Abstract:

The current trend in contemporary society towards the development of new technologies, digitization and automation of all processes and activities has the effect of increasing expectations from experienced teachers as well as from those in training. Thus, the specialty training/internship of future graduates of technical studies must be made in parallel with pedagogical training.

In our study we investigated students' considerations relative to of the skills and support needed to conduct the teaching classes, after completion their instructional practice program in schools.

A number of 105 graduated students (41 men, 63 women) from the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest (Romania), enrolled in the Teacher Certification Program were included; a sub-group of 46 (43.8%) was informed and the students debated, before their practice, recommendations provided by their colleges previously graduated (the feed-forward setting).

Students in both groups answer 2 questionnaires. One included facets of the didactic activity, and asked them to evaluate their own performance in those aspects and finally to appreciate the utility of several support modalities (human or non-human). Also, they completed the TOM test (Test di Orientamente Motivazionale) which measures motivational orientations in an organizational context.

Descriptive data shows the students favor in their appreciations the pedagogical (M=4.60, SD=.50) or the interpersonal skills (M=4.56, SD=.95), followed shortly by honesty and motivation; by contrast, the subject knowledge is seen as less relevant for their teaching.

The same hierarchy is in place across the two groups. Comparing the the two groups (exposed vs. non-exposed to recommendations), we found there are no significant differences of the averages scores(T-test, Chi-square), with one exception. That it, students not-exposed have higher appreciation on the role of the subject knowledge in the teaching performance.

Furthermore, the scores reported on the motivational orientatation scales shows significant associations; also, the 3 scores on the types of competences (knowledge, pedagogical and inter-personal) are significantly related.

Considering the support seeking behavior, student seem to look for the teacher of mentor support (either from school or University) and tend to neglect any other potencial resource (literature, stories, colegues experiences).

We are tempted to conclude students value the classical pathways of aquiring information and support, and a previous exposure to other experiences has little impact or none. Still, the separation between information and the living experience may cause the closeness of the results across the two groups. In our opinion, an integrative approach, with discussions and role playing accompanying the powerful experience of real teaching in classes may give weight to the feed-forward mechanism.

Keywords:

Pedagogical practice, tutoring or mentoring, motivational orientation, educational support, activities, technical students.