Rozprawy doktorskie na temat „Pre-service teacher education”

The U.S. population is rapidly diversifying, with the expectation that culturally diverse groups—including students—will outnumber European Americans by the year 2050. In contrast, public school teachers are expected to remain largely middle class, female, and Caucasian. Most multicultural education research has focused on cultural diversity in urban education settings. However, a gap in the literature has existed regarding student diversity and teachers' culturally responsive teaching in predominantly rural areas. In this study, Appalachian elementary school teachers shared their perspectives and experiences on effective multicultural teaching. An important gap has been bridged by using a 3-part theoretical framework, based on critical reflection, scaffolding, and perspective taking, related to the main research questions regarding (a) the qualities and experiences that in-service public school teachers possess that allow them to effectively teach students from a variety of backgrounds, and (b) what in-service teachers suggest for improving teacher preparation to meet the challenges of cultural diversity in schools. A qualitative, phenomenological approach anchored in a constructivist paradigm was used to gather voice data via a digital voice recorder from 8 participants. Semi structured, open-ended interviews were conducted to collect the data, followed by transcription and analysis. Data analysis resulted in the discovery of 5 themes related to the research questions and revealed mapping onto the conceptual framework. Social change implications can result in improved teacher education programs in rural areas and can enhance collaboration with professional development schools to improve pre-service teacher preparation for teaching diverse students.

Studies have shown that conflict resolution and violence prevention education may be lacking within school-based environments. There is a gap in the literature regarding pre-service and in-service conflict resolution and violence prevention education for urban high school educators. The purpose of the study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of urban high school educators’ pre-service and in-service conflict resolution and violence prevention education, and the student health-related antecedents that contribute to both. Utilizing a case study methodology, this study emphasized the diverse geographic locations of urban high school educators’ pre-service institutions and the perceptions of their pre-service and in-service education regarding 5 student health-related antecedents to conflict and violence in school. Data collection included individual audio-recorded interviews and a follow-up focus group. Data was analyzed by participant’s responses to interview questions that aligned with research questions. Data was then coded, cross-coded, and triangulated to generate themes. The results indicated that pre-service teacher education programs are not addressing conflict resolution and violence prevention in schools among pre-service teachers. Further, study findings indicate that teachers and administrators are currently experiencing student health-related antecedents to conflict and violence in school. Research findings also indicated that in-service training is failing to address these critical issues. This study could impact positive social change by implementing relevant and innovative education within pre-service and in-service educator training to address school-level violence.

Students diagnosed with disabilities are increasingly educated in inclusive settings. Despite this shift, general education teachers typically do not receive adequate preparation for working with these populations. Such deficiencies in preparation have lasting negative consequences for students with disabilities, particularly with regard to education and employment outcomes.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to curriculum development and instruction that is targeted toward providing all students, regardless of any distinguishing characteristic, with an opportunity to learn. As such, UDL appears particularly well suited for inclusive settings. An emerging body of research suggests that UDL-based instruction fosters improved learning outcomes for students with and without disabilities. Recent federal education policies, particularly the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, have encouraged general education teacher preparation programs to provide instruction on UDL.

The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which faculty members of college and university-based teacher preparation programs perceive that the instruction of UDL has been incorporated into their general education teacher preparation courses. Areas of the framework that are typically taught by faculty members, as well as barriers to the incorporation of the framework, are also examined. An online survey was administered to general education faculty of programs that were recipients of Teacher Quality Partnership Grants for Pre-Baccalaureate Preparation of Teachers (TQP grants). These grants are awarded to programs that are expected to prepare educators to understand teaching research and practices that are consistent with the UDL framework.

The data collected indicate that UDL is being taught in a wider range of programs and states than previously documented. However, the depth of this penetration appears limited; the survey results suggest that awareness and instruction of the framework were modest for programs with TQP grants. Among faculty who do teach UDL, nearly all address all three UDL principles. At least two-thirds provide instruction on seven of the nine associated guidelines. Several barriers to instruction were identified, including a lack of awareness and—among those aware of it—insufficient knowledge of the framework. Recommendations for future research are also discussed.

This study investigated secondary mathematics pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) knowledge of resources in terms of digital technologies, and explored the processes of both selection and integration of technology into their lesson plans. This study employed a case study design. Participants were six secondary mathematics PSTs who enrolled in a methods course. Data sources included technology portfolios submitted as a requirement in the methods course and semi-structured interviews. The types of digital technologies were classified either conveyance technologies which are used to convey information or cognitive technologies which enable users to perform mathematical actions and receive immediate feedback (Dick & Hollebrand, 2011). Each task in these lesson plans was evaluated by using the Task Analysis Guide (Stein, Smith, Henningsen, & Silver, 2009). Finally, the intended way of technology use was identified whether as amplifier which enables students to accomplish a task more efficiently and accurately or as recognizer which transforms students’ actions and enables them to reorganize their thinking (Pea, 1985).

The findings indicated that the PSTs’ technology knowledge was limited in terms of the content. It was clear that these PSTs’ technology knowledge, the capability of technology, ease of use, availability of technology in the context, students’ familiarity with technology, and appropriateness of technology to meet the learning objectives were the most important factors influencing their technology selection and integration. Furthermore, the findings exhibited that the PSTs preferred to build their lesson around with a high cognitive level tasks which were either doing mathematics or procedures with connections and their intended way of technology use in these tasks was identified as either an amplifier or a reorganizer. In general, the findings also revealed that when the level of cognitive demand of the selected task was doing mathematics, the intended way of the technology use in these tasks were as reorganizer.

A Response-to-Intervention (RTI) model of educational service delivery is a multi-tiered, preventative approach designed to meet the educational and behavioral needs of all learners. While the New York State (NYS) Department of Education has mandated the use of this model in grades K–4, the extent to which RTI competencies are taught within teacher training programs is unclear. Therefore, examination of pre-service teachers' perceptions of RTI knowledge and skills, as well as their perceptions about the amount of focus on RTI skills within training programs was conducted. Participants were recruited from NYS-approved undergraduate teacher training programs leading to certification birth to grade six. Results indicated that pre-service teachers hold a positive view of the RTI model. More specifically, respondents reported high levels of self-confidence in consultation and collaboration skills, combined with moderate levels of self-confidence in teaching and intervention skills. Assessment and data-based decision making skills, including interpretation of universal screening and progress monitoring data, identification of reading skill deficits, and selection of interventions were rated the lowest. Respondents rated higher levels of self-confidence related to the use of general teaching principles compared to knowledge of reading development or the selection and implementation of interventions for at-risk learners. Additionally, participants from TEAC-accredited programs reported significantly higher perceptions about the RTI model than those from NCATE-accredited programs. Lastly, participants seeking a dual certification (i.e., general and special education) reported receiving significantly greater focus on RTI concepts within the training program than respondents enrolled in programs leading to only general or special education certification. Implications for research and practice are provided.