Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Teacher training program'

Teachers are required to manage difficult behaviors within their classrooms with limited support and resources. Additionally, there is not a lot of research that has been completed looking at teacher attitudes or how children’s behavior impacts them personally. The current study looks at teacher outcomes based upon an evidence-based teacher training program. The teacher training was implemented at the Western Kentucky Head Start. Teachers’ job stress and self-efficacy were measured before the training, after the training, in the fall, and in the spring. In addition, standardized observations were completed, looking at classroom climate and management, in the fall and spring following the training. There were no significant differences among Pretest, Post-test, fall, or spring data for measured job stress or self-efficacy. Based upon observation results, Positive Climate significantly increased from fall to spring and Concept Development significantly decreased. Teacher’s attitudes and perspectives are extremely important as they provide the general climate of the classroom. Continued research should be completed to assess teacher outcomes and how these outcomes impact the overfull functioning of the classroom and success of students.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the in-service teacher training program, The Certificate for Teachers of English (CTE), run jointly by two departments: The Department of Basic English (DBE) and the Department of Modern Languages (DML) of the School of Foreign Languages (SFL) at Middle East Technical University (METU) in terms of whether it achieved its objectives and to provide suggestions regarding the redesigning of the program for the following years. The model used for evaluating the program was one proposed by Kirkpatrick (1998
first devised in 1959). This model entails 4 levels of evaluation to carry out while evaluating training programs. Reaction, Learning, Behavior and Results. The research questions focused in this study are all in line with these four levels. The participants of the study were four folded. The main participants were the trainees attending the program. (N=6, 2 from DML
4 from DBE). Another group of participants were the trainers of the program. (N=2). The third group of participants was the chairpersons at the two departments. Finally, data were collected from the students of the trainees and non trainees. Data was collected via questionnaires from the trainees and their students, interviews with trainees, trainers and chairpersons, observations of sessions of the program and trainees&rsquo
lessons, and related documents of the program. The data collected was analyzed qualitatively using the Miles and Huberman (1994) procedure for analyzing qualitative data: data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing/verification. Results revealed that the CTE program was effective in terms of achieving its objectives. However, there could be improvements in certain components of the program. Another result of the study was that the application of Kirkpatrick&rsquo
s training program evaluation model was not very effective in the evaluation of the CTE program. The main drawback was that the model is a nonlinear one which made it difficult to concentrate on a particular level of evaluation at a particular time. Therefore the suggestion for a more linear and definite model for the evaluation of the CTE program was proposed.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005.
Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 227 p.; also includes graphics (some col.). Includes bibliographical references (p. 208-221). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Education, 2008.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Oct 2, 2009). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-02, Section: A, page: 0458. Adviser: Frank Lester.

A survey of graduates who participated in Project TEAM (School Psychology, Social Work, and Speech/Language Pathology) and Project PREP (Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education) is presented. Graduates completed coursework, seminars and practica that emphasized knowledge and skills related to working with children in the birth through 5 age group and their families. The survey determined in which competencies graduates indicated they were best and least prepared by the program and which competencies were most and least applicable to their present careers. The survey also determined what teaming models the graduates are currently using and would prefer to use in their careers. Results indicated a general trend towards the interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary teaming models as those that graduates would prefer to use. The survey also looked at the process of the programs (i.e., participating in seminars with various disciplines, participating in the practica as a team, taking courses with other disciplines, etc.) to determine whether or not participants benefited from the program's overall organization. Results indicated that graduates agreed with the program process.

The purpose of the study is to reveal pre-service teachers&rsquo
technology competencies during their four-year teacher training program at Burdur School of Education, Sü
leyman Demirel University in Turkey. The sample size is 1086 students from Primary School Teacher Education department. 262 is 1st year, 269 is 2nd year, 288 is 3rd year, and 265 is 4th year students. 435 are males, and 644 are females. The research design is non-experimental survey. Technology Use Self-Competency scale (TUSS) was used for the study. Reliability of the instrument is .96. The study is indicated that most of the pre-service teachers felt themselves as intermediate technology user. The descriptive, correlation, regression and higher-way ANOVA are applied. Gender, years of computer use and computer ownership and having access to internet variables are associated with significantly to technology use self-competency scores. Also the most useful predictor of technology use self competency is years of computer use. Finally, there is significant difference among categories of computer ownership and internet access, gender, years of computer on technology use self-competency. The recommendations and directions to future researches are presented.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Instructional Technology, 2007.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-09, Section: A, page: 3813. Adviser: Thomas Brush. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Apr. 30, 2008).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2007.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 84 p. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-77).

The purpose of this foundational study was to explore the factors that contributed to developing teacher identity among new American Indian teachers. Multifaceted research into the history of American Indian education, the design of American Indian teacher training programs, and the beliefs and experiences of four American Indian secondary teachers gave this study a richly detailed context. Three overarching patterns emerged during the process of analyzing the data: (a) solidarity and independence, (b) habit and change, and (c) tradition and invention. From these patterns, six factors were identified as contributing to developing teacher identity. School-based experiences that affected developing teacher identity included cohort-based peer support, preparation for content area expertise, and teachers as role models. Personal, home, and community beliefs that affected developing teacher identity were as follows: giving back to American Indian communities, serving American Indian students, and becoming empowered as American Indian teachers. Participants in this study represented various tribe affiliations but were all registered students in the Ute Teacher Training Program from 2002 to 2005. The goal of this program, administrated by the Ute Tribe, was to mentor, train, and certify American Indian secondary teachers through an ongoing university education program offered at a rural location close to the Ute reservation. Recommendations in the final chapter of this qualitative case study may provide useful information for the design and implementation of future American Indian teacher education programs.

Teacher training institutions in Jamaica have been introducing, developing, and revamping undergraduate degree programs. There is, however, little evaluation of these efforts. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine The Mico University College's early childhood education undergraduate degree program by exploring the lived experiences of its graduates. The research questions elicited from the participants their views about how changes were being implemented in the program, and how they impacted the institution's development and improvement, how major policy shifts related to changes in national educational policies, and how together these shifts may impact future processes at The Mico and at similar institutions in Jamaica. The study used theoretical frameworks of organization development and performance improvement. In-depth semi-structured interviews were the main source of data collection and were supported by thick description, memoing, reflexive journaling, and document review. Data analysis methods consisted of coding interview transcripts and identifying common themes. The results of the study indicated that the participants commended many of the program's underlying policies and operational practices, but they identified some challenges and areas of weakness. This study may be used as a backdrop to program development and policy initiation at The Mico and at other institutions in Jamaica and the Caribbean as it encapsulates a wide breadth of the lived experiences of the participants and examines key components such as curricula, pedagogy, and assessment. By strengthening their program offerings, The Mico and other teacher training institutions have the potential to improve performance and to contribute to sustainable national development.

