Preparing student teachers for teaching: an exploration of field experience in three Colleges of Education in Ghana

This study sought to understand the processes of providing practical experience to student-teachers in preparing them for teaching, and how the trainees perceive these. It used the mixed method approach to obtain data from 3 purposively sampledColleges of Education and 12 schools of attachment in the Central Region of Ghana. Questionnaires were administered to 232 student-teachers; 12 focus group discussion sessions were held with mentees while an interview guide was used to elicit data from 24 mentors. The study found that there were no documented guidelines for the conduct of practicum, which meant uniformity in the approach was lacking; different processes and intensity of practicum organisation occurred in the colleges, and poor mentoring and supervision happened in most schools of attachment. Again, most mentors were untrained for their task, and the elements of partnership between teacher-training institutions and schools of attachment, which normally characterise practicum were not observed. This situation led to little articulation between the college preparation and activities of schools of attachment, and how one informs the work of the other. Moreover, student-teachers received very little professional guidance on how to develop their teaching competencies. Consequently, the study recommended that institutions should develop appropriateteaching standards and guidelines for practicum. Again, colleges should foster a strict adherence to the elements of partnership, while ensuring that qualified mentors are formally appointed, trained, incentivized and supported.