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Preservice science teachers reflect ontheir practicum experiencesIsil Koc aa Department of Science Education, Hasan Ali Yucel Faculty ofEducation , Istanbul University , Vefa , Istanbul , TurkeyPublished online: 12 May 2011.

To cite this article: Isil Koc (2012) Preservice science teachers reflect on their practicumexperiences, Educational Studies, 38:1, 31-38, DOI: 10.1080/03055698.2011.567030

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Educational Studies

ISSN 0305-5698 print/ISSN 1465-3400 online© 201 Taylor & Francis

http://www.tandfonline.com

Preservice science teachers reflect on their practicum experiences

Isil Koc*

Department of Science Education, Hasan Ali Yucel Faculty of Education, Istanbul University, Vefa, Istanbul, TurkeyTaylor and FrancisCEDS_A_567030.sgm10.1080/03055698.2011.567030Educational Studies0305-5698 (print)/1465-3400 (online)Article2011Taylor & Francis0000000002011Dr IsilKoccmarnewick@uj.ac.za

The practicum provides an opportunity for preservice teachers to apply knowledgeand skills in actual classroom settings. Thus, it serves as a central component ofvirtually all teacher education programmes. This study focused the views of 16preservice science teachers on their practicum experiences. Individual interviewswere made to construct a picture of practicum as experienced by the preservicescience teachers. Group seminar sessions, and written reflections were alsoutilised to confirm and support data from the interviews. The findings based ondata gathered indicate that preservice science teachers were not exposed toenvironment that reflected their expectations toward learning outcomes. It isessential to provide conditions of a quality experience to preservice scienceteachers during their teacher education programmes in order to prepare preserviceteachers to teach science effectively.

Keywords: practicum; preservice science teachers; science teaching

Introduction

In teacher education programmes, practicum serves as a culminating event thatattempts to bridge academic coursework and the realities of classroom teaching(Kagan 1992). A statement from the National Standards for Professional Developmentfor Teachers of Science reveals that, “Teachers need experiences that engage them inactive learning that builds their knowledge, understanding, and ability to teachscience” (National Research Council [NRC] 1994, 57). Additionally, a study byMelear et al. (2000) indicated that preservice teachers need instruction and practice inthe science content that they will be expected to teach science effectively. As Tobin(1993) stated, learning about teaching science is best skilled by direct experience ofthe teacher–learner in combination with opportunities to reflect critically on the expe-rience and emergent problems. Therefore, it is important that practicum experiencesbe recognised as essential context for preservice teachers to learn about their teachingof science and develop teaching skills that support student learning.

In Turkey, teacher education programmes supply the public school system withmany new teachers in each academic year. Such programmes aim to develop theknowledge, skills and attributes of preservice teachers in order to prepare them toteach effectively and meet all the learning needs of students. It is common for theseprogrammes to follow a similar model when it comes to the preparation programmesfor preservice science teachers. The relationship between the instruction that preser-vice science teachers receive at the academic level and the experiences they gain

*Email: isilkoc@istanbul.edu.tr

Vol. 38, No. 1, February 201 , 31–38

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2011.567030

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during practicum is an essential programme feature. Therefore, it is important thatboth course-work and practicum be recognised as essential context for preservicescience teachers to learn about their teaching of science and develop teaching skillsthat support student learning. As Mau (1997) stated, the connection between theoryand practice is of main importance to the development of the teaching profession.

Knowles and Cole (1996) assumed that practicum experiences are extremelyvalued by both preservice and cooperating teachers as they provide an introduction tothe real world context of the profession and offer valuable experience and interactionwith students. Cooperating teachers, who work with preservice teachers in practicumsettings, serve as an integral part of the practicum experience in terms of providingsuch things as comment, support, direction and role-modelling for the preserviceteachers (Clarke 2001). Also, cooperating teachers are involved in the development oftheir own profession (Lave and Wenger 1991). In this regard, the effective interactionsbetween preservice teachers and cooperating teachers seem crucial for continuing tobuild on that foundation.

