Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Teachers are unique when compared to most other professionals, as pre-service teachers spend more than a decade observing teachers in practice before entering their own professional training. This study investigated teacher candidates at the earliest point of their teacher training, entry into a teacher certification program, at the University of Sydney and University of Auckland in 2005. Specifically, this study sought to address how prior experiences informed the teacher role identity of male primary, female secondary and non-traditional student teachers. These three teacher candidate groups emerged from a previous study (Sexton, 2002) which explored post-graduate teacher candidates’ beliefs with the most vivid and articulate prior experiences. The study used a mixed-model research design to explore the research question, How do pre-service teacher candidates interpret prior teacher experiences as to the type of teacher they do and do not want to become? 354 entry-level teacher candidates were surveyed using both closed item and open-ended responses. From these participants, 35 were then interviewed before their course commencement and then again after their first teaching practicum. The study showed that there were differences as to how prior teachers informed the teacher role identity of entry-level student teachers. Male primary candidates were more influenced by their positive primary experiences of role model teachers. Female secondary participants remembered those secondary teachers who encouraged the development of critical thinking and they now wish to emulate this in their practice. Non-traditional student teachers remembered a wider range of educational experiences and entered into their teaching program to make a difference in both their and their students’ lives. The study highlights how in-service teachers play an important role in not only who will become teachers but also what subjects and school level future teachers will teach.

This study examined the effects of differing amounts of structure within the problem based learning instructional model on elementary preservice teachers' science teaching efficacy beliefs, including personal science teaching efficacy and science teaching outcome expectancy, and content knowledge acquisition. This study involved sixty (60) undergraduate elementary preservice teachers enrolled in three sections of elementary science methods classes at a large Midwestern research university. This study used a quasi-experimental nonequivalent design to collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. Participants completed instruments designed to assess science teaching efficacy beliefs, science background, and demographic data. Quantitative data from pre and posttests was obtained using the science teaching efficacy belief instrument-preservice (STEBI-B) developed by Enochs and Riggs (1990) and modified by Bleicher (2004). Data collection instruments also included a demographic questionnaire, an analytic rubric, and a structured interview; both created by the researcher. Quantitative data was analyzed by conducting ANCOVA, paired samples t-test, and independent samples t-test. Qualitative data was analyzed using coding and themes. Each of the treatment groups received the same problem scenario, one group experienced a more structured PBL setting, and one group experienced a limited structure PBL setting. Research personnel administered pre and posttests to determine the elementary preservice teachers' science teaching efficacy beliefs. The results show elementary preservice teachers'science teaching efficacy beliefs can be influence by the problem based learning instructional model. This study did not find that the amount of structure in the form of core ideas to consider and resources for further research increased science teaching efficacy beliefs in this sample. Results from the science content knowledge rubric indicated that structure can increase science content knowledge in this sample. Qualitative data from the tutor, fidelity raters, and interviews indicated the participants were excited about the problem and were interested in the science content knowledge related to the problem. They also indicated they were motivated to continue informal study in the problem area. Participants indicated, during the interview, their initial frustration with the lack of knowledge gained from the tutor; however, indicated this led to more learning on their part. This study will contribute to the overall knowledge of problem based learning and its structures, science teaching efficacy beliefs of elementary preservice teachers, and to current teaching and learning practices.

abstract: ABSTRACT There is a continuing emphasis in the United States to improve student's mathematical abilities and one approach is to better prepare teachers. This study investigated the effects of using lesson study with preservice secondary mathematics teachers to improve their proficiency at planning and implementing instruction. The participants were students (preservice teachers) in an undergraduate teacher preparation program at a private university who were enrolled in a mathematics methods course for secondary math teachers. This project used lesson study to engage preservice teachers in collaboratively creating lessons, field testing them, using feedback to revise the lessons, and re-teaching the revised lesson. The preservice teachers worked through multiple cycles of the process in their secondary math methods class receiving feedback from their peers and instructor prior to teaching the lessons in their field experience (practicum). A mixed methods approach was implemented to investigate the preservice teacher's abilities to plan and implement instruction as well as their efficacy for teaching. Data were collected from surveys, video analysis, student reflections, and semi-structured interviews. The findings from this study indicate that lesson study for preservice teachers was an effective means of teacher education. Lesson study positively impacted the preservice teachers' ability to plan and teach mathematical lessons more effectively. The preservice teachers successfully transitioned from teaching in the methods classroom to their field experience classroom during this innovation. Further, the efficacy of the preservice teachers to teach secondary mathematics increased based on this innovation. Further action research cycles of lesson study with preservice teachers are recommended. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2013

