Video Feedback on Practicum

This chapter highlights how the use of video feedback can support preservice teachers' understanding of how to improve the ways in which they scaffold and monitor students' literacy learning, gather formative assessment data in relation to set goals and make connections between educational theory and practice. It examines the contemporary shift towards democratic pedagogies in the context of learning in social constructivist environments and the need for preservice teachers to be aware of the impact of the teacher/student dialogues they create on the quality of pedagogy and students' learning. Preservice teachers' analysis of their pedagogical dialogue not only raises their awareness of the quality of dialogic turn-taking and questioning strategies but makes their associated ‘cognitive moves' explicit for their critical reflection, along with their use of the underpinning metalanguage. The chapter acknowledges the importance of preservice teachers' compilation of rich pedagogical data during practicums and shows how this contributes to deepening their learning. Similarly, it argues that emergent data are central to creating a dialogic community of inquiry where all practicum stakeholders are drawn into a process of learning and knowledge building.

Feedback, Reflection, and Assessment Practices in Practicum Placements

The purpose of this chapter is twofold. Firstly, it defines the methodology used as a basis for the research findings presented in this text. Secondly, it describes the methods used to investigate the video feedback and formative assessment processes in a preservice teacher education program in regional Australia. Particular attention is given to Participatory Action Learning Action Research (PALAR), which was used in a four-year study that investigated the extent to which a mobile video capture application impacted on preservice teacher assessment while on practicum placements. Methods of each PALAR cycle are presented to explain how these were used in a coordinated manner to ensure the reliability of the outputs of the study. The chapter concludes by recognising the limitations of the study and describing future research opportunities arising from the study.

Positioning Preservice Teacher Formative Assessment in the Literature

This text explores Formative Assessment Practices (FAP) for Preservice Teacher Practicum Feedback and focuses on emerging opportunities from a study conducted in Australia over four years. This study comprised Participatory Action Learning Action Research (PALAR) that involved six cycles (Dann & Allen, 2015). The emerging opportunities discussed here are drawn from the data of this PALAR study and the current literature about formative assessment of preservice teachers during practicum experiences. Professional practicum experiences are a central component of initial teacher education programs where today's providers are endeavoring to increase their quality (Beauchamp, Clarke, Hulme, & Murray, 2013; Cohen, Hoz, & Kaplan, 2013; Ingvarson et al., 2014).

Professional Standards for Teachers

This chapter uses the concept of ‘pass the message' game as a metaphor to explore preservice teacher education in relation to the communication of the requirements of the professional standards for teachers that are intended to regulate teacher quality. The concept of ‘pass the message' represents the variation in individuals' interpretation and understanding about a particular phenomenon, for example, an individual's understanding of teacher quality. ‘Pass the message game' demonstrates how the meaning of a message becomes distorted as it is told and moved on from one person, or organisation in this case, to another as different interpretations are applied according to beliefs, preferences, knowledge and experience. The passing on and down of intended understandings of professional standards for teachers, suffers from the same challenges as shown by the game of ‘pass the message'. However, with respect to the focus of this chapter, the message is not being passed down from person to person so much as from organisation to organisation. Hence, the issue explored here is the loss in understanding of the original message after it has been promulgated and interpreted from one organisation to the next.

Formative Assessment via Video Feedback on Practicum

University program leaders in conjunction with accreditation bodies, create Initial Teacher Education programs. These programs provide the knowledge and practice opportunities that preservice teachers need to learn and develop as teachers, and provide evidence of attaining the requisite standard required for obtaining a teaching position. This places the Initial Teacher Education programs in a unique position to lead much needed systemic change to transform the learning experiences of preservice teachers in schools. However, at the same time, there are challenges involved in creating innovative programs that align with the requirements of stakeholders, which in the first instance involve: accreditation authorities, universities, early childhood agencies and government. This chapter discusses how video feedback might act as a catalyst for change. First it addresses how it provides the conditions necessary to stimulate focused reflective dialogues that align to the graduate standards and lesson objectives, and second the implications for the field.

Exemplifying Formative Assessment Practices in the Field Through Case Study

Practicum experiences are central to preservice teacher programs worldwide and ideally represent the component that unites university learning with practical learning in the field. This chapter examines the feedback processes between one preservice teacher and the supervising teacher during a four-week practicum. The supervising teacher used an iPad® and App to collect video and associated data to support the provision of feedback on the preservice teacher's performance and practice. A case study approach was used and included pre- and post- interviews as well as analysis of data collected through the CeMeE App by the supervising teacher. The results indicated both the supervising teacher and preservice teacher were able to constructively use the video feedback process to support their reflective dialogue. Key issues for action and future research included the value of the innovative process of collecting evidence, delivering feedback to preservice teachers, and the alignment of evidence against the professional standards for teachers.