teaching practice experiences of business education student-teachers: challenges and possible panacea (a case study of enugu state college of education (technical), enugu. final year students)

TEACHING PRACTICE EXPERIENCES OF BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENT-TEACHERS: CHALLENGES AND POSSIBLE PANACEA (A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), ENUGU. FINAL YEAR STUDENTS)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Education is yet the greatest power man has developed either for his continued progress or eventual destruction. Education is the only potential instrument for social reconstruction and other education is the founder of quality in the schools.

Education is the only cornerstone for any nation and for some time a big industry in Nigeria. Teachers therefore have a role to play in the development of a nation especially in building up leaders and intellectuals of tomorrow who will sustain the nation’s development. Although Nigeria has succeeded in several ways to prepare teachers with various teaching qualifications along with opportunities for further training, this has not been reflected in the academic performance of students.

The training of teachers now becomes largely the responsibility of faculty of education of various higher institutions in Nigeria. Students go on six weeks teaching practice and come back with varied experiences. In other words, students experience problems in their teaching practice life. Hencethe need to identify these problems and suggest possible solutions to them.Teaching practice occupies a key position in teacher education program. It is an integral part of the teacher education program which is geared towards preparation of new entrants into the teaching profession.

Nwanekezi (2011) remarked that teaching practice is the name of the preparation of student-teacher for teaching by practical training.

From the foregoing, it can be inferred that teaching practice is a school-based internship program 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 trainee the opportunity to utilize the various teaching methods in actual classroom conditions under constant supervision of competent and experienced teachers.

Studies have also revealed some problems that bedeviled teaching practice exercise. 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 the periods of six weeks is too short as it does not provide the student-teachers ample opportunity to effectively gain experience which the exercise is intended to encourage. The author remarked that some supervisors do not even have time to sit down and discuss their observations 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 strength and weaknesses are often ignored because the supervisor is often in a haste to move on the next school.

 Statement of the problem

Student teachers face some problems during teaching practice (finance, material) for the goal of teaching to be achieved in Nigeria. It will be necessary for the ministry of Education at all levels of government or Faculties of Education to find solutions to the problem being faced by the student teachers during the teaching practice exercise. Such problems include lack of instructional materials, incentives, accommodation and office facilities for the student teachers heavy work load 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 etc. the extent to which these problems are being addressed and recommendation made constitute the problem of study.

Purpose of study

The purpose of this study was to identify the teaching practice experiences  of business education student teachers: challenges and possible  panacea in Federal College of Technical EducationGombe state during their teaching practice exercise in primary and secondary schools.The study also examined the various problems encountered by the student-teachers during teaching practice such as: Lack of confidence, Lack of accessibility to instructional material, Adjustment to the environment, Relationship between cooperating teachers and the student-teachers, student-teachers and students (learners),Attitude of the student-teachers to work, Attitude of supervisor towards the student-teachers, The study was designed also to find out whether lecturers and student differ in their perception of the problems encountered by prospective Federal College of Technical EducationGombe State teachers during practice, Extension of duration for student-teacher, Mastery of the subject matter

Research questions;

The following research questions were asked and answered

(i) Do student-teachers possess prerequisite knowledge of the teaching practice exercise?

(ii) What financial assistance is provided for the student-teachers?

(iii) How does the relationship between student teachers and co-operating teachers affect teaching exercise?

(iv) What is the effect of the use instructional materials in the classroom?

(v) How prepared are student-teachers when they been evaluated by their supervisor

(vi) What is the influence of attitude of pupils towards teaching on teaching practice exercise?

(vii) How specific problems affect students teaching practice?

(viii) What is the relationship between duration of the teaching practice and students’ success in it?

 Significance of the study

The study may contribute immensely toward improving the standard of teaching practice exercise. The students become significant as if highlights the problems controlling student teachers in teaching practice and how these problems can be solved. The result of the finding could be of great values to the government, students and school administrators, the government may be aware of the problems student teachers face whenever they go on teaching practice and this enables them to provide adequate facilities to schools.

Findings of this study may also contribute to student teachers’ realization of some problems they are likely to face during the teaching practice exercise and prepare themselves against the problems before they go out for the task. This work study could enable supervisors and teaching practice organizers to appreciate the problems student teachers face during teaching practices to the student-teachers they will be proud of teaching profession with respect to supervisors, they may be assured that they have equipped a qualified teacher for the society.

Scope of study

This study was concerned with the Teaching practice experiences  of business education student teachers: challenges and possible  panacea in federal college of education technical gombe state.

The study was limited to final year students of faculty of education, Federal College of Technical EducationGombe State. Random selection from the ten departments in Faculty of Education was undertaken.

Definition of Terms

Teaching: An activity aimed at bringing about meaningful learning through a method that is morally and pedagogically acceptable. Teaching is also transmission of the knowledge to the learners. Teaching is giving instructions to somebody on knowledge, skills and attitudes with the intention that the person will be able to know the information or do something, or act in a particular way that is compatible with instruction.

Student-teacher: is a person who is teaching in a school for a limited period under supervision as part of a course to qualify as a teacher. Also a student-teacher is a person studying to be a teacher who does closely supervised teaching in an elementary school or secondary school

Teaching Practice:  This is a temporary period of teaching in a school undertaken under supervision by a person who is training to become a teacher.

Table of Content

Title page
Approval page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of content
Abstract

Chapter One:
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of Problem
1.3 Purpose of the study
1.4 Significance of the study
1.5 Scope of the study
1.6 Research questions

Chapter Two:
REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 History of Secondary Education in Nigeria and Science And Technology of integrated Science and Computer Science
2.2 Difficult Concepts Perceived by Teachers and Learners

Chapter Three:
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Design of the study
3.2 Area of the study
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique
3.5 Instrumentation
3.6 Validity of the Instrument
3.7 Administration of the Instrument
3.8 Method of Data Analysis

Chapter Four:
DATA PRESENTATION AND RESULTS
Data Analysis

Chapter Five:
DISCUSSION OF RESULT, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Discussion of the Research Findings
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Education Implication Finding
5.4 Limitation of the Study
5.5 Recommendations
5.6 Suggestion for further Studies
References
Appendix I
Appendix II

TEACHING PRACTICE EXPERIENCES OF BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENT-TEACHERS: CHALLENGES AND POSSIBLE PANACEA (A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), ENUGU. FINAL YEAR STUDENTS)