ERIC Number: EJ1153923
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Aug
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0256-0100
EISSN: N/A
Pre-Service Teachers' Professional Learning Experiences during Rural Teaching Practice in Acornhoek, Mpumalanga Province
South African Journal of Education, v37 n3 Article 1371 Aug 2017
The concept of student teaching practice is globally rooted in training pre-service teachers to work within diverse schools and learner populations, in dissimilar contexts. It is also a drive towards the development of knowledge, professionalism, sense of efficacy, and flexibility in their performance and interactions. There is seemingly little research that has been done in South Africa to gain insight into the pre-service teachers' development of knowledge and professionalism during rural teaching practice. In developing countries like South Africa, teaching practice challenges are usually severe, particularly in rural schools, where there is generally a paucity of information on the nature of school-based support pre-service teachers receive. In the article we explore pre-service teachers' professional learning experiences during teaching practice in Acornhoek, rural Bushbuckridge. The project used qualitative semi-structured reflective discussions and students' reflective journals to collect data. The findings show that pre-service teachers experienced a shift of mind as they engaged in professional thinking, learning and meaning making.
Descriptors: Learning Experience, Preservice Teacher Education, Preservice Teachers, Professional Education, Rural Schools, Student Teaching, Educational Practices, Professionalism, Semi Structured Interviews, Teaching Experience, Student Journals, Group Discussion, Foreign Countries, Qualitative Research, Elementary Education, Secondary Education
Education Association of South Africa. University of Pretoria, Centre for the Study of Resilience, Level 3, Groenkloof Student Centre, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, George Storrar Road and Lleyds Street, Pretoria 0001, South
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A