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The Student Teachers’ Experiences during Teaching Practice and Its Impact on their Perception of the Teaching Profession

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div> Teaching practice is an integral component of teacher training in Kenyan universities. Teaching practice in Kenyan universities is organized in the schools of education and is mandatory for all students who pursue education. Students go out to real classroom environment for a whole term (approximately 14 weeks).This activity grants student teachers experiences in the real teaching and learning environment. This paper looks at the students’ experiences and its impact on their perception of the teaching profession and also assesses the challenges that students encounter while in the schools that they are attached for teaching practice. The sample was drawn from third year student teachers from the University of Eldoret who had done teaching practice. A survey design was used and a quantitative questionnaire was administered to 100 student teachers. The findings of this research indicate that students’ experiences had an impact on their perception of the teaching profession and they did experience challenges while on teaching practice. Based on the findings of this study recommendations are given on how to improve students’ perspective and challenges. </div
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IRA-International Journal of Education &
Multidisciplinary Studies
ISSN 24552526; Vol.05, Issue 02 (2016)
Pg. no. 76-85
Institute of Research Advances
http://research-advances.org/index.php/IJEMS
The Student Teachers’ Experiences during
Teaching Practice and Its Impact on their
Perception of the Teaching Profession
Dr. Rachel Koross
University of Eldoret, School of Education,
Department of Curriculum and Instruction,
P.O Box 7892-30100. Eldoret , Kenya.
Type of Review: Peer Reviewed.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21013/jems.v5.n2.p3
How to cite this paper:
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 and Multidisciplinary Studies (ISSN 2455-2526), 5(2), 76-85.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.21013/jems.v5.n2.p3
© Institute of Research Advances
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4.0 International License subject to proper citation to the publication source of the
work.
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Research Advances (IRA) are the views and opinions of their respective authors
and are not the views or opinions of the IRA. The IRA disclaims of any harm or
loss caused due to the published content to any party.
IRA-International Journal of Education & Multidisciplinary Studies
77
ABSTRACT
Teaching practice is an integral component of teacher training in Kenyan universities. Teaching practice
in Kenyan universities is organized in the schools of education and is mandatory for all students who
pursue education. Students go out to real classroom environment for a whole term (approximately 14
weeks).This activity grants student teachers experiences in the real teaching and learning environment.
This paper looks at the students’ experiences and its impact on their perception of the teaching profession
and also assesses the challenges that students encounter while in the schools that they are attached for
teaching practice. The sample was drawn from third year student teachers from the University of Eldoret
who had done teaching practice. A survey design was used and a quantitative questionnaire was
administered to 100 student teachers. The findings of this research indicate that students’ experiences
had an impact on their perception of the teaching profession and they did experience challenges while on
teaching practice. Based on the findings of this study recommendations are given on how to improve
students’ perspective and challenges.
Key words: Student teachers, experiences, teaching practice, Perception, teaching profession
1. Introduction
Teaching practice is an exercise that is carried out by all schools of education in Kenyan universities and
the rest of the world. Teaching practice in the 21st century is considered to be one of the most influential
aspects of pre-service teacher education (Haigh 2001). Ezewu et al. (1994), indicate that the term
“teaching practice” has been accepted almost universally and uncritically by all concerned with the
preparation of teachers and its use has embraced all the learning experiences of student teachers in
schools. This concept has been handed down from the earliest days of the development of training
colleges. Today, it is considered a necessary and valuable activity for the qualifications of an envisaged
teacher thus it needs to be conducted effectively. It is a requirement in the teacher education programme
in Kenya in that a student cannot graduate without having gone through teaching practice process.
Moreover, with increased demands being placed on teachers to meet the needs of diverse students and to
design classrooms and use methods of teaching that are learner centred, the world of teaching has become
more complex. Hence universities and schools of education are exploring new approaches to teacher
education. As most of the influential pedagogies in teacher education are those relating to supervised field
experience such as teaching practice, there is need to study the challenges and possible solutions to these
challenges that student teachers may encounter while in teaching practice and the impact of the
experiences that they get on the teaching profession. There is need also to establish ways to assist pre-
service teachers in the transition from the role of students to the role of beginning teachers. The
experience has been that the actual practice of using field experience varies greatly depending largely on
the amount of support that is provided to student teachers. However, in as much as teaching practice is
important in preparing pre-service teachers, it is not an easy task to undertake. Broadbent (1998) states
that teaching practice is the most challenging experience for student teachers in the teacher education
programme. In view of this challenging and problematic nature of teaching practice, this study examines
the student teachers‟ experiences during teaching practice and its impact on their perception of the
teaching profession.
