An Analysis of the Impact of Teaching Practicum on Changes in the Experience of Non-education Major Students

This study examines the meaning and importance of the teaching practicum and the effectiveness of teacher training classes through the experiences of non-education major students before and after their teaching practicum.Two face-to-face meetings and one written interview were conducted with nine third-and fourth-year students at University D in Chungcheongnam-do, and the collected data were analyzed qualitatively.The results are as follows.First, the participants showed high levels of anxiety about class management and communication with students before participating in the teaching practicum.They also looked forward to applying teaching methods to real classroom settings and meeting students.Second, the participants said their confidence in the teaching profession had increased through various experiences and positive inspiration gained during their teaching practicum, and they also began to make specific plans for the Teachers' Appointment Examination.However, they felt confused because the duties of a teacher differed from their expectations, and the students' affection toward them was low.Finally, the participants said they had received significant help from the teacher training classes and that the practice-oriented curriculum should be reinforced.Based on the results of this study, several suggestions were made for improving the non-education teacher training course system.