EMERGING ISSUES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION (STEM) INTERNSHIP [TEACHING PRACTICE (TP) AND SIWES]: CHALLENGES & PROSPECTS

Abstract

A teacher from a layman’s perspective can be seen as “one who gives instructions” and from this angle, anybody who is able to speak and has acquired the vocabulary that enable him give instructions, is seen as a teacher. Probably, this might be the reason why, many take the teaching profession for granted. However the complex process of teaching and learning (events / phenomena / skills) require that anyone taking the job should be equipped with knowledge and skills to handle the emotions, feelings, cognitive development, and values of learners, to concretize the learning process, Unachuku & Chinasa (2014). Thus, from professional point of view, a teacher must acquire reasonable professional qualification and training in requisite pedagogical skills and content knowledge. These skills make the teacher to be regarded as a cultivator of knowledge, an evaluator, and a mentor (Aluaede, 2009). The National Policy on Education NPE (2013) has the expectation that teaching in Nigeria shall attain the highest standards possible - the minimum level expected of trainees working towards qualified teacher status. It also highlighted “conditions of success” which includes; use of standards in the design of teacher education; sound grounding of teachers in both academic disciplines and pedagogy mastery; developing in teachers, the skills of team work, reflection and action research; literacy formation as an integral part of teacher preparation.

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