Academic and Administrative Practices in Secondary School Teacher Education of Ethiopia: Implications for Student-Teachers’ Learning Engagement

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to examine student-teacher learning engagement with respect to secondary school teacher education academic and administrative practices1. Data were collected from 212 student teachers through questionnaire. Teacher education management staff and teacher educators participated in the interview sessions. One sample t-test, independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regressions were employed as data analysis techniques. The analysis of the data indicated the following. Among the variables under treatment, curriculum materials’ contribution was significantly above the expected level of performance. The actual performances of the other variables such as teacher educators, student teachers, MoE, university and faculty/department were significantly below the expected standards. The entire academic practices were significantly greater than the entire administrative practices though both were not able to attain the expected standard. As the regression analysis revealed, all the six elected academic- and administrative-related practices as a whole contributed 46.19% of the variant for student-teachers’ learning engagement. From this gross contribution (46.19%), 15.54% was credited for teacher educators, 12.78% for student teachers, 11.39% for the curriculum, 0.44% for MoE, 2.40% for universities, and 3.64% for faculty/department. Based on the results, teacher educators and student teachers need to be business-oriented for initiating student teachers learning engagement whatever the quality and amount of administrative practices look like. Teacher education administrative members (MoE, university and faculty or department management group) should acknowledge doing something in order to support student teachers learning engagement. Therefore, they should have clear guidelines to create mutual understanding and practice among all teacher education stakeholders in order to minimize challenges or confusions that come from misunderstandings.