Does Student Teaching Matter? Investigating Teacher Candidates’ Sense of Teaching Efficacy

• In Event: Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: Evaluating Teacher Candidates From Admissions Through Student Teaching

Abstract

This study is an investigation of how student teaching experiences impact the sense of teaching efficacy of teacher candidates. Seventy-one teacher candidates who enrolled in Student Teaching in Spring 2011 participated in this study. The participants showed statistically higher ratings on feelings of preparedness after their student teaching experiences than before student teaching in four sub-categories: “Content knowledge,” “Planning and preparation for instruction,” “Classroom management,” and “Promoting family involvement.” However, no statistical significance was found for “Professionalism” before and after student teaching. Findings related to “sense of teaching efficacy” were statistically significant after student teaching on all three sub-categories: Efficacy in student engagement, Efficacy in instructional strategies, and Efficacy in classroom management.

Authors

• Joohi Lee, The University of Texas - Arlington

• Amber L. Brown, The University of Texas - Arlington

• Denise Collins, The University of Texas - Arlington