The purpose of this study was to better understand the nature of the contribution of the mentor teacher and the methods instructor in the development of professional knowledge of pre-service teachers (PSTs) to teach elementary science. The PSTs' conceptions of teaching science were also explored to see if there were changes in their ideas about teaching science and what influenced these changes during the methods semester of a field-based elementary teacher preparation program. Specifically, this study examined the perceptions of the PSTs regarding the nature of mentorship that they received for the teaching of elementary science. Participants were 144 PSTs from five field-based elementary methods sites, their mentor teachers, and their methods instructor from a university program in a large urban area. Of interest in this study was examining the extent to which PSTs actually observed science teaching in their mentor teachers' classrooms during the methods semester. Analysis of an end-of-semester survey revealed that more than one-third of the PSTs never observed their mentor elementary teachers teach science. On an encouraging note, 62% of PSTs who observed at least some science teaching reported that they perceived their teachers as modeling inquiry science teaching strategies. Regarding the perceived quality of mentor support for learning to teach science, more than 90% of PSTs reported that they felt supported by mentor teachers in their growth of science teaching even if the mentor teachers did not incorporate science lessons into their school day. In addition, half of the PSTs' conceptions of teaching science changed over the methods semester, with the methods course and the elementary classroom as the two most influential factors.

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 14 Mathematics, Science, Technology Teacher Preparation (MSTTP) Academies located across the state of Texas. The aim of the academies was to increase the number of highly qualified mathematics, science, and technology teachers, while also improving the quality of certified teachers in these areas by focusing on seven established goals. The researcher examined best practices for professional development and teacher preparation utilized by the academies, as well as strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, the extent to which the participants perceived the academy had improved their content knowledge and pedagogical skills was examined. Finally, the extent to which the seven goals were associated with participants’ perceived content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge was analyzed. The study used secondary data from a larger evaluation of the MSTTP Academies. A mixed-methods design utilizing triangulation to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data was employed for the study. The results of the current study revealed that the14 MSTTP academies demonstrated the following key strengths: (a) a focus on strengthening content knowledge; (b) a willingness for developing professionally committed teachers; and (c) providing funding for participants. In regard to weaknesses, the degree of program effectiveness revealed that none of the academies had fully implemented all seven goals. All 14 academies, however, struggled to accomplish two of the goals: (a) the integration of the areas of science technology and mathematics; and (b) the infusion of technology into curriculum. Additionally, the findings indicate that participants felt as though the academies had improved their content knowledge and pedagogical skills. The findings also reveal that all academies exhibited three features of effective professional development: (a) a focus on content; (b) active learning opportunities; and (c) intensive and sustained over time. Only one academy exhibited the remaining two features, collective participation and coherence. Finally, the study revealed that only the goal of strengthening content knowledge was a good predictor for participants’ content qualifications, while strengthening content knowledge and strengthening pedagogical skills were good predictors of participants’ pedagogical qualifications. This research study contributes to the to fields of teacher preparation and professional development.

Alternative teacher certification (ATC) programs are one method created to help alleviate teacher shortages (Cox, Matthews, & Assoc, 2001; Hallinan & Khmelkov, 2001). While much debate has arisen over ATC programs, very few have empirically examined their impact on the teaching pool (Darling-Hammond, Berry, & Thoreson, 2001; Darling-Hammond, Chung, & Frelow, 2002; Goldhaber, 2000; Ingersoll, 1999; Shen, 1997, 1999). The present study was designed to explore differences by certification type and program characteristics based on novice teachers' demographics, educational attainment, sense of self-efficacy, and sense of preparedness to enter the classroom. Results from the present study suggest ATC programs are somewhat diversifying the teaching population by bringing in more minorities and science majors, but do not appear to be bringing in more experienced scientists and mathematicians nor do they appear to be alleviating the teacher shortage. In this sample, traditionally certified teachers felt better prepared than ATC teachers with the biggest differences on Promoting Student Learning. Regardless of certification route, prior classroom experience was a strong predictor of Overall Preparedness and a teacher's perception of his or her ability to be an effective teacher. For ATC teachers, a positive mentoring experience was a strong predictor of Overall Preparedness. The discussion of whether or not ATC programs should exist should now be replaced with a discussion of how to ensure that these programs produce better teachers and improve student learning. The underlying theme from the present study was that, in order to feel prepared and have high self-efficacy, novice teachers needed instruction in the majority of the components identified by research and by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (1996), including positive mentoring experiences, field based experiences, and curriculum based on child development, learning theory, cognition, motivation, and subject matter pedagogy. Results from the present study support the assertion that teacher preparation programs, program components, mentoring experiences, and field-based experiences do impact teacher effectiveness in the classroom.

