IMPROVING TEACHING SKILLS OF PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS THROUGH ENHANCED MICROTEACHING

Abstract

Basic science and technology is an important aspect of science education to which students in junior secondary schools are exposed in order to acquire scientific literacy for systematic enquiry about life and their environment. However, it has been indicated in research that certain factors relating to students, teachers and school constitutes poor performance of basic education students. Of these, basic education teachers have been found to exhibit poor teaching skills in spite of investment in research and the efforts of teacher training institutions to produce teachers with relevant teaching skills. Therefore, this study attempted to improve the teaching skills of pre-service teachers through enhanced microteaching. The sample consisted of 37 pre-service teachers in part 2 {2020/2021 session} integrated science combinations in the school of science, College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Nigeria. An embedded experimental model of mixed method research with {QUANqual} notation was adopted. Blended Reflective Practice was used to train the pre-service teachers to enhance teaching skills in microteaching sessions. Data were collected quantitatively in one group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design using Teaching Skills Rating Scale TSRS and qualitatively in interview sessions with pre-service teachers to support results from the intervention. T-Test statistics was computed to compare the mean difference between pre and post-tests to determine the influence of Blended Reflective Practice on pre-service teachers’ teaching skills. The study concluded that Blended Reflective Practice is a vibrant pedagogical tool to enhance teaching skills in teacher training institutions in Nigeria and beyond.