The Understanding of Curriculum Philosophy among Trainee Teachers in Regards to Soft Skills Embedment

Aminuddin Hassan,Marina Maharoff

doi:10.5539/ies.v7n12p84

Abstract

Curriculum philosophy may assist in learning practices that coincide with the philosophy of educational institution and community. This study was aimed to understand how the teacher trainees who pursued Bachelor of Teaching (PISMP) understand the embedment of soft skills into learning activities for core courses in Malaysian Institutes of Teacher Education (IPGMs). This is necessary because embedding soft skills is sometimes considered to be out of interest among the teacher trainees that may lead to neglect the aspects of soft skills development among them. The study was conducted using a case study methodology through the qualitative approach. The respondents comprised of nine teacher trainees from the final year of study. The results yielded the teacher trainees’ beliefs and identified the ways soft skills were embedded among them as they pursued their course. The results of this study allowed those involved in the development of teacher trainees’ soft skills to generate ideas to develop a model to embed soft skills, in line with the interpretation of soft skills, for the teacher trainees in the IPGM.

Highlights

Curriculum philosophy provide educators the knowledge on how students learn and what teaching methods are worthy practices, as well as the idea that learners’ philosophies may evolve and continue to evolve along with personal growth and experiences (Ornstein, Pajak, & Ornstein, 2011)
The formal approach to overcome the problem of embedding soft skills can be done by integrating soft skills competencies into the curriculum of a program (Schulz, 2008)
This study suggested the influence of embedding soft skills in teacher trainees’ learning

Summary

Introduction

Curriculum philosophy provide educators the knowledge on how students learn and what teaching methods are worthy practices, as well as the idea that learners’ philosophies may evolve and continue to evolve along with personal growth and experiences (Ornstein, Pajak, & Ornstein, 2011). The best method of soft skills embedment should be by providing the softest skills learning experience for students. Interests around the world for the study have resulted in diverse definitions of soft skills and development of soft skills among university students, which are rooted in several factors broadly classified either pedagogical or socio-economic. Situation learning theory suggests that humans would learn more effectively in situations that may give meaning to them. Based on this reason, the embedment of soft skills in the students’ study programs or relevant contexts has continued to become the focus in the development of soft skills in higher education institutes

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion