School administrators’ understandings and management of barriers for the school’s involvement in the practicum component of initial teacher education in Chile

Abstract

Worldwide governments are seeking to transform initial teacher education by increasing the quality of practicum experiences in school settings. This paper analyzes the barriers school administrators from Chile identified for their schools’ involvement in the practicum scheme. Data were produced through a survey (N=172) and in-depth interviews (N=51) with administrators in schools hosting teacher candidates. Few participants (4%) identified barriers implicating a sense of shared school-university responsibility for the success of the practicum. About a third of the barriers identified pertain to within school factors, such as teachers’ and parents’ reluctance to host candidates. From these administrator’s perspectives, a distance with the host school is produced through a number of factors attributed to the universities’ curricula and management. Administrators manage this distance to leverage better learning opportunities for their school’s pupils, for prospective teachers, and for the school staff. Findings contribute to the discussion of policies and practices to strengthen school–university partnerships, highlighting the importance of including school administrators as key contributors.