Investigating Preservice Teachers' Competencies and Beliefs in Relation to Their Hiring Outcomes

• In Event: 72.046 - Pre- and In-Service Issues in Urban Settings

Abstract

Responding to both the lack of evidence linking existing screening procedures to student outcomes and the demonstrated need for evidence-based screening processes, this investigation explored the relationship of competencies and beliefs likely to predict a teacher's retention and effectiveness to hiring outcomes in an urban district. Considerable variation in preparedness of the sample was observed highlighting the importance of effective hiring practices to distinguish among applicants who may look similar on typical observables. No significant relationships between teachers’ preparedness to teach, particularly in terms of competencies, and hiring outcomes were found. Upon examining hiring experiences, this result was unsurprising because principals typically screened candidates using brief interviews and didn’t observe competencies or beliefs similar to those utilized in this study.

Author

• Jennifer Elizabeth Carinci, American Association for the Advancement of Science