Abstract:

The rationale for this study was to investigate pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards the use of video as a prompt for reflection prior to their school placement experience. Prior research (McKenzie, Santiago, Sliwka, & Hiroyuki, 2005; Musset 2010) highlights the important link between teacher preparation and student outcomes, thus intensifying the investigation of teacher preparation programmes. The use of video formed an integral part of a lab-based practicum experience - designed from the perspective of focusing on a number of high leverage core practices of the beginning professional. It requires students to take a detailed look at a variety of planning, teaching and learning skills and concepts that combine to make a teacher effective in the classroom. Working with a tutor, as part of a small team, students devise and execute a number of lessons for small classes both with their peers and with second level students. Using video students are asked to review their recorded lesson individually and with their peers and tutor and reflect on areas for improvement in their practice. The findings indicate that prospective teachers appreciate the beneficial experience of this lab-based programme in developing effective instructional strategies including: planning for learning and reflective practice. They also attest to the value of video recordings in aiding the reflective cycle. Some ways of understanding these findings are explored in this paper.

Keywords:

Lab-based practicum experience, Video, High leverage core practices, Pre-service teachers, Teacher preparation.