Teacher Preparation Experiences Research Articles

From Curriculum Design to Program Implementation: Filling in the Gaps

The purpose of this paper has been to reflect on the design and implementation of the four-term ETEP teacher education program that was introduced in Faculties of Education across Ontario in 2017 to reflect the legislation that mandated a longer teacher preparation experience through Ontario Regulation 347/02 (as revised Dec. 1, 2014 - Aug. 31, 2015). Predictably each program across the province proceeded with different program structures within the mandated framework, addressed special features of their program differently, and incorporated different features into the resulting program. In this paper, we explore how rushed implementation resulted in gaps in design and implementation of a program; we examined these gaps and circumstances that led to them in the context of historical labour disruption, and structural changes in the management of the university. These gaps are attributed to a variety of factors. The major contribution of this paper includes a series of models for curriculum design and implementation specific to the design of the ETEP, but useful for curriculum design and implementation in any context. We propose that opportunities to re-engage in the program design process in a fulsome, visionary way to take advantage of the input we have had from faculty, teacher candidates, and associate teachers over the first years of the new approach to teacher certification in the province should be considered.

Novice Teachers’ Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Autism Education: Examining the Roles of Preparation and Perception

Despite the contemporary emphasis on evidence-based practices (EBPs) in autism education, the research-to-practice gap persists. Understanding how newly trained teachers’ experiences, knowledge, and beliefs about EBPs influence their instructional decisions is vital to increasing EBP implementation among the next generation of special educators. In this study using a mixed-methods approach, 137 novice special educators in two southeastern U.S. states reported their knowledge, perceptions of social validity, and frequency of use of 12 EBPs for students on the autism spectrum. Follow-up qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive subsample. Positive behavior supports and visual schedules emerged as the most socially valid and implemented practices. The use of EBPs was primarily driven by teachers’ knowledge of the practice and perceptions of its social validity, with teacher preparation experiences shaping both. The results have implications for improving preservice preparation and future implementation of EBPs by attending to teachers’ procedural understanding and subjective buy-in.

Expanding Preservice Teachers’ Conceptions about Disability Through Young Adult Literature

This article provides information and resources to help special education teacher educators improve preservice teachers’ competence for working with disabled1 students and addressing ableism in their classrooms, by incorporating young adult (YA) literature into special education teacher preparation experiences. Embedding YA literature with representations of disability can address ableism in education by helping preservice special education teachers to conceptualize disabled adolescents differently. Current approaches to teacher education may reinforce dysconscious ableism (Broderick & Lalvani, 2017) and undergird educational segregation on the basis of disability. After reviewing current literature on addressing ableism during teacher preparation and using YA literature in teacher education, this article models how special education teacher educators can critically examine YA texts by providing criteria for evaluating representations of disability and a unit plan with three lessons for use in an introductory special education course. A bibliography of young adult books featuring characters with disabilities is also provided.

Teaching for transformative citizenship: A study of preservice social studies teachers’ developing beliefs and practices

In this interpretative case study, the researchers examined the democratic and multicultural beliefs and related practices of 11 preservice social studies teachers in the northeastern United States. They collected interview, observation, and classroom artifact data throughout the participants’ teacher preparation experience. Using Banks’s typology of citizenship as the theoretical framework, this study found: (1) Most of the participants had clear definitions of democratic citizenship, but only a few had a specific focus on critical multiculturalism. (2) Participants with strong content knowledge and social justice beliefs were better able to enact classroom-based multicultural democratic education. This study illuminates the need to prepare beginning teachers to teach for a multicultural view of democratic citizenship through building on their prior beliefs and supporting their use of justice-oriented practice.

Making sense through dissonance during preservice teacher preparation

Dissonance during teacher preparation is commonplace. Rather than presenting a roadblock, dissonance may be critical for preservice teachers' learning. This case study examines how to organize teacher education to embrace dissonance through deliberative dialogue. Findings suggest that scaffolding during dialogues created conditions where participants could engage with peers' perspectives, rethink assumptions, and deepen interpretive power for understanding students’ ideas. Dialogues encouraged persistence when dissonance threatened to prohibit further sense-making. By persisting, tensions became productive rather than prohibitive for sense-making. Findings have implications for the design of teacher preparation experiences and for theorizing about how beginning teachers learn across experiences.

Front End to Back End: Teacher Preparation, Workforce Entry, and Attrition

We use a database of over 15,000 teacher candidates from 15 teacher education programs in Washington state to investigate the connections between specific teacher preparation experiences and the likelihood that these candidates enter and stay in the state’s public teaching workforce. As has been found in prior research, candidates with endorsements in hard-to-staff subjects like math and special education are more likely to enter the public teaching workforce than other candidates. We also find large differences in hiring rates over time, as candidates who graduated in the years prior to and during the Great Recession are far less likely to be hired than candidates in recent years. Finally, teacher candidates hired into the same school type (elementary, middle, or high school) or into schools and classrooms with similar student demographics as their student teaching placement are more likely to stay in the teaching workforce than candidates who experience less alignment.

