Date of Award

8-2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

School of Education

First Advisor

Ginny Birky

Abstract

This qualitative study uses semi-structured interviews and participant reflective journals to explore the perceptions of pre-service teachers' self-efficacy and sense of readiness to enter the teaching profession. The six participants were graduate students in a Master of Arts in Teaching program from the same university. The study took place at the end of their year-long field placement as they were completing a three-week solo teaching experience. Consistent with current literature, the participants identified the most influential factor to self-efficacy to be the relationship and influence of their cooperating teacher. Other areas of influence were classroom management, student achievement data, and ability to be flexible and adjust to the unexpected. Identified implications for future research are the exploration of influence of cooperative learning as a member of a cohort, an analysis of the impact that self-efficacy has on pre-service teacher performance as determined through evaluation, and a longitudinal study to examine how self-efficacy and readiness transform an individual as pre-service teachers become novice teachers

Share

COinS