Practicum Course Research Articles

Teacher Education Programs in the Arabian Gulf Through the Eyes of Novice Teachers: A Systematic Review with Narrative Synthesis

Understanding novice teachers’ perceptions of their teacher education programmes (TEPs) remains an under-researched area in the six Gulf Council countries (GCC). This paper implements a systematic review with a narrative synthesis following Popay et al. (2006) guidelines to answer two questions: (a) what are the reported views of beginning teachers in the GCC region regarding the strengths and weaknesses of their TEPs? and (b) what are the reported suggestions of beginning teachers in the GCC region for enhancing TEP implementation? Four studies conducted between 2010 and 2022 were included in this review from three GCC countries. The findings revealed several themes regarding the first review question, such as (a) impactful practicum courses, (b) theory–practise gap, and (c) non-culturally responsive curricula. The themes around the second question were (a) enhancing course quality, (b) bridging the school-programme gap, and (c) building on work-related skills. The findings show that the perceived weaknesses of TEPs by beginning teachers outweigh the perceived strengths of some TEPs in the Arabian Gulf. Drawing upon the findings of this systematic review, broader literature, and my professional experiences, I propose a model of essential components for effective TEP implementation based on the theory of change (ToC).

Appreciative Inquiry into Implementing Artificial Intelligence for the Development of Language Student Teachers

The current study investigates the perceptions of four student teachers of implementing AI tools for designing ELT lessons into their microteaching sessions. The professional development of student teachers achieved via adapting AI tools has not been widely investigated, since the majority of available studies focus on the students’ learning of language skills with AI tools. This study follows the appreciative inquiry approach that emphasises positive teaching practices, aiming to foster sustainable professional development. The participants of the study were MA student teachers studying the Advanced Teaching Practicum course at a Saudi university over one academic semester. Their experiences of designing ELT lessons for their microteaching sessions were reflected upon in reflective journals and a BlackBoard forum. The qualitative analyses of the journals, the forum and lesson plans revealed that the participants appreciated using AI tools, despite the few challenges that occurred. This study demonstrates the participants’ independent efforts that led them to use AI tools that have not been addressed by ELT researchers. The authors hope that this study will enrich ELT practices, assist AI designers in developing their designs by understanding teachers’ experiences and contribute to a sustainable educational future.

Infographics: A Novel Approach to Improve Faculty-Preceptor Communication.

Communication between preceptors and faculty and the time to teach have been identified as common barriers for preceptors working with nurse practitioner (NP) students. Despite traditional preceptor orientation strategies in school of nursing NP primary care programs, preceptors continued to express uncertainty and lack of clarity regarding the expectations of the precepted experience. Data to support this innovation were obtained through preceptor-faculty interactions through surveys, site visits, and focus groups examining the preceptor's experience with precepting. Infographics were developed for each of the three clinical practicum courses in the NP primary care track, which address expectations for these precepted experiences. Preceptors reported being more likely to review infographics, kept them accessible/available during the semester, and experienced clarity on the expectations for the experience. Preceptors and students expressed a more thorough understanding of the expectations for the NP student's practicums with the implementation of the infographics. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(X):XXX-XXX.].

Learning and leading through COVID-19: Surprising findings from a year of disrupted field experience

When the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the closure of Kindergarten-Grade 12 schools in Alberta, the authors, who are the Directors of Field Experience, at this local university saw this disruption as both a challenge and an opportunity (Danyluk, 2022). Over 400 preservice teachers were scheduled to begin their in-school practicum two days after the announcement of school closures. While most Bachelor of Education programs in Canada halted or postponed their field experience programs, the authors decided to move forward with an online practicum course. This chapter describes how we used collaborative professionalism (Hargreaves & O’Connor, 2018) to restructure field experience in response to the pandemic and the impact it had on student and field instructor learning. A community of practice was initiated by the Directors of Field Experience to support the instructors in the implementation of the online course and to come together as a community of learners in support of one another during this complex time. Survey and anecdotal data will be shared to illuminate the positive influence the pivot to the online field course had on students and instructors as well as the challenges we encountered as we navigated these uncharted waters as educational leaders.

