Facilitating Quality Feedback Practices for Teacher Educators: An Action Research Study

Abstract

The student teaching practicum is widely considered the most important experience for pre-service teachers, providing a key opportunity for high-quality feedback to support instructional growth. Cooperating teachers and university supervisors (faculty responsible for observing and mentoring pre-service teachers during their clinical placements) play complementary roles in this process; however, feedback can become transmissive, limiting student agency. This collaborative action research study, representing the second cycle of a multi-phase project, explores how structured instructional coaching using the Instructional Walkthrough Observation Tool (IWOT) and targeted feedback training influence feedback practices and collaboration. Participants included five cooperating teachers and four university supervisors. Following training, data were collected through four role-specific focus groups and one combined session to encourage cross-role dialogue. Feedback conversations between the trained participants and eight pre-service teachers were also observed and analyzed to triangulate data. Findings indicate that structured coaching strengthened partnerships, improved the quality of feedback, and enhanced support for pre-service teachers. Overall, IWOT and feedback training promoted a more dialogic, empowering feedback process.