Student Teachers' Involvement in Internal Quality Assurance Processes: A Model Development for Teacher Colleges in Tanzania.

Shahanga, Geofrey John (2025) Student Teachers' Involvement in Internal Quality Assurance Processes: A Model Development for Teacher Colleges in Tanzania. Doctoral thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

Teacher colleges are established to prepare professionals for teaching and ensure the quality of education in schools. However, the lack of a robust model for active engagement of student teachers in internal quality assurance processes affects not only the quality of teacher education in their entire college but also the ability of student teachers to perform quality assurance roles and functions in schools when employed. This study, therefore, developed a model to bridge such a practical gap. Specifically, the study assessed the need for a model of student teachers’ involvement in internal quality assurance processes; designed and developed a model; determined enablers for a model; and evaluated the model's effectiveness on the quality of teacher education. The study adopted a pragmatism paradigm, sequential explanatory mixed design. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and focused group discussions from 573 respondents sampled purposively from 12 teacher colleges. The descriptive, inferential, and content analysis techniques were used for data analysis and presentation. Based on the paradigm shift and students’ involvement theories, the study found a dire need to develop a model of student teachers’ involvement in internal quality assurance processes. The developed model, termed ‘UCHUKI’, was effective as it predicted a positive and significant influence on the quality of teacher education. However, the model requires policy, institutional, technical, and structural support to enhance its acceptability, adaptability, usability, and effectiveness. From this observation, it can be concluded that the UCHUKI model developed proved to be an effective tool that enables student teachers to provide constructive feedback for quality improvement in teacher colleges. Therefore, the study suggests that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology should adopt the model, customize it, and capacitate teacher colleges to use it for quality improvement. Further study may scale up the model for use in higher learning institutions offering teacher education programmes in Tanzania. Keywords: Student teachers, Teacher Colleges, Paradigm Shift, Quality Assurance, UCHUKI

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