IISER Pune To Establish Department Of Science Education To Train Next-Gen Teachers

Pune: The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, will set up a department dedicated to focus on teachers’ training. The research department will impart teaching techniques and mentor the next-generation tutors at both school and higher education levels.

The approval for establishing the Department of Science Education was approved by the institute’s senate in July. The proposal will now require clearance from the Board of Governors, which is expected to meet within a month.

After approval, the IISER Pune will be the first among the seven IISERs and among the IITs and NITs to have a Department of Science Education.

In the current scenario, Regional Institutes of Education located at Shillong, Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar and Mysuru, and the TIFR – Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education in Mumbai majorly conduct all research work in education.

“Good work has been done at these institutes and in non-government sectors and now a scaling-up is required. Experts engaged in research in Education agree that teaching at the school-levels needs greater attention,” IISER Pune, Dean (Academics) Prof Bhas Bapat was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

IISER Pune has been hosting several workshops and teacher training sessions for many years, but mostly short-term engagements.

“Now, with a dedicated department, we will have full-time teaching faculty members who are keen on taking up research in teaching and Education. The aim is also to create awareness among teachers about this stream as a career option as like opting any other subject,” Bapat was quoted as saying.

Initially, IISER Pune senior students, who are inclined towards teaching and research in Education, will manage the department. “This will be slow but a long-term engagement. We are up against two challenges – finding faculty, teacher-educators and more importantly, creating awareness about research opportunities in Education,” Bapat further said.

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