Journal of Education and Human Development

Teacher Preparation and Teaching Professional Competence among Federal Colleges of Education Graduates in South West-Nigeria
Akinbode Olusola Samuel, Abati Olugbenga Adekunle

Abstract
This paper examined the teacher preparation and teaching professional competence among federal colleges of education graduates in south west Nigeria. The study used descriptive survey design, carried out ex-post-facto. The sample for the study was selected through a multi stage sampling procedure. The first stage was the sampling of geo-political region, followed by the sampling of states, colleges, lecturers and students. Simple random sampling technique was used to select South-west, Nigeria. A sample of 2 federal colleges of education in two states of South-west Nigeria was drawn using purposive and simple sampling techniques respectively. The proportionate stratified sampling technique was used to sample 72 out of 362 lecturers; 904 students in FCE (Special) Oyo, 56 out of 283 lecturers; 776 students in FCE Abeokuta. This amounted to 128 lecturers and 1680 students. The study used two forms of “Classroom Teaching Observation Checklist (CTOC)” one for the assessment of pre-service teachers‟ teaching competence during their teaching practice exercise, and the trained/employed teachers‟ teaching competence in the classroom. While the second form evaluated the colleges of education lecturers‟ teaching of some courses that are the interest of this study. The “Course Content Assessment Checklist (CCAC)” was equally used to evaluate the content of the courses (Teaching Methods”, and “Teaching Principles and Techniques) and ascertain that the curriculum is in accordance with the NCCE benchmark for minimum academic standard (BMAS). The instruments recorded reliability coefficients of 0.73 for the first form of “Classroom Teaching Observation Checklist (CTOC)”, 0.76 for the second form, and 0.78 for the “Course Content Assessment Checklist (CCAC)”. The descriptive statistics of frequency count and simple percentage were used for the research questions generated and inferential statistics of Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used for the analysis and the null hypotheses developed for the study were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that teaching methods, teaching techniques and principles offered as courses, and teaching practice exercise undertaken contributed to the trainee teachers teaching professional competence; and employed teachers‟ teaching professional competence. Also, the teacher preparation curriculum in Federal Colleges of Education in Nigeria is inadequate. It is therefore recommended among others that the curriculum should incorporate learner-centred instructions and information and communication technology (ICT) into the processes of teaching and learning. Extensive pedagogical content knowledge, diverse problem solving strategies, improved knowledge of adaptation for diverse learners should be integrated into the teacher education curriculum.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v8n1a11