Causes Of Students Poor Attitude Towards Teaching Practice: A Case Study Of Imo State University, Owerri

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the causes of students’ poor attitude towards teaching practice with reference to Imo State University, Owerri. In the course of this work, the researcher highlighted the benefits of teaching practice among student teachers, problems encountered during the exercise as well as the impact of teaching practice on teachers’ productivity. Four research questions guided the study. The descriptive survey design was used. 100 students were randomly selected from the study population. A sixteen (16) item questionnaire, a four (4) point likert-type scale was used in the collection of data.  With an expected mean of 2.5, the data was analyzed with mean scores and standard deviation. Findings revealed the benefits of teaching practice exercise on student teachers, the problems teachers encounter during teaching practice and how often teacher attend classes during teaching practice. Based on the findings the study, it was therefore recommended that there should be cooperation among student and staff involved in teaching practice, adequate provision of stable school calendar for universities should be ensured, as well as student orientation and incentives given to them to carter for their transportation and feeding.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

In this chapter, the researcher discusses the background of the study, statement of the problem, scope of the study, significance of the study as well as the research questions.

Background of the Study

Education is the most important instrument of change in any society. The quality of education provided in any society and the nature of the change affected by that education are both dependent on the quality of teacher and effectiveness of their teaching in the schools.

A nation whose teachers fail most times in their duties at school may for a long time, gracing the effect of underdevelopment. Somehow that nation will within that period remains ignorant mainly because of colossal waste of its human resources in the field of education that being the case, it therefore becomes imperative that the success of the teacher as regards to classroom teaching should not be left to chance. This underscores the essence of teacher education programme as a veritable factor in the educational programme seeking to prepare teachers for professional competence. One important way of achieving this is through teaching practice.

Oguniyi (2004) stated that before a student teacher is awarded a professional certificate that shows his/her professionalism, he/she is sent into the classroom where he/she practices how to teach. Thomas and Marshal (1997) defined teaching practice as the pre-service teaching or apprenticeship under actual classroom condition. In the course of training, reading up to formal licensing a a practitioner in most profession, a trance is required normally to have some practiced experience before attainment of full professional status.

In this view, the national policy of education (2004), pointed out the importance of teaching practice to enhance teaching profession. These are abilities, competencies and the acquisition of appropriate skills (i.e. effective teaching and good communication). It exposes the student teachers to real life classroom experience under the supervision of professional teachers for “experience they say is the best teacher”. This is to test the ability of individuals across to the learners based on what he/she has learnt theoretically and how efficient they will be when they embark on full time teaching.

However, the faculty of education in the conventional universities organizes teaching practice for their students as a pre-condition for graduation.

Student-teachers are meant to teach for six-consecutive weeks in two session. For instance, in Imo State University, Owerri, teaching practice is organized for the students as stated in the students handbook (2006/2007:34) in their 200 level and 300 levels as Edu 292 and Edu 392 respectively and each of the course is a 3unit credit load.

The people that are involved in teaching practice are the student teachers, the supervisors, the principal of the schools where the student-teachers are posted to, teachers in that particular school and the students of the school.

Notwithstanding, teaching practice is however carried out concurrently with other courses in the university and this arrangement often conflicts with the expected attention to be given. This creates some problems that tend to affect the students’ poor attitude to teaching practice. Since educational research is inherently problem-solving in its orientation, there is need to investigate the poor attitude of students about teaching practice exercise to the detriment of the teaching.

However, the professional education of teachers cannot be validated without adequate preparation of prospective teacher dynamic roles in modern teaching practice. Teaching programmes has never been more important in the past than what it is now, there has been much cry from all the nook and crannies of the federation for an adequate and through preparation of teachers, as they say “taste of the pudding is in the eating” prospective teachers as a means of testing their suitability for altering and changing the poor attitude of students towards teaching practice.

Statement of Problem

The kind of poor attitude students sometimes display towards teaching practice is something that calls for attention. Most students at the verge of carrying out these teaching practices, they do it haphazardly as some abandon it, while some take it for granted.

Some student teachers do not even have lesson note. What they do is to look for textbook written by different authors and recopy what is written from the text for the pupil/students to copy. Some student teachers do not teach their lessons as expected because of bad communicating skills or the inability of the student teacher to introduce Information Communication Technology (ICT) which would have been as good interaction between the teacher and the pupil/students in question.

However, due to the negative attitude student teachers show towards teaching practice, the principals of many secondary schools reject the student teacher posted to their schools. This in view made the researcher to investigate the poor attitude of students towards teaching practice in Imo State University and also identity cause of their attitude.

Scope of the Study

This study tends to examine the causes of students poor attitude towards teaching practice. The study is however limited to the attitude of students towards teaching practice and the causes of the poor attitude student develop towards teaching practice. It is also limited to students of Imo State University in the faculty of education.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to find out the causes of students poor attitude towards teaching practice, specifically the study will;

1. Identify the benefits teaching practice exercise among teaching practice students,
2. Examine the problems encountered during teaching practice by students,
3. Ascertain the impact of teaching practice on teachers productivity
4. How often student teachers teach their lesson as expected.

Significance of the Study

This study is necessary at this time and stage of our educational development because of the emphasis on education as the instrument for nation building and self reliance in the 21ist century.

However, this study will make one realize the importance of good field work as a balance between theory and practice. There are some beneficiaries from teaching practice and they include, the lecturers, students and the society at large.

The student teacher benefits from teaching practice in the sense that teaching practice exposes them to the realities of the classroom situation. It also enables them (student teachers) to become resourceful and creative in planning.

Teaching practice also helps the student teacher to put theory into practice. The lecturers are also beneficiaries of teaching practice because if after evaluation, the students’ attitude was perfect that means that credit goes to the lecturer for a work well done.

Notwithstanding, there is also a beneficiary of teaching practice, that is when competent and qualified teachers are produced, their importance is seen in all aspect of the society as these teachers will take the task of teaching students who will develop the society with the knowledge they have acquired.

Research Question

The following research questions will guide the study;

1. What are the benefits of teaching practice exercise to the life of student teachers?
2. What are problems student teachers encounter during teaching practice exercise?
3. What are the impact teacher practice exercises have on teacher production?
4. How often do the student teachers attend classes during teaching practice?

Pages:  47

Category: Project

Format:  Word & PDF        

Chapters: 1-5                                 

Material contains Table of Content, Abstract and References.