Beck and Kosnik (2002) identified the following elements in practicum place-ment that suggested by preservice teachers concerning their practicum experiences.First, preservice teachers desired emotional support from cooperating teachers.Second, preservice teachers outlined a peer relationship with the cooperating teacher.Third, preservice teachers pointed out the importance of a collaboration with cooper-ating teachers. Fourth, preservice teachers stated the necessaries of some flexibilityin the teaching content and method. Fifth, cooperating teachers should be encouragedto provide meaningful feedback on their performances. Sixth, cooperating teachersshould have a sound approach to teaching and learning in the placement classroom.Last, that the practicum workload can be heavy but not excessive. To gain moredetail on the practicum experience would support in ensuring that the teacher educa-tion programmes meet the goal of effectively preparing preservice teachers for theteaching of science education in the elementary school environments. Therefore, thisstudy focused on the experiences of preservice elementary teachers during theirscience-based practicum.

Purpose of the study

This study explores and describes final-year preservice science teachers’ views ontheir own practicum. Qualitative data was collected by interviews, written reflectionsand group seminar field notes to construct a picture of the experiences of preservicescience teachers to identify how they succeeded, struggled and learned as a part oftheir science-based practicum.

The study is guided by the following questions:

(1) What views do preservice science teachers express about teaching science?(2) Does participating in a practicum affect preservice teachers’ views on teaching

science in the elementary grades?

Design and methodology

This study is designed around the undergraduate elementary science teaching practicecourse at a large public university in Turkey. Teaching practice course is offered inthe second semester of fourth year in colleges of education. The course includes an

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extensive science-based practicum in K-8 classrooms. Actually, the course providesan opportunity for preservice science teachers to plan and teach science lessons for thepracticum schools. The preservice science teachers were divided into eight schoolsaround the faculty. For each of the eight schools, three or four cooperating teacherswere determined and preservice science teachers as seven or eight-member teamsplanned and taught rotatory six lessons in every week on an alternating 12-weekschedule. Class time during the teaching practice course was dedicated to planningand preparing science lessons for the practicum classrooms. During the practicum, thecooperating teachers were asked to observe an individual or the two or three-memberteams’ lessons and complete an observation sheet provided to them at least for onelesson. In order to gather information about participants’ practicum experiences andto improve the practicum aspects of the programme, the college supervisor withresearch assistants also conducted week-long visits to each of the eight schools andobserved each preservice science teacher in his/her classroom and completed the sheetfor the observed lesson. The observation sheet contained many aspects of observation,which focused on how the science teacher conducts the lesson in delivering theintended curriculum. Interviews with selected participants follow the observation.Interviews related to practicum are the primary data sources for the study.

Participants

Participants were 16 preservice science teachers enrolled in the teaching practicecourse at a large public university in Turkey during the spring semester of the 2007–2008 academic year. These preservice teachers were in their fourth and final year oftheir teacher education programme ranging in age from 20 to 23 with an average of22 and were part of a programme that attempts to provide curriculum and understand-ing and practice throughout all the science curriculum areas encountered in anelementary school setting. These 16 participants comprised about one-thirds of cohortthat became eligible for licensure in fall of 2008. With nine female and seven maleparticipants, gender distribution was fairly equal.

Data collection

Data was collected by interviews, written reflections and group seminar field notes.The primary data source for the study was individual interviews of 16 preservicescience teachers. Participants were randomly selected with provision to ensure repre-sentation of females and males and practicum schools. The interviews followed asemi-structured format and guided by a set of questions. The interview questions weredesigned to encourage participants to explain practicum as they experienced it. Theinterviews took about half an hour in length; they were audio-taped and transcribedfor the analysis. As promised to the interviewees, pseudonyms have been substitutedfor their names and the names of their cooperating teachers. The written reflectionsand group seminar field notes were an additional source of data. As part of their courseworks, participants were asked to write a series of reflections throughout the practi-cum experiences. At the end of the practicum experiences, participants were asked toprepare a final reflection, which was designed to encourage participants to reflect onand discuss the success and problems they experienced throughout the practicum.Field notes served as a final data source. During the semester the researcher met withevery group at least one time to offer comments and suggestions based on preservice

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science teachers’ concerns and ideas. Each meeting lasted for about an hour and wasinformal in nature. Extensive notes were taken during every seminar, which reflectspreservice science teachers’ experiences during their own practicum.

Data analysis

The data obtained from the interviews, written reflections and group seminar fieldnotes were coded and classified to help the researcher define categories and organisethem into some form of order and structure (Cohen, Manion, and Morrison 2000).Patterns and themes were identified following the data coding processes to create adescription of aspects contributed to the science teaching.

