The effectiveness of the cascade model for in-service teacher training in Nepal

The cascade model, a mechanism delivering training messages from trainers at the central level to trainees at the local level through several layers, is largely used for in-service training, as it can deliver many trained teachers quickly and economically. However, despite of its advantages, it is often criticized for its ineffectiveness, because the message is often distorted through long-distanced one-way process, and it hardly makes change at classroom. As most developing countries can afford only cascade, this study is examining if it is indeed ineffective through the case study research on in-service training for multigrade teaching conducted in Nepal for twenty months. First, the inputs of the training including training materials, facilities and the characteristics of trainers and trainees were studied. Second, the process of three layers of training, Training of Trainer at regional level, TOT at district level and local in-set training for teachers, were observed. Third, the classroom practice of selected trainee-teachers before and after the training was compared to examine the difference. The result is that intended messages were distorted, but some of key concepts were transferred and reached teachers. Then the teachers adopted them in their own perception to solve their own problems at classroom. Although some of practice was not delivered as intended, the core concepts survived in the long journey throughout the layers.