TEACHING PRACTICUM - AN INTERPLAY BETWEEN IDEAL AND REAL IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHER'S TRAINING

Oct 15, 2026

Teaching practicum supports the professional development of pre-service teachers through a structured relationship between course theory and the realities of educational institutions. This qualitative study used an embedded single-case design to examine experiences of students enrolled in the Pedagogy of Preschool and Primary Education program, drawing on focus group discussions and analysis of 16 pedagogical practice notebooks. Thematic coding after transcription and member checking revealed an interplay between ideal theory and real teaching practice.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Context of the PPPE program

Role and structure of teaching practicum

Challenges reported in prior studies

Aim of the present study

TEACHING PRACTICUM: AN INTERPLAY BETWEEN IDEAL AND REAL IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHER'S TRAINING Gianina-Estera PETRE, Carmina-Marta JALBĂ, Marta-Ramona SASU, Diana VIȘAN Abstract: Teaching practicum has an essential contribution to the professional development of pre-service teachers. This study aimed to identify how the students enrolled in the Pedagogy of Preschool and Primary Education experienced the role of teaching practicum from the perspective of the theory learned during the courses and the reality in the educational institutions where they carried out the teaching practicum. Qualitative methodology was the choice to fit the purpose of the study with an embedded single case study research design, thus type 2 of a case study. The case was the teaching practicum, consisting of three groups of students in the PPPE academic program, second and third years, thus employing multiple units of analysis. The participants were 12 pre-service teachers chosen through purposive sampling from 53 students registered in the second and third academic years. Data collection methods comprised three FGDs and document analysis (16 pedagogical practice notebooks) . Thematic coding was the option for data analysis after data was transcribed verbatim, conducted member checking, coded, grouped the codes into categories, and organized under themes. The themes revealed an interplay between theory and practice, ideal and real, regarding teaching practices. Key words: teaching practicum, pre-service teachers, case study, Romania. 1. Introduction The Pedagogy of preschool and primary education (PPPE) program aims to prepare students to become qualified preschool and primary education teachers. In Romania, the academic program aligns with the Bologna declaration and the National Education Law 1/2011 . During PPPE educational program, students learn how to develop their professional skills regarding curriculum planning, instructional teaching, and evaluation methodology. This academic program emphasizes the importance of two components. First is educational development, which is essential in building the theoretical preparation of the students. Second is the professional development that creates the environment wherein students practice teaching methods, strategies, and techniques learned in theory under the mentors' guidance and receive feedback for improvement. Teaching practicum is an essential academic requirement for future educators. By observing how other, more experienced teachers teach, planning the lessons, and receiving feedback to master teaching skills, pre-service teachers may develop the necessary competencies in teaching. Therefore, how teaching practicum occurs may positively or negatively affect pre-service teachers' professional development. In the PPPE curriculum or educational plan, the teaching practicum for preschool and primary school has an allocated number of ECTS (transferable study credits) each semester. Universities may opt for different versions, from having pedagogical practice for preschool as a separate course from the one for primary school or placing them together. The number of ECTS varies according to this option from 2 to 5 ETCS. For instance, in the university where the present study was conducted in the PPPE first year, students accomplish the preschool and primary school teaching practicum in both semesters but together as one class, each semester the class having allocated 2 ECTS. In the second and third academic years, students have the preschool and primary school teaching practicum as separate classes each semester, with the courses allocated 2 ECTS each semester. Universities are interested in signing collaboration protocols with preschools and primary schools, first interested and second willing to accept education students for teaching practicum, both for class observations and teaching. The universities must provide at least 30% of teaching practicum institutions for students' practice

FAQs

What was the purpose of the study on teaching practicum?

The study identified how pre-service teachers experienced the practicum’s role by comparing theory learned in courses with the reality in placement institutions.

How was the research designed and what data were used?

A qualitative embedded single case study design was applied, using three FGDs and document analysis of 16 pedagogical practice notebooks.

What did thematic coding reveal about theory and practice?

The analysis showed an interplay between theory and practice, specifically between ideal expectations and real teaching practices during the practicum.

Oct 15, 2026

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