Comparing perceptions on characteristics of quality teachers and future teachers for schools in Malaysia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37134/bitara.vol11.3.2018Keywords:
Quality teachers, future teachers, perceived characteristics, Malaysian teachersAbstract
This article compares the characteristics of quality teachers against the characteristics of future teachers for Malaysia. This study aimed to examine the expectation and preferences towards school teachers. A survey was conducted with 74 first year students who were pursuing Bachelor of Design degree programmes in a Malaysian public university which afforded them to provide meaningful insights in accordance to current social and culture trend in Malaysia. In the survey, the respondents listed down three main characteristics of quality teacher and three main characteristics of future teachers for Malaysia. The data were sorted and coded to form four themes, which were attitudes to teaching profession, attitudes to students, teachers’ knowledge and physical appearance. The themes were compared to identify common and different characteristics between quality teachers and future teachers. The results showed that most of the respondents concerned about teachers’ attitudes to teaching profession. A majority of the preferred characteristics were found common between quality teachers and future teachers. The respondents generally expected quality teachers as constantly knowledgeable pretty ladies or handsome men who are sporting, dedicated, open-minded, responsible and punctual at work. Majority of the respondents demarcated the characteristics of quality teachers and future teachers for Malaysia. This phenomenon indicated that the perceived quality of present teachers may not fit for the future. Thus, the concept of quality teachers should be updated from time to time, leading to the constant need to research and keep abreast with the latest teacher education model.
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