From theory to practice: Beginner teachers’ experiences of the rigour of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education programme

Vuyokazi Nomlomo,Zilungile Sosibo

doi:10.18820/2519593x/pie.v34i1.14

Abstract

This article focuses on how recent graduates perceive the rigour of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) initial teacher education (ITE) programme. The article is based on qualitative data collected from a purposely selected sample of 19 beginner teachers who graduated from two higher education institutions that offer PGCE programmes in the Western Cape. Data were primarily collected by means of open-ended semi-structured interviews and triangulated through document analysis. Results revealed how beginner teachers' conceptions of rigour of the ITE programme differ considerably from those advocated by experts on teacher education. The authors of this paper recommend that if rigour in teacher education programmes is to be understood, voices of student teachers and other stakeholders (e.g. teachers, school principals, communities, policy makers) should be included in the design and development of teacher-education curricula. Inclusion of these voices might constructively complement existing conceptions of rigour and influence ITE curriculum policy for the benefit of all stakeholders. Nonetheless, it should be borne in mind that some of these conceptions of rigour might not be informed by theoretical underpinnings and can therefore not supersede those of the experts.

Highlights

Introduction and backgroundDuring the apartheid era, initial teacher education (ITE) in South Africa was offered in teacher training colleges that were racially segregated (Pournara, 2009)
We have shown that beginner teachers have their own ideas, definitions and assumptions about rigour of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programme, as experienced by them in their practical engagements in the classrooms
We acknowledge that teaching is a complex activity and that theories provided by TE policymakers and experts about what constitutes rigour in ITE are significant

Summary

Introduction

Introduction and backgroundDuring the apartheid era, initial teacher education (ITE) in South Africa was offered in teacher training colleges that were racially segregated (Pournara, 2009). Whereas the B.Ed. is a four-year degree, the PGCE is offered full-time over one year or part-time over two years after a bachelor’s degree or equivalent diploma Both qualifications are pegged at level 7 on the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (DHET, 2015). The B.Ed. degree carries a minimum of 480 credits while the PGCE carries 120 credits This is because a three-year undergraduate degree of 360 credits or an approved diploma is a prerequisite for students’ entry into the PGCE programme (DHET, 2011). Students with these qualifications should have acquired sufficient content knowledge in a teaching subject to be admitted into the PGCE programme. PGCE students are required to spend between eight and twelve weeks in schools for supervised and assessed teaching practice

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Conclusion