(3) Model of the pedagogical practical studies

pedagogical–practical studies form a central place of experience, which enables the testing and verification of theoretical knowledge in connection with concrete practice (cf BMUKK, 2013; Braunsteiner et al., 2014). They link theoretical and practical learning opportunities integratively to focus students on “learning how to evaluate their own experiences and learning how to perceive, speak, and think like a teacher” (Nolan, 2016, cited in Reusser & Fraefel, 2017, p. 32).

Continuum
In the course Children learn perspective, students examine their subjective theories, their own learning biographies, and personal attitudes towards diversity. The model spans the study programme from the course in the 2nd semester. Semester of study Children need teacher personalities. Orientation in the field of practice and reflection on educational science up to the course in the Master’s programme Children need professional teachers. Acting professionally. 

Partner school model
It enables the creation of a “hybrid space” (Fraefel, 2018, p. 19) in which students, pupils, practice advisors, and mentors as well as school headmasters work together “and the actors involved are prepared to detach themselves mentally from their contexts of origin in order to create something new in mutual adoption of perspectives and in co-productive dialogue, the quality of which in turn fertilises their own thinking” (Fraefel, 2018, p. 19). The focus is on the learning of the pupils and not on the performance of the students: The question is asked: How do I teach effectively? In addition, it offers the opportunity to spend the teaching day at a school site and thus get a holistic picture of the field of activity of teachers.

Mentoring
The students work together with mentors at the partner schools and the practice advisors of the PH NÖ, who are at the school location during the practice phases, as mature and critically thinking people on their skill development. In the sense of “collaborative mentoring” (Bach, 2017, p. 49), an exchange takes place in order to work out and practically test ways of professional action. Questions about goal achievement become the subject of collaborative mentoring. Starting points for the discourse between students and mentors are the learning outcomes of the pupils. In these, everyone brings in their prior knowledge based on different levels of knowledge and experience and looks for solutions for practical implementation; the process is supported by the practice advisors. After initial job shadowing with targeted observation assignments, students and mentors work together in co-teaching. In it, all participants take responsibility together and equidistantly. This gives students better opportunities to focus on the learning of the children (Bach, 2017, p. 53–55). 

Lesson studies
Subsequently, the testing and cyclical development of cross-curricular and cross-learning area as well as language-promoting learning settings over larger units of time is the focus of the PPS educational components. The concept of lesson studies takes on a special significance here in order to contribute to the responsible assumption of organisationally coherent and self-responsible teaching activities over a longer period of time in a targeted manner.

Reflective skills
The targeted initiation of this is considered an essential factor for the development of professional action in students because the actions of teachers cannot be conclusively planned and predicted and are to be conceived as knowledge that cannot be standardised (Combe & Helsper, 1996). Therefore, the conscious mediation between the experiences of the students in school practice, their beliefs and expectations, and their pedagogical, didactic, and professional knowledge is of central importance. This mediation activity is covered by reflection – in the context of Neuweg (2005), who argues that reflection is an emergent condition of a teacher’s pedagogical skill alongside knowledge, experience, and personality. Here, self-reflection skills means the “ability to develop and articulate different interpretations and perspectives for action in the visualisation of concrete situations [...] through active distancing on the basis of one’s own experience and in the confrontation with scientific bodies of knowledge” (Leonhard et al., 2010, p. 19).

Professional habitus
The development of a fundamentally critical–reflective habitus as a basic professional attitude arises from the combination of theory, structure, and self-reflection (Häcker 2017, pp. 21–45): Students connect insights of self-reflection with pedagogical theories, with prevailing conditions in the classroom or school, and with the organisational, content-related framework in the system. Themes are based on guiding questions, justifications, goals, and limits of the requirements. (Professional reflection is built up throughout the course of study and takes place regularly and systematically) Reflective practitioners need guidance and orientation in order to reflect on experiences in a structured and differentiated way, to perceive themselves and others more sensitively, and to use this as a basis for actions appropriate to reality. Suitable reflection tools are developed with the students; communication of experiences takes place not only with mentors and practice advisors but also through exchange in peer feedback tandems and collaborative working groups.

