Learner support and professional development during teaching practice? Should supervisors be subject specialists or any lecturers?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liu Jin ◽  
Lazarus Obed Livingstone Banda ◽  
Jane Thokozani Banda ◽  
Zhou Wen Hui
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Learner Support ◽  
Practicum Students ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Supervision Model ◽  
Subject Areas

Abstract Teaching practice is a precious period for final learner support. In Malawi, any faculty member could supervise teaching practice regardless of their subject specialty (scrambled model). This qualitative study assessed the impacts of this scrambled model of supervision on the quality of learner support when non-specialist faculty supervised student-teachers. Through 2 different focus group discussions, data were collected from 10 conveniently sampled practicum students, 6 practicum supervisors, and 6 coordinators from 6 purposefully selected higher teacher-education institutions. and data were analyzed qualitatively. The study revealed that student-teachers and faculty were uncomfortable with the scrambled supervision model because it led to (1) inconsistencies in pedagogical and content knowledge, (2) unfriendly environment, and (3) inadequate feedback due to varying needs in varying subject areas demands. However, they justified this model for convenience at the mercy of other constraints. Apart from contributing to the existing body of knowledge, this study suggests best practices to guide institutional policy regarding practicum to facilitate quality learner support.

scholarly journals Teaching Practice Supervisory Process: A Resourceful Tool for Up-Coming Teachers

2021 ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
Georgina Martin ◽  
Evans Atteh
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Quality Level ◽  
Effective Teacher ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
School Influence ◽  
Education Business

In today’s keen competitive global environment, schools and institutions of higher learning are entrusted to produce quality human capital that is able to participate and cope with the ever changing market demands in various sectors of the economy such as education, business and commerce, and technology. The quality of education that students receive is inextricably linked to the knowledge, intelligence, professional skills and competencies of teachers. Teachers are the major in – school influence on student achievement and the most influential profession in the society that make huge differences to children’s lives. The professional roles and qualities of the teacher are blended to make him/her an effective teacher. With teacher preparation issues becoming a major concern for many societies today, it is therefore crucial to shed more light on pre-service teachers teaching practice program aimed at positively influencing the quality level of our student teacher preparation to assist them in carrying out their core mandate as and when they become fully grown teachers. The issues in focus are; the concept of teaching practice, why the need for teaching practice for student teachers, supervisors and supervision, supervisions and feedback, and challenges in supervision.

scholarly journals Mentor teachers’ feedback role in improving the training of Grades 1-3 student teachers in South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Johanna Hugo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Mentor Teachers ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Service Training

Mentor teachers play a vital role in the pre-service training of teachers.  The role of mentor teachers assumes even more significance when the training is done at a distance education institution.  It is impossible for lecturers and university representatives to reach every teacher student during the weeks of teaching practice done at schools in a big country like South Africa.  The feedback obtained from the mentor teachers is thus important to train student teachers when they present their lessons during weeks of teaching practice at schools.  But the feedback from mentor teachers can also be used for the future training of student teachers.  Mentor teachers should, however, also be informed about their role as mentors for student teachers.  In this article the way feedback of mentor teachers could be used to improve the quality of the lessons of student teachers when offering language lessons in Grades 1 – 3, is discussed.           

scholarly journals Enhancing the quality of student teachers’ reflective teaching practice through building a virtual learning community

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-71
Author(s):  
Wai Cheong Jacky Pow ◽  
Kwok Hung Lai
Keyword(s):  
Learning Communities ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Peer Feedback ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Reflective Teaching ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Video Database

Microteaching and reflection remains an important technique that pre-service student teachers can use to practice their teaching in a safe environment. However, improvements in teaching are not guaranteed without the support and feedback from peers. Previous studies suggest that a learning community supported by information technology promotes improved pedagogical decisions. This study aimed to examine whether virtual learning communities can facilitate student teachers’ reflection upon their teaching practice. A video database with both text- and voice-comment functionalities was designed to facilitate the process of giving peer feedback and improve the quality of teaching practice. Student teachers’ experiences in using the video database were collected through a questionnaire survey and feedback recorded within the database. Findings indicated that student teachers demonstrated a better understanding of concepts and theories relevant to the teaching of the chosen language skill area. While only some student teachers reflected on their reflective teaching practice more effectively with voice-comment features, most of them did peer evaluation of relevant principles and techniques used in their microteaching. Although feedback on the comment functionalities was divided, student teachers trusted that the microteaching videos with their own reflection and peer feedback were good evidence of their learning outcomes. Future research should examine what types of peer feedback in virtual learning communities may work more effectively in enhancing the quality of reflective teaching practice.

