Introduction
Productivity in an organization or a country at large depends on how much investment is placed on human capital. Globalization and liberalization of markets has led to increased competition in the world. Therefore, there is a significant need to equip human capital with adequate skills and knowledge. Teachers who offer training and required skills have thus been forced to look for ways and means that can employed to ensure proper transmission of knowledge takes place. This is because teachers need to be competent enough since they play a huge role in developing human capital that will enhance economic prosperity.
People learn through various means including social learning and by being taught. Nevertheless, teaching is the most common way through which people learn. Teaching refers to imparting knowledge and skills to an individual for future use. Learners rely so much on their teachers for information. As such, it is necessary for teachers to prepare adequately before they embark on teaching. One way of enhancing preparation is through microteaching. Microteaching is a technique used by teachers with an aim of improving their teaching skill. Through microteaching, teachers are able to conduct mock up classes on what they intend to teach among colleagues and friends. In addition, teachers can review videos of lessons conducted in class so as to determine areas that require improvements. This paper evaluates microteaching with a deep concentration on the values, problems, issues, and benefits of microteaching.
Microteaching
Microteaching is technique of training teachers through which a complete lesson is conducted by a trainee in a small class composed by other trainees. Microteaching normally takes a short time that ranges between ten to fifteen minutes. The main aim of microteaching is to evaluated teaching performances of trainees before they are left to teach real students. The process of microteaching includes preparation of a lesson plan by a trainee teacher. A trainee teacher comes up with a lesson plan on a given subject. Thereafter, he or she conducts the prepared lesson before a group of people which includes an advisor. The whole session is videotaped for later viewing. After the lesson has been completed, the advisor, audience and trainee teacher watch the video. It is during this time that microteaching is evaluated. In addition critiques and necessary suggestions are provided for future improvements. The trainee teacher is then tasked with revising his or her lesson plan based on feedback received. The same process of teaching to the same audience is conducted and videotaped. After the lesson has ended, the trainee teacher, his or her advisor, and the audience watch the video again. The same process of criticizing weak areas and suggesting ways of future improvement is re-conducted. During microteaching, an advisor quietly follows what the trainee teacher has to offer without giving any comment. However, he records any problem which he or she uses to correct the trainee teacher after the microteaching process. In general, the process of microteaching includes planning, teaching, criticizing, re-planning, and criticizing cycle.
Benefits of Microteaching
Microteaching has proved to be essential since its establishment in 1963. This has seen it become a popular teacher-training technique in numerous training colleges and universities. This is as a result of the numerous benefits that have been felt by users of microteaching technique. Firstly, microteaching exposes trainee teachers to the real experiences in teaching. Microteaching offers a practical platform for practising the theoretical knowledge. Trainee teachers are taught what to expect in the teaching field. However, it is essential to ensure they are exposed to the realities of teaching. Secondly, microteaching helps trainee teachers to build their confidence. Teaching requires confidence since it involves standing before learners. Confidence is a necessary requirement since it enhances effective communication. Further, confidence is necessary in teaching since it enables teachers to effectively impart knowledge to students. Thirdly, through microteaching, teachers are able to improve their teaching skills in future. The process of microteaching includes watching of a video recorded as the trainee was teaching. An advisor also forms part of the audience that the trainee teacher teaches. This gives an advisor the chance to evaluate how the trainee teaches and provide guidance on areas that require improvement. Therefore, microteaching may be a small program but is essential since it uncovers problematic areas. Ways of correcting these problems are suggested so as to ensure improvement in future. Therefore, microteaching enables trainee teachers to be aware of their weaknesses and strive to make necessary improvements in the future. Fourthly, microteaching is beneficial since it helps trainee teachers to appreciate the essence of decision making, planning, and following of instructions. This is because microteaching ensures trainees prepare lesson plans which they use for teaching. Trainee teachers are also able to implement instructions otherwise they receive negative feedback from advisors. Fifthly, microteaching is essential since trainee teachers are introduced into their roles as teachers. Trainee teachers are thus able to know what to expect in the course of teaching.
Problems of Microteaching
Any system that has advantages normally has disadvantages. Microteaching is not an exception as it experiences various shortfalls. Firstly, audience in a microteaching class are the colleagues of the trainee teacher. Therefore, they are aware of what the trainee teacher is going to teach. This may be an inhibitor to determining difficulties in teaching. Further, they may be biased. This is because fellow colleagues may fear giving negative feedback to the trainee teacher. As such, the aim of microteaching process may not be fulfilled due to biasness from colleagues. Secondly, microteaching takes about ten to fifteen minutes. This is unlike normal classes that range from forty minutes to two hours. This may inhibit trainee teachers from verifying their teaching and management skills. This is because teachers require adequate skills to manage their classes effectively. Further, real classrooms consist of students who may be unruly. However, microteaching classes are composed of fellow colleagues who normally behave well. As such, microteaching may not provide the real experience that is provided by teaching real students who may be unruly. Thirdly, microteaching does not expose trainee teachers to actual teaching set ups. This is because questions asked during microteaching may not be necessarily asked in real school set ups. This is because in real school set ups, students are not aware of the subject beforehand. This implies that students in real school set ups are more inquisitive as compared to students in microteaching classes.
Conclusion
Microteaching involves the process of evaluating trainee teachers in order to make them better teachers. The process of microteaching commences with development of a lesson plan by a trainee student. The trainee student then presents the lesson in a class which comprises of colleagues and an advisor. Advisors are tasked with evaluating the trainee teaching skills and classroom management skills. The whole microteaching process is videotaped for later viewing. After the lesson, the trainee teacher, advisor and audience view the recorded tape. It is at this stage that critiques and feedback are provided. The trainee teacher is advised on areas that require future improvements. The whole process begins again with the trainee teacher preparing a new lesson plan. He or she then re-conducts the lesson in a classroom set up. However, trainee teachers are tasked with including pinpointed corrections during the second presentation. The whole process is again videotaped for later viewing during which critiques and corrections will be made.
All in all, microteaching is a beneficial technique since it boosts ones` confidence. In addition, microteaching exposes trainee teachers to the realities of teaching. Further, microteaching enables trainee teachers to appreciate the essence of planning and implementing corrections. It also gives trainee teachers a chance to know what is expected of them in future. Nevertheless, microteaching has certain flaws. This is because it does not expose teachers to real school set ups. As such, trainee teachers are not able to verify whether they have adequate teaching and classroom management skills. Further, microteaching takes a shorter time as compared to real lessons. One`s colleagues may also be biased and give positive feedback instead of negative feedback. Nevertheless, microteaching can be improved through expansion. This involves increasing the number of audience and time taken in a microteaching classroom. Moreover, microteaching is still an essential technique in equipping trainee teachers.
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