Teaching Practicum Research Articles

Facilitating reflection, confidence, and positive mirror effect in teacher practicum: a serial multiple mediation model

Facilitating reflection, confidence, and positive mirror effect in teacher practicum: a serial multiple mediation model

Understanding Pre-Service Teachers’ Identity Formation During Practicum: A Survey Study in Ghana

Practicum is seen as an avenue in teacher education where pre-service teachers have the opportunity to turn theory into practice. Teachers begin to form their identities during practicum. This article examines how pre-service teachers’ identities are formed through the lens of sociocultural theory. Data for the study were gathered through a survey of 522 pre-service teachers from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana after their teaching practicum. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. The article highlights the role of orientation/experience in the sociocultural theory on pre-service teachers’ identity formation. The findings suggest that the assistance provided during the practicum has a direct impact on the development of teacher identity. This impact is partially mediated by professional orientation. In addition, whereas personality characteristics influence teacher identity through orientation, they do not have a direct and meaningful impact, suggesting that orientation fully mediates their effect. Moreover, both the direct and indirect paths from preparation to teacher identity are significant, indicating that orientation plays a role in somewhat mediating this relationship. The study concludes that orientation partially mediates the relationship between practicum support and teacher identity. However, orientation fully mediates the relationship between personality factors and teacher identity. It is recommended that teacher training institutions should improve practicum support, prioritise professional orientation, emphasise personality development, strengthen preparation programmes, implement continuous assessment and feedback, and promote collaboration and mentorship. These measures will effectively develop and reinforce teacher identity through comprehensive and supportive training experiences.

From Reflection to Practice: A Qualitative Study of Teaching Practicum Experiences

This research explores the impact of the Teaching Practicum and Classroom Management course on the development of my pedagogical philosophy, lesson design, resource selection, and instructional methods in the context of TESOL. A qualitative reflective approach and in-depth interview with five student-teachers were used to explicate the learning gained during the teaching practicum that was part of the MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL program. The research points out that reflection, feedback from instructors and peers, and self-evaluation are crucial in developing effective teaching strategies and mindsets. The practicum provided an interactive context that focused on active pedagogical approaches and peer cooperation. The findings highlight the fundamental importance of reflective practice, supportive feedback, and micro-teaching opportunities in the enhancement of my teaching skills and confidence. In addition, the study highlights the importance of cultural competence, flexibility, and ongoing professional development for future TESOL teachers. The results of this study suggest that professional development programs for teachers should focus on hands-on teaching experience, collaborative learning opportunities, and continual training to better prepare teachers for the dynamic challenges ahead as effective instructors. This study was conducted within a smaller-scale classroom setting, and future research directions include further development of these pedagogical methods and reflective tools in larger-scale classrooms to gauge their impact and effectiveness.

EXPLORING INDONESIAN PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ STRATEGIES DURING PRACTICUM IN THAI SCHOOLS

Teaching practicum is a component of teacher education programs that provides pre-service teachers (PST) with practical classroom experience. This study investigated the teaching strategies and challenges of Indonesian student teachers during practicum in Thai schools. The study involved 27 participants from 4 universities in Central Java who participated in a one-month internship program. Using qualitative methods, data were collected through open-ended questionnaires and interviews. All 27 participants agreed to complete open-ended questionnaires regarding the challenges experienced during the teaching practicum. From the results of the questionnaire, only 4 participants agreed to be interviewed further regarding teaching strategies. The results obtained from filling out the questionnaire about the challenges showed that 89% experienced language barriers, 8% were constrained in learning media, and 4% had difficulty finding halal food. On the other hand, the results obtained from interviews show that PST apply teaching strategies using digital media, printed media, and ice-breaking. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the use of strategies in teaching must be appropriate and can make students understand the material presented by PST due to the limited language and media.Keywords: pre-service teachers; teachers’ strategies; challenges; teaching practicum.

Teaching Practicums at the Postgraduate Level: Problems, Solutions, and Recommendations

In any educational study program, teaching practicums are necessary to be implemented. It often serves as an apprenticeship to give pre-service teachers practical experience regarding the real world of teaching. It is commonly implemented at the undergraduate level. At the postgraduate level, however, this implementation remains controversial. This study was conducted to reveal postgraduate students’ problems and solutions during their teaching practicums. Besides that, this study also aimed to examine and give critical insights into the implementation of teaching practicums at the postgraduate level for educational study program students. Data was retrieved from open-ended questionnaires to 8 postgraduate students about their problems and solutions in doing their teaching practicums. Data was also taken from 7 other respondents. They were practitioners like lecturers, teachers, and alumni from educational departments. The findings revealed that in doing their teaching practicums, the master’s degree students dealt with various problems similar to those faced by their undergraduate counterparts. Another finding disclosed the practitioners’ opinions that for the postgraduate level, the focus of teaching practicums can be altered and implemented in a form other than teaching. It can be research, curriculum development, language teaching technology development, and material development. At the postgraduate level, students are expected to focus on research, not just the practice of teaching.

