Final Year Preservice Teachers' Views of Professional Experience in Partnership Schools

Abstract

This study investigated the perspectives of preservice teachers’ (PSTs) on their final year placements in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs offered at Deakin University, Victoria, Australia. It compared the views of PSTs in two placement models; the Alliance school (partnership)and non-Alliance school (or conventional) models. The Alliance model draws on Activity Theory (Engeström, 2015) to strengthen the links between theory and practice in ITE, providing additional support during school placements through an ‘in situ’ boundary crosser. These boundary crossers use an Assessment Circle process that supports professional conversations about teaching and learning. A mixed method approach has been used to compare the reported experiences of final year PSTs who completed placements in an Alliance partnership schools or a non-Alliance schools. Findings indicate significant differences in the experiences of the two cohorts of PSTs in relation to perceived levels of support and their understanding of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011). Introduction