Co-Author(s)

Burgess, Don, 1957-; Dowdy, Scheree

Research Mentor(s)

Burgess, Don, 1957-

Description

This research focuses on an alternative route to teacher certification program that prepares 16 working paraeducators to become elementary teachers. Many of the preservice teachers are bilingual and/or first generation teacher candidates. The 16 working paraeducators form a cohort who are taking classes on week nights, weekends and summers. Two questions guided our summer research: 1. How will preservice teachers content and pedagogical knowledge change as they experience a summer science program that includes a content immersion in cell biology and teaching a schoolyard ecology unit? 2. How will preservice teachers understanding of research-based elements of effective instruction change due their involvement in the summer program? Our results show that preservice teachers who participated in the Summer Program increased their content knowledge in biology and also improved their understanding of research-based elements of effective science instruction. There is little research on effective mentoring of bilingual and first generation teacher candidates in alternative route to certification programs. The findings from our study could benefit the education community’s knowledge base about what constitutes effective support for alternative route PTs. Furthermore, the Summer Program can help inform the development of other alternative route programs.

Document Type

Event

Start Date

14-5-2015 10:00 AM

End Date

14-5-2015 2:00 PM

Department

SMATE (Science, Math and Technology Education)

Genre/Form

student projects; posters

Subjects – Topical (LCSH)

Teachers--Certification--Research; Teachers--Training of--Research; Teachers--In-service training--Research; Education--Study and teaching (Higher)

Type

Image

Keywords

Paraeducator, Migrant youth, Ecology, Teacher, Elementary education, Teacher Certification, Bilingual, Pedagogy, Summer school, Biology, Science

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this documentation for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

Share

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May 14th, 10:00 AM May 14th, 2:00 PM

An alternative route to teacher certification: Schoolyard ecology

This research focuses on an alternative route to teacher certification program that prepares 16 working paraeducators to become elementary teachers. Many of the preservice teachers are bilingual and/or first generation teacher candidates. The 16 working paraeducators form a cohort who are taking classes on week nights, weekends and summers. Two questions guided our summer research: 1. How will preservice teachers content and pedagogical knowledge change as they experience a summer science program that includes a content immersion in cell biology and teaching a schoolyard ecology unit? 2. How will preservice teachers understanding of research-based elements of effective instruction change due their involvement in the summer program? Our results show that preservice teachers who participated in the Summer Program increased their content knowledge in biology and also improved their understanding of research-based elements of effective science instruction. There is little research on effective mentoring of bilingual and first generation teacher candidates in alternative route to certification programs. The findings from our study could benefit the education community’s knowledge base about what constitutes effective support for alternative route PTs. Furthermore, the Summer Program can help inform the development of other alternative route programs.

 

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