Voices of Teachers and Teacher Educators
The journal Voices of Teachers and Teacher Educators, launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, aims to emphasize the critical role of teacher education in ensuring quality, equitable education for all under the Right to Education Act, 2009. With the need for more teachers, the journal highlights the transformative impact teachers can have on social change and educational quality. It provides a platform for teachers, educators, researchers, and policymakers across diverse institutions to share experiences, reflect, and learn collectively. Contributions are accepted in English and Hindi, with plans for a multilingual edition soon.
तेजी से बदलते सामाजिक परिवेश और सतत शैक्षिक सुधारों के संदर्भ में शिक्षकों में आत्म-नियंत्रित अधिगम (Self-Regulated Learning–SRL) कौशल का विकास अत्यंत आवश्यक हो गया है। आत्म-नियंत्रित अधिगम भविष्य के शिक्षकों को आजीवन अधिगमकर्ता, चिंतनशील पेशेवर तथा अपने विद्यार्थियों में SRL को प्रोत्साहित करने वाले सक्रिय अभिकर्ता के रूप में विकसित करता है, जिससे सकारात्मक सामाजिक परिवर्तन संभव होता है। इस संदर्भ में प्रस्तुत अध्ययन राष्ट्रीय शिक्षा नीति 2020, राष्ट्रीय अध्यापक शिक्षा परिषद (NCTE) संशोधन विनियम 2021, एकीकृत अध्यापक शिक्षा कार्यक्रम (ITEP) के पाठ्यचर्या ढाँचे तथा माध्यमिक स्तर के लिए सुझाए गए ITEP पाठ्यक्रमों जैसे प्रमुख नीतिगत दस्तावेज़ों का समालोचनात्मक विश्लेषण करता है। अध्ययन का उद्देश्य इन दस्तावेज़ों में माध्यमिक स्तर के भावी शिक्षकों के लिए आत्म-नियंत्रित अधिगम दक्षताओं के विकास से संबंधित प्रत्यक्ष एवं अंतर्निहित संदर्भों की पहचान और विश्लेषण करना है। अध्ययन में ज़िम्मरमैन और मोयलन (2009) के चक्रीय SRL मॉडल पर आधारित एक वैचारिक रूपरेखा का उपयोग किया गया है, जिसमें मेटाकॉग्निशन, आत्म-प्रभावकारिता, आत्म-निगरानी, प्रेरणा तथा स्व-निर्देशित अधिगम जैसे घटक और कार्य-विश्लेषण, आत्म-मूल्यांकन, परावर्तन, सहयोगात्मक अधिगम, प्रतिपुष्टि, योजना निर्माण एवं समस्या समाधान जैसी रणनीतियाँ सम्मिलित हैं। विश्लेषण से यह स्पष्ट होता है कि यद्यपि NCTE द्वारा सुझाए गए पाठ्यक्रमों में SRL रणनीतियों का समावेश किया गया है, तथापि प्रेरणा को अपेक्षाकृत अधिक महत्व दिया गया है, जबकि मेटाकॉग्निटिव जागरूकता और आत्म-प्रभावकारिता जैसे महत्त्वपूर्ण आयाम अपेक्षित स्तर तक विकसित नहीं किए गए हैं। अध्ययन निष्कर्षतः यह रेखांकित करता है कि भावी शिक्षकों में समग्र आत्म-नियंत्रित अधिगम कौशल विकसित करने हेतु स्थितिजन्य अधिगम परिवेश और रूपांतरणकारी शिक्षक शिक्षा दृष्टिकोण को सुदृढ़ करना आवश्यक है, जिससे वे सामाजिक एवं शैक्षिक परिवर्तनों की चुनौतियों का प्रभावी ढंग से सामना कर सकें।
A Study of Mathematical Patterns and Cultural Symmetry in Traditional Weaving, Beadwork, and Basketry
Traditional weaving, beadwork, and basketry from diverse Indian cultures exhibit mathematical patterns and cultural symmetry that coexist with a variety of mathematical principles. This research paper explores the geometrical structures that are present in the form of tessellations and symmetry in the crafts of Double Ikat of Patan Patola, symmetric motifs in Kanchipuram silk, and radial symmetry in Naga beadwork. The researchers also examine the mathematical ideas behind Banjara embroidery, Toda basketry, and Khasi bamboo weaving, and show how some fundamental concepts, including permutations, combinations, tessellations, and geometric transformations can be applied in some of their creations. The analysis concludes that ethno mathematics is essential in maintaining indigenous knowledge, especially in its application of mathematical principles in a way that artisans naturally employ in the process of producing visually balanced and structurally precise designs. This paper aims to establish ethno mathematics as both a valid cultural epistemology and a pedagogical tool for culturally responsive mathematics education.
