ATTITUDE OF TEACHERS TOWARDS IN-SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN TEACHING IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT

Abstract: Teacher education is a comprehensive, dynamic and ever-changing process as per the demand of the changing society. National Education Policy (NEP) -2020 recognizes the importance of quality in teacher education; and emphasizes that teacher preparation is an activity that requires multidisciplinary perspectives and knowledge, formation of dispositions and values; and development of practices under the best mentors. In-service training programmes help teachers to update their knowledge and skills periodically in content as well as pedagogy. The present study is an attempt to examine theattitude of teachers towards in-service training programmes for quality improvement in teaching at secondary level in relation to thedemographic variables - gender, age, teaching experience and type of school management. The researchers used descriptive survey method for the present investigation. The sampleconsists of 600 teachers (280 male and 320 female) from 80 secondary schools located in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh. The sample has been selected using Stratified Random Sampling method. The data were collected with the help of a self-developed questionnaire. The data were analyzed using different statistical techniques. like means, standard deviations, t-tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings of the study revealed that the variables – gender and type of school management have no influence on their attitude towards in-service training programmes. However, age and teaching experience have a positive influence on the attitude of teachers towards in-service training progrmmes. The study suggested that the Government should take initiative in providing in-service training forschool teachers at regular intervals of time depending on the felt needs of the teachers.