Improving student teaching to better integrate theory and practice

Authors

  • Mylène Leroux Université du Québec en Outaouais
  • Nathalie Andwandter Cuellar Université du Québec en Outaouais
  • Isabelle Vivegnis Université de Montréal
  • Andréanne Gélinas-Proulx Université du Québec en Outaouais

Keywords:

Student teaching, teacher education, theory-practice link, student teachers, mentor teachers, teacher educators

Abstract

This article focuses on the relationship between coursework and field experience, theory and practice. Guided by Korthagen et al.’s (2006) fundamental principles for teacher education, an alternative student teaching structure was tested at the Université du Québec en Outaouais (Canada) in the Fall 2016 term. An online survey was conducted to elicit feedback on how this structure helped enhance the link between theory and practice, according to student teachers, mentor teachers, and teacher educators. Results show the structure offered student teachers the opportunity to reinvest learning in both theory and practice and to discuss the tensions between the two, which represented a significant moment in the program’s development.

Author Biographies

Mylène Leroux, Université du Québec en Outaouais

is a full professor in the Department of Education Sciences at the Université du Québec en Outaouais and a regular researcher at the Interuniversity Research Center on Teacher Training and the Teaching Profession (CRIFPE). Her main research interests include practical training, reflection on practice, professional development, teacher induction, teacher well-being and resilience, mindfulness, differentiated instruction, and flexible classrooms. mylene.leroux@uqo.ca

Nathalie Andwandter Cuellar, Université du Québec en Outaouais

has held the position of professor in mathematics education at the Department of Education Sciences at the Université du Québec en Outaouais since 2012. She is a member of the research team on Educational Success and Inclusive Pedagogy (RÉPI), as well as the International Observatory of Algebraic Thinking (OIPA). Her research areas primarily focus on the development of algebraic thinking, teaching and learning of quantities and measurements, and mathematics teaching practices. Additionally, she is interested in collaborative research within school environments. nathalie.anwandter@uqo.ca

Isabelle Vivegnis, Université de Montréal

is a professor specializing in professional competencies development and school environment support at the Department of Psychopedagogy and Andragogy in the Faculty of Education Sciences at the Université de Montréal. Her main research interests focus on supporting teachers in pre-service training, in their continued education, and in professional integration. She is also an expert in practical training, including pedagogical support for student teachers and training for student-teacher supervisors. isabelle.vivegnis@umontreal.ca

Andréanne Gélinas-Proulx, Université du Québec en Outaouais

is a leadership and education management professor in the Department of Education Sciences at the Université du Québec en Outaouais. Her research primarily focuses on professional development, skills, and leadership in school administration at the intersection of themes such as equity, inclusion, and social justice as they relate to diversity. andreanne.gelinas- proulx@uqo.ca

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Published

2024-04-06

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Leroux, M., Andwandter Cuellar, N., Vivegnis, I., & Gélinas-Proulx, A. (2024). Improving student teaching to better integrate theory and practice . McGill Journal of Education / Revue Des Sciences De l’éducation De McGill. Retrieved from https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/9961

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