Relationships of role-ideals and educational philosophy preferences: with preferences for conceptual models of teaching

The study was conducted to identify the characteristics of teacher groups that are homogeneous relative to preferences for conceptual models of teaching, and to identify the ways in which teachers apparently make preference decisions regarding these conceptual models. It was argued from a theoretical perspective that teachers' preferences for conceptual models of teaching would be related to teachers1 preferences for various educational philosophies and to teachers' role-ideals. Two questions were addressed in the study. First, can philosophical preferences and role-ideals differentiate teacher groups which are homogeneous relative to preferences for summaries of conceptual models of teaching? Second, are teachers' preferences for summaries of conceptual models of teaching related to teachers' preferences for educational philosophies and role-ideals? The subjects in the study were 235 currently employed elementary and secondary teachers. Each subject completed three instruments: the Educational Philosophy Index, an adapted Multiple Teacher Factors Survey, and an adapted Models of Teaching Surveys instrument. Four parameters were found to underlie the teachers1 preferences for 16 summaries of conceptual models of teaching. Four role-ideals measures and six educational philosophy measures were identified using factor-analytic techniques. A discriminant analysis was conducted to distinguish eight homogeneous summaries-preference groups with regard to the role-ideals and philosophy measures. Thirty-seven percent of the variance of the role-ideals and philosophy variables was accounted for by group membership. Four pairs of statistically significant canonical variates were identified when a canonical correlation analysis was conducted to examine relationships across all 235 subjects between role-ideals and educational philosophy preferences and preferences for conceptual models of teaching. [...]