Effects of Prolonged Sitting in Schools on Musculoskeletal Health of School Children in Delhi
Prolonged hours of sitting, including static posture, in school during school hours puts extreme physical stress on the muscles and ligaments. Since school children are expected to be in the classrooms for a long duration of four to six hours in a day and do most of the activities seated, it is imperative to observe and analyse the sitting posture musculoskeletal discomfort faced by children during the course of the school day. Also, to find out the incidence of musculoskeletal discomfort among them, the author chose to study a total of 450 students from five public schools of New Delhi. The results revealed that a significant percentage of school children experienced frequent body pain caused by forward bending postures and other awkward postures maintained during long hours of classroom activities. The result of these inappropriate sitting postures can sometimes lead to alteration in the shape of the body, muscle cramps, discomfort in the back and legs. These musculoskeletal problems highlight the need of further research to encourage appropriate sitting postures among school children.
English Medium Instruction in Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas: Policies, Practices, and Promise of Quality Education
The implementation of English Medium Instruction (EMI) by Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas (OAVs) aimed to bridge the educational divide and provide underprivileged and rural populations access to high-quality education. In this paper, the author argues that despite its policy driven promises of socioeconomic mobility, English medium education frequently aggravates the pre-existing educational disparities. EMI’s official policy and its actual implementation on the ground are examined in this study through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, classroom observations and student outcome analysis from OAVs in the districts of Mayurbhanj and Cuttack in the state of Odisha. The statistics show that, despite being taught in English, children commonly experience linguistic estrangement, with teachers resorting to ‘unofficial’ bilingual approaches to improve comprehension. The technique has proven to be substantially more effective in aiding student learning despite its informality. Through this study, it is argued that the current EMI approach, which encourages instruction in English-only, needs to be re-evaluated. It makes the case for the official integration of bilingual resources assessments and multilingual pedagogies in order to better match students’ linguistic realities and attain more equitable learning outcomes. To fully realise EMI’s potential in promoting social justice and educational equity in India, the study suggests that policy must change toward a more inclusive multilingual approach.
English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI)
Factors Affecting Student Absenteeism in Rural Elementary Schools of Kalahandi District of Odisha
This study attempts to understand student absenteeism by exploring its related factors in rural elementary schools of migration-prone Golamunda block in Kalahandi district. The study also aims to assess the measures taken by the stakeholders to address this issue. A mixed-method approach with an explanatory-sequential design was followed. The students, parents, teachers, and headmasters of elementary schools constituted the population of the study. Cluster and purposive sampling techniques were followed for the quantitative and qualitative phase of data collection respectively. Student enrolment and retention data sheets, structured and semi-structured interview schedules were used as the tools for data collection. The quantitative data were analyzed through frequency and percentage analysis, while the qualitative data were sorted, coded, categorised and analyzed thematically. After analyzing the data, four overarching themes were generated. They were weak economic condition of families, lack of aspiration towards education and career among students, casual attitude of parents towards children’s education, and inadequate community participation. By incorporating the perspectives of various stakeholders, attempts were made to comprehend the nuances of absenteeism that can help parents, educators, educational administrators, and policymakers to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of absenteeism. Proper planning and interventions would result in better school attendance, retention, adjustment, and high educational achievements of students.
Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE)
Awareness of Reproductive Health among Adolescents in Schools under the CBSE Curriculum in Kolkata
Understanding reproductive health is important to adolescents as it ensures a safe transition to adulthood. The study aims to understand adolescents’ knowledge of their reproductive health, the impact of reproductive health issues on well-being of adolescentsand suggest ways to promote school-based reproductive health education. Taking 185 adolescent boys and girls through simple random sampling from three PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalayas of Kolkata under the CBSE Curriculum, the study employed two standardized questionnaires to ascertain adolescents’ awareness of reproductive health and measure the impact of reproductive health issues on their well-being. The result finds that adolescents struggle to access trustworthy sources of information and lack adequate awareness of reproductive health. They are deprived of cooperation from parents, schools, and the media in understanding reproductive health. There remains a significant difference between boys and girls regarding their access to knowledge about reproductive health. Girls participate in menstrual awareness drives at school; they can talk to their mothers about it more frequently. Boys cannot talk to their mothers at home. They are excluded from reproductive health awareness drives at school. School educationselectively prioritizes menstrual hygiene for girls. Irrespective of their gender, adolescents are ignorant about recognizing the impact of reproductive health issues in academic engagements. Students demand that knowledge about reproductive health be available to them in the school.School-based educational intervention in collaboration with the community appears to be effective, in which teachers are supposed to take up the responsibility to aware adolescents of the importance of reproductive health. This can equip adolescents with knowledge to make informed decisions, ensuring reproductive health well-being.
Supervision that Speaks: Understanding Feedback Practices during School Internship
The school internship in teacher education acts as a crucial bridge between theoretical coursework and actual classroom practice. Central to this transitional phase, the role of supervisory feedback significantly influences the professional development of student teachers. The present study, therefore, sought to investigate the nature and frequency of interactions between university supervisors and student teachers before, during, and after classroom teaching sessions, examine how student teachers implement supervisory feedback into their practice, identify challenges faced in the feedback process, and ultimately offer suggestions to make feedback practices more effective during the school internship through a mixed method research design. The quantitative data were collected through questionnaires, which were administered to student teachers, while qualitative insights were gathered through semi-structured interviews with a smaller sample of student teachers from the two-year B.Ed. programme of Tezpur University, Assam. The findings of the study indicate that although an important developmental role is played by the supervisory feedback, its effectiveness is largely dependent on its clarity, timeliness, relevance, and the nature of the interaction between the supervisor and the student teachers. Significant barriers to feedback implementation that emerged during the analysis were unclear and delayed feedback and lack of follow-up. The need for more collaborative, specific, and reflective feedback, supported by modelling suggestions and consistent mentoring, was therefore emphasized by the student teachers. The study calls for more structured, empathetic, and responsive feedback practices that align with the developmental needs of student teachers and foster their growth as reflective and competent educators
Are Tomorrow’s Teachers Ready? Assessing Prospective Teachers’ Competency in Implementing Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom
This study examines prospective teachers’ implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by employing a situational test. Fifty participants were selected for the study. Analysis of data from situational tests is conducted using a rubric, grounded in UDL guiding principles (multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression). Further, the data include 12 prospective teachers for focus group discussion to provide qualitative insights into their UDL practices. The finding showed that 50% of the prospective teachers demonstrated moderate level of competency, that they have basic understanding of what UDL is, 34% of prospective teachers were in the lower range of competency indicating that there are significant difficulties in applying UDL practically, namely, giving specific support to learners and making it accessible and finally 16% in high competency represented strength in implementing UDL in the classroom. Additionally, the t-test revealed that female prospective teachers had higher competency in student engagement (SM) than their male counterparts. Further, the study found a similar level of UDL competency among the prospective teachers of both the B.A. B.Ed. and B.Sc. B.Ed. programmes. Qualitative analysis revealed that the majority of prospective teachers have theoretical knowledge, but they felt challenged while implementing UDL in the diverse classroom. Time constraints, curriculum demand, inadequate resources, large classroom size, and institutional challenges limit the efforts of the prospective teachers to implement UDL in the diverse classroom. Despite these challenges, teachers expressed enthusiasm for UDL practices and emphasized hands-on practice to make UDL a sustainable, impactful approach in diverse classrooms.
