Challenges and opportunities in developing prospective primary school teachers’ affective dispositions: the case of Amhara region, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the possible opportunities and challenges in developing desirable affective dispositions (DADs) and weakening undesirable affective dispositions (UADs) of primary school prospective teachers in three teacher education colleges (TECs) of Amhara region. To achieve these purposes, a qualitative inquiry research method was used. The data were collected from purposively selected college leaders, teacher educators, and prospective teachers using interview, FGD, and open-ended questionnaire. The data were analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis supported by frequency count percentage. The results revealed that there are different challenges and opportunities in each of the sample TECs in the process of developing DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers. The investigated opportunities and challenges were themed as hidden, societal, and official curriculum-related factors. This implies that prospective teachers’ DAD development and UAD weakening in the sample colleges was the function of these three curriculum forms.

Desirable affective dispositions development, Undesirable affective disposition weakening, Opportunities, Challenges.

1. Introduction

Affective dispositions (ADs) are dynamic, changeable, teachable, cultivable, and developmental qualities which are socially constructed and individually shaped (NCATE, 2008; Obara, 2009). ADs could be categorized as desirable and undesirable (O'Neill et al., 2014). NCATE defines professional disposition as "professional attitudes, values, and beliefs demonstrated through both verbal and nonverbal behaviours as educators interact with students, families, colleagues, and communities" (pp. 89–90). Dispositions are "the cultivatable set of intellectual, intrapersonal, and interpersonal attributes that enact teacher knowledge and skills to the service of a professional community, which includes students, student families, and other education professionals (Fonseca-Chacana, 2019, p. 274). In Ethiopian teacher education system, the acceptable affective qualities include abiding by the rules and regulations, adhering to the principles of confidentiality, being reflective, caring for students, adhering to professional code of ethics, being cooperative, communicating high expectations for all students, developing serving mentality, effective communication, flexibility, inclusiveness, learning environment responsiveness, open-mindedness, having a positive relationship with students, responsiveness to students, valuing individual students, etc. DADs are affective qualities that are taken as morally sound and ethical which should be identified, taught, cultivated, and nurtured, whereas the UADs are the opposite of DADs which need to be identified, weakened, and discouraged in any teacher education program.

As DADs are taken as one dimension of teacher quality, developing DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers is one critical task. Similarly, Taylor and Wasicsko (2000) stated that the disposition to teach is usually identified as the key quality of successful teachers. This makes the study of AD development in teacher preparation program paramount.

The cultivation of teaching disposition is determined by the social, cultural, and political contexts in which teaching is taking place (Warren, 2017 cited in Fonseca-Chacana, 2019). Moreover, Stooksberry et al. (2009) asserted that teacher dispositions are" shaped by a teacher's prior experience, beliefs, culture, values, and cognitive abilities which affects the teacher's idea [perception] about the nature of students, teaching, and learning" (P. 720).

Prospective teacher’ DAD development and UAD weakening is not an easy task because through the process there might be different challenges. On the other hand, there might be different opportunities to cultivate DADs and weaken UADs. The challenges and the opportunities could be related to different factors that might be categorized into different themes. For instance, Wang and Ku (2010) found out that the cultivation of affective quality is affected by many factors, which are themed as micro, meso, and micro level. Consistent with this assertion, Vygotsky (1987) (cited in Obara, 2009) pointed out that development of individuals’ characters (DADs & UADs) in a social context is the function of different affordance (opportunity) and hindrance (challenge) factors. Moreover, Obara (2009) pointed out that the development of teacher disposition was afforded or hindered by the presence or absence of different factors that are themed as intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional (extra-personal) factors.

Moreover, the opportunities and challenges in cultivating prospective teachers' DADs and weakening UADs could be themed as official, hidden, and societal curriculum-related factors. This is because these curriculum types have the power to hinder or facilitate the development of DADs. Sharing this claim, Gao (2015) asserted that the formal and hidden curriculum in medical education could have a positive or negative impact on the development of medical students' values, attitudes, behaviours, and professionalism-which all are affective dispositions. More specifically, O'Neill et al. (2014) pointed out that the official curriculum has a great role in cultivating or de-cultivating DADs. Similarly, the hidden curriculum, which is emanated from teachers, students, administrative staffs, official curriculum, and the physical environment (Al. qomoul & Al. roud, 2017) has a great power to facilitate or inhibit the development of DADs and weakening of UADs in students (Burant et al., 2007; Hashemi et al., 2012).

Likewise, the societal curriculum which is "Massive, ongoing, informal curriculum of family, peer groups, neighbourhoods, churches, organizations, occupations, mass media, and other socializing forces that "educate” all of us throughout our lives" (Cortes et al., 1981, p. 24) has the power to afford or hinder DAD development and UAD weakening of prospective teachers. This is because student teachers are not free from the influence of these socializing forces.

In any teacher education system, there might be different contextual opportunities in developing DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers. Some of the opportunities include designing of open discourse with their peers, presence of cooperating and mentor teachers, and providing reflective writing experiences for prospective teachers (Wickham, 2015). Moreover, Carroll (2007) argued that the desirable values, belief, ideals, and ideas teacher candidates brought with them when they joined a teacher education program are another golden opportunities for developing DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers.

