Abstract
Research-informed immersive professional learning in schools is another avenue for pre-service teachers (PSTs) to develop their understanding and reflection about theories, methods, and practices of teaching and learning. From a collaborative research project that aimed at developing the intercultural capabilities of Prep level students in a primary school, in this paper, as teacher educators, we examine the views of four PSTs involved in this project. The findings draw upon the opportunities and affordances PSTs identified from this in-school “immersive” and situated teaching experience in; bridging the incongruences of the theory/practice divide; reflecting on their teaching practices; and in improving their teacher efficacy, agency, and relational agency. From a reflexive stance, as teacher educators, we further discuss the implications of this collaborative research with PSTs in closing the gap of the theory/practice divide between university-based learning and teaching practices in schools. We also discuss the mentioned affordances as emphasised by the PSTs towards the improvement of their teacher efficacy, agency, and relational agency. The paper concludes on further strengthening of university-school collaborative research partnerships. It highlights research-informed projects to offer PSTs opportunities for situated teaching experiences from guided mentorship as another avenue for “immersive” professional learning in schools.
Highlights
Research-informed immersive professional learning can provide richer and more varied learning opportunities for novice teachers with more avenues to reflect individually and collectively on “theories, methods, and practices of teaching and learning” (Crichton & Carter, 2017, p. 26)
From a collaborative research project that aimed at developing the intercultural capabilities of Prep level students in a primary school, in this paper, as teacher educators, we examine the views of four pre-service teachers (PSTs) involved in this project
The following sections discuss the incongruences as identified by the PSTs in bridging the theory/practice divide from university-based learning and teaching practices in schools and with further discussion on how PSTs had opportunities to reflect on teaching practices and improve their teacher efficacy, agency, and relational agency
Summary
Research-informed immersive professional learning can provide richer and more varied learning opportunities for novice teachers with more avenues to reflect individually and collectively on “theories, methods, and practices of teaching and learning (pedagogy)” (Crichton & Carter, 2017, p. 26). In this paper, we examine PST’s views and insights as they identified the opportunities and affordances of this immersive and situated in-school teaching experience to; (a) offer them more authentic opportunities in integrating theory with practice and reflect on their teaching practices; (b) improve their teacher efficacy, agency and relational agency from guided mentorship. We take a reflexive stance in discussing the PSTs views, to situate how this researchinformed immersive experience in a school helped them to bridge the incongruences of a theory/ practice divide between university-based learning and school placements. We discuss how collaborative university-school research partnerships involving PSTs in schools contributes to offering them further opportunities for immersive professional learning with more situated teaching experiences and guided mentorship
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
