VFU survey of Section Learning

During the spring semester 2025, the Section Teaching's VFU group conducted a survey. It sheds light on how student teachers at Uppsala University allocate their time during the placement periods. 312 students from the preschool teacher, primary teacher, subject teacher and KPU programs have shared their experiences of teaching time, supervision, framework time, planning and tasks from the university. The survey provides a unique insight into students' working conditions during one of the most central and practical parts of education.

The survey shows clear patterns in students' experiences of the placement:

• Teaching time: The number of teaching hours increases in line with the progression of the program for all programs. The majority of students perceive the amount of teaching as adequate, even when it deviates from recommendations. However, there is considerable variation between schools and tutors.
• Supervision: Most students receive around 1-3 hours of supervision per week, which is perceived as both sufficient and rewarding. When supervision is perceived as insufficient, the degree to which it has been rewarding also varies, indicating uneven quality of supervision.
• Framework time and planning: Students usually spend 30-40 hours per week at the placement site. Planning time within the framework time varies between programs - from 3 to 12 hours. For subject teacher students, there is a clearer correlation: the more time at the school, the more planning on site.
• Access to teaching materials: The majority have access to the supervisor's materials, which eases the workload. It is important to point out that VFU III requires the creation of own material.
• Other opinions: Many students testify to very positive and instructive placement experiences. At the same time, recurring criticism is directed at extensive and time-consuming tasks from the university, lack of supervision, unequal placements and high workloads that often exceed 40 hours per week.

The final part of the report highlights the need for clearer guidelines for teaching, supervision, framework time, better sharing of supervisory material, more legally secure assessment, more concrete feedback and clearer routines regarding illness and workload. The VFU tasks are also proposed to be reviewed to become more reasonable and relevant.

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Click here to read the survey!

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