This study investigated the perceptions of teachers of the Junior High and the Senior High Schools on the Communicative Language Teaching ( CLT ) in Irian Jaya province, Indonesia. Forty- six participants were involved in this study, i.e., twenty JHS teachers, twehty SHS teachers, four headmasters and two supervisors. Three instruments: questionnaire, interview and field study were employed to collect the data. Interviews and field study were carried out by the researcher in Indonesia. Spearman's rho was used to correlate answers about teaching principles of CLT and chi-square tests were used to examine responses on the relevance of subjects and the influence of the course on professional knowledge and teaching skills. The participants' opinion on the most and the least useful units was discussed based on the calculated frequency. The problems faced by the participants in implementing CLT were analyzed. The benefits of CLT were analysed and categorized into positive and negative points. Results indicated that both teaching levels have positive perceptions on CLT. Both groups showed an overall similarity in problems faced in their teaching, on the usefulness and the relevance of units presented in the Teacher Training despite some minor differences. It is argued that it is necessary for the teachers to give consideration to the teaching of vocabulary. It is also desirable to train the teachers to design tests which are valid and reliable.

The purposes of this comparative study were to determine the effects of (1) a specially developed gifted curriculum for grades four and five on gifted learners, (2) two contrasting instructional delivery systems for gifted students, and (3) differential levels of teacher training in gifted education. The sample was 112 fourth and fifth grade academically gifted students. The students were grouped for comparison based on their assignment to the regular classroom teacher for the 1988-89 school year. Group 1A students attended a one day pull-out gifted program and were assigned to the school based enrichment program taught by teachers who had completed the division training. Group 1B students attended the one day pull-out gifted program and were assigned to the school-based enrichment program taught by teachers with little training. Group 2 students attended the pull-out gifted program and were assigned to regular classrooms. Student growth in the specially developed gifted curriculum was measured in higher level thinking skills, creative thinking skills, self-concept, and research skills, areas that reflected the major goals of the program.;Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to determine student growth gains. Repeated Measures Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were used to determine differential effects of the two program delivery models as well as the staff development model. Significant student growth gains in the thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation; the creative thinking skill of figural fluency; and all major research skills were recorded. The pretest scores on the ME Scale revealed that the students had relatively good self-concepts at the start of the study; posttest results indicated that self-concept levels were maintained. No value-added effects which might be attributed to the school-based enrichment curriculum were recorded for either Group 1A or 1B. With the exception of the performance of Group 1A students in grade five on research skills, no significant student growth differences that could be attributed to staff development were recorded.;Implications of the study suggested the need to add a complementary scope and sequence of skills to the school-based enrichment program for each goal area of the gifted program and the importance of staff communication and collaboration between the school-based enrichment program and the pull-out centers. The selection of a delivery model should be reviewed and decisions made based on student needs combined with school district expectations and constraints. The staff development program should be reviewed for focus and emphasis.

The American education system has two daunting challenges. First, citizens need to be able to function in an interdependent world. Second, public schools' demographics have changed dramatically. Schools are failing to reach many students, particularly children of color and poverty. Schools must change to meet the needs of 21st century students. Without teachers' openness to change, effective educational reform win fail. Schools of education must prepare the next generation of teachers to be change agents who will implement school reform to meet the significantly different requirements of 21st century students. This study examined how one graduate teacher education program prepared teachers to be teacher change agents. The construct of teacher change agent incorporates research on successful school reform. In order for teachers to function as change agents they must (a) be competent, (b) be lifelong learners, and (c) have a sense of agency. A triangulation mixed-method design was used to examine a teacher education program's development of teacher change agents from various angles. The quantitative component of the study entailed the comparison of data from a scale administered at four different stages of teacher development. Graduates self-reported their frequencies of behaviors reflective of teachers open to change. The study's qualitative component included the examination of six professional portfolios, interviews with the portfolio's authors, and written responses to open-ended survey questions from a pool of 282 participants. Findings showed that all participants reported at least moderate levels of behaviors reflective of teacher change agents. Each of the interviewees reflected all dimensions of teacher change agents. In the larger sample, areas of strength included caring for students' emotional and academic well-being, and reflecting on one's practice. Participants reported the most beneficial elements of their preservice experience to be the extensive fieldwork and the collaborative cohort model. The cohort model and working with inspiring professors who modeled deep caring for students helped sustain participants' passion for teaching. Areas of weakness included teachers' willing to give students voice, embracing ideas of colleagues and families, and using community resources to enhance their teaching. These areas need to be developed more fully in the preservice program.

Teaching writing has long been neglected as in schools. Findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicated that most students have basic writing skills, but cannot write well enough to meet the needs of employers or for college. The writing programs in prescriptive literacy programs, which were adopted to ensure student achievement have not proven to be effective for developing proficient student writers. This design study is an attempt to provide teachers trained to teach in a prescriptive literacy program with the writing content and pedagogical knowledge necessary to engage elementary students in writing as a complex, intellectual activity so that they become proficient writers.

From the literature on effective writing instruction and on teacher learning, I developed a theory of action to guide the design. A key feature of the design was to situate teacher learning in the context of a study group led by a facilitator with knowledge about writing instruction. The design emphasized teachers learning from writing themselves, reviewing student work, learning effective strategies and procedures of writing instruction, and developing knowledge through collaborative talk and reflections. Seven teachers, Grades 2 to 5, from a Title I urban school that required teachers follow the script of Open Court Reading (OCR) participated in the study. At the time of this study a window of opportunity had opened up to modify the OCR writing component.

I framed teacher learning in two dimensions—Dimension 1: Instructional Strategies and Procedures, and Dimension 2: Writing as a Process. I investigated the impact of the design and the process of the design's development. Overall teachers' knowledge about writing content increased; their knowledge about writing pedagogy increased to a lesser degree; however their level of growth varied. Moreover growth in the elements of instructional strategies also varied. Growth ranged from 15% for teacher modeling writing and 109% for teacher referring to literature to teach writing strategies. Thus, I found the design basically sound but recommended modifications for future iterations.

Emotional labor refers to the efforts workers engage in to manage the expression of their feelings in order to meet organizational goals or norms. Although education researchers have established emotional labor among classroom teachers, the nuances and effects of emotional labor in classroom settings still requires more study and understanding. In particular, as researchers have identified the connections between emotional labor and stress among educators, they have posited that providing instruction on the constructs of emotional labor may help to decrease those feelings of stress. Researchers have not yet studied this idea. The aim of this study was to fill that gap by creating and evaluating an in-service training program for educators that teaches about the constructs of emotional labor.

