Exploring Pedagogical Expectations and Realities of Instructional, Assessment, and Mentoring Strategies on Student-Teachers’ Professional Development at Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education

Abstract

This study investigates instructional, assessment, and mentorship practices at a Ghanaian college of education by analyzing survey data from 10 lecturers and 104 student-teachers. The research is driven by a perceived gap between the pedagogical strategies espoused in teacher education reforms and the actual experiences of educators and student-teachers in the classroom. Employing a combination of descriptive statistics, comparative thematic and sentiment-based analysis through a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the study reveals both alignment and dissonance in the perceived effectiveness of pedagogical practices and key implementation challenges. Whereas most lecturers and student-teachers acknowledged group work and presentation as key pedagogical practices, over 80% of the student-teachers have received some form of mentorship. However, some student-teachers expressed greater dissatisfaction with instructional clarity, feedback mechanisms, and access to personalized mentorship, affirming a room for improvement. Limitations of the study include its confinement to a faculty in a single institution and reliance on self-reported data, which may affect generalizability. Nonetheless, serving as a baseline study, the findings offer critical implications for policy, including the need for enhanced mentorship systems, differentiated instruction, and more responsive assessment models. The study provides insights on the importance of aligning pedagogical innovation with the contextual realities of teacher training institutions, which could be explored extensively in other collegiate institutions.

Keywords: Assessment practices; Instructional strategies; Mentorship in teacher training; Mixed-methods educational research; Teacher education in Ghana

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/16-6-13

Publication date: June 30^th 2025