Research on student teacher learning, collaboration and supervision during the practicum: A literature review

Abstract

This paper presents a review of research literature on the practicum, interchangeably called teaching practice, specifically on student teacher learning, collaboration and supervision. The paper first introduces teaching practice as an important aspect of teacher education. Next, the paper situates research on the practicum in general within the historical trends in the broader field of teacher education. Then the actual review follows under four subtitles: research on student teacher learning, research on collaboration amongst student teachers, research on collaboration between student teachers and cooperating teachers then research on supervision of student teachers. The paper then concludes by highlighting certain gaps in research on the practicum that future researchers in the field might want to address.