Title page for ETD etd-05052004-204003

Type of Document

Thesis

Author

Mendoza, Katrina

URN

etd-05052004-204003

Title

Lessons Learned: Reflecting Back on Student Teaching

Degree

Master of Science

Department

Middle and Secondary Education, Department of

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name	Title
Nancy Davis, Ed.D	Committee Chair
Alejandro Gallard, Ed.D	Committee Member
Owen Gaede, Ed.D	Committee Member

Keywords

Narrative
Reflection
Student Teaching
Internship
Science Education

Date of Defense

2004-04-29

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

Student teaching serves as the culminating field experience to teaching programs all over the country. Student teaching is the time when a prospective teacher’s beliefs are tested and when theory and practice collide or align. Prior to student teaching, prospective teachers take education classes to learn theories behind teaching and learning. Although there are scattered field experiences in many “methods” courses, the semester of student teaching provides continuous full immersion in classrooms. Student teaching is the event in a prospective teacher’s educational career that warrants the application of that theoretical knowledge.

This research analyzed the student teaching experience through the eyes of the student teacher/researcher, a graduate science education student. The teacher-as-researcher method gives the research relevancy and promotes more action research to be done to improve practice. The qualitative research methods used in this study produced a narrative (through evocative writing) of my student teaching experience. The purpose of the research is to show the importance of teacher reflection and how its use can benefit prospective and practicing teachers alike. Its analysis took the form of narrative reframing and interpretations were made based on a larger reference frame to make sense of the experience.

This research produced personal findings, as well as, general findings. The main findings of this research indicate: 1) the importance of the student teaching setting (including the school and cooperative teacher) in promoting or hindering student teacher confidence and self-efficacy; 2) the importance of reflection in learning to teach and teaching to learn; and 3) the importance of having a support system/peer interaction during student teaching. These findings prove to have implications in teacher practice, teacher education, as well as, further research.

Files

Filename		Size	Approximate Download Time (Hours:Minutes:Seconds)
Filename		Size	28.8 Modem	56K Modem	ISDN (64 Kb)	ISDN (128 Kb)	Higher-speed Access
	01_kcm_prelim.pdf	155.44 Kb	00:00:43	00:00:22	00:00:19	00:00:09	< 00:00:01
	02_kcm_text.pdf	522.83 Kb	00:02:25	00:01:14	00:01:05	00:00:32	00:00:02