‘A good teacher should…’: exploring student perceptions of teaching quality in Rwandan secondary education

Figures & data

Table 1. Overview of participants.

School	District	Location	School type	All-male groups	All-female groups	Mixed-gender groups	Total	Total student number
A	Gisagara	Rural	Day school	1	1	3	5	29
B	Karongi	Rural	SOE*	0	4	1	5	26
C	Kamonyi	Rural	SOE–Day school	3	6	1	10	56
D	Ngororero	Rural	Day and boarding school	1	1	5	7	42
E	Gicumbi	Rural	Day school	2	1	1	4	20
F	Gicumbi	Rural	Day school	2	1	3	6	31
G	Gicumbi	Rural	Day school	2	4	1	7	43
H	Gisagara	Rural	Day school	4	1	4	9	47
I	Musanze	Urban	Day school	1	1	3	5	30
J	Gicumbi	Rural	Day school	1	2	1	4	24
K	Gisagara	Rural	Day school	2	3	1	6	34
L	Musanze	Rural	Day school	3	2	2	7	37
			TOTAL	22	27	26	75	419

*SOE=School of Excellence.

Figure 1. Two samples of student responses.

Table 2. The inputs possessed by quality teachers.

Themes	Sub-theme
Teacher disposition (62)	Social relations with others (42) Confidence (21) Positive mindset (21) Patient (21) Trustworthy (15) Humble (11) ‘Cultural values’ (9) Religious (9) Loving (9) Innovative (7)
Responsible behaviors (59)	Maintaining a healthy lifestyle (39) Be punctual (37) Role models (18) Disciplined (18) Respect power and authorities (14)
Teacher competencies (52)	Have expertise in subject taught (37) Intelligence (16) Teach well (13) Have linguistic competence (7)
Teacher image (51)	N/A
Teacher motivation (39)	N/A

Table 3. How ‘good’ teachers enact quality processes of teaching.

Themes	Sub-themes
Teacher-student relationship (75)	Culture of care (70) Classroom management approaches (64) Mutual trust (50)
Classroom practices to support student learning (71)	Applying learning (55) Check student understanding (51) Providing clear explanations (48) Professional teaching practice (43) Fun learning environment (20)
Classroom materials (60)	Teaching and learning materials (53) Hygiene materials (11) Administrative materials (5)

Table 4. The outcomes which students derive from ‘good’ teachers.

Themes	Sub-themes
Impact of ‘good’ teachers on students as learners (65)	Positive emotions towards the teacher (48) High subject engagement (48) Positive feelings towards oneself (42) Academic achievement (11) Hopeful about the future (10) Enjoy coming to school (8)
Cultivating positive values (37)	Cultural values for moral development and character formation (22) Vocational development for life and career choice (15) Social relationship with others (12) Physical development for healthy life (7)

Table

Areas of focus	Methodology	Students involved	Education level	Journal	Studies
The implications of large classes on active learning	Qualitative	23	Higher education	Rwandan Journal of Education	(Mugabe & Ndayambaje, 2022)
Comparing student learning in Cooperative Mastery Learning with ‘Conventional Teaching Methods’	Quantitative	298	Secondary 2	Education Research International	(Bizimana et al., 2022)
Gender Responsiveness of Upper Primary Social Studies Curriculum	Qualitative	24	Upper primary	Rwandan Journal of Education	(Nizeyimana et al., 2022)
How Assessment for Learning was used by teachers	Qualitative	72	Secondary 5	Rwandan Journal of Education	(Ukobizaba & Nizeyimana, 2022)
Determinants of students’ Performance	Quantitative	241	Secondary (level varied)	Rwandan Journal of Education	(Ntawiha et al., 2021)
Perception on mathematics Teachers’ Behaviours	Qualitative	16	primary	Rwandan Journal of Education	(Ukobizaba et al., 2021)
		26	secondary
Attitudes towards English	Mixed	123	Secondary 2	International Journal of Contemporary Applied Researches	(Tabaro, 2019)
Student experience in 12YBE	Qualitative	16	Secondary 3	Journal of Development Studies	(Williams, 2018)
Perceptions towards the mathematics subject, learners’ feeling, performance and enrolment	Mixed	144	Students aged 15–18	Rwandan Journal of Education	(Uwineza et al., 2018)
Sexual violence and student performance	Mixed	182	Secondary 4	Rwandan Journal of Education	(Twagirumukiza, 2016)
Students’ conceptions of quality in learning	Qualitative	20	Higher education	Studies in Continuing Education	(Bamwesiga et al., 2013)

Table A1. The inputs possessed by quality teachers.

