Remapping the practicum in teacher education

This paper argues for a reconceptualisation and restructuring of the practicum in teacher education. Changes to the practicum within teacher education have been advocated for some years now (Cochran-Smith, 1991; Groundwater-Smith, 1993; Zeichner, 1990). Zeichner (1990), for example, identified three levels of change: organisational, curricular and structural. However, it will be argued in this paper that such changes will only be worthwhile if accompanied by changes in schools' and universities' values, beliefs, habits, assumptions and ways of doing things. This paper discusses the notion of "remapping" the practicum in teacher education, drawing on a recent practicum initiative which has occurred within a new teacher education award at the Faculty of Education, University of South Australia.