ERIC ED425164: The Impact of a PDS Internship/Student Teaching Program on the Self-Efficacy, Stages of Concern and Role Perceptions of Preservice Teaching: The Evaluation of a Goals 2000 Project.

by: ERIC

Publication date: 1998-10

Topics: ERIC Archive, College School Cooperation, Elementary Education, Higher Education, Preservice Teacher Education, Professional Development Schools, Self Efficacy, Student Teacher Attitudes, Student Teachers, Student Teaching, Teacher Role, Newman, Carole, Moss, Barbara, Lenarz, Michelle, Newman, Isadore

Collection: ericarchive; additional_collections

Language: English

This study examined preservice teachers' views at the beginning and end of a Professional Development School (PDS) collaboration project in terms of their stages of concern about teaching, teacher efficacy, understanding and implementation of integrated curriculum, and implementation of technology in instruction. The study also compared traditionally prepared and PDS-prepared student teachers' levels of preparedness for the entry year. The project involved immersing 15 preservice teachers in two different PDS environments during the semester before student teaching. Students took classes designed to develop reflective practitioners who were aware of theory-practice links. The onsite field experience provided a context for reflecting upon and making sense of the site-based experiences. Data came from pretest/posttest surveys that included a self-efficacy questionnaire, a student teaching questionnaire, and a stages of concern scale. Researchers also collected journal responses and lesson plans. Data analysis indicated that students who had guided internship experiences with trained mentors, focused on-site classes, and an emphasis on reflection felt and were better equipped to enter the teaching profession. They were more efficacious and had developed a level of comfort that allowed them to focus on concerns beyond their own personal survival. (Contains 17 references.) (SM)