Date of Award
2-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Copyright Status, No Creative Commons License
All Rights Reserved
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities
Department
Education
School
School of Education and Human Services
Abstract
The effectiveness of teacher-preparation programs to produce high-quality teachers has been an issue of concern for a long time. Teachers play a significant role in shaping students’ academic achievement and social-emotional growth. Therefore, it is critical to focus on how teacher education programs, especially the field placement component, develop and support new educators. This explanatory mixed-methods study used a theoretical framework of Albert Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory (1977) and Pierre Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital Theory (1986) to examine the qualities of an effective practical residency experience and how it relates to preservice teachers’ feelings of self-efficacy and preparedness for teaching diverse students in inclusive school settings. By utilizing online satisfaction surveys and a self-efficacy survey, the research collected data from a pool of 84 pre-service teachers enrolled in a teacher-preparation program in a small, private northeastern university The surveys solicited information regarding the pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the fieldwork experience and their feelings of self-efficacy and preparedness. Qualitative and mixed-method analysis included interviews with three pre-service teachers. The analysis showed a positive relationship between the perceived effectiveness of the fieldwork experience and the pre-service teachers’ feelings of self-efficacy and preparedness. The findings also indicated the importance of proper fieldwork placement with the support of cooperating teachers and the value of a hands-on approach in the process of learning to teach. The implications of this study highlight the importance of carefully selecting a cooperating teacher who serves as a support for the pre-service teacher. It is recommended to select cooperating teachers who are willing to participate and are trained in working with pre-service teachers and will gradually allow the pre-service teacher more active teaching opportunities. This study adds to the body of existing literature regarding the role of fieldwork experience and its importance in developing pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy and preparedness to teach.
Related Pillar(s)
Study
Recommended Citation
Olczak Filipowicz, Renata, "Understanding the Qualities of an Effective Fieldwork Experience and How it Relates to Pre-service Teachers' Feelings of Self-efficacy and Preparedness" (2023). Theses & Dissertations. 153.
https://digitalcommons.molloy.edu/etd/153
