Aligning Coursework With Clinical Practice to Improve Equitable Outcomes

• In Event: Teacher Residencies in California: Addressing Inequities and Promoting Change in Education in Rural and Urban Areas

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between clinical practice and university coursework outcomes at a residency program in California. Objectives include:
1. Tightly align university coursework and the field experience to improve candidates knowledge and skill in co-teaching
2. Integrate practice-based education in university coursework to forefront equity and ensure candidates are prepared to engage in equitable practices entering the profession

Perspective/Methods: Our external evaluation used mixed-methods approaches. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews were reviewed to identify themes by placing keywords, phrases, and direct quotes into an analysis matrix until themes emerged. Preliminary themes were again reviewed and revised as necessary, until the final set of themes was determined. Quantitative data from online surveys was analyzed using descriptive techniques, identifying frequencies of closed-ended responses. Where appropriate, scaled responses were converted to numerical values, and independent t-tests were conducted using SPSS to identify which means differed statistically from fall to winter (p values and effect sizes).

Data sources: Qualitative: Semi-structured interviews conducted in May 2021 with faculty members and teacher residents who were completing the program. Quantitative: Two online surveys (September 2021 and a follow-up in February 2022) provided to faculty and residents.

Results: We present quantitative and qualitative results for both objectives. For space, we will present one example per objective. Objective 1: Quantitative: The surveys asked respondents to rate their levels of familiarity and skill with the co-teaching model. Converting responses to five-point scale (Extremely = 5 to Not at all = 1), the mean for winter was .47 higher on ratings of familiarity, while not statistically significant (t(31)=1.89, p=.07), represented moderate effect (d=.62). The mean for winter responses on perceptions of skill level with co-teaching was .68 higher, difference that was statistically significant (t(32.7)=2.75, p=.01) and represented large effect (d=.93). Objective 2: Qualitative: As a resident stated (in regards to practicing modeling in a university course), “Being stopped over and over again to be asked “why” really made me think about what kinds of questions might be running through my students’ heads that are not being addressed or explained thoroughly enough to make the model effective...this has encouraged me to think about these holes in my modeling before I model to my students instead of waiting for the rare brave student to question me in class.”

Significance: Having tightly aligned coursework and the field experience coupled with integrated practice-based opportunities can lead candidates to leave the teacher education program feeling more prepared. Increased opportunities to practice particular skills during coursework provided residents with unique opportunities to examine the power of their professional choices during practice. The importance of intentional incorporation of practice-based pedagogies (McDonald et al., 2013) and approximations of practice (Grossman et al., 2009) in preparatory courses has been supported in the literature as well. Engaging in the actual talk candidates would use in a classroom allowed candidates to realize and address equity issues organically and in real-time; leading candidates to uptake practices in a more meaningful way.

Authors

• Erin M. Ramirez, California State University - Monterey Bay
  Presenting Author

• Sophia Vicuna, California State University - Monterey Bay
  Presenting Author