Illuminating the Black Hole: Examining Middle-Grade Social Studies Teacher Education Pathways and Student Achievement

• In Event: Under-Examined Topics in Social Studies Research

Abstract

Teachers are the most important in-school factor for students’ academic success. Under most circumstances, teacher education provides future classroom educators with their initial exposure to the practices and behaviors associated with profession. Large-scale research in disciplines outside of the social studies has found that teachers’ professional training and content background has a significant impact on students’ learning (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Wang, 2010). In social studies, however, research on the relationship between teacher education pathways and student learning is limited, particularly with attention to middle grades classrooms. In this study, we used data from the National Assessment for Education Progress to examine the extent to which middle grades social studies teacher education pathways were associated with students’ academic performance.

Authors

• Paul G. Fitchett, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Tina Lane Heafner, University of North Carolina - Charlotte