Professional identity of teacher educators as assessors of teaching practice : a case study in a South African university

This study focuses on the professional identity of Teacher Educators as assessors of teaching practice for Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) student teachers.The research was presented as a case study at one institution of higher learning. The focus was on the professional identity of teacher educators as revealed in the assessment narratives they expressed as a report back to PGCE students and the verbalisation of their beliefs through semi-structured interviews at the particular institution. This study adopted a qualitative research methodology from an interpretivist paradigm whereby the collected data was coded and analysed through applying both inductive and deductive reasoning. Themes which emerged from the data were qualitatively analysed through the social-constructivist theories of Bernstein, Lave and Wenger and Feiman-Nemser. This study revealed that the professional identity of Teacher Educators plays a significant role in the way in which they assess students. The study showed that theprofessional identity (encompassing of professional knowledge) of Teacher Educators determines their assessment focus, professional knowledge and identity is reflected in the narrative feedback to PGCE student teachers and their views of the current assessment instrument as (in)effective. The study revealed that Teacher Educators have specific expectations (pedagogical skill, subject and content knowledge) but the complexities of their identity override how they apply the assessment instrument. In addition Teacher Educators are challenged by the PGCE cohort in that they expect this group to show the same competencies as students coming through the under-graduate programme. The study recommends that a collaborative approach be adopted in the preparation and assessment of PGCE student teachers; a re-conceptualisation of the requirements of teaching competence for this group be undertaken; and Teacher Educators be empowered to teach and assess PGCE student teachers aligned with the principles of andragogy and that Higher Education policy take cognisance of and make provision for the unique needs of PGCE teacher training. The study proposes a revised approach by Teacher Educators be considered which treat the assessment of teaching competence for PGCE student teachers in a less fragmented and individualised manner. This implies that a different organisational assessment culture is needed in order to democratize the assessment of PGCE student teachers, training in the GET band in South Africa