1.2 Background
According to Cohen et al. (1996), since the establishment of training colleges in the middle and late 19th
century, teaching practice in one form or another has remained an unchallenged, essential element in the
preparation of generations of teachers. In Kenya teaching practice is considered as an important
component of becoming a teacher. It has been used in teacher training since independence. Koko (2002)
remarks that, teaching practice in most educational institutions is the expected terminal behaviour of a
student teacher who is going through professional course in education. In Kenyan universities, it is done
IRA-International Journal of Education & Multidisciplinary Studies
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in an organized program whereby students are posted to schools and will teach for a term (13-14 weeks)
with the guide of the cooperating teachers and school management. The teaching of skills which is done
in teaching practice is not something new in the African education system. In the traditional African
society skills such as hunting, singing, reciting, carving and drawing were learnt through practice. These
traditional practices are not dissimilar to those typifying our current approaches to student teaching.
Samuel (2010) refers to teaching practice as far back as the first model of teacher education, the master
apprenticeship model, in which the novice teacher learns best through behavioural modeling, through
imitating the expert teacher. Menter (1989:460) notes that there has been a shift in the literature from the
concept of teaching practice (associated with an apprenticeship model) to the concept of field/school
experience (associated with an experiential model). Lave &Wenger (1991) point out that however way it
may be envisaged, the notion of teaching practice is entrenched in experience based learning initiated by
Dewey (1938), Vygotsky‟s (1978) social cognitive theory, and founded in the premise of situated
learning. Consequently as envisaged in teacher education in Kenya, teaching practice is meant to provide
for the authentic context within which student teachers are exposed to experience the complexities and
richness of the reality of being a teacher. This process allows the student teacher an opportunity to
establish whether the right career choice has been made or not. However, despite its importance,
Kiggundu and Nayimuli (2009) note that teaching practice sometimes becomes a demoralizing and
sometimes very frightening experience. It is on this background that this study examines the student
teachers‟ perspective of teaching practice and the challenges faced by student teachers during teaching
practice.
1.3 The purpose of the study
This study aimed at investigating the real context of teaching practice as experienced by the student
teachers of the school of Education at the University of Eldoret and its impact on student teachers
perception on the teaching profession. This study further attempted to highlight the challenges that the
student teachers face while on teaching practice.
1.4 Objectives
The specific objectives of the study were:
(i) To investigate the student teachers‟ experiences during teaching practice and its impact on
their perception of the teaching profession.
(ii) To establish the challenges faced by students teachers during teaching practice
1.5 The significance of the study
The significance of this study emerges from the importance of teaching practice experience in Kenyan
teacher education programs and its role in teacher preparation. Also this study is vital in that it examines
the educational competencies of student teachers, and its ability to diagnose the challenges faced by
student teachers during teaching practice. Furthermore, the results of this study may draw attention to
several problems and challenges faced by the student teachers while in the field. Therefore, this study
attempts to share these issues that may help the educational stakeholders to minimize these challenges and
its impact and to facilitate the training process to achieve the goals of teaching practice for prospective
student teachers and understand their perspectives towards the teaching profession.
2.0 Literature review
What is teaching practice?
Marais &Meier (2004:221) assert that the term teaching practice represents the range of experiences to
which student teachers are exposed when they work in classrooms and schools. According to Emerole
(2000), the term teaching practice is an experience of guided teaching in which the trainee teacher
assumes increased responsibility for directing the learning of a group for over a period of time. Imart
(2003) explains that, the term teaching practice has three major connotations the practicing of teaching
IRA-International Journal of Education & Multidisciplinary Studies
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skills and acquisition of the role of a teacher, the whole range of experiences and practical aspects of the
course as distinct from theoretical studies. Teaching practice is the name of the preparation of student
teachers for teaching by practical training. Andabai (2011) posits that, it is the practical use of teaching
principles, teaching techniques and practical training/practical exercise of different activities of daily
school life. Hassan (2000) further asserts that, it is a period which provides opportunities under typical
school conditions in selected cooperating schools for trainee teachers to secure experience in observing
and participating actively in diverse educational activities of teaching in the school. McGee and Fraser
(2001) emphasize that it is in teaching practice that student teachers are baptized with the experience to
gain knowledge of how teachers go about the many and complex task involved in actual classroom
practice. All these definitions indicate that the teaching practice is a vital exercise that provides the
opportunity to beginning teachers to become socialized into the profession.
In Kenya teaching practice is an essential aspect of teacher education because it prepares teachers for their
future teaching roles and assignment. During teaching practice, the trainee teachers are sent out from the
University to primary, secondary, commercial, and technical schools to teach for a period of three months
as a part of their training. During this practice a student teacher is supervised and evaluated not only by a
supervisor allotted to him/her but also by a group of other lectures who supervise the student teachers and
the collaborating teacher. Akpomi (2001) argues that, the need for this different evaluation is to make sure
that the student teacher is properly corrected and graded.
