OPEN LEARNING IN TEACHER EDUCATION: THE PRESENT SCENARIO

Abstract

Both emerging and developed nations are adopting the use of open learning in teacher preparation. It might assist bring us closer to our goal of providing quality education to everyone by bolstering and growing the teaching profession in the twenty-first century. This article explores the benefits of adopting open education and digital tools to educate future teachers. It explains and evaluates the applications of these techniques and tools. Educating teachers is a need in every country in the early 21st century. If universal primary education is to be achieved, more than half of the world's nations would need to dramatically increase their supply of teachers, in some cases by tens of thousands. Huge shortages of teachers and poor teacher quality have resulted in many developing nations because to socioeconomic inequalities, political instability, demographic shifts, and catastrophes like the Covid-19 epidemic. Current and future shortages in teacher supply and poor teacher quality will not be adequately addressed by the existing ways of increasing teacher education. Open and remote learning has immense potential as a means of delivering education on a massive scale, as is now being shown by both theory and practise (ODL). By leveraging the benefits of cutting-edge information and communication technologies and media, ODL simplifies and expands access to professional development for educators. However, shifting to ODL calls for creative rethinking of traditional pedagogical practises, tools, budgets, and more. The following methods may be used to implement open learning in teacher education: computer-assisted learning (CD-ROMs), web-based learning, virtual labs, case studies, group discussion, brainstorming, audiovisual presentation, assignments, seminars, quizzes, and assigning project tasks. Teachers often enhance their innovative methods of instruction with worksheets, guides, and multimedia presentations. Before beginning their real coursework, students should be provided with two sets of learning materials: one for a computer literacy class, and another for learning how to use the Internet and the World Wide Web to find, retrieve, and download information. Students may also benefit from a mixed-model approach that combines satellite teleconferencing with in-person, interactive sessions. It is recommended that students' progress be gauged via the use of non-traditional assessment tools, including as presentations, posters summarising subject studied, dioramas, student exhibits, and project fairs with test papers. The research will centre on new methods of using the internet to educate teachers, with the goal of addressing the widespread shortage of qualified educators. This research used a descriptive survey approach. The current research will gather data from a range of Indian colleges that provide online teacher preparation programmes. The information was analysed using a qualitative method. The study concluded that the existing and predicted deficiencies in teacher supply and poor teacher quality may be appropriately addressed if an innovative strategy in open learning in teacher education is applied.