Transforming teaching and learning in Asia and the Pacific: case studies from seven countries; 2015

students. Other issues identified by teachers included a lack of the exchange
of experiences among teachers (42.98 per cent), insufficient guidance and
documents on teaching methods (38.02 per cent), a lack of information
regarding the implementation of the new curriculum (20.66 per cent), and
a lack of knowledge among teachers regarding the implementation of
innovative pedagogies (13.22 per cent). Figure 3 illustrates the responses.

Figure 3: Obstacles faced in adopting effective pedagogy

0.83%

0.83%

13.22%

20.66%

38.02%

42.98%

48.76%

51.24%

52.89%

57.02%

58.68%

0.0010.0020.0030.0040.0050.0060.00

Others

No challenges

Lack of knowledge among teachers regarding the implementation of innovative pedagogies

Lack of information on the implementation of the new curriculum

Insufficient guidance/manuals for teaches

Lack of the exchange of experiences among teachers

Lack of collaboration among students

Lack of understanding among parents and others

Unclear assessment standards

Lack of balance in knowledge allocation in the curriculum

Insufficient teaching and learning materials for teachers

Regarding in-service training courses, most teachers (72 per cent) responded
in the questionnaire that they had received guidelines on pedagogy, and
almost all of the teachers (90 per cent) had participated in annual in-service
pedagogy courses on thematic lesson observation, and/or had participated
in thematic meetings on teaching, and in ‘good teacher’ competitions at
their schools. The four-week courses were held before the beginning of
each school year and were conducted by key teachers who participated as
teacher-trainers at the central or provincial level (Ministry of Education and
Training, 2009, pp. 77–78). However, many teachers found the courses to be
insufficient in enabling them to implement innovative pedagogies in real
classrooms. One of the focus-group participants noted that, ‘We learn about
new approaches in a very short, didactic in-service training course, and we
do not have the time to develop new lesson plans or practice implementing
them during the courses’. Another participant commented that, ‘We all
participated in the annual in-service teacher training methodology courses
organized by DOET [Department of Education and Training]. ... And we are
provided with guidelines on pedagogy, but they are not adequate’.

Regarding the pedagogical practices taught in pre-service training, the
trainee teachers participating in the FGD felt that the training involved too