2.1 The strengths of teaching practice
Teaching practice has attracted many researchers and most of the findings show that teaching practice has
more strengths than weaknesses. Some of the strengths that have been established by researchers are that:
It grants student teachers experience in the actual teaching and learning environment (Marais &Meier,
2004:220; Perry, 2004:2).Teaching practice enables student teachers to understand the real world of
teaching and let them know about problems and difficulties of teaching that may face them in the
future.Hence, student teachers understand their students environment and accept students‟ diversity.
Moreover, teaching practice enables the student teacher transit from the role of students to the role of
beginning teachers. Kasanda, (1995) indicates that during teaching practice, a student teacher is given the
opportunity to try the art of teaching before actually getting into the real world of the teaching profession.
Thus they develop their professional and personal competencies. Student teachers also know the value of
teaching practice and as remarked by Menter (1989: 461) they perceive it as „the crux of their preparation
for the teaching profession since it provides for the real interface between student hood and membership
of the profession. As a result, teaching practice creates a mixture of anticipation, anxiety, excitement and
apprehension in the student teachers as they commence their teaching practice (Perry, 2004:4).
Furthermore, Ajoku (2003) established that performance during teaching practice provides some basis for
predicting the future success of the teacher and the quality of teacher education programs. Edem (2003)
explains that, during teaching practice, working with students in schools provide a high degree of
emotional involvement of a mostly positive nature. Students teachers feel that they grow through
experience and they begin to link to the culture of teaching. In this case student teachers develop a
positive attitude towards the profession and the students. Edem (2003) further asserts that, during teaching
practice, student teachers feel engaged, challenged and even empowered. In another study, Osuala (2004)
established that, teaching practice exposes the trainee teacher to the realities of effective teaching and
helps them to try out methods of teaching and gain practical classroom experience under experts. Itejere
(1998) stressed this aspect and stated that teaching practice is the most vital part of trainee teacher‟s
career training, this is because it is during this practice that the trainee teachers applies the methods, even
the philosophy of education which he/she was taught theoretically in the classroom. Thus it plays a key
role in bridging the gap between theory and practice. As it is commonly said that “theory without practice
is empty; practice without theory is blind”(Morrison &Werf, 2012, p.1). The teacher trainee realizes
his/her professional responsibility as a teacher and starts to learn how to manage the younger ones who
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are left under his/her control and care. According to Tuli and File (2009) teaching practice allows student
teachers to discover their abilities and creativities that help them in their future teaching processes.
2.2 The challenges that students experience during teaching practice
Marais and Meier (2004:221) argue that teaching practice is a challenging but important part of teacher
training, especially in developing countries. Kenya as a developing country is not an exception and
student teachers encounter challenges during teaching practice. Studies done in Zambia and South Africa
show the following challenges that student teachers encounter during teaching practice; inadequate
preparation of the student teachers, geographical distance, low and uneven levels of teacher expertise, a
wide ranging lack of resources as well as a lack of discipline among a wide cross section of learners and
educators, lack of finances and accommodation facilities, non involvement in other school activities, very
little support and lack of trust from the cooperating teachers and lack of clear policies that govern
teaching practice (Kasanda 1995, Kiggundu and Nayimuli 2009). These challenges, if not addressed, may
affect student teachers‟ performance during teaching practice and may in the long run affect their
perception of the teaching profession. Yassin (2004) studied the problems faced by the students at the
Faculty of Education in Gaza during their teaching practice and established the following: the long
distance between the assigned schools and the students‟ houses, the lack of guidance provided by school
principals regarding the school systems, regulations and the participation in the school activities, and the
lack of respect showed from the cooperating teachers towards student teachers. Yassin (2004) further
studied the challenges from academic supervisors during teaching practice and established that the
academic supervisors do not hold regular meetings with student teachers to discuss the challenges that
face them. In addition, student teachers do not find adequate encouragement from the academic
supervisors for their work, also they do not find adequate assistance in getting textbooks and teachers'
guides from their collaborating teachers and did not receive adequate explanation of the required skills,
and did not get appropriate guidance to motivate them to implement classroom activities.
Bechuke et al (2013) while investigating the challenges that student teachers encounter during teaching
practice in South Africa revealed that most mentors are not well informed of their responsibilities as
mentors to student teachers during teaching practice. Mentors consider their responsibility as being a
university assignment to supervise. Moreover, the findings indicated that mentors lack training to function
as mentors to student teachers during teaching practice.
