HOW DO TEACHING INTERNSHIPS SHAPE PRESERVICE TEACHERS’ PREPAREDNESS FOR CLASSROOM PRACTICE? A MIXED-METHODS STUDY

Authors

Abstract

This paper explores the potential impacts of teaching internships on preservice teacher readiness to practice in the classroom as mixed-methods research. The effects of the internship duration, intensity and the quality of the mentorship were evaluated with the help of quantitative data (300 respondents) and qualitative interviews. The results show that exposure to internship and mentorship has a significant effect on preparedness with mentorship being the most reliable predictor. The qualitative findings emphasize the enhancement of confidence, the acquisition of skills, and professional identity, as well as difficulties in classroom management. The research concludes that structured internships with effective mentorship are fundamental in producing competent and confident teachers in the modern learning institutions.

Author Biographies

Junrui Li, PhD candidates, School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Jitra, Kedah, Malaysia, 06010

Li Junrui is a PhD candidate at the School of Education, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) and a full-time faculty member at Lianyungang Normal University. Her primary research interests include educational psychology and higher education administration. She has long been engaged in the management of practical teaching at teacher training institutions. She has led one university-level educational reform project and published two papers on teaching management, including “A Study on Optimization Pathways for Safety Management of On-the-Job Internships in Higher Vocational Colleges” in Wanxiang (2023, sole author). In 2025, the research project she led, titled “A Study on Optimization Pathways for Internship Management in Lianyungang Teacher Training Institutions from the Perspective of the Spirit of Educators” (Lianyungang Association for Science and Technology Soft Research Project, Project No.: LYGKXLXKT264), was successfully completed.

Marini binti Kasim, Associate professor, School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Jitra, Kedah, Malaysia, 06010

Marini Binti Kasim is a lecturer at the School of Education & Modern Languages, College of Arts and Science, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). She previously worked as a general manager and trainer in a company, and also has ten years of experience as a school teacher. Her research interests include management and psychological factors that support learning. Her recent publications include:“Resiliensi Akademik Pelajar dalam Era Kecerdasan Buatan (AI)” in the 9th Proceedings of the Inspirational Scholar Symposium (ISS) (2025, sole author);  “Enhancing Teachers' Resilience in Special Needs Education” in the International Journal of Instruction, Technology, and Social Sciences (2025, sole author); and“The development of augmented reality framework to enhance students’ motivation” in Journal of Education and Learning (2026, co-authored).

Nor Fauzian Binti Kassim, Dr, School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Jitra, Kedah, Malaysia, 06010

Nor Fauzian Binti Kassim is a Teaching and Curriculum Lecturer at the School of Education, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).Her area of expertise is early childhood education, and she has experience in curriculum development at the Malaysian Institute of Teacher Education (IPGM) level. Her recent publications include: “Empirical study of factors influencing labor education effectiveness in kindergarten” in *International Journal of Education and Practice* (2025, co‑authored); “Advancing Information Literacy in the Digital Era: Comparative Insights and Strategic Pathways for University Educators in Malaysia and China” in the *2nd Global Conference on Educational Research and Practices 2025 (GOCERP 2025)* (2025, co‑authored); and “A Constructivist Approach to Design Effective Music‑Specific Professional Development Strategies for Kindergarten Educators in China: A Qualitative Study” in *Journal of Ecohumanism* (2025, co‑authored).

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Published

2026-05-05

How to Cite

Junrui Li, Marini binti Kasim, & Nor Fauzian Binti Kassim. (2026). HOW DO TEACHING INTERNSHIPS SHAPE PRESERVICE TEACHERS’ PREPAREDNESS FOR CLASSROOM PRACTICE? A MIXED-METHODS STUDY. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching, 13(2), 328–342. Retrieved from https://www.iojet.org/index.php/IOJET/article/view/2337

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2026): CURRENT ISSUE

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Articles

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Authors retain copyright to their work, licensing it under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License and grant the journal exclusive right  of first publication with the work simultaneously and it allows others to copy and redistribute the work for non-commercial purposes, with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in IOJET and provided that no changes were made on the article.