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Declining enrollments in teacher preparation programs across the United States signal a critical need for institutions of higher education to consider innovative recruitment initiatives. This pilot study investigates a novel approach to recruiting undergraduates into a teacher preparation program. Nine participants, mostly first-year college students, engaged in a year-long experiential learning program. The program provided participants with an early teaching experience in a classroom-like setting by engaging them in the collaborative development, planning, and teaching of mathematics in a summer camp for high school students. Data were collected throughout the year on their: planned major, attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics education, mathematics teaching self-efficacy, and perceptions of the program. Results showed the program was successful at improving attitudes, increasing self-efficacy, and stimulating reflection on a potential career as a mathematics teacher. Participants also shared positive impressions of the experience. Implications for research and future practice are discussed.
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The Relationships Between Internal Program Measures and a High-Stakes Teacher Licensing Measure in Mathematics Teacher Preparation: Program Design Considerations
Accountability measures have quickly entered into formal teacher-preparation programs. As a response, we introduce the use of structural equation modeling vis-à-vis path analysis in secondary-grade mathematics teacher preparation as a methodology to test models to understand the strength of relationships to recommendations of prominent professional organizations and standards for entering the teaching profession. This longitudinal, 6-year, five-cohort study examines the relationship of program design sequencing and core components (internal measures) to an externally scored high-stakes teacher licensing examination portfolio intended to measure pedagogical content knowledge and first-year teacher readiness. The internal measures and program sequencing model explains 49.2% of the variance in relation to the standardized outcome teaching portfolio examination with high-power and medium- to large-effect statistics. We provide implications for teacher preparation with respect to recommendations of professional organizations, governments, and accreditation standards. Results should stimulate discussions and fuel future research efforts.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1849948
- PAR ID:
- 10424553
- Publisher / Repository:
- SAGE Publications
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Teacher Education
- Volume:
- 75
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 0022-4871
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 58-75
- Size(s):
- p. 58-75
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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