Parents and Teachers Engagement in Using Cognitive Apprenticeship for Child’s Development of Authentic Problem- Solving Skills in Tanzania

Despite its recognition in the pre-primary curriculum and being among preferred learning outcomes at different levels, it is not well-known how child’s teachers [parents and classroom teachers] engage to enhance children with authentic problem solving skills. Phenomenography study design was used to investigate and reveal use of cognitive apprenticeship by involving 12 parents and nine classroom teachers who were sampled purposely because of their stake in the level of education. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews and two focus group discussions [FGDs] to teachers and parents respectively in Konawa district. Thematic content analysis obeying three-steps—open coding, axial coding and selective coding—introduced by Strauss and Corbin (1990) was applied. Findings reveal that classroom teachers differed with parents on strategies they used to enhance a child's problem solving skills. However, work environment, policy-related issues, and child-related issues impacted classroom teachers’ on their initiatives in nurturing children to become good problem solvers; while economic status, lack of parental knowledge and diseases affected parents’ initiatives on the same. The study concludes that development of children with authentic problems requires a working environment as well as policy specification be improved to achieve it.