Pre-service teachers manifested mathematics pedagogical content knowledge: The role of the teaching practicum

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) begins to develop during teacher education and the teaching practicum reinforces its development. This study is an interpretive inquiry into pre-service mathematics teachers’ practicum classrooms. The study explored four pre-service mathematics teachers’ PCK through observations and interviews. The pre-service teachers were found teaching various mathematics topics to students at different levels of secondary education. Findings indicate that pre-service teachers demonstrated some important elements of mathematics PCK. However, they tended to focus more on procedural rather than conceptual learning, lacked knowledge of some topic-specific teaching and learning resources, and made some flaws, possibly emanating from a lack of classroom experience. The study recommends teacher education to focus more on analysis of the mathematics curriculum and opportunities for practical teaching sessions including practicum and microteaching that are supported by experienced mentors in mathematics.

'It was the most important and memorable part of my studies…': Greek graduate teachers evaluate their practicum

Teaching practicum is crucial in initial teacher education programs, determining their effectiveness and attracting researchers’ and practicing teachers’ attention. This study explores the experiences of ten graduate teachers (eight women and two men) from a university department in Greece regarding their internship during their undergraduate studies. Unlike similar studies, this study utilized the free text written by the participants as a research tool to highlight the topics that really interest the practicing teachers. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. From the analysis, eight main categories emerged describing trainees’ internship experiences: a) characterizations for the teaching practicum, b) emotions from the practicum, c) benefits and usefulness of the process, d) positive and e) negative aspects of the practicum, f) difficulties encountered, and g) recommendations for improving the practicum. These findings offer valuable feedback for enhancing the internship experience within the participants’ department and stress the need for further research on the multi-factorial process of teaching practicum.

Teaching Practicum Challenges Encountered at University Level: Supervisors’ Perspectives

Teaching practice is crucial for future success and effective student teaching. Supervisors also face challenges during their practicum period. This study aimed to understand these major challenges using a survey research design. Six universities in the Multan district, including Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, University of Education Lahore (Multan Campus), Women University Multan, Times Institute Multan, Virtual University Multan, and Institute of Southern Punjab, Multan, were included in the population. The research aimed to understand the challenges supervisors face during their practicum period. Researchers conducted a study on 43 teachers from three universities, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, University of Education Lahore (Multan Campus), and Women University Multan, to understand the challenges they faced during their teaching practicum. Researchers used a self-developed questionnaire to assess supervisors’ perceptions of teaching practicum challenges. The questionnaire included 20 statements, two open-ended questions, and a five-point Likert scale for perception. Supervisors, experts, and a pilot study conducted the validation. The results showed an acceptable reliability level of 0.87 for the instrument. The researcher personally administered the questionnaire. The study analyzed supervisors' perceptions of challenges they faced during their teaching practice at the university level using mean and standard deviation, an independent sample t-test, percentage analysis, thematic analysis, and ANOVA. The results showed that many supervisors faced challenges with inadequate timing, shortage of skilled personnel, inadequate funding, and lack of communication skills. Adequate timing proved to be the most effective solution, complemented by the recommendations for skilled and experienced personnel, adequate funding, and the development of effective communication skills. The study suggests that supervisors should focus on improving their timing and communication skills to overcome these challenges.

Critical Reflections of Pre-Service Teachers Regarding the Impact of a Special Education Practicum on their Professional Identity

This study examines the impact of a special education practicum program on the perceptions of Israeli pre-service teachers (PSTs) regarding their professional identity development. The sample comprised of 30 PSTs, 15 Jewish and 15 Arab, attending a ccollege of education in Israel. The study implemented a methodological approach that consisted of a qualitative analysis of the content of the PSTs’ critical reflections, which were collected at two time points, i.e. the end of the 1st semester and the end of the 2nd semester. The results iindicated that the special education practicum program contributed to the development of professional traits and teaching abilities of the participants, namely, to their ability to plan and teach successful and experiential lessons in an adaptive manner, and to develop an inclusive and beneficial class climate for both students and teachers.

