Student Teachers’ Perceptions of And Attitudes Towards Teaching Practice Deployment in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This paper presents results on the perceptions and attitudes of student teachers following the non-graduate Diploma in Education programme in 14 Primary and Secondary Teachers’ Colleges in Zimbabwe, towards Teaching Practice (TP) deployment and the implications of this deployment on their performance on final Teaching Practice assessment. A sample of 264 student teachers took part in the study which was conducted mainly by means of questionnaires and interviews on selected responses. The results show that student teachers hold views that differ from what others think of them on matters of deployment. Evidence indicates that both Primary and Secondary student teachers prefer being deployed in urban to rural schools. In the case of rural areas they show preference for mission rather than council schools.Where mission schools are well equipped, have facilities and proper accommodation and are easily accessible, student teachers consider they can perform well.