Determining the effects of school practice on physics mentors? professional skills development: Trabzon sample

During the process of school practice which is implemented in the context of the Faculty-School Cooperation, it is emphasized that there exists an efective communication between the student teachers and mentors which made some contributions to the professional skills development of both sides. The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of the school practice on the professional skills development of the physics mentors. The case study methodology and multiple case design were used in research which was implemented with the qualitative approach. Research was applied with 21 student teachers, attending teaching practice process in the spring semester of 2008-2009 at Physics Teaching Program department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education at Fatih Faculty of Education in KTU, 1 method tutor, implementing the courses of School Experience and Teaching Practice at Fatih Faculty of Education in KTU and 10 physics mentors taking responsibility for school practice process in the fall semester of 2008-2009 at practice schools in the city of Trabzon. Data were collected by giving semi-structured interviews to mentors, mentor tutor and student teachers. Data obtained from interview with mentors and student teachers within the context of research show that the mentors take advantage of student teachers and application activities for design of teaching materials and using instructional technologies. Taking into consideration of obtained data, it was concluded that application activities which have been implemented as part of school practice and student teachers made contributions to the professional skills development of physics mentors in relation to the setting diversity on teaching environment and providing active participation of students to the teaching process in education environment. The application activities need to reorganized including completely the roles and resposibilities which are determined as part of Faculty-School Cooperation of the mentors for providing contribution at expected level on professional skills development of mentors in the process of school practice has been in the important suggestions which were submitted in the context of the research.Key Words: School practice, Physics mentor, Professional skills development, Student teacher, Application activities