Influence of Preservice Beliefs About In-Service Collaboration on the Quality of Collaborative Interactions and Outcomes

• In Event: Collaborative Approaches to Enhance Preservice Teachers' Teaching Practices

Abstract

This convergent mixed methods study examined pre-service teachers’ beliefs about in-service teacher collaboration, and how those beliefs influenced their collaboration in four-member groups during design and delivery of an instructional project. Participants (N=24) were in their first semester of under-graduate teacher preparation. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Integrated analysis indicated all participants believed in-service collaboration involves cooperative activities of joint planning, and sharing ideas and resources (simple beliefs). Very few participants also believed in-service collaboration includes activities of collective assessment and evaluation (expanded beliefs). Findings suggest pre-service beliefs about in-service collaboration impacts students’ collaborative efforts and outcomes. Implications for practice and research indicates understanding factors influencing pre-service collaboration may help teacher preparation better address needs of students.

Authors

• Denise Miller Brown, Delos Hayden Consulting

• Michelle Jordan, Arizona State University