Student teachers' professional learning in the socio-professional context of field experience in initial teacher education

This paper presents a qualitative case study of student teachers' professional learning in the field experience of initial teacher education in Hong Kong. It highlights the social nature of seven student teachers' professional learning by portraying the field experience context as a socio-professional context. The focus of the study is on student teachers' interaction with the school management, teachers and other staff of the school, their peers as well as pupils. Data collected include interviews with student teachers and school teachers as well as field observation over two years. Four types of socio- professional relationship between the student teacher and the field experience context are identified: detachment; affiliation; engagement and isolation. The implications on initial teacher education are discussed.