IMPACT OF TEACHING PRACTICE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS

IMPACT OF TEACHING PRACTICE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

If any nation wishes to establish the human capital foundation required for national growth, it must have competent and well-trained teachers who are adept at both topic knowledge and general pedagogical techniques in their subject areas. This is due to the fact that teachers are the primary implementers of educational policy, which is outlined in curricula and syllabi. Acquah (2012) asserts that Eisner’s involvement in curriculum implementation cannot be overstated. It is the responsibility of “the teacher” to successfully arrange and prepare the curriculum in the classroom to meet the learner’s level and background by “having a general guide of subject field subjects, a sequence of topics, a general set of objectives, textbooks, and other instructional materials.” It is therefore critical to ensure that the quality of teacher education programs produces graduates with the professional skills required to perform effectively in their jobs as teachers (Toby, 2014). Teacher education is thus a high priority in Nigeria, with public institutions completely obligated to meet the country’s demand for trained teachers at all levels, from primary school to junior and senior high school, and even tertiary. Along with these public institutions, there are approximately 38 colleges of education tasked with training teachers, primarily for elementary and junior high schools. The research focused on the training of Some subject instructors for senior high schools in Nigeria, because Some subject is regarded as a critical discipline that provides citizenship education for increased individual engagement in government. issues affecting both the social and economic growth of nations. The rationale for studying some subjects at the senior high school level in Nigeria, according to the Teaching Syllabus (2008), is that both individuals and countries have a need for more and better quality goods and services such as better food, clothing, housing, education, hospital care, and entertainment (Ministry of Education Science and Sport, 2008). These goods and services can only be obtained through the use of limited resources such as land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship, all of which must be managed. The study of how individuals, organizations, and governments manage relatively limited resources in order to meet their demands is one such subject. Some, as a practical topic, assists individuals, businesses, and governments in understanding fundamental economic problems and implement necessary decisions and policies to raise people’s and societies’ living standards. To achieve such a lofty goal, appropriate and qualified instructors in specific subjects must be trained. Active participation in a teaching field experience is required for the preparation of several subject instructors in universities (Acquah, 2012). This is an off-campus teaching activity in which students are required to apply classroom ideas while being observed by their lecturers and field instructors in order to improve their teaching abilities. A casual observation and informal interaction with a diverse group of students reveal that some appear to be unaware of the fundamentals of off-campus teaching practice. They appear to regard the practice as merely a graduation exercise. requirement. Is this statement accurate? If this is the case, such trainee teachers are unlikely to take the exercise seriously, because it has been demonstrated that a person’s perceived gain from a phenomenon influences that person’s overall attitude toward that phenomenon. For example, studies have shown that people’s perceptions of the benefits of gene technology influence their willingness to adopt the technology (Sparks, Shepherd & Frewer, 1994; Frewer, Howard, & Shepherd, 1995). Similarly, it cannot be ruled out that trainees’ perceptions of the value of field experience may influence their overall attitude toward the exercise. A positive perception of the value of field experience among trainee instructors is likely to influence the importance they place on the exercise.

This may have an impact on the overall efficacy of the activity.

1.2 THE PROBLEM’S STATEMENT

Teaching practice is an essential part of teacher preparation. It gives student instructors hands-on experience in a classroom and learning environment (Ngidi & Sibaya, 2003; Marais & Meier, 2004; Perry, 2004). Before entering the real world of teaching, a student teacher is given the opportunity to gain teaching experience through teaching practice (Kasanda, 1995). Student teachers recognize the importance of teaching practice and, as Menter (1989) points out, regard it as the “crux of their preparation for the teaching profession” because it serves as the “true interface” between studenthood and professional membership. As a result, when student teachers begin their teaching practice, they feel a mix of excitement, worry, and fear.

and apprehension (Manion, Keith, Morrison & Cohen, 2003; Perry, 2004). The phrase “teaching practice,” according to Marais and Meier (2004), refers to the variety of experiences that student teachers have while working in classrooms and schools. Furthermore, Marais and Meier (2004) argue that teaching practice is a difficult but critical component of teacher education, particularly in developing countries such as Nigeria, where the effectiveness of teaching practice can be harmed or eroded by a variety of factors such as geographical distance, low and uneven levels of teacher expertise, widespread resource scarcity, and a lack of discipline among a diverse cross-section of learners and educators.

1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVES

The primary goal of this research is to investigate the effect of teaching practice on student performance.

of qualified teachers. Other specific goals of this research include:

i. Determine whether or not there is a link between teaching practice and teacher effectiveness.

ii. Determine whether there is a relationship between teaching practice and teacher quality.

iii. Determine students’ attitudes toward teaching practice in universities.

1.4 HYPOTHESES FOR RESEARCH

The following null hypotheses will be used to assess the efficacy of this study:

Ho1: There is no link between teaching practice and teacher effectiveness.

Ho2: There is no correlation between teaching practice and teacher quality.

Ho3: Students have a negative perception of university teaching practice.

1.5 THE STUDY’S IMPORTANCE

The study is relevant to students because it emphasizes the importance of this.

activity in piqueing their interest and preparing them for the challenges that come with being a teacher. It will x-ray the difficulties students have during teaching practice exercises, allowing teachers to develop effective techniques for overcoming them. It will provide policymakers with data to help them make decisions about a productive teaching profession.

Furthermore, scholars and researchers will benefit from this study because it will serve as existing material for future studies and references.

1.6 STUDY OBJECTIVES

This research will look into the effect of teaching practice on the effectiveness of qualified teachers. This study will specifically examine whether there is a relationship between teaching practice and teacher effectiveness, as well as whether there is a relationship between

between teaching teaching practice and the quality of teachers and determining the perception of students towards teaching practice in Universities.

This study’s survey participants will be education students from the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State.

1.7 STUDY LIMITATIONS

This study will only look at how teaching practice affects the effectiveness of qualified teachers. This study will be limited to determining whether there is a relationship between teaching practice and teacher effectiveness, determining whether there is a relationship between teaching practice and teacher quality, and determining students’ perceptions of teaching practice in universities.

Education students from the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State will take part in the survey.

Because only a few respondents were chosen to answer the research instrument in this study, the sample size was limited, and the results cannot be generalized to other secondary schools outside the state.

1.7 TERM DEFINITION

A significant effect or influence.

Teaching practice: A period in which a student teacher works as a teacher in a school as part of his or her training.

Effectiveness: the extent to which something succeeds in producing the desired result; success.

Teachers: A teacher, also known as a schoolteacher or an educator, is someone who assists students in acquiring knowledge, competence, or virtue. Anyone can take on the role of teacher informally.