Thursday, 2 September 2021

Challenges Facing Student-Teachers during Teaching practice Exercise in Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Imo state

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Education is the total process of human learning by which knowledge is imparted, faculties trained and skills developed. Education is therefore a process and a product. It is a continuous process of learning which produces a desirable product, it involves receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or University. Education brings about an inherent and permanent change in a person's thinking and capacity to do things. Education is the only cornerstone for any nation and the only potential instrument for social reconstruction.

Mkpa asserts that a teacher is someone who underwent and completed a formal teacher training institution, a planned programme of training among other areas, in the principles and practice of education and was exposed to an observed period of internship either after or as part of the period of training. Teachers therefore have a role to play in the development of a nation, especially in building up leaders and intellectuals of nations who will sustain the nation's development.

Teaching is a profession just like law and medicine and it happens to be one of the oldest profession in Nigeria, unfortunately, it is the least developed in terms of standard of training and practice. This continues to be a source of concern to professionals and even to the governments. Moore (2016).

According to the advanced learners' dictionary (2014) a profession means occupation and special training like law, medicine and so on. Profession can also mean a calling vocation where performance requires the performer on an elaborate exposure to an esoteric theoretical knowledge acquired after many years of endeavors and moral study. A profession can be likened to a social club which is governed by code of ethics, the most outstanding of which are expertise authority, responsibility, commitment, dedication, autonomy and emotional maturity.

 The professionals who engage in training the prospective teachers are called the teachers educators. Ipaye (2006) supported this when he referred to teacher education as the process by which prospective teachers are provided the opportunity to develop cognitive perspective, affective disposition and psychomotor competencies that will imbue them with confidence and capacity to teach and carry out other teaching related activities efficiently and effectively.

The National policy of education (2004) the minimum teaching qualification in Nigeria institution of learning is National Certificate in Education (N.C.E). The duration for obtaining NCE is a minimum of three academic sessions (3years) and a maximum of five academic session (5 years). Colleges of education and Universities are charged with the training of teachers under the supervision of lecturers and staff. Faculties of education in universities train teachers who already have the (NCE) qualifications. They also offer Master's and Doctorate degree programmes in education. College of education offer the NCE training programmes, Some more equipped and better staffed college of education also train teachers for the secondary School by offering the Bachelor of Education degree programmes in affiliation with some universities. They equally offer sandwich programmes, run workshops on retooling and updating the knowledge of teachers.

Teaching practice is a compulsory and singular six credit unit course for all students in 300 level final year in Alvan ikoku federal college of education, Owerri, Imo State. No student in the college can be awarded a Nation certificate in Education (N.C.E) until there is evidence of pass performance level in teaching practice. Training of teachers becomes largely the responsibility of Alvan Ikoku Federal College Of Education, students go on 12 to 18 weeks teaching practice for NCE programme and 6 weeks for degree programme so as to apply the theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom situation and come back with varied experience. Students experience challenges in their teaching practice life, hence the need to identify these problems and suggest solutions to them.

Nwanekezi (2011) remarked that teaching practice is the name of the preparation of student teacher for teaching by practical training. Teaching practice according to Ipaye (2002)is like clinical training or industrial experience given to student teachers over a period of time. It can also been seen as proofs when student teachers are aided to put into practice the theories and principles of education which they have learnt in the classroom as they teach (Ogonor and Badmus,2006)

Despite it's importance, Kiggundu and Nayimuli(2009) note that teaching practice sometimes becomes a demoralizing and sometimes a very frightening experience. Studies has also revealed some challenges that bedeviled teaching practice experience for example;  Ognor and Badmus (2006)lamented that teachers of partnership schools did not provide specific aid to student teachers to improve their teaching skills and strategies.

Nakpodia (2011) remarked that some supervisors do not even have time to sit down and discuss their observation and comments with the student teacher. The short discussion between the supervisor and the student teacher just after the lesson which should afford the student teacher the opportunity to appreciate his strengths and weaknesses are often ignored because the supervisor is often in a haste to move on the next school.

 

1.2          Statement of the Problems

Student teachers face some problems during teaching practice due to inadequate of instructional materials, mastering of the subject matter, financial support, methodology, inability to control classroom during the teaching, learner's discipline, over familiarity, lack of  accommodation and office facilities for the student teachers, too much of works at time is given to the student- teachers, lack of cooperation from their practicing schools, attitude of the pupils towards the student teachers and difficulty on the part of student teacher to manage his class effectively. The extent to which these problems are being addressed and recommendation made constitute the problem of study. The Researcher will examine the challenges of teaching practice exercise among student teachers 

1.3          Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine the challenges facing student teachers during teaching practice exercise in Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education in Imo State. The purposes of this study will include the following: 

1.         To investigate relationship between environmental challenges faced by student teachers during teaching practice and their performance.

2.         To investigate relationship between classroom management challenges facing student-teachers and their performance.

3.         To investigate relationship between the challenges faced by student-teachers form their supervisors and their performance.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

1.4          Significance of the Study

The following people, organizations and establishment will benefit from the findings of this study. They include Student teachers, lecturer, Colleges of Education and Universities, supervisors of teaching practice, government and future researchers. Student teachers are the main benefactors of the findings in the sense that the study will acquaint them with the challenges of the programme and the role they can play to surmount the challenges. This will help them to be better graduates that are well equipped with what it takes to face the realities of teaching. It will enable our Colleges and Universities to equip their students with the rudiments of teaching before sending them to teaching practice. It will also help to device means of removing the problems and thus modify the programme. The removal of these hindrances will also make for more effective organization and implementation of the programme.

The supervisors of teaching practice and the cooperating school teachers will through the findings acquaint themselves with the best and effective measures to adopt in helping the student teachers to realize or achieve the objectives of teaching practice.

            Future researchers will benefit from these findings because the study will be as a reference for their research in the near future. Finally the findings of this study will benefit the general public because education is the key to building a society.

 

 

1.5          Scope of the Study

This study focuses on the challenges facing student teachers during teaching practice exercise in Imo State. Due to certain constraints such as time, and finance, this research work was limited to the challenges facing student-teachers  during their teaching practice exercise in Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri Imo State, final year student-teachers.

1.6       Research Questions

In order to examine student-teachers’ challenges during teaching practice, the following research questions were formulated:

(I). To what extent does classroom management affect student teachers during teaching practice exercise?

(ii). To what extent does the environmental challenges affect student teachers during teaching practice exercise? 

(iii). To what extent does supervision during teaching practice exercise affect student teachers?

                                              CHAPTER TWO

                                    REVIEW OF RELATED  LITERATURE

This chapter is concerned with the review of relevant literature on the challenges facing student teachers during their teaching practice exercise and will be discussed under the following subheadings:

2.1 Conceptual Framework

2.1.1 Concept of teaching as a profession

2.1.2 Significance of teacher education in teaching practice

2.1.3 Concept of teaching practice

2.1.4 Teaching practice of conduct

2.1.5 Classroom management challenges facing student-teachers

2.2.6 School environment challenges facing student-teachers

2..2.7 Supervision challenges facing student-teachers

 

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