Twice-Exceptionality (2e): A Perspective of Pre-service and In-service Special Educators
This research aims to study the awareness of pre-service and in-service special educators about twice-exceptionality and characteristics of twice-exceptional (2e) learners in the National Capital Region of Delhi (Delhi NCR). Twice-exceptional learners are characterized by the coexistence of high intellectual abilities and specific learning challenges or disabilities, or any other developmental disability making a unique set of needs that demand specialized attention in educational settings for the learner. This study employs a comprehensive survey method, engaging a diverse sample of 132 in-service and pre-service special educators teaching in inclusive schools across Delhi NCR. The pre-service teachers are the teacher trainees of B.Ed. and M.Ed. Special Education programmes doing their teaching practice under the supervision of the school teachers and supervisors from their institutes. This was done to explore the awareness levels among them about the twice-exceptional learners in their schools, the teaching practices for twice-exceptional learners that are followed, and to explore the existing gaps and requirements for professional development of special educators to work with individuals with twice-exceptionality. The findings of the study help to understand the existing learning gaps in the awareness levels of educators working in inclusive schools of Delhi NCR, the addressing of hindrances in the optimal support to twiceexceptional learners to begin with addressing their duality and dual uniqueness nature of learning and gifted skills. Furthermore, this study explores the influence of various factors which may affect the understanding of the specific needs of twice-exceptional learners in classrooms, such as teaching experience, educational background of the educators, educators’ awareness levels about disabilities and giftedness, and deep understanding of multiple exceptionalities that might exist in an individual and the process of finding suitable solutions to the child and the parents to cushion the learning support for the individual. The implications of this study suggest that there is an opportunity gap, educational gap , training gap and lack of resources for diverse learning needs that has led to broaden the gap in understanding dual exceptionalities and, moreover, there is no evidence of any suggested practices or educational plan to be followed or to teach such learners in the near future. Finding of the study reveals that 70% of special educators are aware of the term ‘ twiceexceptionality,’ however, only 53% of special educators are aware of the traits of twiceexceptional learners. The study also found that Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are the most widely used strategy, with 80% of educators relying on it followed by differentiated instructions and assignments used by 58% of educators to cater to the learning needs of twice-exceptional learners. The findings of this research reflect that most of the educators believe that there is an urgent need to learn about the concept of twice-exceptionality to develop new strategies which are suitable for the dual nature of such learners to address their gifted skills as well as learning challenges.
Strengthening Self-regulated Learning in Teacher Education: An Analysis of Policy Alignment and Curriculum Integration
Equipping educators with strong Self-regulated Learning (SRL) skills empowers them to handle the demands of a rapidly changing society and educational reforms. SRL enables future educators to become lifelong learners and agents for nurturing SRL in their students, ultimately contributing to positive social transformation. In this context, this study critically analyses key policy documents including the National Education Policy 2020, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) Amendment Regulations 2021, the NCTE Curriculum Framework for Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), and the Suggestive Syllabi for Secondary Stage ITEP. The research objective is to critically examine these documents’ explicit and latent references to enhance Self-regulated Learning (SRL) competencies among prospective secondary school teachers within the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP). The study utilizes a framework adapted from Zimmerman and Moylan’s (2009) Cyclical Model of SRL, by reviewing post-2005 experimental interventions on student-teacher selfregulated learning skills; encompassing five key components (Metacognition, Self-efficacy, Self-monitoring, Motivation, and Self-directed Learning) and seven core strategies (Taskanalysis, Reflective practices, Self-assessment, Collaborative learning, Feedback, Planning, and Problem-solving). NEP 2020 emphasizes integrating SRL strategies into teacher education programmes, fostering lifelong learners and reflective practitioners. The conceptual model adopted in the study confirms that the learners’ awareness of their thinking process, use of individualised learning strategies, and sustained motivation facilitate the development of teaching professionals who can handle the uncertainties of the rapidly changing society and related emerging reforms in higher education. The analysis reveals that while NCTE’s suggested syllabi explicitly incorporate SRL strategies within the course content, practicum, and assessment approaches during the four-year programme, only motivation receives substantial focus. This discordance calls for enhancing metacognitive awareness and cultivating positive self-efficacy beliefs among prospective teachers, empowering them to become lifelong learners and agents for imparting SRL in their professional practice. These observations of this study emphasize the importance of situated learning environments and a transformative teacher education approach to cultivate SRL abilities in teachers. Equipping educators with all important SRL skills that empower them to handle the demands of a rapidly changing society and educational reforms, aligns with national aspirations for social transformation.
