Mentor’s Perception of the Future Science Teacher’s Teaching Practice

Authors

  • Branka Radulović Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences University of Novi Sad
  • Tamara Jovanović Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences University of Novi Sad
  • Zdenka Gadušová Department of English and American Studies, Faculty of Arts Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra
  • Alena Hašková Department of Technology and Information Technologies, Faculty of Education Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra
  • Libor Pavera Department of Didactics of Economy Subjects, Faculty of Finance and Accounting Prague University of Economics and Business

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2022.1.145.155

Keywords:

teacher trainees, mentees, mentor-teachers, teacher trainees teaching practice, mentor training, international project, higher education institution

Abstract

Aim. The paper presents feedback on the effects of a new approach to the teaching practice of teacher trainees introduced in Serbia. Verification of the new approach is connected with a mentor training conception which has been under preparation within the frame of Erasmus+ project 2020-1-SK01-KA201-07825 Mentor training addressed in mutual cooperation of higher education institutions from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, and the Republic of Serbia.

Methods. Within the frame of the new approach, verification structured interviews were carried out with a research sample of ten mentor teachers—science teachers from primary and secondary schools. The teachers were asked about the teacher trainees’ knowledge and skills (competences) they use within the lessons taught by them during their teaching practice, ways to improve the mentoring process, as well as mentors’ competences and the ability to self-assess.  

Results. The researchers collected rather positive opinions of mentors about mentees’ knowledge and skills they come to schools with. At the same time, the mentors expressed high satisfaction with their own knowledge about their mentoring role and competences.

Conclusion. The paper presents, on the one hand, a good example of synergy of the national school policy strategies, introducing new approaches to the teaching practice of teacher trainees in Serbia. On the other hand, the goals of an international project are presented, which are meant to improve the quality of mentor-teachers at schools in Serbia.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

  • Branka Radulović, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences University of Novi Sad

    Branka Radulović is an scientific associate professor at the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics. Her field of interest is methodology of teaching physics, with a special emphasis on examining the effectiveness of teaching methods and providing support to teachers in their work with gifted students.

  • Tamara Jovanović, Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences University of Novi Sad

    Tamara Jovanović is an associate professor at the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management. She teaches Educational and Developmental Psychology to future science teachers. Her field of interest is applied psychology, specifically in the fields of education and tourism. 

  • Zdenka Gadušová, Department of English and American Studies, Faculty of Arts Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra

    Prof. Zdenka Gadušová, Ph.D. is an experienced university manager, project coordinator, university teacher and teacher trainer in the field of methodology of foreign language teaching at the Department of English and American Studies, Faculty of Arts, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovakia). For several years she worked in the position of the Head of the Department, where she co-ordinated several TEMPUS JEP projects. In 1996, she became the Vice-dean for Education and since 2002 she was in the position of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts for 8 years. Then, in the years 2010-2014, she was the vice-dean for research and postgraduate studies.

  • Alena Hašková, Department of Technology and Information Technologies, Faculty of Education Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra

    Prof. Alena Hašková, Ph.D. is a professor of Technology of Education.  She works at Faculty of Education, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. Her primary interests are methodology of teaching, IT applications in education, development of educational environments and their use for specific purposes, evaluation of teachers’ competences, school leadership and optimization of school management. Currently she acts as the guarantee of the postgraduate (Ph.D.) study program Didactics of Technical Subjects and guarantees habilitation and inauguration procedure in the science branch Branch/Subject Didactics - Didactics of Technical Subjects. She is an author and co-author of 20 monographs, 10 textbooks and approximately 400 articles published in Slovakia and abroad.

  • Libor Pavera, Department of Didactics of Economy Subjects, Faculty of Finance and Accounting Prague University of Economics and Business

    Prof. Libor Pavera, Ph.D  is a professor of aesthetics, works in the Department of Economic Subject Teaching at the Prague University of Economics and Business where he teaches history of pedagogy and to them related disciplines (philology, literary culture, history, etc.). He is an author of several monographs and many papers published in professional journals in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and other countries. He has organized number of conferences and is an editor of many thematic publications, and conference and workshop proceedings.

References

Azizi, M., Pavlíková, M., Slobodová Novakova, K., & Baghana, J. (2021). The Differential Effects of Dynamic Assessment Versus Coded Focused Feedback on the Process Writing of EFL Learners. European Journal of Contemporary Education 2(10), 273-284. https://doi.org/10.13187/ejced.2021.2.273.

Bonilla, S. X., & Méndez Rivera, P. (2008). Mentoring in pre-service teaching: from reflection on practice to a didactic proposal. Actualidades Pedagógicas, 1(52), 79-90.

