Impact of Professional Development Schools Pre-Service through Induction

Abstract

The study examined elementary pre-service Professional Development School preparation and subsequent entry/retention in the teaching profession. A total of 48 student teachers took part in the study. One group of 24 (Total-PDS) had two PDS experiences prior to student teaching as well as Cluster-PDS student teaching experience during teacher preparation. A second group of 24 (Semi-PDS) had two PDS experiences prior to student teaching and a traditional student teaching experience. Results indicated no significant differences between the two groups prior to student teaching. There were, however, significant differences in favor of the Total-PDS group at the exit of student teaching in regard to role preparedness, Personal Teacher Efficacy (PTE) and General Teacher Efficacy (GTE). The Total-PDS group also made significant increases (pre/post) in role overload and PTE. The Total-PDS group had a higher percentage of pre-service teachers that entered the teaching profession when compared to the Semi-PDS group (100%/79%). Following the first year of teaching, there were no significant differences between groups in the two efficacy variables, although the Total-PDS group regressed significantly in General Teacher Efficacy (GTE) and Personal Teacher Efficacy, (PTE) was no longer significantly different between groups as it had been following student teaching. Retention rates were equal after the first year between groups because the Total-PDS group lost 8 first year teachers compared to 3 for the Semi-PDS group. Results should lead teacher educators to question the types and sites for field based experiences during teacher preparation.