Absence of exhaustive and comprehensive DAD lists (Garcia, 2014), difficulties in precisely stating desired affective learning outcomes and absence of clearly stated affective learning outcomes (Gano-Phillips, 2009), teachers' failure in demonstrating DADs and integrating dispositions into the conceptual framework (Wasicsko et al., 2004), moral and ethical questions raised in assessing prospective teachers’ disposition (Sherman, 2016), and fear of being accused of indoctrination or brainwashing and regarding DADs as private rather than public issue (Shephard, 2008) are other challenges encountered in cultivating DADs and weakening UADs.

2. Statement of the problem

The cultivation of prospective teachers' affective dispositions might be hindered or facilitated by various factors that could be framed as opportunities and challenges. The opportunities are any factors that have a positive impact on prospective teachers’ DAD development, whereas challenges are any factors, which have negative impact on the development of DADs. Investigation of opportunities and challenges in the process of developing DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers is paramount because if the potential opportunities were identified, it would be possible to exploit each opportunity that could promote DADs and weaken UADs. On the other hand, if all the possible hindrance factors were investigated, it would be possible to look for solutions for each challenge, which could help to facilitate the development of DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers in any teacher education program.

Although there might be universal affordance and hindrance factors in the process of cultivating DADs of prospective teachers, there might be contextual opportunities and challenges based on the very nature of each teacher education ecosystem. This suggestion implies that it seems important to investigate the contextual opportunities and challenges in every (TECs) to bring an affective revolution in these educational institutions.

Nevertheless, as far as the researchers’ knowledge is concerned, the investigation of opportunities and challenges in the process of developing DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers is an educational matter, which has not been addressed via research at the international, continental, national, and regional level. This is because studies conducted by Baldwin (2007), Wickham (2015), Varol (2011), and Obara (2009) in other continents and Olatunji (2014) in Africa focused on teaching, assessment, and perception about DADs, but the issue of challenges and opportunities regarding DAD development and UAD weakening have not been addressed.

In Ethiopian context, the researcher conducted a small-scale research regarding opportunities and challenges in cultivating and valuing DADs at one of the teacher education colleges found in Amhara region. This made him to get an insight to carry out the research at the regional level. All these realities initiated the researchers to investigate the institutional and regional opportunities and challenges existing in promoting DADs and weakening UADs of prospective in Amhara region primary TECs. Therefore, the objective of the study was to identify the potential opportunities and challenges in the process of developing DADs and weakening prospective teachers’ UADs.

2.1. Leading questions

• 1.What potential opportunities are there in the process of developing/cultivating DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teacher in TECs?
• 2.What potential challenges are there in the process of developing/cultivating DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teacher in TECs?

3. Research methodology

This study was conducted in three primary TECs found in Amhara region, which is one of the regions in Ethiopia where the researcher is working. In this research, a qualitative approach was employed because it allows to investigate and understand the potential opportunities and challenges in the process of developing DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers at a deeper level.

3.1. Sampling and sample size

The data sources for this study were teacher educators, leaders (department heads & deans), third-year prospective teachers, and their representatives. Leader, teacher educator, and prospective teacher representative interviewees were selected purposively because they are supposed to have rich information about the issues under investigation, but prospective teacher interviewees were selected using convenience sampling because of their willingness and ease of access. Third-year prospective teachers were taken as sample because it is assumed as they are graduating batches, they do have a better experience than the rest batches regarding the issue under investigation. On the other hand, since their number was manageable, all deans and departments heads were selected using a comprehensive sampling technique. Consequently, nine deans, 18 department heads, six teacher educators, six prospective teachers, and 18 prospective teacher representatives were used as samples.

3.2. Data gathering tools

To gather the required data, open-ended questionnaire (for deans & department heads), FGD (for prospective teacher representatives), and interview (for deans, teacher educators, & prospective teachers) were employed. The data collected from the three actors (leaders, teacher educators & prospective teachers) used to triangulate the self reported data gathered from the three actors. The researcher himself administered the questionnaire; similarly, he conducted the interview and FGD.

3.3. Data analysis and interpretation

Data obtained through interviews, FGD, and open-ended questionnaire were organized to check their completeness and systematize them. Then, all data were transcribed, read, reread, and coded using a theme-based approach by the researcher himself. The coding was done using emerging codes. The transcripts were then analyzed for emerging themes, patterns, similarities, and differences in the responses across the three colleges. Frequency count percentage was used to show the recurring frequency of the subthemes and major themes. The opportunities and challenges were analyzed using themes like official, hidden, and societal curriculum. For the sake of confidentiality, codes/pseudonym/were used to represent TECs and respondents.

3.4. Trustworthiness and credibility

To maximize the trustworthiness of measuring instruments the first drafts of questionnaire, interview, and FGD question items were commented by the advisors of the researcher, Curriculum, English, Amharic and Measurement and Evaluation instructors and their comments were considered in revising and finalizing the data gathering tools. Moreover, triangulation, detail data description, bracketing, and auditing were used to ensure the credibility of the data. After incorporating the comments, the instruments were piloted at Debre Markose TEC, which is found in Amhara region. All ethical issues were taken into account. The study was approved by department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies.

4. Results of the study

4.1. Opportunities in developing DADs and weakening UADs

Participant from each sample colleges reported different opportunities. Overall, 182 opportunities were reported in the form of meaning full words, phrases, and/or statements. However, among these, 27 sample opportunities are presented in Table 1. All the investigated opportunities were themed into different subthemes and major themes. The themes are summarized in Table 2 using frequency count and percentage.

Table 1.

Sample of opportunities reported by participants.

Specific opportunities
1. Assignment of advisors for PTs	10. Assignment of ethical officer	19. Celebration of national holly days at college level
2. Establishment of different clubs	11. Establishment of different PT's organizations	20. Establishment of guidance and counselling service unit
3. Establishment of school college link system	12. Prior possession of DADs by many PTs	21. Provision of life skill training for female PTs
4. Assessment of PTs' entry affective disposition during selection	13. Willingness of PTs to developingDADs	22. Presence of continuous assessment system
5. Presence of conducive learning environment	14. Presence of educational visit	23. Presence of experienced TEs
6. Presence flag ceremony	15. Presence of induction program at the college level	24. Presence of institutional legislation
7. Presence of many good role model college community members	16. Presence of peer teaching	25. Presence of a safe learning environment
8. Presence of welcoming ceremony for PTs,	17. Presence of desirable society culture	26. Presence of ethical and morally sound society culture
9. Identification of national DADs	18. Presence of different religious institutions	27. Presence of different nongovernmental organizations working in community service

N.B: TEs: Teacher educators, PTs: Prospective teachers.

Table 2.

Recurring frequency of opportunity related themes emerged through the data analysis.

Major Themes	Subthemes	F (%)
Hidden curriculum	1. Presence of positive role model college communities	43 (23.62)
	2. Positive previous and current state of prospective teachers	17 (9.34)
	3. Presence of different institutional systems	60 (32.97)
	4. Presence of personal DAD valuation culture	6 (3.30)
	5. Presence of secured and safe learning environment	2 (1.10)
	Total of the major theme	128 (70.33)
Societal curriculum	1. Presence of positive role model societal members	4 (2.20)
	3. Presence of religious institutions	9 (4.95)
	3. Presence of desirable societal dispositions	11 (6.04)
	4. Presence of governmental and non-governmental institutions	3 (1.65)
	5. Identification of national DADs	1 (0.55)
	Total of the major theme	28 (15.39)
Official curriculum	1. Presence of courses that integrate and promote DADs	22 (12.09)
	2. Presence of an assessment system that encourages DAD development	2 (1.10)
	3. Presence of institutional documents acknowledging DADs	2 (1.10)
	Total of the major theme	26 (14.29)
	Overall total f (%)	182 (100)

As shown in Table 2, respondents from the three colleges reported 182 specific opportunities. However, through the analysis process of these specific opportunities, 13 subthemes and three major themes have emerged. The three emerged major themes were articulated as hidden, societal, and official curriculum-related opportunities. Of the total 182 specific opportunities, 128(70.33%), 28(15.39%) and 26 (14.29%) of them were related to hidden, societal, and official curriculum major themes, respectively. The major theme hidden, societal, and official curricula, respectively consisted of five, five, and three subthemes. These major themes are elaborated as follows using sample subthemes.

4.1.1. Hidden curriculum-related opportunities

4.1.1.1. Presence of positive role model college communities

Participants have explained this subtheme differently, but having the same essence. For instance, from college X, respondents explained that there are many good role model leaders, teacher educators, and prospective teachers in terms of "punctuality, showing a good behaviour, being governed by the rules of the college, responsiveness, and loving teaching profession." Similarly, respondents from college Y reported that there are positive role model prospective teachers in their "ethical and dressing manner." In the same vein, participants from college Z confirmed that there are some teacher educators who are "devoted, kind, collaborative, and respect their work."

4.1.1.2. Presence of different institutional working system

Different specific opportunities were reported in relation to this subtheme. To cite few, presence of flag ceremony (TE2), educational visit (PT2), different prospective teachers’ organization (DX3), etc were reported from college X. Moreover, assignment of ethical officer at the college level (TE4), presence of induction program at college level (DY3), provision of periodical life skill training for female prospective teachers (PT4), etc were some of the institutional system-related affordance factors reported from college Y. Likewise, presence of a welcoming ceremony for first-year students, the celebration of national holly days at college level (TE5), presence of different institutional rules and regulations (PT6), etc. were some of the system related opportunities reported from college Z.

4.1.1.3. Positive previous and current state of prospective teacher

This subtheme was explained as prior possession of desirable dispositions by prospective teachers and their willingness to develop the DADs. Different participants from each college reported prior possession of DADs by prospective teachers as an opportunity. For example, from college X, FGD discussants responded that "prospective teachers possessed DADs like care and respect when they joined the profession." Similarly, respondents from college Z noted that "prospective teachers possessed DADs when joining the program." Furthermore, all prospective teacher interviewees confirmed that they previously possessed some DADs, which they nurtured through the course of their training.

The willingness of prospective teachers to develop DADs was the other opportunity reported by participants. For example, prospective teachers' interest to possess DADs was reported as an opportunity in developing DADs by PT1, PT6, DHZ8, and PT4. Moreover, prospective teachers' willingness to be ethical (TE6), the willingness of prospective teachers to the development of their DADs, and their willingness to accept advice from advisors, leaders, and teacher educators (FGD discussants from college Y) were reported as an opportunity in the process of developing prospective teachers’ DADs.

4.1.2. Societal curriculum related opportunities

4.1.2.1. Presence of positive role model societal members

Regarding this subtheme, participants confirmed that there are some resourceful elder and good role model peoples in the society who could advise, teach, and preach prospective teachers about DADs and UADs. This means there are societal members who could have a positive contribution in cultivating and nurturing prospective teachers’ DADs and discourage the development of UADs by being exemplary.

