Obstacles to the Application of Practical Education in Faculties of Education from the Students' Perspective: A Case Study of the Faculty of Education, Bani Waleed University

Abstract

This current study aimed to explore and analyze the obstacles to the application of practical education in faculties of education from the students' perspective, focusing on the Faculty of Education at Bani Walid University in Libya as a case study. The significance of practical education lies in its role as a crucial turning point in shaping the future teacher's personality, with its effectiveness directly impacting the quality of instruction in schools. To achieve its objectives, the study adopted the descriptive-analytical approach. The researcher utilized the practical education obstacles questionnaire developed by Al-Shuraidah and Azz-Eldeen, 2015, after establishing its validity and reliability. The final study sample consisted of (60) male and female students from the literary and scientific departments enrolled in the practical education program. The results indicated a high impact level for several obstacles faced by the students. These high-impact obstacles included two main dimensions: Teaching Obstacles, which relate to teaching skills, theoretical teaching applications, and the use of educational aids and technologies; and Administrative and Organizational Obstacles related to the faculty, which encompassed issues in preparing supervisors, lack of clarity in practical education plans, evaluation mechanisms, and insufficient time allocated for theoretical preparation. In contrast, the dimension of Preparation and Training Obstacles, which covers theoretical field training before commencing the program, was found to have a medium impact level. Furthermore, the results of the Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) revealed statistically significant differences based on the Gender variable, with the differences favoring males in the dimensions of Preparation and Training Obstacles, Administrative Obstacles related to the school, and Administrative Obstacles related to the faculty. Similarly, statistically significant differences were found based on the Specialization variable in favor of the Scientific Specialization across the same three dimensions, while the Teaching Obstacles dimension was considered the least influential according to the specialization variable. The study concluded with recommendations emphasizing the necessity of increasing the training duration, focusing on the professional development of supervisors, appointing a general supervisor for the program, and raising school administrations' awareness regarding the program's vital importance for its successful implementation.