Giving Students a Voice: Perceptions of the Pedagogical Advisory Role in a Teacher training Program

Abstract

The pedagogical advisors play a central role in students’ experience of the training process. Nevertheless, the students’ perception of the role of the pedagogical advisor is absent. Consequently, our study focused on this missing link. Our study included 118 participants enrolled in an academic teacher training education program in one college in Israel. Open questionnaires, focus groups, and interviews were used to ascertain—for the first time in Israel—students’ views of the role of the pedagogical advisors. A uniform voice identified in participants’ responses clearly expressed a desire to be viewed as partners and have a more active role in the program in terms of their own learning process. At the same time, they also expected their pedagogical advisors to lend not only professional but also personal support and to help them cope with all aspects of the program.