Browsing by Subject "Pre-service teachers"
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Item Effects of intervention on undergraduate pre-service teachers in literacy educationWilliams, Alma ElizabethItem Korean pre-service teachers' practical knowledge regarding circle time(2013-12) Kim, Hyun Su, active 2013; Worthy, JoThis dissertation investigates Korean pre-service kindergarten teachers’ practical knowledge regarding teaching circle time developed through both teaching practices and contextual factors during their field experience. To investigate this, a qualitative case study examining four pre-service kindergarten teachers working their field experience was conducted. Data collected through observation, stimulated recall interviews and semi-structured interviews of four participants during field experience was analyzed in order to answer the research questions. Data analysis revealed two major types of practical knowledge for teaching circle time: 1) practical knowledge about classroom management strategies; 2) practical knowledge about the teacher’s role in teacher-children interaction. The findings of the study were organized for presentation in Chapter 4 by combining the types of practical knowledge with separation of pre-existing and developed practical knowledge: the first section covers both pre-existing and developed classroom management strategies; the second section covers both pre-existing and developed practical knowledge regarding the teacher’s role in teacher-children interaction. The third section covers contextual factors which influence that development. While the pre-service teachers may have had sudden moments of inspiration where things coalesced for them, in general practical knowledge was not an instant acquisition. Indeed, this study witnessed what developed though successive teaching practices during their field experience. The use of (stimulated recall) interviews allowed for candid and timely revelations from the pre-service teachers, giving important insight into some specifics on the acquisition of practical knowledge, such as facing challenges as a vehicle for change, and the need for critical reflection. In this study, the primary contextual factor recognized as influencing pre-service teachers’ practical knowledge is the classroom teacher, through modeling and post-lesson conferences. Chapter 5 addresses the significance of the findings of this research and compares it to other research in the field, focusing on three aspects: 1) the specific types of practical knowledge developed through circle time teaching practice; 2) the process of the development of practical knowledge; and; 3) the influence of classroom teachers on that development. This dissertation concludes with a discussion of implications for: 1) pre-service kindergarten teachers at the same stage of their education, 2) teacher educators who are responsible for designing and reforming teacher education programs for pre-service kindergarten teachers, and 3) administrators of teacher education programs who can establish systemized regulations for field experience and recommendations for future research.Item Physical education teacher education (PETE) pre-service teachers' attitudes, values, and beliefs surrounding teaching physical education(2013-12) Wallace, Janice Lynne; Castelli, Darla M., 1967-; Harrison, Louis; Lambdin, Dolly; Keating, Xiaofen; Franquiz, MariaTeachers’ beliefs influence their perceptions and judgments about teaching and learning. Pre-service teachers (PSTs) often enter teacher preparation programs with preconceptions or beliefs that often affect their receptivity to teacher education. While there is widespread acceptance as to the importance of examining teacher belief structures, relatively few current studies have focused on the value orientations and self-efficacy beliefs of pre-service physical education teacher education (PETE) students. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine PSTs’ beliefs regarding teaching physical education on entry into to a PETE program and throughout various phases of the pedagogical sequence. Methods: The current study employed mixed-methodologies in an attempt to capture information from three different cohorts of PSTs at multiple time points within their PETE program. Data were collected during the semester using a demographic survey, the Value Orientation Inventory-2, the Physical Education Teaching Efficacy Scale (PETES), and semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed inductively by data source and deductively when comparing all data sources. Profiles were created for each class cohort in an attempt to identify the value orientations, level of self-efficacy, change in value orientations and attitudes over a semester, and the change in self-efficacy over a semester. Results: Descriptive analysis of the VOI-2 survey showed cohort one and two were unsure of their value orientations while cohort three PSTs who were enrolled in the student teaching practicum exhibited a high priority for the Discipline Mastery value orientation. Repeated measures ANOVA of the PETES scale revealed significant differences over time for all cohorts but not between cohorts. Qualitative results revealed all three cohorts exhibited defined attitudes and perceptions of physical education and gained efficacy in teaching over the course of the