Understanding the out-of-field teaching experiences: A review of selected national contexts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38140/ijer-2025.vol7.2.04Keywords:
Out-of-field teaching, social constructivism, out-of-field educators, out-of-field educators’ challenges, student learning outcomesAbstract
This literature review examines the phenomenon of out-of-field (OOF) teaching experiences across various national contexts, highlighting their prevalence, challenges, and adaptive strategies. OOF teaching, where educators are assigned subjects outside their formal qualifications, remains a systemic issue exacerbated by teacher shortages and inequitable distribution. The study is grounded in a social constructivist framework and employs a narrative literature review to investigate the experiences of OOF teaching across diverse national contexts. The review aims to identify the challenging experiences of OOF educators and propose strategies to mitigate the impacts of this phenomenon. A systematic search of secondary data was conducted using databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect, yielding over 50 sources. Through defined inclusion criteria and Boolean search terms, 14 relevant articles were selected for in-depth review. The findings were analysed using thematic analysis to uncover patterns related to teacher adaptation, support mechanisms, and educational outcomes. A narrative review of global, African, and South African studies reveals that structured policies and targeted training programmes improve OOF teaching outcomes, while under-resourced regions face persistent challenges. The findings emphasise the need for policy interventions, enhanced teacher training, and equitable recruitment strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of OOF teaching. Future research should explore long-term implications for educators and students, focusing on sustainable solutions that support OOF teachers across diverse educational settings.
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