Themes	Sub-theme	M	F
Teacher disposition (62) 18 M (81.8%) 22F (81.5%)	Social relations with others (42)	13 59.1%	16 59.3%
	Confidence (21)	6 27.3%	3 11.1%
	Positive mindset (21)	4 18.2%	11 40.7%
	Patient (21)	7 31.8%	6 22.2%
	Trustworthy (15)	6 27.3%	4 14.8%
	Humble (11)	4 18.2%	3 11.1%
	‘Cultural values’ (9)	4 18.2%	3 11.1%
	Religious (9)	4 18.2%	2 7.41%
	Loving (9)	4 18.2%	4 14.8%
	Innovative (7)	2 9.09%	2 7.41%
Responsible behaviors (59) 17 M (77.3%) 22F (81.5%)	Maintaining a healthy lifestyle (39)	11 50%	15 55.6%
	Be punctual (37)	12 54.5%	13 48.1%
	Role models (18)	5 22.7%	6 22.2%
	Disciplined (18)	7 31.8%	5 18.5%
	Respect power and authorities (14)	5 22.7%	3 11.1%
Teacher competencies (52) 12 M (54.5%) 23F (85.2%)	Have expertise in subject taught (37)	10 45.5%	15 55.6%
	Intelligence (16)	3 13.6%	8 29.6%
	Teach well (13)	4 18.2%	4 14.8%
	Have linguistic competence (7)	1 4.55%	2 7.41%
Teacher image (51)	N/A	12 54.5%	20 74.1%
Teacher motivation (39)	N/A	13 59.1%	14 51.9%

Table A2. How ‘good’ teachers enact quality processes of teaching.

Themes	Sub-theme	M	F
Teacher-student relationship (75) 22 M (100%) 27F (100%)	Culture of care (70)	21 95.5%	24 88.9%
	Classroom management approaches (64)	18 81.8%	24 88.9%
	Mutual trust (50)	14 63.6%	18 66.7%
Classroom practices to support student learning (71) 21 M (95.5%) 26F (96.3%)	Applying learning (55)	19 86.4%	18 66.7%
	Check student understanding (51)	14 63.6%	19 70.4%
	Providing clear explanations (48)	13 59.1	21 77.8%
	Professional teaching practice (43)	14 63.6%	15 55.6%
	Fun learning environment (20)	4 18.2%	6 22.2%
Classroom materials (60) 17 M (77.3%) 26F (96.3%)	Teaching and learning materials (53)	15 68.2%	21 77.8%
	Hygiene materials (11)	5 22.7%	3 11.1%
	Administrative materials (5)	2 9.09%	2 7.41%

Table A3. The outcomes which quality teachers have impacted on students.

Themes	Sub-theme	M	F
Impact of ‘good’ teachers on students as learners (65) 19 M (86.4%) 24F (88.9%)	Positive emotions towards the teacher (48)	10 45.5%	19 70.4%
	High subject engagement (48)	11 50%	18 66.7%
	Positive feelings towards oneself (42)	11 50%	16 59.3%
	Academic achievement (11)	6 27.3%	3 11.1%
	Hopeful about the future (10)	4 18.2%	1 3.70%
	Enjoy coming to school (8)	2 9.09%	2 7.41%
Cultivating positive values (37) 13 M (59.1%) 12F (44.4%)	Cultural values for moral development and character formation (22)	9 40.9%	7 25.9%
	Vocational development for life and career choice (15)	4 18.2%	5 18.5%
	Social relationship with others (12)	5 22.7%	4 14.8%
	Physical development for healthy life (7)	3 13.6%	1 3.70%

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