Study Of The Perception Of D.El.Ed. Trainees, School Teachers And Teacher Educators On Inquiry Based Teaching And Learning Approach In Doe Schools (DBSE) Of District-East, Delhi

Abstract

This study tries to understand the impact of inquiry-based teaching and learning (IBL) as implemented in Delhi Board of School Education (DBSE) schools of District-East, Delhi. The research focused on three key stakeholders—D.El.Ed. trainees, in-service school teachers, and teacher educators—who play central roles in executing and observing IBL in classrooms. Using an exploratory sequential mixed-method design, qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, followed by quantitative data collection using perception scales. The total sample comprised 87 participants: 55 D.El.Ed. trainees, 24 school teachers, and 8 teacher educators.

Findings reveal that D.El.Ed. trainees held a neutral perception (aggregate mean = 3.33), reflecting challenges with insufficient infrastructure, delayed distribution of study materials, language barriers, and lack of clarity in assessment. However, they strongly agreed on the need for demonstration classes, extended training, and simulated teaching before entering their School Experience Programme (SEP). Teacher educators expressed a fairly positive perception (aggregate mean = 3.94), strongly agreeing that better coordination between DIET and DoE was required for SEP planning, and emphasizing the need for transdisciplinary lesson planning. School teachers also held a fairly positive perception (aggregate mean = 3.90), strongly agreeing that IBL enhances experimental process skills, encourages critical thinking, and improves classroom engagement, though they cited challenges of heavy workload, large class sizes, and inadequate resources.

The study concludes that while teachers and educators recognize the pedagogical value of IBL, its practical implementation is hindered by infrastructural, linguistic, and planning gaps. Suggestions include the development of bilingual resources, strengthening of infrastructure, alignment of pedagogy and assessment, and extended pre-service and in-service training. This research provides practical insights into bridging the gap between NEP 2020’s vision for inquiry-based learning and its classroom-level execution in DBSE schools.