Bechuke et al (2013) further revealed that university assessors are not consistent in their duties as
supervisors. They state that lecturer supervisors from the university do not pay regular visits to practicing
schools and that some student teachers indicated that they were never visited by university assessors, not
even once, and yet their visits and roles contribute heavily to the success of the practice. In Africa, most
student teachers undertake their practice in remote areas which are a far distance from the university. The
impact of the location of these schools on teaching practice is that those student teachers are never
assessed by university lecturers and if they are assed it is only once. Apart from lecturers not assessing
student teachers in distant schools, other potential dangers in these schools include lack of human
resources to train these student teachers as expected by the programme. Also some of these schools are
understaffed and lack adequate infrastructure. With all these disadvantages in some of these schools, the
objectives of teaching practice are not achieved and this paper sought to establish some of the challenges
that Kenyan university students encounter during teaching practice.
3.0 Methodology
The study adopted the survey design where by questionnaires were used to collect data from 100
randomly selected third year students from the university of Eldoret who had completed teaching practice.
The sample was composed of 50 male and 50 female students. The students were asked to answer the 30
questions on the questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to test the student teachers‟ perspective of
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teaching practice and the challenges faced by student teachers during teaching practice. A five-point likert
scale was used.
4.0 Discussion of the findings
4.1: The student teachers’ perspective of teaching practice
From Table 1 we can see that, out of the responses collected from the respondents, question 1-15 had
majority of the students selecting strongly agree or agree and very few students disagreed with the given
statements. This indicates that teaching practice gave the students a number of experiences and these
experiences had an impact on their perceptions on the teaching profession. Teaching practice has been
found to be very beneficial in the course of this research work because, it provides an opportunity for the
trainee teachers to teach and increase their professional competence. The result showed that trainee
teachers benefited greatly in participating in teaching practice because they were able to decide whether
or not to take to teaching as a profession, they got the opportunity to try out ideas and theories in a
practical classroom situation, they developed interest of teaching and were exposed to the problems and
prospects of the teaching profession, they learnt to plan, prepare and present lesson topics appropriately.
Teaching practice helped them to acquire those valuable personality attributes that are associated with an
outstanding teacher and to perfectly use instructional materials when teaching. In addition, they stated that
teaching practice is a vital factor in preparing them for future teaching assignment since it helped them to
learn to use reinforcement and assessment skills correctly. Student teachers also indicated that they gained
general experience in the teaching profession and got the opportunity to communicate and interact closely
with learners and control the class effectively. Generally the student teachers indicated that they were able
to build proper confidence and competence in lesson preparation and developed skills and attitudes of a
teacher during the exercise. It was also revealed that teaching practice helps trainee teachers to learn how
to keep records of assignment and also to participate in school activities. They further were able to master
professional skills and broaden their knowledge of the subject matter.
Table 1: The student teachers‟ perspective of teaching practice
Statement
SA
A
UD
D
Remark
1
Teaching practice has made me to decide whether or not to
take to teaching as a profession
55
35
5
5
Agree
2
Teaching practice gave me an opportunity to try out ideas
and theories in a practical classroom situation.
60
40
Agree
3
Teaching practice developed in me the interest of teaching
45
50
2
3
Agree
4
Teaching practice has made me to master professional skills
70
28
2
Agree
5
Teaching practice has exposed me to the problems
and prospects of the teaching profession
40
54
3
3
Agree
6
Teaching practice helped me to broaden my knowledge of
the subject matter
80
20
Agree
7
Teaching practice has made me to learn how to plan,
prepare and present my lesson topics appropriately
67
32
1
Agree
8
Teaching practice has helped me to acquire those valuable
personality attributes that are associated with an outstanding
teacher.
32
62
2
3
Agree
9
Teaching practice has helped me to perfectly use
instructional materials when teaching.
82
18
Agree
10
Teaching practice has helped me learn to use reinforcement
and assessment skills correctly
83
16
1
Agree
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11
Student teachers see teaching practice as a vital factor in
preparing them for future teaching assignment.
31
68
1
Agree
12
Teaching practices has enabled student teachers to gain
general experience in the teaching profession.
47
48
1
4
Agree
13
Teaching practice has given me the opportunity to relate my
studies to my future career.
82
18
Agree
14
Teaching practice gave me an opportunity to communicate
and interact closely with learners and control the class
effectively
56
41
3
Agree
15
Teaching practice helped me to develop my own way of
working effectively with learners and colleagues
44
53
1
2
Agree
4.2: The challenges student teachers’ experience during teaching practice
The study also sought to establish the challenges that student teachers experience during teaching
practice. The findings on Table 2 indicate that student teachers experience quite a number of challenges.