Incorporating Evidence-Based Practice Learning Activities Throughout Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Practicum Courses.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is crucial to high-quality health care, yet nurse practitioner graduates report low levels of confidence in their EBP abilities. This may be because of limited incorporation of EBP learning opportunities outside of foundational course-work. Family nurse practitioner (FNP) program faculty incorporated EBP learning activities across the three-semester clinical year curriculum, and the activities scaffolded in complexity. Initial activities included appraisal and application of clinical practice guidelines to patient case scenarios. Later, students used the seven steps of EBP to present frequently asked patient questions and EBP clinical challenges in their clinical rotations to their peers. This innovative way to thread EBP across the clinical year allowed faculty to continue to evaluate and guide students toward EBP competency. The integration of EBP learning activities across the clinical year is a feasible strategy to further expand FNP student competency in EBP. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(X):XXX-XXX.].

Emotion–Identity–Agency Triangle in Practicum Experience: A Pre-service Second Language Teachers Development of Critical Emotional Reflexivity

Earlier research has established that language teachers’ identity work is intertwined with emotions and called for incorporating emotions in language teacher education. Yet, there is limited research investigating how teacher education programmes pedagogize identity, emotions and agency to help pre-service teachers gain critical emotional reflexivity. To respond to this gap in the literature, we pedagogized Kayi-Aydar’s emotion–identity–agency triangle via three teacher learning activities in a critical practicum course in a pre-service English language teaching programme in Turkey: reflective emotion diary; auto-ethnography; and critical issues analysis and advocacy project. In this study, we explore a Korean pre-service language teacher's (Iris's) case to demonstrate how she navigated her emotions, identity and agency throughout the practicum course with the help of these teacher learning activities and critical, dialogical supervision in our course. At the beginning of the term, Iris expressed anxiety due to her novice non-native pre-service teacher identity. Yet, as she gained critical emotional reflexivity, Iris could reflect on her emotions critically, transform her internalized deficit view of her identity as a novice non-native pre-service teacher and perform her multicultural and multilingual identity in her emerging pedagogy. We argue that findings from this study offer evidence that when intentionally and systematically supported by second language (L2) teacher educators through the design of teacher learning activities, pre-service L2 teachers can develop critical reflexivity of their emotions and emotion labour and recruit this awareness for teacher agency even over a short period of time and in contexts of power imbalance such as pre-service practicum experience. We offer recommendations for L2 teacher educators.

How well does the academic performance of Ethiopian anaesthetists predict their National Licensing Examination scores: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThis study assessed the relationship between academic performance and National Licensing Examination (NLE) scores of Ethiopian anaesthetists and proposed academic performance thresholds that predict failing the NLE.DesignA retrospective cross-sectional study.SettingAcademic...

Empowering ESP Students Through a Scientific Approach: Unveiling the Impact on Engagement and Reading Comprehension Achievement

This study is anchored in the constructivist theoretical perspective, which emphasizes the active role of learners in constructing knowledge through interaction and experience. It aims to investigate the efficacy of a scientific method in improving reading comprehension and student engagement among Informatics Study Program students at Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani Cimahi, Indonesia. The study utilizes a mixed-methods research design to assess the effectiveness of traditional lecture methods and the scientific approach in enhancing reading achievement. The study was conducted at Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani Cimahi in West Java and involved 68 second-semester students enrolled in the Informatics Study Program, with a specific focus on the English Practicum course. The results of the research found that the scientific approach led to better reading comprehension and higher engagement levels compared to traditional lectures. However, when comparing the two methods, the statistical analysis showed no significant difference between them, suggesting that the impact of the scientific approach may vary. The study also found the value of student-centered, evidence-based teaching methods for improving educational outcomes in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) settings. The study emphasizes the necessity of employing adaptable, empirically supported teaching methods to address a wide range of learning requirements and enhance educational achievements. Although the study has limitations that are specific to its environment and relies on data provided by the participants themselves, the findings strongly support a wider adoption of scientific approaches in teaching reading comprehension.

Bridging the Gap Between Pre-Requisite Practicum Courses of Hospitality and Tourism Management and Needed Competencies of Industry Partners for Employability of Hospitality and Tourism Management Graduates

Hospitality and Tourism Management industry partners observed that practicumers need enhancement on needed competencies in the industry. The study focused on the experiences and observations of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) students, practicum faculty and industry partners during the On-the-Job Training (OJT). The study examined the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) guidelines for practicum trainings, considering global perspectives aligned with Sustainable Development Goal #4: equal access to quality tertiary education. Qualitative research method was used and virtual interviews with practicumers, faculty members, and industry managers/trainers were conducted. The study uncovered experiences and observations of the participants of the Hospitality and Tourism practicum. The findings revealed that the practicumers need more trainings and enhancement in soft skills like, communication, leadership skills, self-confidence, people skills and essential hard skills. The industry partners were expecting that the students have to be well-trained before the OJT deployment. Based on the results of the study, guidelines on the revision of the pre-requisite practicum syllabi courses were developed to promote employability of Hospitality and Tourism graduates.

