Navigating the practice teaching odyssey: unveiling the well-being dynamics of student teachers

Abstract

Despite the growing emphasis on student well-being in educational policy and practice, there remains a need for more consensus on which domains should be studied, resulting in fragmented research. This study addresses this issue by gauging the well-being of student teachers at Caraga State University-Main Campus, Philippines, focusing on cognitive, psychological, social, and material dimensions based on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) framework. The study employed descriptive-correlational research design and data were collected from 62 Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) and 66 Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSEd) major in Science student teachers using stratified random sampling. Analysis methods included frequency counts, percentages, weighted means, independent sample T-test, and Pearson product-moment correlation. Results showed that most participants were female and from the BEEd program. Significant differences in well-being were found based on gender, while no significant differences were observed between the programs. Cognitive well-being was associated with psychological and social well-being, and material well-being was significantly linked to both psychological and social well-being. Proposed interventions include financial support, social network enhancement, and academic engagement promotion. These findings present novel insights into the importance of financial aid and robust social networks in improving student teachers’ well-being and academic success.