Challenges Faced during Teaching Practicum at the University Level: Perspectives of Prospective Teachers

Teaching practice is crucial for becoming successful teachers in the future and gaining knowledge on how to teach students effectively. In this regard they faced different challenges during their teaching practice period. This study aimed to understand the major challenges faced by teachers during their teaching practicum period at fifteen universities in District Multan. The researchers used a descriptive research design and surveyed students from three universities: Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, University of Education Lahore (Multan Campus), and Women University Multan. The education department and practicum students were highlighted. The study included 655 students in the department of education and 339 students as a sample. This study used a survey research design to collect data on teaching practicum challenges faced by prospective teachers at the university level. A questionnaire was developed with 39 statements, rank order, and open-ended questions. Supervisors, expert opinions, and a pilot study validated the questionnaire. The results showed acceptable reliability at 0.77 and 0.87, with a response rate of 84.75%. The data was analyzed using descriptive, inferential, and thematic methods, examining teachers' and supervisors' perceptions of challenges and solutions. The study found that prospective teachers face challenges in textbooks, curriculum, school management, administrative support, workload, classroom environment, and lesson planning. Female teachers face more challenges, while inadequate teaching methods and administrative opposition are less common.

Collaborative Peer Mentoring in a Practicum: An Innovative Strategy to Cope with Teaching Anxiety

The practicum, a common form of school–university partnership, plays a critical role in developing future teachers’ practice; however, it is often regarded as a source of considerable anxiety and stress. Despite a significant body of studies investigating pre-service teachers’ anxiety, strategies to help them cope with anxiety during the practicum are still under-researched and there are few studies examining this issue outside the Anglosphere. This study examines the impact of a peer-mentoring programme on the teaching anxiety of English as a Foreign Language pre-service teachers in a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages practicum in the context of a school–university partnership in Vietnam. The study employed a quasi-experimental design in which 32 pre-service teachers were placed in a treatment group and experienced a peer-mentoring programme, and 33 were organized in a control group and followed the traditional model of the practicum. The study collected data from a pre-teaching and post-teaching anxiety survey and focus-group interviews with participants from both groups during and after the practicum. The findings show the effectiveness of the peer-mentoring relationship in reducing teaching anxiety during the teaching practicum. It is found that peer mentoring provided pre-service teachers with emotional support, workload reduction and instruction improvement, as a way to reduce teaching anxiety. Implications for teacher educators on how to support pre-service teachers during the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages practicum in the school–university partnership are highlighted.

Effectiveness of Collaboration Skills Assessment Instrument in Physics Practicum: A Case Study with the Rasch Model

Collaboration skills in the 21st century are becoming an important aspect in education and the professional world. This study aims to analyse the validity and reliability of collaboration skills instruments using the Rasch Model. Quantitative method with survey design was applied to 100 students of Physics Education Study Programme at Universitas Lambung Mangkurat. Data was collected through a questionnaire consisting of 20 items, and analysis was conducted to measure item difficulty as well as individual ability using Rasch Model. The analysis results showed that after data cleaning, the assessment instrument had good reliability, with Person Reliability reaching 0.80 and Item Reliability 0.90. Results also identified that the most difficult collaboration skills to achieve were individual accountability and personal responsibility, whereas positive interdependence was relatively easier to achieve. This research provides important insights for collaboration skills assessment instruments in the context of physics education practicum, as well as recommendations for improving collaboration skills.

A REVIEW ON THE EXPERIENCES FACED BY ESL TRAINEE TEACHERS DURING TEACHING PRACTICUM

Good and high-quality tertiary education is crucial to ensure that learners can compete globally and achieve high employability. Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) emphasizes good quality education where the learners must be equipped with all the necessary skills and abilities needed by the industries. In line with SDG 4, the Ministry of Education of Malaysia also greatly emphasises the ESL students’ skills and competencies. Thus, teaching practicum becomes necessary to produce well-equipped future teachers in learning institutions. Past works of literature revealed mixed perceptions among the teacher trainees’ expectations and the reality they face during their practice. Students often have different expectations from the actual experience. This shows that there is a gap between theory and practice. Additionally, practicum teachers discovered challenges that had huge implications for their teaching performance. Entering a teaching practicum, students are often filled with anticipation and expect to apply their learned strategies in the classroom. Yet the reality often challenges these expectations, showing how complex teaching can be. A review that included previous articles related to teacher trainee experiences revealed an in-depth investigation of their various expectations and realities. Findings based on this review benefit the Ministry of Education, the administrators of universities, and educators in terms of implementing appropriate adjustments for a better practicum experience, particularly for trainee teachers. In conclusion, the contrast between what practicum students expect and what they experience in the classroom highlights the unpredictable nature of teaching. However, these challenges are invaluable for long-term success in education.

