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Choice based credit semester system (CBCSS) and professionalism
255
CCHHOOIICCEE BBAASSEEDD CCRREEDDIITT SSEEMMEESSTTEERR SSYYSSTTEEMM ((CCBBCCSSSS)) AANNDD PPRROOFFEESSSSIIOONNAALLIISSMM
9.1 CBCSS and Professionalism 9.2 Changes in Educational System and Professionalism 9.3 Age and CBCSS 9.4 Years of Experience and CBCSS 9.5 Nature of College and CBCSS 9.6 Working Hours in College per Day and CBCSS 9.7 Job Satisfaction and CBCSS 9.8 Work Pressure and CBCSS 9.9 CBCSS and Levels of Professionalism 9.10 Conclusion
The Indian system of higher education is both enormous and
complex. Established in the image of British universities in the mid
nineteenth century, it has now acquired a more hybrid form, influenced
after independence by both the Soviet and American traditions. India has
begun to interpret its higher education system as inextricably located
within a global framework, contributing to universities around the world
and also benefiting from their intellectual input. It has recognized the
need to respond to the complex requirements of the globalizing context
and to the opportunities created by the increasing levels of global
interconnectedness. It is attempting to align this logic of globalization
with responses to local pressures: growth in demand and greater access
to higher education; diversification and privatization of institutions; and
the need to reform not only institutional governance but also curriculum
and pedagogy. A new policy discourse is emerging, more open to
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external input, which seeks to reconcile exogenous pressures of
globalization and the knowledge economy with India’s distinctive
endogenous policy traditions.
The Indian system of higher education has unleashed a major
program of reforms. Many of these reforms can be traced back to a policy
template provided by the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) set up
by the Prime Minister in 2005, and chaired by a diasporic Indian
entrepreneur, Sam Pitroda. The Commission’s template for reform has been
highly influential, responding, as it did, to the set of policy anxieties
discussed above. Based on what the NKC saw as ‘global imperatives’,
many of its forty recommendations for reform in higher education drew
heavily on neo-liberal policy ideas circulating around the world (Srivastva,
2007; Rizvi & Lingard, 2010).
In purview with such reforms, the University Grants Commission
(UGC) has made concurrent changes with regard to the higher education
system. One such change was the introduction of CBCSS or ‘Choice based
Credit Semester and grading pattern’. The UGC directed all the
Universities in the country to restructure undergraduate courses on ‘Choice
based Credit Semester and Grading pattern’ in 2009-10 academic year.
Mahatma Gandhi University regulations are framed in accordance with
UGC guidelines on restructuring undergraduate education. Accordingly, all
affiliated colleges have restructured the regular non-professional
undergraduate and Post graduate courses on the Choice Based Credit
Semester System (CBCSS), a combination of internal and external
evaluation with grading.
Choice based credit semester system (CBCSS) and professionalism
257
General Features When CBCSS was launched in 2009, it had the following features-
The three year undergraduate programme will be divided into 6
semesters, each semester consisting of a minimum of 90 working
days, inclusive of examinations, distributed over 18 five-day
academic weeks. The duration of the odd semesters will be from June
to October and even semesters from December to April. There will be
2 semester breaks of one month duration in November and May.
The time table shall be set according to the Day order system to
provide proper distribution of working days for all courses. There will
be a common calendar giving schedule of admission, classes, Internal
and External examinations, evaluation and publication of results.
The structure of the semester system will be as follows:
Common Courses: which will include compulsory courses in
English and additional Languages.
Core Courses: which include methodology courses and courses on
the subject of specialisation, one elective and one project which will
be compulsory for all students doing a particular programme.
Complementary Courses: which include courses the study of which
would complement the study of the subject of specialisation, which
will be compulsory for all students doing a particular programme.
Open Courses: which include all courses other than courses in
the area of specialisation of the student concerned, the choice
which will be decided by preferences of students and
availability of teachers.
