Variability Versus Continuity: Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Two University Supervision Formats

Abstract

The aspects that make up the student teaching experience, from site placement to feedback received from site and university supervisors, are each influential on the quality of the student teaching experience. Whether made consciously or unconsciously, university supervisors must decide whether to allocate observations by student, wherein each supervisor meets with a small set of student teachers multiple times, or by visit, wherein each supervisor meets with every student teacher one time. This qualitative study explored student teachers’ perceptions after being observed using one of the two aforementioned formats. Student teachers valued time with their university supervisors, reporting a desire for more time under observation and for discussion and feedback. They also appreciated the variability in feedback supplied by multiple supervisors, but desired continuity in feedback found with a single supervisor. Recommendations, including several potential observation formats, are offered to assist university supervisors in maximizing their time with student teachers while meeting the student teachers’ conflicting needs of both variability and continuity in feedback.