The practicum is an integral part of any teacher training program. It provides the student-teacher with real-world experience in a classroom, guided by an experienced teacher mentor and an advisor from the university. It is where theory learned from the university is transformed into applied knowledge in the school.
Practicum education is an area of interest for Ms. Iris Leung Tuen Yung, a lecturer from the ECE Department, and Mr. Andreu Gutiérrez-Sierra, an associate professor at the University of Catalonia (UIC) in Spain. They decided to learn from each other how practicums are conducted in Hong Kong and Barcelona so that they can glean new knowledge and improve their practices as practicum supervisors.
This unique Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project involved learning how practicums are conducted in Hong Kong and Barcelona. Their collaboration took place over three months and involved an exchange of assessment materials, observation of Ms. Leung’s mentoring session for her students from the International Kindergarten Attachment (IKA) Program, and a presentation by Mr. Gutiérrez-Sierra and his student, Ms. Gina Pascual, on practicums in UIC and kindergartens in Barcelona, respectively, at the IKA Sharing and Certificate Awarding Ceremony on 30 June 2022. More than 40 student-teachers, principals, and colleagues from the ECE Department attended the ceremony.
Much was learned from Mr. Gutiérrez-Sierra’s sharing, as the Alternation Cycle System in Internships is innovative. Typically, in most education courses, student teachers only begin their practical experience towards the end of their study. However, at UIC, 2nd and 3rd-year student-teachers alternate between experience periods in the schools and reflection periods in the university, so they change several times training environments and educators throughout the semester. This cycling system allows student-teachers to apply newly learned knowledge in the kindergartens and bring fresh insights and problems back to the university to discuss with their supervisors and classmates.
Ms. Leung added that she learned that school mentors in Barcelona play an important role in guiding the student-teacher and are paid to perform their roles. Whereas in Hong Kong, the university supervisor plays a more critical role in guiding the student-teachers. Realizing that there are different systems and methods to train student-teachers helped Iris to critically reflect on her practices.
Mr. Andreu Gutiérrez-Sierra also found the exchange enriching and appreciated having Iris become part of his professional network of colleagues and friends. He said, “One of the most interesting experiences was attending her mentoring session with her students. Her students talked about their interactions with children, relationships with teachers, and problem-solving in the classrooms… And Iris was a skillful facilitator, who organized the dialogue for everyone to share their opinions, asking pertinent questions and allowing students to take the lead in their learning.”
Ms. Wong Nga Yi, a participating ECE student-teacher, felt that this experience of teaching in an international kindergarten broadened her horizons through practical experience and helped her be more open-minded and reflective. The opportunity to interact with colleagues from UIC also gave her “useful stimulation to think outside of the box,” and she appreciated being able to learn from one another.
Screenshot from Ms. Iris Leung’s mentoring session
Screenshot from a meeting with Mr. Gutiérrez-Sierra and Ms. Gina Pascual
Written by Sofie Chua (schua@eduhk.hk), COIL Facilitator