Investigating the Effect of Case and Contextual Features on Preservice Teachers’ Case-Scenario Response Quality

• In Event: Teachers and teacher education in problem and project based learning evironments

Abstract

This study explores how case-based instructional design and learner characteristics affect preservice teachers’ application of learning theories in written reflections. Building on previous experiments, we investigate whether embedding versus extracting key contextual information, classroom experience, self-efficacy in culturally responsive teaching, and acknowledgment of student demographics predict responses to a classroom case. Scoring 61 reflections using rubrics and analyzing the scores with ordinal logistic regression revealed that, although case presentation format and classroom experience did not influence rubric scores, participants who mentioned student demographics demonstrated a higher-level application of learning theory. The finding suggests that awareness of cultural responsiveness enhances theoretical engagement, highlighting the importance of teacher educators modeling attention to student identity and including culturally reflective prompts within case-based instruction.

Authors

• Petra Hellene Cadwell-Cowan, Washington State University

• Kira J. Carbonneau, Washington State University

• Chad M. Gotch, Washington State University

• Shenghai Dai, Washington State University

• Yuliya Ardasheva, Washington State University - Tri Cities

• Sarah L. Newcomer, Washington State University - Tri-Cities