The study design incorporated both qualitative and quantitative measures to determine not only if teachers can increase their understanding of emotional labor constructs through in-service training, but also how they apply these new understandings in their daily practice. The participants included 22 K-5 classroom teachers from an elementary school in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Over the course of 10 weeks, the teachers participated in five 30-minute long training sessions that were delivered via direct instruction, whole group discussion, and small group discussion. They completed a pre-test and post-test around the first direct instruction training session to determine if their understanding of emotional labor increased after the training. As the training program continued over the course of four more sessions, the participants completed journal entries, which were analyzed to determine how the teachers were recognizing and understanding emotional labor in their practice. The analysis of the journal entries and post-test results serve to extend the field of emotional labor research, because it established that this group of teachers increased their understanding of emotional labor and applied their new learning to their practice. The findings from this study may also be interpreted as a call to action for further research, because the participants requested additional training during which they could talk with colleagues about how to manage the stress they feel related to emotional labor.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008.
The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 12, 2009) Includes bibliographical references.

A supplemental Saturday Youth Arts Program was examined to determine whether or not its implementation into a preservice art education program better prepared students for student teaching. This work presents two case studies. Data from the first study, which looked at sixteen preservice art teachers, found that: (1) students lacked adequate knowledge on how to write discipline-based lesson plans; (2) community outreach was undervalued by students and (3) there was a lack of sufficient preparation time to take on all the variables involved in operating the lab school. The second study followed one of the students into her student teaching to look for professional growth in four areas: (1) classroom management; (2) curriculum and lesson planning; (3) community outreach and (4) organizational skills. Findings indicated that students can achieve high levels of professional growth as a result of this kind of experience, thus they are better prepared for student teaching.

This study investigated the connection between teacher use of motivational strategies and observable learner motivated behavior in an adult Intensive English Program (IEP) in the United States. The question of whether teachers would find value in being specifically trained in the use of motivational strategies as part of teacher educations programs was examined. Eight teachers and 117 students were observed over the course of 24 classes using a classroom observation instrument, the motivation orientation of language teaching (MOLT), originally developed by Guilloteaux and Dörnyei (2008) and modified by the current researchers. The MOLT observation scheme allowed for real-time coding of observable learner motivated behaviors and teacher motivational behaviors based on Dörnyei's (2001) motivational strategy framework for foreign language classrooms. Postlesson teacher evaluations completed by both the observer and the teacher formed part of the measure of teacher motivational practice. Additionally, teachers attended up to two training sessions, responded to postlesson interview questions and completed a feedback survey. The results validate the previous findings that teacher motivational practice is strongly related to learner motivated behavior. Additionally, results show that teachers find value in motivational strategy training.

The purpose of this study was to examine if there is an association between effective supervision and communication competence in divisions of student affairs at Christian higher education institutions. The investigation examined chief student affairs officers (CSAOs) and their direct reports at 45 institutions across the United States using the Synergistic Supervision Scale and the Communication Competence Questionnaire. A positive significant association was found between the direct report's evaluation of the CSAO's level of synergistic supervision and the direct report's evaluation of the CSAO's level of communication competence. The findings of this study will advance the supervision and communication competence literature while informing practice for student affairs professionals. This study provides a foundation of research in the context specific field of student affairs where there has been a dearth of literature regarding effective supervision. This study can be used as a platform for future research to further the understanding of characteristics that define effective supervision.

This paper explores the impacts of an induction program on three beginning secondary science teachers. These teachers participated in a beginning teacher support program, the goal of which was to help bridge the gap between preservice experiences and traditional in-service education opportunities. The goal of the support program was to provide needed support, encourage the implementation of inquiry-based methodologies, and dispose teachers to reflect upon their teaching experiences. The study describes these beginning teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning and explores how these conceptions, along with instructional practices, developed during the induction period. Descriptions of each teachers' development were enriched through attention to individual personal backgrounds and professional contexts. Descriptive case studies were based on a framework established by the data collection, which then guided comparison of individual experiences and contexts across cases. There were several conclusions. First, development of beliefs about teaching and learning varied across cases over the span of the induction period. Second, the differing degree of inquiry-based implementation can be attributed to the context in which each teacher worked. Finally, the differing degree of impact of the program from one individual to the next can be explained in part by the beliefs about teaching and learning that participants brought to the program, as well as the context in which each participant worked.

This project describes a four-year teacher education program conducted at the Living Desert, a botanical and wildlife park located in Palm Desert, California. The program brought 12 classroom teachers and 3 zoological educators together to expand their understanding and practice of environmental education. This project concentrates on how the program affected my educational philosophy, strategy and practice as an educator at The Living Desert, and how it shifted the focus of our department's docent (volunteer guide) education in general.

An evaluation of BYU's Local TESOL Minor Internship program shows the strengths and weaknesses of this academic internship program. Students are required to complete 150 hours of TESOL-related work outside of their courses. The interns volunteer in different English-teaching programs in the area. Internship hours include the time in the classroom, preparation, materials development, as well as the time in the Linguistics 496R course. The interns are required to have most of their minor classes finished before they complete their internship so that their internship can be a capstone to and an application of what they have learned thus far. This MA evaluation project reports findings of a formal program evaluation of BYU's Local TESOL Internship program, which has been in place for four years. It specifically looks at how effective the internships are by addressing the program's criteria which are: The internship enhances the student's education, reflects what the students have been taught in their TESOL minor classes, helps the interns become more confident teachers, helps the interns feel more prepared to teach ESL, and creates ties with the community. The paper presents quantitative data collected from surveys of past and present interns as well as program administrators. It also presents qualitative data from the same surveys as well as from summary papers in which the interns have discussed their internship experience. The evaluation also offers suggestions and recommendations for the program, as well as future research recommendations.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a staff development program designed through the cascade-training model by the MoNE on primary school English teachers and their actual classroom practices. In line with this, it aimed to establish a connection between aspects of planning, implementation, and evaluation of staff development and their impact on teachers and students. A qualitative case study was employed and data were collected from 10 teachers, eight teacher trainers, and three faculty members through semi-structured interviews. Moreover, 23-hour seminar and 50-hour classroom observations were conducted, and the documents related to the seminar and actual classroom practices of the teachers were analyzed to complement the interview findings. The results indicated that the effective practices (e.g., use of participant-centered approaches, English as the medium of instruction, practical ideas and suggestions and course book based activities) and ineffective practices (e.g., lack of needs assessment, traditional way of session delivery, and lack of follow-up) employed in the planning, implementation and evaluation phases of staff development had an impact on teachers'
(1) pedagogical beliefs, (2) pedagogical content knowledge, (3) actual classroom practices, (4) personal and professional growth, and (5) students. The findings further revealed that these five levels of impact interacted with each other based on the characteristics of the teachers (teaching experience and gender), their motivation, self-concepts, and the teacher education programs they attended.