Results

Participant views on their practicum experiences were grouped into the followingthemes that parallel interview questions, written reflections and field notes.

Challenges

A number of factors that generate challenges included content knowledge, jobcomplexity, unengaged cooperating teachers, classroom management, time manage-ment, special-needs students and evaluation. Table 1 presents participant quotes thatsupport these factors.

Successes

Despite the difficulties, participants stated several successes which they experiencedduring their practicum. Table 2 presents categories with related participant quotes thatsupport the legitimacy of achieving success.

Supports

Table 3 presents participant quotes that confirm perceived supports during practicum.

Awareness gains

Table 4 presents participant gains as a result of the practicum experiences.

Obstacles

Participant responses on reform-based teaching started “how is a great idea” but endedwith “how difficult achieving these goals in actual classrooms”. Table 5 presents theseries of participants quotes that describe the end part.

Conclusions and implications

The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice science teachers’ views ontheir own practicum. It was hoped that the information gained would assist in ensuring

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Table 1. Challenges experienced during practicum.

Challenge Example

Content knowledge

“During my undergraduate education, I took bunch of useless courses and passed without knowing and understanding. Practicum has helped me realise my lack of content knowledge”

“We must open our minds and refresh our knowledge to pursue new developments in science and technology”

“In reality, it was not easy to put my knowledge and what I learned into practice”

“My content knowledge is limited but I can handle it in time”Planning phase “I was bored while planning the lesson, writing aims, designing content and

determining methods and strategies were not easy for me”“Because I did not enter the class constantly and follow students’

preparedness level well, I had great difficulty in planning part of the lessons”

“Because I did not estimate how much they (students) know, I struggle with planning the lesson”

“My biggest struggle with planning the lesson was estimating students’ level”Job complexity “At first, I had some really bad lessons, due to poor planning and also due to

complexities with managing class. I felt depressed and I did not even want to work on to improve”

“In many lessons at the beginning, I was not organised properly; this began to affect my confidence and self-esteem. I felt I need help to overcome this problem”

Unengaged cooperating teachers

“My cooperating teacher was unaware of newer teaching methodologies; I have not had a chance to discuss lesson plans and resources with him before lessons”

“My cooperating teacher was unwilling to assist me to explore the complex dynamics of what it means to be a teacher”

“My cooperating teacher wanted to treat me like his assistant, not allowed me to teach lessons that I plan on my own”

“My cooperating teacher was not a good model for me”Classroom

management“Control of the classroom was difficult at first. Students did not respect me as

a ‘real’ teacher”“I had great difficulty getting the class quiet. It took time in every lesson to

keep the noise level under control”“Large-size classes created discipline problems and disengagement among

students”“I had to spoke very loudly so that students sitting across from me could hear

me”Time

management“I did not have in difficulty while planning the lessons, but sometimes lessons

did not go as I have planned unanticipated occurrences such as students’ mood need to be taken into consideration when planning and preparing the lesson”

“I get so frustrated at my over-planning”“The classroom was large-size and too crowded; time restricts to assist every

students”Special needs

students“I really struggled in terms of ensuring that all the students in the class were

making good progress”“I needed an extra work for the more able or faster students. this was the

incredibly time-consuming process”Evaluation “I prepared a rubric, which includes criteria for grading, but I am not sure the

objectiveness of my grading techniques are questionable!”“I need to learn how to choose and utilise assessment strategies efficiently

within the classroom”

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that practicum experiences support the development of effective teaching skills in allcurricula areas in science education.

At the college level, science education courses are being designed to more inquiry-based instruction to help prepare preservice teachers to teach science in their futureclassrooms. In the present study, preservice science teachers’ views with respect topracticum were investigated. This one-semester course was selected because thepreservice science teachers are required to complete 72 hours of practicum experi-ences in elementary schools. During the semester, all preservice teachers wererequired to teach lesson in science classrooms. Overall, results from the study indicatethat the cooperating teachers provided to the preservice science teachers mostly werenot effective in creating an environment to learn and develop their teaching scienceskills. In general, preservice science teachers struggled with cooperating teachers interms of their negative effects on the practicum experiences. Some participantsasserted that if their cooperating teachers had been trained in how to efficiently

Table 2. Successes experienced during practicum.

