Teaching and Teaching Practice in Vocational Teacher Education

Vocational Student Teachers’ and Practice Teachers’ Perspectives on Teacher Education for and in Teaching Practice

Abstract

In this article we will present a study of post graduate vocational student teachers’ and practice teachers’ views of teacher education’s relevance for and in first teaching practice.

There is limited knowledge of what the practice field sees as relevant in the students’ first teaching practice. Thus, the aim of this article is to fill some of this research gap. The research questions guiding this article are as follows:

What aspects of their education do vocational student teachers perceive relevant for and in teaching practice?

How does the student teachers’ understanding of relevance equate with the practice teachers’ views?

The data was collected using a quantitative/qualitative questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews, and represent both vocational student teachers’ and practice teachers’ views. Our findings show that students’ perception of what is relevant experience in teaching practice differs in some ways from what the practice teachers say. The results also indicate differences in experiences with vocational didactics. The results also indicate that both the practice teachers’ and the students’ experiences challenges in mentoring, and that the practice teachers need and want more support. Based on our findings, we will argue that there is an urgent need for establishing a more formal dialogue between the university and the practical field on curriculum content, practice guidelines, the role and status of the practice teacher on a personal as well as on an organizational level.