The Practicum and School Linkage Unit is an academic program office at HCTE. The unit is responsible for coordinating all practicum courses and college-school linkage activities. Various practicum courses are offered as common professional courses for all primary school student teachers. Practicum is a course that has recently been introduced into pre-service teacher training programs.  The course’s mainly goal is to bridge the gap in teaching skills and values among new graduates by providing them with real experiences in school settings, schooling, and school communities.

The main concern of practicum is not merely putting training theories into practice, as in the old paradigm of teaching practice. Rather, it is the development of communities of practice and reflective teacher education programs. The new paradigm emphasizes that practicum activities   should be a forum for developing communities of learning and practice that are supportive and promote feedback from various stakeholders to the trainees.

Therefore, practicum training for primary school student teachers is designed to ensure that trainees have an early opportunity to observe schools and classrooms, assist and work with experienced teachers, conduct independent teaching and study student behaviors. 

In all practicum courses, students’ main activities include continuous observation, reflection, and providing feedback to colleagues, which allows them to learn from one another. It is also the intension of the practicum that the skills learned from schools complement, the content knowledge acquired from college when put into practice by trainees during block teaching. 

Throughout the process of observation, reflection and practice, college instructors and mentors at schools will serve as guides for practicum activities.  

Therefore, the Practicum and School Linkage Unit of HCTE, being accountable to the Vice Dean (Teachers’ Development) have duties and responsibilities detailed in the college’s legislation.