On-campus Laboratory Research Articles

Improving preservice teacher assessment through on‐campus laboratory experiences

A UNDENIABLE assumption underlying the educational reform movement of the past 10 years is that the school achievement of American children can be enhanced through better teaching. A related assumption, not so undeniable, is that improved teaching will follow from increased and more rigorous testing of practicing teachers and teachers in preparation. Most states have accepted the second assumption and have initiated teacher testing. So have colleges of education (“Survey Shows Rise,” 1990). While giving preservice or inservice teachers more or tougher tests may seem to be a logical idea, a more promising one may be to devise and use different kinds of tests. Our thesis here is that while formal testing of preservice teachers has such a high profile, we would be well advised to provide them with multiple forms of on-campus laboratory experiences whereby they would be engaged in job-related tasks. Performance on these tasks could be assessed at multiple points and for various uses, including admission, retention, and graduation.

Evaluation of Reflective Teaching Outcomes

Outcomes of reflective teaching, a new form of on-campus laboratory teaching experience, were assessed in this field experiment. Two randomly selected sections of a methods course for secondary teachers participated in reflective teaching; two remaining sections served as controls. Measures linked to expectations were administered on a pre-posttest basis. Logits analyses on resultant qualitative data supported one of the anticipated outcomes, that reflective teaching enhances the ability of students to express themselves in a more analytical manner on matters concerning teaching. Remaining expectations received either modest or no support. Results, though mixed, were encouraging.