“ITA’s Professional Development Program”

Collaboration

This program is collaboration between Plymouth State University, USA and
Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi and School Improvement Network Pakistan.

Project is funded by US Department of State, Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs.

Program Focus Year wise

PSU Alumni by Province

 Overview 2004 to 2006

Rationale
The 2004 Pakistani Teachers Training Summer Institute was the inaugural program, superseding the 9/11 commission Report which included a recommendation to “strengthen long-term U.S. and international commitments to the future of Pakistan” The Institute 2004 brought 25 Pakistani administrators, Managers  and teachers to campus for a five-week groundbreaking program and cross-cultural exchange, Funded by $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs, the goal was to help educators enhance their subject knowledge, pedagogical skills and disposition toward new ways of teaching. It is Collaboration between Plymouth State University (PSU) NH, USA and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) and School Improvement Network Pakistan (SINP).Plymouth State University Teachers Training Program is a continuation of Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi,s (ITA) or “Centre for Education and Consciousness” struggle for capacity building of stakeholders from the education sector. This training is aimed at improving the pedagogical skills and knowledge amongst the teachers belonging mainly from the Public sector and from ethnically and geographically diverse backgrounds. Teachers themselves have been demanding for such training opportunities. This training program is expected to fulfill their demands and enhance their capacity to promote quality education in Pakistan.

Program Goals

• To develop and deliver technical training in the areas of Mathematics & Science and English focusing secondary level teachers and education managers / administrator.
• To build and promote mutual understanding between the USA and Pakistan through such cross cultural education linkages.

 Program Objectives
1) To provide training to 20 to 25 educators for a period of 5 weeks.
2)  To upgrade the skills of participants to improve their abilities in their respective fields.
3)  To introduce the modern techniques to participants, used in educational institutions.
PSU Profile
Plymouth State University is a coeducational, residential university with an enrollment of approximately 3,800 undergraduate students and 1,500 graduate students. Plymouth State University was established in 1871 and over the years has expanded to 170 acres and forty-six buildings. During its history, the institution has evolved from a normal school to a teachers' college to a state college and in 2003 to a state university. Plymouth State University preserves the brick-and-ivy look of its New England small-college heritage while integrating state-of-the-art technology and facilities into an attractive, contemporary campus design. The university offers B.A, B.Ed, B.Sc, M.BA, M.A and M.Ed degrees and the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Education. Plymouth State University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the New Hampshire Post Secondary Education Commission, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteriawas collaboratively designed by representative from Ministry of Education, Curriculum Wing, Federal College of Education and Provincial Training Institutes, such as the Government Colleges of Elementary Teachers (GCET) and Provincial Institute of Teacher’s Education (PITE), Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA), School Improvement Network Pakistan (SINP) and Plymouth State University. The mutually agreed criteria were as follows:

Age:   30-45(Exceptional Cases up to 50-55 may be considered)
Educational Qualification: Minimum BA/B.Ed, B.Sc/B. Ed, Preferably MA/MSc/ M.Ed.
Experience: At least 5 years of working experience as a teacher/trainer/ Administrator/Manager
Language Proficiency: Fairly good and adequate knowledge of English Language.
Selection Criteria The selection process is transparent and applied with rigor to all eligible applicants.

In addition to these numeric scores, following factors are also considered.

• Preference is given to qualified candidates who have not attended trainings outside Pakistan.
• Preferably equal number of candidates from a pool of English Language, Mathematics, Science teachers and Administrators.
• Preference is given to teachers associated with government schools.
• Preference is given to female candidates.

The final selection review is undertaken by PSU as clearly stated in their terms of reference for the project.  All successful candidates on their return to Pakistan are expected to work in their respective areas of specialization by using their newly acquired skills and knowledge after attending the training institute.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND BENEFICIARIES
 Keeping in view the program goals, objectives and Pakistan’s current educational challenges in the delivery of quality education, it is expected that through the implementation of this project the following outcomes well be realized:

• New skills, knowledge and attitudes are sustained within the participating institutions and leading to improved organizational performance and teaching and learning outcomes in the core areas of Math, Science and English language.
• Participants on returning to their work sites will commit themselves to share their new knowledge, skills and perceptions with colleagues and will influence outreach-training services within Pakistan.
• Participants will form networking teams and linkages with other groups to mutually enhance capabilities, reinforce leadership potentials and promote positive pedagogical trends within the country. It is hoped that such initiatives will lead to better learning outcomes and professionalism in the field of teaching in Pakistan.
• Such programs will promote goodwill and cultural understanding between the Pakistani and American participants.

