‘Is there anything more to professionalism than knowledge?’—relating theory and practice in a university-based institutionalisation of a third space for preservice teachers

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article investigates practices that engage preservice teachers’ ideas of professionalism within the context of a university-based mentoring programme. The case is explored by observation of mentoring sessions, analysis of documents grounding the mentoring sessions, and mentor and mentee interviews. Practices are investigated through the theory of practice architectures and made the subject of a thematic analysis. The purpose of the investigation is to highlight how practices can contribute to enhancing preservice teachers’ understanding of different aspects of professionalism, particularly those related to expectations of teachers’ professional competence. The findings show how mentoring practices can contribute to widening preservice teachers’ understanding and how contextual factors, like power relations, can come into play in mentoring practices. The analyses illuminate how professionalism is being negotiated in a third space institutionalised in a campus-based mentor programme in teacher education. Highlights A mentor programme is understood as an institutionali mme is understood as an institutionalisation of a third space. Mentoring practices are studied in terms of practice architectures. Understanding of teacher professionalism is developed by relating theory and practice. Power relations are highlighted as essential for how mentoring practices play out.