Evaluación de la formación inicial docente en el Nivel Inicial en una Institución de Formación Docente de República Dominicana

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study an evaluation of the undergraduate early childhood education teacher program is conducted together with an evaluation of the trainers' teaching practice in a higher education institution dedicated to teacher training in the Dominican Republic. There is currently a concern for improving teacher training at all levels due to the importance of the teacher in the learning and achievement of all students and in the educational quality of a country. A design of several instruments was done, one for classroom observation, a self-evaluation form and an evaluation by students to value the practice of their teacher trainers. The program and the curriculum were revised according to the professional standards for teacher education in our country and to the teacher expectations established in the early childhood curriculum design. Focus groups were also done with students, professors and coordinators to determine the strengths, needs, opportunities and the real training needs of such trainers and students. The expected skills and competencies that should guide institutions in the training process of all teachers were also considered as references. The results showed the need for a revision and a reform of the undergraduate early education program to be able to respond to the current demand for teachers with the necessary skills to implement an appropriate program for children birth to six and not only for children in Kindergarten. To accomplish this, the admission of candidates with the desired qualities and skills that meet the requirements and have the abilities and appropriate motivation is crucial. The results in the evaluation of the teacher trainers' practice were quite positive in general with some differences between what is perceived by observers, by the trainers themselves and by the students in some dimensions, being the evaluation by students the most positive. However, in the focus group, students, professor and coordinators mentioned relevant aspects that must be considered. Also, the revision of the program curriculum revealed and confirmed some of those aspects that should be improved. Among these are the methodology implemented, the content that is taught and the need for achievement of the desired competencies through courses and meaningful experiences that link theory with practice and promote the implementation of innovative strategies, as well as the effective use of resources in the classroom. Experiences in the public and the private sectors, ensuring practical experiences in contexts that serve as benchmarks of good educational practices is also necessary. The Institution should have a single unified curriculum program; teacher trainers must belong to the area of study and must have content knowledge of the subjects they teach. They should all respond to a well defined and shared mission. The need to redefine clear graduate expectations in line with the standards is evident. The curriculum should ensure alignment with these standards and with the new early childhood curriculum design of the Dominican Republic with a constructivist, historical, cultural and competency-based approach. More research needs to be done in this topic. The revision of each course's syllabus and the evaluation of the perception of students and alumni are necessary. More information on trainer's classroom practice will be helpful to make relevant decisions and to achieve the desired educational quality.