Understanding Perspectives on Practicum Supervision by University Supervisors and Student Teachers in a Faculty of Education: A Case Study

Field experiences are an integral component of any teacher education program. Teacher education programs have attempted to address the potentially limiting, normative influence of practical experiences by enhancing the coherence of the various elements of pre-service professional development by establishing close relationships between universities and schools and having tenured faculty and other instructors working with student teachers in the field as part of their teaching responsibility. Involvement from university supervisors ensures the integration of theory and practice to prepare the student teachers for success in a variety of classrooms and educational contexts. This paper will report on the findings of a research study investigating the supervisory process and the experiences of both university supervisors and student teachers. The results of this case study research are focused on effective approaches to supervision, enhancing student teaching practice, and highlighting the role relationships play in the supervision process.