A Study of Pre-service History Teachers’ Experiences in School Practicum

This study examines how pre-service history teachers experience and interpret their school practicum. A qualitative case study was conducted using 346 practicum reflection journals (1,157 pages) written by 114 pre-service history teachers at University A in Busan. The findings show that participants developed an understanding of “being a teacher” through emotional tension, relational challenges, and sustained self-reflection during interactions with students, peers, and mentor teachers. They also experienced a “two-worlds pitfall” at the theory–practice nexus, where the ideals of inquiry- and activity-based history instruction conflicted with the constraints of classroom realities. Through this process, the participants redefined what constitutes “good history teaching” in practice. These practicum experiences contributed to the internalization of teacher identity and supported the negotiation between pedagogical ideals and classroom realities. Based on these findings, the study highlights the importance of observation-centered practicum programs and strengthened professional support for mentor teachers to enhance the quality of history teacher preparation.