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Terminology
Credit: is a unit of academic input measured in terms of weekly
contact hours assigned to a course. There could be 4 credit, 3 credit
and 2 credit courses. The number of courses could vary from 30 to 38
depending on the credits assigned to different courses. At least 120
credits is needed for securing an under graduate degree in a
programme.
Grace Grade: means upgraded grades awarded to courses in
recognition of meritorious achievements in NCC, NSS, sports and
arts.
Extra credits: are additional credits awarded to a student over and
above the minimum credits required for a programme for
achievements in co-curricular activities carried out outside the class
hours as decided by the University.
Attendance: 75% attendance is compulsory for appearing external
examinations.
Examination: There shall be both continuous Internal Evaluation and
end semester examinations .
External Evaluation. The ratio between Internal and External
examinations will be 1:3.
Evaluation: The Evaluation of both Internal and External
Examinations will be carried out using direct grading system on a 5
point scale (A, B, C, D and E). Over all certification of a programme
will be carried out using 7 point scale (A+, A, B+, B, C+, C and D).
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A separate minimum of grade D for Internal and External are required
for a pass for a course. For a pass in a programme, a separate
minimum of grade D is required for all the courses and must score a
minimum cumulated credit 120 and minimum Cumulated Grade Point
Average (CGPA) of 2.00 (or an overall grade of C+) and above.
There will be no supplementary examinations. For reappearance/
improvement, students can appear along with the next batch. Students
who are not eligible for condonation of shortage of attendance should
repeat the course along with the next batch.
A student who register his/her name for the external examination of a
semester (i.e., having a minimum of grade D in the Internals for all
courses and a minimum of 75% attendance.) will be eligible for
promotion to the next semester.
The following 5 point scale is adopted for grading the answers in an
examination-
Letter Grade Performance Grade point Range
A Excellent 4 3.5 - 4.00
B Very Good 3 2.5 - 3.49
C Good 2 1.5 – 2.49
D Average 1 0.5 – 1.49
E Poor 0 – 0.49
The overall grade for certification will be based on CGPA with 7
point scale.
However, in 2013, M.G. University made the decision to switch to
the indirect grading system based on a seven point scale instead of the
existing direct grading pattern based on the five point scale. The move
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comes following the University Syndicate’s decision to implement the Prof.
B. Hridayakumari committee report on CBCSS submitted before the Kerala
State Higher Education Council and later ratified by the government. As
per recommendations of the committee, mark system should be introduced
instead of grading for each question. However, notional grading on the
basis of marks will be indicated for each semester. Overall gradation will
be on Seven Point Scale and it will be awarded only at the end of the
academic programme. The Seven point scale is as follows-
Letter Grade Performance Range
A+ Outstanding 90 and Above
A Excellent 80 to 89
B Very Good 70 to 79
C Good 60 to 69
D Satisfactory 50 to 59
E Adequate 40 to 49
F Failure Below 40
The committee’s report had pointed out that the five point scale
direct grading system would not ensure an impartial assessment of
students’ performance due to the wide range for which the evaluation
was made.
With the implementation of the Hridayakumari Report, the vacation
pattern will also switch to April- May instead of one month breaks in
November and May. For Internal Assessment, 10 marks will be awarded
for test paper, five for seminar and assignment and five for attendance. The
University will conduct examinations for core subjects and compulsory
language papers, which will be centrally evaluated at the end of the second,
Choice based credit semester system (CBCSS) and professionalism
261
fourth and sixth semester for external assessment. All practical examinations
will be conducted at the end of second, fourth and sixth semesters. The
examination for complementary subjects, electives, open courses and
additional languages, will be conducted at the end of all semesters by the
University. Odd semester examination answer sheets will be assessed
through home evaluation and semester examination sheets will be assessed
through centralized valuation.
In this chapter, an attempt has been made to investigate whether the
introduction of CBCSS has had any impact on the professionalism of the
respondents.
