Assigning the Practice Teachers for School Experience and Teaching Practice Courses: Criteria, Challenges and Suggestions


GOKTAS O., ŞAD S. N.

HACETTEPE UNIVERSITESI EGITIM FAKULTESI DERGISI-HACETTEPE UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, cilt.29, sa.4, ss.115-128, 2014 (SSCI) identifier identifier

Özet

This study aimed to investigate the criteria for assigning the practice teachers who are to supervise the senior prospective teachers during school experience and practice courses; the problems faced during the process; and suggestions for improving the assignment process. The study was designed as a case study. The case studied was specified as the 'assignment process of practice teachers for school experience and practice courses conducted at faculty of education". Semi-structured interviews were conducted with one university coordinator and two assistant coordinators currently taking active part in the process, two former university coordinators successively served since 2005, current coordinator of provincial directorate general of national education, four school principals taking active role in the assignment process, and seven teachers. The results of the study revealed certain criteria used for assigning practice teachers [e. g. Informal feedback from students and faculty mentors, Informal views of school and university coordinators], the problems faced during the process [e. g. Making assignments disregarding the school administration, Creating a feeling of injustice among teachers], and suggestions by the participants about the assignment process [e. g. Cooperation and coordination between institutions (among province, school, department and university coordinators), assignment based on the practice teacher's performance].