TNSCERT: Tamil Nadu State Council of Educational Research and Training

The State Institute of Education (SIE) was established in 1965 to provide for systematic study of problems relating to School Education under the administration of Directorate of School Education.State Institute of Education (SIE). SIE was upgraded as State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) in 1970.

TNSCERT Objectives

To assess and evaluate the functioning of District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET), Block Institutes of Teacher Education (BITE) and its content, resource personnels etc. by conducting periodical reviews
To put in place the required infrastructure at the level of TNSCERT, DIETs and BIETs for transforming the methodology of teaching using digital platforms
To develop the appropriate digital content as and when required for imparting training to teachers and all other stakeholders
To make optimum use of Educational Satellite (EDUSAT) facilities for review and interaction with Teacher Educators
To plan, design and develop need-specific training programmes at all levels from the State to the Blocks and from primary to higher secondary levels
To develop and update a data bank of qualified and competent resource personnel for carrying forward the proposed programmes
To engage in capacity building of the identified resource personnel in the modified digitized content and methodologies using e-learning platform and Specific Measurable Achievable Reliable and Time (SMART) boards
To achieve the Vision 2023 of the Hon’ble Chief Minister and bring about continuous changes in consonance with the computer based learning methodologies, TNSCERT develops and restructures curriculum, syllabus and text books
TNSCERT collaborates with the SSA in analysing the results of the National Achievement Surveys(NAS) and finding the reasons of the inability of students to perform well in these surveys and takes efforts to improve learning of primary and upper primary students
To organise in-service training programmes to Anganwadi Personnel and teachers to enhance their professionalism
To identify the innovative teaching learning strategies of teachers and disseminate them through internet and upload them onto You Tube- TNSCERT channel periodically to encourage them
To supervise the reflection of training content in the classroom processes by undertaking periodical school visits by DIETs and BITEs and support the teachers in enhancing their professional competence
To undertake educational research studies and support the Government to take policy decisions for the welfare of children based on the results of such studies
To have linkage with the International and National Organisations such as United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), Centre for Culture Educational Research and Training (CCERT), Delhi, Regional Institute of Education (RIE),Mysuru, South India and other Government Organisations to get support for enhancing the professionalism of all stake holders of education.

TNSCERT Roles and Functions

Acts as a State Board of Teacher Education for formulating norms, policies and programmes.
Organizes pre-service Elementary Teacher Education programmes
Designs in-service training programmes for teacher educators.
Provides in-service training to practising teachers.
Undertakes state level research projects and studies.
Selects candidates for admission to Diploma in Elementary Teacher Education (D.El. Ed) course through Single Window System.
Develops and revises Teacher Education Curriculum for D.El. Ed
Develops Source Books for the D.El. Ed Course
Frames Guidelines for Quality Pre-service and In-service Teacher Education.
Facilitates and promotes the development of professional skills of Teacher Educators.
Disseminates innovative techniques and methods in the field of Education through workshops, regular publications of a journal & training programmes.
Develops a State and District Level Resource and Expert Advisory Group to support all activities undertaken by TNSCERT.
Organizes training programmes for Teacher Educators and Teachers.
Promotes coordination and linkages with other teacher educational institutions.
Develops and revises the State School Education Curriculum for classes I to XII.
Develops text books for standards I to XII
Facilitates and promotes the development of professional skills of teachers.
Organizes Evaluation programmes in the field of Teacher Education and School Education.
Undertakes research activities for promoting Quality in Teacher Education and School Education.
Provides research and academic support to organizations like Non-Formal and Adult Education and SSA.
Designs and implements special programmes and schemes like School Adolescence Education Programme, Population Education Programme,
Early Childhood Care and Education, Achievement Surveys, Centrally Sponsored activities like district specific programmes, in-service training programmes to teachers, BRC personnel, supervisory staff.
Develops Software for Educational Television Programmes
Coordinates with other organizations such as RIE, Mysore, Regional Institute of English, Bangalore, NCERT, NUEPA, etc.
Organises Exposure Visits for the faculty members of TNSCERT and diets to the institutes of excellence throughout the country.

TNSCERT Programs

TNSCERT Quality and Pre Service Training

TNSCERT has introduced technology-infused infrastructure to enhance learning skill of student-teachers. The student-teachers are given training to handle skillfully the changes in the teaching methodologies, child-centric approaches and computerized learning atmosphere.

The student-teachers are involved in developing life skills like Yoga and Health awareness to enhance their physical activities. They are given opportunity to keep their institution clean and green by organizing cleaning and greening. The student-teachers as well as teachers and students in the vicinity gain innovative science teaching methodologies through the celebration of science week. This activity also enhances scientific attitude of student-teachers.

In Tamil Nadu, under TNSCERT, 32 DIETs, 7 BITEs, 9 GTTIs, 34 Government Aided Teacher Training Institutes, 321 Self-Financing Teacher Training Institutes. Totally 403 Teacher Education Institutions offer Diploma in Elementary Teacher Education Course.

Programmes through EDUSAT

SCERT has provided various educational programmes through EDUSAT Video conferencing mode at 58 terminals covering all the 32 districts in the academic year 2016-2017.

Every month EDUSAT programmes are organised for 15 days with 3 hours duration each. The pre-service students of DIETs were benefitted by the various programmes such as Yoga, Child Rights, Value Integrated Teaching and Learning (VITAL), Life Skills, Personality Development, Pre-service teacher education, Communicative skills in English, Image Recognition Application Technology (IRAT), Disaster Managements, Weekly Iron Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS), Preparation of Continuous and Comprehension Evaluation (CCE) Worksheets and soft skills. 1700 teacher trainees were benefitted through this programme.

Some of the other programmes are:

Digitization of Text books
Conversion of School text books into audio supported digitized text books
Career Guidance Programme
Evaluation through CCE Worksheets
Disaster Management Awareness competitions
Administrative Skill Training for Assistant Elementary Educational Officers (AEEOs)