scholarly journals Evaluating the Dispositions of Teacher Education Candidates: A Place for Self-Assessment

Author(s):  
Amneh Al-Rawashdeh ◽  
Gary Ivory ◽  
Jeanette H. Writer

The study explored how New Mexico State University (NMSU) teacher candidatesunderstand the assessment form, the assessment process, and the meaning of dispositions assessment according to NCATE standards as related to their development of professional dispositions. The study utilized a qualitative methodology. We used the focus group method with four groups: elementary (N=3), secondary (N=10), early childhood (N=6), and special education candidates (N=4). We asked teacher candidates about their understanding of dispositions and the dispositions assessment process at the beginning of their program and at the end of their program. Based on the analysis, we found that self-assessment of dispositions at this institution is well-grounded conceptually, and the teacher education candidates found the process to be meaningful to them, but that teacher education candidates‟ perspectives suggest it has been flawed in execution. We conclude with recommendations both for the teacher education program we have studied and for teacher education accreditation agencies.

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Vasiliki Brinia ◽  
Reni Giannimara ◽  
Paraskevi Psoni ◽  
George Stamatakis

The present paper aims at presenting an innovative approach to educating teacher-candidates through the art. More specifically, it aims at exploring the benefits of this approach for student-teachers and for their future teaching of social science subjects. It is an experiential approach, based on a multi-level methodology, developed and implemented through the collaboration of the Teacher Education Program of Athens University of Economics and Business with the Aalto University and the Athens School of Fine Arts. After the completion of the implementation of the specific teaching method, the student-teachers have been interviewed, in order to detect their views on the effectiveness of this method, which has been introduced for the first time in the Teacher Education field in Greece. The results are positive with the interviewees reporting having achieved an in-depth and multi-perspective understanding of the matter in discussion as well as enhanced collaborative skills among other benefits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-71
Author(s):  
Glenda L. Black

Action research has the potential to reconstruct schools into professional learning communities that are able to identify educational issues and develop appropriate solutions for 21st century learning. Increasingly, teacher education programs are providing action research experiences to encourage analytical thinking and problem-solving skills (Darling-Hammond, 2009, 2012). The purpose of this study was to critically examine the experiences of the teacher educator and teacher candidates involved in the implementation of an action research component over four years in a revised consecutive initial teacher preparation program. A case study design using action research methodology was used in the research, which provided the tools to explore a complex phenomenon within its context: the implementation of an action research assignment in a core course in a teacher preparation program. The perceptions of the faculty teaching the course and the teacher candidates (n=544) in each of the four years provided insight into challenges, benefits, and lessons learned.  The discussion centers on the implementation of action research in a compulsory course in a teacher education program; identifying opportunities and limitations settled into four main categories: structural incongruence, reflection, growth, and recommendations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 106-125
Author(s):  
Gilbert C. Magulod ◽  
Leonilo B. Capulso ◽  
Josephine Pineda Dasig ◽  
Micheal Bhobet B. Baluyot ◽  
John Noel S. Nisperos ◽  
...  

This paper focuses on assessing the immediate program graduate attributes and learning outcomes for the teacher preparation towards global competence initiatives. It describes the students' retrospection, which will serve as a basis for the program's strategic enhancement. This study employed a descriptive survey of 75 teacher candidates in the Philippines. Findings revealed that the top five highest program graduate attributes are lifelong learner, responsive teacher, ethical educator, subject matter expert, and multi-literate educator. Simultaneously, the bottom five are effective communicator, value-laden educator, instructional material developer, classroom manager, assessor and evaluator, and curriculum planner and implementer. Grade in experiential learning courses spelled the difference in the acquisition of graduate attributes. Implying that students with high academic performance perceived themselves to have a high level of acquisition of the Immediate Graduate Attributes (IGA). Retrospection of the respondents showed excellent satisfaction with the research and extension services, educational counseling program, and the instructors and professors' qualities while family and relatives were influential in choosing teaching as career preparation. Finally, parents' satisfaction and geographic locations are important factors that affect the teacher education program enrollment. This study will serve as reference in designing teacher education initiatives towards internationalization.


Author(s):  
Leonardo Herrera Mosquera ◽  
Lilian Cecilia Zambrano Castillo

The purpose of this study is to characterize the assessment process in an English Language Teacher Education Program (ELTEP, hereafter) at a Colombian public university. Following a qualitative-descriptive approach, we identified the perceptions of teachers and students facing this process, reviewed some official documents such as course syllabi and test samples, and observed some classes to respond to the main inquiries of the present study. As data collection instruments we used interviews, questionnaires, field diaries, and documentary records, which allowed for the corresponding triangulation of the information. Once the information was collected, we proceeded to its respective analysis through a methodology of descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis with the support of a computer program for the codification and categorization of information. The results of this study allow us to conclude that in spite of the general guidelines proposed by the institution in terms of assessment of learning, and some good evaluative practices implemented by the teachers of the aforementioned Program, the consolidation of an approach is required. An approach understood as criteria and pedagogical procedures that guide both teachers and students, and one that promotes more formative, fair and democratic assessments.


