Impact Of Teaching Practice Experience Of Economics Education Students Perception Of The Teaching Profession In Nigerian Universities

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Education is the backbone in the development of a society and teacher has a pivotal role in the education system. The National policy on Education (2004) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria asserted that since no education system may rise above the quality of its teachers, education shall continue to be given major emphasis in the national planning and development. Teaching practice is a major component of a Teacher Education Program (Adeleke, 2011).

Teaching as a profession has been described as the mother of all professions. In its noble goal of building up other professions, it has become the bedrock of national growth and development since no nation can rise above the quality of its teachers. It is therefore imperative that those involved in this business of teaching must possess the relevant knowledge and skills through adequate training to enable them meet the yearnings and expectations of all stakeholders in education (Ayoade, 2014)

Teaching is an activity performed by an individual (who is the teacher) whose intention is to bring about learning. Teaching is an exciting and rewarding activity that is very demanding. Teaching requires that the practitioners clearly understand what should be done to bring about the most desirable learning in the learners and be highly proficient in the skills necessary to carry out this tasks. The role of teachers in sustainable development cannot be quantified, especially in training personnel in various areas of the workforce. However, according to Nwanekezi, Okoli and Mezieobi (2011), the teacher needs to be properly educated and trained for professional efficiency and inculcated with a positive attitude that will enable him/her go through the training properly and come out well equipped for the responsibility ahead.

To provide professional education for teachers, colleges of education have been established almost all over the world (Azeem, 2011). In Nigeria, teacher education program exists in consonance with the various levels of education that is NCE and B.Ed. for colleges of education and universities respectively. All the teachers training institutions are not imparting theoretical but also practical knowledge and skill in teaching different subject to prospective teachers. At the end of the session, teaching practice is carried out for practical application of theoretical understanding about different teaching methods.

Teaching practice occupies a key position in the 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 teachers 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 trainees the opportunity to utilize the various teaching methods in actual classroom conditions under constant supervision of competent and experienced teachers.

Currently, in Nigerian universities, teaching practice is a compulsory course in the faculties of education which forms part of the prerequisites for graduation. However, observations have shown that there is a decline in the quality of teaching practice being offered in the universities now. It appears that teaching practice as being currently run in the universities is considered as inadequate. There seems to be a lot of problems facing the prospective teachers in the course of carrying out the teaching practice exercise that seem to affect the effectiveness of the student teachers.

Personal experience has shown that some of these problems are student teacher related problems while some are institutions (universities) related problems and some are co-operating schools related problems. For instance, Idowu (2000) remarked that the programme is beset with a multiplicity of problems and a lot of difficulties confronting student teachers, cooperating teachers as well as the co-operating schools and the supervisor. The author identified some of the problems to include psychological makeup of the student teachers, pedagogical preparations, classroom adaptation, mode and means of assessment.

Jekayinfa, Yahaya, Yusuf, Ajidagba, Oniye, Oniyangi and Ibraheem (2012) have commented on the quality of teaching practice. The authors lamented that the quality of the exercise as being currently run is inadequate. Ogonor and Badmus (2006) submitted that student teachers are not often properly groomed to put into practice current pedagogy and interactive skills that has been theoretically learnt.

Studies have also revealed some other problems that bedeviled the teaching practice exercise for example, Ogonor 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 the ample opportunity to effectively gain the experience which the exercise is intended to encourage. The author remarked that some supervisor do not even have time to sit down and discuss their observations and comments with the student teachers. The short discussion between the supervisor and the student teacher just after the lesson supervisor which should afford the student teacher the opportunity to appreciate his strengths and weaknesses are often ignored because the supervisor is often in a haste to move on to the next school.

1.2 Statement of Problem

The problem is that some student teachers do not perform well in economics while on teaching practice due to inadequate of instructional materials, master the subject matter good methodology, inability to control classroom during the teaching, over familiarity, lack of accommodation and office facilities for the student teachers, too much of works at time is 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.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine the impact of teaching practice experience of economics education students perception of the teaching profession in Nigerian universities.

The specific purposes of this study include the following:

• To assess economics education students perception perception on the positive influence of teaching practice exercise.
• To assess economics education students perception perception on the problem faced by student teacher during teaching practices.
• To assess opinion of economics education students on the impact of teaching practices on students perception of teaching profession.
• To assess economics education students perception perception on the measures through which student teachers’ experience can be improved.

1.4 Research Questions

The study will be guided by the following questions:

• What are the positive influence of teaching practice exercise?
• What are the problem faced by student teacher during teaching practices?
• Does teaching practices influence students perception of teaching profession?
• What are the measures through which student teachers’ experience can be improved?

1.5 Research hypothesis

Ho: Teaching practices does not influence students perception of teaching profession.

Ha: Teaching practices influences students perception of teaching profession.

1.6 Significant of the Study

Students-teachers, lecturers, colleges of education and universities, and future researchers will benefit from this study. The major beneficiaries of this research epistle are student teachers, in the sense that the study will familiarize them with the programme’s challenges and possible solutions to such challenges. This will enable them to be better graduates, more prepared to tackle the challenges of teaching. Through this study, supervisors of teaching practices and cooperating school teachers will become acquainted with the best and most effective ways of assisting student teachers to realize or achieve the objectives of teaching practice. The study will aid colleges and universities in preparing their students for teaching practice by providing them with the fundamentals of teaching. It will also aid in the development of solutions to the difficulties and, as a result, in the modification of the programme. Finally, future researchers will find the study useful as a reference for further research on related topics.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study will assess the impact of teaching practice experience of economics education students perception of the teaching profession in Nigerian universities. Hence the study will be delimited to Ondo State University of Science and Technology Okitipupa.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. More so, the findings of this study is limited to the sample population in the study area, hence may not be suitable used in comparison to other schools, local governments, states and other countries of the world.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Teaching Practice:

Teaching practice is the training for teaching or any education work are engaged in a specified period of time on graduation under a supervisor or supervisor guiding, directing and assessing trainee teacher.

Student Teacher:

A student teacher is a student teacher who has not yet completed training to be a teacher.

1.10 Organizations of the Study

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, and selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.