This study examined the effects of a beginning teacher induction program on the attainment of the Arizona Teaching Standards. Quantitative and qualitative perspectives were utilized. Quantitatively, a survey asked teachers to rate their perceptions of their level of attainment of the Arizona Teaching Standards as a result of being enrolled or having been enrolled in a beginning teacher induction program. Further, school-level administrators were surveyed on their perceptions of how well these groups of teachers had attained the Arizona Teaching Standards as a result of having been enrolled in a beginning teacher induction program. Qualitatively, the researcher interviewed school-level administrators to gather their perspectives on the quality of the beginning teacher induction program being utilized. The analysis of the data indicated that the new teachers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels felt strongly that the beginning teacher induction program assisted them in attaining the Arizona Teaching Standards. Additionally, first-year, second-year, third-year, and fourth-year teachers agreed that the beginning teacher induction program assisted them in attaining the Arizona Teaching Standards. It appeared that, as a whole group, beginning teachers agreed that the beginning teacher induction program had aided in their attainment of the Arizona Teaching Standards. Further, elementary school administrators, middle school administrators, and high school administrators were in agreement in their perceptions that the beginning teacher induction program assisted beginning teachers in the attainment of seven of the Arizona Teaching Standards. Also, the analysis demonstrated that at the elementary-level, teachers and administrators differed in their perceptions on two standards. There were no significant findings when comparing the teachers and administrators at the middle school level. However, when comparing teachers and administrators at the high school level, the analysis provided significant findings on eight of the Arizona Teaching Standards. Finally, it appeared that school-level administrators agreed that elements of effective beginning teacher induction were present in the program being utilized in the district of study.

The purpose of this study was to implement Orlick's (1993) mental skills/life skills training program and assess the extent to which children (1) learned to relax themselves at will, (2) successfully implemented stress control strategies, and (3) improved the frequency of their highlights (any simple pleasure, joy, or other positive experience that improves the quality of one's day). Two intact classes of grade 2 children took part in the study. One class served as the experimental group, while the other class served as the control group. The usual classroom teacher delivered the program 4 to 5 times per week, for 9 consecutive weeks. Each intervention session was 10 to 15 min in length. Significant positive effects were found in the experimental group with respect to the children's abilities to lower their heart rates at will and successfully implement relaxation and stress control strategies in their daily lives. Children in the experimental group also experienced a significant increase in the frequency of their highlights over the course of the intervention period. The results suggested that children in grade 2 can (1) learn to relax themselves at will as measured by heart rate, (2) successfully implement stress control strategies, and (3) improve the frequency of their highlight experiences when the usual classroom teacher delivers Orlick's (1993) mental skills training program.

The purpose of this study was to compare the level of efficacy of second year teachers with respect to their culturally and linguistically diverse students, and between groups of teachers participating in different induction programs. In addition, this study sought to determine if a relationship existed between the teachers' sense of efficacy with their diverse students and the support and training the teachers' received from their respective induction programs. This study was based on quantitative research methods. The data for the study was collected in February 2005, from each second year teacher participant in one of three California Teacher Induction Programs. The instruments used to collect data were the Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale (OSTES) and the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP). A comparative and correlational study was used to investigate the second year teachers' sense of efficacy, and the extent to which they perceived their induction programs to have articulated known effective practices in relation to culturally and linguistically diverse students. The findings of this study indicated that the participating teachers felt less efficacious in instructional strategies and student engagement, and equally efficacious in classroom management as those teachers who served as the sample group for the development of the OSTES. Teachers indicated that they perceived some of the weaker components of the support and training of the induction programs in areas that centered around “language issues” such as: identifying language objectives, differentiating instruction based on language needs, and incorporating appropriate teaching strategies for language needs. This was further substantiated in the intercorrelation between teacher efficacy and the teachers' perception of emphasis of best practices for diverse students by their respective induction program. Specifically, the intercorrelations found correlations between teachers sense of efficacy and their perceptions of the support and training of their induction program in the following areas: differentiated instruction, instructional strategies, grouping strategies, and identifying key content vocabulary. The findings suggest that induction program administrators need to provide novice teachers serving diverse students with opportunities to create and implement lessons with language objectives and provide more training on instructional strategies that support meeting those objectives.

The purpose of this research study is to identify teachers&rsquo
perceptions on the effectiveness of their teacher education programs in supporting their professional practices. The data to the study were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 17 in-service teachers working in public early childhood institutions in Ankara. The data were analyzed through the emerging codes and themes shaped by the research questions. The results indicated that the 1998 program the study intended to investigate was found to be relatively satisfying in terms of developing professional teach ing competencies. The major weakness was reported to be theory-oriented structure which did not allow for ample practice opportunities both in the courses and in the field experiences. Moreover, due to the infancy ages of the field, the contents of courses offered were perceived to be in line with the essentials of primary and elementary level which contradicts the necessities of early childhood teaching. The findings were further discussed and interpreted.

This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of induction program applied to candidate teachers. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated by focusing on the perceptions of the stakeholders of the induction program
the managers, the implementers of the program
candidate teachers to whom the program implemented
and the mentor teachers, implementers of the practical training. To this end, the CIPP evaluation model was utilized. Through in-depth interviews, the data were collected from 14 candidate teachers, 4 program managers and 4 mentor teachers from 6 public schools. The challenges and/or problems in implementation of the Teacher Induction Program perceived by the stakeholders of the Teacher Induction Program were revealed as the discrepancy between the needs of the program participants and aims of the program
lack of effective methods, materials and equipment
unnecessary courses in the program
unreliable and invalid exams and inefficient program instructors.

This mixed methods, case study research examined the teacher education program at Illinois State University (ISU-Normal, Illinois) as related to the views and assessment practices of the dispositions of its teacher candidates. Five years of quantitative and qualitative data from ISU’s Disposition Concern form was collected and analyzed currently and formulated the basis for a sequential qualitative study through interviews in order to gain a more holistic picture of dispositions and the dispositional process at this university. In teacher education, content knowledge and pedagogical skills are easier to teach and assess than the subjective nature of dispositions. This grounded theory study found that the very system that views and assess dispositions of teacher candidates may augment the subjectivity of dispositions and its essentials for “responsive” (Thornton, 2006) teaching which systematically should include clear definitions, assessment practices, communication, and support for both faculty/staff and students.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2003.
Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii 111 p.; also contains graphics. Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: David L. Haury, College of Education. Includes bibliographical references (p. 84-89).