9.1 CBCSS and Professionalism
Table 9.1 CBCSS has Affected Professionalism
Responses Frequency Percent
Yes 225 64.3
No 125 35.7
Total 350 100 Source: Primary Data
The data in Table 9.1 points out that the teachers have not yet fully
accepted the CBCSS in their mind set (64.3%). In order to understand it
further, the elements of the system was delineated and asked to the
respondents. The responses are presented in Table 9.2 below.
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9.2 Changes in Educational System and Professionalism
Table 9.2 Changes in Educational System has affected Professionalism
Responses Changes in Educational System
Yes No
Internal Assessment System 312 (89.1%)
38 (10.9%)
Semester System 254 (72.6%)
96 (27.4%)
Grading System 278 (79.4%)
72 (20.6%)
Digital Campus
326 (93.1%)
24 (6.9%)
Time Constraints
270 (77.1%)
80 (22.9%)
Syllabi Oriented Teaching 286 (81.7%)
64 (18.3%)
Source: Primary Data
In Table 9.1, a vast majority of respondents (64.3%) have said that
CBCSS has affected their professionalism in a depressing manner. The
rapid changes and increased complexity of today’s world present new
challenges and put new demands on our education system. There has been
generally a growing awareness of the necessity to change and improve the
preparation of students for productive functioning in the continually
changing and highly demanding environment. CBCSS has been one such
response to the changing educational scenario. However, the figures in
Table 9.2 gives the impression that the respondents have not yet imbibed
this change to its full extent. All the figures point out that the different
changes that have come up in the form of Internal Assessment system,
Semester system, Grading system, Digital campus and Syllabi oriented
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263
teaching has affected the professionalism of the respondents to a
considerable extent. The respondents claimed that the semester system was
implemented in a hasty manner and no adequate time was given for the
colleges to implement it in a comprehensive manner. Many respondents
claimed that the semester system was successful only if the student ratio is
small; in most of the colleges the student strength in undergraduate classes
is big. The respondents added that the effective teaching time in a semester
is very less, that is around 4 months, owing to holidays and exams coming
in between. They said that the students have also literally stopped going to
the library to consult books because they just don’t have the time. There is
not enough time to attend to the weaker students and give them extra
coaching. Different published research works also indicate that due to the
changes in educational system, teachers lack sufficient time to attend to
their responsibilities and this frustrating overload causes exhaustion
(Helsby, 1999).
In Table 9.2, it can be seen that majority of respondents (93.1%) have
said that digitalization of campus wherein all the academic and
administrative process have become automated or semi-automated is one of
major factor which has affected their professionalism to a great extent. The
process of teaching and learning with technology is still in its early stages
that teachers are only starting to come to grips with the changes in pedagogy
required to engage students in technology-rich learning environments. For
many teachers, curriculum remains an un-problematically static body of
knowledge that must be “covered”, “transmitted” and tested. The genuinely
creative and effective use of technology for learning challenges this basic
mindset. Currently, we see that only a few percentage of teachers are only
beginning to learn how to think and work in new ways with technology,
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and to consider pedagogical, social and ethical issues in their techno-based
planning and teaching. Data from Table 9.2 substantiates the finding by La
Grange and Foulkes, who say that technological change has been so rapid
and its implications for teaching and learning so profound, that faculties of
education have not yet “fully considered or understood the best ways to
proceed in teacher preparation in a digital world” (La Grange & Foulke,
2004).
In Table 9.2 also we can see that the respondents (89.1%) are not in
tune with the internal assessment system. Internal Assessment systems,
including classroom and large-scale assessment, are organized around the
primary purpose of improving student learning. Assessment systems
provide useful information about whether students have reached important
learning goals and about the progress of each student. Teachers employ
practices and methods that are consistent with learning goals, curriculum,
instruction, and current knowledge of how students learn. Classroom
assessment that is integrated with curriculum and instruction is the primary
means of assessment. Educators assess student learning through such
methods as structured and informal observations and interviews, projects
and tasks, tests, performances and exhibitions, experiments, etc. Thus, the
tasks associated with internal assessment are cumbersome. This maybe the
reason why the respondents feel that internal assessment system has
influenced the professionalism in a negative manner. But the fact remains
that however burdensome the tasks are, it is inevitable in the new
educational scenario, and its benefits are enormous for the student
community. If done in the right perspective, the internal assessment
provides the students with knowledge enhancement coupled with skilful
creativity and novel experiences.
