What Type of Feedback do Student Teachers Expect from their School Mentors during Practicum Experience? - Article 3 - Abstract

Oct 15, 2026

Mentorship serves as a core element in teacher education because mentors’ feedback shapes candidates’ professional identity. This study examines what Spanish EFL student teachers need and expect from school mentors’ feedback during practicum, focusing on areas where mentor feedback should improve. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, results show a high satisfaction level with the quality of mentor feedback. The main strength is its supportive and affective nature, while the primary weakness is the need for more detailed, continued input.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Learning to teach through practicum

Integration of Theory and Practice

Mentoring in Teacher Education

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 41 | Issue 5 | Article 3 | | --- | --- | | 2016
What Type of Feedback do Student Teachers Expect from their School Mentors during Practicum Experience? The Case of Spanish EFL Student Teachers
Juan de DiosMartínez Agudo
University of Extremadura, [jdmtinez@unex.es](jdmtinez@unex.es) | | Recommended Citation Martínez Agudo, J. (2016). What Type of Feedback do Student Teachers Expect from their School Mentors during Practicum Experience? The Case of Spanish EFL Student Teachers. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 41 (5). Retrieved from [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol41/iss5/3](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol41/iss5/3) This Journal Article is posted at Research Online. [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol41/iss5/3](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol41/iss5/3) What Type of Feedback do Student Teachers Expect from their School Mentors during Practicum Experience? The Case of Spanish EFL Student Teachers Juan de Dios Martínez Agudo University of Extremadura, Spain Abstract: Mentorship represents a vital component in all teacher education programmes since mentors’feedback plays an essential role in shaping candidate teachers’professional identity. The quality of feedback provided by school mentors during the practicum experience constitutes the main focus of this study. This research paper aimed at investigating Spanish EFL student teachers’ needs and expectations from their school mentors’feedback in the practicum setting, drawing particular attention to what areas or aspects related to mentor feedback needed improvement. Both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were used in the study. The resulting data revealed a high degree of satisfaction among the surveyed student teachers concerning the quality of mentor feedback, meeting their needs and expectations in a very substantial manner. Specifically, the main strength of mentors’feedback lies in its supportive and affective nature while the main weakness highlighted was the need for a more detailed and continued input or feedback from school mentors. Thus, this research paper highlights the gap between the quality of feedback provided by school mentors and mentees’ expectations and satisfactions during their professional school experiences. Introduction Learning to teach through practicum experiences, which is viewed as a highly complex process in which multiple influences, dilemmas and tensions emerge (Velez, 2003; Gan, 2013), is essential for student teachers’ professional preparation (Farrell, 2007) . This field experience is key to professional learning because student teachers have the opportunity to experience authentic classroom situations as well as to become familiar with a wide variety of learning and teaching strategies and techniques (Chien, 2014). No doubt, the school-based practicum experience represents the most critical and important component of all teacher education programmes for professional preparation (Farrell, 2001, 2003; Crookes, 2003; Wright, 2010). Almost without exception, student teachers highly value the practical teaching experiences obtained during the practicum period, and these have a major influence on their developing professional growth (Aiken & Day, 1999) . In short, the teaching practicum process constitutes a fundamental experience for the professional preparation of every candidate teacher. Through the practicum, which is generally viewed as a ‘core learning experience’, student teachers become socialized into the teaching profession (Farrell, 2001) . The importance and need for the practicum as a learning-oriented field experience is in fact highly valued by student teachers (Pekkanli, 2011) . Specifically, the quality of feedback provided by school mentors during the practicum experience constitutes the main focus of this study. Drawing on a literature review of the mentoring process in teacher education, the prin

FAQs

What is the main focus of the study on mentor feedback?

The study focuses on the role and quality of feedback provided by school mentors during the practicum experience and how it affects student teachers’ needs and expectations.

How did the researchers study student teachers’ expectations?

The research used both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to investigate Spanish EFL student teachers’ needs and expectations regarding mentor feedback.

What strengths and weaknesses in mentor feedback were identified?

Student teachers reported high satisfaction, especially because mentor feedback is supportive and affective. The main weakness highlighted was the need for more detailed and continued feedback from school mentors.

Oct 15, 2026

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