The purpose of this study is to determine the perceived technology capabilities of different levels of undergraduate students of Kent State University in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services teacher education programs; to determine if the perceived technology capabilities of students beginning the teacher education program differ from those nearing completion of the program; and, if the perceived technology capabilities of students change from the start to the end of the Educational Technology course. Examining student perceptions may provide insight on whether preservice teachers think they can prepare students for the 21^st century once they become inservice teachers. To determine whether preservice teachers perceive that they are being prepared to teach 21^st century skills by integrating technology into teaching and learning, three groups of students were surveyed: incoming students, junior-level students at the beginning and end of the Educational Technology course, and students nearing graduation. The TPACK survey for preservice teachers (Schmidt, Baran, Thompson, Mishra, Koehler & Shin, 2009) was used to examine preservice teachers' perceptions of their technology capabilities as related to teaching.

Teachers comprise an integral factor in the effective incorporation of technology into classroom activities, yet many current teachers remain unable or unwilling to employ technology fully or effectively. The findings from this study led to several conclusions, including that the students perceived themselves to have better technological abilities after completing the Educational Technology course and as seniors near the end of the teacher education program, and the results of this study should challenge teacher education faculty to consider how their beliefs, attitudes, and use of technology in teaching and learning are transmitted to their students.

One role of an administrator is to provide and assess staff development programs. The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of a 120-hour standards-based, technology-connnected staff development program on participating teachers' instruction.

The behaviors of effective teachers compared to the behaviors indicated on the observation instrument of the Beginning Teacher Program were investigated. Effective teaching behaviors were drawn from professional literature. The results indicate that effective teaching includes competence, performance, and continuing teacher education. The teacher's role as a professional rather than a technician was supported in the literature. The results indicate that effective teachers universally practice the effective behaviors listed in the Beginning Teacher Program which are based on scientific knowledge. The recommendation is that more research should be done in teacher effectiveness and evaluation.

This thesis is an analysis of survey research data evaluating Journeys, a placebased environmental education teacher inservice training program developed and administered by Teton Science School. Information gleaned from stakeholder interviews was used to develop the specific evaluation questions. A self-administered mail survey was then sent to all teachers known to have received Journeys training. Nearly all trained teachers go on to use Journeys with their classes, and show a commitment to making Journeys a permanent part of their classroom. Teachers generally agreed that their involvement with Journeys has had positive effects on their teaching behaviors and attitudes towards teaching. In particular, Journeys increased their enthusiasm for teaching and their effectiveness as teachers. Teachers believe their involvement with Journeys has increased their students' enthusiasm for learning, helped them learn about their place, and helped them connect to their place. Journeys appears to be an effective interdisciplinary program, helping teachers teach a variety of different subjects. The most significant barriers to implementing Journeys are a lack of time to conduct activities or to prepare for Journeys activities. Answers for open-ended questions revealed that many of the program support components such as site visits, materials provided, and additional follow-up workshops are largely responsible for the popularity of Journeys. Journeys teachers show a strong affinity for the program's philosophy, though it is unclear what specifically is attractive about this philosophy. Journeys appears to be most effective with K-3 teachers. This thesis supports the notion that place-based approaches to environmental education teacher inservice training are effective. This thesis also provides information that can be used to further develop the Journeys program, and contributes to the literature on place-based education and teacher training in Environmental Education.

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions and experiences of teachers participating in an on-site master's degree program in their school district. Its intent was to provide school districts and universities with information for establishing future programs. To accomplish this, a questionnaire was distributed to teacher participants and instructors of six school districts in metropolitan Phoenix. Additionally, selected teacher participants, all program administrators and the university program administrator were interviewed. The following conclusions were based on the findings of this study. Teachers, instructors and administrators agreed that: (1) a master's degree is important to a teaching career and improves teaching, provided the course content is implemented. (2) participation in and completion of a master's degree program impacts student achievement. (3) courses taken through the on-site program were more appropriate than those offered through a university-based program. (4) a cohort system is beneficial to teachers in completing the program. Teachers agreed that: (1) a master's degree program has an impact on their practice. (2) courses in instructional strategies, diversity issues, special needs, child psychology, educational research and issues an valuable to their role. Instructors saw all courses offered as valuable. (3) the quality of a course is determined unilaterally by the instructor. (4) the convenience of proximity of the on-site program facilitates pursuing a master's degree. Teachers and instructors agreed that: (1) the on-site program is the best professional development for teachers and more helpful than inservice courses. (2) an on-site program should include more practical than theoretical aspects. All administrators indicated the program must include a balance. Teachers and administrators agreed that: (1) district and non-district instructors both provided quality instruction; however, district instructors bring relevant district information to the instruction. (2) the on-site program provides a meaningful professional development experience through its alignment with district philosophy and goals, and, as administrators further expressed, the optimum professional development experience for teachers. The long-term implication of the findings is the need for continued and extended university/school district collaboration in the area of teacher professional development.

The purpose of this research was to determine if there was a difference in the scores of students on the “What Helped Me to Become Successful in the Ninth Grade?” survey between the retained and promoted students who had been taught by teachers who had Capturing Kids’ Hearts (CKH) training during 2007-08 school year. The students in one Mid-Atlantic Virginia, urban school were the study population. Students who had completed the ninth grade on time with teachers who had CKH training were compared with students who had been retained with teachers who had the CKH training were asked to complete a student perception survey. A mean score on a 25-item Student Perception Survey for each item was computed for the two groups of students who were in this high school during the 2007-08 school year and remained during the 2008-09 school year. Particular attention was given to nine questions that focused on relationship issues. A t-test was utilized to determine if there was a significant difference between comparative data on the mean for the two groups of students. In all nine of the relationship questions, there was no statistical significant difference in the mean of the responses for the repeat ninth grade students and the on time tenth grade students. The responses to the relationship questions indicated that the training the teachers received had a similar effect on students whether they were on time tenth grade students or repeat ninth grade students. The percentage of repeat ninth grade students had a higher percentage than the tenth grade students of agree responses on five of the nine relationship questions. Additionally, the median for the repeat ninth grade participants was higher on six of the nine relationship questions; therefore, the repeat ninth grade students had a stronger response to the relationship questions than the on time tenth grade students. The CKH training was a three-day off site learning experience for ninth grade teachers that provided tools to build positive, productive, and trusting relationships among themselves and their students. The EXCEL Model utilized five distinctive training areas: (a) engaging, (b) exploring, (c) communicating, (d) empowering, and (e) launching. The focus for students included developing skills that could affect their school success.
Ph. D.