Gabrhelová, G., & Pasternáková, L. (2016). Teachers in the context of vocational education. Acta Technologica Dubnicae, 3(6), 100-113.

Gadušová, Z., & Vítečková, M. (2013). Mentors’ and novices’ perception of teachers’ professional career start in Slovakia and in the Czech Republic. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 106, 1825-1833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.12.207.

Hrmo, R., Krištofiaková, L., & Miština, J. (2015). Building a quality system of technical and vocational education in Slovakia towards a European labour market, 2015 International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning (ICL), 237-243. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICL.2015.7318032.

Ingersoll, R. M., & Strong, M. (2011). The impact of induction and mentoring programs for beginning teachers: A critical review of the research. Review of Educational Research, 81(2), 201-233. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654311403323.

Khonamri, F., Hashemi, E., Pavlíková, M., & Petrášová, B. (2021). Coherence problems of EFL students’ writing in light of the Gricean Maxims. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 2(12), 294-313. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2021.2.294.313.

Kuna, P., Kozík, T., Kunová, S., & Šebo, M. (2018). Software tools for creating and presenting virtual 3D models. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing: ICL 2017, Vol. 716, p. 17-26. Holtzbrinck: Springer. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-73204-6_3.

Le, P. T. A., & Vásquez, C. (2011). Feedback in teacher education: Mentor discourse and intern perceptions. Teacher Development, 15(4), 453-470. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2011.635264.

Maturkanič, P., Tomanová Čergeťová, I., Kondrla, P., Kurilenko, V., & Martin, J. G. (2021). Homo culturali versus cultura animi. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 12(2), 51–58. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2021.2.51.58.

Mukeredzi, T. G. (2017). Mentoring in a cohort model of practicum: mentors and preservice teachers’ experiences in a rural South African school. Sage Open, 7(2),

-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244017709863.

Petrovská, S., Sivevská, D., Popeska, B., & Runcheva, J. (2018). Mentoring in teaching profession. International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education, 6(2), 47-56. https://doi.org/10.5937/ijcrsee1802047P.

Ronfeldt, M., Bardelli, E., Truwit, M., Mullman, H., Schaaf, K., & Baker, J. C. (2020). Improving preservice teachers’ feelings of preparedness to teach through recruitment of instructionally effective and experienced cooperating teachers: A randomized experiment. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 42(4), 551-575. https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373720954183.

Univerzitet u Novom Sadu, (2020). Pravilnika O Načinu I Postupku Sticanja Zvanja I Zasnivanja Radnog Odnosa Nastavnika I Saradnika Prirodno-Matematičkog Fakulteta Univerziteta U Novom Sadu (Broj: 0601-67/6 Od 16.09.2020. Godine – Prečišćen Tekst, Sa Izmenama I Dopunama Broj: 0601-67/9 Od 10.12.2020. Godine) [Rulebook on the Manner and Procedure of Acquiring the Title and Establishing the Employment Relationship between Teachers and Associates of the Faculty of Natural Sciences (Number: 0601-67/6 From 16.09.2020. Years - Consolidated Text, With Amendments No. 0601-67/9 From 10.12.2020. Years)]. https://www.pmf.uns.ac.rs/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Pravilnik-o-STICANJU-ZVANJA.pdf.

Saglam Arslan, A., Unal, S., Karataş, F. Ö., & Cengiz, C. (2018). Mentoring in-service chemistry teachers: acquirements as mentees. Reflective Practice, 19(2), 193-210. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2018.1437403.

Tkáčová, H., Tvrdoň, M., Králik, R., & Kalugina, A. (2021). End of the procrastination through innovation in education. Factors maintaining motivation in study among university students. EDULEARN21: 13th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, Barcelona: IATED Academy, 6838-6847. https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2021.1384.

Valentová, M., & Brečka, P. (2020). Ways of critical and creative thinking development in practical training through video-study. TEM Journal, 1(9), 327-334. https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM91-45.

Whitehead, J., & Fitzgerald, B. (2006). Professional learning through a generative approach to mentoring: Lessons from a training school partnership and their wider implications. Journal of Education for Teaching, 32(1), 37-52. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607470500510951.

Downloads

Published

2022-06-30

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2022): Journal of Education Culture and Society

Section

EXPERIENCE

License

Copyright (c) 2022 Branka Radulović, Tamara Jovanović, Zdenka Gadušová, Alena Hašková, Libor Pavera

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

CC-BY

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. All authors agree for publishing their email adresses, affiliations and short bio statements with their articles during the submission process.

How to Cite

Radulović, B., Jovanović, T. ., Gadušová, Z. ., Hašková, A. ., & Pavera, L. . (2022). Mentor’s Perception of the Future Science Teacher’s Teaching Practice. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 13(1), 145-155. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2022.1.145.155