This study examined the extent to which character education has a place in teacher education programs in Saskatchewan. Teacher educators (faculty and sessional lecturers) from two teacher education programs in Saskatchewan and new teachers (those with five years of teaching experience or less) from two urban school divisions in Saskatchewan were surveyed. The survey explored how participants felt about three facets of character education within teacher education programs: the teaching of character education methodology, the enhancement of pre-service teachers character, and the responsibility for character education. The results showed that both teachers and teacher educators felt that character education should be taught in publicly funded schools (K-12) and that character education methodology should be taught within teacher preparation programs. Survey results showed that even though the majority of participants felt that character education should be taught in public schools and that character education methodology should be taught within teacher education programs, pre-service teachers, for the most part, were not being given instruction in character education.

Research evidence suggests that quality teacher preparation sets beginning teachers on the right track for effectively teaching literacy. Given that most of the research has been conducted in the United States, there is a shortage of knowledge of the impact of teacher preparation for elementary literacy instruction in Canada. Similarly, little is known about the effect of program length and structure on graduates’ knowledge and skills. This thesis contains two studies aimed at addressing these gaps in the literature in the Ontario context. The majority of teacher preparation programs in Ontario are completed in one year, with the exception of 2 two-year teacher preparation programs. Study 1 is an exploratory investigation comparing the survey responses of 38 graduates from two-year programs with the responses of a matched sample of graduates from one-year programs on items related to their preparation for elementary literacy instruction. Paired-sample t-tests revealed that graduates from two-year programs reported spending significantly more time discussing literacy-related issues, had better knowledge of key literacy terms, felt better prepared for literacy instruction and were more likely to include evidence-based components as part of their literacy program. Study 2 is a qualitative investigation of two-year teacher preparation programs with a focus on literacy instruction. Thirty-eight graduates from both two-year programs in Ontario completed a survey. Ten of these graduates also completed an interview. Following a modified Grounded Theory approach, Study 2 presents a detailed analysis of two-year programs in Ontario including: a) the range of content regarding literacy instruction; b) the correspondence between the content and the evidence-based knowledge of effective literacy instruction; c) graduates’ knowledge base and skills for literacy instruction; and d) their feelings of preparedness. From a socio-cultural perspective, Study 2 also explored the processes and contexts that influence graduates’ formation as literacy instructors. The findings served as the basis for proposing a model for teacher preparation that encompasses the processes and contexts that mediate pre-service teachers’ development as literacy instructors. The proposed model outlines the necessary components to effectively prepare prospective teachers, based on scientific evidence, to ensure that all children learn to read and write.

Research evidence suggests that quality teacher preparation sets beginning teachers on the right track for effectively teaching literacy. Given that most of the research has been conducted in the United States, there is a shortage of knowledge of the impact of teacher preparation for elementary literacy instruction in Canada. Similarly, little is known about the effect of program length and structure on graduates’ knowledge and skills. This thesis contains two studies aimed at addressing these gaps in the literature in the Ontario context. The majority of teacher preparation programs in Ontario are completed in one year, with the exception of 2 two-year teacher preparation programs. Study 1 is an exploratory investigation comparing the survey responses of 38 graduates from two-year programs with the responses of a matched sample of graduates from one-year programs on items related to their preparation for elementary literacy instruction. Paired-sample t-tests revealed that graduates from two-year programs reported spending significantly more time discussing literacy-related issues, had better knowledge of key literacy terms, felt better prepared for literacy instruction and were more likely to include evidence-based components as part of their literacy program. Study 2 is a qualitative investigation of two-year teacher preparation programs with a focus on literacy instruction. Thirty-eight graduates from both two-year programs in Ontario completed a survey. Ten of these graduates also completed an interview. Following a modified Grounded Theory approach, Study 2 presents a detailed analysis of two-year programs in Ontario including: a) the range of content regarding literacy instruction; b) the correspondence between the content and the evidence-based knowledge of effective literacy instruction; c) graduates’ knowledge base and skills for literacy instruction; and d) their feelings of preparedness. From a socio-cultural perspective, Study 2 also explored the processes and contexts that influence graduates’ formation as literacy instructors. The findings served as the basis for proposing a model for teacher preparation that encompasses the processes and contexts that mediate pre-service teachers’ development as literacy instructors. The proposed model outlines the necessary components to effectively prepare prospective teachers, based on scientific evidence, to ensure that all children learn to read and write.

