Factors Affecting Teacher-Candidates’ Practicum Evaluations

Abstract

This report is an extension of a study that examined the final evaluations of 17 cohorts of teacher-candidates (n=374), who completed their 16-week extended-practicum through one Western Canadian university in one of the years from 1986 to 2002. Evaluation results based on nine instructional categories were analyzed according to four factors: (a) grade level taught; (b) school location; (c) year of the internship; and (d) gender of the intern.Descriptive statistics calculated for each of these four factors revealed minor differences in the intern sub-groups' aggregates of final evaluation ratings. For grade level, interns who taught K-3 were rated slightly higher than those in the other grade levels in six of the nine instructional skills. The interns who taught grade 7-12 were rated lowest of the three groups in three of the teaching categories. With respect to urban/rural school location of the internship, interns from rural schools were evaluated slightly higher than their urban counterparts for six of the nine skills. For year of the practicum, calculations showed slightly better evaluations in three teaching skills for interns who completed the practicum after 1996, than for those who completed it during the 1986-1995 period. Female interns were rated slightly higher in eight of the nine teaching categories than were their male colleagues. Possible explanations accounting for these minor differences are provided, and implications discussed for the program under study and for their "transferability" (Donmoyer, 1990) to pre-service teacher preparation programs.Although the extended-practicum has been a highly valued component of preservice teacher education programs (Meade, 1991;Zeichner, 1990), little research is available that documents the actual teaching performance of teachercandidates during their school-based experiences. To help reduce this research gap, a recent study was conducted that summarized the aggregate descriptive statistics for the final evaluations of 15 cohorts (n=374) of teacher-interns, who completed their 16-week extended-practicum under the Canadian university.

An Evaluative Study of the English Language Practicum Program at the College of Languages and Translation at Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University

“…Inside the school, there are different individuals who have a role in the practicum particularly those handling the administrative tasks. Of those individuals, field instructors (cooperating teachers) and school principle are the main individuals who have direct connections to the practicum student teachers (Ralph, 2005).…”

“…Beside the cooperating school, Ralph (2005) discussed school principal as another factor affecting teacher practicum programs. He stated that student teachers are guided and supervised through a supervising team that consists of the cooperating teacher, university supervisor, school principal, and other school and university staff.…”

“…According to Ralph (2005), the school principal has some responsibilities towards student teachers during their practicum. He/she is responsible for orienting the practicum candidates to the school building(s), schedule, calendar of events, instructional material center, and the expectations of the school teachers and students.…”