Professional Development Centres
At the heart of AKU-IED's working is the institution
of Professional Development Centre (PDC). The PDC functions as a
training and support facility for practicing teachers for their
professional development.
The following excerpts from the Chancellor's Commission Report
clearly illustrates the PDC concept:
Aga Khan University's Institute for Educational Development
(AKU-IED) is committed to supporting Professional Development Centres
(PDCs), which will offer programmes aimed at improving the quality
of teaching and learning through professional development and associated
research and evaluation activities. AKU-IED's role will vary in
each case, consistent with the principles that new PDCs should reflect
local, contextual needs and priorities and should develop an independent
capacity to address these over the medium term. Certification and
quality assurance are the responsibility of AKU-IED through Aga
Khan University
(AKU).
The PDC model adopts a clinical approach to professional development.
It focuses on the professional growth of teachers, and integrates
practice, theory and research with active links to a network of
teachers and schools.
Emphasising
their links to both educational
practice and research, AKU-IED faculty members work in the Professional
Development Centre with MEd graduates. These graduates are known
as Professional Development Teachers (PDTs).
Consistent with the principle of responsiveness to local context,
new PDCs will assume different forms in different places. The variation
may, for instance, be in governance, structure, and/or relationship
with AKU-IED and programme activities. In establishing new PDCs,
the Institute seeks to work with agencies that share similar aims
and approaches. For example, field-based professional development
is aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning at classroom
and school levels, and addressing educational needs.
AKU-IED's Professional Development Centres
PDC, Karachi
AKU-IED's first PDC was established at the Sultan Mohamed Shah
Aga Khan School complex in Karachi, Pakistan, and has been operating
since 1994. It has been offering AKU-certified graduate programmes
and professional programmes for teachers since October 1995. The
core function of the PDC is professional development of in-service
teachers. Key supporting functions include management training for
school heads, middle and senior educational managers, curriculum
development and research.
The development of new PDCs represents the effective multiplication
of programmes and principles, which have been developed and tested
through AKU-IED's Karachi PDC initiative.
PDC, Northern Areas
The Professional Development Centre, Northern Areas (PDCN), became
operational in Gilgit in early 1999, with funding support from the
European Commission for five years. The PDCN is a collaborative
partnership between Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKESP)
and AKU-IED. Another PDC has been planned for Chitral.
PDC Lead-in Project, East Africa
It is a collaborative effort between AKU-IED and
Aga Khan Foundation (AKF).
The PDC Lead-in
Project in East Africa was established in March 2000. Although a
project, it has functioned as a PDC in terms of programme delivery.
It has been running successfully and substantial progress has been
made in terms of human capacity development.
PITE (a government-equivalent PDC)
AKU-IED has been working with the Provincial Institute for Teacher
Education (PITE) in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan
to develop the capacity of teachers so that PDC-like activities
can be conducted at PITE. Another PDC has been proposed for
Baluchistan,
with strong support from the government and donor agencies for the
project.
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