Practices and Challenges of Practicum Implementation at Bonga College of Teachers Education
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Date
2011-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study was conducted with the objectives of looking into what was going on practicum
implementation program in the college and placement schools to expose student-teachers
for the actual practices. It was also aimed at investigating the views of the research
participants and challenges on the effectiveness of the college and placement schools that
are implementing the practicum program in Bonga College of Teachers Education. To
gather necessary data: questionnaire, semi-structure interview, observation and focus
group discussion were employed. The collected data was tabulated and analyzed both by
quantitative and qualitative methods. To achieve the purpose, 145 third year studentteachers
from ten department, 20 tutors, 20 mentors( from 5 placement schools by taking 4
mentors from each), 5 practicum coordination team members, 3 student-teacher council
members and 1 Academic vice Dean were selected by systematic random and purposive
sampling methods respectively. The findings of the study show that implementing practicum
program in the college and placement schools were low understanding and perceptions for
their role and responsibilities, poor relationship between the college and schools, poor
support, assistance, follow up, assessment and feedback to the student-teachers, lack of
clear and organized guideline by the college and schools main bodies of the program. As a
result, tutors and mentors did not use the various roles expected of them; student-teachers
did not have opportunities of getting the necessary skills and competencies of teaching from
actual field experiences. On the other part of college administration bodies were shortage of
finance and resources, inability to give pertinent allentionto the training of mentors, tutors,
student-teachers and other concerned bodies for the improvement of the program. Based on
the findings conclusion and recommendations were forwarded.
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Keywords
Challenges of Practicum