Exploring Pre-Service Teachers’ Field Study Experiences Through Doodling

Abstract

Symbols speak the mind of a person, expressing an individual’s perceptions toward something that he/she encounters. This qualitative study utilizing thematic approach explored the field study experiences of the thirty-two third year Bachelor of Secondary Education students of Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College-Barotac Viejo Campus. Data were collected through interviews and doodles drawn by the participants. The results showed that pre-service teachers’ FS experiences were influenced by: (1) “I wanted to be like her/him!” attitude of the participants toward the cooperating teachers, (2) cooperating school’s learning environment, (3) relationship with the cooperating teachers, and (4) recalling past experiences of the participants. Actual observations of the teaching-learning process in the field, development of interpersonal relationships and exposure to various learning environments were the significant experiences of the participants while students’ unfavourable behaviour, not conducive learning environment, unapproachable teachers and unavailability of classes to be observed were the problematic experiences encountered by the participants. Based from the results of the study, it was recommended that conduct of proper orientations on the objectives of the FS courses may be done among pre-service teachers, cooperating school heads and teachers to remind them of their roles and functions in this academic endeavor.