Digital Gamified Learning in Teacher Education: Insights from Pre-service Teachers in Kasaragod District
This study adopts a descriptive survey methodology to examine the awareness, experiences, and perceptions of B.Ed. trainees regarding digital gamified learning (DGL) in the Kasaragod district of Kerala. The research seeks to explore pre-service teachers’ familiarity with DGL, their first-hand experiences, levels of interest, and preferred digital devices for engaging in such learning approaches. The findings reveal varying levels of familiarity among the participants, along with a generally high interest in DGL, despite limited and inconsistent practical exposure. Smartphones and laptops emerged as the most preferred devices for accessing gamified learning resources. Overall, the respondents demonstrated a positive attitude towards DGL, recognizing its potential relevance and usefulness in future educational settings. However, the study underscores the need for greater training opportunities and increased exposure to effectively integrate and utilize DGL within educational frameworks.
An Analytical Study of Teachers’ Insights on the Integration of Ethnocultural Perspectives in Indian Education
The study was being undertaken among secondary school teachers regarding their perception of ethnocultural inclusion with special focus on inclusive pedagogy and cultural responsiveness. As India is a diverse socio-cultural country, the research focused on how teachers in an educational setting use cultural symbols and communal knowledge as part of their teaching in a homogeneous classroom environment. A descriptive survey design has been employed, and data collected on 168 teachers working in government and private schools of Patna district, Bihar. The cohort of participants was ethnically diverse and covered the fields of gender, school system, and subject area. The Perception Scale on Ethnocultural Practices (PSEP), a researcher-designed scale with 18 items that are structured into three dimensions – Understanding of Ethnocultural Perspective, Perception of Pedagogical Approaches, and Personal Engagement with Ethnocultural Perspectives – was utilized. An acceptable reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.755) was produced by estimates of internal consistency. The results of the analysis showed significant disparities in ethnocultural perception with gender, type of school, and stream of teaching. In such a way, the study focuses on the necessity of special programmes of professional development, curriculum reform, and culturally relevant teacher education in order to reduce perception deficits and foster fair educational settings. The potential of integrating the ethnocultural views is especially strong concerning inclusive schooling that is identity-affirming, especially among students who belong to historically marginalized populations. These results have policy, teacher-training, and teaching-curriculum implications in the pluralistic setting in education
Mahavari Swasthy: Aao Apne Shareer Ko Jaane
State Resource Groups’ Satisfaction with NISHTHA 1.0 in Mizoram and Their Difficulties during Training
In-service teacher training contributes to developing new skills among teachers and promotes advancement in their professional skills. NISHTHA 1.0 aimed to cultivate essential generic and pedagogical skills among teachers addressing the leadership requirements of head teachers for transformation of government schools at elementary level. Initially, State Resource Groups (SRGs) received training from National Resource Groups (NRGs), followed by training for elementary school teachers from the SRGs. The experiences during training at the first level certainly influence the subsequent level of training. This study explored the satisfaction levels of the SRGs with various components of the training and identified the difficulties faced during NISHTHA 1.0. A sample of forty-six members from all districts of Mizoram was taken for the survey. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through a self-developed open-ended questionnaire and a rating scale. The findings reveal that the majority of SRGs in Mizoram are satisfied with most of the aspects of training components and the overall NISHTHA 1.0 training programme. Moreover, the majority of the SRGs maintain a positive outlook toward the training, although several areas provide the scope for improving future training programmes in Mizoram.
Innovation is imperative for sustainability and competitiveness in the contemporary interconnected global economy. Educational innovation has the potential to restructure learning outcomes and educational outputs. However, creativity and innovation necessitate a culture (a conducive environment) that supports and fosters growth; innovation alone is insufficient. This review aims to identify the various theories and instruments utilized to measure school culture that promotes innovation and to explore diverse dimensions of school culture that play a crucial role in fostering innovation from the perspective of educators. The Scopus database served as the main research source for this review. The researchers used the keywords ‘School Culture,’ ‘Cultural factor’ and ‘Innovation’ to extract literature published between 2020 and 2023. PRISMA technique was used to select the research papers that are included in this review paper. A total of 17 articles from 2020 to 2023 were chosen and met the requirements to be included in this review study. This study focused on theories to gain a deeper understanding of how school culture promotes innovation from the perspective of teachers. The study identified various measurement tools to assess the school culture promoting innovation from the perspective of teachers. Furthermore, we emphasize the dimensions and factors of the school culture that support the growth of innovation from the perspective of teachers. The review’s contribution is to pinpoint the appropriate theories and tools that are used to gauge school culture that influences the promotion of innovation. Learning about the dimensions of school culture that foster innovation broadens the researcher’s perspective. Numerous evaluations have been done to determine the various aspects of school culture; however, this is the first study to examine the different tools to measure school culture to foster innovation from the teachers’ perspective.
