Teacher beliefs and their impact on the adoption of constructivist practices in DIET institutions

This research investigates the relationship between teacher beliefs and the adoption of constructivist pedagogical practices in District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) institutions, with a specific focus on the Darbhanga district in Bihar, India. The study examines how educators' underlying beliefs about learning, teaching, and knowledge construction influence their willingness to implement student-cantered, constructivist approaches in teacher education programs. Through a mixed-methods approach involving surveys and interviews with 15 teacher educators from Darbhanga DIET, this research reveals significant correlations between progressive teacher beliefs and constructivist practice adoption. The findings indicate that while 67% of educators hold positive beliefs about constructivist principles, only 40% consistently implement these practices in their classrooms. The study identifies key barriers including institutional constraints, resource limitations and deeply ingrained traditional teaching beliefs. These findings have important implications for professional development programs and institutional reforms in teacher education across India.