Teaching Practice in Pre-Service Teacher Education: A Comparative Analysis in Four European Countries
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| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | The presentation highlights the perceived quality of teaching practice (TP) of student teachers in Czech Republic, Germany, Slovenia and Spain, as part of the international project entitled INSHIP: Teaching Practice Partnership Model in Pre-Service Teacher Education. The project’s main aim is to develop an innovative model for teaching practice in initial teacher education across Europe, as initial teacher education in the European Higher Education Area is still quite fragmented and diverse in its length and content (Day et al., 2021; European Commission, 2013; Korthagen, 2010; Lawson et al., 2015; Simoes et al., 2018). Therefore, the research focuses on national case studies with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of TP in different educational contexts, capturing the characteristics of good practice and identifying its strengths and weaknesses as a basis for improved quality assurance. A qualitative research approach was used. Student teachers, their university and school mentors and the head teachers of mentor schools were interviewed about their experiences of TP and the content of TP documents was analyzed. The results of the cross-case analysis of the learning objectives of TP show a similar pattern, while the approaches to achieving these objectives differ. Similarities were also found in SWOT; the legal framework is both a barrier and facilitator for TP. More time, less bureaucracy, more motivation among student teachers, and more relevant teaching experiences/opportunities were found to be needed. Student teachers and academic staff identified three main areas in which TP is currently embedded: legal framework, technology and administration. The core of teaching practice - quality, personal development, motivation, communication, professional competencies, and professional identity development - is represented in these themes. |