Placing pre-service teachers in schools for practical experience takes money, time and support. The traditional model of school based experience for pre-service teachers is both financially prohibitive and unsustainable. Practicum is viewed by pre-service teachers, classroom supervisors and educational lecturers as a useful and important part of teacher education courses. Innovative approaches to the supervision of student teachers (in schools) are required. To ensure school based practicum remains in pre-service teacher courses, research into relevant alternatives is required. The proposed research will concentrate on developing new partnerships via the e-mentoring process. A variety of technology-based means of communication will be applied. The traditional triad model (classroom teacher, pre-service teacher and university lecturer) will be challenged and a new model implemented. The new model features, students at the core, in partnership with each other and with their school-based mentor(s) and university mentor. Classroom teachers will enter into a partnership with their school based colleagues and university lecturers. Technology is the enabler of these teaching and learning partnerships.
">Placing pre-service teachers in schools for practical experience takes money, time and support. The traditional model of school based experience for pre-service teachers is both financially prohibitive and unsustainable. Practicum is viewed by pre-service teachers, classroom supervisors and educational lecturers as a useful and important part of teacher education courses. Innovative approaches to the supervision of student teachers (in schools) are required. To ensure school based practicum remains in pre-service teacher courses, research into relevant alternatives is required. The proposed research will concentrate on developing new partnerships via the e-mentoring process. A variety of technology-based means of communication will be applied. The traditional triad model (classroom teacher, pre-service teacher and university lecturer) will be challenged and a new model implemented. The new model features, students at the core, in partnership with each other and with their school-based mentor(s) and university mentor. Classroom teachers will enter into a partnership with their school based colleagues and university lecturers. Technology is the enabler of these teaching and learning partnerships.