APPRAISAL OF THE PROBLEMS CONFRONTING TEACHING PRACTICE STUDENTS (A CASE STUDY OF AKWA IBOM STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, AFAHA NSIT)
ABSTRACT
This research investigated “appraisal of the problems confronting teaching practice students (A Case study of Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit). Three research questions and tree null hypotheses were used. The research design adopted was a case study research method. The population of the study consisted of 2034 students of 2018/2019 session in the college. Simple random sampling was used to select 398 students of the school of Arts and Social sciences from the six existing schools in the college to form the sample size. A validated Questionnaire was used for data collection.
The data was analyzed through simple percentage statistical analysis. The finding reveals that students attitudes do significantly influenced their effectiveness in teaching practice either positively or negatively. It was recommended that reading and studying culture should be encouraged among students by introducing daily or weekly class-teaching practice whereby students are appointed to teach their fellow students and by so doing they will have adequate knowledge of their subject matter and among others.
Appraisal of the Problems Confronting Teaching Practice Students
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Abstract
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.4 Significance of the Study
1.5 Research Questions
1.6 Research Hypotheses
1.7 Limitation of the Study
1.8 Delimitation of the Study
1.9 Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual Framework of Teaching Practice
2.2 Theoretical frame work
2.2.1 Albert Ellis rational emotive theory (1973)
2.3 Knowledge of Subject Matter and Students’ Attitude towards Teaching Practice
2.4 Lesson Preparation, Delivery Skills and Students’ Attitude towards Teaching Practice
2.5 Communication Skills and Students’ Attitude towards Teaching Practice
2.6 Empirical Studies
2.7 Summary of literature review
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS
3.1 Area of the Study
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Population of the Study
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection
3.6 Validity of the Instrument
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument
3.8 Administration of Instrument
3.9 Method of Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS OF DATA AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.1 Analysis of Data
4.3 Discussion of Findings
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND
CONCLUSION
5.1 Summary
5.2 Recommendations
5.3 Conclusion
References
Appendix
Appraisal of the Problems Confronting Teaching Practice Students
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Teaching practice is an exercise in which the student-teacher is guided to acquire practical skills and competences necessary for effective delivery (teaching) after training. This valuable experience and expertise are usually acquired by exposing student-teachers to environment (schools) similar to those in which they hope to work after graduation. The schools that absorbed the student-teachers are called ‘cooperating schools’.
In such cooperating school, the apprentice teacher (student-teacher) is usually attached to a trained and professional teacher who guides and directs the student-teacher (Akpan, Uwandu and Ekanem, 2018). This apprenticeship period is very important in the life of a trainee teacher as it should offer him/her the first-hand experience in acquiring practical knowledge and skills of organizing learning.
Teaching practice is therefore as important to a would-be teacher as industrial training is to a would-be engineer. Little wonder why Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) the regulatory body of teaching profession in Nigeria is advocating a one full year of teaching practice for would be teachers bringing the training period for a first degree teaching qualification to five years instead of the present four years (Akpan 2016).
According to Afe (2019) The aim of the teaching practice exercise is to help the student-teacher to bridge the gap between theory and practice. It is assumed that by so doing the student-teacher will acquire the skills of diagnosis and analysis of the educational environment. Student practice teaching experience does provide a valuable means for guiding the student- teacher’s growth through a carefully set out sequence of activities (which need to be adequately evaluated) which will eventually enable him/her to achieve the followings:
- Clarify student understanding of the purposes, developments, programmes and administrative organization of the education system of the country; widen his/her understanding of curriculum practices;
- Deepen student understanding of the principles of human growth, development and the learning process;
- Be sensitive to the social patterns of a school community and discover through first hand experiences ways of improving curriculum for pupils by effective use of community resources;
- Develop a positive professional attitudes towards other members of the teaching profession;
- Identify personal strengths and weaknesses in the spectrum of competences associated with effective teaching and learning;
- Becoming increasingly resourceful and creative in planning, developing and evaluating effective learning experiences with the
The above sequence of activities needs to be adequately evaluated as a teaching can be considered to be good if all expectations are constantly realized.
It is a normal practice that lecturers of training institutions are posted to schools as supervisors to visit the student-teachers and observe the teachings to ascertain how they are practicalising the theories earlier assimilated in the course of their training in school. Supervisors employ a uniform rating scale for this purpose as handed over by the practice teaching co-coordinator. Since it is not convenient to visit the student-teachers regularly, it is then recommended that a three times visit for a particular subject area should be achieved by the supervisors.
It is assumed that the first visit should come after one month of the exercise to allow the student-teachers settle into their assignment, the second visit is about the mid of the exercise and the third visit could be three weeks or thereabout before the conclusion of the exercise. The main aim of this supervision is to offer guidance and assessment in the development of knowledge and skills of teaching. It is usually not vindictive or vengeful. Eyike (2019) mentions two major considerations of practice teaching supervision as:
- A teaching process that helps the student-teachers to practicalise the theories and methods learnt;
- An examination process to assess teaching effectiveness to grade the student-
The supervisors’ emphasis according to Ekiye (2019) should be on helping the student-teachers to function and capitalize on their strengths, by pointing out areas that require some improvement.
