Why Field Experience Transforms Future Teachers?

At a large Australian university, a master’s program in education tested future teachers. Before and after a field‑based experience, students answered the PTPE questionnaire, measuring how prepared, ready to enter the profession, and confident they feel. The results are striking: after the internship, feelings of preparedness rose, especially in practical areas like classroom management and lesson design. This new readiness pushed students to feel more ready to start teaching, boosting their self‑efficacy. The authors used structural equation modeling to test whether preparedness leads to readiness, which leads to self‑efficacy. The model held: more preparation leads to more readiness, which leads to higher confidence. The study shows field experience is a real growth engine for future teachers and offers a concrete way for schools to assess student progress against professional standards.

The PTPE (Pre‑service Teacher Professional Experience) is a 30‑item scale that assesses three constructs: preparedness, readiness to enter the profession, and self‑efficacy. Each construct comprises specific dimensions: for preparedness, for example, knowledge theory, lesson design ability, and classroom management competence are evaluated. The scale has been validated in various international contexts, showing good reliability (α > 0.80) and construct validity.\n\nTo analyze causal relationships among constructs, the authors used structural equation modeling (SEM). This technique allows testing complex models where latent variables are linked by direct and indirect paths. In the proposed model, preparedness is the independent variable, readiness is the mediating variable, and self‑efficacy is the dependent variable. Model fit was assessed with indices such as CFI, TLI, and RMSEA, achieving acceptable values (CFI > 0.95, RMSEA < 0.06).\n\nResults indicate that preparedness has a direct effect on readiness (β = 0.45, p < 0.001) and that readiness, in turn, has a direct effect on self‑efficacy (β = 0.52, p < 0.001). The indirect effect of preparedness on self‑efficacy, mediated by readiness, is significant (β = 0.23, p < 0.01). These findings confirm the theory that field experience strengthens future teachers’ confidence in their abilities.\n\nPractical implications are numerous: teacher‑training schools can use the PTPE to monitor student progress, identify weak areas, and design targeted interventions. Moreover, validating a causal model provides a theoretical basis for developing more effective internship programs, focusing on key competencies that increase readiness and self‑efficacy.\n\nIn summary, this study not only confirms the importance of field experience but also offers a robust tool for evaluating and continuously improving teacher‑education programs.