4.1.2.2. Presence of religious institution

Presence of religious institution was the other reported opportunity from the three colleges by FGD discussants, leaders, teacher educators, and prospective teachers. To cite few, TE2, TE1, FGD discussants, and DX3 from college X, PT4, TE4, and DY3 from college Y and interviewee TE4 and DZ3 from college Z confirmed that presence of religious institutions in the town where TECs found is an opportunity to develop prospective teachers’ DADs. More specifically, PT4 stated that "the Orthodox Church invited prospective teachers to take religious courses which have ethical and moral contents."

4.1.2.3. Presence of desirable societal values

With respect to this subtheme, BD1 from college X reported that the "ethical and morally sound culture of the society and the physical and social environmental aspect of our country being an ethical and morally sound teacher are desirable societal dispositions, which could be taken as an opportunity in developing prospective teachers’ DADs. TE3 and TE4 also asserted that the "the presence of accumulated desirable disposition in the society is an opportunity for TECs to develop DADs and weaken UADs of prospective teachers."

4.1.3. Official curriculum-related opportunities

4.1.3.1. Presence of courses that integrate and promote DADs

Concerning this subtheme, different respondents presented different pieces of evidence. Provision of reflection opportunities in verbal and written form for prospective teachers and integration of DADs with the instruction (DHX4) and presence of observation, portfolio preparation, and reflection opportunities in practicum courses (DHX5) are evidences for the presence of courses that integrate DADs. Similarly, teacher educator and prospective teacher interviewees from the three colleges assured that DADs are integrated into some courses. More specifically, the FGD discussants asserted that "Practicum courses provide better opportunity for prospective teachers to interact with experienced primary school teachers." Particularly, PT3 claimed that "I become conscious about individual differences appreciation after taking the course called Cross Cutting Issues in Education and started to acknowledge them."

4.2. Challenges in developing DADs and weakening UADs

Participants from the three colleges reported 344 specific challenges in the form of words, meaningful statements and/or phrases. Of these, 32 sample challenges are presented in Table 3. Through the analysis process, the investigated challenges were themed into subthemes and major themes, which are presented in Table 4 using frequency counts and percentage for the aggregate.

Table 3.

Sample of challenges reported by participants.

List of challenges
1. Absence of common understanding about DADs	9. Unfair assessment	17. Absence of a system to delay PTs who didn't possess the required DADs	25. Unprofessional and unethical treatment of students byTEs
2. Developmental stage of PTs	10. Unprofessional and unethical treatment of students by TEs	18. Difficulty nature of DADs to be assessed	26. Wrong interaction between 1st &3rd year PTs
3. Discouraging of PTs when struggle for their right by their TEs	11. Corruption of the political system	19. The economic burden on PTs	27. The decline of societal respect for the teaching profession
4. Engagement of leaders in routine tasks	12. Employment uncertainty	20. Failure of leaders to make DADs strategic agenda,	28. The insecurity of PTs in the society,
5. Failure of students' advisors to play their professional role	13. Low attention given by political system to theteaching profession	21. Farness of the college from the town	29. Materialistic the orientation of the society
6. Grade inflation	14. Negative media influence	22. Joining the profession for a job opportunity	30. Negative technological influence
7. Lack of transparency system in the college	15. Globalization	23. Lack of commitment on the part of TEs and leaders,	31. Negligence of REB's system about the DADs
8. Lack of sense of ownership on the part of leaders	16. Absence of assessment system design by REB for DADs	24. Personal traits of PTs	32. A non-boarding living system of PTs

N.B: TEs: Teacher educators, PTs: Prospective teachers.

Table 4.

Recurring frequency of challenge related themes emerged through the data analysis.

Major themes	Subthemes	f (%)
Hidden curriculum	1. Presence of negative role model college communities	45 (13.08)
	2. Lack of attention among the college instructional actors	39 (11.34)
	3. Lack of awareness among college instructional actors	16 (4.65)
	4. Lack of commitment among instructional leaders	13 (3.78)
	5. Negative prior and current state of prospective teachers	40 (11.63)
	6. Lack of sense of ownership among instructional leaders	7 (2.03)
	7. Wrong perception among college communities	5 (1.45)
	8. Teacher educators' incompetence	5 (1.45)
	9. Institutional system related	60 (17.44)
	10. The geographical location of the college	3 (0.87)
	11. Resource scarcity	29 (8.43)
	12. Nature of DADs	2 (0.58)
	13. Poor institutional culture	3 (0.87)
	Total	267 (77.62)
Societal curriculum	1. Presence of negative role model societal members	17 (4.94)
	2. Political system problem	10 (2.91)
	3. Negative technological influence	15 (4.36)
	4. Unemployment	3 (0.87)
	5. REB system related	18 (5.23)
	Total	63 (18.31)
Official curriculum	1. Negligence of some courses curricula about DADs	14 (4.07)
	Total	14 (4.07)
Overall total f (%)		344 (100)

In the process of analyzing 344 specific challenges reported by participants of the study, 19 subthemes and three major themes have emerged. The three emerged major themes were articulated as hidden, societal, and official curriculum related challenges. Hidden, societal, and official curriculum major themes consist of 13, five, and one subthemes respectively. Of the total 344 specific challenges, 267(77.62%), 63(18.31%), and 14 (4.07%) of them were accounted for by hidden, societal, and official curriculum themes, respectively. Institutional system and REB system-related factors were the most recurring subthemes under hidden and societal curriculum-related major themes, whereas nature of DADs and unemployment were the least recurring subthemes. Description was provided for every three major themes using sample subthemes as follows.

