The practicum-mentor identity in the teacher education context

ABSTRACT

This study describes the practicum-mentors’ identity in a teacher education context based on Dialogical Self Theory (DST) and the related ‘position’ and ‘I-position’ concepts. Participants were 48 Spanish and Canadian primary and secondary teachers who participated via an online written survey. The data were analysed using qualitative and quantitative procedures. Findings show a comprehensive description of nine types of positions and twenty types of I-positions. Based on these categories, three clusters of practicum-mentors, which represent three different ways of being a mentor, were identified: (1) a collaborative partner focused on student-teacher (ST) professional development, including the design, and teaching of ST skills acquisition; (2) a collaborative partner focused on design, teaching, and assessment of ST skills acquisition, and (3) a coaching partner focused on teaching and individualised ST learning. The findings can promote closer collaboration between universities and schools concerning the design of more relevant professional development for mentors based on the three identified ways of being a mentor.

KEYWORDS:

• Dialogical-self theory
• mentor identity
• practicum setting
• student-teacher
• teacher identity

Disclosure statement

This research paper was developed following the American Psychological Association’s ethical standards and observing the Spanish law on data protection and the right to confidentiality.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.

Notes on contributors

Antoni Badia

Antoni Badia is a full professor of Educational Psychology at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and the Academic Director of the bachelor’s degree in Primary Education. His research interests include teacher identity, teacher-inquirer identity, pedagogical innovations, technology-enhanced learning and learning in online learning environments.

Anthony Clarke

Dr. Anthony Clarke spent a number of years as a classroom teacher in Australia before moving to Canada to work with beginning teachers, classroom teachers, and university instructors at UBC.  His current interests include practicum-mentoring, teacher inquiry, and schooling in comparative perspective.