Primary Education - Practicum
EDB402/403
EDB402 (30 Credit Points): Preservice teachers enrolled in these units complete the practicum over a ten-week period.
EDB403 Bachelor of Education (Graduate Entry) (20 Credit Points): Preservice teachers enrolled in this unit complete a six-week dedicated practicum.
Study components
Because practicum is embedded within a 20 or 30 credit point unit, there are other requirements besides the dedicated practicum which relate to the accompanying study materials. It is therefore essential that school-based teacher educators are familiar with the study components of the unit so that they can engage in supportive dialogue with preservice teachers.
Suggested progression
As this is the final practicum it is expected that preservice teachers will have maximum input into the education program and will take on all duties expected of a practising teacher.
It is anticipated that graduate entry students will quickly build up to a full-time teaching component of at least four weeks. It is therefore critical that meetings prior to the commencement of the practicum are held so adequate planning can take place. If possible it would be advantageous for the preservice teacher to spend sometime in the classroom prior to beginning the practicum component to become familiar with the students and the ecology of the school and the classroom.
In the first week the preservice teacher will become familiar with the ecology of the school and the classroom, will identify competencies to be addressed.
The preservice teacher will build up to taking a four -week program with the whole class for the final part of the practicum.
Prior to commencement of the practicum it is expected that the preservice teacher will have made contact with their teacher to determine the content/topic of the four week unit of work.
For student in the Bachelor of Education unit EDB402 you are required to teach for at least five continuous weeks. Similar to the graduate entry students, spend your first weeks becoming familiar with the classroom and continue to take incidental lessons and morning and afternoon activities.
Identification of competencies
Discussion with teacher to determine lessons/routines to take, building to morning and or afternoons in preparation of complete ‘hand-over' for four week dedicated practicum.
Middle (four week dedicated prac) - complete responsibility for all teaching during this time and organisation of team teaching activities with classroom teacher, ISA's, specialists, etc.
End (minumum of one week, maximum of four weeks) - conclusion of unit of work, final assessment, general ‘tying up of loose ends'.
Assessment of the practicum
Teaching portfolio
The teaching portfolio needs to include:
Situational Analysis
This is a statement about the teaching site in which the preservice teacher is completing the practicum. It will provide information about the context in which the preservice teachers are teaching and will probably cover such things as the location of the school, the size and level of the class, the make-up of the class group, any special needs of children in the class and particulars about the program being run in the class.
Attainment of Beginning Teacher Competencies
For this unit, preservice teachers are asked to select at least five competencies and provide evidence of how they have achieved a level of competence in each of the areas. In other practicum units preservice teachers will be asked to demonstrate attainment of a number of competencies. For each competency the pre-service teacher should undertake the following:
- Provide the number of the competency and the name. For example 1.1. Knows content and its relationship to educational goals;
- Preservice teachers may find it useful to list the indicators shown in the framework book for the competencies chosen;
- Explain the skills, behaviours etc associated with the competency and say why they have chosen it (no more than five lines); and
- Look ahead to how they might find evidence to support the acquisition of the competencies (four or five lines).
SBTE are asked to assist in identifying evidence by reflecting upon and interpreting what has occurred. In addition the SBTE can help by providing the following:
- Quotations from what student/children/ teachers and others have said;
- Written, pictorial and/or textual descriptions of activities, events, incidents which may include photographs, letters written comments, and samples of student work;
- References to resources developed used;
- An assessment of how far the student has developed the competency; and
- Pointers for the in school practicum if appropriate.
Summary Report
After each practicum the preservice teacher and the school-based teacher educator are asked to write a summary report of the practicum. In this summary report preservice teacher will probably want to include a brief statement about the class with whom they were working, the teaching undertaken, the competencies attained and what they see as your next professional challenge. If this summary report is signed by both the preservice teacher and the school-based teacher educator, it will make a valuable addition to the preservice teacher's professional portfolio.
Record of Teaching
This section should include a copy of all planning and teaching undertaken by the student.
- Day book - ideally a page per day of teaching, with a brief outline of learning outcomes and activities, brief reflections if appropriate
- Units of work written, indication of those involved in the planning, learning outcomes, and sequence learning activities, assessment and evaluation.