Practice e-portfolio
Its reflexive grounding allows students to reflect on the experience in the writing process: “Writing things down makes it possible to deal with complex issues that cannot be surveyed at the same time one after the other. […] In all sequences of the writing process, there is the possibility of distancing oneself from [the experience] through reflexive activity”. (Miskovic, 2006, p. 1) This approach enables “cognitive structuring and content focus” (Paus & Jucks, 2013, p. 125). In addition, the prerequisites are created to recognise one’s own patterns of thinking and acting and to initiate processes of change (ibid., p. 126). The e-portfolio is designed as a personal development portfolio to drive a coupling with the self-organisation process in terms of lifelong, self-organised learning. The development portfolio serves as the basis for the development discussion at the end of the semester, forms the basis for communicative processes, and is the impetus for clarifying future development projects. Students experience that reflective writing is a significant factor in their professional development.

Orientation
The first phase serves as an orientation in the complex system of schools; it is accompanied by lesson observations and a comparison of learners and teachers as well as a critical–comparative transfer of basic knowledge of educational science to the professional field. At the beginning of their studies, students primarily undergo a significant role and paradigm shift through systematic observation and critical examination of everyday world and experience-guided ideas and educational science ways of thinking and working.

Observation
A second phase serves the guided observation and analysis of pedagogical fields of action and their main actors (the learners and teachers) in the professional field of school. The students focus on the teacher personality and their pedagogical action; at the same time, they perceive learners in their diversity and in different learning starting points. They experience diversity as normality and recognise and experience inclusion in the broadest sense as a fundamental concept of society and school as well as a condition for good teaching in all types of schools and age groups.

Job shadowing
The third phase serves the collegial observation and reflection of observed teaching sequences under general didactic and subject didactic aspects as well as the cyclical collaborative planning, implementation, and peer-evaluated analysis of simple learning sequences.

Reflection
A fourth phase serves for the didactically sound planning and reflection of lessons and individual learning processes in more complex progressive subject and learning areas. The focus is on didactic analysis as well as planning and organisation of sustainable learning processes. The students link teaching arrangements with learning level assessments, diagnosis, and support (support for the gifted). They use subject-specific and contemporary learning materials and media in order to enable and stimulate the independence and self-activity of the learners. Reflected self-efficacy expectations as well as the implementation of concrete and personally successful teaching and learning experiences represent an essential aspect of professional development (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 2002, p. 39; Mun, 2012).

Testing
The fifth phase primarily serves the testing and cyclical development of cross-curricular and interdisciplinary (orchestrating learning), language-promoting learning settings over larger units of time (lessons) with the inclusion of CLIL activities and an inclusive orientation. The further course of study focuses on the development of professional teaching skills and experiences in different, complex learning settings in the school sector. Students use appropriate empirical methods (e.g. videography, systematic observation) for the evidence-based development of teaching–learning situations and pedagogically safe classroom management. Lesson studies as well as support for individual learner resources ensure skills development that brings action research and reflection models into pedagogical practice. Study experiences in (multi-)professional teams in the classroom and in the school as an institution within the framework of a block placement of several weeks conclude the Pedagogical Practical Studies and open up the developmental space for an individual focus, which, in turn, has specific fields of practice (Elliott, 2009; Hattie, Beywl & Zierer 201; Arnold et al., 2011). 

Specialisation
In a sixth phase, the PPSs deepen the focus on the phases corresponding to the higher education didactic concept of the respective specialisation and also offer supplements, especially through project-oriented work, case studies, and the like as well as extensions to extracurricular fields of practice. They thus challenge the self-organisation and self-responsibility of the students in the professionalisation process.

Teaching – complex last phase
The focus of the seventh phase is the responsible assumption of thematically and organisationally related teaching activities over a longer period of time, proving oneself in the complexity of school reality, and testing organisational and leadership skills. Students build on the experiences in theory and practice and experience themselves as qualified educators. They are increasingly facing the challenges of future fields of work professionally and positively (Müller-Fohrbrodt, Cloetta & Dann, 1978; Neuweg, 2020; Oser & Oelkers, 2001).

References:

Arnold, K.-H. u.a. (2011). Empowerment durch Schulpraktika. Perspektiven wechseln in der Lehrerbildung. Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt.

