Assessment of Skills Development in Brunei Trainee Teachers: Intervention Implications

Lawrence Mundia

doi:10.12973/eu-jer.9.2.685

Abstract

<p style="text-align:justify">Teacher education has been innovated in Brunei to support the ongoing inclusive education and curriculum reforms. This survey investigated the development of essential instructional skills in initial Brunei trainee teachers. The sample consisted of 109 student teachers (71 females and 38 males). Significant mean scores (Mean ≥ 4, p< .05) and 95% confidence intervals were used to identify the levels of proficiency and enablers of success in teaching. Participants were proficient on 15 of the 28 skills measured by the Teacher Behaviors Checklist (Approachable; Confident; Effective communicator; Encourages; Enthusiastic; Flexible; Good listener; Humble; Prepared; Professional; Rapport; Respectful; Sensitive; Striving to be a better teacher; Understanding). From independent groups, T-tests and One-Way ANOVA analyses, other significant trends in participants’ performance emerged at p< .05 level of evaluation. Females scored highest on Humble and Realistic expectations while males scored highest on Understanding. Trainee teachers aged 31-35 scored highest on: Promoting critical thinking; and Providing constructive feedback, than counterparts. Participants with higher degrees (e.g. Master of Arts) scored higher on Authoritative skills than those with lower degrees (e.g. Bachelor of Arts). Trainees with teaching experience scored significantly higher on: Accessible; Knowledge about the subject matter; and Technological competence, than those with no experience. The findings suggest the need to help pre-service teachers to gain proficiency in all teacher skills to improve the quality of education in the country. Further research was recommended.</p>

Highlights

Education is considered as a significant aspect of a person’s life and the challenges manifested in the individual’s learning (Lupascu et al, 2014)
Research objective one The first research objective sought to determine the skills in which Brunei trainee teachers were proficient and deficient according to the 28 items of the Teachers’ Behaviour Checklist
The findings revealed that the 15 (54%) most developed skills (Mean ≥ 4.000) in the participating student teachers were: Approachable; Confident; Effective communicator; Encourages; Enthusiastic; Flexible; Good listener; Humble; Prepared; Professional; Rapport; Respectful; Sensitive; Striving to be a better teacher; and Understanding

Summary

Introduction

Education is considered as a significant aspect of a person’s life and the challenges manifested in the individual’s learning (Lupascu et al, 2014). Education in the Brunei classroom context entails quality instruction that positively impacts the learning process. The quality of instructions in the classroom is made up of five components, namely: teachers; teaching materials; context; students; and assessment (Yamtim et al, 2014). Teachers have been considered as the main elements in the students’ learning process. Most advances in learning have been made possible by effective teachers (Yamtim et al, 2014). Effective teaching and learning determine the ability of students to understand and assimilate the information received in the sciences (Lupascu et al, 2014; Sagala et al, 2019). Effective learning in educational institutions requires effective teachers and good teaching methods (Ates & Kadioglu, 2017)

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion