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Despite the effort of teacher education programs, early childhood, and elementary preservice teachers often fear mathematics, have high mathematics anxiety, hold negative self-perceptions in relation to mathematics, find mathematics irrelevant, and have low mathematics achievement. The aim of this study was to implement and investigate the influence of an identity exploration intervention on preservice teachers’ identities in mathematics during a required mathematics content course of a teacher education program to provide insight into the patterns of change in identity and motivation towards mathematics. Twenty-four preservice teachers focusing on either early childhood education or non-mathematics secondary education were included in this study from a college algebra course specifically designed for education majors. Data collection included surveys, identity-related worksheets, identity exploration tasks, reflective writing assignments, interviews, and observations. Data was analyzed using the Dynamics Systems Model of Role-Identity and the principles for promoting identity exploration (Kaplan, 2014). This model highlights the interaction between self-perceptions, beliefs, purposes and goals, and actions. Analysis led to identification of patterns of change in student role identities and themes across cases that highlight the differences in change between the early childhood participants and secondary education participants, the influence of initial identity, and the impact of perceived relevance on identity exploration. This study contributes to the understanding of identity exploration in a mathematical setting and discusses future directions of research in promotion of identity exploration in preservice teachers. / Math & Science Education

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a one-semester combined mathematics content/methods course based on Simon's (1994) Learning Cycle framework for the mathematical preparation of preservice elementary teachers was more effective at aligning preservice teachers' beliefs with the philosophy of the Standards documents (NCTM, 1989, 1991, 1995, 2000) and other reform literature than another content/methods course. While the six-cycled Learning Cycles framework has been used in separate content and methods courses (Simon, 1995), it has not been used in a combined content/methods setting. The preservice teachers enrolled in two sections of the course Teaching Math to Children: N-6 were involved in the study with one section investigating the topics measurement, geometry and fractions using the Learning Cycles framework while the other section used a different framework to investigate number concepts and place value; addition and subtraction strategies; multiplication and division strategies; geometry and spatial sense; ratio, proportion, percent, similarity and scale; and probability, counting techniques and statistics. Beliefs about the nature, teaching and learning of mathematics were measured both quantitatively and qualitatively. All participants' beliefs were assessed quantitatively at the beginning and the end of the course using a beliefs instrument with three subscales that measured beliefs about the nature, teaching and learning of mathematics. Five preservice teachers from the Learning Cycles course served as case studies and provided qualitative data through interviews and journal prompts. Analyses of Covariance were calculated for course of enrollment and each of the three beliefs subscales. For beliefs about the nature of mathematics, there was a significant difference between the adjusted post-test scores of the Learning Cycles group and the comparison group favoring the Learning Cycles group. Similar results were found regarding beliefs about the teaching of mathematics. While significant differences were found between the groups with regards to beliefs about the learning of mathematics, the scores on the corresponding subscale changed only slightly. Qualitative analyses confirmed the findings regarding the beliefs about the nature and teaching of mathematics. Differences were also found in the preservice teachers' beliefs about learning mathematics. The case study participants attributed certain characteristics of the course with their changing beliefs. These results indicate that the Learning Cycles course was somewhat successful at aligning preservice teachers' beliefs with those of the reform movement. / CITE/Mathematics and Science Education

Social Foundations of Education (SFE) courses have long been a staple of traditional teacher preparation programs. However, with the rise of alternative pathways to teacher certification, a debate has emerged around the usefulness of SFE courses, particularly as it relates to the development of pre-service teachers into effective educators. Employing a mixed methods design, this study explores the impact of SFE courses by examining how these classes affect pre-service teachers’ critical awareness and teacher expectations. Data for this study was collected through pretest and posttest surveys and interviews during the Fall of 2017 at two mid-Atlantic universities. In total, 132 individuals participated in the quantitative portion of the study, with 18 of these subjects also comprising the study’s focal sample. Results of this research show that SFE courses significantly increase pre-service teachers’ critical awareness but do not have an effect on teacher expectations. However, in analyzing the data by institution, this study found that SFE courses are capable of raising pre-service teachers’ expectations when course instructors adopt certain pedagogical and rhetorical practices. / Urban Education

Thesis advisor: David Scanlon / Despite the often-claimed purpose of equity, inclusive education has been defined and interpreted in different ways that paradoxically marginalize students. Teachers play a primary role in enacting inclusion, their concept of inclusion is, therefore, critical to inclusive practices and outcomes. This qualitative case study explored the impact of dialogue on preservice teachers’ understanding of inclusive education, using three major research questions: a) How do five preservice teachers conceptualize inclusive education before and after participating in a series of group dialogue? b) How do preservice teachers negotiate meanings of, perspectives on, and beliefs toward inclusion during the group dialogues when they face challenges around the concept and practice?, and c) How do facilitations—content/topics, guiding/follow-up questions, and supplementary materials and activities—mediate those negotiations?The participants were five female under-/graduate students in a teacher education program at a private Catholic University in the Northeastern United States, who were completing practicum at the time of the study. Data were collected from multiple sources, including surveys, follow-up conversations, pre/post-dialogue journal entries, individual semi-structured interviews, six group discussion sessions and accompanying artifacts (mind-maps and self-reflections), and field notes. For the first research question, qualitative content analysis and pre/post comparisons of individual participants’ journals and interviews were examined, to identify how the pre-service teachers changed their conceptualizations of inclusive education through their participation in the dialogue series. The commonalities and variations in their conceptualizations following the dialogue series were synthesized through cross-case analysis. For the second and third research questions, discussion segments and post-dialogue interviews were analyzed via constructivist grounded theory along with review of the supplementary artifacts. The findings suggested that group dialogues provided a learning space for the preservice teachers to deepen their understandings of inclusive education. A synthesis of the five single case studies revealed that, after the dialogue series, the preservice teachers conceptualized inclusion as a) a channel to prepare students for transition from the classroom/school to society, and b) a means to empower marginalized students under the rhetoric “for all,” as well as c) viewed teachers as a mechanism of inclusive action/enactment. Five themes emerged, revealing the ways in which the preservice teachers negotiated meanings of, perspectives on, and beliefs toward inclusion as they addressed challenges around the concept and practice through interactions, as well as the ways in which the facilitation mediated their negotiations. The five themes included: a) Convergence, b) Expansion Through Convergence, c) Divergence, d) Inconclusiveness, and e) Multiple Patterns. Further, the facilitation set the context where the preservice teachers could think through concrete examples in practice, provoked them to develop new ideas and perspectives and to (re)think about the issues critically enriching the discussions, and fostered their collective and individual sense-making. This study adds to knowledge on inclusive education and teacher dialogue as a learning tool, providing in-depth descriptions of how pre-service teachers developed a deeper understanding of inclusive education through facilitated group discussions that problematized taken-for-granted notions and practices of inclusion. It also provides a new instructional method of research that elucidates preservice teachers’ negotiation processes in dialogues. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

With the continual use of standardized testing, teaching art in schools, particularly elementary schools, often falls to generalist teachers with little to no experience in art. While art can be integrated into daily curriculum for deeper and lasting learning, without the proper training or support, generalist teachers are left to implement art as they encountered it in the past, if at all. Artistic anxiety and culturally misappropriated artistic experiences result in the arts being used inefficiently or avoided completely. Creating a curriculum for preservice elementary generalist teachers, I explored art integration through developing artistic confidence, skill, and identity for 16 non-artists in a 3-credit term course that included an art-teaching practicum component for participants. While the majority of participants finished the course with a positive artistic experience--many declared that they had started on an artistic path and that they looked forward to integrating the arts in their future curricula--it was evident that a course covering art integration, developing an artistic self, and completing a practicum left participants rushed and overwhelmed. Some even closed themselves off to certain projects, afraid of failure. To help preservice elementary generalists connect to art as a learning tool, I suggest establishing an arts integration minor that requires a full-semester studio course focused only on developing an artistic identity. The course should build artistic confidence and habits that preservice teachers can take into practicum courses, which focus on experientially integrating the arts in lesson planning and teaching.

Paraprofessionals have a wide range of responsibilities in the educational system to support students' academic, behavioral, and social needs. The law does not specifically define how paraprofessionals will receive training for these tasks, but many districts require teachers to fill this role. While some educators may receive adequate training, literature shows that the majority of preservice and in-service teachers feel unprepared to train, manage, and supervise paraprofessionals. In this exploratory study, grounded qualitative methods were used to analyze data from course materials and semi-structured interviews regarding faculty perspectives of current practices used in teacher preparation programs. Themes which emerged from the data included: (1) Informal or ad hoc training; (2) Recognition of the need to support conceptual awareness; and (3) Infrastructural issues. Participants in this study used their knowledge, background, and experiences to create meaningful and relevant activities with concepts that preservice teachers need to work with paraprofessionals. However, instruction tended to be informal or ad hoc due to a number of infrastructural issues and constraints surrounding current practices. The findings of the study were congruent with previous literature regarding course materials, activities, and types of training. Additionally, this study revealed some issues at the national, state, and local levels that have influenced the extent of information provided to preservice teachers regarding working with paraprofessionals.

University officials have identified a problem among secondary preservice teachers (SPTs) who have expressed reluctance to teach in local urban schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of SPTs regarding their preparation for and experiences with teaching in urban school settings. Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and Bruner's concept of scaffolding served as the conceptual frameworks that guided this study. Data were collected from 11 SPTs who completed the requirements of their field service experiences in urban schools. Data collection consisted of individual interviews, one focus group interview, and field observations. Findings showed that SPTs desire to make a difference in urban schools, lack confidence in managing culturally diverse classrooms, and desire more faculty guidance in working with diverse populations. SPTs asserted that they need more research-based teaching strategies and urban field experiences. Implications for social change include more collaboration among university faculty, urban school principals, mentor teachers, and community organizations. Findings may be used to prepare SPTs to serve culturally diverse populations, which may improve students' academic achievement in urban classrooms.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Margaret G. Shroyer / Complex social, racial, economic, and political issues involved in the practice of teaching today require beginning teachers to be informed, skilled, and culturally responsive when entering the classroom. Teacher educators must educate future teachers in ways that will help them teach all children regardless of language, cultural background, or prior knowledge. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) novice teachers described and demonstrated culturally responsive teaching strategies using their students’ cultural and academic profiles to inform practice in science and mathematics instruction. This qualitative exploratory case study considered the culturally responsive teaching practices of 12, non-traditional, Latina/o students as they progressed through a distance-based collaborative teacher education program. Qualitative techniques used throughout this exploratory case study investigated cultural responsiveness of these student teachers as they demonstrated their abilities to: a) integrate content and construct knowledge; b) illustrate social justice and prejudice reduction; and c) develop students academically during science and mathematics instruction. In conclusion, student teachers participating in this study demonstrated their ability to integrate content by: (1) including content from other cultures, (2) building positive teacher-student relationships, and (3) holding high expectations for all students. They also demonstrated their ability to facilitate knowledge construction by building on what students knew. Since there is not sufficient data to support the student teachers’ abilities to assist students in learning to be critical, independent thinkers who are open to other ways of knowing, no conclusions regarding this subtheme could be drawn. Student teachers in this study illustrated prejudice reduction by: (1) using native language support to assist students in learning and understanding science and math content, (2) fostering positive student-student interactions, and (3) creating a safe learning environment. Results also indicated that these student teachers demonstrated their ability to develop students academically by creating opportunities for learning in the classroom through their knowledge of students and by the use of research-based instructional strategies. However, based on the data collected as part of this study, the student teachers’ abilities to illustrate or model social justice during science and math instruction were not demonstrated.