Identity Tensions: Understanding a Previous Practitioner’s Decision to Pursue and Depart the Teaching Profession

Framed by symbolic interactionism, this study used narrative inquiry to share a teacher’s story about her decision to pursue and depart the teaching profession within four years of graduating from a traditional undergraduate preparation program in the Midwest United States. The participant, “Banjo,” participated in a qualitative analysis that consisted of four interviews conducted during the first year following her departure from the field. Findings revealed several conflicts surrounding Banjo’s sense of pre- and in-service teacher identity and teacher preparation experiences that ultimately influenced her decision to leave the teaching profession. Banjo’s story provides critical insights about how to prevent similar challenges among early-career practitioners and facilitate progressive change in preservice teacher education writ large.

Revisiting the PETE Beginning Teacher Standards

The purpose of this viewpoint is to revisit the national standards, identify specific concepts that should be addressed early and often throughout a PETE program, and provide guiding questions for consideration so that programs provide a consistent message during teacher preparation experiences.

Closing the Experience Gap: The Influence of an Immersed Methods Course in Science

ABSTRACTThis exploratory case study centered on 3 beginning elementary science teachers who experienced variations in practice-based instructional approaches within their elementary teacher development sequence. We define practice-based instructional approaches as engaging with teaching approximations that occur in authentic classroom settings with students and center on teaching practices such as formative assessment and crafting responsive instruction using supportive curriculum materials. We examined the teacher preparation and induction experiences that shaped the teachers’ confidence and perceived competency as science teachers. Study trends highlighted 4 factors that were especially impactful: engagement in reform-based instruction, immersed guided practice, school-based collaborative support for reform-based instruction, and alignment of preservice and induction period instructional practices. We posit that these 4 types of experiences form the basis of a practice-based model for elementary science teacher development that spans the preservice and induction periods and has the potential to alleviate pressing issues in elementary science teacher development. This exploratory case study captured data via teachers’ written and interview responses as well as narrative summary member checking.

Preparing Elementary School Teachers to Learn From Teaching: A Comparison of Two Approaches to Mathematics Methods Instruction

Teacher preparation programs face a significant challenge in determining how to design learning experiences that develop the combination of knowledge, practices, and dispositions needed for effective classroom teaching. Time constraints and the theory–practice divide are two well-documented concerns. We introduce the conceptual framework and design elements of a video-enhanced mathematics methods course that targets these concerns. The course centers on systematic reflection and analysis of practice intended to foster career-long learning. We then examine the impact of this course on several facets of learning-from-teaching competencies, including teacher knowledge, beliefs, and practices. Sixty-two preservice teachers enrolled in a one-year post-bachelor elementary teacher preparation program were randomly assigned to attend this course or a more typical mathematics methods course. Findings suggest that teacher preparation experiences centered on systematic reflection and analysis create opportunities to develop certain aspects of learning-from-teaching competencies that remain otherwise underdeveloped. Implications for the design of teacher preparation include the integration in mathematics methods courses of cycles of analysis through video-enhanced discussions; collaborative planning, implementation, and reflection on teaching; and live observation and co-constructed interpretations and considerations of next steps.

A Longitudinal Examination of Preservice Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the Context of Undergraduate Teacher Education

ABSTRACTThis study used longitudinal data to investigate the development of preservice teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) throughout their initial teacher education program in the United States. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected at four different points in time. Findings indicated that teacher preparation experiences collectively provided preservice teachers’ with opportunities to develop their knowledge of teaching with technology from their freshman to their junior/senior year. Opportunities to develop and retain knowledge gains over time, however, were limited in the absence of intentional educational technology coursework. Findings have implications for the design of teacher education programs on the use of technology.

TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHER EDUCATION: PROGRESS ALONG THE CONTINUUM

Schools, colleges, and departments of education (SCDEs) may be placed along a continuum in their integration of technology. The 1995 Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) report, Teachers & Technology: Making the Connection, spoke to one end of the continuum when it raised two important points—that “technology is not central to the teacher preparation experience” and that “most technology instruction . . . is teaching about technology . . . not teaching with technology across the curriculum”.

TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHER EDUCATION: PROGRESS ALONG THE CONTINUUM

Schools, colleges, and departments of education (SCDEs) may be placed along a continuum in their integration of technology. The 1995 Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) report, Teachers & Technology: Making the Connection, spoke to one end of the continuum when it raised two important points that “technology is not central to the teacher preparation experience” and that “most technology instruction is teaching about technology not teaching with technology across the curriculum”.

Nationwide Survey of the Undergraduate Physical Chemistry Course

A nationwide survey of the undergraduate physical chemistry course was conducted to investigate the depth and breadth of content that is covered, how content is delivered, how student understanding is assessed, and the experiences and beliefs of instructors. The survey was administered to instructors of physical chemistry (N = 331) at American Chemical Society certified colleges and universities in the United States. The majority of instructors (N = 187) provided contact information, allowing responses to be associated with their institution. The goal of this preliminary study is to provide an awareness of the current state of physical chemistry courses across the United States. Several relationships regarding the course curriculum were investigated such as depth versus breadth of course content, and goal for understanding versus types of assessment questions. Also, several relationships regarding instructor beliefs and experiences were investigated such as degree of teacher preparation experience versus ...

