Tutors’ awareness of their role as moral educators in teachers’ college

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Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate tutors’ awareness of their role as moral educators in Tandala teachers’ college in Makete District, Tanzania. Specifically, the study sought to establish tutors’ understanding of their role as moral educators, find out the methods used by tutors to promote student teachers’ moral values, and identify measures that were taken to improve tutors’ moral awareness. Mixed research approach through a descriptive case study design was used to inform the study. Purposive and stratified sampling strategies were used to obtain 123 participants for the study. Data were collected through unstructured interviews, questionnaires and documentary review. Data collected from questionnaire were analysed quantitatively by means of descriptive analysis. Qualitative data collected from unstructured interviews and documentary reviews were subjected to content analysis. The findings indicated the following; first, participants’ responses indicated that tutors had knowledge of some of their roles as moral educators and had low knowledge of many other roles. Participants’ responses showed that tutors taught moral values in classes and posted copies of rules and regulations on notice boards. On the other hand, tutors showed little understanding on punctuality, respecting student teachers, caring, assisting student teachers to develop self-regulatory and self-efficacy and on helping student teachers to identify moral skills as their moral roles. Second, findings indicated that the major sources of tutors’ awareness as moral educators were staff meeting, the teachers’ profession code of conduct and teaching experiences. Furthermore, findings indicated that tutors used various methods to promote student teachers’ moral conduct including punishment, use of school rules and regulations as well as use of guidance and counseling services. Furthermore, the findings indicated that tutors experienced moral misconduct such as lack of commitment to work, abusive language, absenteeism and sexual relationships with student teachers. The findings also showed that verbal warning and written letters were the major measures taken to tutors with moral misconduct. Third, findings indicated the need of improving tutors’ moral awareness and practices through initial and regular training. From the findings, it was concluded that the limited awareness of tutors of their roles as moral educators was due to lack of moral education through initial training, induction course and in-service training. In this light, it was recommended that the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training should provide effective initial training, in-service training and induction course to tutors on moral issues to raise their moral awareness. Furthermore, Teachers’ Service Department Officers should have effective plan of providing moral education to newly employed tutors and regular training for long services tutors to make them aware and current on moral issues.
Description
: Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF LC316.T34M453)
Keywords
Moral education, Teachers Colleges, Tandala Teachers College, Makete district, Tanzania
Citation
Mgaya, B. F. (2015).Tutors’ awareness of their role as moral educators in teachers’ college, Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam.