ERIC Number: EJ1108969
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1814-6627
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Trainee Teachers' Experiences of Teaching Practicum: Issues, Challenges, and New Possibilities
Mtika, P.
Africa Education Review, v8 n3 p551-567 2011
This paper focuses on a qualitative case study concerned with teaching practicum as a pivotal component of teacher education in Malawi. It addresses some of the issues and concerns associated with workload, ill-defined mentoring support, and implementation of certain pedagogical orientations during teaching practicum placement. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that trainee teachers undergo varied and often challenging experiences during teaching practicum. To counter some of the concerns, suggestions are made to improve certain aspects of teaching practicum. There is need for authentic school-college partnerships, improved structures of school-based professional support, and a deeper awareness of the complexity of learner-centred pedagogy. It is imperative that teacher educators engage with these findings to further improve the design of teaching practicum and the overall quality of teacher education and teaching in Malawi.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Teacher Education Programs, Mentors, Teaching Methods, Semi Structured Interviews, College School Cooperation, Student Centered Learning, Barriers, Secondary School Teachers, Practicums, Observation, Assignments, Role, Qualitative Research, Case Studies
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Malawi
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A