Technological innovation in twenty-first century multicultural teacher preparation

Purpose – An increasingly diverse student population coupled with rapid technological change makes it paramount to examine how technology is being employed in multicultural teacher preparation (MTP) to prepare US teachers to develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to foster globally minded, twenty-first century world citizens. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This review employs constant comparative method of analysis to examine empirical research on MTP practices employing technology to prepare teachers for the diverse student populations of twenty-first century classrooms. Although prior reviews have synthesized research findings on MTP, no systematic investigation has examined the role of technology in preparing teachers to support diverse learners. This review of research conducted from 2002 to 2012 explores how technology has been utilized in MTP to enhance face-to-face, online, and blended teacher preparation experiences. Findings – Collectively, research reviewed illustrates the power of harnessing technological innovation in preparing TCs as multicultural educators increasingly equipped with globally informed conceptions of diversity and pedagogical approaches for responding to twenty-first century equity issues – and to support their P-12 students in achieving similar goals. While the types and purposes of technology use in MTP varied across these studies, a trend was found in employing technology to contribute to equitable teaching and learning across international settings. In addition, analyses show study contexts varying from teacher preparation classrooms, to field placement settings, to faculty development workshops, both in the USA and abroad. Originality/value – This review encourages schools of education to redefine traditional teacher preparation methods and venture into the technology-shaped worlds of twenty-first-century students and their teachers.

Using Computer-mediated Communication to Establish Social and Supportive Environments in Teacher Education

This article examines social presence in virtual asynchronous learning communities among foreign language teachers. We present the findings of two studies investigating cross-institutional asynchronous forums created to engage participants in online dialogues regarding their foreign language teacher preparation experiences in and out of the classroom. Both studies took place during Fall 2003 and were conducted between first-time teacher/graduate students in four methodology courses at three large state universities. In the first study, students participated in weekly online exchanges in the form of dialogue journals for reflective teaching. In the second study, students were provided with specific topics to address using a discussion board, related both to theoretical language learning issues as well as pedagogical classroom-related concerns. The data analyzed here consist of the contributions and responses submitted by all participants on their respective online forums. We analyze these data qualitatively using Rourke, Anderson, Garrison, and Archer's (2001) framework in order to gain a better understanding of the element of social presence--specifically affective, interactive, and cohesive indicators as they occur during asynchronous online discussion. This study marks an important contribution to the literature as it examines how virtual discussion takes shape, how the notion of social presence is defined in these foreign language teacher communities, as well as the implications for language teacher education in computer-mediated communication.

The Importance Of Technology Usage In The Classroom, Does Gender Gaps Exist

The Importance Of Technology Usage In The Classroom, Does Gender Gaps Exist

Examining the Development of Dispositions for Ambitious Teaching: One Teacher Candidate's Journey

Dispositions are the engine of performance in teaching, linking inner values and commitments with action in the context of practice. This article presents a theoretical conception in conjunction with an individual case study of the process by which dispositions develop and function in teaching. Focusing on teaching that is ambitious both in its intellectual goals and in its concern for the learning and well-being of all children, this article argues that dispositions can be understood as “performances of understanding” that are developed over time, influenced by context, integrated into the array of dimensions of learning to teach and emerge within professional communities. It is based upon a longitudinal research study that tracked two cohorts of 10 beginning teacher candidates through their undergraduate teacher preparation experience.

Measuring Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Preservice Teacher Education

Many research efforts are underway that focus on developing the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework (Koehler & Mishra, 2007; Mishra & Koehler, 2006) as a lens through which to observe the role of technology in teacher knowledge. This review of literature examines the development of the TPACK framework with a particular focus on assessing TPACK in the context of preservice teacher preparation programs. In an effort to highlight the emerging instruments and methods currently available for use with this specific group, this study provides an overview of instruments and methods as well as a discussion of the challenges, purposes, and potential uses of these tools for TPACK-based evaluation of preservice teacher preparation experiences.

Teacher Retention and Career Commitments Among DeLeT Graduates: The Intersection of Teachers' Background, Preparation for Teaching, and School Context

This article analyzes the career commitments and retention patterns among graduates of the DeLeT program (Day School Leadership Through Teaching) who were prepared for day-school teaching at Brandeis University and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Employing t-tests to analyze survey responses, we identify factors that shape and support teachers' career commitments to Jewish day schools. Our findings suggest that those who stay in Jewish day school teaching are likely to do so because of more commitment to the Jewish community, greater perception of effective teacher preparation experience, and better school support in comparison to those who leave teaching in this setting. These findings are consistent with a multi-layered understanding of teachers' lives and career commitments, which is illustrated in the interaction between person, program, and setting.