How Preservice Teachers Perform in Teaching Events Regarding Generic Teaching and Learning Components

Abstract

This study focuses on the assessment of educational-psychological teacher competencies regarding generic teaching and learning (TL) components in initial university-based teacher education. Based on the approximations-of-practice (AoP) framework, simulated teaching events (M-Teach) with different formats (tutoring, small group) were developed. In a validation study, it was asked to what extent preservice teachers show teaching skills discriminating students in their teaching quality. Furthermore, the relationship between performances in different M-Teach formats was investigated and compared with teaching in real classrooms. Finally, how preservice teachers experience teaching in M-Teach events and how their subjective experience is related to their performance was analyzed. As a sample, a full cohort of preservice teachers in the fifth semester of a Bachelor teacher education program in Germany (N = 89) participated. All participants taught two M-Teach formats of tutoring and small group teaching based on a standardized instruction and research design procedure. Video analysis of M-Teach event performance revealed that preservice teachers show relevant teaching skills with variations in teaching quality. The performance scores show a quite high stability between different formats (tutoring, small group) and are systematically related to performance in classroom teaching. Participants judge self-efficacy as high and the challenge of implementation as medium to low. The findings indicate that M-Teach events show a high fidelity for formative assessment purposes and can be used in further studies as measures for assessing the acquisition of relevant teaching skills in the area of educational-psychological competencies.