4.2.1. Hidden curriculum-related challenges

4.2.1.1. Presence of negative role model college communities

Regarding this subtheme, participants such as DX3, TE1, TE2, PT1, and PT2 from college X asserted that presence of negative role model leaders, teacher educators, and administrative staffs are potential factors that hinder the development of prospective teachers' DADs. Likewise, FGD discussants and teacher educator interviewees (TE3 &TE4) from college Y and Z claimed that the presence of negative role model leaders, teacher educators, administrative staffs, and prospective teachers in our college is a potential challenge to develop prospective teachers’ DADs.

4.2.1.2. Institutional system-related challenges

The specific challenges reported in relation to this subtheme by different participants from college X were absence of accountability system about DADs, legal framework to value, cultivate, and assess DADs, strong collaboration between the college and policy and justice offices, a system to delay prospective teachers who did not possess the required DADs, mass assessment system and cognitive oriented assessment system. Similarly, some of the specific challenges reported from college Y were the absence of an accountability system for the negligence of DADs, official DADs valuation, cultivation, and assessment system, transparency system in the college, contextualized institutional legislation, and communicative working environment, and cognitive the orientation of college communities. Likewise, some of the specific challenges reported from College Z were the absence of any system that encourage to make DADs strategic agenda, and absence of accountability system for DADs, negligence, grade inflation, and criterion referenced grading system of the college.

4.2.1.3. Lack of attention about DADs

Concerning this subtheme, participant like DX3, PT3, and TE1 from college X responded that "lack of attention'' about prospective teachers' DADs development on the part of teacher educators, leaders, and prospective teacher representatives is one potential challenges to cultivate prospective teachers’ DADs. In the same manner, from college Y, PT3, PT4, and TE3 asserted that "lack of attention among all concerned bodies'' is one critical challenge in cultivating DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers. Moreover, DZ3, FGD discussants, PT5, PT6, and TE6 from college Z reported "lack of attention as a challenge to cultivate DADs and de-cultivate UADs'' of prospective teachers in the course of their training.

4.2.1.4. Negative prior and current state of prospective teachers

Regarding this subtheme, different negative prior experiences of prospective teachers were reported from the three colleges. To cite few, prior orientation for material reward, negative attitude towards assessment, poor academic background, possessing undesirable dispositions when joining the profession, prior gossip orientation, lack of readiness to learn from their peers, joining the profession without loving and accepting it, etc were reported from college X. In the same way, acceptance of substandard teacher candidates, prior lack of interest to possess DADs, resisting the inculcation of DADs, etc are challenges forwarded by respondents from college Y. As well, lacking self-confidence, having educational experience detached from dispositions, prior negative attitude towards DADs, etc were the challenges mentioned by respondents from college Z.

4.2.1.5. Resource scarcity

Resource scarcity was reported as a challenge from the three colleges. It is explained in the form of "budget shortage", "time constraint" and "economic burden of prospective teachers" but the researcher preferred the third subtheme to be elaborated because it was assumed that it is more critical.

4.2.1.6. Economic burden of prospective teachers

With respect to this challenge, participants from the three colleges confirmed that this subtheme is one of the challenges that hinder the development of DADs and weakening of UADs. To cite some, prospective teachers from both the three colleges reported that "since the monthly pocket money paid for us by the college is very low (360 Ethiopian birr) and we are leading our life individually being outside the college because we are totally non-boarding we are challenged by economic problems". Prospective teacher interviewees underscored that "the economic burden forced us to hate the profession and to make unofficial marriage to share only the economic burden without being loved each other and we coined the marriage for 720 birr without love but for "shiro".

Many of the challenges related to the hidden curriculum are actual potential challenges that are common for the sample colleges and have significant power in cultivating DADs and weakening UADs.

4.2.2. Societal curriculum related challenges

4.2.2.1. Presence of negative role models societal members

Regarding this subtheme, FGD discussants and TE1 from college X explained that "some societal members are negative role model for prospective teacher because they harass, loot, and rob them." Likewise, TE3 from college Y stated that the "society is a negative role model because few of its members sexually harass female prospective teachers." PT3 also reported that the "envying culture of the society is acting as one challenge to develop DADs and weaken UADs of prospective teachers." Moreover, from college Z, DZ3 argued that the "materialistic orientation of the society is a negative role model for prospective teachers." In addition, TE5 stated that "some societal members are negatively affecting prospective teachers because some are not willing to rent house for female prospective teachers."

4.2.2.2. Political system related challenges

Problems related to the political system were reported as potential challenges from all of the three colleges to develop DADs and weaken UADs of prospective teachers. For instance, corruption of the political system, current national reform, political context of the country and the region, and low attention is given by the political system to the teaching profession and primary school TECs were reported as critical challenges in fostering DADs and discouraging UADs of prospective teachers by DX3. DZ3 also claimed that "corruption of the political system and its negative influence on teacher education is one challenge in cultivating the desired affective qualities of prospective teachers."

