Title: Minding the challenges: exploring the meaning of practicum for development of student teachers' self-efficacy beliefs

Authors: Elmedina Nikoçeviq-Kurti

Addresses: Faculty of Education, University of Prishtina 'Hasan Prishtina', Agim Ramadani, 350, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of student teachers, mentor teachers, and university supervisors about mentoring practices and their relevance to the level of student teachers' self-efficacy. The survey was conducted with a sample of 110 third-year student teachers. The survey completed was the TSES instrument. Interviews were conducted with five student teachers, five university supervisors, and five mentor teachers. The thematic analysis method was used for analysing qualitative data. Student teachers reported the lowest levels of self-efficacy beliefs in the classroom management domain. A total of 90% of students surveyed felt more effective in adjusting lessons to the proper level for students, while only 64% of them indicated that they can control disruptive behaviour in the classroom. Qualitative data reported that respondents valued regular student monitoring, providing feedback and an evaluation based on reflection and concrete tasks as the main promoter of student teachers' self-efficacy in teaching.

Keywords: teaching practicum; teaching self-efficacy; student teacher; mentor teacher; university supervisor.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEED.2023.131996

International Journal of Education Economics and Development, 2023 Vol.14 No.3, pp.370 - 390

Received: 19 Jan 2022
Accepted: 26 May 2022
Published online: 06 Jul 2023 *

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