Strengthening Pre-Service Teachers’ Professionalism through School Field Introduction: A Case Study at SMAN 4 Sidrap, Indonesia

Abstract

Developing pre-service teachers’ professionalism is essential for preparing competent, reflective, and adaptable educators capable of responding to the evolving demands of contemporary education. School Field Introduction (Pengenalan Lapangan Persekolahan, PLP 1) provides prospective teachers with opportunities to experience authentic school environments and develop an understanding of professional teaching responsibilities. This study aims to explore how School Field Introduction contributes to strengthening pre-service teachers’ professionalism, character development, understanding of school ecosystems, and awareness of digital literacy and artificial intelligence (AI) in education. The study focuses on the implementation of PLP 1 at SMAN 4 Sidrap, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, involving fifth-semester students from the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidenreng Rappang. The program was conducted through orientation, school-based observation, academic mentoring, reflective discussions, and evaluation activities. Data sources included observation records, students’ reflective journals, field reports, and documentation of mentoring activities. The findings indicate that participation in School Field Introduction provided meaningful contextual learning experiences that strengthened students’ understanding of school culture, educational management, teacher responsibilities, and interpersonal interactions within the school environment. Furthermore, the program supported the development of professional attitudes, particularly discipline, responsibility, communication, collaboration, ethical awareness, and reflective thinking. Exposure to digital technologies and AI-related educational practices also encouraged participants to recognize the importance of responsible technology integration in professional teaching. However, the relatively limited implementation period restricted opportunities for more extensive professional engagement. The study concludes that School Field Introduction represents a valuable experiential learning approach for fostering pre-service teachers’ professional identity, pedagogical awareness, and readiness for future teaching careers. Systematic mentoring, reflective learning, and digital competency development are recommended to enhance the effectiveness of school-based teacher education programs.