These challenges were seen as geographical, administrative, professional, instructional, supervision,
social and financial. On geographical challenges, majority of the student teachers indicated that they walk
for a long distance to the school and the roads are impassable and more so they face accommodation
problems in the schools they were posted to. On administrative issues the student teachers stated that
some schools reject student teachers Students, while others stated that they were given more lessons as
required in the university regulations and that student teachers were not fully involved in all school
activities and were not allowed to interact with the permanent teacher as they were in some cases assigned
a different staffroom. Concerning professional challenges the student teachers indicated that in some
schools, teaching staff hoard professional advice from trainee teachers and in other cases student teachers
are overloaded by the cooperating teachers by being assigned some of their duties. On instructional
challenges the research established that some schools lack instructional materials that are needed for
effective teaching. The challenges on supervision were that supervision was not done regularly and
uniformly and also it was noted that the student teachers stated that the supervisors were harsh and not
friendly. In the social perspective the student teachers showed that school students do not respect student
teachers and student teachers met some rudely behaved students and they have very little control over
them. Moreover financial challenges were established since the student teachers indicated that they faced
financial challenges during teaching practice in that majority of them stated that they lacked finances for
their up keep.
Table 2: The challenges student teachers’ experience during teaching practice
Statement
SA
A
UD
SD
D
Remarks
1
Some schools reject student teachers
43
35
2
12
8
Agree
2
Permanent teachers are not friendly and do not want to
interact with student teachers
45
41
9
5
Agree
3
In some schools, teaching staff hoard professional
advice from trainee teachers
38
36
1
15
10
Agree
4
Student teachers face accommodation problems in the
schools they have been posted to
35
30
20
15
Agree
5
Some schools lack instructional materials that are
needed for effective teaching
70
25
5
Agree
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6
Students teachers are given more lessons as required in
the university regulations
36
19
27
18
Agree
7
Student teachers meet some rudely behaved Student
and they have very little control over them
55
40
5
Agree
8
School students do not respect student teachers
46
34
15
5
Agree
9
Student teachers are not fully involved in all school
activities
36
38
18
8
Agree
10
Student teachers are overloaded by the cooperating
teachers by being assigned some of their duties
58
31
1
10
Agree
11
Some of the student teachers lack finances for personal
up keep
70
28
2
Agree
12
Student teachers are not allowed to interact with the
permanent teacher and are even assigned a different
staffroom
53
23
2
8
14
Agree
13
Student teachers walk for a long distance to the school
and the roads are impassable
35
32
2
18
13
Agree
14
Supervision was not regularly and uniformly done
70
25
5
Agree
15
Supervisors are harsh and un friendly
80
20
Agree
5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations
From the findings of this study the following conclusions were done:
(i) That the student teachers‟ perspective of teaching practice is positive in that the student
teachers found teaching practice to be very beneficial and it provided an opportunity for the
trainee teachers to increase their professional competence.
(ii) Also student teachers faced challenges during teaching practice
5.2: Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made:
(i) Schools of education and colleges should organize the teaching practice exercise very well so
as to give the best professional practice to the trainee teachers.
(ii) A proper orientation for student teachers should be carried out using efficient means of
communication like; seminars, workshops, conferences and discussion before they go for
teaching practice.
(iii) Student teachers should participate at least once or twice in micro-teaching exercises as a way
of exposing them to teaching practice.
(iv) The university should appeal to the government, non-governmental organizations like the
private sector, individuals and industries to assist in supplementing educational materials and
learning resource that would prepare the students teachers.
(v) The cooperating teachers should be trained on their roles while working with the student
teachers.
(vi) The government should provide finance inform of stipend for student teachers so as to boost
their up keep and their attitude towards the profession.
(vii) The university should train the supervisors and supervision of students while on teaching
practice should be done professionally.
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... School practice (SP), often called teaching practice or internship, is a crucial component of pre-service teacher training and is essential for qualifying as a professional teacher (Mangope et al., 2018;Koross, 2016). SP involves student teachers (STs) in workintegrated learning within placement schools, where they are guided by supervisors and school managers. ...
... School managers are expected to provide instructional leadership while supervision during SP can be internal or external, aiming to the enhance outcomes (Haile, 2016). However, some studies criticized school managers for neglecting their supervisory duties (Clarke et al., 2014), leading to persistent challenges such as overload for STs, inadequate support and inconsistent feedback (Muzata, 2018;Koross, 2016;Clarke et al., 2014). ...
... While this model enhanced skill development, it had its drawbacks, such as confining student teachers (STs) to imitating modeled behaviors and limiting their exposure to diverse teaching strategies. Furthermore, the varying levels of expertise among mentor teachers led to inconsistencies in the quality of mentorship (Muzata, 2018;Koross, 2016). ...
