Teaching practice evaluation: Pre-service teachers? reflection

Teaching practice is an important aspect of teacher education programmes in terms of pre-service teachers? ongoing professional development. Teaching practice evaluation on the other hand, is used to measure pre-service teachers? effectiveness based on the quality of their teaching and the promotion of professional learning. This study aims to explore pre-service teachers? reflection on their teaching practice evaluations. It sought to explore pre-service teachers? perceptions and reflections based on their mentors? grading of their teaching practice evaluation. The participants were third year Bachelor of Education science students at a University of Technology. The evaluation tool focused mainly on the following items: how the lesson plan is completed, actualising learners? pre-knowledge, gaining attention and maintaining interest of the learners, facilitation of teaching and learning through activities, logical progression of lesson, attainment of lesson objectives, assessment, quality of resources, originality and creativity of the presentation. The quantitative data was based on the rating of 1 to 10 by the university lecturer or mentor teacher. To probe the quantitative data further, the participants were requested to reflect on the ratings received per item as evaluated by their mentors/lecturers. The findings indicated both positive and negative perceptions of students concerning their evaluations. Through this evaluation and reflection, this study revealed that pre-service teachers? professional learning can be promoted, and the quality of their teaching enhanced. Based on the results some recommendations on initial teacher training subject methodology and pre-service teachers? teaching practice evaluations were made