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265
9.3 Age and CBCSS
Table 9.3 Age and CBCSS
Responses to whether CBCSS has affected
professionalism Age
Yes No
Total
<30 69 (62.7%)
41 (37.3%)
110 (100%)
31 - 40 87 (67.4%)
42 (32.6%)
129 (100%)
41 – 50 47 (63.5%)
27 (36.5%)
74 (100%)
>51 22 (59.4%)
15 (40.5%)
37 (100%)
Total
225 (64.3%)
125 (35.7%)
350 (100%)
Source: Primary Data
In Table 9.3, it is found that majority of younger respondents belonging to
categories less than 30 years (62.7%) and between 31-40 years (67.4%) have
said that CBCSS system has affected their professionalism. They said during the
interview that, the job they envisioned, in which they thought they were so
capable, had changed beyond all recognition. This actually reflects disorientation
caused in the respondents due to the inevitable changes in the educational
system. The lack of enough experience and skill sets, along with time constraints
to learn in a comprehensive manner contributed to the decreased adjustment of
the younger respondents. The category above forty years seems to have taken
the changes well in their stride because of the enhanced skills and talents they
have acquired over the years. Hence we can see that among those who have said
that CBCSS has affected their professionalism; those belonging to the age group
of more than fifty one years represent the lowest percentage (59.4%). It may be
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due to the increased skill sets they have gained through the years that instilled in
them the maturity to perceive all changes with unparalleled equanimity.
9.4 Years of Experience and CBCSS
Table 9.4 Years of Experience and CBCSS
Responses to whether CBCSS has affected professionalism Years of
Experience Yes No
Total
5 77
(61.1%) 49
(38.9%) 126
(100%)
6 - 10 59
(66.3%) 30
(33.7%) 89
(100%)
11-15 35
(71.4%) 14
(28.6%) 49
(100%)
16 - 20 18
(60%) 12
(40%) 30
(100%)
21-30 27
(65.9%) 14
(34.1%) 41
(100%)
>31 9
(60%) 6
(40%) 15
(100%)
Total 225
(64.3%) 125
(35.7%) 350
(100%) Source: Primary Data
In Table 9.4, the respondents with 16-20 years of experience (60%) and
more than thirty one years of experience (60%) represent the least percentage in
all the categories who have said CBCSS has affected their professionalism. One
point that is becoming consistently clear in this regard is the nature of
professional accountability. Professional accountability generates from the
personal motivation of teachers, which help them to keep up with innovations in
curricula, pedagogy and the development of digital resources. The figures in the
Choice based credit semester system (CBCSS) and professionalism
267
table actually represent this motivation level of the respondents, and confirms
that, the number of years of experience is not a contributory factor in the matter
of true professionalism. No matter what changes come, the persons with
professional accountability develop adequate skills to conform themselves with
these changes, and develop in their professional attributes. Corroborating this
viewpoint, Boyd, Banilower, Pasley, & Weiss (2003) has also highlighted the
critical role of teacher motivation in professional development.
9.5 Nature of College and CBCSS
Table 9.5 Nature of College and CBCSS
Responses to whether CBCSS has affected professionalism Nature of
College Yes No
Total
Aided 94 (62.7%)
56 (37.3%)
150 (100%)
Unaided
92 (61.3%)
58 (38.7%)
150 (100%)
Government
39 (78%)
1 (22%)
50 (100%)
Total
225 (64.3%)
125 (35.7%)
350 (100%)
Source: Primary Data
Majority of respondents from the government colleges (78%) has said
that CBCSS has affected their professionalism when compared to
respondents from aided (62.7%) and unaided colleges (61.3%). It connotes
that the sweeping changes in the higher education system is imbibed by
government colleges in a gradual manner. It is said that there is no system
in place to motivate teachers to improve academic achievement and very
little training to strengthen teaching practices (Gretchen, Ruzzi, &
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Muralidharan, 2006). This is especially true with regard to government
colleges where there are even no stringent monitoring systems to enhance
the professional qualities of the teachers. In aided and unaided colleges, the
management makes sure that there is a basic minimum of professional
accountability among all teachers to keep their institutions at the top. This
maybe the reason that the respondents in the government colleges lag
behind the respondents in the aided and unaided colleges to accept the
changes in a fast paced manner.
