A Qualitative Study on the Experiences of Student Teachers in Health Education during Their Teaching Practicum at a Health Care Specialized High School

Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore what student teachers in health education had experienced during their teaching practicum at a Health Care Specialized High School. Methods The author interviewed five student teachers of health education who conducted their teaching practicum at a Health Care Specialized High School which was Bada High School during four weeks. The author also collected and analyzed the documents of teaching practicum logs of the student teachers. Results At Bada High School, a Health Care Specialized High School, exposed student teachers in health education to diverse roles and career exploration opportunities. The student teachers took various roles including vice-homeroom teachers and nursing instructors, in addition to the role of health teachers in the school nurse's offices. As vice-homeroom teachers, they monitored and guided students' overall behavior and formed a rapport with them. As nursing majors, they supported nursing lessons and provided career counseling in the health and medical fields. Additionally, they conducted health education instructions and providing health services as health education teachers and school nurses. At Bada High School, the student teachers were deeply impressed with the teacher collaboration in which that health teachers cooperated with each other and reduced the burden of emergency medical treatments. Through their teaching practicum at this Health Care Specialized High School, the student teachers in health education were able to develop their expertise by experiencing various roles, enabling them to explore new career paths as nursing subject instructors and homeroom teachers, in addition to health teachers in school nurse's offices. Conclusions The results suggested that the teaching practicum of Health Care Specialized High School would contribute to the professional development of student teachers in health education by providing them diverse roles and career exploration opportunities.