AZƏRBAYCANDA MUƏLLIMLƏRIN TƏKMĠLLƏġDĠRĠLMƏSĠNĠN VƏ MƏKTƏBDƏ TƏLĠM TƏCRÜBƏSĠNĠN ÖYRƏNĠLMƏSĠ XXI ƏSRƏ DOĞRU

The locus of litis study was based on issues drawn from three important sources. The first was the inspiring words of Dr. Misir .1. Mardanov, Azerbaijan Minister of fducation. In a meeting with the Minister and members of his staff, he used an example to describe the paradigm shift in education that, with the support of Mr. Ilavdar Abycv. President of the Republic, he has promoted for Azerbaijan in many documents and pronouncements. His example was concerned with methods of leaching foreign languages in A/cri schools, usually accomplished with a grammar-translation approach, lie cited their lack of success with this methodology, indicating his interest in the more successful active learning strategies used in Turkish schools. This can be viewed as a microcosm ofthc larger issue of moving away from the direct instruction model of the old Soviet system toward a new paradigm of active and interactive learning with a focus on thinking and understanding, instead of passive listening and recitation. Reflecting the thoughts and words of the Minister of fducation. Dr. Isa Mammadov. Rcctoi ofthc Baku Inservice fducation Institute, recommends questioning as the most important instructional activity, to challenge students to think for the best educational results, lie Mtggestcd that teachers should present problems in which the answer raises another problem. Of course, a change of this magnitude makes inservice education of teachers already in the field a kev .requisite for successful reform. Other important themes emerging from the Ministry of fducation arc providing a framework for the emergence of educational reform in Azerbaijan. These include a new view of children as human beings in development, not vessels to be filled with knowledge; a trend tow aril democratization: a growing interest in collegial relationships among educators, rather than hierarchical relationships ofthc past era; and a new view of the student as an equal partner in education. The second important source was the Terms of Reference: Azerbaijan Education Sector Work, provided by the World Bank in its efforts to participate in educational reform in Azerbaijan. It states, "The (Education Sector Reform) Program has identified curriculum reform and teacher training as two key areas that need critical support for the success of the overall education reform. Improving teacher performance is a key element in this program. Teacher training is critical to (a) a successful implementation of new curricula which largely depends on how well teachers are prepared to implement the new curricula, and (b) to expose teachers to alternative teaching and learning approaches, especially those focusing on student-centered and active learning approaches, which will be promoted by the new curricula." The third important source was the US Department of State, which funded the study. As expressed by Dr. Craig Dicker, Public Affairs Officer at the US Embassy in Baku, the study should explore the nature of inservice education for primary and secondary teachers, differences between the current model and that of Soviet era, and the nature of teacher expectations for inservice education following proposed educational reform efforts.