Browsing by Author "Legreid, Katherine E."
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Item Perceptions on Enactment of the Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices by Teacher Candidates: A Replication Study(2020-08) Legreid, Katherine E.; Chauvot, Jennifer; Burris, Justin T.; Cutler, Carrie S.; Li, MiaoBackground: Teacher candidates are encouraged in their teacher preparation programs to enact instructional practices that support equity and access for all students. Learning to teach is complex and challenging, and teacher candidates are influenced by factors both internal and external to the teacher preparation program and their school setting. As a result, teacher candidates may not always enact practices they have learned in their teacher preparation program. Purpose: This study explored teacher candidates’ perceptions of their enactment of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics effective mathematics teaching practices (EMTP); this served as a means of understanding teacher preparation program outcomes. The study addressed the following research questions: 1. Which of the EMTP do secondary mathematics teacher candidates rank most characteristic of their teaching? 2. Which of the EMTP do secondary mathematics teacher candidates rank least characteristic of their teaching? 3. How do teacher candidates’ perceptions of their use of the EMTP change between the first and second years of their teacher preparation? 4. How do teacher candidates describe influences on their prioritization of the EMTP within their instructional practice? Methods: A Q-sort, a methodological tool developed by Stephenson (1953), was used to gain insight into how teacher candidates prioritized enactment of the EMTP which are emphasized in the teacher preparation program. A questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions and a group interview served as data sources to capture candidates’ rationale for their prioritization of practices. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data from the Q-sort; the constant comparative method was used to analyze data from the questionnaire and group interview. Findings: On average, participants ranked the EMTPs, supporting productive struggle and posing purposeful questions, as most characteristic of their teaching. They ranked establish mathematical goals to focus learning and facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse as least characteristic of their teaching. The practice, use and connect mathematical representations, increased the most in rank from the first year to the second year, and build procedural fluency from conceptual understanding, decreased the most. Findings included influences on teacher candidates’ perception of their practice in four broad categories: 1. formal teacher preparation coursework, 2. beliefs about teaching and learning, 3. lived experiences, and 4. school-based setting. Conclusions: The findings suggest that teacher candidates may be better prepared to facilitate discussion and use goals to promote learning if the teacher preparation program further decomposes the instructional actions. Opportunities for reflection were shown to be effective and could be expanded to address EMTP that teacher candidates are less comfortable enacting. Finally, an increased focus on advocacy for equitable practices is necessary to empower teacher candidates to persist with the EMTP when faced with the pressure of accountability policy at the school level.Item Supporting Aspiring Teachers: The Study of Teacher Certification Pathways, Influencing Factors, and Preservice Baselines to Develop the Certification Pathway and Program Selection Tool(2022-05-13) Shah, Mira Kishore; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Hassett, Kristen S.; McCormick, Marina; Legreid, Katherine E.Background: There is a severe shortage of teachers across the United States, and teacher certification programs are not producing enough teachers. In 2018, Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) saw a 33% decline in enrollment, and only 40% of those who enrolled, earned their teaching certificate. Purpose: This study focuses on understanding the three pathways to earning a teaching certificate, the influencing factors that aspiring teachers consider when choosing an EPP, and how certification seekers’ pre-service baselines (knowledge, experiences, dispositions, and goals) support them in their certification journey. Methods: A survey was administered to individuals enrolled in a Texas EPP between 2018 and 2022. The survey asked participants to share their certification pathway of choice, the influencing factors that led them to choose it, and the factors that led to the completion or withdrawal from their certification program. Additional survey questions were asked to understand participants’ pre-service content knowledge, professional experiences, and goals. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were used to determine the influencing factors that were significant for each certification pathway. Results: The survey yielded 247 results, with 108 from traditional programs, 26 from alternative programs, and 113 from postbaccalaureate. The statistical analysis determined that degree earning-opportunities, program cost, and certification support were the three most important factors affecting choice of a certification program or pathway. Results showed that content knowledge was demonstrated when aspiring teachers passed their content certification exam. Additionally, with respect to professional experience, more aspiring teachers have held direct educational professional roles such as teacher assistant, paraprofessional, or interventionist. Finally, while many future teachers aim to be lifelong teachers, others have long-term goals of being school administrators, earning additional graduate degrees, or switching to a career outside of education. Ultimately, not all those who enter an EPP complete their program and become a teacher of record, an individual employed by a district as a teacher. The top three reasons aspiring teachers chose not to earn their certification were the rigor of the certification exam, the ability to secure a role as a teacher of record without a certificate, or other employment opportunities within the education field. The data and findings from the survey, were utilized to design the Certification Pathway and Program Selection Tool (CPPS), which supports future teachers in navigating various options and choosing a pathway and program that is the best fit for them.