Nature of Tasks Selected by Preservice Teachers

• In Event: 53.059 - Understanding Preservice Teachers' Developing Core Practices

Abstract

This work seeks to add to the literature on the high leverage practice of selecting cognitively demanding tasks. Preliminary data using 330 tasks selected by pre-service teachers shows teachers are not selecting cognitively demanding tasks in their full time teaching internships. Additionally, the level of cognitive demand is stagnant for science teacher throughout their internship, On the other hand, mathematics pre-service teachers seems to select less cognitively demanding tasks at the mid-point of their internship. These findings are important because they indicate a need to focus on tasks teachers select during their internship. If we hope to help pre-service teachers engage their students in meaningful learning opportunities, then we must first help them to select tasks that afford these opportunities.

Authors

• Kirby Whittington, Florida State University

• Muhammad Haider, Florida State University

• Miray Tekkumru-Kisa, Florida State University

• Christine Joy Andrews-Larson, Florida State University