Fostering Holistic Development: Teachers’ Perspectives on the Happiness Curriculum
The Happiness Curriculum is an initiative by the Delhi government aimed at the holistic development of learners from Nursery to Class 8. This holistic development of students is crucial for the nation’s overall growth and progress. The success of such a curriculum depends not only on its content but also on its proper implementation. Teachers play a vital role in bringing this curriculum to life in both school and classroom settings. This paper examines teachers’ perspectives on the holistic development of learners attending happiness curriculum classes. The researchers collected data from Delhi government schools. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 20 in-service teachers as respondents. Interviews and observation schedules were employed as data collection tools, followed by thematic analysis techniques. The findings revealed that while the happiness curriculum is a good initiative for learners, including many beneficial activities, teachers find it an additional burden. They suggest appointing separate teachers to handle happiness curriculum classes, as they do not get enough time to teach their core subjects. They noted that happiness curriculum does not contribute significantly to the holistic development of learners. Therefore, educational administrators and policymakers should consider integrating the happiness curriculum more broadly within the educational framework. This would ensure that the focus on happiness and well-being extends beyond the classroom, supporting the overall development of learners.
Teachers and their Portrayal in Hindi Cinema
Teaching, a multifaceted endeavour, defies precise definitions, complicating the identification of a universally accepted ‘good teacher.’ This study delves into the intricate realm of teaching, exploring how media representations, particularly in Hindi films, shape societal perceptions of educators. The research aims to unravel the complex interplay between cinematic depictions and real-world perceptions of teaching. The study’s objectives are to identify and analyse education-themed Hindi movies, scrutinize the portrayal of teachers and the teaching profession, explore student-teacher interactions in films, and understand how these depictions influence pre-service teachers’ perceptions. By addressing these objectives, the research enhances our understanding of the media’s impact on educational perspectives. The study highlights the potential influence of cinematic representations on pre-service teachers, shaping their perceptions of teaching as a noble and responsible profession. The findings suggest that education-themed movies can inspire and reaffirm the career choices of prospective teachers. Incorporating such films into teacher education programmes may enhance the affective domain of pre-service teachers, fostering a nuanced understanding of the teaching profession. The research encourages critical reflection on personal and media-influenced perspectives, aiding emerging teachers in forming wellinformed views of their future profession. While focusing on Hindi films, this study lays the foundation for future research exploring the portrayal of teachers in diverse cultural contexts. The identified implications underscore the potential of cinematic representations as pedagogical tools in teacher education. Additionally, the study prompts broader discussions on societal perceptions of teachers, emphasizing the necessity for accurate and diverse media portrayals. This research enriches the ongoing discourse on the interplay between media, education, and societal perceptions. It sheds light on the dynamic relationship between cinematic representations and the formation of pre-service teachers’ perspectives on the teaching profession, offering valuable insights for both academia and teacher education programmes.
