IMPROVING SYNERGY BETWEEN FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

The study focused on improving synergy between formal and informal education in teacher education: challenges and prospects. The study made a conceptual reviews of formal and informal education, teacher education, and the needs for synergy between formal and informal education in teacher education. The study discovered that improving synergy between formal and informal education in teacher education will constitute challenges arising from differences in structure, teaching methods, learning environment, assessment, and accreditation. However, the prospects of improving synergy between the two types of education include among others, bridging the gap of the theoretical pattern of formal education and practical form of informal education, fostering long-life learning, nurturing creativity, enhancing the development of soft skills like communication, leadership, and emotional intelligence which are provided by informal education. The study therefore, made a conclusion and recommends building of learning communities assigning mentors to group of learners, and increasing of engagements for learners such as videos, quizzes, games, etc. as means of improving synergy between formal and informal education in teacher education.