Looking for symmetric power relations in pre- and in-service teachers’ co-creation project

Numerous studies have highlighted the value of pre-service teachers´ experiences and observations in the school environment during their studies. Often, a pre-service teacher´ contact with a school occurs during teaching practice. However, teaching practice is highly regulated in terms of goals and content, with the practicing teacher responsible for guiding the student teacher. On the other hand, in-service teachers feel that educational research often remains far removed from the realities of everyday life in schools.
According to previous research, both pre- and in-service teachers´ can learn from one another if they are provided with opportunities for collaboration. This study examines the experiences of Danish and Finnish pre-service teachers´ working with local schools’ teachers. In both Denmark and Finland, joint planning sessions were organized for pre- and in-service teachers´, after which the teacher-student teams implemented co-teaching practices, followed by a joint evaluation of the process. Data were collected through surveys conducted before and after the co-teaching experience. The qualitative content driven analysis was conducted. Preliminary results indicate that pre-service teachers´ in both Denmark and Finland felt they were treated as equals during the process—they were listened to, and their contributions to the team were valued. However, challenges also emerged, such as finding time for joint planning, and the feeling that in-service teachers’ role was passive during the co-teaching sessions in some cases. Considering these findings, we can conclude that collaboration between teachers and student teachers can be highly rewarding, but it requires effective facilitation and clear role definition from the beginning of the process.
This study, planned in cooperation between Denmark and Finland, also provides valuable insights into how teacher education in both countries can support pre-service teachers’ transversal skills development in a better and more versatile way.