Education Quarterly Reviews
ISSN 2621-5799
Published: 24 December 2018
Professional Learning Opportunities and challenges among Student-Teachers during the Teaching Practice in Nyamagana District, Tanzania
Placidius Ndibalema (Ph.D.), Winifrida Kambona (Ph.D. Student)
University of Dodoma
Download Full-Text Pdf
10.31014/aior.1993.01.01.29
Abstract
This study investigated professional learning opportunities that student-teachers attained and the challenges they encountered during the teaching practice in Nyamagana District. Questionnaire and interview guide were used to collect the data. One hundred and eighty (180) student-teachers (respondents) from 14 higher learning institutions who were doing the teaching practice in secondary schools in 2018 were selected using simple random sampling. Furthermore, purposeful sampling procedures were employed in selecting few student-teachers who were leaders of the group from each school. The results showed that teaching practice increases student-teachers' confidence and competence in lesson preparation, content, records management, classroom management, and moral values. It was also revealed that teaching practice helps student-teachers to be exposed to mentorship and teaching experiences. In the case of challenges, it was revealed that student-teachers face a problem of lack of sufficient instructional materials, insufficient orientation, poor working environment, lack of adequate skills to manage students with special needs and aggressive behaviour as well as over-crowded classrooms. Again, it was revealed that schools had no appropriate strategies for creating professional learning community and variation in assessment strategies and conflicting comments from assessors were other the challenges. The study recommends an integrated approach for effective implementation of teaching practice where school-based cooperating teachers, school-based mentors and University supervisors should work collaboratively to ensure a student-teacher has room to explore, discover and acquire professional attributes regarding teaching. A blended mentorship approach which includes face to face and online sessions for student-teacher is thought to be a worthy strategy to improve teaching practice.
References
-
Abdi, A. (2014). The effect of inquiry-based learning method on students’ academic achievement in science course. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 2 (1), 37-41.
-
Andabai, P. W. (2013). The impact of teaching practice on trainee teachers in the Nigerian tertiary institutions: The Niger Delta University experience. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(5), 109.
-
Chimhenga, S. (2017). The student teachers' perceptions on teaching practice supervision in Zimbabwe: Is it A process of grading or improvement of teaching skills?. International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 6 (7), 1-5
-
Clancey, W. J. (1995). A tutorial on situated learning. http://methodenpool.uni-koeln.de/situierteslernen/clancey_situated_learning.PDF
-
Darling-Hammond, L. (2000). Teacher quality and student achievement. Education policy analysis archives, 8(1), 1-44
-
Fantilli, R. D., & McDougall, D. E. (2009). A study of novice teachers: Challenges and supports in the first years. Teaching and teacher education, 25(6), 814-825.
-
Kagoda, A. M., & Sentongo, J. (2015). Practicing teachers' perceptions of teacher trainees: Implications for teacher education. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 3(2), 148-153.
-
Kiggundu, E. & Nayimuli, S. (2009).Teaching practice: a make or break phase for student teachers. South African Journal of Education, 29(1), 345-358.
-
Koross, R. (2016). The student teachers’ experiences during teaching practice and its impact on their perception of the teaching profession. IRA-International Journal of Education & Multidisciplinary Studies, 05 (2), 76-85
-
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
-
Liakopoulou, M. (2011). The professional competence of teachers: Which qualities, attitudes, skills and knowledge contribute to a teacher’s effectiveness? International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 1 No. 21, 66-78.
-
Majoni, C. (2015). Quality challenges during teaching practice in teachers’ colleges. Global Journal of Advanced Research, 2 (11), 1807-1812.
-
Mapolisa, T., & Tshabalala, T. (2014). Experiences during teaching practice: Perspectives of Zimbabwean primary school student teachers. Journal of Educational Research and Studies, 2 (2), 16-23.
-
Mpofu, J., & Chimhenga, S. (2016). The importance of mentoring: Findings from students doing postgraduate diploma in education at Zimbabwe Open University, Bulawayo Region. IOSR Journal of Research and Methods in Education, 6(3), 27-31.
-
Mungure, D. M. (2017). An Investigation of the major challenges that encounter science and mathematics student teachers in the implementation of teaching practice exercise in Morogoro Municipality. Voice of Research, 6 (1), 16-19.
-
TakaoÄŸlu, Z. B. (2017). Challenges faced by pre-service science teachers during the teaching and learning process in Turkey. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 5(2), 100-110.
-
United Republic of Tanzania Planning Commission. (1999). The Tanzania development vision 2015.
-
United Republic of Tanzania. (2017). Basic Education Statistics in Tanzania: Dar es Salaam: The Government Printer.
-
Vescio, V., Ross, D. & Adams, A. (2008). A review of research on the impact of professional learning communities on teaching practice and student learning. Teaching and Teacher Education 24, 80-91.
-
Wenglinsky, H. (2000). How teaching matters: Bringing the classroom back into discussions of teacher quality.