The direct beneficiaries of this project are/ will be the Pakistani educators selected for this five-week professional development program. Primary target group are secondary level teachers and school managers in the areas of Math, Science, English and School Administration/ Management.
ITA and SINP are ensuring that this program is linked to its SINP network partners who will be provided with such opportunities for professional development and ensuring responsibility for sharing the skills upon their return with other partner schools.

Overview of Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute, 2007
New Hampshire, USA

Overview
The 2004 Pakistani Participant Summer Institute was the inaugural program, superseding the 9/11 commission Report which included a recommendation to “…strengthen long-term U.S. and international commitments to the future of Pakistan…” in the first program, the Institute brought 25 Pakistani administrators and participant to campus for a five-week groundbreaking program and cross-cultural exchange. Funded by $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs, the goal was to help educators enhance their subject knowledge, pedagogical skills and disposition toward new ways of teaching.

Project Background
Since 2003 Plymouth State University (PSU) and ITA have been involved in a collaborative program funded by the U.S Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to promote quality education, mutual goodwill and inter-cultural understanding between the people of United States and Pakistan. To date 80 educators at secondary level and professional teacher trainers and researchers have participated in the program. 

As part of this program Plymouth State University (PSU) offered an intensive summer course in July 2007 for 15 Pakistani educators, researchers, practitioners and educational managers associated with both public sector and non elite private sector institutions. 

The purpose of the program was to support Pakistani educators/researchers through professional development summer courses and to enhance the knowledge and skills of selected educators in the field of research design and implementation. Training was offered to them in modern techniques and methodologies of educational research, analysis, evaluation and reporting. Once the training in the research and evaluation was imparted to the selected participants in 2007 they were to be assigned tasks to evaluate the performance of PSU alumni of the previous three years from 2004 to 2006.  Performance evaluation would entail a well thought out plan to gather evidence on the comprehension and implementation of teaching methodologies, leadership and management skills learnt at PSU. 

Other than the critical goal of evaluating the trainings of FY2004, FY2005, FY2006 and their impact in the post training phase in Pakistan’s the broader objective of the PSU Summer Institutes was also to promote a cultural exchange between the two countries and its people.
 
Like previous years the period prior to the institute was an intensive one covering participants’ nomination, selection, interviews/tests ,visa processing, , preparation of pre departure orientation materials, short orientation sessions with different groups , the actual pre-departure orientation,  developing a media/communication engagement and strategy.

In July of 2007, Plymouth State University (www.plymouth.edu) welcomed the fourth group of participants. Consisted of fifteen Pakistani educators and managers, they represent the fields of secondary education and teacher training. Geographically, they work in Balochistan, the Sindh, the Punjab, and the earthquake affected areas of Azad Jammu Kashmir. They follow the sixty five Plymouth State Pakistani Institute alumni who also represent those regions.  

PSU faculty offered enriching seminars in research design and in quantitative and qualitative assessment and evaluation methodologies. As part of the process, the PSU faculty and Pakistani educational leaders worked together to develop a mechanism to evaluate the impact of past institutes on training and professional development for educators on participating organizations in Pakistan.

Building on the training strands in the previous institutes, there also was seminars in educational leadership, management and planning, and modules in community based interdisciplinary educational strategies that demonstrate student- and activity- based learning.

Candidates completing the assignments received a Certificate of Study recognizing their quality work in the specialization of educational assessment and evaluation.

As a capstone experience, the Pakistani educational leaders visited Washington, D.C, where they hosted as honored guests by the United States Department of State (www.state.gov).  They also visited the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Social gatherings  held to introduce participants to members of Plymouth and other New Hampshire communities, demonstrating the essence of social capital, where members of a small University community came together to promote the common goal of an international education and cultural exchange.

The participants also visited Boston, Massachusetts, one of the historic and cultural capitals of the United States.  That visit included a tour of Harvard University (www.harvard.edu), located in neighboring Cambridge. Laura Carmen Arena, the Assistant Director for Multicultural Affairs at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, made special arrangements for the tour (www.gse.harvard.edu).

