– Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor, Chitkara University, Punjab

The Exordium
The compelling desire to “innovate” remains the clear-cut impetus for identifying favourable opportunities and acting upon them. It is the fine blend of intense ambitions and stirring curiosity that enables people and organisations worldwide to stay relevant and grow optimally. For Chitkara’s College of Education (CCE), innovation has been the heart of every mechanism which the college formulates and implements for provision of unparalleled teacher education to its students. Whether it is the Mobile teaching-learning and assessments, its innovative B.Ed model or the Futuristic PhD Programme, the CCE has long provided aspiring teachers with enriching exposure.

Teacher Education Modules @ CCE
After a major revamp in 2014, the College of Education initiated eight ground-breaking teacher education modules which aimed to “alter the DNA of future teachers” in light of the technologically advancing and dynamic Industry 4.0.The modules include EDExpert (building language proficiency, ICT skills, knowledge of health and physical education, and confidence through school internships), EDLearner (empowering teachers to understand student psychology), EDTutor (learning about technological changes, recent inventions, lesson plan making and functional assessment tools), EDManager (inculcating core management skills), EDMentor (enabling
aspiring teachers to guide and counsel students), EDSocial (learning about education commissions, nationalism and India’s education system), EDGlobal (equipping future teachers with knowledge of “global standards of teaching”) and EDProfile (building e-portfolios, employability skills and soft skills).

Mobile Teaching, Learning and Assessments @CCE
The college strives to carry out academic processes aligned with global standards through active teacher-student-industry participation. The practice of using Mobile learning at CCE was conceived to provide continuous academic engagement through digital content. The college designed e-content in the form of a‘Daily Teaching Nib’as part of Alpha Teachers’Tool Kit. A Daily TeachingNib — based on a theory (Bloom’s Taxonomy, Multiple Intelligences theory etc) — is an academic tip shared through the university’s LMS viz. Chalk pad with Alpha Teachers which helps them engage with multiple pedagogies in their classrooms during internship at associate schools. The Daily Teaching Nib also helps enhance their Teaching Practice Experience.

Innovative Simulated Model for Bachelor of Education Programme @ CCE
Another feature of Chitkara’s College of Education is the School Internship model based on the Socio-Cultural Theory of Vygotsky. The model provides quality internship to aspirant teachers (Alpha Teachers). School internships are divided into four stages. This programme guide outlines an approach to Learning to function as a Teacher and maps the view about Vygotsky’s claims about students’ learning in a school setting. The 4 Stages of School Internship viz. Explain, Model, Scaffolding and Independent explain the progression of aspirant teachers from Novice to Expert in the Internship School (associate school).

Creating evidence-based E-Portfolio in accordance with the Global standards@ CCE

The college strongly advocates the creation of E-Portfolios as they provide insights into their personality, skills, strengths and evidence of learning and certifications acquired through their teacher education journey. E-portfolios are globally recognised and have even found mention in the New Education Policy 2020. Moreover, it offers Alpha Teachers a platform to showcase their Continuous Professional Development and is designed as a marketing tool to give them an edge in employment drives.

Global Teaching/Internship Exposure @ CCE
To document what Alpha teachers learn during internship, the college conceptualised the idea of ‘Reflections of Alpha Teachers’ Diary’. This academic repository was created and designed to
provide Alpha Teachers with a document containing evidence of their learning during “Learning to function as a teacher”. The repository is designed in such a way that various aspects of hands-on training provided to Alpha teachers are duly recorded.

Integrated, Interactive and Innovative Lesson Plan@ CCE
A lesson plan is a step-by-step guide that helps teachers maintain a standard teaching pattern and doesn’t let the class deviate from the topic. It also provides teachers with learning objectives, quality questions, supplies, and age appropriate activities. Lesson plans conceptualised, created and followed at Chitkara have certain unique characteristics. They focus on promoting multilingualism in the classroom and gives Alpha teachers the option to engage their learners using different languages. Lesson plans motivate alpha teachers to frame instructional objectives related to the three domains of learning, and focus on learners’ all-round development. They also stimulate Alpha teachers to use various learning spaces to maximise student involvement.

Pioneering Doctoral Programme@ CCE
Another addition to Chitkara’s College of Education is its PhD Programme in Education– with a strong pedagogical framework — which endeavours to shape Alpha Doctors. The functional PhD programme specifically crafted for working teachers, runs in cohesion with their respective school calendars. Like B.Ed., the college’s advanced modules of PhD shape educators and researchers to become university teachers, educational leaders, professional practitioners, policymakers etc.

Also read: Niyati Chitkara – Radically reform teacher education