semester. Discussion: This case study of PETE within a single program suggested that there are specific attractors and repellers for those who elect to major in physical education and these ideas affect their beliefs. Accordingly, targeted recruitment strategies should be employed to entice the most qualified individuals into this profession. Findings suggested that PSTs perceived secondary physical education as non-academic and therefore teacher educators need to question their effectiveness of altering PSTs’ apprenticeship of observation and associated subjective warrants, despite evidence of some evolution. Teacher educators also need to address the tensions between focusing on sport-oriented content or health-oriented content, as the teacher and coaching role conflict continues to plague future teachers.Item Pre-service teacher-implemented Social Stories™ intervention for students with autism spectrum disorders in general education settings(2009-08) Chan, Jeffrey Michael; O’Reilly, Mark F.Social Stories™ are one of the most commonly-used interventions for children with autism (Green et al., 2006; Hess, Morrier, Heflin, & Ivey, 2008; Stahmer, Collings, & Palinkas, 2005). While there is a rapidly-growing literature base of Social Stories research, much of the work has focused on student behavior in special education resource settings; the current study examines the use of Social Stories with students in inclusive general education settings. Six students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders participated and behaviors that occurred in the general education classroom were selected as targets. Pre-service teachers, autism resource teachers, and a paraprofessional were trained to implement the intervention. Social Stories were presented on a personal computer for 5 of 6 participants; the 6th participant’s Social Story was presented in a bound book. Participants were observed in their general education classrooms during 30 min data collection sessions. A multiple baseline across participants design was used. For 3 participants, an alternating treatments design was also used, which examined 2 viii conditions: an Immediate condition in which classroom probes were conducted immediately following Social Stories intervention sessions, and a Delay condition in which a time delay of at least 3.5 hrs was presented between intervention and observation sessions. Results of the Immediate vs. Delay conditions show no conclusive effects of one condition over the other. Overall, results indicate improvements in target behaviors for 5 of 6 participants. Peer comparison data indicate that participants who showed improvement in their behavior performed the target skills at levels comparable to classmates without disabilities. Treatment fidelity data indicate that pre-service teachers were able to accurately implement the intervention over the course of the study. Social validity questionnaires were distributed to in-service and pre-service teachers, who rated the intervention as acceptable and feasible within the classroom setting. Implications for practice and future research directions are discussed.Item Using online primary source resources in fostering historical thinking skills : the pre-service social studies teachers’ understanding(2010-05) Liaw, Hongming; Resta, Paul E.; Salinas, Cinthia; Liu, Min; Hughes, Joan; Galloway, Patricia K.This dissertation entailed a qualitative case study on the confluence of technology and social studies in fostering a constructivist education. Through the examination of pre-service social studies teachers’ understanding of the online primary source resources (OPSR), three themes emerged. The first exposed the fragmented understanding of important pedagogical theories of constructivism and historical thinking among participants; the second suggested that OPSR was mostly valued by pre-service teachers for its provision of primary sources; and the third related to how pre-service teachers viewed the current state of technology and context as problematic for technology integration. Accordingly, four findings were revealed. First, the pre-service teachers in the study demonstrated a limited understanding of the application of foundational theories central to their field of study; second, there were instances of deeper appreciation of the potential of OPSR, indicating that pre-service teachers’ theoretical understanding is ix nascent and may deepen overtime; third, the full potential of technologies such as OPSR was not recognized; and fourth, the pre-service teachers’ perceptions of school and educational system conditions tended to negatively influence their views toward the integration of technology into their teaching practices. Implications indicate that first, foundational pedagogical theories are critical with regard to technology integration in education and as such teacher preparation programs must not assume what is taught is what is learned; second, instances of deeper understanding among pre-service teachers only appeared during the application of their theoretical understandings; third, context is critical in how OPSR would be used in classrooms and such contextual issues must not be ignored by teacher preparation programs; and fourth, teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (PCK/TPCK) is critical in the integration of technology in education.