Effectiveness of a Proposed Training Program in Practicum Education for Developing Islamic Education Teaching Skills among Student Teachers at the Faculty of Education, Sana'a University

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a proposed training program in teaching practicum for developing Islamic Education teaching skills among student teachers at the Faculty of Education, Sana'a University. The study was motivated by the need to enhance teacher preparation programs, particularly teaching practicum, to improve student teachers' instructional performance and equip them with the professional competencies required for effective teaching. The study employed a quasi-experimental design based on a one-group pretest–posttest approach, which was deemed appropriate for the nature and objectives of the study. The study population consisted of student teachers enrolled in the Department of Islamic Studies at the Faculty of Education, Sana'a University. A purposive sample of (20) student teachers was selected during the current academic year. To achieve the study objectives, the researcher developed an observation checklist to assess Islamic Education teaching skills. The instrument comprised five domains: lesson planning, lesson implementation, classroom management, the use of teaching strategies and instructional media, and assessment skills. The validity and reliability of the instrument were established, with a reliability coefficient of (0.88), indicating an acceptable level of reliability. The findings revealed statistically significant differences at the (α ≤ 0.05) level between the mean scores of the student teachers on the pretest and posttest observation checklist in favor of the posttest, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed training program in developing their teaching skills. The results also showed statistically significant improvements across all domains of the observation checklist, with the program demonstrating a large effect size. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were found in the posttest scores attributable to gender. Based on these findings, the study recommends enhancing teaching practicum programs in faculties of education by incorporating structured training programs that emphasize practical application and continuous feedback. It also recommends strengthening the role of academic and school supervisors in supporting the professional development of student teachers. Finally, the study suggests conducting further research on the effectiveness of training programs based on contemporary instructional strategies to develop various dimensions of pre-service Islamic Education teachers' instructional performance.