Tutor feedback during teaching practice : does it help prospective teachers develop professionally?

Abstract

Both teaching practice tutors and prospective teachers are aware that feedback during the teaching practice period is an important tool to develop professionally. According to Sadler (2013), ‘feedback is often regarded as the most critical element in enabling learning from an assessment event’ (p.55). This research focuses on feedback given to prospective teachers during the teaching practice period, and how such feedback can help with their future professional practice. This study employs both quantitative and qualitative methods of data gathering. Questionnaires were distributed to all B.Ed Primary, B.Ed Secondary and PGCE prospective teachers on their final teaching practice experience. This added up to a sample of 229. Interviews were further conducted with twelve participants from the three groups. Results show that receiving 1-­‐to-­‐1 verbal feedback supported by written feedback comments, were the most preferred methods which helped prospective teachers develop professionally. Suggestions and ideas given by interviewees show that a mentoring system needs to be introduced as part of the teaching practice component, as this can aid and support prospective teachers throughout the teaching practice experience. This research focuses on the various factors that can help prospective teachers develop in their teaching profession. It shows that the most common factors that impact prospective teachers’ development are; confidence, tutors’ viewpoints, and verbal and written feedback. It also shows that different viewpoints from tutors actually helped rather than hindered with development. The importance that prospective teachers give to feedback was also analysed and discussed.