Nigerian Pre-service Science Teachers' Self-Perceptions of Acquired Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills after Teaching Practice Exposure

• Main Author: A.E. Okanlawon
• Format: Article
• Language: Bulgarian
• Published: University of Sofia 2014-02-01
• Series: Bulgarian Journal of Science and Education Policy
• Subjects: pre-service science teachers� self-perceptions; microteaching; teaching skills; practicum
• Online Access: http://bjsep.org/getfile.php?id=159

The purposes of this study were to investigate the teaching competencies acquired and those not acquired by science teachers-in-training after exposure to teaching practice. The investigator used a fifty-six item questionnaire, labeled as Perception of the Acquired Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills Scale (PAPS), to elicit information from two hundred and ten pre-service science teachers in south-west geopolitical zone of Nigeria. A panel of five science educators determined the content validity of the questionnaire. The sample of science education undergraduates were drawn from three randomly selected universities using stratified random sampling technique. The pre-service teachers were required to rate their performance level on each teaching competence on a five-point Likert scale ranging from - high performance level - to - no performance level - with - average performance level - as the pivotal point of the scale. Following that, the mean of each competence item were computed. Any competence statement that had a mean rating of less than 3.00 was considered to be of low performance cadre, since the mean value of the scale was 3.00. The findings of the study indicate that most of the teaching competencies that teachers-in-training have not acquired fall under theme 1 (planning instruction), theme 2(implementing instruction), theme 3 (evaluating instruction), and theme 7 (integrating technology and media in the classroom). The study also revealed that pre-service science teachers demonstrated proficiency in reinforcing learning, managing classroom, building professional links with colleagues and understanding learners' development. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that the principle of collaborative approaches for teacher learning should be incorporated into the teacher training program and that regular follow-up workshops aiming at developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of pre-service science teachers should be scheduled as needs arise.