As widely recognized, the voices of community members have been severely overlooked in scholarship. This dissertation reports on interviews with 36 community partners from the three most common types of university-community partnerships in composition and rhetoric: Youth mentored in their writing by first-year composition (FYC) students; Non-profit staff acting as clients for upper-division professional writing students; and Community members (including adult literacy learners, youth slam poets, and rural teachers) working with graduate students in a community literacy practicum or engaged research course. The project offers a theoretical rationale for listening to community voices, combining theories from community development with critical raced-gendered epistemologies to argue for what I term "asset-based epistemologies," systems of knowing that acknowledge the advantages marginalized communities bring to the knowledge production process in service-learning. The dissertation also suggests a reciprocal, reflective storytelling methodology that invites community partners to analyze their own experiences. Each set of community members offered a distinct contribution to community-based learning: Latino/a high school students mentored by college students revealed the need to nuance traditional outcomes-based notions of reciprocity. The high school students experienced fear about interacting with college students, a response that I understand through Alison Jaggar's concept of "outlaw emotions." To mitigate this fear, the youth suggested emphasizing cultural assets and relationships, leading to what I term "relational reciprocity." Non-profit staff detailed their complex motivations for collaborating with professional writing courses, challenging the often-simplistic representations of non-profit partners in professional writing scholarship. Invoking the theory of distributed cognition, I use non-profit staff insights to describe how knowledge circulates in non-profits and how students can interact and write more effectively in organizational contexts. Community members who interacted with graduate students in a range of projects used the term "openness" to describe healthy partnerships, and I build from their stories, along with insights from bell hooks and Maria Lugones, to detail a disposition of openness needed for engaged work. This disposition includes open communication, open structures, open minds, open hearts, and open constructions of self and others. The dissertation concludes with an argument for attention to "relational literacies" in both service-learning practice and scholarship.

The purpose of this study was to determine if elementary student teachers applied the training received in a communication course on a thirteen week practicum, and if so, what specifically was applied or transferred. The practicum took place a year after the communication course; this study was undertaken nineteen months after the completion of the communication course. The participants had obtained a bachelor's degree prior to enrolling for a two year teacher training program. The critical incident technique and a structured questioning technique were used respectively in an intensive interviewing process. The findings reveal that the transference occurred in terms of attitude, knowledge, and skills from the experience of the communication course to the practical experience of the thirteen week practicum. These factors were helpful in creating a focussed and motivating presentational style, verbally and nonverbally, and in reducing stress and conflict in interactions with students, parents and collegues. Student teachers were adamant in stating that the success of their learning was due to the positive atmosphere of the communication course, the caring, enthusiastic and motivating nature of the instructors, and the bonding which occurred between the participants as a result of this caring. These factors provided the basic human needs of affection and community.
Education, Faculty of
Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of
Graduate

