Co-operating teachers, school placement and the implications for quality

Abstract

It is widely understood by teacher educators and administrators responsible for the practicum of student teachers that co-operating teachers play a critical role in student teacher development. This research sought to examine student teachers perception of their co-operating teachers during practicum and ascertain the extent to which subject specialisation, gender and school placement influenced their perception. Through the use of a questionnaire, data were collected from 195 student teachers during the final week of their practicum. The results indicated that student teachers had a positive perception of their co-operating teachers and perceived their co-operating teachers to be providing developmental and instructional supervision. Additionally a significant finding was that student teachers perception of their co-operating teachers was based on the type of school at which they were placed. In light of these findings, attention needs to be given to the establishment of policies regarding student teacher placement and training of cooperating teachers as means of positively influencing quality teaching practicum experience.