This study focuses on implementing co-teaching models in the practical experience of teacher training processes. It examines the experience models in terms of theory versus practice from the perspectives of students of education and training teachers (school and pre-school) who participated in the special “Academy-Class” program in the 2017 academic year at Ohalo College. 125 subjects participated in the study. The overriding goal of the research was to identify the dominant patterns in this unique practical experience in teachers training. The research questions sought to clarify the extent to which the six main co-teaching models described in the research literature are manifested in practical and educational terms in the Academy-Class program; offer a comparison between common teaching practices and the co-teaching models; and assess how common Synergetic Collaboration is as a co-teaching method relative to other low-level methods.Our findings show that the co-teaching models were more dominant than the traditional teaching models among all the sample groups. The greatest difference was found in the reports of the training teachers (0.79) at the school, while the smallest difference was found among students training to become teachers (0.13). We have seen that experiencing a clinical model of co-teaching involves shared work between a training teacher and of a student of education. There is a need to change training processes, as well as expanding the theoretical approaches that describe the wide range of shared co-teaching.

The education system, is responsible for the training of each new generation, and consequently adapts itself over the years to changes in the surrounding society. Technological changes, the information revolution and changes in work habits necessitate fundamental change in teaching methods, so that it can appropriately prepare future generations for modern reality. The Teaching and Education College in northern Israel offers programs to train "future teachers", highlighting dynamic environments, the integration of technology in teaching and innovative pedagogy. A qualitative study used an open-ended questionnaire to investigate students' perceptions of the concepts "innovative pedagogy" and "integration of technology in teaching" during their first practicum year in the education system. Findings showed that the young students find it difficult to conceptualize these concepts and describe them in a superficial and concrete manner. Mediation is needed, to connect college learning of these concepts with the students' practical work in the field.

During their studies, education students are required to engage practice-based experience in a collaborative model: Professional Development School (PDS), where there are many options for building professional and personal development processes. Through this experience, students formulate professional identity and perceptions about teaching. This study sought to examine the impact of this experience model on Arabic-speaking education students attending a Hebrew speaking college. The effect of the practice-based experience was examined on both the concept of teaching as a profession, the process of teaching instruction and social and cultural aspects. The findings of the study showed that PDS practice-based experience directly and indirectly contributes to the way students perceive teaching, the role of the teacher, the education system, as well as the importance of the practical experience in the teaching training process. However, there was no significant contribution of PDS practice-based experience to students’ perceptions of multicultural aspects of campus life.

Teacher-training has been developed through a complex weave of processes, models and theories, founded on experiences in educational settings. In 2015, the Academia Class program was added to teacher-training programs in Israeli academic colleges and universities and added new ways of thinking about student teachers’ practical experience. The program was widely implemented and became the flagship for teacher-training processes in Israel. As part of the program, student teachers and education students in their third year of studies participate in broad practical training for 12-16 weekly hours (for a year) in various educational institutions. Some of the changes engendered meaningful insights and processes that helped to reshape training processes. This article is derived from qualitative research that was involved in forming new models in teacher training, and offered an improved and enhanced approach to clinical practicum. Traditional pedagogic instruction is based on a “triangular instruction model” (student/teacher trainer/pedagogic instructor). The present study aims to expand this model by offering a new “pentagonal model.” The pentagonal model incorporates the following roles: student/coach-teacher/pedagogic instructor/coordinator teacher/academic instructor. The proposed model creates an ecosystem based on teacher-training processes and reinforces reciprocal connections, and different figures in new roles. It aims to connect the loose ends among the various participants involved in the practicum process in a more comprehensive and holistic manner. The practicum is performed in real time in the education field, in a clinical manner and is very meaningful for the future teachers’ work. Research method: Qualitative action research, documenting the expansion of the practical experience model at Ohalo College in northern Isrel. The proposed model is based on the authors’ experience from the past five years, as recorded in protocols, and work papers, as well as many meetings and discussions. It is important to emphasize that the model was tested and gradually improved, becoming refined through a dynamic process using feedback between the college and its students, and between the teachers and the instructors and pedagogic instructors. Participants included more than 500 students, 500 school and kindergarten teachers, and 40 pedagogic instructors, instructors, lecturers and others in relevant roles. The theoretical framework for the model relies on the concept of Pedagogic Content Knowledge (PCK), which emphasizes and reinforces pedagogic activity in the context of disciplinary knowledge content. In our opinion, the implementation of the model according to the approach described below creates a stable foundation for the student teacher practicum, in a manner appropriate given the current winds of change. The model should be applied in conjunction with essential changes in structural and behavioral policies necessitated by the Academia Class program.

This research focused on the practicum experience in the Academia Class program. This article puts a spotlight on the emotional aspects, thoughts, feelings and perceptions concerning co-teaching in this unique program. The research is a mixed-methods study (qualitative and quantitative).The research population included 125 teachers, 51 (40.8%) practicing trainer teachers, 36 (28.8%) trainee-teachers, 18 (14.4%) kindergarten trainer teachers and 20 (16%) early childhood trainee-teachers. The research questions were: “Is the trainee-teacher a second or a secondary teacher in the class? Do the trainer-teachers and trainee-teachers have a common motivation to adopt co-teaching and what is that motivation? How do the trainer-teachers and trainee-teachers describe their feelings and emotions within the framework of the practicum in the Academia Class program, especially with regard to co-teaching? The main findings indicate that the trainer-teachers in schools saw the trainee-teachers as a second teacher in the classroom already from the first day of their practicum (3.86), while the trainee kindergarten teachers were not seen as second kindergarten teachers (2.86) by their trainers. This difference was found to be significant. In contrast it was found that in early childhood education, the trainee-teachers reported that they felt they were an integral part of the kindergarten staff in a more significant manner - synergetic teaching (3.94) than did the trainee-teachers in the schools (3.03). Moreover, it was found that there was a gap between the way in which the trainee-teachers perceived themselves as second teachers in co-teaching (3.27) and the way in which they were perceived by the trainer-teachers (3.45) and kindergarten teachers (3.78) The trainee-teachers saw themselves as equal (over-evaluation) to the teachers/kindergarten teachers, in contrast to the perceptions of the trainer-teachers in schools and kindergartens. From the qualitative analyses, we found several categories that were identified as meaningful: interpersonal interaction, suitable training and preparation, high-quality teachers/student-teachers, motivation and emotions expressed because of this unique experience. Content analysis of the reflective consideration of the program participants to this question indicated that subjective interpersonal interactions (trainee-trainer in schools and in kindergartens) produced various feelings. These findings echoed and complemented the findings from the quantitative part of the research. The main conclusion from the findings is that the trainee-teachers were seen as secondary trainee-teachers and not as second teachers. In contrast, in the kindergartens although the trainee-teachers were not portrayed as second teachers, over the year they felt a sense of equality with the kindergarten teacher  and as  full participants  in the pedagogic work of the kindergarten teacher  received  a higher level of co-teaching.