Development of a Scale for Evaluating Secondary School Field Practice Programs

Abstract

The school field practicum program is crucial for enhancing the teaching competencies ofpre-service teachers. This study aimed to develop a suitable scale to evaluate how fieldpracticum programs are operated in secondary schools and what outcomes pre-serviceteachers can achieve. To achieve this, the study reviewed previous research on secondaryschool field practicums and examined the field practicum programs in secondary schoolsettings. Through expert consultations, 14 items for evaluating the operation process ofsecondary school field practicums and 9 items for evaluating outcomes were developed. Subsequently, the results from 130 student teachers from the College of Education atG-University, who responded to the school field practicum evaluation scale, were analyzed. To improve model stability and reduce measurement variables, an item parceling techniquewas applied to the evaluation scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses validatedits factor structure, and reliability analyses assessed its internal consistency. The evaluationscale developed in this study can be used as a diagnostic tool for assessing the operationalstatus and outcomes of secondary school field practicums and is expected to contribute tothe development of the secondary teacher training system.