Article
This paper presents the findings of a study that explored the collaborative roles of school managers and university supervisors in supporting student teachers during school practice. Using a single case study design and qualitative method, the study involved 25 participants, including school managers, SP supervisors and student teachers. Data was collected through interviews and focus group discussions and analyzed through the thematic approach. The findings show that school managers supported student teachers in various ways, such as placement support, orientation, distribution of loads, scholastic material provision, conducive school environment, supervision, mentorship as well as guidance and counseling. University SP supervisors, on the other hand, supported student teachers through school mapping, assessment, mentorship, professional growth and networking. The study suggests strengthening collaboration between universities and schools, recommending the formalization of partnerships and more active involvement of school managers in the school practice process. The study calls for improved communication, establishment of clear expectations and integration of technology to foster ongoing, dynamic collaboration that enhances the overall support system for student teachers.
... In a study conducted in Kenya on student experiences, it was found that cooperating teachers often lack awareness of their supervisory roles. The study suggests that these teachers should receive training to improve their engagement with student teachers and mitigate negative perceptions about SP (Koross, 2016). ...
... Additionally, they found camaraderie among fellow student teachers from other institutions, facilitating the exchange of experiences. This finding resonates with Koross (2016), who argued that perceptions of support vary across different contexts globally. The amount of support provided to student teachers significantly influenced their experiences; those receiving ample assistance perceived the exercise positively, while those lacking orientation viewed it negatively. ...
... While the duration of SP is eight weeks, many were only assigned to teach a class sporadically and had to navigate the challenges of determining which classes to teach independently. This aligns with Koross (2016), who noted that cooperating teachers often lack awareness of their supervisory roles and recommends training to sensitize them regarding their responsibilities towards student teachers. Thus, the findings suggest that school managers must be educated about collaborative roles in supporting student teachers effectively. ...
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This study investigates the collaborative potential between universities and schools in enhancing teacher training, focusing specifically on student teachers’ perceptions of support from school managers during school practice (SP). The purpose of this research was to assess how various forms of support from school managers impact student teachers’ experiences and perceptions during practical training. Utilizing a qualitative case study design, the research involved a sample of 24 student teachers in the third and final year of study. Data collection tools included semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, which provided in-depth insights into the participants’ experiences. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that student teachers perceived significant support from school managers in areas such as induction processes, equitable load distribution, managerial guidance, professional development opportunities, and motivational practices. However, a notable concern emerged regarding the negative perceptions arising from the absence of practising teachers during SP. The findings suggest that while overall support from school managers was viewed positively, there are areas for improvement. The study recommends that universities should actively strengthen collaboration with placement schools by establishing formal partnerships, thereby enhancing the support system for student teachers during school practice experiences
... Kegiatan PLP memberikan mahasiswa pengalaman sebagai guru, yang dapat meningkatkan minat mereka dalam menjadi guru. Selaras dengan hasil penelitian Koross (2016), Wahjudi (2021), dan Wolf et al., (2021) menyebutkan bahwa PLP berpengaruh positif terhadap minat menjadi guru. Berbeda dengan penelitian dari Cash et al., (2020) dan Stellmacher et al., (2020) menyatakan bahwa PLP berpengaruh negatif terhadap minat menjadi guru. ...
... Penelitian sebelumnya oleh Koross (2016); Wahjudi (2021); dan Sholekah et al., (2021) yang menemukan bahwa PLP berpengaruh dan signifikan terhadap minat menjadi guru. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian rata-rata variabel Praktik Pengenalan Lapangan Persekolahan masuk dalam kategori tinggi. ...
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Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh profesi, kesejahteraan, dan Praktik Pengenalan Lapangan Persekolahan terhadap minat menjadi guru dimoderasi lingkungan keluarga. Pendekatan penelitian ini kuantitatif dengan desain penelitian kausalitas. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah mahasiswa Pendidikan Ekonomi UNNES Angkatan 2019 sebanyak 115 mahasiswa. Teknik pengambilan sampel yang digunakan adalah sampling jenuh dan jumlah sampel sebanyak 115 mahasiswa. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan kuesioner. Metode analisis data dilakukan dengan analisis statistik deskriptif dan moderated regression analysis. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa profesi tidak berpengaruh terhadap minat menjadi guru, kesejahteraan berpengaruh negatif terhadap minat menjadi guru, dan Praktik Pengenalan Lapangan Persekolahan berpengaruh positif terhadap minat menjadi guru. Penelitian ini juga menunjukkan bahwa lingkungan keluarga mampu memoderasi pengaruh profesi dan kesejahteraan terhadap minat menjadi guru. Namun, penelitian ini tidak dapat memoderasi pengaruh Praktik Pengenalan Lapangan Persekolahan terhadap minat menjadi guru.
... It is seen as a crucial phase that bridges the gap between being a student and becoming a professional educator (Ranjan, 2013). Koross (2016), quoting Andabai (2010, 2013, emphasizes that teaching practice focuses on the practical application of teaching concepts, methods, and daily school tasks, highlighting its importance in real-world teaching. ...
