Scaffolds in the field: Vygotskian interpretation in a teacher education program

Abstract

Vygotskian theory has often been promoted for understanding children’s learning, yet few studies have examined this theory in relation to preservice teachers’ understanding of teaching. This paper seeks to address this gap by reporting on a study of four preservice teachers in a teacher education program designed from Vygotskian tenets of learning. Peer and cooperating teacher support systems in learning to teach are explored. The analysis suggests that socially shared cognition in field work and course work makes a significant difference in enhancing preservice teachers’ sense of what it means to teach in terms of using partnership for cognitive and collegial support, perspective-taking, social negotiation, and ownership. Control and feedback styles of cooperative teachers had an impact on preservice teachers’ perceived readiness for student teaching, opportunities for reflection, and spirit of social reconstructivism. Implications for teacher education programs are addressed in regard to relationships that best prepare preservice teachers for the real world and field experiences and sociocultural learning contexts that assist in that process.