4.2.2.3. Technological related challenges

Technology and media have a significant positive (opportunity) and negative (challenge) impact on students’ academic and affective life. However, in this study technology and media, which are part of the societal curriculum, were found as challenges in both the sample colleges in developing DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers. This was confirmed by TE6, PT5, TE1, and FGD discussants. More specifically, DY3 underscored that:

Mobile technology and different media negatively affect our trainees because trainees waste their time by watching sex and other films, football games, playing mobile games and chatting with friends using you tube, face book, and tweeter through their mobiles. Consequently, they became addicted to this media at the expense of their academic learning and colonized by foreign cultures. Technology and media pushed our prospective teachers to develop UADs rather than developing DADs.

FGD discussant BD1 and BD2 strengthened this idea by stating that "media and technology are critical challenges to cultivate DADs because they forced us to wish the western modernization and culture by devaluing and dropping our own and made us to develop different UADs." Addiction to social media was also reported as one of the UADs by prospective teachers, leaders, and teacher educators that teacher candidates developed in the course of their training, which corroborates this finding.

4.2.2.4. REB system-related

Some of the specific challenges reported in relation to this subtheme were the absence of transformational managerial support system on the part of REB, non-progressive management style on the part of REB, failure of REB to give direction about DADs development and UADs weakening (DX3), commencing of non-boarding living system for prospective teachers (TE1, TE2, FGD discussant from college Y, TE3 & TE6), applying zone wise placement system for prospective teachers (TE1, FGD discussants from college X, DZ3 & PT6), accepting low achievers during prospective teachers selection and non-meritocratic college deans assigning system (TE3), lack of devotion on the part of REB about DADs (DZ3), and negligence of REB about DADs (TE3 & DZ3). All the challenges reported in relation to societal curriculum are actual challenges that could negatively affect the development of DADs and weakening of UADs in the sample TECs.

4.2.3. Official curriculum-related challenges

Negligence of some courses about prospective teachers’ DADs is the only emerged challenge subtheme through the data analysis in relation to the official curriculum. In relation to this subtheme, different challenges were reported using different explanation. For instance, from college X some of the explanations were stated as follow by the respective participants.

• •Some courses don't give special attention for DADs (DHX3)
• •Negligence of courses about DADs (TE1)
• •Non-inviting nature of some courses to address DADs (DX3)
• •Advanced nature of bridging course make prospective teachers to be hopeless (DX3)

Similarly, from college Y the challenges are stated as curriculum negligence about DADs (TE4), misalignment of the teacher education curriculum and primary school curriculum (PT4), presence of some courses which don't give room for valuing, cultivating, and assessing DADs (FGD discussants), and absence of curriculum integration (DY3). Moreover, from college Z participants stated the challenges as some courses are not in a position to facilitate the development of DADs (TE3), negligence of the curriculum about DAD development and UAD weakening (DZ3 &TE5) and the hard science curriculum is not in a position to address DADs (TE5).

5. Discussion of the results

5.1. Hidden curriculum-related opportunities and challenges

The findings revealed that there are many good role model leaders, teacher educators, and prospective teachers. Such results are in harmony with what scholars like Zenkert (2013) and Wasicsko et al. (2004) asserted because these scholars believed that affective dispositions are primarily learnt through modelling. These social realities about learning DADs through modelling might inform us that college communities like leaders, teacher educators, administrative staffs, and prospective teachers are significant others who should be taken as a positive role model by prospective teachers in being ethical and morally sound. The findings imply that college community members are one of the sources of hidden curriculum messages, which are very influential in shaping prospective teachers’ affective dispositional qualities.

Moreover, the findings unearthed that establishment of different institutional systems like flag ceremony, different prospective teachers' organization, clubs, etc were some of hidden curriculum aspect opportunities in developing DADs and weakening UADs. This implies that in every college there are different officially established systems that could be taken as an opportunity to cultivate prospective teachers’ DADs if they are properly led, managed, and coached.

The finding also revealed that prior possession of desirable DADs by prospective teachers, which is an intrapersonal factor was an opportunity reported from college Z and X. This finding is consistent with what was reported by (Carroll, 2012; Stooksberry et al., 2009). For example, Carroll found out that the desirable values, belief, ethics, and morals teacher candidates brought with them when they joined a teacher education program is one of the potential opportunities for developing their desirable teaching dispositions. This means prospective teachers might have a positive prior experience in possessing DADs when joining teaching profession This is an ample opportunity to be exploited because if prior DADs of prospective teacher are professionally nurtured and cultivated and since they are willing to be coached to develop these qualities, it is a good fertile ground for the development of new DADs on the part of prospective teachers in the course of their training. The investigated hidden curriculum opportunities suggest that if TECs open their eyes, there are different opportunities in every college, which could facilitate the cultivation of DADs.

On the other hand, the result disclosed that the hidden curriculum has emerged as a challenge. In a pre-service teacher education program, prospective teachers could model leaders, teacher educators, peers, and their own students in their practicum placements (Hughes, 2017). If prospective teachers negatively model these parties/actors, they might be considered as challenges. Similarly, in the present study presence of negative role model leaders, teacher educators, and administrative staffs were reported as one challenge in developing DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers. Sharing this reality, TE6 confirmed that there are leaders who corporally punish prospective teachers. Likewise, FGD discussants from college Z reported that some teacher educators treat us unprofessionally and unethically, they insult us by saying you deaf and stupid, and they never give credit for us rather they consider us like a flea or fly.

