Teaching Practicum in the Teacher Education Institutions in Cambodia: A Cross-Case Analysis

Abstract

The teaching practicum, which is an integral part of any teacher’s education, is considered the most crucial and influential stage for student teachers. This study explored the commonalities and differences in teaching practicum programs in three teacher education institutions in Cambodia. Employing a cross-case analysis, the author triangulated the data by examining teaching practicum guidelines, reviewing related documents, and interviewing the practicum-in-charge (n = 12). As data display and analysis techniques, the researcher utilized qualitative comparative analysis, in which the relationship among cases was arranged in a “truth table” by variable to synthesize the commonalities and differences. Inductive content analysis was used to thematically analyze the documents. This study found that the organization of the teaching practicum at the three teacher education institutions was less productive in bridging the theory-practice gap because of an unclear follow-up system throughout the implementation process. Moreover, the assessment was inappropriate and unreliable. Additionally, mentoring activities were insufficient and ineffective for helping student teachers. This study has the potential to contribute to the field of teacher education, specifically the teaching practicum, and provide insights for policymakers, because there is little local literature available.

Keywords

• assessment
• cross-case study
• mentoring
• teacher education
• teaching practicum organization

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