Practical training of secondary school teachers in Spain: Tutoring and assessment using ICT

Abstract

This study is part of a larger R&D project that analyses the quality of training and the digital skills taught during the preservice training of teachers, as well as during the master's degree dissertation (TFM in Spanish) in the Degree in Education in Spain. The study is descriptive and exploratory in nature. It combines mixed techniques that are used on four sources: 1) External practice guides and dissertations (TFM) from 37 Spanish Faculties of Education; 2) interviews with a sample of 7 Master coordinators; 3) A survey on 94 university tutors from the above-mentioned universities, in charge of trainee teachers' external practice and dissertations (TFM); and 4) Interviews with 46 school tutors from practice schools. Results show the persistence of different situations and a lack of definition in the guidelines as well as in some teachers' perceptions that have more to do with educational models of the past. Among other aspects to improve, this degree shows a marginal use of ICT during Practicum and Dissertation phases, also a lack of assessment criteria in the guides regarding portfolios, theory/practice coordination, tutorship or prevention of plagiarism is observed in most of the studied cases.