Browsing by Author "Otaala, Justine"

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Effectiveness of university teacher education curriculum on the secondary school teacher performance in Uganda: the case of Kyambogo University
(Journal of International Cooperation in Education., 2013) Otaala, Justine; Maani, John S.; Bakaira, Godfrey G.
The main objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Kyambogo University teacher-education curriculum on secondary school teacher performance in Uganda. The study was conducted between 2008-2011. Questionnaires, focus group discussions, lesson observations and interviews were administered to Kyambogo University lecturers, university students, secondary school teachers and students. Results indicate that most lecturers and secondary school teachers use teacher-centred methods. Theoretical teaching was widely practiced in schools and university. Teachers attributed their use of teacher-centered methods to their training and pressure of national examinations. Suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the university secondary teacher education program are made and include: university curriculum review, reform of examination system, conducting pedagogical courses for university lecturers, teachers, and involving experienced teachers in supervising students on school practice.
Primary school teacher trainees’ perceptions of the quality of support provided during mentoring
(Journal of Education and Entrepreneurship., 2018-09-01) Otaala, Justine
This study examined the Ugandan primary teacher trainees’ perceptions of the quality of support provided to them during their school practice/mentoring. Questionnaires were administered to 155 participants who had just completed their first school practice and randomly drawn from two Primary Teachers’ Colleges in the Central Region of Uganda. Questionnaires and interview transcripts were coded until a saturation point of 55 was reached, when no new themes and trends emerged. The 55 questionnaires were then considered for content analysis. Teacher trainees’ lesson plans and schemes of work were analyzed to assess the quality of support provided. Teaching timetables, class registers, records of work covered, learners’ progress records and mentors’ reports about the student teachers were also analyzed. Results showed that teacher trainees rated highly the quality of the support received from their mentors. They valued the support they received as relevant, important and helpful. It enables them acquire knowledge, attitudes, pedagogical skills and self-confidence. Nevertheless, some of them reported dissatisfaction with the quality of support provided, particularly mentors’ reluctance to entrust them with some critical aspects of teaching, mainly assessment. They also cited mentors’ unavailability to support them.
School practice supervision and performance of student teachers in higher institutions of learning in Uganda : empirical evidence from Kyambogo University and Ndejje University
(Journal of Education and Entrepreneurship., 2020-12-05) Apolot, Harriet Margret; Komakech, Robert Agwot; Kamanyire, Venance; Otaala, Justine
This study examined the impact of school practice supervision on performance of student teachers in higher institutions of learning in Uganda. Purposive and random samplings were used to select respondents from the two universities. Data was collected using interviews, closed and open-ended questionnaires from a sample of 103 respondents, and 76 respondents returned their well filled questionnaires giving a response rate of 73.8%. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS Ver. 20 while qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. The result showed a significant positive relationship between school practice supervision and student teacher performance (r=0.518, p<0.000) in higher institution of learning in Uganda. It also showed that school practice supervision improves student teachers’ subject competence; enhance their confidence in teaching and learning of new teaching techniques. It therefore concludes that although school practice is an integral part of the teacher education programs in both Kyambogo and Ndejje Universities, the practice is bedevilled with many challenges ranging from poor facilitation of both students and supervisors, lack of respect for both student teachers by lecturers and vice versa.