Success Example

Making content personally relevant

“I tried to seek, decide and use resources that are relevant to students’ everyday life. It really made a difference”

“Finding ways to relate the content to the students is very important. If they can draw connections from their own world, they are going to remember the lesson a lot more”

Individualised instruction “It was not hard to realise not all students are going to learn at the same speed. During the practicum, I worked with students who need extra help and instruction”

Reflecting “Practicum forced me to figure out how I could enhance student engagement”

Improving inquiry “I was faced with the task of making science fun with inquiry so that the students would care about and become more engaged in the lessons”

“Students are not theoretical. They are very practical”Relating well to students “Practicum allowed me to develop relationships with students. I

get to know and build up good relationships with them”“I am beginning to get attached to the students; they have taught

me so much about myself. I will really miss them when I leave”

Table 3. Supports experienced during practicum.

Support Example

Cooperating teachers “During the practicum my cooperating teacher provided me with specific information about what was good and bad about the lesson”

“I gained experience from interaction with my cooperating teacher”Interactions with

school community“During the practicum, from the principal to the students, all they

made me feel part of the school and part of a team”“I really feel like I am part of the school”

Content knowledge “I feel much more confident in my abilities as a teacher as a result of the practicum experience. Practicum helps me see both my strengths and areas that I need to improve in”

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support them, they would have advanced the experiences. The finding from the inter-views was that very few cooperating teachers were even aware of the science reformefforts and those teachers who had heard of them rarely applied in their curriculum.As researchers suggest that the cooperating teacher and the practicum are powerfulinfluences in the development of teacher identity, this is an issue that needs much

Table 4. Awareness gains resulting from practicum.

Awareness Example

Effectiveness of inquiry

“I have made good progress in encouraging active participation by all students”

“I realised the power of inquiry in motivation student learning”Science content “Practicum has helped me realise to explore my potential”Praxis shock “I began to realise that how demanding this occupation is!”

“Classroom environment was different than I expected”Complexity of

teaching“My idea now is that in order to be a good teacher, you need to be well-

planned and well-organised, but it is also as important to be flexible and to be able to adapt. I get nervous very easily and my adaptation skill is very weak, and so I feel this is something I need to work on”

“I found myself trying to manage several things simultaneously such as building relationships with students, managing difficult behaviour, managing time, planning, organising and evaluating lessons, making resources to utilise in lessons and trying to work on tasks and assignments all at the same time”

Professional intentions

“I can not wait to begin teaching professionally soon!”“I am starting to feel like a teacher”

Table 5. Obstacles to reform-based teaching.

Obstacle Example

Lack of resources “Because of the lack of resources, I could not plan the lessons as I desired”

“It would be valuable to have an opportunity to use technology in my class”

Time limitations “Lessons, which tend to be interactive and involve discussions, require lots of time and efforts also”

“Students, who have low level of knowledge, prevent the lesson go on as smoothly as I anticipated”

Abstract concepts “The complexity of some concepts in science such as atoms and molecules makes students hard to understand with only abstract explanations”

“A lot of concepts in science are too abstract for students, and even worse students often doubt the viability of these concepts. Schools with lack of lab environments deprive them (students) of exercising and making those abstract concepts more concrete”

Unprepared students “Students with low levels of knowledge prevented the lesson go on as smoothly as I anticipated”

“The needs, developmental levels and interests of each student is different. Even if I wanted to take the students specific interests into account, I was not completely sure about how to do this regarding the contents, the lesson plan or the methodology”

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attention. It is essential that preservice teachers experience practicum environmentsthat support the development of effective teaching skills in all curricula areas inscience education. Additionally, preservice science teachers assumed that they werenot provided an environment that they could reflect their knowledge and expectations.Addressing such considerations is critical if preservice teachers are to be expected toteach science effectively to their future students. The themes that emerged from theseparticular participants may be helpful to consider the design and modification ofscience teacher preparation programmes at least in our university. How preservicescience teachers can be exposed to practicum environments that support the develop-ment of effective science teaching skills and what type of practicum experience wouldenhance their growth as professional deserve future investigations.

Notes on contributorIsil Koc is an assistant professor of science education at Istanbul University. Her research inter-ests include professional development activities that involve collaboration with local elemen-tary schools particularly in the areas of students’ and teachers’ alternative conceptions ofscience and activities that promote conceptual change in science.

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