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Translating Theoretical Principles to Classroom Practice

This study followed two teacher candidates from the Communities as Resources in Early Childhood Teacher Education (CREATE) project into their first year classrooms to determine whether they were able to translate the theoretical principles from their teacher preparation program into practice during their first year of teaching. It also examined the supporting and limiting contextual factors that affected translation both during their teacher preparation and in their first year of teaching. Multiple case study methodology was used to look closely at each case independently providing consistency through replication, while also allowing the ability to look across both cases to develop more powerful findings (Stake, 2006; Baxter & Jack, 2008; Yin, 2014). A conceptual frame was developed around translation, revisiting how it has been used in other fields of research in the past (Catford, 1974; Bassnett, 2013; Major & Cordey-Hayes, 2000; Holden & Von Kortzfleisch, 2004; Jacobson, Butterill & Goering, 2003; Davison, 2009; Straus, Tetroe, & Graham, 2009) and how it is currently being used as a metaphor in the field of education (Cook-Sather, 2001, 2006) to provide a lens into the intricacies and flexibility of the process of translation. Literature was reviewed to provide background into research that has looked closely at the impact teacher preparation programs have on the first year of teaching, and to provide background information into the conceptualization of the work undergirding the principles of CREATE. It is crucial for teacher preparation programs to follow their own graduates into their classrooms to gain a deeper understanding of what concepts, theories, and principles translated from university classrooms and field experiences to practice in first year teacher's classrooms, in order to make changes to their teacher education curriculum to prevent a breakdown of translation. This study offers insight into what supports and limits translation and offers suggestions for future research in the area of translation.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/625843
Date January 2017
CreatorsRobbins, Sheri, Robbins, Sheri
ContributorsClift, Renée T., Clift, Renée T., Short, Kathy G., da Silva Iddings, Ana Christina, Jurich, Donna L.
PublisherThe University of Arizona.
Source SetsUniversity of Arizona
Languageen_US
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext, Electronic Dissertation
RightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

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