... The data was collected from the male and female students through a questionnaire, the questionnaire comprised 23 close ended items on five point Likert scale. The questionnaires were developed by the help of previous research (Koross & Rachel, 2016). ...
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This study was focused on students’ perceptions regarding teachers’ classroom teaching practices at university level in Balochistan. The objective of this study was to explore the students’ perceptions regarding teachers’ classroom teaching practices and give suggestions for improving teachers’ classroom teaching practices at university level in Balochistan. This study was descriptive in nature. Survey method was used to collect data from the concerned respondents. The data was collected from the male and female students through a questionnaire, the questionnaire comprised 22 close ended items on five-point Likert scale. The questionnaire was personally administrated to 397 students were randomly selected. For this study, 4 universities were selected from Balochistan. The collected data were analyzed through SPSS by using mean and standard deviation. The results of the study indicated that the participants have much positive perception regarding teachers’ classroom teaching practices at university level in Balochistan. The results of the study also provided right directions to Higher Education Commission of Pakistan to bring improvement in teachers training materials at university level in Balochistan, Pakistan.
... Understanding the impact of these experiences can contribute to the improvement of the programme and enhance teacher professional development. Additionally, there is a need to establish ways to support pre-service teachers in transitioning from students to novice teachers (Koross, 2016). There is an increasing demand to create educational plans and modes of delivery that suit the evolving needs of students. ...
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In the present landscape of evolving teacher education programme, it is essential to know the perceptions of English Specialized Student Teachers (ESSTs) about Teaching Practice (TP) in general and university supervision and the role of cooperative schools in particular in making their TP experiences effective. This paper aims to analyze the perceptions of ESSTs to find out the effectiveness of university supervision and the role of cooperating schools in TP. For the study, a quantitative case study was applied as a research methodology. Data were obtained through questionnaires from the ESSTs of three campuses located in Surkhet Nepal. The findings revealed that TP played a pivotal role in developing qualified, trained, and confident teachers. Despite the satisfactory role of university supervision in TP, ESSTs felt stressed and worried due to the heavy workload related to the TP. Moreover, they perceived the important role of cooperative schools where they learnt from their strengths and areas that required improvement during TP. Therefore, university supervision and school administration should make TP flexible and engaging for ESSTs by motivating them to avoid their presupposition that TP is just a time-consuming, rigid, and boring task. In this regard, the study suggests enhancing the current collaboration between schools and universities for the effectiveness of teacher preparation addressing the issues. Moreover, it offers insights to enhance teacher preparation programme and improve the overall quality of education.
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This study delved into the factors affecting secondary school students’ interest to learn Mathematics. The aim was to gather insights that can inform strategies aimed at enhancing students' engagement, enthusiasm, and achievement in Mathematics education. Literature information was downloaded using databases such as Google Scholar, ERIC, Search 4 Life, Scopus, Web of Science, and Academia. Of the 129 studies obtained, 117 articles were retained after removing duplicates and studies that did not meet the themes of the study. Further filtering of studies by removing primary and higher learning school-related studies allowed the retention of 25 relevant pieces of research published between 2000 and 2024. The results from the systematic reviews analysis showed that instructional strategy, instructional materials, the importance of Mathematics, a future career in Mathematics, students’ attitudes towards Mathematics, students’ enjoyment of Mathematics lessons, teachers and parental support, and students’ perception towards Mathematics, are amongst the key factors affecting positively secondary school students’ interest to learn Mathematics.
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This article explores student teachers’ resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and their ability to thrive in online teaching practice. Amid the pandemic’s unprecedented challenges, student teachers exhibited remarkable adaptability in navigating the shift to remote teaching. Through qualitative research and thematic analysis, this article delves into student teachers’ experiences, highlighting their positive encounters with online teaching methodologies and tools. The findings underscore the importance of resilience and adaptability in the dynamic field of education, emphasising the valuable skills student teachers attained through their engagement with online teaching. Furthermore, the article explores the advantages of online practical assessments, shedding light on innovative evaluation methods that may shape future educational practices. Overall, the insights gleaned from this research contribute to a deeper understanding of student teachers’ experiences during times of educational transformation. Recommendations are also offered to integrate online teaching methods into teacher training programmes to enhance these students’ resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.