scholarly journals Comparative Study on Self-Assessment of Teaching Competencies of PE Student Teachers from Poland and Kosovo

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (90) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michał Bronikowski ◽  
Ida Laudańska Krzemińska ◽  
Adam Kantanista ◽  
Małgorzata Bronikowska ◽  
Ewa Szczepanowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Teaching Competencies ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
School Placement ◽  
The Difference

Research backgrounds and hypothesis. This study investigates the student teachers’ preparation for the practical school  placement  in  Poland  and  Kosovo.  Considering  the  two  countries  with  different  academic  backgrounds there might be reasonable differences in the state of students’ preparation to work practice. While other research  concentrates on teachers’  supervision  during practical placement the literature review carried out for this paper  illustrates that teaching practicum, which has been a focal point of many academic discussions, has been relatively little researched, especially from the students’ perspective of the process. Understanding the differences regarding  various academic systems may bring some more light into the search for the most effective ways of preparing student  teachers for the school practical placement. Research aim. The purpose of the study was to analyse the student teachers’ assessments of their actual teaching  competencies in order to further prepare a Cooperating PE Teachers Programme (COPET) at both universities. A  sample of 154 second year Bachelor undergraduates in Poznań and 128 students from Pristina and respectively 109 from Master students from Poznań, and 45 from Master students of the international post-graduate programme in Physical Education and Sport in Kosovo were surveyed.Research  method.  Quantitative  data  were  collected  via  the  Pre-Service  PE  Teachers  Self-Assessment Questionnaire including 25-items concerning three areas: organizational, didactic and pedagogical. A multivariate analysis of variance showed the differences between students from Poznań and Pristina. Research results. In our own research, the analysis of progression (visible in the difference between Bachelor and Master students) in their self-assessment indicates more critical self-reflection present in the assessments of students in Poznań. This was not common in the self-assessment of the students in Pristina as levels of their self-assessment at the two phases of the PETE programme (Bachelor and Master) were similar.Discussion and conclusions. Recommendations for further improvements of PETE programmes in both Polish  and Kosovan Higher Education Institutions concern the introduction of a COPET programme. Improving teaching  practice  and  professional  preparedness  of  student  teachers  requires  elevating  the  quality  of  academic  teaching  delivered to students throughout their studies. This especially concerns subjects dealing with the teaching of practical  and methodological skills. Equally important is the quality of early practical experience.Keywords: PE practical school placement, student teachers’ competencies, self-assessment.

Towards a Culturally Reflective Practitioner

2020 ◽  
pp. 143-197
Author(s):  
Karin Vogt
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Intercultural Development ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Teaching Practicum ◽  
Practice Experience ◽  
Learning Development ◽  
The Uk

Since 2007, it has been possible for student teachers based in Europe to complete a teaching practicum at a school abroad, supported by the European flagship mobility programme ERASMUS. The focus of this study was on 35 undergraduate preservice teachers who completed a three-month teaching practicum placement in the UK and Ireland. Data from reflective reports was content analysed and completed with focus group discussions six months after the students' stay abroad. On the basis of the reflective reports, a case study was additionally collated that focussed on their intercultural learning development. The findings indicate an interconnection of linguistic, intercultural, and professional development with professional development as the most prominent and the intercultural development as a rather neglected one. Suggestions on how to design a formal instruction element based on the principles of cultural (peer) mentoring and guided cultural reflection as part of the teaching practice experience are outlined.

scholarly journals Student teachers’ views of their experiences in a Bachelor’s programme

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sene Van Heerden ◽  
Yusuf Sayed ◽  
Zahraa McDonald
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Data Generation ◽  
Initial Development ◽  
Pedagogic Content Knowledge

