How a Teacher Education Institution Tracked and Used Field Placement Diversity Data for Program Improvement and Decision Making

• In Event: Diversifying Field Experiences to Prepare Preservice Teachers to Teach All Learners

Abstract

Teacher education programs in colleges and universities have been responding to the challenges of preparing teachers for the increasing diversity by altering courses, curriculum, fieldwork experiences, and other policies to include a diversity and multicultural education focus (Cochran-Smith & Zeichner, 2005; Finley, 2000). One of the primary methods for developing teachers capable of working with diverse student populations is placing preservice teachers in schools with diverse populations for field experiences. The purpose of this study was to (1) describe how a teacher education institution developed a web application to record and calculate diversity of the field practicum placements; and (2) describe how the institution used the placement diversity data to conduct research for program improvement and decision making.

Authors

• Zafer Unal, University of South Florida

• Aslihan Unal, Georgia Southern University

• Yasar Bodur, Georgia Southern University

• Michael Roy Sampson, St. Johns University