Mindfulness towards Learning in Mitigating Second Language Classroom Anxiety among Prospective Teachers
Second language classroom anxiety is a widely recognised barrier that negatively impacts both teaching effectiveness and learning outcomes, especially for prospective teachers who are still developing their professional skill. High anxiety levels often lead to a decline in motivation, loss of self-confidence and teaching-learning enthusiasm. By exploring the role of mindfulness – a proven method to reduce psychological stress, and anxiety – this study was designed to examine the interconnection between mindfulness towards learning and second language classroom anxiety among prospective teachers. The sample consisted of 200 prospective teachers who enrolled in BA BEd. and BSc. BEd. programmes. The required data were collected via second language classroom anxiety scale and selfdeveloped mindfulness towards learning scale. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, i.e., Karl Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient and regression analysis to identify relationships and assess the significance of this relationship. The result found that a strong negative co-relationship exists between mindfulness towards learning and classroom anxiety related to second language, and mindfulness towards learning contributes significantly to the prediction of second language classroom anxiety among prospective teachers. Moreover, mindfulness and anxiety are inversely connected, which shows that as mindfulness increases, anxiety decreases. The finding emphasizes the need for integrating mindfulness practices into teacher training programmes to better prepare educators for the emotional and cognitive demands of modern classrooms
A Thematic Analysis of the Emotional Intelligence of Teacher Educators
One of our most contentious issues is teacher education. Teachers in the nation must be assessed for emotional intelligence due to its relevance in many areas of life. Educator training becomes a psychosocial, emotional undertaking when life experiences and cognitive processes interact. Even though emotional control is crucial, most teacher-educators lack emotional intelligence training. Due to their occupational exposure to emotionally charged circumstances, teachers must analyse their emotional intelligence to traverse the emotional variety of their students. Emotional intelligence among teacher educators in India is the focus of this research..
Human Rights Education and the Role of Teachers in Eastern Rajasthan
This paper explores the association between teacher behaviour and the effectiveness of human rights education in schools across Eastern Rajasthan. Through classroom observations and interviews, it investigates how teachers’ actions and attitudes align with or diverge from established human rights principles. The findings highlight both positive examples of human rights-conscious practices and significant challenges, including societal pressures, resource constraints, and limited professional development. The study underscores the need for sustained institutional support to empower teachers in fostering inclusive, nondiscriminatory classroom environments and advancing human rights education
The Pedagogical Power of Non-Verbal Communication
The study investigates the impact of teachers’ non-verbal communication behaviours on students’ learning experiences, motivation, and emotional well-being in secondary school settings for student perspective. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, the research gathered quantitative data from 300 students across 15 schools and qualitative insights through 30 semi-structured interviews, complemented by systematic classroom observations. The findings reveal that gestures (β=0.289, p<0.001) and body language (β=0.201, p=0.034) significantly enhance students’ motivation by improving clarity and fostering emotional support. In contrast, eye contact (β=0.139, p=0.133) and smiling (β=0.000, p=0.999) showed limited predictive value, suggesting their impact depends on contextual and cultural factors. The study highlights how cultural diversity significantly influences the interpretation of non-verbal cues, with variations in cultural norms affecting student engagement and comprehension. Traditional non-verbal communication strategies face particular challenges in virtual learning environments, necessitating alternative approaches such as enhanced vocal modulation and expressive digital cues. These findings underscore the importance of developing culturally adaptive non-verbal communication strategies and incorporating them into teacher education programmes. The research contributes to understanding the complex dynamics of non-verbal communication in educational settings and provides practical implications for improving teaching effectiveness in both traditional and virtual classrooms..
Online English Language Learning at the Secondary Stage through the Lens of Community of Inquiry Framework
The COVID-19 pandemic posed an unprecedented challenge to education systems worldwide, and online learning emerged as a solution to address this crisis. However, there is limited research that analyses online learning through the lens of a robust theoretical model. Several models and theories of online learning focus on collaborative learning, among which the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework is one of the most widely used. This framework comprises three interdependent elements namely social presence, cognitive presence and teaching presence (Garrison, Anderson and Archer, 2000). In the context of school closures during the pandemic, the present study aimed to examine the experiences of learning English through online mode at the secondary level with respect to all three elements of the CoI framework. The study employed survey method. The sample consisted of 200 Class 10 students and eight English teachers from four Kendriya Vidyalayas in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The collected data were analysed qualitatively, and interpretations were drawn accordingly. The analysis, based on the CoI framework, revealed that the online learning platform provided a resourceful environment for collaborative English language learning, thereby ensuring social presence. It supported self-directed learning, highlighting cognitive presence. Digital tools and techniques used in the online mode were helpful for teachers in organising learning experiences meaningfully. However, achieving learning objectives across all language skills was difficult, and assessment and evaluation in the online mode emerged as a significant concern.