New Teacher Readiness and Lingering Needs: A Needs Assessment of Teacher Education Programs

• In Event: Roundtable Session 55
  In Roundtable Session: Rethinking Program Design to Achieve the Diverse Aims of Teacher Preparation

Abstract

This paper is a sequential explanatory mixed-methods investigation of the perceptions of 44 new teachers regarding inclusive classroom practices from their teacher education programs. The purpose of this study was to sample the self-perceived inclusive development of the next generation of teachers completing Canadian teacher education programs. As new teachers are the product of their teacher education program, their lingering needs and perceptions are potential avenues for intervention in continuing the refinement of teacher education. The investigation included course audits of the teacher education program, then a mixed-methods survey, and lastly interviews informed by the survey findings. This study reveals a distinct tone of skepticism of their readiness among new teachers and provides suggestions for improvement of teacher education programs.

Author

• Eleftherios Kyprianos Soleas, Queen's University