Preparing Teachers for Multi-Class Teaching: A Case Study from Fiji

Abstract

The history and emergence of multi-class (MC) teaching within primary schools is long and complex. Although MC teaching has been deployed in Fiji for more than a decade, there has been no comprehensive study on teacher education and teaching linked to MC practices. This study was undertaken to examine the pre-service teacher's perception of the MC program on their preparation for the multi-class teaching. The research explored how well the MC program equipped the pre-service teachers with knowledge and skills to effectively undertake the practicum in rural areas. A case study research design was adopted using mixed methods with a concentration on qualitative data. The mixed methods approach is useful for capturing the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The approach helps to overcome some of the obstacles that impede the data of a unified body of knowledge, particularly in a complex study like MC teaching. The methods employed in this thesis include surveys, semi-structured interviews, observations and documentary analysis. ... The findings of this study have implications for institutions charged with training teachers and providing them with MC teaching strategies to cope with the challenges of delivering meaningful basic education in rural and remote areas in Fiji. The findings have the potential to make a significant impact on the MC program, its content and delivery in Fiji. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will be considered and responded to constructively, by policy and decision makers in the tertiary sector in Fiji as well as professional people in the education system.