Quality of Teacher Education : Experiences of Student Teachers vis-à-vis Teachers’ Feedback

Abstract

This study focused on investigating the learning situation of student teachers especially their experiences on feedback they receive during their study time including teaching practice. It was conducted in Rwanda. The study was guided by the theories on educational quality which, on one side, places teacher education at the central position of ensuring effective teaching and learning process. In this line, effective training to make sure that teachers are taught in the same way they are expected to teach is essential. On the other side, feedback, which is an important element of the learning engine, is indicated necessary for ensuring that student teachers learn from a conducive environment. This study intended to answer the research question “How does teacher education look like regarding feedback in the Rwandan context?”. To answer this research question, the study was conceptualized as a qualitative research where semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 student teachers who have been selected using a theoretical sampling strategy from 13 Rwandan Higher Learning Institutions. Data collection was done in combination with data analysis to maximize all the qualities in the field. Qualitative content analysis using intertwined deductive-inductive approach has been used for data analysis. With abduction process, a deep analysis of the empirical data led to the definition of criteria and then ideal types of feedback experienced by student teachers in Rwanda. With this analysis, three types of feedback namely administrative feedback, correctional feedback, and instructional feedback emerged. Further analysis showed that student teachers in Rwanda experience different forms of feedback. They have divergent understandings of feedback. Delayed feedback leads to increased uncertainty among students, communication of feedback creates different forms of relationships between student teachers and teacher educators. In addition, student teachers learn implicitly from teacher educators how to provide feedback, and there are no common standards regarding internships. The analysis of the results of this study with regard to the discourse on teacher education, feedback, and educational quality indicates that feedback in teacher education has a multidimensional effect. It is an instrument for quality learning, learning climate, and social relationships. Feedback serves as a tool for student teachers’ professionalization and shows a transformative function for shaping teachers into change agents at the school level and in the society. When feedback focuses more on marks, it creates a misconception for student teachers about what effective feedback looks like. The study argues that feedback should be well integrated during the initial training of teachers to ensure that they experience it and are well prepared for establishing a conducive learning environment. This necessitates explicit role modelling from teacher educators. The findings of this study suggest avenues for further research about the distribution of these types of feedback, examine the effects of teachers’ role modelling on teaching quality and development in society, the role of feedback in preparing student teachers for reflective teaching, the conceptualization of teaching profession by student teachers, and influence of feedback to transformative education more especially the role of feedback about the pedagogy of peace. Regarding practice, this research underlines the need for integrating feedback in teacher training programme both as a content and an approach, associated with effective role modelling by teacher educators.