Do School Characteristics matter in Student-Teacher Performance in Teaching Practice? Empirical Evidence from Kenyan Public Universities

Abstract

School attachment is an important component of teacher education. Public universities have thus designed their own rules and regulations regarding the schools they post their student teachers for teaching practice. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of school characteristics on student teacher performance in teaching practice in Kenyan public universities. This paper reports the findings of multiple regression analysis on the effect of school characteristics on student teacher performance in teaching practice in Kenyan public Universities using data collected from a random sample of 344 student teachers and 5 heads of school attachment units in public universities in Kenya using questionnaires, interview schedule and document analysis. The results of the multiple regression analysis indicate that all school status variables are statistically significant while the other school characteristics variables of school type and school category were not. However, the student’s attitude, commitment and confidence are important in explaining variations in student teacher scores in teaching practice. It is recommended that universities should post student teachers in model schools that provide adequate and varied environment such as national and extra country schools that enhances student teacher performance in teaching practice.