Racial literacy and performative pedagogies in the German theater practicum

AbstractThis article explores the potential and pitfalls of performative pedagogies for teaching literature that thematizes issues of race and racism and argues that racial literacy requires a rethinking of drama‐pedagogical practice. An initial segment situates pedagogical discussions of race in North American German curricula within research on racial literacy and then considers the ethical limitations of the usual approaches from drama pedagogy (role‐play and identification exercises) when addressing literature about or from minoritized communities. The second half of the article outlines a case study of a performance‐oriented teaching unit in a German theater practicum course for German at the B2 level, which combined work on performing and staging poetry with a discussion of the Enlightenment's entanglement with white supremacy and scientific racism. Centering on Black German poet Philipp Khabo Köpsell's poem “The Brainage,” the unit raised the question of performative ethics, namely, how and whether the class, consisting of 11 white students and a white instructor, could ethically perform the poem in a live performance at the end of the semester. The article analyzes examples from student learning and the final live performance and makes the argument for performing the process of students’ encounter with literary form using theatrical means.

Intercultural competence development: A qualitative case study

AimThe aim of this study was to explore Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students' perceptions of the effectiveness of a unique teaching-learning strategy using their results from the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), an instrument for the assessment of intercultural competence, with their customized Intercultural Development Plan (IDP) in enhancing their cultural competence development in a nursing senior practicum. The study also examined student insights about how having a plan to develop their intercultural competence will have an impact on their future nursing practice. BackgroundIntercultural competence is vital for providing quality healthcare, yet there is a gap in understanding how educational interventions are designed and implemented to enhance cultural competence among nursing students. This paper describes a strategy for developing intercultural competence. The IDI was administered to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students in the fourth semester of a five-semester BSN program. Based on their IDI results, each student received a customized IDP that suggested specific activities and encouraged guided self-reflection to enhance intercultural competence development. In the fifth-semester senior practicum course, the students developed personal intercultural competence development goals based on their IDP. They also kept weekly journals on their intercultural competence development during their practicum. DesignThis study used a Qualitative Case Study design. MethodsThis study was conducted from January to July 2021 with 47 senior practicum students in a large BSN program in the Southeastern United States. Data consisted of student written responses to prompts on how the IDI/IDP influenced their intercultural development and its potential effect on their future practice. The data were analyzed through inductive content analysis. ResultsThree key themes emerged: self-awareness, recognition of cultural influences and growth goals. Student reflections suggested that they desired to develop intercultural competence so they could provide the best possible nursing care for their patients. Still, most students did not have a plan for how to grow in this area. Many students reported that their IDI/IDP heightened cultural awareness throughout their practicum, guiding their development of intercultural competence and leading to a deeper and broader understanding of culture. Students suggested that this enhanced cultural understanding, along with their IDP, will facilitate their continued development of intercultural competence in their future professional practice. ConclusionThis study contributes to existing knowledge about intercultural competence development and effective teaching methods by providing empirical evidence of the positive impact of the IDI/IDP on nursing students' perceived intercultural development. These findings can inform the development and implementation of pedagogical strategies to enhance intercultural competence, which will ultimately improve patient care outcomes in all healthcare settings.

Beyond Traditional Methods: Utilizing a Hybrid SIRe Model for Optimal Counselling Skill Development in Practicum Courses

This study aims to introduce a new Hybrid SIRe (simulation and reflection) Model for instructors to improve counselling skills of counselling students in the practicum course. The Hybrid SIRe Model of teaching is used by instructors, which is a combined approach involving simulation techniques (demonstration and role-play) and reflection techniques. Counselling instructors can utilise this model to establish competency and build self-confidence while conducting counselling sessions with the students.A total of seven counselling students (three males and four females) were selected from the practicum course to test the model. A mixed-method approach was used in this study. The Counselling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE) by Larson (1992) was employed to measure a mastery level of counselling skills among counselling students. Data were gathered from the counselling instructor’s field notes and counselling students’ reflections. Then, the obtained data were analysed using thematic analysis to explore the experiences of a new teaching method by the counselling instructor. The results showed a significant difference between the initial and final assessment of the COSE by comparing means . In conclusion, the Hybrid SIRe Model of teaching has an excellent benefit for counselling instructors to ensure that the practicum students can master counselling skills, which in turn develop their competence levels, help grow their professional identity and promote a better service in the future.

