Students' perceptions of their interships in schools contrasted with university professors' views

Abstract

Students’ internships in schools have special importance in the Teacher Training undergraduate curriculum. Schools provide the ideal setting in which students can link theoretical knowledge to direct experience, giving them the necessary contact with a genuine professional environment. In this regard, the role of the school’s teacher is crucial in monitoring and giving students guidance, along with coordinated action with the university. Therefore, in this paper we first analyze the perception of undergraduate students in Early Childhood and Primary Education at University Ramon Llull in Barcelona, regarding mentoring practices at schools, and then we compare it with the university teachers’ view. For this purpose two ad hoc questionnaires have been developed. The perceptions of students and teachers complement one another and might serve to shed light on the curriculum assessment process in order to help improve student internships.