THE ROLE OF TEACHING PRACTICE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study was undertaken purposely to find out the role of teaching practice in the Development of Religious Education Students in the University of Benin, Benin City. The descriptive survey research was adopted for the study. The sample size for this study were fifty (50) students from the University of Benin, Benin City. The instrument for the study was a questionnaire. Simple percentage method of data analysis was used in analyzing the data gotten from the respondents. Findings from the study revealed that teaching practice has helped religious education student teachers. Some benefits of the teaching practice to religious education student teachers is that it helps to broaden their knowledge of the subject matter, it has made student teachers learn how to plan, prepare and present their lesson topics, it has helped one to perfectly use instructional materials when teaching, student teachers adequately control their classroom with assistance. But aside that, it was found that the teaching practice exercise has been confronted by series of challenges. One of the challenge is that a good number of schools taught by student teachers during teaching practice. Another challenge noted in the study is that a good number of schools lack instructional materials for teaching students. Many more challenges abound which was highlighted in the study. It was therefore recommended that the government should provide finance inform of stipend for student teachers and teachers engaged in teaching practice programme, proper orientation for student teachers should be carried out using efficient means of communication like; seminars, workshops, conferences, etc. Also, it was recommended that technologies and structures for training and development of student-teachers should be incorporated into the scheme so as to ignite their seemingly dying interest in the teaching profession.