Challenges Faced by Student Teachers During their Teaching Practicum: A case study of a Higher Education Institution in the Maldives

Abstract

Teacher education institutions play a key role in producing a professionally trained, quality teacher workforce for the nation. In the teaching programmes, teaching practicum is a key component, which allows students to practice the knowledge and skills acquired from the program in the field. As such, every student teacher must pass through the practical teaching module, the teaching practicum, which is supervised by trained and skillful mentors. In the context of the Maldives, it appears that little is known about the process and practices of the teaching practicum. It is in this spirit that the current study aimed to examine the challenges faced by student teachers during the teaching practicum. This study adopted a qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with eight participants. The findings of this study revealed that challenges were related to schools, institutions, and student teachers. It was therefore recommended that the institution and the respective school in charge should have a close relationship and good communication with each other to provide a conducive learning experience for the student teachers.