When in Rome...: Influences on Special Education Student-Teachers' Teaching
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| Title: | When in Rome...: Influences on Special Education Student-Teachers' Teaching |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Cook, Lysandra |
| Source: | International Journal of Special Education. 2007 22(3):118-130. |
| Availability: | International Journal of Special Education. 2889 Highbury Street, Vancouver, BC V6R 3T7, Canada. Web site: http://www.internationaljournalofspecialeducation.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 13 |
| Publication Date: | 2007 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education |
| Descriptors: | Special Education Teachers, Student Teachers, Influences, Decision Making, Student Surveys, Focus Groups, Cooperating Teachers, Education Courses, Work Experience |
| ISSN: | 0827-3383 |
| Abstract: | Student-teaching is the foundational professional experience for most special education teachers. We investigated the influences on preservice teachers' decision-making during their student-teaching through a two-part study. In the first phase, six undergraduate student-teachers at a large Midwestern university participated in focus group. Participants indicated that they made instructional decisions in five main areas (i.e., planning, teaching style, teaching methods, behavior management, and handling of a difficult moment) that were primarily influenced by their cooperating-teacher, previous experience, and university coursework. We then generated a survey on which 51 special education student-teachers from the same university rated the degree to which these three sources influenced the five areas of instructional decision-making. Cooperating-teachers were perceived as a significantly greater influence than university coursework in handling a difficult moment, teaching methods, and planning; and were a significantly greater influence than previous experience in behavior management and planning. Previous experience was significantly more influential than university coursework in relation to teaching style and handling a difficult moment. Implications for teacher preparation and bridging the research-to-practice gap are discussed. (Contains 4 tables.) |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Number of References: | 50 |
| Entry Date: | 2008 |
| Accession Number: | EJ814521 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Student-teaching is the foundational professional experience for most special education teachers. We investigated the influences on preservice teachers' decision-making during their student-teaching through a two-part study. In the first phase, six undergraduate student-teachers at a large Midwestern university participated in focus group. Participants indicated that they made instructional decisions in five main areas (i.e., planning, teaching style, teaching methods, behavior management, and handling of a difficult moment) that were primarily influenced by their cooperating-teacher, previous experience, and university coursework. We then generated a survey on which 51 special education student-teachers from the same university rated the degree to which these three sources influenced the five areas of instructional decision-making. Cooperating-teachers were perceived as a significantly greater influence than university coursework in handling a difficult moment, teaching methods, and planning; and were a significantly greater influence than previous experience in behavior management and planning. Previous experience was significantly more influential than university coursework in relation to teaching style and handling a difficult moment. Implications for teacher preparation and bridging the research-to-practice gap are discussed. (Contains 4 tables.) |
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| ISSN: | 0827-3383 |
