Reflective practice as a component of continuous professional development and tutor competences in teaching mathematics in the primary teachers’ colleges in north-west Nile Uganda: a case of certificate in teacher education proficiency

Date of Award

12-2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

First Supervisor/Advisor

Ms. Mary Anyango Oluga

Second Supervisor/Advisor

Prof. Marriote Ngwaru

Department

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Abstract

In 2007, the Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development, Eastern Africa (AKU-IED) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) of the Republic of Uganda in support of Certificate in Teacher Education Proficiency (C-TEP) for all tutors in Ugandan Primary Teacher‟s Colleges (PTCs). The C-TEP course had two face-to-face components of intensive professional development in designated venues, interspersed by Reflective Practice (RP). The course focused on empowering the tutors with skills to improve their competences in teaching practices. Underlying this course was the belief that skills development and competences in teaching process are of utmost importance for the tutors in supporting teacher trainees to improve their learning. This study set out to examine the extent to which RP influenced tutor competences in mathematics teaching in the PTCs in the West Nile region of Uganda. A case study underpinned by interpretative prototype was employed. Data was collected using questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis and lesson observation. The research participants included one principal, one deputy principal, one examinations secretary, two tutors and twenty students. The study was underpinned by observation by Dewey (1933) that we do not learn from experiences…we learn from reflecting on experiences. The study found out that tutors employ Reflective Practice unconsciously at varying and insignificant levels within; scheming and mathematics lesson planning, methods of teaching mathematics, assessment of mathematics learning outcomes and self-evaluation. This calls for sensitization of the tutors through Continuous Professional Development (CPD) to the understanding of Reflective Practice (RP) so that they can derive benefits of Reflective Practice (RP) such as improved mathematics teaching practices.

Key ideas: Reflective Practice, Tutor Competence, Continuous Professional Development and Mathematics Teaching.

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