Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions and Preferences of Feedback Process (Published)
In any teacher education program, the attention is always paid to the quality of feedback provided in the practicum courses as the cornerstone to improve future teachers’ teaching performance. This includes the type of feedback provided by practicum supervisors, the timing and frequency of the feedback and the way of giving feedback. This study examines the perceptions of pre-service teachers studying at Bahrain Teachers College (BTC), University of Bahrain, about the quality of feedback received from their practicum supervisors. It also aims to find out to what extent pre-service teachers are familiar with the concept of feedback and which type (s) of feedback they prefer in improving their teaching practice. A quantitative and qualitative research method was used to answer the research questions. Data were collected using a questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions for pre-service teachers who were taking TCPB 426 Teaching Practice 4 & Seminar course. The findings revealed that the participants demonstrated good level of awareness of the concept of feedback in addition to clear understanding of the role feedback plays in professional development. The quality of the feedback received from their supervisors was reported to be clear, straightforward and helpful in improving teaching performance. The findings could help in improving the quality of feedback by considering student teachers’ needs and suggestions as well as in assisting supervisors, as decision makers, in making essential modifications to provide student teachers with more effective and constructive feedback.
Keywords: Feedback Process, Practicum, Pre-Service Teachers, Supervisors’ Feedback