A Critical Participatory (Action Research) adaptation in the Teaching English as a Second Language Practicum: developing individual and collective reflective practices towards equitable practices

ABSTRACT Numerous action research studies have investigated in-service teaching and learning. Still, there has been a lack of collaborative inquiry into the ‘here-and-now’ pre-service teaching practicum experiences. This study adapted the Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) framework as a pedagogical strategy to a five-phase Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) teaching practicum over four months. This article explores the extent to which the CPAR framework can be accommodated and discusses its potential to empower and educate practitioners during the practicum. First- and second-person inquiries, drawing on practice architectures, observations, and sharing sessions, were adopted for exchanging individual and collective voices. Findings suggest that the flexible and adaptable nature of the CPAR framework facilitated a collaborative spiral inquiry process. This process involved iterative back-and-forth phases of identifying key issues in each phase, planning measures, taking actions to address challenges, and reflecting on post-actions through collaborative efforts within public spheres. These spheres functioned as open, communicative, and safe spaces, empowering student teachers, cooperating teachers, and the university supervisor to collaboratively exchange and reflect on our voices. This collaboration ultimately transformed the initially linear Planning → Action → Observation → Reflection process into dynamic, iterative interactions across the Planning ↔ Action ↔ Observation ↔ Reflection phases. This transformation fostered collective reflection, unforced consensus, and shared decision-making, addressing real-life teaching challenges by deepening understanding, driving meaningful change, and promoting equitable practices. The adapted CPAR framework cultivates educators who promote inclusive practices and make productive decisions, resulting in a more sustainable pre-service practicum program.

DOES EXPERIENTIAL DIGITAL STORYTELLING HELP PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS LEARN DIGITAL LITERACIES IN INDONESIA?

Objective: This study aims to document the practices of preservice English teachers (PSETs) in integrating digital storytelling (DST) during their teaching practicum. It seeks to identify challenges, opportunities, and the pedagogical knowledge required to utilize DST effectively in English language teaching. Method: The study involved three preservice English teachers who implemented DST projects in three public secondary schools in Indonesia. Data collection was conducted through observation and interviews. The data were analyzed using thematic content analysis to explore technical, pedagogical, and practical aspects of DST integration. Results: The findings highlight three key areas: (1) Technical challenges associated with software design and use, (2) Opportunities and challenges in utilizing DST as a teaching partner, (3) The pedagogical content knowledge necessary for effective DST integration. The results suggest that equipping preservice teachers with DST knowledge and providing scaffolding can enhance the effectiveness of teaching practices. Novelty: This study contributes to the limited body of research on integrating DST in English language teaching in the Indonesian context. It emphasizes the need for further studies to evaluate the impact of English teacher education on learning outcomes and recommends developing educational programs that focus on DST.

Practicum lesson study: insights from a design-based research in English language teaching practicum

PurposeThis study investigates the implementation of the Practicum Lesson Study (PLS) model, which is designed to be used by preservice teachers (PSTs), mentor teachers and advisors during school practicum.Design/methodology/approachEmploying a design-based research (DBR) framework and a multiple case study design, the research in this study evaluated the PLS model through eight distinct cases across two phases of research. In both phases, the qualitative research explored the nature of the stages and steps followed in each case, providing detailed descriptions of the procedural arrangements, teaching sessions and discussion meetings. Views of the participants regarding their satisfaction levels towards the PLS model, its benefits and challenges were collected through semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire.FindingsThe results of the research highlighted significant benefits of the PLS model, such as self-reflection, peer reflection and collaborative practices. These processes notably enhanced PSTs’ abilities to dynamically adjust teaching strategies based on real-time observations and feedback, effectively integrating suggestions from meetings with practical classroom experiences. However, the study also identified several challenges, such as managing diverse opinions and coping with information overload.Research limitations/implicationsBased on the comprehensive exploration of the PLS model, the study offers several implications for practitioners and suggestions for future research such as a closer examination of changes in beliefs and identity over time during PLS.Originality/valueThe study carries the significance of employing a DBR in the context of implementing LS during ELT school practicum.

