Practicum partnerships: exploring models of practicum organisation in teacher education for a standards-based profession

The findings of this study demonstrate the need for the practicum component of teacher education to be more closely guided by the VIT Professional Standards for Graduating Teachers. Executive Summary The Practicum Partnerships Project has examined the professional learning experiences of preservice teachers in graduate secondary teacher education programs offered by eight higher education providers in Victoria. The investigation has focused on the placement component of teacher education programs and examined how the professional learning experiences of preservice teachers are informed by the VIT Professional Standards for Graduating Teachers. Evidence about the practicum requirements of ten secondary teacher education programs was collected from web-based information and from copies of manuals and assessment forms prepared by providers. Preservice teachers were interviewed in small groups and surveyed individually after their first and last placement. Groups of supervising teachers were also interviewed following their supervision of the first and last placement of each graduate secondary teacher education program in the study. Interviews focused on the conduct of the practicum, how this related to the goals of the particular program and how it was informed by the VIT Professional Standards for Graduating Teachers. Questions were also asked about aspects of professional learning that appeared to be difficult, and about feedback and assessment processes. Resources for the support of placements were also investigated through consideration of support provided to schools and higher education providers. The findings of this study demonstrate the need for the practicum component of teacher education to be more closely guided by the VIT Professional Standards for Graduating Teachers. This is the agreed set of standards for teaching as a profession in Victoria. References to these Standards vary considerably in documents from higher education providers and, while learning on placements often supports these Standards, this appears to mostly occur incidentally. Moreover, it appears that preservice teachers are more strongly influenced by the views of supervising teachers than they are by the goals of providers or VIT Standards. There is thus a need for more knowledge about how the Standards might inform teacher preparation. The study findings further suggest that higher education providers need to evaluate more closely the extent to which the goals of their programs are being addressed by supervising teachers. Finally, the study demonstrates the need for more careful consideration of the costs of, and resources needed for, the practicum component of teacher education. Schools largely absorb the workload for coordination and supervision, and the costs are not formally considered in school budgets. While funding to higher education providers for teacher education has shown some improvement due to recent government initiatives, a review of the cost of placements in teacher education programs is still needed as there has been no formal estimation of the funds required to support high quality teacher education placements and programs. There is a need for a formal review of the resources needed to support teacher preparation, guided by recommendations of this report.