Abstract:
Teacher education programmes are expected to provide adequate knowledge and skills to the student teachers and to prepare them for teaching students in the future (Cochran-Smith, 2006). A review of the literature has recommended that some knowledge and skills are essential for all teachers to have in order to teach effectively. For example, being able to plan lessons, and deliver the lessons, accommodate diverse learning needs (Darling-Hammond, 1999).
This study followed a cohort of beginning teachers from their teacher education programme to the end of their fifth year of teaching to investigate the development in their perceived pedagogical knowledge and skills in teaching. A validated, 37-item Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills in Teaching (PKST) survey, with a 5-point Likert Scale, was used to collect the data. It consisted of six factors: Student Learning, Lesson Planning, Instructional Support, Accommodating Diversity, Classroom Management, and Care and Concern for pupils. 118 beginning teachers participated in all five data collections conducted in the six-year period. The MANOVA results showed that the participants' overall pedagogical knowledge and skills in teaching developed and increased significantly at different stages. From the beginning to the end of their teacher education programme, there were significant increases in all factors in pedagogical knowledge and skills except for the Care and Concern factor. From the end of teacher education programme to the end of their first year of teaching, Care and Concern was the only factor that increased significantly in pedagogical knowledge. When comparing between the end of first year and third year of teaching, there were significant increases in all factors in pedagogical knowledge and skills. The largest increases in pedagogical knowledge were in Instructional Support, from 4.54 to 4.67 and in Classroom Management, from 3.70 to 3.88. When looking at the end of third year and fifth year of teaching, there were significant increases in Student Learning, Lesson Planning, and Accommodating Diversity in both pedagogical knowledge and skills. However, there were no significant differences in the other three factors: Instructional Support, Classroom Management, and Care and Concern. The results suggest that the beginning teachers continued to develop their knowledge and skills in teaching even until their fifth year of teaching. Some factors, such as showing care and concern, took more time to hone. Additional support should be given during the first few years of teaching to help with the knowledge and skill development in the relevant areas.
References
Cochran-Smith, M. (2006). Taking stock in 2006: Evidence, evidence everywhere. Journal of Teacher Education, 57(1), 6-12.
Darling-Hammond, L., Wise, A.E., & Kline, S. P. (1999). A license to teach: Raising standards for teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
This study followed a cohort of beginning teachers from their teacher education programme to the end of their fifth year of teaching to investigate the development in their perceived pedagogical knowledge and skills in teaching. A validated, 37-item Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills in Teaching (PKST) survey, with a 5-point Likert Scale, was used to collect the data. It consisted of six factors: Student Learning, Lesson Planning, Instructional Support, Accommodating Diversity, Classroom Management, and Care and Concern for pupils. 118 beginning teachers participated in all five data collections conducted in the six-year period. The MANOVA results showed that the participants' overall pedagogical knowledge and skills in teaching developed and increased significantly at different stages. From the beginning to the end of their teacher education programme, there were significant increases in all factors in pedagogical knowledge and skills except for the Care and Concern factor. From the end of teacher education programme to the end of their first year of teaching, Care and Concern was the only factor that increased significantly in pedagogical knowledge. When comparing between the end of first year and third year of teaching, there were significant increases in all factors in pedagogical knowledge and skills. The largest increases in pedagogical knowledge were in Instructional Support, from 4.54 to 4.67 and in Classroom Management, from 3.70 to 3.88. When looking at the end of third year and fifth year of teaching, there were significant increases in Student Learning, Lesson Planning, and Accommodating Diversity in both pedagogical knowledge and skills. However, there were no significant differences in the other three factors: Instructional Support, Classroom Management, and Care and Concern. The results suggest that the beginning teachers continued to develop their knowledge and skills in teaching even until their fifth year of teaching. Some factors, such as showing care and concern, took more time to hone. Additional support should be given during the first few years of teaching to help with the knowledge and skill development in the relevant areas.
References
Cochran-Smith, M. (2006). Taking stock in 2006: Evidence, evidence everywhere. Journal of Teacher Education, 57(1), 6-12.
Darling-Hammond, L., Wise, A.E., & Kline, S. P. (1999). A license to teach: Raising standards for teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.