9.6 Working Hours in College per Day and CBCSS
Table 9.6 Working Hours in College per Day and CBCSS
Responses to whether CBCSS has affected professionalism Working Hours in
College Per Day Yes No
Total
5 63 (67.7%)
30 (32.3%)
93 (100%)
6 74 (64.3%)
41 (35.7%)
115 (100%)
7 56 (64.4%)
31 (35.6%)
87 (100%)
8 27 (58.7%)
19 (41.3%)
46 (100%)
9 4 (80%)
1 (20%)
5 (100%)
10 0 -
1 (100%)
1 (100%)
>10 1 (33.3%)
2 (66.7%)
3 (100%)
Total 225 (64.3%)
125 (35.7%)
350 (100%)
Source: Primary Data
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269
Table 9.6 illustrates that those respondents who work more than nine
hours in college (80%) say that CBCSS has affected their professionalism.
At the same time, those who work more than ten hours in college, (who
constitute a minority) is least affected by the CBCSS (33.3%). The
importance of teachers learning continuously in order to develop their
knowledge and skills, and adapt and develop their roles, especially through
classroom inquiry, is very vital in the enhancement of professionalism. The
data from the Table, however, presents us with a dismal picture, wherein
those respondents who even work nine hours have not imbibed this notion
of continuous development. But, the minority who works more than ten
hours have put in adequate levels of effort to adapt themselves with the
high paced changes of CBCSS (66.7%). On the contrary, the respondents
who work for just five hours a day say that CBCSS has affected their
professionalism (67.7%). In this context, it really needs to be introspected
whether CBCSS is the real problem or the attitude of the respondents to
imbibe the changes in the educational system. Evidence is accumulating
from around the world that the single most significant means of improving
the performance of national educational systems is through excellent
teaching (e.g.: (Barber & Mourshed, 2007; OECD, 2005). The respondents
need to go a long way in this regard to inculcate in themselves thorough
professional attributes and fully embrace all the positive changes in the
educational scenario, and make their teaching exemplary.
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9.7 Job Satisfaction and CBCSS
Table 9.7 Job Satisfaction and CBCSS
Responses to whether CBCSS has affected Professionalism Job Satisfaction
Yes No Total
Highly Satisfied 99 (60.7%)
64 (39.3%)
163 (100%)
Moderately Satisfied 115 (67.3%)
56 (32.7%)
171 (100%)
Undecided 9 (64.3%)
5 (35.7%)
14 (100%)
Unsatisfied 2 (100%)
0 -
2 (100%)
Total 225 (64.3%)
125 (35.7%)
350 (100%)
Source: Primary Data
In Table 9.7, majority of the respondents belonging to the unsatisfied
category (100%) have said that CBCSS has affected their professionalism.
Teaching is a professional activity underpinned by qualifications, standards
and accountabilities. It is characterised by complex specialist knowledge
and expertise-in-action. It also embodies particular kinds of values, to do
with furthering individual and social development, fulfilment and
emancipation. Hence it requires a highly committed mind set with an
obsession for professional excellence. Those who are already unsatisfied
with the profession can never achieve these lofty goals, and they will be
always experiencing a mental block for all kinds of changes happening
around them. The unsatisfied respondents in this study, thus seems to be
impervious to the changes happening around them. At the same time, the
highly satisfied category (60.7%) shows the least resistance among the
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271
different categories as a result of their personal motivation to reach the
elevated goal of professional excellence.
