Reconceptualising Practicum Supervision in Initial Teacher Education: Empirical Insights from Pre-Service Teachers

This study explores pre-service early childhood teachers’ perceptions of supervision during the teaching practicum, with a focus on the roles, practices, and organizational conditions that contribute to effective support in initial teacher education. Using a mixed-methods design, quantitative data from questionnaires (N = 221) and qualitative data from open-ended responses were analyzed to examine students’ views on supervision, feedback, communication, and improvement needs. Findings indicate that supervision is primarily perceived as a process of pedagogical guidance, advisory support, and structured feedback, while relational elements associated with mentoring are valued as complementary rather than dominant. Students emphasized the importance of supervisors’ teaching experience, small-group, face-to-face feedback, frequent communication, and manageable supervisor–student ratios. The study concludes that a hybrid supervision model—supervision-led and mentoring-informed—offers a pedagogically sound and innovative framework for enhancing the quality of the teaching practicum in initial teacher education.