The impact of teaching practice on the professionalization of student-teachers in the Faculty of Education in the University of Buea.

Abstract

The title of this work is “The impact of teaching practice on the professionalization of student-teachers in the Faculty of Education in the University of Buea”. This study was designed to find out the ineffectiveness teaching practice on the professionalization of student-teachers in the Department of Curriculum Studies and Teaching. The following question has guided our findings: Does teaching practice develops the professionalization of student-teachers. Our objective is to see the link between teaching practice and the professionalization of students-teachers. The answer to this question is our general research hypothesis which declares that teaching practice significantly influences the professionalization of student-teachers. The operationalization of this general research hypothesis has generated four specific research hypotheses. RH1: Teaching skills acquired significantly influence the professionalization of student-teachers RH2: Student teaching experiences significantly influence the professionalization of student-teachers RH3: The duration of teaching practice significantly influence the professionalization of student-teachers. RH4: The role of supervisors significantly influences the professionalization of student-teachers. The collection of data was done through a questionnaire administered to a sample of 184 studentteachers randomly selected from the department of Curriculum Studies and Teaching. The data were analyzed using descriptive tools, the Pearson correlation coefficient and Stepwise multiple regressions with the following results obtained: RH1: Teaching skills acquired significantly and positively correlate with the professionalization of student-teachers, r (182) = 0.337, (p < 0.001). RH2: Student-teachers experiences significantly and positively influence the professionalization of student-teachers, r (182) = 0.220, (p < 0.01). RH3: The duration of teaching practice significantly and negatively correlates with the professionalization of student-teachers, r (182) = -0.385, (p<0.001). RH4: The role of supervisors significantly and positively influences the professionalization of student-teachers, r (182) = 0.447, (p<0.001). The results were interpreted using the cognitive apprenticeship theory of Collins, Brown and Newman (1989) which made us to understand that an inexperience person is observing an experience person so as to become experienced in their profession. The findings of this study led us to give some suggestions to the state or education stakeholders on the effectiveness of teaching practice in the professionalization of student-teachers since the society is becoming more constructive (Competency Based Approach). Hence, the future teachers need to be very efficient to meet up with the future demands of the society.