This study examined the extent to which character education has a place in teacher education programs in Saskatchewan. Teacher educators (faculty and sessional lecturers) from two teacher education programs in Saskatchewan and new teachers (those with five years of teaching experience or less) from two urban school divisions in Saskatchewan were surveyed. The survey explored how participants felt about three facets of character education within teacher education programs: the teaching of character education methodology, the enhancement of pre-service teachers character, and the responsibility for character education. The results showed that both teachers and teacher educators felt that character education should be taught in publicly funded schools (K-12) and that character education methodology should be taught within teacher preparation programs. Survey results showed that even though the majority of participants felt that character education should be taught in public schools and that character education methodology should be taught within teacher education programs, pre-service teachers, for the most part, were not being given instruction in character education.

Thesis advisor: Marilyn Cochran-Smith / This dissertation focuses on how the MAT program in Earth Science at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH MAT), a one-of-a-kind, museum-based urban teacher residency, conceptualized and enacted the project of learning to teach science for urban school contexts. The AMNH MAT is situated within the two nested contexts. The first context is its emergence as one of a number of new, state-approved graduate schools of education that offer teacher preparation, endorse teachers for certification, and grant master’s degrees but are not part of or connected to universities. The larger study of which this case study is part termed this phenomenon “new graduate schools of education,” or nGSEs. The second context is the program’s mission of preparing teachers for urban schools, a goal that is shared by other teacher preparation programs within the domain of nGSEs. This descriptive, interpretive case study analysis poses two major questions: How and to what extent does the American Museum of Natural History infuse its long-standing beliefs about science learning and public service into a teacher preparation program? How and to what extent does the museum conceptualize and enact science teacher preparation for the specific context of urban high needs public secondary schools? Analysis of multiple data sources revealed that theAMNH’s mission of disseminating science knowledge in service of a more science-literate public was instantiated in a teacher preparation program that centralized and continually reinforced a vision of preparing science teachers but had a less central and more limited approach to preparing urban teachers. This case study analysis of an innovative teacher preparation program in one of our nation’s largest cities has important implications for urban science teacher education research and practice. First, the AMNH MAT’s model of science teacher preparation offered two key features that are useful for the field. The first feature was its coherence around the developmentof a science teacher identity that included deep science content knowledge and a commitment to bringing informal science teaching and learning practices into schools. The second model feature was the MAT program’s required four-residency structure, which essentially reinvented the “field” in teacher preparation fieldwork. At the same time, the project of learning to teach at the AMNH MAT, like that of many other urban teacher preparation programs, revealed the difficulties and dilemmas involved in preparing teachers for urban contexts, particularly the responsibility of developing a new generation of antiracist educators. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

The purpose of this study is to identify novice teachers’ perception of their preparedness to teach a class designed for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) after graduation from a traditional university-based special education program or from a special education alternative certification program. Teacher preparedness and the need for highly qualified teachers of students with ASD are relevant topics, as the prevalence rate of ASD continues to increase. This phenomenological qualitative study explores novice teachers’ perceptions of preparedness to teach students with ASD and their knowledge about teaching students with ASD. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with six novice special education teachers of students with ASD. Results indicated that novice teachers of students with ASD have knowledge of autism and evidence-based practices (EBP), which they ascertained primarily through experiences such as; working directly with students with ASD, however, preservice education programs provided the participants with cursory information related to knowledge of ASD and EBP.

The need for more collaboration and co-teaching emerged from the standards-based and accountability movement as a result of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) legislation. The purpose of this study is to identify the perceived skill set needed by general and exceptional education teachers in order to be successful in a co-teaching classroom, discover if collaborative coursework is being offered to pre-service teachers as part of their university experience, and identify specific strategies, programs, and field experiences in which pre-service general and exceptional education teachers can engage in to better prepare them for their first co-teaching/collaborative teaching assignment. This qualitative study was based on the naturalistic inquiry design (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) and was comprised of one focus group from each of the three school divisions. The purposeful sample selection of teachers for each focus group included five to eight general and exceptional education probationary (zero to five years experience) teachers who have current or previous experience in a collaborative or co-taught classroom, and who graduated from a Virginia institution of higher education. A focus group protocol was used for data collection based on the ten revised (2011) Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium standards. When comparing the data of what general education teachers perceived were most important compared to what training, coursework, and experiences were actually provided as part of their pre-service training, 53% of the training received matched the skills they felt were most important. Forty-seven percent of their pre-service training focused on "other" skills, knowledge, performance, and critical dispositions. When comparing the data of what exceptional education teachers perceived were most important compared to what training, coursework, and experiences were actually provided as part of their pre-service training, 60% of the training received matched with the skills they felt were most important. Forty percent of their pre-service training focused on "other" skills, knowledge, performance, and critical dispositions. These data suggest that there is a disconnect between what pre-service teachers perceive as important and what is actually being taught through coursework and experiences in teacher preparation programs. / Ed. D.