Estonian Student Teachers’ Reflections of Professional Development During Teaching Practice

Abstract

The experiences gained during teaching practice influence student teachers’ professional development. However, little is known about how the student teachers experience their teaching practice of practical school subjects, which focus on the skills needed for everyday life,. This qualitative case study investigates the professional development of four Estonian handicraft and home economics student teachers’ during their teaching practice over the last year of master’s studies. The data consists of student teachers’ learning journals, reflective writings, and semi-structured interviews regarding the student teachers’ experiences. The data is analysed by using Herbart’s extended didactic triangle. The results reveal that student teachers largely reflect on their personal coping and development during practice and their learning context. We conclude that the individual needs of student teachers during teaching practice need to be addressed to create more meaningful professional development opportunities for student teachers.

Keywords

• student teachers
• professional development
• school practice
• home economics
• higher education

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