Preservice Observation in Special Education: A Validation Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-19
Author(s):  
Daisy J. Pua ◽  
David J. Peyton ◽  
Mary T. Brownell ◽  
Valentina A. Contesse ◽  
Nathan D. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Observation System ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Observation Instrument ◽  
High Incidence Disabilities

Advancing teacher candidates’ overall competence through use of valid teacher observation systems should be an essential element of teacher preparation. Yet, the field of special education has not provided observation protocols designed specifically for preservice teachers that are founded in theoretical perspectives and research on effective instruction for students with learning and other high-incidence disabilities (SWDs). To address this need, a group of researchers in special education teacher preparation and measurement developed the Preservice Observation Instrument for Special Education (POISE). The POISE is an observation system rooted in effective special education practices that support the growth of preservice teachers who will serve SWD across instructional settings. The purpose of this article is to report on the development and psychometric properties of the POISE. Specifically, we employed Kane’s argument-based validity approach to frame each stage in the development process of the POISE. We conducted two phases of content validation activities, development activities, and a pilot study to assess the degree to which scores from POISE provided evidence for the scoring, generalizability, and extrapolation inferences. In the end, the POISE represents a promising observation instrument for the development of special education teacher candidates.

Impact of eCoaching With Video-Based Reflection on Special Education Teacher Candidates’ Instructional Skills

2020 ◽  
pp. 088840642096473
Author(s):  
Kristen Merrill O’Brien ◽  
Kelley Regan ◽  
Christan G. Coogle ◽  
Jennifer R. Ottley ◽  
Sarah A. Nagro
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Teacher Strategies ◽  
Education Teacher

Clinical experiences are a critical component of teacher preparation programs. Two technology-based approaches used during clinical experiences in special education teacher preparation that have shown promise are eCoaching and video-based reflection. When used in combination as a comprehensive intervention, eCoaching and video-based reflection may offer teacher candidates increased learning opportunities to promote improved fidelity of evidence-based practices. Thus, using a multiple-probe single-case research design, we examined the effect of eCoaching with video-based reflection on special education teacher candidates’ use and quality of target teacher strategies and on focus student responses. We found an increase in the use of target teacher strategies for two of three participants, and an increase in the quality of participants’ strategy implementation and students’ responses for all participants. Participants improved their ability to provide high-quality opportunities for choice making and open-ended responding with consistency. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Preparing special education teacher candidates to teach English language learners with disabilities: How well are we doing?

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 330-351
Author(s):  
Jessica L.W. Miranda ◽  
Jenny C. Wells ◽  
Amelia Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
English Language ◽  
Program Improvement ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Sense Of Efficacy

A utilization-focused evaluation (Patton, 2008) was conducted to systematically investigate special education teacher candidates’ preparation to teach English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. The results were used to (1) determine current effectiveness of departmental programs and (2) guide program improvement efforts. The initial literature review on ELLs with disabilities and teacher preparation guided the development of a four element framework to organize and analyse the data and results of the program evaluation. Data were collected using (1) a document review of program materials, (2) a faculty questionnaire, (3) a faculty focus group, and (4) a survey of the teacher candidates’ knowledge and perceptions on their preparedness in this area. Data revealed a scattered and disjointed approach to preparing preservice teachers to teach ELLs with disabilities, leading to a lack of special education teacher candidate’s: (1) mastery of essential content and (2) sense of efficacy in teaching ELLs. This investigation also shed light on the range of faculty perspectives, knowledge, and practices in the preparation of special education teacher candidates to teach ELLs.

Toward a Model of Learning and Transfer: A Review of Instructional Methods and Learning Outcomes in Special Education Teacher Preparation

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 292-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Werner Juarez ◽  
Cammy Purper
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Instructional Methods ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Educational Models ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Quantitative Studies

In the past decade and a half, measurable outcomes of teacher performance and student achievement have moved to the forefront of education policy. Researchers have identified a gap in special education teacher preparation research and have called for the re-envisioning of current educational models, emphasizing a focus on effective methods in special education teacher preparation. Prior studies and literature reviews have demonstrated a need for experimental research on effective methods that move preservice teachers (PSTs) from knowledge to application. In this article, the authors present a model of learning and transfer based on the How People Learn theoretical framework. Guided by this framework, a review of literature resulted in 12 experimental, quantitative studies of instructional methods delivered primarily within university classroom-based settings, measuring PSTs’ outcomes at increasingly deeper levels of learning and transfer. Findings indicate various instructional methods within university coursework lead to strong, positive learning outcomes for PSTs, with most studies measuring knowledge acquisition and conceptual application of knowledge. Yet, more studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of coursework on teacher candidates’ application for and within classroom settings, as well as students’ outcomes. Implications and future research are discussed.

Generalization Training in Special Education Teacher Preparation: Does It Exist?

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Markelz ◽  
Benjamin Riden ◽  
Mary Catherine Scheeler
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teaching Skills ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Course Syllabi ◽  
K 12

Enormous resources are committed by universities to prepare special educators to impact student outcomes of our most vulnerable and neediest learners. Generalizing teaching skills from university to K-12 classrooms must be a component of teacher preparation curriculum; otherwise, we continue to merely train our teacher candidates and hope they sustain and generalize their newly acquired skills. Through self-reported surveys and extant data analysis, we identify the extent to which our sample of special education teacher preparation programs are teaching their teacher candidates to generalize newly acquired teaching skills to in-service settings in K-12 classrooms. Results indicate ambiguity with familiarity of generalization techniques and fidelity of implementation. Programming for generalization is absent in reviewed course syllabi, and student teaching supervisors report a disconnect between university and classroom realities. We recommend a systematic approach to programming for generalization by increasing awareness of generalization techniques through professional development, including accountability measures in course syllabi, focusing on high-leverage practices to create more cohesive preparation programs, and improving communication between instructors and student teaching supervisors. Limitations and future research recommendations are discussed.

Promoting Reflective Ability Through a Comprehensive Field Experience That Combined Video Analysis and Bug-In-Ear Coaching

2021 ◽  
pp. 016264342110220
Author(s):  
Sarah A. Nagro ◽  
Kelley Regan ◽  
Christan Coogle ◽  
Kristen M. O’Brien ◽  
Alexandra R. Raines ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Video Analysis ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Field Experience ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Functional Relation ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Qualitative Methodologies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of promoting special education teacher candidates’ reflective ability through a comprehensive field experience that combined (a) reflecting-on-action through video analysis with (b) reflecting-in-action through bug-in-ear coaching with real-time feedback. First, we implemented two concurrent single case designed studies to examine the functional relation between the comprehensive field experience and teacher candidates’ reflective ability. Second, we used qualitative methodologies to explore teacher candidates’ perceptions of the record, receive, review, reflect, revise comprehensive reflection cycle as a teacher preparation approach. Overall, special education teacher candidates across both cases ( N = 6) improved their reflective ability in relation to engaging in comprehensive reflection activities. Additionally, candidates identified many meaningful benefits of including comprehensive reflection in teacher preparation. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

Developing a Theory of Program Vision as Professional Socialization in Special Education Teacher Preparation

2021 ◽  
pp. 088840642110589
Author(s):  
Hannah Morris Mathews
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
General Education ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Professional Socialization ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities

In general education, researchers find candidates’ pre-service experiences are a tool for socialization into the knowledge, norms, and values of the profession. An important aspect of this process is program vision—the collective understanding of teaching put forth by a preparation program. Yet, few investigations in special education examine program vision. Using interviews with candidates across six teacher preparation programs, the author generates theory to understand the role of vision in special education teacher candidates’ professional socialization and how experiences of program vision are associated with their conceptions of their future roles and responsibilities. Candidates’ conception of special educators’ roles reflected three characterizations consistent within, but distinct across programs: Direct Instructor, Supportive Differentiator, and General Responder. Each profile was associated with unique roles and responsibilities for special educators. Findings draw attention to the importance of examining vision as a tool for professional socialization in special education teacher preparation.

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