Exploring an Indonesian EFL teacher’s identity development: A story of hybridity in liminality

The Indonesian programme of Pendidikan Profesi Guru (PPG) or the Teacher Professional Education (TPE) best describes a liminal space where its participants transform from uncertified status to certified ones. This paper uses the lens of liminality theory to explore the experience of an Indonesian in-service EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher’s identity reconstruction during a liminal period of TPE. The participant’s liminality made her adopt a new identity as a teacher-student hybrid in becoming a certified EFL teacher. In this single case study, the data were collected from two interviews with Olga (a pseudonym), her reflective writings and lesson plans, and video observations of the teaching practicum. The findings reveal that being a teacher-student hybrid, Olga performed multiple roles simultaneously: as a teacher, student and novice researcher. Olga faced various professional identity tensions during the programme. By exercising agency, Olga transformed tensions into learning experiences and benefited from her hybridity in that it afforded her an opportunity for self-development of learning, cognition, emotion and agency. Thus, this study offered a new way of understanding hybridity in liminality experienced by an EFL teacher while attending an online professional education. The article concludes with implications for educational policies and practices, suggesting the need for continuous support, integration of hybridity, adjustments in teacher training, addressing identity tensions, and conducting future research to enhance teacher development and effectiveness.

Pre-service English teachers’ beliefs about implementing digital multimodal composing in a teaching practicum context

PurposeDigital multimodal composing (DMC) has received considerable attention in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. While empirical studies on DMC have been widely conducted, there is a scarcity of research specifically examining the experience of pre-service English teachers in employing DMC during their teaching practicum. They might be familiar with DMC concepts, yet their beliefs about implementing DMC-mediated language teaching in classroom settings is worth further investigation. To fill this gap, this study aims to investigate the perspectives of three pre-service English teachers on DMC-mediated language teaching during their teaching practicum program.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a case study design and was conducted in a state Islamic university in East Java Province, Indonesia. A semi-structured interview was conducted with three pre-service English teachers to collect data about the beliefs of pre-service English teachers in implementing DMC in their teaching practicum. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis.FindingsFrom the analysis, the study unveils three important findings: (1) pre-service teachers' awareness of implementing DMC in English classrooms, (2) pre-service teachers' pedagogical preference for DMC projects and (3) pre-service teachers' perceived challenges in teaching through DMC.Originality/valueThe study suggests that equipping pre-service teachers with adequate pedagogical competence in DMC will enhance their capacity for technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK).

Discourse, Knowledge, and Practice

This article presents the findings of a three-stage qualitative study examining how English language teacher education in Colombia conceives its teaching practicum and student-teachers. Insights emerged from three key sources: English language student-teachers’ autoethnographies, Colombian-authored scholarly articles, and undergraduate programs’ relevant institutional documents. We analyzed each source using tailored methodologies: narrative analysis, epistemic discourse analysis, and documentary analysis. The findings reveal that the practicum is understood by three points of convergence: foundation, knowledge, and practice. This framework defines English language student-teachers by their discourse, knowledge, and practice. The study highlights that the teaching practicum is a pivotal space where student-teachers apply language education discourses and their knowledge in practice. Reflecting on how English language student-teachers are formed and how the practicum is conceived has prompted the undergraduate programs and the community to advocate for a transformation from a theoretical approach to a more flexible, experience-based approach.

Understanding student teachers’ learning from negative experiences of feedback during teaching practicum: A feedback literacy perspective

Although the majority of studies have examined student teachers’ perceptions, emotional experiences, and responses during their teaching practicum (TP), there is a scarcity of research focusing on English as a foreign language (EFL) student teachers’ internal and behavioural responses to negative feedback from mentors or supervisors. Feedback literacy, as a comprehensive concept encompassing internal factors, offers an innovative perspective to explore the characteristics and interplay among learners’ cognitive, affective, and behavioural capacities when dealing with feedback. Therefore, from the perspective of feedback literacy, this study investigated how student teachers cope with negative feedback experiences during TP. This study involved 16 student teachers from five teacher education programmes at the four selected Chinese universities in Sichuan, Fujian, Guangdong, and Macau contexts in China. Multiple data sources were collected, including participants’ narrative reports, semi-structured interviews, and teaching documents. The results revealed participants’ various situations of feedback literacy to cope with negative feedback experiences from their university supervisors and school mentors during TP. Student teachers’ feedback literacy is crucial in mediating their responses to negative feedback experiences, which started with their appreciation of feedback by understanding its meaning, conflicts, and difficulties. Following that, they did not necessarily generate negative external and internal judgements towards negative feedback. Meanwhile, it enabled participants to regulate their emotions with diverse external or internal strategies to respond to such feedback. The findings of this study also provided pedagogical implications for student teachers and teacher educators, respectively.