Interaction for Unity among Trainee Teachers at Selected Teacher Training Institutes in East Malaysia

The purpose of this study was to identify the level of tendency for interaction among trainee teachers at the Malaysian Institutes of Teacher Education (ITE) in the states of Sabah and Sarawak. The study also examined demographic predictors of interaction levels and considered how interaction takes place in different environments at the institutes among students of different ethnicities. Special attention was given to how trainee teachers interact while they participate in curricular and co-curricular activities, in the residential colleges and during their daily activities as well as online. Demographic factors included level of study, ethnicity and religion. The sample consisted of 299 third semester foundation Bachelor of Education students (PPISMP) and final year Bachelor of Education students (PISMP). A self constructed questionnaire based on extensive literature review was used for data collection. Desriptive analysis revealed that the overall level of tendency for interaction among students of various ethnic groups was high. The highest was interaction in the co-curricular environment, followed by interaction in daily activities, interaction in the residential colleges, and interaction in curricular activities. The level of appreciation of unity among the students of various ethnic groups was high. Results also showed that relationship with peers was the strongest contributor to students’ tendency for interaction with people from different ethnic backgrounds, followed by school experiences, family influence and the mass media. These results are important for teacher educators and policy makers in diverse societies like Malaysia.