ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TEACHING PRACTICE MODEL OF COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN GHANA: THE CASE OF ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, BECHEM

Abstract

This study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the teaching practice model in the St. Joseph’s

College of Education, Bechem. The study was a descriptive survey. A sample size of 115 randomly selected third year student teachers of the 2018/2019 academic year was used for the study. A 30-item close-ended questionnaire with indicators of effectiveness as competencies acquired, supervision, duration and school-community relation of teaching practice was used as the data collection instrument. The results showed that generally, the teaching practice exercise in the St. Joseph’s College of Education, Bechem was effective as more than 90 % of the student teachers agreed that the teaching practice gave them the opportunity to gain all the professional competences. Supervision was seen as very effective as college tutors went to supervise student teachers at least twice in a semester. To the student teachers, the duration of the teaching practice was enough even though they had to leave the classroom once in very month to attend lectures. The relationship of the school and the community with the student teachers was very cordial and student teachers felt at home in their schools of practice and communities of stay. It was recommended among others that the authorities in the St. Joseph College of Education, Bechem should be updating the expertise of the tutors as a way of professionally developing their competencies and that of the student teachers.