The Significance of Student Teachers’ Involvement in Co-Curricular Activities

Abstract

Around the world teacher training is increasingly offered through open distance learning (ODL). Distance education institutions need to ascertain whether they are producing appropriate made-tomeasure skills that will enable student teachers to educate learners to internationally competitive levels when entering the teaching profession. To reach such levels of competence teacher training should include co-curricular activities, which has also applies to co-curricular activities as these activities are an integral part of teaching. The specific purpose of the research under review has been to determine students’ perceptions of their participation in co-curricular activities during teaching practice periods in schools. The research was qualitative and driven by the following research question: What are student teachers’ perceptions of the significance of their participation in co-curricular activities for their own professional development? The aims of the research under review were to determine student teachers’ perceptions of the following: (1) the nature of cocurricular activities; (2) the value of co-curricular activities for learners; (3) the value of student teachers’ participation in co-curricular activities for their own professional development; (4) the effectiveness of teaching practice as presented in an ODL context; and (5) student teachers’ recommendations regarding their participation in co-curricular activities by means of ODL. Semistructured and open-ended questions were used to gather data from the participants. Results confirmed the importance of active participation in cocurricular activities in order to prepare students for their teaching career.