Preparing prospective teachers for teaching: the practice of teacher educators’ academic advice provision to prospective teachers at a College of Teacher Education in Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper reports the findings of a small-scale study that assessed the extent to which teacher educators’ academic advice provision to prospective teachers has been practiced. A questionnaire survey for 311 prospective teachers and an interview with 10 teacher educators and an Ex-Vice Dean at a College of Teacher Education in Ethiopia was administered. Also, the Grade Point Average of prospective teachers was taken from the registrar office of the college under study. Of the prospective teacher respondents, 54% reported not receiving academic advice from their teacher educators. In addition, the results of the interviews confirmed that teacher educators did not provide sufficient academic advice to prospective teachers for different reasons, such as the teacher educators’ lack of experience of providing academic advice, their inability to prepare a scheduled academic advice programme, and their workload. The study offers suggestions to help teacher educators and college administrators to improve the delivery of prospective teacher academic advice to enhance prospective teachers’ academic performance and thereby prepare them for teaching.