Archive | 2021
Microteaching as a Strategy for Preparing Teacher Trainnees in Open and Distance Learning Institutions
Abstract
Microteaching has been observed to be one of the key components in shaping the ultimate student and future teacher who can be trusted by the government and later on the citizenry of any country in the global village to effectively manage the educational environment. Even though important, microteaching in most teacher training institutions is likely not being given adequate emphasis that it deserves leading to insufficient innovative and skillful teaching. The research found out three major challenges which hamper effective planning, implementation and management of competent based microteaching. These challenges are excercabated by lack of dedication and inadequacies of time that is allocated for microteaching and deficits of applying pedagogical knowledge, limited subject content knowledge and application of theoretical concepts in practical teaching. Ghanagaguru [1] actually affirms this when he posits that microteaching is key to professional development and that it is a mechanism for improving teaching. Qualitative research methodologies were used to gather and analyze literature on the subject matter under study and to collect data from 15 participants. Participant population comprised of 37 Post Graduate Diploma in Education students at Zimbabwe Open University Bulawayo Regional Campus and 19 Zimbabwe Open University Bulawayo Regional Campus Teaching Practice Supervisors. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Reviewed literature analysis revealed that most microteaching researchers argue that those trainee teachers who undergo an extensive microteaching exercise display skillful and effective teaching practices. However, supervisors further revealed that whilst micro-teaching was relevant, it needed adequate preparation and more emphasis needed to be placed on providing a high technological support base for microteaching to be effectively implemented. Despite several challenges, the study concluded that microteaching was a pivotal strategy for developing professional expertise in teacher trainees as it exposed them to direct and practical teaching experiences in the classrooms as opposed to theoretical experiences.