Education Programs For Teachers – An Overview
Education is the process by which people acquire knowledge, skills, abilities, values, customs, attitudes, and social behaviors. Education also includes training, teaching, public speaking, direct observation, experiential learning and applied research. Schools impart knowledge and create students by providing them with conditions and opportunities to decide for themselves and to learn by engaging on multiple activities. Schools provide a nurturing environment for young people in order to cultivate individuality and creativity.
Informal education is basically about student observation and the informal learning process. It has three components: teaching activities, social media use, and student motivation. This type of education is used primarily for students who are experiencing difficulty in formal schooling or those who have a special need for education. Informal education is a vital resource that is being underused. An inclusive approach is adopted where it is equated with social media, informatics, technology transfer and community development.
Informal education delivers a variety of benefits such as; quality education, direct involvement, critical thinking, group interaction, cultural awareness, cultural exchange and respect, self-esteem building, effective communication and critical thinking. Schools that adopt an integrated system of teaching and learning realize that there is a need for a holistic approach to education that considers all three components of the curriculum. This holistic approach to education enables schools to provide an informed choice to students and parents, providing them with an option for choosing formal or non-formal education.
Informal education systems are based on several types of pedagogical approaches. One of these is the participative approach in which the whole school community works together through involvement in group projects and decisions. The concept of collaborative learning is also an important component of this pedagogy. Participative educators involve their students in the development of the curriculum, development of teaching methods, decision making power, maintenance of school unity, maintenance of good relationships among teachers and students and maintenance of a positive school climate. On the other hand, collaborative education is a system that involves teachers and students who have little or no relationship with each other and rely on teachers for the distribution of information and support.
In most cases, the teachers and educational professionals who become part of the education team throughout the country experience an ‘interaction’ that helps them connect with their students and develop learning opportunities. In the United States, the teaching professional community has begun to realize that there are limited career opportunities in the teaching profession. To increase the quality and quantity of teachers in the teaching profession, many educators are turning to education programs that involve hands-on teaching practice and the development of a group of highly skilled teachers who are able to work as a team. Education programs such as these provide a solid foundation for teachers to develop their teaching skills, build up their professional reputation and increase their knowledge about important issues in education.
In the past, a teacher’s education was built on the basis of formal classroom teaching courses and on the results she or he was able to get from her or his students. Now, there are many people who would like to take advantage of the opportunities that distance education provides. Distance education programs offer the opportunity for people who would not normally be able to enroll in a traditional classroom course to earn a degree. For teachers, education programs like these also offer an excellent way to earn a higher salary. Although it is true that many people have started their careers teaching in a distance education program, the vast majority of those who teach online do so because they love what they do and because they have benefited from their teaching experience.