Stakeholders’ Perceptions On Effectiveness Of Assessment Processes During Teaching Practices Towards Student-Teachers’ Professional Growth In Public Teachers’ Colleges In Tanzania

ABSTRACT

The main objective of the study was to examine Stakeholders’ Perceptions on the Effectiveness of Assessment Process during Teaching Practices towards Studentteachers’ Professional Growth in Public Teachers’ Colleges in Tanzania. The study was conducted in two Teachers’ Colleges and six public primary and six secondary schools from Songea and Iringa municipalities, with a total of twenty-four respondents. The sample was obtained through purposive and stratified sampling techniques. Qualitative research approach was employed in the study with the use of focus group discussion, interviews and documentary review as data collection methods. The study used Social constructivist framework which helped to guide in the selection of data collection methods and analysis. The findings revealed that teaching practice assessments played a great role in the development of student teachers’ profession because the involved student teachers were able to identify key areas of improvement after Teaching practice assessments. It was further revealed that, the participated stakeholders accepted that the teaching practice assessments were catalysts to student teachers’ professional growth. Regardless of its importance the stakeholders (college tutors, student teachers & practicing site teachers) had unsatisfactory perceptions to some procedures of teaching practice assessments in teachers’ colleges; the identified procedures to be improved were; the timing of teaching practice assessments, ineffectiveness of assessments done by tutors, marginalizing practicing site teachers during teaching practice assessments, inconsistence among tutors and inadequate funds. The study concludes some areas for improvements by the government and colleges like providing adequate fund on time, reviewing some procedures of Teaching practice assessments, providing orientations to assessors before assessments and reviewing the schedule of teaching practices.