Mukuna, Kananga R.Marenyenya, Marvelous2024-06-172024-06-172023http://hdl.handle.net/11660/12615Thesis (Ph.D.(Education Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2023This study aimed to explore student teachers‟ resilience on teaching practice in COVID-19 era in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe. More specifically, the study was intended to gain insights into the major teaching practice COVID-19 induced teaching practice stressors, factors that hinder the resilience of student teachers on teaching practice during the COVID-19 era, personal and contextual resources that contribute to resilience outcomes in student teachers on teaching practice in COVID-19 era and support student teachers receive on teaching practice in the COVID-19 era. This research study contributes new knowledge to the ongoing discourses about student teachers‟ resilience on teaching practice in COVID-19 era. In order to explore student teachers‟ resilience on teaching practice in COVID-19 era, the study employed a qualitative social constructivist approach through a phenomenological research design. Data were generated through focus group discussions and in-depth semi-structured interviews. One teachers‟ college was conveniently sampled, and twenty-one (21) student teachers and six (6) student teachers‟ mentors were purposively sampled from three primary schools in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe. Data were analyzed using the thematic content analysis approach. The thematic findings revealed that student teachers on teaching practice in the COVID-19 era are subjected to teaching practice stressors induced by the COVID-19 pandemic such as fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus, illness, isolation, stigmatization and death, anxiety, uncertainty, hopelessness, economic hardships, prolonged teaching practice period, school closures, transference of face-to-face teaching to online learning. It emerged from this study that lack of teaching competences, poor relationships, behavioral problems, class and classroom management, work overload and teaching practice supervision hinder the resilience of student teachers on teaching practice in the COVID-19 era. This research uncovered that personal and contextual resources promote resilience in student teachers on teaching practice in COVID-19 era. The study established that contextual support from stakeholders cultivates the resilience of student teachers' resilience in teaching practice during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Finally, thematic results revealed that the capacity for resilience can be developed during initial teacher preparation, so the study recommends that the teacher education curriculum include a resilience subject. Hence, a pre-service teacher resilience conceptual model is proposed as a guideline for stakeholders involved in pre-service teacher education to develop capacity for resilience in student teachers' teaching practice.enThesisUniversity of the Free State