Emirati pre-service teachers’ experiences of teaching science during college internships

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to explore the effect of internship experience on final-year pre-service teachers (PSTs) studying for a Bachelor of Education in Abu Dhabi. The UAE is undergoing a period of rapid education reform with a strong emphasis on use of student-centered learning strategies in the classroom. Teacher-training colleges, such as the one in which this research took place, have had to customize their programs to prepare and train teachers who can effectively implement this new approach. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten PSTs to explore the usefulness of the college science courses during their internship experience, and the challenges they faced during their internship. We also looked at how these experiences have influenced their confidence levels and the type of science teachers they want to be in the future. Findings – Results have shown that PSTs have variable opinions on the usefulness of the college courses. A perceived lack of emphasis placed by mentor teachers upon science may have long-term effects on the PSTs’ eventual use of teaching strategies. It was also shown that some of the PSTs still lacked confidence in science teaching. Practical implications – This research may provide national guidelines for teacher-training colleges in the UAE or in countries undergoing educational reform and moving towards student-centered approaches to learning. Originality/value – Research studies on the effect of internship on PSTs have been conducted in different countries but such studies have great novelty in the UAE.