Availability and utilization of instructional materials in preparation of teachers at Tabora teachers’ college, Tanzania

The purpose of the study was to explore the situation of the availability and utilization of instructional materials and ways in which they were used to facilitate the training of teachers at Tabora Teachers’ College, Tanzania. Three objectives which guided the study were 1) common types and utilization of instructional materials in the college; 2) the contribution of available instructional materials in the preparation of teachers and 3) challenges that tutors encountered in utilization of available materials in the college. Qualitative research approach and a single case study design were employed whereby 1 college principal, 23 tutors and 56 student teachers were purposively sampled. Data collection methods were interview, focus group discussion and observation. The study found that the college had shortage of all range of instructional materials such as projected instructional materials, flip charts, white boards and markers while it had satisfactory chalk boards and chalks. Tutors did not make good use of available instructional materials in the teaching and learning process. The study concluded that lack of relevant instructional materials limited tutors’ interest in utilizing teaching resources in the classrooms. As a result, teaching became teacher centered and less participatory which in turn adversely compromised the quality of training of teachers. However, student teachers had positive perception of the contribution of instructional materials in their learning process. Factors like poor classroom infrastructure and tutors’ lack of enthusiasm contributed to the inadequacy a variety of instructional materials. The study recommended that tutors should equipped with skills of using local materials to improvise instructional materials as well as ICT in-service training for using computers and projected materials in teaching.