Students Attitude towards Teaching Practice Exercise: A Case Study of Akwa Ibom State College of Education
Students Attitude towards Teaching Practice Exercise: A Case Study of Akwa Ibom State College of Education
Abstract
This research investigated “Students Attitude towards teaching practice exercises a case study in 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 2013/2014 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.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
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).
Students Attitude towards Teaching Practice Exercise: A Case Study of Akwa Ibom State College of Education
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.
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 students’ attitude towards teaching practice in College of Education, Afaha Nsit.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The purpose of this study was to examine students’ attitude towards teaching practice exercise in college of education, Afaha Nsit.
The specific objectives are:
- To find out whether knowledge of subject matter influence students’ attitude towards teaching practice in College of Education, Afaha Nsit.
- To find out whether lesson preparation influence students’ attitude towards teaching practice.
- To determine whether communication skills influence students’ attitude towards teaching practice.
1.4 Significance of the Study
It is intended that findings of this research on the attitude of students towards teaching practice will be of help both to school management, and government. It will also proffer solution to ameliorate students’ negative attitude towards teaching practice.
Finally, the information from the research will also help the bodies whose duties is to coordinate and supervise teaching practice exercise in College of Education.
1.5 Research Questions
This research questions are formulated to guide the study.
- Does the knowledge of subject matter influence students attitude towards teaching practice exercise?
- Does lesson preparation and delivery skills influence students’ attitude towards teaching practice?
- Does communication skills influence students’ attitude towards teaching practice exercise?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses are formulated to guide the study:
- The knowledge of subject matter does not significantly influence students’ attitude towards teaching practice.
- Lesson preparation and delivery skills do not significantly influence students’ attitude towards teaching practice.
- Communication skill does not significantly influence the students’ attitude towards teaching practice.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
This study was limited to students’ attitude towards teaching practice exercise in College of Education, Afaha Nsit. Due to financial constraints, short time allotted for research completion.
1.8 Delimitation of the Study
The study is restricted to schools in College of Education, Afaha Nsit. However, students in the existing schools in the College will be sampled and used for this study.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Communication skills: This refers to the ability of a teacher to use accurate and correct English grammar to communicate with the students during teaching practice – learning atmosphere.
Delivery skills: this implies the method in which the teacher uses to teach his or her lesson.
Influence: This is the power to affect one’s character, beliefs, actions, through actions of national or supernatural forces which could either be detrimental or not to the one influenced.
Knowledge of subject matter: This refers to the in-depth knowledge and understanding a student has in his or her subject area, this may also mean professional competence in teaching a particular subject.
Lesson preparation: This refers to a process in which the teacher prepares and plans his lesson contents, and objectives before the actual teaching in the class, this also involves the process of writing lesson notes.
Students’ attitude: this refers to students’ feeling perception and behaviour towards teaching practice exercise which may be positive or negative attribute.
Teaching practice: this refers to a compulsory and mandatory course in education in which all would be teacher must actively carried out before certificate, it is a practical teaching by which the student teachers are given the opportunity in actual school situation to demonstrate and improve training in pedagogical skills over a period of time.