Rationale
Plymouth State University (PSU) receives assistance from the United States Department of State, Department of Educational and Cultural Affairs, for training of Pakistani educators from the secondary school level, educational managers and master trainers from teacher training institutions. The project is called the Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute. The FY2007 institute was held for three weeks; started on the fourth of July, 2007, in the state of New Hampshire, USA. New Hampshire is located in the north-east of the United States, in the New England region.

Fifteen participants took part in this institute. The purpose of the program was to enhance the knowledge and skills of selected administrators in the area of research design and implementation. The program provided professional development regarding best practice in educational research (design, methods, analysis, and reporting.)

Major Focus Areas

• Training Pakistani administrators and researchers in methods for evaluating teacher education programs from 2004 to 2006
• Assisting Pakistani administrators and researchers in carrying out an evaluation of our FY 2003-2005 programs
• Working with  Pakistani partners to design and carry out in Pakistan follow-on activities that will reinforce and enhance our summer institutes at Plymouth State
• Promote collaboration between the alumni of Pakistani projects and alumni of other ECA/Citizen Exchanges projects for Pakistan.

Program Goals
The following goals were identified by the project Committee.

Goal 1 Plymouth State University will design and implement (in consultation with USAID and Pakistani experts) a Pakistani Institute to be held at Plymouth State University during the summer of 2007 focused on an evaluation model to examine the PSU PTI FY03-05 programs.

Goal 2 Plymouth State University will continue a committee of appropriate faculty, staff and community members to advise, design, deliver services and monitor outcomes of the project.

Goal 3 Plymouth State University will provide training for Pakistani administrators and researchers in methods for evaluating teacher education programs (i.e. PSU PTI programs to date) (Principles of Diversity as set forth in "Support for Diversity" to be followed.)

Goal 4 Plymouth State University will provide opportunities for participation in such programs that promote human rights and principles of democracy in keeping with Public Law 104-319.

Goal 5 Plymouth State University will work with Pakistani experts, USAID representatives and Pakistani administrators to design and implement follow-on activities appropriate to the goals of the funding, including assistance in conducting an evaluation of the FY03-05 programs in Pakistan.

Goal 6 Plymouth State University and Pakistani partners will work to maintain cost effectiveness for this project.

Goal 7 Plymouth State University will work with appropriate Pakistani partners to promote collaboration between the alumni of the Pakistani Participant Institute and alumni of other ECA/Citizen Exchanges projects for Pakistan.

Goal 8 Plymouth State University will create a detailed plan for monitoring and evaluating the project.

Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute, 2008
New Hampshire, USA

Plymouth State University’s Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute
In partnership with Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi
Blake Allen, Director, Pakistani Educational Leadership
Plymouth State University

Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire, USA, in partnership with Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi, is funded by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, to design, implement and monitor a citizen’s exchange project.  It focuses on demonstrating Active and Responsible Citizenship through education in stewardship of the environment and in cultural heritage preservation. 

The project goals:

• Transform institutional and individual understanding of environmental stewardship and cultural heritage preservation.
• Foster dialogue amongst diverse cultures found within both Pakistan and the United States related to environmental stewardship and cultural heritage preservation.
• Share expertise amongst all the program participants, including Pakistani educational practitioners, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi staff, Plymouth State University faculty, New England educators, and community leaders from collaborating institutions, agencies and NGO’s in Pakistan and the United States.
• Develop capacity for change at the community level in environmental stewardship and cultural heritage preservation through active and responsible citizenship.

Specifically, the project focuses on assisting educators in implementing culturally appropriate, best pedagogical practices, in the two areas identified, with schools as delivery sites.

The key components:

• A four week Institute in July of 2008 hosted by Plymouth State University for Pakistani educational leaders.
• A one week Academy that will take place during the Institute to foster cultural exchange between Pakistani and New England educators.
• Development of Action Plans by Institute and Academy participants to foster change in participants’ home communities in the areas of environmental and cultural heritage preservation.
• Awarding of small project grants to support implementation of Action Plans to institute educational change in Pakistan.
• Integration of technology as a tool for fostering exchange during and following the Institute.
• Follow-up site visits to support, assess and evaluate ongoing implementation efforts by program participants in Pakistan.
• Summative and formative evaluation of all program components throughout the life cycle of the grant.