Similarly, regarding the actions of prospective teachers as a negative role model for their peers, many prospective teachers claimed that because of their peer influence, they followed inappropriate dressing and hairstyle, are exposed to different addictions like game, substance, and social media, exposed for unsafe sexual life, unofficial 720 marriage, etc. These findings are in harmony with the existing literature because many scholars asserted that if significant adults such as teachers, leaders, and peers are negative role models in demonstrating UADs, students would be in difficulty to develop DADs and weaken UADs because dispositions are learned primarily through modelling Harper-Whalen and Morris (2008); Stewart and Davis (2004) and (Zenkert, 2013). These findings signify that in the sample colleges, there are leaders, teacher educators, and prospective teachers who are not positive role models for prospective teachers in demonstrating DADs which in turn make prospective teachers fail to develop personal, professional, and social DADs that would enable them to be successful in their future personal, social, and professional lives.

Among different hidden curriculum-related challenges, institutional system-related challenges seem to be the most dominant. This is because the relevance, efficiency, and effectiveness of systems established in teacher education programs are critical in impacting the DADs status of prospective teachers. This leads to claim that prospective teachers’ DADs development and UADs weakening are the function of the systems established and/or missed in TECs.

The results also uncovered that lack of attention of on the part of college communities and REB regarding DADs development was a critical challenge that hinders the cultivation of these qualities. Consistent with these findings, Negash (2018) found out that teacher education leaders lacked attention for preschool prospective teachers affective dispositional quality development.

Different prospective teacher related challenges were also investigated. One of which was their negative prior experiences. For instance, TE3 declared that primary school teacher candidates" joined colleges by being unethical and immoral at all being spoiled." In line with these result, Obara (2009) pointed out that disposition development could be hindered by the presence or absence of intrapersonal factors because all the challenges investigated are related with self.

Hidden curriculum is evidenced in the resources adequacy (Pierre, 2013). Provision of adequate time and space is an important precondition to the development of DADs in pre-service teacher education program (Hughes, 2017). Consistent with this assertion, the results of this study revealed that resource scarcity was one of the challenges encountered by primary school TECs to cultivate DADs and weaken UADs of prospective teachers. More specifically, with respect to the economic burden they shouldered, prospective teachers stated that "since the monthly pocket money paid for us by the college is very low, we are challenged by economic problems." Regarding the impact of this burden on their sense of professionalism and social life, they underscored that the economic burden forced them to hate the profession and to make unofficial marriage only to share this burden without being loved each other and they coined the marriage "marriage for 720 birr without love but for shiro". Leader and teacher educator interviewees from both the three colleges shared this idea. These results assure that economic factors have their own negative contribution in developing DADs, but positive contribution for UADs development of prospective teachers. The overall hidden curriculum-related opportunities and challenges investigated were related to the socio-cultural setup of the three colleges at their nano (personal), micro (classroom), and meso (college) levels.

5.2. Societal curriculum-related opportunities and challenges

Presence of positive role models societal members, presence of desirable societal values, presence of some resourceful elder peoples, and presence of different religious institutions in the town whereTECs are found were reported as different opportunities. This would inform us that the societal curriculum that emanated from society is an opportunity in cultivating DADs and weakening UADs. This is because since prospective teachers are non-boarding and living within the society, they are under the direct positive influence of the society. Therefore, this opportunity should be taken into account by TECs.

As what is preached by any religious institutions are ethics and morality, the presence of religious institutions is a potential opportunity to be exploited by TECs in developing the moral and ethical aspects of prospective teachers. Sharing this finding, Naude (2004) claimed that "religion does indeed impact on ethical behaviour at work since actions like stealing and lying are regarded as sins in some or most religions" (p. 106).

Presence of accumulated desirable disposition in the society is really an opportunity for TECs to develop and weaken UADs of prospective teachers. These findings are consistent with what other scholars claimed because dispositions like equity, forgiveness, equality, kindness, hospitality, discipline, morality, democratic attitude, honesty, empathetic, ethicality, patience, and religious spirituality are the desirable disposition that Amhara peoples had as a society (Mesganaw, 2010). These findings remind leaders and teacher educators to give due attention and exploit this excellent opportunity to cultivate DADs and weaken UADs of prospective teachers.

The overall results regarding societal curriculum would inform us that as the societal curriculum is influential in shaping the affective dispositional state of prospective teachers and prospective teachers’ DADs development and UADs weakening are the functions of the societal curriculum. In line with this assertion, Cortes et al. (1981) pointed out that as societal curriculum is influential in impacting the dispositional status of prospective teachers, it should be an integral part of all teacher education program. Therefore, TECs should be very much aware of this social reality.

However, through the analysis of the data societal curriculum was also emerged as one of the major challenge themes in cultivating DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers in the sample TECs. For example, a significant number of respondents approved that there are incidences in which society is acting as a negative role model for prospective teachers. The incidences include harassing, looting, and robbing, sexually harassing female prospective teachers, unwillingness to rent house for female prospective teachers, and materialistic orientation of the society. All these incidences show that the society, which is part of the societal curriculum, is acting as a challenge in fostering DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers. Sharing this finding, Cortes et al. (1981) noted that the societal curriculum is influential in affecting students’ affective quality development. Particularly, since prospective teachers in Amhara region are non-boarding and living within the society, they are highly exposed to negative societal influence. Such findings remind leaders and teacher educators in CTEs to be aware of this social reality.

These results also revealed that prospective teachers’ DADs development and UADs weakening in primary TECs is the function of political system, technological, unemployment, and college placement factors, which all are considered as source of societal curriculum. To mention few, corruption of the political system, politicization of teacher education leadership, and low attention given by political system to teaching profession were reported as critical challenges to cultivate DADs and weaken UADs of prospective teachers by different participants. In harmony with this findings, Naude (2004) pointed out that great political tension and volatile political climate in a country impacts on ethical behaviours of citizens.