9.8 Work Pressure and CBCSS
Table 9.8 Work Pressure and CBCSS
Responses to whether CBCSS has affected
Professionalism Work Pressure
Yes No
Total
Never 27 (40.3%)
40 (59.7%)
67 (100%)
Rarely 61 (60.4%)
40 (39.6%)
101 (100%)
Sometimes 108 (73.5%)
39 (26.5%)
147 (100%)
Often 29 (82.9%)
6 (17.1%)
35 (100%)
Total
225 (64.3%)
125 (35.7%)
350 (100%)
Source: Primary Data
Table 9.8 also denotes that the respondents miss quality time with
family/ friends often because of work pressure, and CBCSS system has
contributed to the same (82.9%). The inevitable tension between day to day
work and personal investment – a tension that is defining of
professionalism – has always existed. Indeed professional bodies,
regulations and rules were a set of mechanisms designed to make that
tension bearable. But as teachers become much more diverse as a group and
face some difficult challenges, professionalism is under strain and can no
longer fulfil this bridging function. The data from Table 9.8 demonstrates
this fact and inherent in it is the notion that there is an urgent need to re-
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connect teachers’ with their changing professionalism and to show how it
increasingly lives in their everyday habits, relationships and values. From
here, teachers themselves can be helped to build new professional
structures and support.Corroborating this perception, Cox & Heames
(1999) defend the thesis that today one of the most important social skills
of the teachers’ is the ability to manage the pressures in teaching.
9.9 CBCSS and Levels of Professionalism
Table 9.9 CBCSS and Levels of Professionalism
Levels of Professionalism Do you think CBCSS has affected your
professionalism Moderate High Total
Yes 218 (96.9%)
7 (3.1%)
225 (100%)
No 113 (90.4%)
12 (9.6%)
125 (100%)
Total 331 (94.6%)
19 (5.4%)
350 (100%)
X2= 2.661; Degrees of Freedom = 3; Level of Significance= 0.447 Source: Primary Data
The hypothesis that was generated with regard to CBCSS and levels
of professionalism was that,
H8: ‘There is no relationship between CBCSS and levels of Professionalism
of married women teachers’.
The Table 9.9 shows that the high level of professionalism is
demonstrated by the respondents who said that CBCSS has not affected
their professionalism (9.6%). The figures portray that concrete professional
investments are immune to all kinds of adverse effects. It gives testimony
Choice based credit semester system (CBCSS) and professionalism
273
to the reality that the changes in the educational system can be seen as
opportunities for improvement rather than barriers in the paths of
development. However, the highest percentage of respondents who belong
to the moderate level of professionalism (96.9%) say that CBCSS has
affected their professionalism. This finding is supported by Day (1999)
who asserts that the current wave of educational reform has hindered
teachers’ professionalism ‘caught in the midst of new worlds of reform’,
teachers in many countries have cited ways in which their ability and
motivation to behave as professionals have been negatively affected.
Furthermore, he reminds us that our energies could be exhausted because of
constant change and restructuring.
The level of significance was measured by using chi square test. Test
is significant at 5% (.05) level. The Calculated X2 for 3 degree of freedom
is 2.661 and the p value is 0.447. Since p> .05, there is no significant
relation between CBCSS and levels of professionalism of married women
teachers.