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A. Background - Registrars play a significant role as teachers for undergraduate medical students and junior doctors in the clinical setting. (Jack et al. 2010; Busari & Scherpbier 2004). Many however teach ineffectively as registrars are rarely taught how to teach (Morrison et al. 2002, Busari et al. 2002; Thomas et al. 2002). This has prompted a number of universities to implement “Registrar-as-Teacher” training programs as part of faculty development (FD) initiatives (Leslie et al. 2014; Post et al. 2009, Hill et al. 2009). Although available evidence has demonstrated a positive impact of these programs on the teaching performance of registrars, large differences exist in the interventions, curricula content and participant characteristics. Few studies identified a conceptual framework that informed the design. Most studies focused on a quantitative approach to evaluate outcome; ignoring contextual factors that may shape the successful implementation of new knowledge and skills gained. At Tygerberg Hospital, education is a key performance area of registrar’s staff performance management agreement but no formal training program for registrars as teachers exists. The Centre for Health Professions Education at Stellenbosch University thus piloted a half-day workshop for newly appointed registrars from various disciplines with the aim to develop the clinical supervision skills of registrars as clinical educators. B. Research Design and Methodology - The overall aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of a pilot “Registrar-as-Teacher” workshop at the University of Stellenbosch. The specific objectives included: - To evaluate registrar perceived relevance of workshop content - To evaluate registrar self-evaluation of teaching practices - To identify factors affecting the teaching practices of registrars - To observe and evaluate registrar teaching practices in the clinical setting - To increase the “Registrar-as-Teacher” workshop effectiveness A two-phased mixed method design was used, using semi-structured interviews and observation of registrars. Phase one comprised of semi-structured interviews to elicit both numerical and text-based data. Phase two included observer ratings to further explore the application of knowledge, skills and attitudes gained. The “Registrar-as-Teacher” program content was informed by the teaching roles described by Harden and Crosby (2000). As educational strategy, Knowles’ adult learning theory (1980) was applied. The study was conducted at Tygerberg Hospital, a Stellenbosch University Faculty of Health Sciences affiliated teaching hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. The study population included newly appointed registrars (year 1 and 2) from the Departments of Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Surgery, and Orthopaedics. An inductive approach was used to analyze the qualitative data. Demographic, registrar self- evaluations and workshop evaluation data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. This study was approved by the Health Research Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University (protocol number S13/10/177). C. Results - Seven of the fifteen registrars attending the pilot workshop agreed to take part in phase 1 of the study; five from the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, and one from Surgery and Obstetrics & Gynaecology respectively. Five agreed to take part in phase 2 of the study; all from the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health. Participants reported satisfaction with the program and experienced the workshop as a positive learning experience (Kirkpatrick level 1). Participants self-reported positive changes in attitudes, including motivation, self-confidence, enthusiasm, and conceptions of teaching. Knowledge and skills were gained, as self-reported and observed. Individual benefits such as increased self-awareness of teaching ability and increased awareness of student needs were reported (Kirkpatrick level 2). Participants self-reported behavior changes in their teaching practices. Participants, bar one, demonstrated appropriate educational practices and teaching skills (Kirkpatrick level 3). Participants in our study reported their expanded conceptions of the roles of a teacher as one of the most useful aspects of the workshop. Role modelling was singled out as the most useful session. Participants generally had a positive view on their contribution to student learning. They saw it as a formative influence on how students view the profession and discipline. Unique aspects of registrar teaching were highlighted as being more informal in nature, more practice orientated; and working in a closer relationship with students; thus complementary to the consultant teaching role. Participants recognized that they are still developing their clinical teaching skills. Most participants rely on observed teaching methods or borrow from their own experiences as students. Participants based their self-assessment of being a good teacher on their personal views that mirrored their conceptions of a good teacher; seldom asking for or receiving feedback on their teaching skills to shape their own learning or performance as clinical teachers. Most participants in our study asked for regular or follow up training where they could reflect on their development and also receive feedback on progress made. Few participants felt comfortable to give feedback to students or to use the ‘one-minute preceptor’ compared to other aspects of clinical teaching. Our FD program’s session on teaching in the clinical setting and the ‘one-minute preceptor’ thus worked less well. This speaks to how to increase the effectiveness of future workshops. Even though all participants enjoyed teaching students, reported barriers to effective teaching were many. Participants often felt frustrated and overwhelmed by their teaching task. Limited time with competing responsibilities such as huge service demands and administrative duties impacted negatively on participants’ ability to teach students. Participants mostly felt unsupported and undervalued as teachers by their various departments, with little guidance on the expected student teaching content, process or learning outcomes. Although the expectation to teach is clearly communicated by the various departments, there is no training, supervision structure, formative feedback, or appreciation of their teaching performance. This lack of orientation and communication was further highlighted by participants pointing to the explanation of the MBChB undergraduate curriculum structure as the second most useful component of the course after role modelling. D. Conclusion and Recommendations - Our study confirmed the important role of registrars as teachers in the clinical setting. Apart from sharing theoretical and on-the-job knowledge, registrars teach practical skills and act as role models for the profession. Participants perceived the pilot “Registrar-as-Teacher” workshop content as relevant and the workshop shaped their teaching conceptions and practices. But workplace barriers like limited time with competing responsibilities impacted negatively on participants’ ability to teach students. A reported lack of guidance and support from the respective departments further undermined their ability to develop as clinical teachers. Future “Registrar-as-Teacher” FD initiatives at Stellenbosch University should thus provide registrars with optimal approaches and best teaching practices for busy clinical settings; enabling them to merge teaching with work. Strengthening FD requires the adoption of a broader conceptual framework that does not just focus on the individual participant, but link FD to the development of the department or institution as a whole (Swanwick & McKimm 2012). Workplace communities that include departmental faculty members should be involved in FD programs; allowing for ongoing learning and professional development of registrars as clinical teachers (O’Sullivan & Irby 2011; Steinert et al. 2010; Webster-Wright 2009; Hunter et al. 2008; Thorndyke et al. 2006). This requires a longitudinal strategy. Our “Registrar-as-Teacher” FD program should thus move away from the one-time workshop and instead create multiple learning events with opportunities for application and reflection.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: A. Agtergrond - Kliniese Asssistente (KAs) speel ‘n belangrike rol as onderwysers vir voorgraadse studente en junior dokters in die kliniese omgewing (Jack et al. 2010; Busari & Scherpbier 2004). Baie gebruik egter oneffektiewe onderrigmetodes omdat hulle selde opleiding ontvang oor onderrig (Morrison et al. 2002, Busari et al. 2002; Thomas et al. 2002). Verskeie universiteite het die probleem aangespreek deur “KA-as-Onderwyser” opleidingsprogramme as deel van hul Fakulteitsontwikkelings inisiatiewe te loots (Leslie et al. 2014; Post et al. 2009, Hill et al. 2009). Alhoewel beskikbare bewyse dui op ‘n positiewe impak van die programme op die onderrig prestasies van Kliniese Assistente, kom groot verskille voor in die intervensies, kurrikulum inhoud en deelnemer eienskappe. Min studies het sover ‘n konseptuele raamwerk geidentifiseer wat die studie ontwerp belig. Meeste studies fokus ook op slegs ‘n kwantitatiewe benadering as evalueringsuitkoms; en ignoreer die kontekstuele faktore wat die suksesvolle implementering van nuwe kennis en vaardighede mag beinvloed. By Tygerberg Hospitaal is onderrig ‘n sleutel prestasie area vir Kliniese Assistente se personeel prestasie bestuur ooreenkoms, maar geen formele opleidingsprogram vir KAs bestaan nie. Die Sentrum vir Gesondheidsberoepe Onderwys by Stellenbosch Universiteit het dus ‘n halfdag werkswinkel geloots vir nuutaangestelde KAs van verskeie departemente met die doel om hul kliniese supervisie vaardighede te ontwikkel. B. Navorsingontwerp en Metodiek - Die oorkoepelende doel van die studie was om die uitkoms van die nuwe “KA-as-Onderwyser” werkswinkel by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch te evalueer. Die spesifieke doelwitte het ingesluit: - Om die KAs se relevansie van die werkswinkel inhoud te evalueer - Om KAs se self-evaluasie van hul onderrigpraktyke te evalueer - Om faktore te identifiseer wat onderrigpraktyke van KAs beinvloed - Om KAs se onderrigpraktyke in die kliniese omgewing te observeer en te evalueer - Om die effektiwiteit van die “KA-as-Onderwyser” werkswinkel te verbeter. ‘n Twee-fase gemengde metodiek ontwerp is gebruik wat die gebruik van semi- gestruktureerde onderhoude en observasies van KAs ingesluit het. Fase een het bestaan uit semi- gestruktureerde onderhoude om beide numeriese en teks-data te ontlok. Fase twee het ingesluit observasies en gradering van onderrig aktiwiteite om die toepassing van nuwe kennis, vaardighede en houdings te verken. Die “KA-as-Onderwyser” program inhoud is deur die onderwyser rolle soos beskryf deur Harden en Crosby (2000) toegelig. As onderrigstrategie is Knowles se volwasse leerteorie (1980) toegepas. Die studie is uitgevoer by Tygerberg Hospitaal, ‘n Stellenbosch Universiteit Fakulteit van Geneeskunde en Gesondheidswetenskappe geaffilieerde onderrighospitaal. Die studie populasie het ingesluit nuutaangestelde KAs (jaar 1 en 2) van die Departemente Interne Geneeskunde, Pediatrie, Obstetrie en Verloskunde, Chirurgie en Ortopedie. ‘n Induktiewe benadering is gevolg om die kwalitatiewe data te analiseer. Demografiese, KA self- en geobserveerde evaluasies, en werkswinkel evaluasie data is met behulp van beskrywende statistiese metodes geanaliseer. Die studie is goedgekeur deur die Gesondheids Navorsings Etiese Komitee van Stellenbosch Universiteit (protokol nommer S13/10/177). C. Resultate Sewe van die vyftien KAs wat die werkswinkel bygewoon het, het ingestem om deel te neem aan fase 1 van die studie; vyf van die Departement van Pediatrie en Kindergesondheid, en een elk van Chirurgie en Obstetrie en Verloskunde. Vyf het ingestem om deel te wees van fase 2 van die studie; almal van die Departement van Pediatrie en Kindergesondheid. Deelnemers was gelukkig met die program en het die werkswinkel as ‘n positiewe leerervaring beskryf (Kirkpatrick vlak 1). Deelnemers het positiewe veranderinge in houding, insluitend motivering, selfvertroue, entoesiasme, en opvattings van onderrig rapporteer. Beide selfbeskrywende en geobserweerde kennis en vaardighede is uitgebrei. Individuele voordele soos verhoogde self bewustheid van onderrig vermoeens en verhoogde bewustheid van studentbehoeftes is gerapporteer (Kirkpatrick vlak 2). Deelnemers het veranderinge in hul onderrig praktyke rapporteer. Alle deelnemers, behalwe een, het ook toepaslike onderrig praktyke en onderrig vaardighede demonstreer (Kirkpatrick vlak 3). Deelnemers van ons studie het die nuwe opvattings oor hul rol as kliniese onderwysers as een van die waardevolste aspekte van die werkswinkel beskryf. Rolmodellering was uitgesonder as die mees waardevolste sessie. Deelnemers het in die algemeen ‘n positiewe siening van hul bydrae tot studente onderrig gehad. Hulle sien dit as ‘n formatiewe invloed op hoe studente die mediese professie en spesifieke dissiplines beskou. Unieke aspekte van KA onderrig wat uitgelig is was die meer informele aard van hul onderrig, dat dit meer prakties georienteerd is, en dat hul ‘n nouer verhouding met studente het; dus ‘n komplementere rol tot die onderrig rol van die konsultant. Deelnemers erken dat hul steeds ontwikkel as kliniese onderwysers. Meeste deelnemers maak staat op geobserweerde onderrigmetodes of leen van hul eie ervarings as student. Deelnemers baseer hul siening oor hulself as goeie onderwysers op hul persoonlike siening van ‘n goeie onderwyser en vra selde terugvoer oor hul onderrig praktyke om sodoende hul eie leer en prestasie as kliniese onderwysers te vorm. Meeste deelnemers in ons studie het egter gevra vir gereelde en opvolg opleiding sodat hulle oor hul eie onderrig praktyke kan reflekteer. Min deelnemers was gemaklik om terugvoer aan studente te gee of om die ‘one-minute preceptor’ strategie te gebruik in vergelyking met ander onderrig strategiee. Ons werkswinkel sessie oor onderrig en strategiee in die besige kliniese omgewing was dus minder suksesvol en sal in toekomstige werkswinkels aangespreek moet word. Alhoewel deelnemers studente onderrig oor die algemeen geniet, is baie hindernisse tot effektiewe studente onderrig beskryf. Deelnemers voel dikwels gefrustreerd en oorweldig deur hul onderrig taak. Min tyd, met kompeterende verantwoordelikhede soos dienslewering en administratiewe pligte beinvloed onderrig negatief. Deelnemers rapporteer dat hul nie voldoende ondersteuning ontvang van hul verskeie departemente nie, en voel ondergewaardeer as onderwysers. Min leiding word verskaf oor verwagte studente leeruitkomste, prosesse of kennis wat oorgedra moet word. Alhoewel die verwagting dat KAs moet onderrig gee duidelik gekommunikeer word deur die verskeie departemente, vind geen opleiding, supervisie of terugvoer oor hul prestasies plaas nie. Hierdie gebrek aan orientering en kommunikasie was verder uitgelig deurdat deelnemers die verduideliking van die MBChB voorgraadse kurrikulum struktuur as die waardevolste sessie naas rolmodellering beskryf het. D. Opsomming en Aanbevelings - Ons studie bevestig die belangrike rol van KAs as onderwysers in die kliniese omgewing. Behalwe dat teoretiese en praktiese kennis en vaardighede geleer word, tree hul ook as rolmodelle vir die mediese professie op. Deelnemers het die “KA-as-Onderwyser” werkswinkel inhoud as relevant beskou en rapporteer dat dit hul onderrig opvattings en praktyke positief beinvloed het. Werksplekhindernisse soos beperkte tyd en kompeterende verantwoordelikhede beinvloed onderrig van studente egter negatief. ‘n Gerapporteerde gebrek aan leiding en ondersteuning van hul onderskeie departemente ondermyn verder KAs se ontwikkeling as kliniese onderwysers. Toekomstige “Kliniese Assistent-as-Onderwyser” Fakulteitsontwikkelings-inisiatiewe by Stellenbosch Universiteit moet dus KAs voorsien van optimale strategiee en onderrig praktyke om werk en onderrig suksesvol te kan kombineer. Om Fakulteitsontwikkelings-inisiatiewe verder te versterk, moet ‘n breer konseptuele raamwerk aanvaar word wat nie net fokus op die individuele deelnemer nie, maar wat Fakulteitsontwikkeling koppel aan die ontwikkeling van departemente en instansies (Swanwick & McKimm 2012). Werksplek gemeenskappe wat departementele konsultante insluit, moet betrokke wees by Fakulteitsontwikkeling om KAs in staat te stel om professioneel te ontwikkel as kliniese onderwysers (O’Sullivan & Irby 2011; Steinert et al. 2010; Webster-Wright 2009; Hunter et al. 2008; Thorndyke et al. 2006). Hierdie vra vir ‘n longitudinale strategie. Ons “KA-as-Onderwyser” Fakulteitsontwikkelingsprogram moet weg beweeg van eenmalige werkswinkels en eerder veelvuldige leergeleenthede skep met geleenthede vir toepassing en refleksie.

