Assessing the Efficacy of Peer Teaching as an Alternative to Teaching Practice: A Case of Molepolole College of Education

Authors

  • Tshepo A. Kgwefane Molepolole College of Education
  • Gosiame Setogile Masimega Molepolole College of Education

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47941/jep.1543

Keywords:

Peer Teaching, Teaching Practice, Pre-Service, Teacher Professional Development

Abstract

Purpose: The study sought to assess the effectiveness of peer teaching as a replacement of school-based teaching practice.

Methodology: The study used a case study research design and applied mixed methods approach to evaluate the viability of peer teaching as an option for school-based teaching practice. Questionnaires, interviews and group discussions were used to collect data. Different participants were randomly selected to respond to a questionnaire and they comprised sixty (60) year 3 students and sixty (60) lecturers. Ten (10) lecturers including four (4) Heads of Departments were purposively selected for interviews while six (6) student teachers were conveniently selected for group discussions.

Findings: The results indicated that peer teaching is a useful strategy to introduce teacher interns to the art of teaching. However, the peer teaching practice environment does not represent the realities of the school classroom. Thus, peer teaching is inadequate to be used as a substitute for school based teaching practice. The results point to need for a thorough review of the use of peer teaching in place of the school-based teaching practice.

Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Pedagogical content knowledge remains key form of knowledge in teacher professional development. The comparative study findings affirm the utility of the two strategies of peer teaching and teaching practice in teacher professional development. It highlights the limitations of peer teaching and underscores the uniqueness of teaching practice. Thus, it cautions against the use of peer teaching as a replacement for the traditional school-based teaching practice. This challenges both practitioners and policy makers to think of alternative practices to be used instead of teaching practice in the event the usual experiential on-field practice option is not available.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Tshepo A. Kgwefane , Molepolole College of Education

Department of Computer Education

Gosiame Setogile Masimega, Molepolole College of Education

Department of Communication and Study Skills

References

Abdelkarim, R. E., & Abuiyada, R. (2016). The effect of peer teaching on mathematics academic achievement of the undergraduate students in Oman. International education studies, 9(5), 124-132. doi:10.5539/ies.v9n5p124

Adu-Yeboah, C., & Kwaah, C. Y. (2018, October 26). Preparing teacher trainees for field experience: Lessons from the on-campus practical experience in colleges of education in Ghana. SAGE Open, 8(4). doi:https:doi.org/10.1177/2158244018807619

Aglazor, G. (2017). The role of teaching practice in teacher education programmes: Designing framework for best practice. Global Journal of Education Research, 16(2), 101-110. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gjedr.v16i2.4

Aigbavboa et al. (2018). Influence of experiential learning on education of construction students in South Africa. Procedings of International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, Paris, France, July 26-27, 2018 (pp. 2779-2786). Paris, France: IEOM Society International. Retrieved from http://www.ieomsociety.org/paris2018/papers/517.pdf

Koehler, M. M., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-90. Retrieved from http://eddl.tru.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/What-Is-Technological-Pedagogical-Content-Knowledge-M.J.Koehler2009.pdf

Lucas et al. (2018). The utility of case study as a methodology for work-integrated learning research. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, Special Issue, 19(3), 215-222. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.ed.gov

Makamure, C. (2020). Pre-service teachers' prior expectations and their actual experiences of teaching Mathematics during pedagogical internship in Zimbabwe. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 78(6), 983-999. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov

Manchishi, P. C., & Mwanza, D. S. (2016, November). Teacher preparation at the University of Zambia.: Is peer teaching stilll a useful strategy? International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE), 3(11). doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.204331/2349-0381.0311012

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9620.2006.00684.x

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2008). Introducing technological pedagogical content knowledge. Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association New York City, March 24-28, 2008, (pp. 1-16). New York. Retrieved from https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.605.9082&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Mulyati, S., & Sopiah, S. (2023). Influence of field experience practices on student readiness to become teachers and their self-efficacy levels. International Journal of Studies in Education and Science, 4(2), 137-150. doi:https://doi.org/10.46328/ijres.71

Ozbal, A. F., & Eski, T. (2019, June 30). Students' and teachers' opinions about ski lessons taught by using peer teaching model. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 14(2), 171-177. doi:https://doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v14i2.4136

Robinson, M., & Rusznyak, L. (2020). Learning to teach without school-based experience: Conundrums and possibilities in a South African context. Journal of Education for Teaching, 46(4), 517-527. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2020.1800408

Schaffer, C., & Welsh, K. (2014). Transforming field experiences to create authentic teaching opportunities. The Nebraska Educator: A Studnt-Led Journal, 116-134. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nebeducator/21

Shulman, L. S. (1986, February). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4-14. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1175860

Sukrajh et al. (2021, June 25). Promoting active learning in medical education using the peer teaching model: Perceptions of senior medical students. SN Soc Sci, 1(158). doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s435445-021-00170-1

Talaee, E., Bozorg, H., & Schrittesser, I. (2023). Implications of Teachers' Personal Practical Knowledge for Teacher Training Programs: A Case Study of Primary Teachers. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 11(2), 407-423. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijemst.2494

Thaba, K. L., & Kanjere, M. M. (2014, December). Experiential Learning in initial teacher education: Do schools have mentoring capacity? Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(27), 537-537. doi:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n27p537

Thuketana, N. S. (2020, May 1). Mutual benefits of an experiential learning community project in South Africa: perceptual skills development and learning support. The Independent Journal of Teaching and Learning, 49-62. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-1d6699cf94

Varela, D. G., & Desiderio, M. F. (2021, January). Perceptions of COVID-19 pandemic impact on the student teaching experience. Research in Higher Education Journal, 39, 1-12. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1293799

Voinohovska, V., & Goravona, E. (2017). Student peer teaching: An innovative instructional method to foster student problem-solving and in-depth learning. 10th Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, (pp. 0741-0748). Seville, Spain. doi:10.21125/iceri.2017.027

Downloads

Published

2023-12-01

How to Cite

Kgwefane , T. A. ., & Masimega, G. S. . (2023). Assessing the Efficacy of Peer Teaching as an Alternative to Teaching Practice: A Case of Molepolole College of Education. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(7), 65–81. https://doi.org/10.47941/jep.1543

Issue

Section

Articles