Bach, A. (2017). Partnership models in teacher training. The Flensburg Model “School Adoption”. In U. Fraefel & A. Seel (Eds.), Konzeptionelle Perspektiven Schulpraktischer Studien. Partnerschaftsmodelle – Praktikumskonzepte – Begleitformate (p. 43–56). Münster: Waxmann. 

BMUKK (2013). LehrerInnenbildung Neu. Die Empfehlungen der Expertengruppe. Endbericht.

Braunsteiner, M.-L.; Schnider, A. & Zahalka, U. (Eds.) (2014). Grundlagen und Materialien zur Erstellung von Curricula. Graz: Leykam. (cf https://onlinecampus.virtuelle-ph.at/pluginfile.php/43796/coursecat/description/Grundlagen_und_Materialien_zur_Curriculumentwicklung_Druckversion.pdf)

Combe, A. & Helsper, W. (1996). Pädagogische Professionalität. Untersuchungen zum Typus pädagogischen Handelns. Frankfurt/M.: Suhrkamp. 

Elliott, J. (2009). Lesson and Learning Study: A Globalizing Form of Teacher Research. Presented at the Annual Conference 2009 of the British Educational Research Association, University of Manchester. (cf https://www.eduhk.hk/wals/website/resources/Lesson_and_Learning_Study.pdf)

Fraefel, U. (2018). Hybrid spaces at the interface of higher education and the school field. A forward-looking concept for the professionalisation of teachers. In l. Pilypaitytė & H.-S. Siller (Eds.), Schulpraktische Lehrerprofessionalisierung als Ort der Zusammenarbeit (p. 13–43). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien. 

Häcker, T. (2017). Grundlagen und Implikationen der Forderung nach Förderung von Reflexivität in der Lehrerinnen- und Lehrerbildung. In C. Berndt, T. Häcker & T. Leonhard (Eds.), Reflexive Lehrerbildung revisited Traditionen – Zugänge – Perspektiven (p. 21–45). Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt. 

Hattie, J.; Beywl, W. & Zierer, K. (2013). Lernen sichtbar machen. Baltmannsweiler: Schneider.

Leonhard, T.; Nagel, N.; Rihm, T.; Strittmatter-Haubold, V. & Wengert-Richter, P. (2010). On the development of reflective skills in student teachers. In: A. Gehrmann, U. Hericks & M. Lüders (Eds.), Bildungsstandards und Kompetenzmodelle. Beiträge zu einer aktuellen Diskussion über Schule, Lehrerbildung und Unterricht (p. 111–127). Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt. 

Miskovic, J. (2006): The learning potential of reflective writing in teacher education. Zeitschrift Schreiben. (cf https://docplayer.org/15100301-Das-lernpotential-von-reflexivem-schreiben-in-der-lehrerinnenausbildung.html)

Müller-Fohrbrodt, G.; Cloetta, B. & Dann, H.-D. (1978). Der Praxisschock bei jungen Lehrern. Stuttgart: Klett.

Mun, Ling Lo (2012). Towards the Science of the Art of Teaching. International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies 1,1, pp. 7–22.

Neuweg, G.H. (2005). Conditions of emergence of pedagogical expertise. In H. Heid & C. Harteis (Eds.), Verwertbarkeit. Ein Qualitätskriterium (erziehungs-)wissenschaftlichen Wissens? (p. 205–228). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. (cf http://www.wipaed.jku.at/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/EmergenzbedingungenKoennerschaft.pdf)

Neuweg, G.H. (2020). Könnerschaft und implizites Wissen. 4th Ed. Münster: Waxmann.

Oser, F. & Oelkers, J. (Eds.) (2001). Die Wirksamkeit der Lehrerbildungssysteme. Chur, Zürich: Rüegger.
Paus, E. & Jucks, R. (2013). Reflective writing as a seminar concept in teacher training programmes. Zeitschrift für Hochschulentwicklung, 8(1), 124–134. 

Reusser, K. & Fraefel, U. (2017). Rethinking professional practice studies. Forms of design and deep structures. In U. Fraefel & A. Seel (Eds), Konzeptionelle Perspektiven Schulpraktischer Studien – Partnerschaftsmodelle – Praktikumskonzepte – Begleitformate (p. 11–42). Münster: Waxmann. 

Schwarzer, R. & Jerusalem, M. (2002). The concept of self-efficacy. Zeitschrift für Pädagogik, 44th Supplement.

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