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This study sought to assess the administration of teaching practice in a primary education teacher training institution in Zimbabwe. The chosen population consisted of lecturers, school mentors and student teachers. Convenience sampling was used to select primary schools in Gwanda town. These were four in total. From these, purposive sampling was used to select heads of schools, teachers who were student-teacher mentors and student teachers who were in teaching practice. There were twelve teachers in total, and there were twelve student teachers. Purposive sampling was also applied to select lecturers who manned the chosen institution's teaching practice department. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the heads of schools and lecturers, while focus group discussion guides were used to gather data from teachers and student teachers, respectively. As one of the core findings, it unveiled that some students went for teaching practice inadequately prepared to meet associated demands. Furthermore, some mentors seemed burdened by constantly supervising the student teachers while at the same time executing other school duties done by other teachers who were not mentors. Based on these, the study recommends intensification of the assessment of the readiness of student teachers to engage in the teaching practice exercise before the institution releases them to schools. In addition, teachers who are assigned the role of student-teacher mentorship should be relieved of other school duties as this might enhance their commitment to student-teacher development.
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The objective of this paper is to report on the findings of the study conducted with teacher trainees from the NorthWest province of South Africa on the challenges of and prospects for a teaching practice programme. A case study method in the form of qualitative descriptive research was used for the methodology and design of the research. A sample of 20 out of 200 teacher trainees who had spent a minimum of 2 years at the tertiary institution was randomly selected. The data analysis was based on research questions and guided by the theoretical framework of the study. The findings reveal that teaching practice for the 21 st century is plagued by challenges that affect the success of the programme. Some of the challenges identified are that teacher trainees use wrong criteria to select practice schools, teacher trainees are not adequately prepared for teaching practice, mentors are not sufficiently involved in teaching practice because they lack knowledge of mentorship, and the assessment and awarding of teaching practice marks are subjective. It is recommended that the organisation of teaching practice be revised to include stipulated criteria to select practicing schools and to provide training to mentors on their responsibilities during teaching practice.
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Teacher education programs are designed to develop professionals who are prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century classrooms and workplace. To this end, the teacher education program must aim to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes of pre-service teachers to prepare them to teach effectively in the schools systems. It is, therefore, argued that the academic program of the teacher education should be coupled with an important and integral component called school -based experiences i.e. practicum which provides students with supervised experiences and help the student teachers to understand the full scope of teachers role. Many have also suggested that these experiences are very powerful in shaping pre-service teachers as they are real in contrast to the artificial environment of the tertiary education courses. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to address the need of and justification for school based practicum experience. Attempt was also made to show the current debates and future direction of practicum in teacher education.
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I analyse module outlines within a particular school of social sciences located In a faculty of education, and uncover the evolving systems of teaching social sciences In a teacher education curriculum. The data are analysed through two theoretical lenses: firstly, through the lense of models of teacher education and professional development, and secondly, through the lense of multicultural and multi-disciplinary studies. The analysis reveals that a new language around social sciences is still in the early stages of development, drawing its main referencing from the official policy of the National Curriculum Statement. Unable to develop an independent new language, the social sciences in teacher education tend to capitulate to external dominant forces. There is little evidence of engaging with a critical discourse around the potential of teacher education, resulting in a perpetuation of an applied science notion of professional growth. The juxtaposing of existing disciplinary boundaries constitutes the character of the delivery of the social sciences. I point to a "pedagogy of hope" which focuses on the future rather than on the present status of marginalisation of the social sciences in a teacher education curriculum. The paper offers a way to develop a "Creole", a language and a discourse around the social sciences in general, for teacher education in particular.
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Teaching practice is an integral component of teacher training. This article explores the experiences of the student teachers of Vaal University of Technology Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) student teachers during their 10 weeks' teaching practice in the Vaal area. It aims to establish ways in which the student teachers' experiences during teaching practice influence the student teachers' perception towards the teaching profession. Semi-structured interviews with all student teachers were used to collect the data while content analysis was used to identify themes and to analyse the data. The research established that, despite the positive experiences during teaching practice, student teachers experienced challenges which affected the student teachers' perception of the teaching profession. Based on the findings of this study, measures were suggested on how to improve teaching practice in order to have a positive influence on the student teachers' perception of and attitude towards the teaching profession.
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This paper is concerned with the school experience component of initial teacher education (ITE). School experience (or teaching practice, as it is more commonly known) is widely recognised as particularly influential in the professional socialisation of student teachers. I draw on recent field‐work which I have carried out in order to explore some of the tensions and contradictions which characterise both my own and others’ experiences of working in ITE. By using aspects of ‘race’ and ‘gender’ as ‘sociological indicators’ I seek to discover the extent to which school experience can play a part in the preparation of teachers who are reflective, critical and enquiring. The conclusions I reach are not encouraging. Teaching practice is characterised by ‘stasis’, a strong tendency for those most closely involved to avoid conflict or confrontation. Even mild criticism of existing classroom practices is avoided. To the extent that approaches to the appraisal of practising teachers are based on similar ‘supervisory’ models, the implication is that the effect will not be the ‘development’ or ‘improvement’ of practice so much as the reinforcement of existing practices, whether good or bad.