2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Anne Block ◽  
Paul Betts

Teacher candidates’ individual and collaborative inquiry occurs within multiple and layered contexts of learning. The layered contexts support a strong connection between the practicum and the university and the emergent teaching identities. Our understanding of teacher identity is as situated and socially constructed, yet fluid and agentic. This paper explores how agentic teaching identities emerge within the layered contexts of our teacher education program as examined in five narratives of teacher candidates’ experience. These narratives involve tension, inquiry, successes and risks, as teacher candidates negotiate what is means to learn how to teach, to teach and to critically reflect on knowledge needed to teach. We conclude that navigating teacher identity is a teacher candidate capacity that could be explicitly cultivated by teacher education programs.


Author(s):  
Carlos E. Quiñones-Padovani ◽  
Clarena Larrotta

The qualitative research study explored in this chapter took place in a physical education teacher education program at a large public university in Puerto Rico. Study findings are relevant for similar programs in the United States. The research questions guiding the chapter are: (1) What can physical education teacher candidates do to help promote community health awareness? (2) What does transformational learning look like for physical education teacher candidates in a physical education teacher education program? (3) From the point of view of the university instructor, what are the challenges training physical education teacher candidates to promote health awareness? Data collection sources include: The researcher's journal, informal conversations with physical education teacher education university colleagues from different institutions, alumni questionnaire responses, electronic communications with 11 physical education teacher education program graduates, and documents (e.g., the National Association for Sports and Physical Education Standards, and the Physical Education Teacher Education Standards). The authors draw on transformational learning theory as a framework to inform the study, and narrative analysis plays a central role reporting study findings. The chapter includes the following sections: a theoretical framework section discussing how transformational learning theory informs the study; a relevant literature section that provides the definition, benefits, and connection with concepts such as physical activity, community health, and effective teaching in physical education; a qualitative methodology section that describes the study setting and participants; data collection sources and data analysis procedures; a study findings section that is organized by research questions; an implications for practice section; and conclusion.


Author(s):  
Donna Glenn Wake

This study explores teacher education candidates' perceptions of technologies used to support K-12 student literacy development. Candidates selected technologies for future adoption based on impressions of each technology's ability to support student literacy development. Technologies included broad-based applications (blogs, wikis, podcasts, digital storytelling) as well as more specific applications (Prezi, Glogster, Voicethread). Results indicate that candidates selected first those technologies they saw as useful in presenting content in a teacher-directed paradigm. They then considered technologies that allowed for student authoring and manipulation representing more student inquiry-based approaches. Data were disaggregated for secondary versus elementary candidate populations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-52
Author(s):  
Belete Mebratu ◽  
Kelly Ahuna

The purpose of study was to explore the experiences of teacher candidates about being assessed by the Education Teacher Preparation Assessment (edTPA) requirements during their student teaching practicum. Fifty-six elementary and adolescent majors working for a Master of Science Degree in Education participated in the study by responding to open-ended survey questions. The study aimed at answering two research questions: (1) What are the challenges/concerns that the student teachers report about their experiences of edTPA during their student teaching placements? (2) Do teacher candidates suggest edTPA remains as part of the teacher education program requirement? The findings of the study indicate that the teacher candidates are adamant about their unfavorable experiences of edTPA implementation. They expressed that they found edTPA requirements to be an additional burden, not beneficial, a distraction, and they suggest that edTPA should be discarded from current teacher education programing. While such findings call for considerations to revisit aspects of edTPA for improvement, further studies are suggested to add insight into the nature of edTPA implementation.


1983 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 21-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
William F. Burger ◽  
Lee Jenkins ◽  
Margaret L. Moore ◽  
Gary L. Musser ◽  
Karen Clark Smith

In the September 1981 issue, Dossey reported the “somewhat discouraging” comparison of recommended program criteria with the current teaching situation and curricula for grades K-6. We at Oregon State University had had similar concerns, and in the 1981 fall term we implemented a revised, comprehensive mathematics preparation component for the elementary school teacher education program. Based on the Dossey article, this revised program would rank in the top 5 percent of programs in the country, and we believe it contains the elements necessary to produce an exemplary program.


2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 193-210
Author(s):  
Nancy Maynes ◽  
Lynn Julien-Schultz

This study examined teacher candidates’ reflections about the use of two graphic organizers referenced in their teacher education program. Fourteen themes were identified relating to teacher candidates’ instructional focus; awareness of the value of the organizers to improve focus on their students’ learning, growth, and independence with instructional tasks; and their focus on professional growth. Data from this study provides information to allow future comparison of teacher candidates’ diversity in reflections with their teaching evaluations. Connections with brain development are identified to support the use of complex graphic organizers in professional contexts for teachers.


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