It was also found out that technology has been contributing a lot to the underdevelopment of primary school prospective teachers’ DADs in different ways such as making prospective teachers to unlearn their indigenous desirable values, to be addicted to different social media like face book, you tube, and twitter, football and mobile games and undesirable films and forcing them to be colonized by foreign culture. In line with finding, Cortes et al. (1981) reported that as one part of the societal curriculum, media like you tube, face book, tweeter, television, and radio have a significant undesirable impact on dispositions development of our students. Likewise, Velea and Farca (2013) contended that mass media has harmful influence on the DAD development of individuals.

The overall investigated societal curriculum-related challenges would inform us that societal curriculum has a significant contribution in discouraging the development of prospective teachers' DAD, but they are in a position to facilitate the development of UADs. It also implies that the societal curriculum sources such as the political and technological camps, which are more or less out of the control of the college, but still could directly or indirectly influence TECs are found to be the potential challenges to cultivate prospective teachers' DAD. Therefore, TECs need to think out of the box to minimize the negative influence of societal curriculum experiences on prospective teachers’ DAD development.

5.3. Official curriculum-related opportunities and challenges

The results also revealed that official curriculum provided different opportunities for prospective teachers that could facilitate the development of their DADs. Some of the opportunities include provision of reflection opportunities, integration of DADs with the instruction by providing different learning activities, presence of different institutional documents, and presence of some courses which directly teach DADs. Consistent with this result, Beverly et al. (2006) pointed out that ideally, teacher preparation formal curriculum provides opportunities that strengthen desirable dispositions and weakening UADs of prospective teachers. Fonseca-Chacana (2019) added that official curriculum has a great role in nurturing DADs and weakening UADs.

The finding in relation to official curriculum seem to imply that there are different opportunities created during instruction by teacher educators based on official curricula experiences, provided by the very nature of some professional courses like Cross-Cutting Issues in Education and Practicum and created by some official institutional documents like academic legislation and prospective teachers’ code of conduct, which could help prospective teachers to nurture their prior DADs or to develop new ones and to weaken UADs.

On the contrary, through the analysis of data official curriculum has emerged as a challenge. Consequently, it was reported that there are primary school teacher education courses that are negligent for prospective teachers' DADs development and UADs weakening. Consistent with these findings, Negash (2019) and Birnie (1978) pointed out that many official curricula documents are negligent of prospective teachers’ DADs cultivation.

In general, results entail that the hidden curriculum experiences seem to be more influential than the societal and formal curriculum experiences in enhancing or discouraging the development of prospective teachers' DADs which is consistent with existing literature like (Killick, 2015; Otewa, 2016; Ritchhart, 2001). This is because all these scholars argued that the hidden curriculum is more significant in facilitating the development of desirable dispositions. It is to mean that primarily prospective teachers’ DADs development is the function of hidden curriculum experiences.

6. Conclusion

The development of prospective teachers’ DADs and weakening of their UADs in the sample colleges is the function of different opportunity and challenge factors. For the purpose of this study, the factors are themed as hidden, societal, and official curriculum-related. The development of prospective teachers DADs and weakening of UADs is primarily the function of hidden curriculum followed by societal and official curriculum consecutively. It is to mean that both the three curriculum forms have the nature to act as an opportunity and challenge in the process of developing DADs and weakening UADs of prospective teachers. From regional perspective, the first most recurring potential opportunities related to hidden curriculum is the presence of positive role model college communities, whereas the first most recurring potential challenges related to hidden curriculum is presence of negative role model college communities. Likewise, the first most recurring opportunities related societal curriculum is presence of desirable societal dispositions, whereas the first most recurring potential challenges related to societal curriculum is the presence of negative role model societal members.

7. Implications of the results

As the study is novel and original, its results have an institutional, personal, and actor implication for the three colleges, but other colleges in the region could consider the implications if they found them relevant for their context. The findings imply that prospective teachers' DAD development and UAD weakening is the function of the three curriculum forms. The results remind leaders and teacher educators to be aware individually and as actors about all the potential opportunities and challenges, which are related to hidden, societal, and formal curriculum. Results also remind them to invest their individual and collaborative maximum effort to exploit all existing opportunities and minimize the negative impact of the challenges. They should take DAD development and UAD weakening as their personal and team area of priority. The results also remind colleges to establish an explicit DAD valuation, teaching, and assessment institutional system. Besides, there is a need to establish internal and external accountability system in each of the three colleges for the underdevelopment of prospective teachers’ DADs. Leaders also should facilitate to give short-term training for the whole college communities about how to value, cultivate, and assess DADs. Lastly, the researcher would like to recommend that further research need to be carried out on the area with large sample size teacher educators and prospective teachers.

7.1. Limitation of the study

As the study was qualitative, the inability to generalize findings could be taken as one limitation.

Declarations

Author contribution statement

Melese Negash: Conceived and designed the experiments; Performed the experiments; Analyzed and interpreted the data; Contributed reagents, materials, analysis tools or data; Wrote the paper.

Alemayehu Bishaw: Analyzed and interpreted the data.

Funding statement

This work was supported by Bahir Dar University and Debre Tabor University.

Data availability statement

Data will be made available on request.

Declaration of interests statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

No additional information is available for this paper.