LIFE SKILLS-BASED SELF-AWARENESS STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS

International Journal of Computer Science (IJCS) Published by SK Research Group of Companies (SKRGC)

Abstract

Self-awareness is an essential life skill that contributes significantly to the personal, emotional, and professional development of prospective teachers. The present study, titled “Life Skills-Based Self-Awareness Strategies for Developing Effective Prospective Teachers,” aimed to assess the level of self-awareness among prospective teachers, develop life skills-based self-awareness strategies, and determine their effectiveness. An experimental method with a pre-test–post-test equivalent control group design was adopted. The sample consisted of 60 B.Ed. prospective teachers from Alagappa University College of Education, Karaikudi, selected through simple random sampling and equally assigned to an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received structured life skills-based self-awareness strategies, including self-reflection, reflective journaling, goal setting, mindfulness practices, emotional awareness activities, positive self-talk, feedback and self-assessment, interpersonal communication, problem-solving, and decision-making exercises. A self-awareness scale was used to assess the participants before and after the intervention. The findings revealed that 60% of prospective teachers had a moderate level of self-awareness, 26.67% had a low level, and 13.33% had a high level. The experimental group showed a significant improvement in self-awareness from the pre-test mean of 75.19 to the post-test mean of 80.88 (t = 5.294, p < 0.01). Although the control group also demonstrated a significant improvement, from 72.19 to 75.05 (t = 2.109, p = 0.044), the improvement was comparatively smaller. The findings indicate that structured life skills-based self-awareness strategies can effectively enhance self-awareness among prospective teachers. The study recommends integrating such strategies into B.Ed. teacher education programmes to foster reflective thinking, emotional regulation, confidence, effective communication, decision-making, and professional effectiveness among future teachers.

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Keywords

Self-awareness, Life Skills, Prospective Teachers, Teacher Education, Self-Reflection, Emotional Regulation, Reflective Practice, Professional Effectiveness.