Supervision as a space for transformation - a study in the practicum context

Abstract

This paper presents an interpretative case study whose purpose was to investigate the role of pedagogical supervision in the (re) construction of the school subject Aural Training and Music Theory, within the practicum of the Master's Degree in Music Teaching at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto. We tried to understand to what extent supervision in the practicum favours a transformative view of the subject and of the future teachers' professional development. Data collection was done through questionnaires, interviews, and the selective analysis of practicum reports, involving all actors of the practicum in 2015/16: 10 student teachers, 10 cooperating teachers from schools and 2 faculty supervisors. Partial results are presented regarding their perceptions about the professional competences developed in the practicum, the challenges that arise in pedagogical practice, the impact of supervision, and the profile of supervisors. It is concluded that supervision in this context tends to be transformative, although there are discrepancies between ideal conceptions and practical experiences, as well as between the perceptions of supervisors and student teachers. This configures the practicum as a complex teacher education space that requires a reflective and dialogical approach.