The Influence of Gender Differences on Academic Abilities of Biology Education Students in the Animal Structure Practicum

Differences in the academic abilities of each student are one of the factors that influence the high and low test scores of each student, especially in animal structure practical courses. This research aims to determine the effect of gender differences on the academic abilities of biology education students based on the results of mid-semester exams. The population in this study was all students in the third semester of biology education with a sample of 20 male students and 20 female students. The data collection technique in this research uses a study of students' midterm exam documents which are analyzed using average calculations and followed by statistical analysis in the form of normality tests, homogeneity tests, and continued with hypothesis testing. The average score of male students is 46.5, lower than that of female students, which is 66.5 with the asmp normality test. Sig 0.000 0.05 where the data is not normally distributed. The homogeneity test results obtained asymp value. Sig 0.978 0.05 where the data is homogeneous, and the results of the asmp hypothesis test. Sig (2-tailed) 0.001 0.05 where the hypothesis is accepted. Thus, there is a difference in academic abilities between men and women in the animal structure practicum course, the concept of observing animal tissue.

Hybrid Learning Integrated Remote Laboratory: A Pedagogical Strategy for Future Practicum Learning

The hybrid learning integrated remote laboratory, an innovation in educational technology, is a practical and real-time solution that allows students to access and interact with laboratory equipment remotely via the internet network. This research aims to analyze the implementation and effectiveness of this model in an embedded systems practicum course. The study, conducted using a quasi-experimental method, involved 35 students in the experimental group and 36 in the control group. The learning model in the experimental group was implemented with a differentiated approach, allowing students to participate in face-to-face learning in the laboratory or attend online. The technology in this research was built with an interactive user interface in the form of an e-learning integrated remote laboratory application, providing online students with access to learning materials, discussion forums, assignments, chat, video conference, and an online microcontroller coding editor. The use of the online microcontroller coding editor empowers students to create programs and control physical equipment in the laboratory, such as Arduino modules, several sensors, and output devices, remotely and in real-time. Descriptive analysis and t-tests were used to analyze students’ comprehension of the embedded systems course. The test results showed a difference in the average academic achievement of students, with the learning outcomes of the experimental group students being higher than those of the control group. This model, therefore, demonstrates its impact on optimal and practical learning in the embedded system course.

COMPARISON OF HISTOLOGY PRACTICUM EXAM RESULTS BASED ON THE LEARNING STYLE OF MEDICAL STUDENTS

Background: Histology is one of the essential subjects to be understood in medicine. Identifying the appropriate learning styles can be a solution to improve learning performance and achieve maximum learning outcomes.Aims: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of learning styles on histology practical exam results in medical students.Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design by involving students at the medical faculty of Universitas Negeri Gorontalo who contracted the biomedical course I in the 2022/2023 academic year. Learning styles are assessed using a visual-auditory-kinesthetic (VAK) questionnaire to categorize student learning styles. The results of the practicum exam in the form of numbers are obtained from the accumulated scores of the first practicum exam in histology with the topics of cytology, epithelium, and connective tissue. The one-way ANOVA test was conducted to analyze the data.Results: Out of 42 participants involved, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles were 18 people (42.9%), 23 people (54.8%), and 1 people (2.4%), respectively. Generally, the student practicum exam results were 63.62 ± 17.24. Based on the learning styles group of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, the mean (SD) practicum exam results were 66.00 (14.60), 62.43 (19.29), and 48.00 (0.00), respectively (p-value = 0.541).Conclusion: Visual learning style shows marginally better practicum exam results than other learning styles. This result can be considered a learning strategy to improve the results of practicum exams, particularly in the subject of histology practicum courses.

