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Practicum Experience In Teacher Education

Article in Ethiopian Journal of Education and Sciences · July 2010

DOI: 10.4314/ejesc.v5i1.56316

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PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE IN TEACHER EDUCATION

Fekede Tuli* And Gemechis File**

ABSTRACT
Teacher education programs are designed to develop professionals who are prepared to
meet the challenges of the 21st century classrooms and workplace. To this end, the
teacher education program must aim to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes of
pre-service teachers to prepare them to teach effectively in the schools systems. It is,
therefore, argued that the academic program of the teacher education should be coupled
with an important and integral component called school -based experiences i.e.
practicum which provides students with supervised experiences and help the student
teachers to understand the full scope of teachers role. Many have also suggested that
these experiences are very powerful in shaping pre-service teachers as they are real in
contrast to the artificial environment of the tertiary education courses. Hence, the
purpose of this paper is to address the need of and justification for school based
practicum experience. Attempt was also made to show the current debates and future
direction of practicum in teacher education.

_________________________________________________________
* Lecturer, Department of Pedagogy, Eduction Faculty, Jimma University.
** Lecture, Department of Mathematics, Eduction Faculty, Jimma University.
Ethiop. J. Educ. & Sc. Vol. 5 No 1 September 2009 108

INTRODUCTION policy of 1994 to reform all aspect of the

Education is universally acknowledged in education system. To achieve these mission
vast body of literature as an essential due attention was given to teacher
element in the process of national education program since the issuance of the
development (UNESCO, 1997; UNESCO, Education and Training Policy in 1994,
2005; TGE, 1993; GCE, 2000; accompanied with educational sector
Psacharopoulos, 1985; Lockheed and development programs. Because teacher
Verspoor, 1991). It unlock human potential education institutes have the potential to
and helps individuals to better understand bring changes in the society, have the
the world in which they live, to address the potential to shape the knowledge and skills
complexity and interconnectedness of of the future generation, and can play a
problems such as poverty, wasteful critical role in preparing quality teachers
consumption, environmental degradation, for the 21st century.
urban decay, population growth, gender
inequality, health, conflict and the violation There is no doubt that teachers play a
of human rights that threaten our future and significant role to the success of any
also seeks to empower people to assume ongoing educational reform (Darling-
responsibility for creating a sustainable Hammond and Berry, 1998) and agents for
future. positive societal change (MoE, 2003). Well
prepared and well qualified teachers are not
Today, with a great understanding of the only agents of positive societal change but
function that education has to the society also have a multiplying effect while
and to the country as whole, Ethiopia is executing his/her regular duties. In the
striving to expand education at all levels same vein Muhammad (2006) stated that
(primary, secondary and tertiary education) teachers of the highest quality will lead to
with the intention to transform society education of the highest quality.
through education. To this end, new goals Correspondingly, UNESCO-IBE (2003)
of access, equity, quality and efficiency explained that teachers can guide learners
have been articulated/ formed at national in an ever-expanding universe of
level in Ethiopian education and training knowledge, helping them to learn how to
access information and communicate
Practicum Experience in Fekede Tuli & Gemechis File 109

effectively. As teachers have many roles sophisticated pedagogical repertoire, and

and responsibilities in an education system, adapt to learner diversity and shifting
it seems that the goal of education is contextual forces. It is, therefore,
unattainable without them, and someone imperative that teaching professionals
can boldly say that there is no substitute to responsible for teacher preparation must
having better teachers. continually find ways to respond to these
challenges.
Teacher Education and Preparation
Although, the purpose of teacher education To achieve the goal of training effective
is to produce effective practicing teachers ( teachers, different approaches to teacher
George, et al., 2000) the question of how education have emerged in teacher
trainees can best be prepared to become preparation program around the world.
effective classroom practitioners has been One of such approach is the introduction of
on the minds of teacher educators world- practicum in teacher education which is the
wide for many years (ibid). The teaching most highly valued component of teacher
profession is currently facing several preparation (Hill and Brodin, 2004; High
challenges; the global economy and and Tuck,2000 ; Glickman and Bey, 1990),
competitive market place, the changing provide a firm foundation for future
nature of job and advanced technology, professional development (MoE, 2003),
changes in demographic nature of students and has been a site where students’
and the growing bodies of knowledge about teachers can practice the art of teaching in
how people learn and what makes for real school context (Knnedy, 2006), and
effective teaching have caused teacher has the power of experience to critically
education to re-examine the basic shape the student teachers perception of
principles and methodologies of teacher teaching and learning (Gustafson and
preparation. Research also suggests that the Rowell, 1995).
act of teaching is becoming increasingly
The Need for Practicum in Teacher
complex and that highly competent
Education
teachers apply a range of practices for
Teacher expertise is the single most
varying purposes, incorporate and integrate
important factor in determining student
different kinds of knowledge, build up a
achievement and fully trained teachers are
far more effective with students than those
Ethiop. J. Educ. & Sc. Vol. 5 No 1 September 2009 110

