Pre- and post-conferencing feedback as a support strategy in teacher education: ODeL pre-service teachers’ views

Abstract

Teaching practice supervision occurs in an actual classroom setting and can also be online, with the supervisor providing feedback to support the pre-service teachers. This existential phenomenological study explored the Open Distance and eLearning Institution (ODeL) preservice teachers’ perceptions of the pre- and post-conferencing feedback during teaching practice. Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)and reinforcement theory of motivation was used to underpin this study. A total of 18 Mathematics, Science and Economics pre-service teachers who participated in the teaching practices between July and September 2023, formed the purposive sample of this study. Data was obtained through open-ended questionnaires to explore pre-service teachers’ perceptions on how pre- and post-conferencing feedback influenced their teaching practices. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data collected. During data analysis, the following themes were developed: teaching practice as developmental rather than judgemental benefits of pre- and post-conferencing feedback, relationship among ZPD and reinforcement theory of motivation tenets.  The study found both positive and negative reinforcements, as well as positive and negative punishment and support during the feedback sessions. This study suggests that strategies, such as additional training of supervisors, and structured feedback protocols to address these challenges in teacher education, be implemented. Additionally, the study suggests that the pre- and post-conferencing feedback sessions should motivate pre-service teachers to become good, professional teachers.