Arrival of Second Cohort of the STEP-November 2008

Arrival of Second Cohort of the STEP
November 2008

After a successful first year, the Institute’s Department of Graduate Studies welcomed its second cohort of students to the Secondary Teacher Education Programme (STEP) in September 2008. The STEP is a joint initiative between the IIS and the Institute of Education, University of London, to train teachers for the delivery of the Secondary Curriculum materials being developed at IIS.



The new arrival consists of 39 students from five countries - Canada, India, Pakistan, USA and Tajikistan. Selected from a pool of 260 applicants, the group spans a diverse range of academic and professional backgrounds. During their two year programme, the students will be undertaking courses at the Institute of Education, University of London, and the IIS. The successful students will gain two postgraduate qualifications: a Masters in Teaching (MTeach) and a Masters in Education (Muslim Societies and Civilisations). The graduating students will qualify as secondary classroom teachers. Employed by the national ITREBs of their respective countries, they will implement the secondary education curriculum.

In order to prepare students for their new roles, the STEP programme will encourage new methods and pedagogical models. The students will also gain practicum experiences which are already taking place at the Ismaili religious education centres in London as well as at other pilot cities in the UK, giving the new cohort the opportunity to reflect on their roles in education and the community.