abstract: With the unveiling of the National Educational Technology Plan 2010, both preservice and inservice K12 teachers in the United States are expected to create a classroom environment that fosters the creation of digital citizens. However, it is unclear whether or not teacher education programs build this direct instruction, or any other method of introducing students to the National Education Technology Standards (NETS), "a standard of excellence and best practices in learning, teaching and leading with technology in education," into their curriculum (International Society for Technology in Education, 2012). As with most teaching skills, the NETS and standards-based technology integration must be learned through exposure during the teacher preparation curriculum, either through modeling, direct instruction or assignments constructed to encourage standards-based technology integration. This study attempted to determine the extent to which preservice teachers at Arizona State University (ASU) enrolled in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College (MLFTC) can recognize the National Education Technology Standards (NETS) published by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and to what extent preservice teachers are exposed to technology integration in accordance with the NETS-T standards in their preparation curriculum in order to answer the questions of whether or not teacher education curriculum provides students an opportunity to learn and apply the NETS-T and if preservice teachers in core teacher preparation program courses that include objectives that integrate technology are more likely to be able to identify NETS-T standards than those in courses that do not include these elements In order to answer these questions, a mixed-method design study was utilized to gather data from an electronic survey, one-on-one interviews with students, faculty, and administrators, and document analysis of core course objectives and curriculum goals in the teacher certification program at ASU. The data was analyzed in order to determine the relationship between the preservice teachers, the NETS-T standards, and the role technology plays in the curriculum of the teacher preparation program. Results of the analysis indicate that preservice teachers have a minimum NETS-T awareness at the Literacy level, indicating that they can use technology skills when prompted and explore technology independently. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Educational Technology 2013

The purpose of this study was to explore the integration of family involvement in the courses and field experiences in an undergraduate special education program. This study also explored preservice teachers’ perceptions about what they learned in their program and the perceptions, and understandings of pre-service teachers regarding collaboration with families based on their past experiences with their families. This study used qualitative research methods to answer questions about perceptions of pre-service teachers’ perceptions of collaborating with families and the extent to which their perceptions are influenced by their own family backgrounds as well as their perceptions about what they learned in their program. In order to address the goals and related research questions of this study, the research design will be a descriptive case study. Interviews with six preservice teachers and two professors and document analysis used in this study as a source of data. Three themes emerged from the data. The themes are as follows: perceptions of preservice teachers about family-school collaboration, preservice teachers’ past experiences when they were at K-12 in terms of family involvement and teacher education program experiences of preservice teachers.

Alors que de nombreuses directives institutionnelles invitent à considérer la formation des enseignants novices (EN) comme un moyen d’accroitre leur satisfaction professionnelle et in fine leur santé, peu de travaux scientifiques ont réellement étudié le caractère effectif de ce type de considération. Cette étude a donc pour objet premier d’analyser, dans le cadre de situations de formation de type tutorat mixte impliquant tuteurs de terrain et formateurs universitaires, les circonstances de formation permettant d’aboutir à la satisfaction professionnelles des enseignants novices en situation de travail en classe. Cette étude s’inscrit dans un programme de recherche sur la formation professionnelle dont les soubassements épistémologiques sont issus d’une anthropologie culturaliste principalement inspirée de la philosophie analytique de Wittgenstein (2004). Elle a été menée dans le cadre d’un dispositif innovant de formation en alternance articulant de façon itérative des séquences de formation menées sous la forme d’entretiens de conseil pédagogique et des séquences de travail en classe. Les résultats de cette étude permettent de situer trois principales circonstances de formation ayant permis d’aboutir à l’apprentissage de règles par les EN, voire à leur développement professionnel et, par-là même, à leur satisfaction : (i) l’intérêt pour les formateurs de « dé-satisfaire » les EN avant de s’engager dans une activité d’enseignement de nouvelles règles, (ii) la nécessité pour les EN d’avoir une « exemplarisation » des règles enseignées qui s’ancre dans leurs circonstances d’enseignement et, (iii) la nécessité pour les formateurs d’engager un véritable travail d’accompagnement des EN lors de leurs premiers suivis des règles préalablement enseignées. Sur la base d’une discussion de ces résultats des pistes, en matière de recherches complémentaires à mener et de dispositifs innovants à mettre en œuvre, sont finalement proposées. / Many institutional guidelines point out that teacher education programs can be a means to enhance the job satisfaction, and thereby the health, of preservice teachers (PTs). However, few studies have actually examined this proposition. This study therefore sought to determine the training circumstances that contribute to PTs’ satisfaction with their classroom work in the context of teacher education with teams composed of cooperating teachers and university supervisors. This study is part of a research program based on epistemological principles derived from cultural anthropology, which has been much inspired by the analytical philosophy of Wittgenstein (2004). The study was conducted within the framework of an innovative teacher education program that alternates sequences of PTs’ classroom work with sequences of supervisory meetings. The results indicate three main training circumstances that facilitated the PTs’ learning of the work rules, which in turn contributed to their professional development and thereby to their satisfaction: (i) the teacher educator team needs to “de-satisfy” the PTs before engaging in the activity of teaching new work rules, (ii) the PTs need an “exemplification” of the new work rules that is rooted in their actual teaching circumstances, and (iii) the teacher education team needs to engage in a veritable work of supporting the PTs as they begin to follow the work rules that they have learned. The discussion of the results focuses on proposals for new directions in complementary research and innovative training methods.

