Abstract

The purpose of our research is to identify the mentors’ perception of the characteristic aspects of the teaching practice coordination activity. In the theoretical part, the role of the teaching practice mentors is analyzed, following current theories and approaches. Teaching practice mentors, usually known as teaching practice tutors, are teaching staff who have extensive experience, and enjoy a special professional prestige within the professional community of which they are a part, contributing to the process of initial training of teaching staff through direct monitoring and coordination of the implementation of teaching practice within a school educational unit. 96 mentors from several pre-university education institutions in Bacău, Neamț, and Focșani, Romania have participated in the study. The qualitative study based on a focus group with mentors highlighted important results on three dimensions: the qualities of a successful mentor, the positive aspects that the mentors noticed in the students, the difficulties encountered by mentors in carrying out pedagogical practice.

Keywords: Focus group;initial training; mentors; teaching practice; undergraduate

How to cite: Mâță, L., Boghian, I., Cojocariu, V.-M., Mareș, G., & Popescu C.-V. (2023). Mentors’ Perception of the Undergraduates’ Teaching Practice. Journal of Innovation in Psychology, Education and Didactics, 27(2), 259-272. doi:10.29081/JIPED.2023.27.2.10.