However, since the student-teachers must attain certain reasonable competences to be accepted as trained teachers, their evaluation must border on aspects of responsibilities which Maduewesi and Azubike, (2017) mentions as:
- Ability to plan for instruction;
- Competency in guiding the experiences of children;
- Class activity and evaluation techniques for participating in school
Such unbiased guidelines can comfortably guide any supervisor in assessing the student-teachers including the rating scale designed by the training institution.
Quantification of effective teaching has been made possible by National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE). NCCE (2005) came up with a unified assess format for the assessment of teaching practice exercise which is now popular in teacher training institutions in Nigeria. This has help to erase the erroneous conception that teaching cannot be effectively evaluated because of its multifaceted dimensions (i.e. the occurrence of several activities at the same time in the classroom) as a result the exact weighting to attach to different activities and competences were not uniformed.
In general, education has been described as the bedrock of every society and tool for nation building (Farayta, 2013). For quality education to be achieved in a nation, the principal actors of learning who the teachers must be professionally trained. In other words, the teachers must be adequate in quality and quantity, students must be well trained and facilities must be provided as well, for effective teaching and learning. Teachers have been shown to have an important influence on students’ academic achievement and also play a crucial role in educational attainment because the teacher is ultimately responsible for transmitting policy into action and principles based on practice during interaction with the students (Afe, 2001).
Teacher has the responsibility of translating educational policy into practice and programmes not action, both teaching and learning depends on teachers, no wonder an effective teacher has been conceptualized as one who produces desired results on the course of his duty as a teacher (Uchefuna, 2001).
Teaching is an activity performed by an individual whose intention is to bring about learning. Teaching is an exciting and rewarding activity that is very demanding. Teaching requires that the practitioners clearly understand what should be done to bring about the most desirable learning in the learners and be highly proficient in the skills necessary to carry out this tasks (Haastrup, 2014).
However, the needs to be properly educated and trained for professional efficiently and inculcated with the positive attitude that will enable him or her go through the training properly and come out well equipped for responsibility ahead. More so, to provide professional education for teachers, colleges of education have been established almost all over the world (Azeem, 2011). In Nigeria, teacher education programme is in consonance with, the various level of education that is N.C.E. and B. Ed for colleges of education and universities respectively.
All the teachers training institutions are not imparting the theoretical but also practical knowledge and skills in teaching different subject to prospective teachers. At the end of the session, teaching practice is carried out for practical application of theoretical understanding about different teaching methods. Therefore, teaching practice occupies a key position in the teachers education programme. It is an integral part on the teacher education programme which is geared toward preparation of new entrants into the teaching profession according to Afolab. (1999) in Haastrup (2014) teaching practice exercise is to acquaint student-teachers with the practical knowledge of teaching and learning process including lesson plan preparation, presentation, application of teaching method management, communication skills, evaluation and the required personality of professional teachers.
From the foregoing, it can be inferred that teaching practice is a school based internship programme with the main aim of introducing prospective teachers to teaching and its routine under the guidance of qualified professionals to develop skills, attitudes and competence in the profession. The exercise provides trainees the opportunity to utilize the various teaching method in actual classroom conditions under constant supervision of competent and experienced teacher. Furthermore, Major (2006) pointed out that attitude of someone toward something can affect his or her behaviour either positively or negatively.
Student teachers’ attitude toward teaching practice exercise can influence their performance either positively or negatively (Nwanekezi, 2011). Archibong (2008) supported that the attitude a learner develops for a particular subject determines his/her level of success in academic. Attitude the learner has towards a particular subject can be positive or negative. Also, Monday (2009) maintained that many training teachers see teaching as a profession for the poor man and due to this perception, some of our teacher trainee have poor or negative attitude towards the teaching profession.
Adeleke (2011) in his findings found that attitude of students influence the would be teacher lesson preparation, lesson delivery and interest in teaching after training. Almost all researches carried out in this area have shown students attitude and perception towards a particular subject are responsible for their poor performance in effectiveness in academic.
Appraisal of the Problems Confronting Teaching Practice Students
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In recent times, the general poor (setback) performance of the trainee teachers in teaching practice or six credit hours course in the college have been attributed to students’ attitude towards teaching practice exercise. According to Oduolowu (2009) teacher education faces problems in Nigeria as a result of the societal attitude towards teaching.
Many would be teachers during teaching practice course which is one of the compulsory demand before becoming a professional teacher have been developing negative attitude on basis that lesson preparation, lesson delivery, knowledge of subject matter and teaching practice too demanding. This attitude towards teaching practice influence students’ effectiveness in teaching practice exercise.
Therefore, it is one of these problems that this study tries to examine the appraisal of the problems confronting teaching practice students using Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit as the case study.
Lawson Peter – Chief Editor in Projectvilla Nigeria. A writer and academic researcher.