Investigation of Pre-service Elementary Teachers’ Recognition of Teaching Practicum: Focused on Typically-Perceived-Situation

Abstract

This study was an exploratory study to investigate pre-service elementary teachers` views on teaching practicum. This study investigated pre-service elementary teachers` Typically-Perceived-Situations of teaching practicum and how practicum had been helpful for them and needed to be improved. TPS used in the study refers to the situation rising spontaneously and immediately in an individual`s mind when he/she faces a thing, a concept, and a situation, and so on. In order to investigate the perception of pre-service elementary teachers, 32 second-grade pre-service teachers at an university of education in the central region were selected. The results of analyzing these data showed: First, the pre-service elementary teachers had Typically-Perceived-Situations of teaching practicum such as 'a situation that they are teaching students in the classroom', 'a situation that they are observing as a student teacher', and 'a situation that they are communicating and playing with students'. Second, the pre-service elementary teachers replied that the teaching practicum helped them to learn 'how to teach', 'how to manage students and class', 'understanding the overall atmosphere and trends of school field', and 'recognition of teaching and myself'. Third, pre-service elementary teachers responded that 'adjustment of the period/time of education', 'expansion of meeting/communication opportunities with students' and 'improving the environment of education practice' were required for more meaningful teaching practicum. Based on these results, several implications for the teaching practicum were discussed.