9.10 Conclusion
Contemporary educational reform has resulted in a period of
significant change for teachers. To teach today is a very different activity to
that of twenty years ago. It is very much more difficult to deal with mixed-
ability classes that comprise hundred per cent of the students of the area
with all the social and psychological conflicts of our present societies, than
it was to teach more or less homogeneous classes of students selected for
their academic ability. This then, is the root cause of the initial
disenchantment of many of our teachers. Moreover, in recent years,
teachers are continually asked to assume more and more responsibilities. At
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the present time, teachers cannot insist that their tasks are limited only to
developing the cognitive skills of their pupils. In addition to knowing their
subjects well, today teachers are expected to facilitate learning, be an
efficient educator and organise work groups. Teachers must also teach, care
for the psychological equilibrium of the students, help their social
integration and attend to their sexual education. They are asked to cater
intercultural education, education for health, and prevention of drugs
taking. Often, they have to care for a pair of students with special needs
who are integrated into the class and who need very special attention. The
new problems in teaching are born of technical, social and moral changes
and to resolve it will need new standards of pre-service and in-service
training to cope with the new demands of colleges. Moreover, there is an
increasing tendency for parents, and the general public, to believe that all
aspects of education should be dealt with at school, even the teaching of
those human, emotional and moral values, because the children are not
being taught at home (Durning, 1999).
CBCSS is just an instance of the increased responsibilities of college
teachers today. The importance of the role of the teacher as an agent of
change, promoting understanding and tolerance, is likely to become even
more critical in the twenty-first century. The need for change, from narrow
nationalism to universalism, from ethnic and cultural prejudice to tolerance,
understanding and pluralism, from autocracy to democracy in its various
manifestations, and from a technologically divided world where high
technology is the privilege of the few to a technologically united world,
places enormous responsibilities on teachers who participate in the
moulding of the characters and minds of the new generation. The
challenges facing education systems and teachers continue to intensify. In
Choice based credit semester system (CBCSS) and professionalism
275
modern knowledge-based economies, where the demand for high-level
skills will continue to grow substantially, the task in many countries is to
transform traditional models of teaching, which have been effective at
distinguishing those who are more academically talented from those who
are less so, into customised learning systems that identify and develop the
talents of all students. This will require the creation of “knowledge-rich”,
evidence-based education systems, in which teachers act as a professional
community with the authority to act, the necessary information to do so
wisely, and the access to effective support systems to assist them in
implementing change.
In this scenario of inevitable changes, it is imperative that teachers
should accommodate their professional roles with greater degree of
accountability and perseverance. The data from the study, however, points
out that the educational reforms are not wholeheartedly accepted by the
respondents. The most important reason for this can be attributed to the
professional level of the respondents which is in a moderate level. The
reluctance to accept changes connotes the lack of a strong professional
investment and the impaired vision of a knowledge based society where
teachers turn as facilitators and generators of knowledge, rather than
‘pouring knowledge into empty vessels’. The major point to be
remembered in this context is that teacher professionalism is a dynamic
phenomenon that needs to have structuring and restructuring constantly. In
the words of Hilferty, “Teacher professionalism is a socially constructed
term that is permanently being defined and redefined through educational
theory, policy and practice” (Hilferty, 2008).
Teacher professionalism has relevant significance in education in that
it affects the role of the teacher and his or her pedagogy, which in return
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affects the student’s ability to learn effectively. It can be defined as the
ability to teach students in a meaningful way, developing innovative
approaches to mandated content while motivating, engaging, and inspiring
young adult minds to prepare for ever advancing technology. This entails
the need to reshape one’s professional attributes to changing educational
scenario including the student community. Many researchers have
incorporated the teacher’s adeptness to accommodate to changing
professional demands as one of the basic criteria for professional
development. Boyt, Lusch, & Naylor (2001) emphasis, for example, is on
the capacity of the professional her/himself to shape professionalism:
‘Professionalism consists of the attitudes and behavior one possesses
toward one’s profession. It is an attitudinal and behavioural orientation that
individuals possess toward their occupations.’ Helsby (1995) makes the
same point in relation to teacher professionalism: ‘If the notion of
“professionalism” is socially constructed, then teachers are potentially key
players in that construction, accepting or resisting external control and
asserting or denying their autonomy”.
Hence, we can affirmatively say that, changes in the educational
system, which is viewed with a plethora of concerns by the respondents, is
a temporary phase. If professional development has to take place, all the
changes should be evaluated with a positive stroke in an uncompromising
manner. As Hansen & Simonsen (2001) state, “the development and
improvement of education is dependent on the professional development of
teachers”.
….. …..
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