who are not prepared (National to educate teachers is to give them real
Commission on Teaching and America’s experience of school and students (MoE,
Future, 1997). What knowledge and skills 2003) which led to the introduction of the
do expertise teachers possess? According practicum in teacher education- through
to Shulman (1986b), Teaching has been which student teachers understood the
described as a combination of an art, a socio-cultural, political and economic
craft, and a science. Knowing what to factors underpinning education, and also
teach, how to teach it, and what methods to can have first hand experience and
use with particular topics, particular kinds knowledge about the public school
of students and in particular settings all environment and secondary school
combine to form the knowledge and skills students. It also provides student teachers
that define teaching expertise. To this end with a frame of reference for the skills they
teacher education programs should aim to are building. It is a critically important part
develop the knowledge, skills and attributes of initial teacher education. Therefore,
of pre-service teachers’ inorder to prepare practicum experiences among pre-service
them to teach effectively in twenty first teachers are often described as the most
century classrooms. However, most teacher important part of teacher education
education programs fail to do so and program.
Ethiopia is not exceptional.
Futures of Quality Practicum
Teachers are ill prepared for the world of Practicum has been considered as a site
work (MoE, 2003) especially, professional where student teachers practice the art of
competency of teacher is deficient, teaching in real school context with student
unsatisfactory content knowledge, teachers assigned to one teacher and class
weakness at practical teaching, and for specific block of time (Zeichner , 1996)
graduates are not up to the standard. In and allow students to investigate current
addition, university course don’t duplicate work place conditions, internal and external
real life (Arnett and Freeburg, 2008). In factors influencing current structural /
order to fill these identified gaps the organizational features and the impact of
practicum came to its existence, and many school planning processes on classroom
literature started to argue that the bast way practices in relation to curriculum,
evaluation and pedagogy (Groundwater-
Practicum Experience in Fekede Tuli & Gemechis File 111

smith, 1996). Eyers (2004:1) stated that knowledge, pedagogical skills and
the practicum provides a flexible linkage insights.
and focus across the three learning domains
in the teacher preparation programs at the • is designed and implemented
higher education level – content within a partnership involving
knowledge, professional knowledge (‘what teacher education institutions
to know about schooling, schools and the (TEIs), schools, school systems
people in them’), and the knowledge and and relevant professional bodies
skills needed to function as capable and • articulates clear and progressive
caring professionals in those schools stages for the development of the
(sometimes called the ‘how to teach’ part). acquired knowledge, skills,
attributes and dispositions of
Quality practice within the practicum beginning teachers
component of pre-service teacher education • provides diverse experiences in a
programs were high related to the range of school contexts and with
preparation of quality teaching a variety of students
professionals. With regard to quality • assesses against clear delineations
practicum program Eyers (2004) identified of purposes, roles and
the desired characteristics of quality expectations of TEI student
practice within the practicum component of activity and performance
pre-service teacher education programs as • includes an assessment of resource
follows: needs and implications
A high quality practicum program: • is flexible and encourages
innovation
• integrates theoretical knowledge • involves ongoing evaluation and
and professional practice across response.
the three domains of a teacher
education program; ‘content’ With regard to how is the practicum
knowledge gained through a planned and implemented the same author
liberal education, professional summarized the general nature and
planning and operation of a quality
practicum as follow:
Ethiop. J. Educ. & Sc. Vol. 5 No 1 September 2009 112

• The practicum is devised as a colleagues and with their

clearly identifiable part of a counterpart teacher colleagues in
program to prepare beginning the schools.
teachers. While from its legal
responsibilities a TEI takes a • TEI administrators acting in
leading role in developing a plan cooperation with schools and
in concept and in detail for the school-systems locate schools
practicum as part of the whole willing and capable of providing
program, it does this in active quality places and support for the
partnership with the schools, school-based professional
school systems and other relevant experiences required of its
professional parties. students.
• The practicum typically consists • Selected teachers in those schools
of ‘on-campus’ and in-school have the knowledge, skills,
components/units which are dispositions and time to work in
closely related or integrated with collaboration with their TEI
one another, and which colleagues, and together they
progressively lead the TEI support, mentor and evaluate the
students towards developing and activities of the TEI students
demonstrating a set of well- through progressive stages
regarded knowledge-based skills, towards their goal of gaining an
capabilities and dispositions that initial qualification as a teacher.
the profession agrees are essential • Led by the mentor teachers,
for a teacher at the beginning collaborative reports are prepared
stages of a professional career… which clearly and reliably
• The TEI practicum staff are well- document the practicum-related
qualified and capable attainments of the students,
professionals who can work across enabling the TEI to confidently
both campus and school settings, certificate their achievements.
earning and enjoying a high
standing both with their academic
Practicum Experience in Fekede Tuli & Gemechis File 113

effective teacher education program. They

Implication of Current Trends for the suggest the need for change from the
Practicum in Teacher Education traditional, skill and technical model of
practicum experience to one with a broader
Despite the fact that Practicum is the most educative focus: a practicum experience
highly valued component of teacher that provides teacher candidates with
education program, there has been much opportunities for inquiry, for trying and
discussion and debate in the literature testing new ideas with in collaborative
(Zeichner,1996; Segall, 2002 cited in relationship, and for talking about teaching
Schulz, 2005) of what form it should take and learning in a new ways. In addition,
by questioning the educative value of the viewing the practicum as an important
traditional approach to practicum. opportunity for growth and learning rather
According to Schulz (2005) the traditional than demonstrating things already learned
approach to practicum emphasize technical Zeichner (1996) contended that a practicum
knowledge which is small part of teachers is educative if it helps teacher candidates to
knowledge and not sufficient to the understand the full scope of a teacher’s
preparation of teachers for the professional role, to develop capacity to learn from
role of teaching. This type of experience future experiences and to accomplish the
according to Darling-Hammond (1999) can central purpose of teaching.
socialize the pre-service teacher in to
maintenance of status quo rather than
developing critical inquiry approach in CONCLUSION
which teaching as a profession is Today’s schools face great challenges ever
underpinned by lifelong learning. than before. At the times of most profound
social, political, economical and
Teacher educators (e.g. Schulz, 2005; educational changes and challenges,
Zeichner, 1996; Darling-Hammond, 1999) schools are asked to educate the most
provide an alternative view and promote diverse and complex student body. To
the importance of relevant practical respond to these challenges and meet
experiences as a critical components of contemporary challenges that face schools,
it has been recognised that teaching
Ethiop. J. Educ. & Sc. Vol. 5 No 1 September 2009 114

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