aspect. Using the theory of partnering pedagogy, these innovations focus on provision of education that is relevant and responsive to the local communities around and beyond the school. The innovations engage principles of effective pedagogy to design activities that involve and promote local community engagement practices and learning experiences. Using educational design research, ten in-service teachers participated a program that was recently reviewed with some innovation brought aboard. This study is qualitative which explored in-service teachers’ reflections on having gone through a recently reviewed in service program with innovations on board. The in-service participated in a reflection on their lived experiences and impact on their pedagogic practice having gone through the reviewed program. The resultant qualitative data was subjected to content analysis. Findings indicate that program review innovations that bring local stakeholders aboard allow integration of competencies beneficial to in-service teachers, learners, and the local community in which the school is located. Innovation design that engages communities lead to pedagogic practices that emphasize learning by doing and not just transmission and accumulation of theoretical knowledge. Innovation in program design and review should therefore focus on activities that engage the in-service teacher, learners, and the local community. This leads to the design of innovations that focus on quality learning and development of contextually purposed skills for the local community. However, because of the collaborative attribute among stakeholders, there are challenges in the implementation of innovative suggestions. It is concluded that innovations in program design and review need to be contextually relevant because then, their impact extend to the local communities surrounding the school. In these ways, innovations provide avenues for schools to provide quality learning opportunities and skills to serve the local communities and beyond.