- Title
- Understanding early childhood teacher education practicum programs in Saudi Arabia
- Creator
- Aljohani, Halah Abdulrahman
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2024
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- Practicum, also known as professional experience or placement, is an integral part of teacher education and has an influence on preservice teachers’ practice. During practicum programs, preservice teachers begin to put theory into practice under the direct supervision, guidance and mentorship of experienced teachers and supervisors. This thesis explores the experiences of seven preservice teachers (PTs), four cooperating teachers (CTs), and four university supervisors (USs) of the early childhood teacher practicum programme in Saudi Arabia. In addition to the interviews, analysis of the practicum handbooks explored how practicum handbooks contribute to shaping the practicum experience of all participants. The findings of this study elucidate the presence of conflict at two levels: a gap between the learning objectives/goals and outcomes that the handbook intends to achieve, and the expected roles assigned to all stakeholders. The role of the USs primarily revolves around evaluating the performance of the PTs. Simultaneously, the broader objectives of the practicum program are aimed at cultivating a community of learners that challenges the traditional practicum model. While the assessment of the PTs’ performance should be solely the responsibility of the USs as indicated in the handbook, the findings reveal that the PTs’ performance assessment is conducted mainly by the CTs. The findings of this research study show the influence of social, religious, and cultural factors on the participants’ experiences. The PTs expressed their practicum experience as a valuable opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired throughout their university studies in real classrooms. The findings revealed a limited communication relationship between the USs and the PTs, In contrast, a mutual and interactive relationship permeated between the CTs and the PTs. The CTs perceived their role in the practicum to be that of role model, guide, and assessor of the performance of the PTs. The USs understood their primary role to be that of evaluator of the PTs’ performance. The study revealed the participants’ concerns regarding several aspects of the practicum, such as limited opportunities provided to the PTs to communicate with families, the short duration of the placement and, due to their heavy workload, the absence of USs’ involvement in the learning journey of the PTs. This thesis includes a detailed discussion of these findings, as well as recommendations for practical application and future research.
- Subject
- early childhood teacher education practicum program; practicum; preservice teachers; teacher education; cooperating teachers; university supervisors
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1510211
- Identifier
- uon:56356
- Rights
- Copyright 2024 Halah Abdulrahman Aljohani
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT01 | Thesis | 4 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Abstract | 348 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |