Evaluation of Content in Physics Teacher Education in Relation to Pedagogic Skills of Student Teachers in Public Universities in Kenya

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue VI, June 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Evaluation of Content in Physics Teacher Education in Relation to Pedagogic Skills of Student Teachers in Public Universities in Kenya

Stellah Mutiembu Mukekhe

Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Kibabii University, Kenya.

Abstract: – Public universities in Kenya have been training physics teachers using the adapted Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) Science programmes that have been passed over from the founding universities. Growing disparities in the key content areas of the training among the universities has been witnesses, and yet, secondary school instruction to be conducted by the teachers is common. Moreover, poor performance of 38.27% in physics has been recorded in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations (KCSE) in the last 10 years and blamed on the training of teachers at the universities. These raise questions on whether content in physics teacher education equips student teachers with the requisite pedagogic skills. This study employed descriptive survey research design and participants consisted of 420 physics student teachers, 277 heads of physics subjects and 130 physics teacher trainers. It was revealed that content in physics teacher education should be enhanced to address key areas in secondary school physics, employ a variety of teaching and assessment strategies and focus on equipping student teachers with 21st century skills. The findings may be useful to public universities in Kenya to align content in B.Ed (Science) in physics programmes to acquisition of pedagogic skills necessary for effective secondary school physics instruction.

Key Terms: – Pedagogic skills, Public universities, students with learning disabilities

I. INTRODUCTION

The call for teacher training programmes that are responsive to the growing diversity of students in secondary school physics is high as the current students require teachers who are not only experts in their own fields, but also knowledgeable in other disciplines [29]. Similar sentiments had been made earlier by [9] who contends that the needs in physics teacher education have shifted from effective movement of merely delivering knowledge of content, towards the global movement, of consumer satisfaction, sustainable development and societal change. Moreover, as much as aligning theoretical and pedagogical academic preparations in teacher education are considered to promote meaningful and worthwhile pre-service experiences [19], it is also necessary that acquisition of pedagogic skills that include subject matter knowledge, assessment skills, communication skills, skills in use of resource materials and skills in use of information technology are addressed in physics teacher education programmes.

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