‘Like Solving a Jigsaw Puzzle’: The Role of Journal Writing in Social Work Students’ Professional Development

Abstract Social work education focuses on preparing students for the profession. To this end, many educators utilise reflective journals in their courses. Reflective journaling is recognised in the literature as essential for the construction of students’ professional identity, yet few studies have explored how journals serve this purpose and the specific ways in which journal writing contributes to shaping social workers’ professional identity. This qualitative phenomenological study examined thirty Israeli social work students in their final year of undergraduate studies, before entering the field. Written during a practicum course, their journals were thematically analysed, revealing four themes of journal writing: (i) using personal experiences to construct a professional identity; (ii) acquiring professional concepts and skills by linking theory to practice; (iii) journal writing as professional retrospection; and (iv) journal writing as a safe resonant space for self-development. The discussion elaborates on the significance of each theme for the development of students’ professional identity.

Practice matters: how practicum experiences change student beliefs

ABSTRACT Development of professional competencies is a key outcome of undergraduate programs preparing practitioners to work with infants and toddlers. Competencies for working with young children were examined among 1300 undergraduate students at 12 universities. Students completed a series of online questionnaires indicating their knowledge, beliefs, and hypothetical practices with young children; end-of-semester scores were analyzed using linear regression. Having had a practicum course is associated with more positive dispositions for supporting the development of teacher–child relationships, building partnerships with diverse families, guiding children’s behavior, and fostering development and learning. Further, we examined development of dispositions over the course of a semester based on undergraduates’ current and past practicum experiences. Implications for programs who prepare infant and toddler practitioners are discussed.

성찰일지 평가법을 활용한 상담전공 학부생의 첫 상담실습 경험 분석

The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate and analyze the level and content of reflection on counseling major undergraduates' first counseling practicum experience using reflective journal writing assessment method. Three evaluators analyzed 112 reflective journals collected from 38 students enrolled in a counseling practicum course. According to the reflective journal assessment method, level 1 evaluation was based on nine elements of reflection, and level 2 evaluation categorized each journal into three levels based on the overall level of reflection. Additionally, content analysis was conducted to examine the specific content of reflection occurring during counseling practicum experiences. Percent agreement for the nine elements of reflection ranged from 53.6% to 90.2%, Φ coefficients ranged from 0.01 to 0.75, and ICC(2,1) values ranged from 0.39 to 0.87. Inter-rater agreement for the overall level of reflection in the journals ranged from 56.3% to 74.1%, with γ coefficients ranging from 0.63±0.12 to 0.86±0.06, and an ICC(2,1) of 0.67 among all evaluators. This study confirmed the applicability of reflective journal writing assessment in the field of counseling practicum and provided insights into the utilization of reflective journals for counselor education.

Affordances, translanguaging and the international preservice teacher

ABSTRACT Pedagogical translanguaging (TL) represents a contemporary and valuable instructional approach for bi/multilingual students. Researchers have identified the instructional practices and their affordances among bi/multilingual teachers who share a home language with their students, the dominant language used in the students’ home or community, and those who do not. However, research set in the United States into bilingual, international preservice teachers (PSTs) has not been forthcoming. This article reports on findings from two PSTs enrolled in a university practicum teaching course. One PST shares a home language, Spanish, with her students while the other, who is an international multilingual PST, does not. The aim of this research was to deepen an understanding of how each describes the affordances connected to pedagogical TL in their 15-week university practicum course and the connected practicum teaching experience. Data collection included interviews and weekly written assignments from the university course. Drawing on multi-case study design, findings revealed the ways that a linguistic repertoire, which included the ability to use Spanish, was instrumental in how they described the affordances related to pedagogical TL both in their classroom and in the connected practicum teaching site. Implications for teacher educators in multilingual education are given.

Research Writing, Peer Review and Academic Publishing

Writing academic research papers acceptable for journal publication is not often taught in graduate programs let alone in undergraduate studies. Students and early career researchers (herein known as students for both categories) usually undergo a trial-and-error period to learn how to navigate the publication submission process—a long and daunting task. However, E-mentoring, or electronic mentoring, has proven to be beneficial for students. E-mentoring opportunities can be found by a pro-active student seeking out published researchers in their fields and requesting if they can mentor them. Colleges, universities or other academic institutions may have formal or informal research or peer review programmes, internship, field experience or practicum courses for-credit. Academic journals may also host student mentoring programmes for peer review, editing, and/or research writing hands-on experiences. Mentoring students in research writing and the journal publication process should start as early in one’s academic career as possible. Age or academic status should not be seen as a deterrent or disadvantage when mentored by a patient, experienced and enthusiastic research mentor. Such e-mentoring experiences can be offered by individual researchers, at the institutional level or from the academic journal—the latter being the most ideal model worthy of advocacy and replication.