When is a Reorganization of Practicum in Initial Teacher Education Implemented? Administrator Perspectives
Practice in Initial Teacher Education is an ongoing discussion with proponents for a mainly university-based ITE and a mainly school-based ITE. Another focus of discussion in constant change is how to organize practicums (i.e., student teaching). A national initiative was taken in Sweden during 2014 aiming to increase quality of practicums. The changes include fewer schools, increased expectation of competence development for mentors, and closer co-operation between practice schools and university concerning development. The aim of this article is to increase knowledge about implementation of the change in the organization of practicums. The data collection consists of responses from administrators working with the re-organization regarding a suggested timeline, a logic model and a SWOT analysis. The results revealed that a static conception of implementation can be disputed as there is a turnover of schools and thereby mentors. The quality issue is also a matter of continued exploration such as in how the change affects the balance between skills in how to teach and the knowledge and skills needed for reflection and critical discussion.