Background: It is widely accepted that the quality of schools depends on the quality of teachers. Understanding what occurs while learning to teach is an important pursuit for acquiring a sense of the quality of teachers. The initial development of teachers is a critical point from which to activate such understanding.Aim: This study, therefore, examines the ways in which pedagogic content knowledge is developed within experiences that relate to initial teacher education programmes. Pedagogic content knowledge is a concept describing a form of knowledge related to transmitting subject matter knowledge to learners.Setting: A qualitative study was conducted with a cohort of participants in the final year of a bachelor’s degree programme.Methods: Data generation ensued from focus group discussions, complemented by questionnaire data. The study analysed data categorised according to themes.Results: Findings demonstrate that the participants found their initial teacher education programme to have had positive and negative influences with regard to the development of pedagogic content knowledge. Administrative duties, adapting to school contexts, relationships with people of influence (such as lecturers during initial teacher education and mentor teachers), teaching practice (which had the most profound influence on classroom practice) and professional knowledge and skills as taught during initial teacher education were all factors that had an impact on participants’ experiences in developing their pedagogic content knowledge.Conclusion: This paper argues for the need to rethink the structure of initial teacher education programmes in order to better facilitate the development of pedagogic content knowledge.

scholarly journals Partnerships in action: establishing a model of collaborative support to student and mentor teachers through a universityschool partnership

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patti Silbert ◽  
Clare Verbeek
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Mentor Teachers ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Support Programme ◽  
Mentoring Functions ◽  
Collaborative Support ◽  
The University

South African universities have a crucial role to play in helping reduce inequalities in schooling by preparing teachers for working across diverse school contexts. This article examines a pre-service teacher collaborative support programme generated through a twoyear action research process. The programme was designed to support student teachers and their school-based mentors during Teaching Practice through an existing university-school partnership. Using a qualitative analysis of journal entries and separate focus group discussions with student and mentor teachers we describe students’ and mentors’ responses to the collaborative support programme. The findings of the study suggest that a collaborative support strategy pitched at both the university and school is critical to support student teachers during their pre-service teaching, especially in socially and educationally challenging contexts. Joint responsibility for initial teacher development requires a reconceptualisation of the role of the mentor teacher, and a shift towards the distribution of mentoring functions from a few designated mentor teachers to include a wider range of teachers at the school.

scholarly journals Interventions to Improve a Practicum Course for EFL Teachers in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khadija A. Alamoudi
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Peer Observation ◽  
Observation Report ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Most Significant Change ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Practice Time

Although the Teaching Practicum (TP) course makes a significant contribution in preparing teachers, it remains lacking in many essential aspects. To fill in the gaps regarding literature, this research paper was designed to explore the views of three Master of Art (MA) TESOL student-teachers on the advantages they gained and challenges they faced during their TP course at a Saudi university. Participants were interviewed, observed, and the two reflective assignments of the course were analyzed to find answers to the research questions. The research questions focused on the instructional benefits of the TP course and the interventions needed to enhance the effectiveness of the course. The findings revealed that the practical teaching component was the most helpful part of the course and the peer-observation report was the most appropriate evaluation method. Moreover, the study found that the limitedness of the teaching timeframe poses a significant challenge, and hence increasing the teaching practice time was the most significant change the participants suggested. Finally, the study recommends interventions that will help improve the quality of the TP course.

scholarly journals Interventions to Improve a Practicum Course for EFL Teachers in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-70
Author(s):  
Khadija A. Alamoudi
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Peer Observation ◽  
Observation Report ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Most Significant Change ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Practice Time

Although the Teaching Practicum (TP) course makes a significant contribution in preparing teachers, it remains lacking in many essential aspects. To fill in the gaps regarding literature, this research paper was designed to explore the views of three Master of Art (MA) TESOL student-teachers on the advantages they gained and challenges they faced during their TP course at a Saudi university. Participants were interviewed, observed, and the two reflective assignments of the course were analyzed to find answers to the research questions. The research questions focused on the instructional benefits of the TP course and the interventions needed to enhance the effectiveness of the course. The findings revealed that the practical teaching component was the most helpful part of the course and the peer-observation report was the most appropriate evaluation method. Moreover, the study found that the limitedness of the teaching timeframe poses a significant challenge, and hence increasing the teaching practice time was the most significant change the participants suggested. Finally, the study recommends interventions that will help improve the quality of the TP course.

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