A mentoring model to enhance work integrated learning for B.ED Third year student teachers within the King Cetshwayo District
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Date
2022
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Abstract
Mentoring of pre-service teachers during teaching practice has been characterised by many challenges, however, little is known about the availability of a model for effective mentoring of pre-service teachers in South African schools. The aim of this study was to develop a model to enhance the mentoring programme for B.Ed. third-year student teachers, within the King Cetshwayo District, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Data for the study was collected through interviews from twelve subject mentors who were purposively selected from twelve schools within the King Cetshwayo District and was analysed thematically. Results revealed that while there has been a noticeable interest among educators to mentor pre-service teachers who come for the teaching practice exercises, there seems to be a dearth of models or techniques to guide subject mentors on what to do when it comes to effective mentoring of pre-service teachers. School mentoring plays a significant role in the professional development of pre-service teachers, especially the teaching practice exercise which is geared towards exposing pre-service teachers to real life classroom teaching experience before they are eventually certified. Subject mentors rely mainly on their experiences and expertise to mentor pre-service teachers without following any mentoring model. Any communication breakdown between the university and the host schools’ subject mentors has a negative influence on the student-teachers. Based on the findings, a Six Grounding Model was developed. The study also recommends for universities with B.Ed. degree programmes to conduct adequate screening and pre-assessment of selected primary and secondary schools before mobilising pre-service teachers to such schools.
Description
A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Educational Planning and Administration in the Faculty of Education, University of Zululand, 2022.