Challenges faced by student tutors in formulating effective lesson objectives during school practice: a case of Health Tutors’ College-Mulago

Abstract

The study was aimed at assessing the challenges student tutors faced in formulation of effective lesson objectives during school practice at HTC-Mulago. Lesson objectives are the means to addressing the course objectives and therefore should be specific and effectively formulated. The study was designed and executed using the principles of action research in which both qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures were employed. Face to face interviews were used during the situation analysis to establish the strengths weakness opportunities and threats regarding the pedagogy programs. The future workshop identified strategies for development of a guiding document on formulation of effective lesson objectives, an intervention that was later implemented on 20 students, ten in each of the pre and post-intervention test. Evaluation of the intervention was done using quantitative statistical (using the un-paired t-test) analysis of the results from the implementation phase. The result indicated that the performances between the post and pre-intervention tests was significant with a mean score difference 1.35 (p<0.001). In the second phase of evaluation, assessment of individual stakeholder’s opinions on the use of a guiding document on formulation of effective lesson objectives. At least 85% of the 20 students and all the 5 supervisors agreed that it is needed for utilization during school practice. The challenges student tutors face in development of effective lesson objectives are of a multi-factorial origin comprising of HTC-Mulago as an institution; supervisor related factors and student factors. The study revealed that student tutors can improve on their competence of formulating effective lesson objectives when a guiding document is used. HTC-Mulago should set up a quality assurance department to enable continuous improvement of training and educational for both tutor students and teaching staff.