California's Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program (BTSA) is a high stakes induction program; a new teacher's completion of a BTSA induction program leads to the California clear credential. The cornerstone of the BTSA induction program is the mentor, also known as a support provider. Mentors provide a variety of services to new teachers including individualized formative assessment of practice and ongoing reflection on teaching skills. Effective mentors are critical to the success of new teachers and foundational to the induction program. Although BTSA programs are mandated by state induction standards to assess the quality of services provided by their support providers, the standards do not define quality. BTSA programs are free to create their own assessment criteria and assessment methods.

This qualitative, descriptive study (a) examined the perceptions of BTSA program directors on the relationship between established forms of mentor criteria, methods of formative assessment, and formative feedback provided to mentors and (b) identified those components of mentor assessment that are perceived by BTSA program directors to be valuable in assessing mentor effectiveness.

The study found that BTSA directors placed import on assessing mentors for personal dispositions, such as attitude and responsibility, as well as the quality of their work with their novice teachers. Directors perceived that formative feedback from either the BTSA director or peers was important in increasing mentor effectiveness. The directors' perceptions of valued components of mentor assessment were shaped not only by the requirements regarding mentor assessment contained within Induction Standard 3 (California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, 2008), but by local culture, district goals, and existing models of educator assessments within each organization.

BTSA directors, who led programs in high performing schools, valued assessing a mentor's ability to build relationships with novices for the purpose of advancing the novices' teaching practice and were more likely to endorse mentor self-assessment and reflection as major components of assessment. Conversely, BTSA directors who operated programs in under-performing schools valued mentor assessment components that evaluated the mentor's ability to effect and advance the teaching practice of the novice. The latter programs perhaps provided mentors with more specific, explicit feedback.