Reframing the practicum: Constructing performative space in initial teacher education

This paper points to a neglected dimension to Schön's work on the reflective practitioner: his distinctive characterisation of the practicum. We argue that Schön's understanding of the practicum is integrally related to his understanding of the reflective practitioner. The appropriation of the latter concept within programmes of initial teacher education has tended to go hand in hand with a different model of the practicum that regards this as being synonymous with practice in schools. We outline a number of ways in which the practicum, as described by Schön, is significantly different from this. We identify key aspects of Schön's characterisation of the practicum and describe one alternative approach to initial teacher education that uses microteaching as a practicum context. This is a significant issue because concern has been expressed both as regards the quality of new teachers’ reflection and the perceived inability of TEIs to change student–teachers’ preconceived notions of learning and teaching.Whilst research into student teachers’ perceptions of microteaching has generally viewed this process positively, we were interested to research whether this remained the case once students had made the transition to teaching. The voices of recently qualified practitioners who have been through this programme are drawn upon as illustrative of the key features of this process which they identify. The article is a contribution to the discourse upon reflective practice and initial teacher education and also makes a contribution to debate concerning the preferred location of initial teacher education.