The study used a survey design to ascertain the levels of knowledge and attitudes of special education and non-special education preservice and inservice teachers towards students with different sexual orientations. The results of this study are based on 408 responses from preservice and inservice teachers enrolled at seven institutions of higher education within North Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia offering teacher training programs in regular and/or special education. Two previously developed instruments were used to measure dependent variables in this study. Koch's modified version of The Knowledge about Homosexuality Questionnaire developep by Harris, Nightengale & Owen was used to measure the dependent variable of the preservice and inservice teacher's knowledge about homosexuality. Herek's Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men (ATLG) measured the dependent variable of attitudes towards homosexuals. The study found no significant differences reported mean scores for knowledge or attitude of homosexuality among the teacher groups surveyed: (a) special education preservice teachers, (b) non-special education preservice teachers, (c) special education inservice teachers, and (d) non-special education inservice teachers. Neither gender nor age were found to be factors in measures of knowledge or attitude of preservice or inservice teachers. Receiving prior instruction in serving the needs of GLBT students, or with a focus GLBT issues, contributed to higher levels of knowledge and more positive attitudes. This research identified current levels of knowledge and attitudes of preservice and inservice teachers towards GLBT youth, and this information may help outline areas of possible changes necessary in teacher preparation programs, research, and policy.

Numerous models of IS success and technology acceptance their extensions have been proposed and applied in empirical. This study continues this tradition and extends the body of knowledge on the topic of IS success by developing a more comprehensive model for measuring IS success and technology acceptance within a government organization. The proposed model builds upon three established IS success and technology acceptance frameworks namely the DeLone and McLean (2003), Venkatesh et al.'s (2003) unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), and Wixom and Todd (2005). The findings from this study provide not only a comprehensive IS success assessment model but also insights into whether and how IS success models are influenced by application variables as applied within a government organization. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed for instrument refinement and validity test of the existing and proposed models. Using data from employees of a local government municipal, the comprehensive model explained 32 percent variance. Four of the hypothesis were fully supported five were not supported, and four were partially supported. In addition, the results suggest that behavioral intention may not be the best predictor of technology acceptance in a mandatory environment.

abstract: There are many benefits for children, teachers, families, and schools when partnerships are formed between families and teachers. However, many new teachers are entering the teaching profession not feeling confident about communicating and engaging with parents. This lack of confidence stems from some teacher preparation programs not including curriculum that explicitly addresses how to communicate and engage with parents. The focus of this study was to investigate the extent to which four Family Engagement Trainings affected preservice teachers during their student teaching practicum. A quasi-experimental approach using an explanatory sequential mixed method action research design was used to measure changes in preservice teachers’ knowledge, value, and self-efficacy regarding communicating and engaging with parents throughout the 19 weeks of the study. A survey instrument, personal meaning maps, and reflections were used to gather data. Results indicated the Family Engagement Trainings were effective in positively changing the preservice teachers’ knowledge, value, and self-efficacy to communicate and engage with families. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2020

This is a qualitative, mixed-methods study that focuses on the dispositions that preservice teachers bring into teacher education programs in regard to homelessness. Teacher education programs play an important role in providing preservice teachers experiences teaching that prepare them for working with diverse populations of students. Students enrolled in an elementary art methods course and participated in a civic engagement experience, teaching children after school who were living in a transitional housing program. The results of this study showed evidence that working in community settings with diverse students can alter preservice teachers' notions and awareness of impoverished and homeless children. As a researcher, it is my hope that this alteration will significantly impact the way that pre-service teachers interact with all of their future students.