Asian University for Women (AUW) is going to introduce a fully-funded residential in-service Master of Education (M.Ed.) course for intermediate college teachers in Bangladesh. This M.Ed. program is integrated into some exclusive Whole College Transformation Initiatives through which AUW aims to bring in real improvements in teaching, learning, and college leadership and management practices in Bangladesh’s higher secondary education sector. The key features of these initiatives are: assessment, courses, assistance with research and development, and opportunities for teachers and students.
Assessment
Initially AUW aims to engage fifty (50) selected intermediate colleges from across Bangladesh. Specific assessment of each individual selected college in terms of its strengths and weaknesses and opportunities for improvement will be conducted. The assessment will also identify the likely key change makers (from leadership, faculty, students, management committee, community at large etc.). The assessment exercise will lead to a discussion and agreement on (a) objectives for change; (b) time framework for change; (iii) key inputs for driving change; and (iv) regular monitoring and evaluation of the changes sought. A contract to this effect would be formulated between AUW and the particular college.
Courses
Assistance with both human and institutional capacity development by way of offering the following courses:
- An in-service residential one-year Master of Education (M.Ed.) course that will focus on pedagogical improvements; strategies for class management; improvement of English, Mathematics, and ICT skills; introduction to different methods of evidence-based learning (e.g., epidemiology); ethical reasoning; gender sensitivity; comparative religion; and mental health management. A series of master classes will be held on specific subjects that are taught in the curriculum. Alternatives to labs, new STEM methods will be explored. Provisions will be made for those who need to continue teaching while on the program to do so through zoom.
- Short courses on management training of principals and selected members of the college management committee will be offered.
Assistance with research and development
AUW understands that major structural reorientation may be needed to fully harness the potential of Bangladesh’s local education system and capture the long elusive demographic dividend. While a core set of activities will focus on improving the system as is, a Research and Development Centre could be very useful in clearly identifying the structural barriers for educational transformation over time.
Opportunities for teachers and students
- Professional networking opportunities will be offered to the teachers for advancing their career in teaching and facilitating their personal growth.
- Opportunities of annual student conference of students from participating colleges to feature debates, art exhibitions, service-learning projects, and other activities for encouraging a networking of teachers and students along with opportunities for internships for selected students from participating colleges.
- Five to ten students will be selected from each of the participating intermediate colleges who would be committed to returning to their colleges as teachers for at least three to five years following their graduation from AUW.