The curriculum and follow-on activities will incorporate a rigorous theory to practice model promoting the use of effective strategies for integrating policy, environmental stewardship, cultural heritage preservation, and community-based educational initiatives, with schools as delivery sites. The learning resources can be adapted for curricula inclusion, teacher training, and professional development.

The Plymouth State University Institute will consist of both educational and cultural activities.  

The curriculum strands will include:

• Education in environmental stewardship and cultural heritage preservation that will incorporate an integrative, interdisciplinary approach that focuses on using communities as classrooms without walls.
• Online, interactive, sustainable energy modules that support on site activities during the Institute and in Pakistan.
• Educational Leadership and Planning modules.
• Cross-curriculum writing and reflection modules that will focus on community identity.
• Technology as an essential component of the Institute curriculum to foster communication during follow-on activities in Pakistan.
• Extensive field work during the Institute that will demonstrate the integration of readily available community resources – in both Pakistan and the United States – that can be incorporated into curricula, teacher training, and professional development.
• Certification in Education in Environmental Stewardship, Cultural Heritage Preservation, and Active and Responsible Citizenship.

The cultural activities:

• Local community invitations, festivities and celebrations.
• Arts in Education Institute at Plymouth State University.
• Plymouth Writing Project at Plymouth State University.
• Visits to schools both in New Hampshire and in Boston.
• Two day trip to Boston, Massachusetts, one of the cultural and historical capitals of the United States.
• Three day trip to Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States of America.
• Induction into the Plymouth State University Alumni Association, with access to its resources.

Participant expectations: 
Plymouth State University and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi are recruiting dynamic Pakistani educators who have demonstrated leadership abilities in their work in schools, teacher training and professional development institutions that represent the public and private/public sectors. 

The educational leaders will be required to:

• Fully participate in the Institute experience and follow-on activities in Pakistan.
• Share their expertise with their American counterparts and the PSU Pakistan Committee and faculty.
• Develop, present and implement Action Plans at the Institute as guides for follow-up activities in Pakistan.
• Gather local community, curricular and cultural resources to create Tool Kits to be shared during the Institute and used in Pakistan.
• Maintain contact with Plymouth State University and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi.
• Share follow-on activities with Plymouth State University and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi.

Overview of Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute, 2009
New Hampshire, USA

Plymouth State University will design, implement and monitor an eighteen month citizens’ exchange project that explores best practices and innovations in science education, within a framework of the role of educational leadership in civil society and the development of an educated citizenry. Twenty program participants will be selected from the field of secondary education in Pakistan. Plymouth State University alumni of previous Institutes also will be engaged in the project as mentors and resources.
Project goals:
Goal 1: Foster respect amongst the diverse cultures of Pakistan and the United States through the examination of educational leadership as a keystone of civil society, with a focus on ethical decision-making and advocacy for change.
Goal 2: Transform institutional and individual understanding of best practices and innovations in science education, incorporating environmental models.
Goal 3: Share strategies for the effective delivery of environmental literacy in English with a focus on clarity and appropriate technical terminology.
Goal 4: Engage educators in the development and implementation of Master Action Plans that assist them in translating Institute content into culturally appropriate, best pedagogical practices within Pakistan’s curricular and societal frameworks and in affecting change in the educational sector.
Goal 5:  Develop strategic planning initiatives to expand alumni outreach and engagement.

The project entails three key components: (1) the design and implementation of a four-week Institute for Pakistani educational leaders hosted by Plymouth State University and (2) of follow-on activities in Pakistan; and (3) a formative and summative evaluation of all program components throughout the grant.

Core Criteria for Selection from 2004 - 2010 

Age:                                         28-50 (Exceptional Cases up to 55 with at least 5 years to retirement) 
Gender:                       Female: at least 50% and Male:  50%  
Qualifications:             Minimum BA, B.Sc, Preferably MA/ M.Sc with B.Ed & M.Ed
Experience:                At least 5 years of experience as a teacher/ teacher trainer/ head teacher in secondary schools / mid level leader in Govt. or Non Govt. sector   
Language Skills:         Speak, comprehend and write English fluently
IT Proficiency:            Basic IT skills are essential (Word & Power point)

Supplementary Criteria  

Key Steps in Selection