Understanding Student Teacher and Teacher Educator Experiences of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Learning to Teach Mathematics

Abstract

This article presents student teacher and teacher educator experiences of a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with a mathematics focus as offered by a university of technology in the Western Cape, a province of South Africa. Experiences are explored by using selection process, modality, curriculum, and assessment as themes. Semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis provided qualitative data which were analysed using Tesch’s coding method within an interpretivist paradigm. In short, the PGCE studied is accessible to diploma graduates, using guided-self-study, and involving content based on teacher educator discretion; achievement is verified by continuous assessment. The contribution to knowledge is case study insights as to what experiences a PGCE in South Africa entails.