1. Teacher Education Improvement Program- Practicum (TEIP-1)
Dr. Abdallah Bsharat

2. TEIP-1 This Program is funded by the World Bank.
Participated Universities are: Three Universities in WB (Bethlehem University, Arab American University in Jenin, and Annajh University and three in Gaza (Alazhar University, Alaqsa University and Islamic University).
Canterbury Christ Church University is the consultancy university.
It is coordinated by MOE.
The program started in Sep, 2012 and will end in June, 2015.
It aims to improve the practicum at the Palestinian universities

3. Project Goals
The main focus of TEIP-1 is the reform and strengthening of practicum school-based experience
it focuses also on the idea that practicum should not exist in isolation from the other components of the teacher education programs.
The design and planning of practicum was linked closely to the development of education, subject methods and practicum courses in university
the setting of achievable targets for students to work towards during time in school, directed tasks set for students to carry out in school and which are recorded in the portfolio.
The outcomes are specified by the RTTI competences, which is derived from Professional Standards for New Teachers in Palestine (2010).

4. Expectations in school
Practicum Template
Practicum
Time
Expectations in school
Practicum 1
Year 2
Fall Semester
University
16 hours
Practicum Orientation Course
School
0 hours
Practicum 2
Spring Semester
Practicum 2: Paired placement 1
Observation (school and classroom), partial participation and complete lessons Observation
4 hours school observation
8 hours classroom observation Teaching
10 hours team teaching with partner
10 hours solo teaching activities and partial lessons of at least 15 minutes each time
Plus at least 2 complete lessons
32 hours i.e. 2 – 4 hours per day for weeks
Practicum 3
Year 3
Practicum 3: Paired and Solo Teaching 1
Paired placement with observation, structured and developmental team teaching and solo teaching
Observation of classroom teaching 1 or 2 lessons a day
Peer observation and assessment 1 lesson per day (40 minutes)
Team teaching with partner 1 lesson per day (40 minutes
Solo teaching 1 lesson per day (40 minutes)
Note: These 4 activities are designed to follow each other on the same day)
48 hours which is divided into
3 hours per day for 7 weeks or 4 hours per day for 5 weeks
1 complete block week, (27 hours contact with students)

5. 96 university hours and 340 school hours
Practicum 4
Year 3
Spring Semester
University
16 hours
Practicum 4: Paired and Solo Teaching 2
Paired placement with observation, structured and developmental team teaching and solo teaching
Observation of classroom teaching 1 or 2 lessons a day
Peer observation and assessment 1 lesson per day (40 minutes)
Team teaching with partner 1 lesson per day (40 minutes)
Solo teaching 1 lesson per day (40 minutes)
Note: These 4 activities are designed to follow each other on the same day)
School
48 hours which is divided into:
3 hours per day for 7 weeks or 5 hours per day for 4 weeks
1 complete block week, (27 hours contact with students
Practicum 5
Year 4
Fall Semester
Practicum 5: Independent Teaching 1
Single days to include observation with a focus upon pupil learning; peer observation, and at least 2 hours solo teaching.
Block week to include lessons per day solo teaching.
Note:
Students may be paired in school, but not class. Students act as support buddies for each others
77 hours
Which is divided into:
5 hours per day, for 1 or 2 days per week for total of 10 days (50 hours)
Practicum 6
Year 6 1
Practicum 6: Independent Teaching 2
5 full weeks block placement to include solo teaching load and engagement with full range of school activities.
135 hours block placement (5 full weeks, 27 hours per week).
Total
96 university hours and 340 school hours

6. Student Progress Evaluation Readiness to Teach Index (RTTI)
The RTTI provides the starting point for the coherent development of teacher education degree programs in TEIP-1
This is because it specifies in detail the range of competences or outcomes that student teachers need to have developed upon graduation in order to demonstrate that they have reached the Professional Standards for New Teachers in Palestine.

7. A process for Aligning RTTI to University Courses:
Conduct a mapping exercise for each year of the program to determine in which education courses, methods courses and practicum courses the range of RTTI competences are addressed and identify any gaps or issues with coherence and progression from year to year.
Refer to the RTTI to help develop intended learning outcomes (ILOs) for university education courses, methods courses and the university practicum course for each year. Key ILOs in these courses should link explicitly to specific RTTI competences.
Refer to the RTTI competences to help identify and inform the key areas of content, teaching and learning strategies and assessment for the university courses and practicum course.
Use the RTTI competencies and key areas of focus or content in university education, methods and the practicum course to identify and set specific achievable targets for students’ to work towards during field experience. These targets should be explicitly linked to the RTTI. Specific tasks can also be set which will provide evidence of the extent to which students have met their targets.

8. Students are required to record their targets and the outcomes of their tasks in the Practicum Portfolio. The practicum portfolio provides a performance based assessment instrument which students construct during the course of field experience.
Assess the portfolio and other assessment tasks against the RTTI competencies and ensure that the marks awarded by academic staff and other stakeholders are moderated and standardized.
To ensure that the whole process is aligned, coherent and relevant to the needs of students, there should be a systematic review of the process at the end of each semester.
Mentors, Academic Supervisors, MOE Supervisors, and School Principals are responsible on students' evaluation

9. Number of School Visits to Student Teachers by Academic Supervisor, Principal, and MOE Supervisor
Practicum
Academic Supervisor
Principal
MOE supervisor
Practicum 1
Practicum 2 2 1
Practicum 3 3
Practicum 4
Practicum 5 4
Practicum 6

10. Thank You