Preservice Mentor Preparation: The Loosely Coupled Relationship Between Program Structure and Field Instructor Autonomy

• In Event: Roundtable Session 59
  In Roundtable Session: Mentoring Preservice Teachers

Abstract

Research says little about how university-based field instructors learn to do their work. This multi-site case field study with a nested design describes field instruction in four teacher preparation programs. This study describes the practices of field instruction and the various ways they are enacted. The concept of loose-coupling provides a lens for thinking about this variability (Weick, 1976). In the language of Shulman (1983), loose coupling involves both obligating structures and autonomy. It explains why the system functions so well, while highlighting the inherent tension between coherence and adaptation. Field instructors are expected to perpetuate and adhere to program goals and expectations, while also remaining flexible due to the situatedness of field experiences.

Author

• Susan Brondyk, Michigan State University