This article reports on the experiences of a mid-career teacher educator who spent a full semester supervising student teachers in schools. Adopting a self-study methodology, she and a critical friend collected and analyzed data, often in the form of reflection, on her experiences of third space and liminality. The time that she spent on the…

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to explore the preparation of practitioners from two disciplines--speech-language pathology and elementary education--who often work together in a school setting to identify ways to best support future professionals in their educational practicum settings. The primary research questions guiding this…

Research and policy in the field of teacher education recommend that special education (SPED) programs include opportunities for candidates to practice in supervised field experiences. Such field experiences (a) engage candidates in professional practice, (b) reduce their anxiety, (c) gain confidence, and (d) allow them to view themselves as…

The teaching practice (practicum) experience is a pivotal component of teacher education programs globally, providing student teachers with opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in real classroom settings. In Fiji, one of the many countries in the South Pacific, student teachers engage in practicum experiences, in schools, under the…

Teacher educators are typically involved in preparing preservice teachers (PSTs) in initial programs through teaching courses and supervising practicum experiences, including the culminating student teaching practicum. Using self-study of teacher education practices (S-STEPs) during supervision, the authors describe a scaffolded process of…

This study examined the factor structure and evidence of measurement invariance of a programme completer survey for pre-service teachers in the teacher preparation programme. The 33-item survey assessing aspects of teacher quality was completed by 455 teacher candidates, 455 cooperating teachers, and 66 university supervisors. Exploratory…

The need for teachers who are thoughtful and attentive to issues of social justice is more apparent now than ever before. Teacher education can and should be tasked with preparing teachers to serve a student population that is becoming more diverse over time. As teacher educators who function within both the university coursework and student…

In public schools in the United States, the work of an ESOL student teacher is characterized by relationships with multiple mentors, including a university supervisor. Through retrospective narrative accounts, this study examines what currently practicing teachers of multilingual learners retained of their supervisors' feedback from their student…

This narrative case study describes the use of improvement science methods to strengthen the effectiveness of field experiences for teacher candidates. As part of a networked improvement community, we sought to reduce variation in the quality of field experience by providing a cohesive network of high-quality coaching supports. Using design-based…

Ensuring teacher candidates have high-quality experiences in their clinical placements is essential for sustaining their progress as teachers, and ultimately, the teaching profession. This article explores mentor teachers' perceptions of effective university supervisors and the ways in which the mentors' perceptions of effective supervision…

This study examines the validity of a student teaching evaluation instrument used in a teacher preparation program. Grounded in research-based conceptualizations of teaching and aligned to standards from relevant professional associations, the instrument is used to evaluate teacher candidates during their student teaching experience. To determine…

This study aimed to explore the changes in developing perceived dispositions of preservice early childhood education (ECE) teachers influenced by student teaching experience. A convergent mixed-method research design framework was used to collect data for the study. The study sample comprised 86 preservice teachers enrolled at a public university…

Research has shown that effective teacher preparation should include both theoretical knowledge and experience. This is becoming even more important at the early childhood-level as funding for programs that prepare people to work in preschool settings. There is evidence that experience gained during the student teaching practice is most effective…

This study investigated physical education teacher candidate perceptions on feedback received from cooperating teachers and university supervisors during their student teaching experience. We used a basic qualitative research design (Merriam, 2009) to determine the perceptions of five teacher candidates from a public university in Puerto Rico.…

This parallel mixed methods study explored self-efficacy and competence for literacy instruction among student teachers (STs) in three models of teacher preparation, including a residency model. Qualitative interviews were conducted with STs, mentor teachers, and supervisors. Quantitative data were collected using a pre-/post-survey design using…