The Efficacy of Microteaching in a Teacher Education Programme During the Lockdown at a University in South Africa

ABSTRACT

The microteaching programme is the initial phase of teacher development, and it intends to provide student teachers with a genuine experience of the teaching profession. Prior to the global COVID-19 lockdown, microteaching was conducted in a traditional face-to-face setting. However, the lockdown restrictions compelled such programmes to be carried out virtually using digital devices. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study is to examine the efficacy of microteaching during the lockdown in a university teacher education programme. The research was conducted with two groups of Post Graduate Certificate in Education students at a university, in South Africa. Each group comprised of five members, with a totality of 10 participants. A case study research design was employed, and data were collected through observations and semi-structured interviews. An observation schedule and interview schedule were utilised to guide the accuracy of data collection. Thereafter, data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis, whereby codes and themes were developed. The findings reveal the efficacy of microteaching since all student teachers successfully completed their microteaching virtually with better marks when comparing Microteaching One and Microteaching 2. The microteaching programme was enhanced by improving the utilisation of technology resources in the programme. Student teachers' digital skills, knowledge and critical thinking skills were enhanced. Conducting microteaching virtually also resulted in inclusive learning. It is concluded that technology resources played a vital role in the efficacy of microteaching during the lockdown. This study contributes to the literature on teacher education programmes to embrace technology utilisation in microteaching, even after the lockdown. © Authors.