Critical Appraisal of Teacher Education Programmes in Achieving Curriculum Goals in Kenya

Authors

  • JOSPHAT KAGEMA KARATINA UNVERSITY

Abstract

This paper makes a critical appraisal of teacher education programmes in achieving curriculum goals. Teacher education refers to the policies and procedures designed to equip prospective teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classroom, school and wider community. Although ideally it should be conceived of, and organized as, a seamless continuum, teacher education is often divided into several stages, especially in Kenya. This paper, therefore, makes a critical evaluation of teacher education programmes in the Kenya school curriculum. It develops an understanding of the concepts in teacher education and the diversity of curriculum for teacher preparation at the respective stages from the neophyte or pre-primary stages to continuing education. It further examines the educational trends of post-independent Kenya in respect to teacher preparation as well as the diverse global perspectives. A comprehensive landscape of teacher education in Kenya is provided, drawing from the history. Finally, the paper dissects the emerging challenges of teacher education in Kenya in the realm of attainment of Kenya’s Vision 2030 and makes recommendation of the prospects in this field associated with this kind of education in the attaining of the overall goals of education in Kenya

References

Ashby, P., Hobson, A., Tracey, L., Malderez, A., Tomlinson, P., Roper, T., Chambers, G. and Healy, J. (2008). Beginner teachers' experiences of initial teacher preparation, induction and early professional development: a review of literature. London: DCSF

Ball, A. F. (2009). Toward a theory of generative change in culturally and linguistically complex classrooms. American Educational Research Journal, 46(1), 45-72.

Ball, D. L., & Bass, H. (2001). Interweaving content and pedagogy in teaching and learning to teach: Knowing and using mathematics. In J. Boaler (Ed.), Multiple perspectives on mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 83-104). Westport, CT: Ablex.

Ball, D. L., Thames, M. H., & Phelps, G. (2008). Content knowledge for teaching: What makes it special? Journal of Teacher Education, 59(5), 389-407.

Brophy, J. (1989). Research on teacher effects: Uses and abuses. Elementary School Journal, 89(1), 3-21.

Carver, C. L., & Feiman-Nemser, S. (2009). Using policy to improve teacher induction: Critical elements and missing pieces. Educational Policy, 23(2), 295-328

Cochran-Smith, M., & Fries, M. K. (2001). Sticks, stones, and ideology: The discourse of reform in teacher education. Educational Researcher, 30(8), 3-15.

Chin, E., & Young, J. W. (2007). A person-oriented approach to characterizing beginning teachers on alternative certification programs. Educational Researcher, 36(2), 74-83.

Dangel, J. R., & Guyton, E. M. (2005). Research on alternative and non-traditional education. Lanham, MD: Association of Teacher Educators with Scarecrow Press.

Darling-Hammond, L., Chung, R., & Frelow, F. (2002). Variation in teacher preparation: How well do different pathways prepare teachers to teach? Journal of Teacher Education, 53(4), 286-302.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2000). Reforming teacher preparation and licensing: Debating the evidence. Teachers College Record, 102(1), 28-56.

Feistritzer, C. E. (2007). Introduction. Alternative teacher certification: A state-by-state analysis. Retrieved from http://www .teach-now.org/intro.cfm

Fenstermacher, G. D., & Richardson, V. (2005). On making determinations of quality in teaching. Teachers College Record, 107(1), 186-213.

Grossman, P., Schoenfeld, A., & Lee, C. (2005). Teaching subject matter. In L. Darling- Hammond & J. Bransford (Eds.), Preparing teachers for a changing world: What teachers should learn and be able to do (pp. 201-231). San Francisco, CA: Jossey- Bass.

Grossman, P., & Loeb, S. (2008). Alternative routes to teaching: Mapping the new landscape of teacher education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

Johnson, S. M., Birkeland, S. E., & Peske, H. G. (2005). Life in the fast track: How states seek to balance incentives and quality in alternative teacher certification programs. Educational Policy, 19(1), 63-89.

Johnson, S. M., & Liu, E. (2004). What teaching pays, what teaching costs. In S. M. Johnson & The Project on the Next Generation of Teachers (Eds.), Finders and keepers: Helping new teachers survive and thrive in our school (pp. 49-68). San Francisco, CA: Jossey- Bass.

Kafu, P. (2003) Teacher Education: Its implication to Quality of Teachers in Kenya (unpublished paper) Moi University.

Kafu, P. A. (2006). Emerging issues in Teacher Education in Kenya (Unpublished paper). Moi

University.

Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Board, 2014

Kersting, N. B., Givvin, K. B., Sotelo, F. L., & Stigler, J. W. (2010). Teachers’ analyses of classroom video predict student learning of mathematics: Further explorations of a novel measure of teacher knowledge. Journal of Teacher Education, 61(1-2), 172- 181.

Kiptoon (1996). Half-Baked Graduates: Challenges of Education in Kenya. Nairobi, Nation Media Group.

Liu, E., Johnson, S. M., & Peske, H. G. (2004). New teachers and the Massachusetts signing bonus: The limits of inducements. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 26(3), 217-236.

Lucas, Eric (1968). Comparative Education. The Perspective of Teacher Education in East Africa. Makerere University College, Kampala.

Murnane, R. J., & Steele, J. L. (2007). What is the problem? The challenge of providing effective teachers for all children. Future of Children, 17(1), 15-43.

National Research Council. (2010). Preparing teachers: Building evidence for sound policy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, Committee on the Study of Teacher Preparation Programs in the United States, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education.

Peske, H. G., Liu, E., Johnson, S. M., Kauffman, D., & Kardos, S. M. (2001). The next generation of teachers: Changing conceptions of a career in teaching. Phi Delta Kappan, 83(4), 304-311.

Richardson, V. (1996). The role of attitude and beliefs in learning to teach. In J. Sikula, T. Buttery, & E. Guyton (Eds.), Handbook of research on teacher education (2nd ed., pp. 102-119). New York, NY: Macmillan

Republic of Kenya (1988). Sessional Paper No. 6: Development of Education for this decade and Beyond. Nairobi, Government Printers.

Seidel, T., & Shavelson, R. J. (2007). Teaching effectiveness research in the past decade: The role of theory and research design in disentangling meta-analysis results. Review of Educational Research, 77(4), 454-499.

Sherin, M. G., & van Es, E. A. (2009). Effects of video club participation on teachers’ professional vision. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(1), 20-37.

Shulman, L. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57(1), 1-22.

Sifuna, D & Otiende, J., (2004). An Introductory History of Education. Nairobi: University of Nairobi Press.

Sykes, G., Bird, T., & Kennedy, M. (2010). Teacher education: Its problems and some prospects. Journal of Teacher Education, 61(5), 464-476.

Thomas, K. R., Friedman-Nimz, R., & Mahlios, M. C. (2005). Where are they coming from? Beyond the demographics of individuals seeking an alternative route to mathematics and science teacher licensure. Action in Teacher Education, 27(1), 15-25.

Wang, J., & Odell, S. (2002). Mentored learning to teach according to standards-based reform: A critical review. Review of Educational Research, 72(3), 481-546.

Wayne, A. J., & Youngs, P. (2003). Teacher characteristics and student achievement gains: A review. Review of Educational Research, 73(1), 89-122.

Wideen, M., Mayer-Smith, J., & Moon, B. (1998). A critical analysis of the research on learning to teach: Making the case for an ecological perspective on inquiry. Review of Educational Research, 68(2), 130-178.

Wilkins, E. (1975). Education in Practice: A handbook for Teachers: London. Evans Brothers Ltd.

Wong, H (2004). Induction programs that keep new teachers teaching and improving; NASSP Bulletin, 88, (638)

Zeichner, K. M., & Conklin, H. G. (2005). Teacher education programs. In M. M. Zeichner (Eds.), Studying teacher education (pp. 645-735). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Downloads

Published

2018-06-05

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2018): International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction

Section

Articles

License

Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent of the Publisher. The Editors reserve the right to edit or otherwise alter all contributions, but authors will receive proofs for approval before publication.

Copyrights for articles published in International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.