An Investigation of the Teaching Approach Used by Tutors to Prepare Science and Mathematics Teachers during Training at Morogoro Teachers’ College

Abstract

This paper investigated the teaching approach used by tutors to prepare science and mathematics teachers during training at Morogoro teachers’ college. For six years consecutive the performance of science and mathematics in secondary school has become very poor even though the training colleges produce science and mathematics teachers every year to teach secondary schools. This brought a doubt on the teaching approach used by science and mathematics tutors in teachers’ colleges to prepare science and mathematics teachers during training. The researcher conducted the study to see if the Science Processes Skills (SPS) are well applied during training of the prospective science and mathematics teachers.The study employed qualitative approach with a case study design. Key informant interview and focus group discussion were the main methods of data collection whereby 32 respondents were purposively involved in data collection. Content analysis was used to analyze data thematically. The study found that the science and mathematics teachers during training were not prepared by using scientific approach which was science process skills such as problem and inquiry. Other methods contrary to science process skills and competence based curriculum were used such as lecture method and rare question and answers.

Keywords: Scientific Approach, Science Process Skills (SPS), Science and Mathematics, Tutors, Teachers, Competence Based Curriculum, Training Colleges