Towards Producing a 21st Century Early Childhood Development (ECD) Teacher: Perceptions of Lecturers in One Selected Primary School Teachers’ College in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The 21^st century classroom practice exposes student teachers to diverse learners with varying experiences and needs. This requires a well-taught teacher who possesses vast knowledge and skills to effectively manage the teaching and learning process. Previous studies and literature have unequivocally confirmed that young children have to be under the guidance of mature and well-qualified teachers because of their uniqueness. The study therefore sought to explore the views of college lecturers on the nature and preparedness of the currently trained ECD teachers in effectively handling the developmental milestones of young learners at varying levels. The study was motivated by researchers’ observations of the diverse experiences that the 21^st century teacher is exposed to during teaching practice. The research was a case study conducted within the framework of the qualitative research paradigm. Natural occurring talks and interviews were administered to collect data from twelve lecturers who were all purposively sampled. The main findings revealed that the current ECD teacher lacks skills and pedagogy to manage complexities of the classroom environment. The ECD programme was also notably incompatible to produce an effective ECD teacher. Personal attributes of the currently produced teachers were also a cause for concern. The study recommends the reconceptualization of the ECD curriculum and the development of teacher professional standards in trainee teachers at college. It also recommends exchange   programmes for college lecturers who train ECD teachers.