Navigation of Teaching Practicum Challenges An Emerging Perspective of Pre-Service Teachers

Abstract

This research explored the challenges prospective teachers face during the teaching practicum at the University of Education, Attock Campus. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive phenomenological design. A census sampling strategy was deployed comprising 67 prospective teachers. Data collection employed a self-developed open-ended questionnaire, validated through expert evaluations and a pilot study. The collected data were analyzed by thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012). To ensure the rigor of thematic analysis, inter-coder reliability was established. The study delimited its geographical scope to the University of Education Attock Campus and focused on B.Ed. (Hons) 4-year teacher education program seventh-semester participants. Theoretical underpinning was drawn from the constructivist perspective. Results show that prospective teachers faced diverse challenges during their teaching practicum. These challenges included placement, orientation, classroom management, administrative cooperation, lesson planning and implementation, workload, evaluation process, transportation, feedback, school timetable, portfolio, evaluation processes, and inadequate facilities. Despite these challenges, prospective teachers highlighted the importance of supervision, modern teaching methods, and improved resources. Enhancing the teaching practicum involves setting up laboratory schools with theory-practice integration, immersive classroom experiences, and applied teaching techniques.