Jeffrey Gorrell

Exploratory analysis of pre-service teacher efficacy in Taiwan

Abstract Seven hundred fourteen early childhood and elementary pre-service teachers at the beginning and ending points of their teacher education programs in Taiwan completed a revised version of the Gibson and Dembo teacher efficacy scale. Descriptive statistics, the general linear model, and factor analyses were used to explore the differences in responses between the beginning, ending, early childhood, and elementary groups. Differences between these groups suggest that Taiwan pre-service teachers’ efficacy beliefs are influenced by cultural and/or social backgrounds, by the respective programs, by the context of their studies, and by their increasing experience. Their beliefs may reflect strong social and cultural differences with respect to perceptions about the roles of teachers and parents in educating children, and the potential for instructional success. Because the Gibson and Dembo instrument was created using American samples, some items may not be suitable for or apply to differing cultures.

Cognitive Modeling and Self-Efficacy: Effects on Preservice Teachers' Learning of Teaching Strategies

Undergraduate students (N = 93) were presented with two phases of training in teaching a child to find the main idea of a paragraph. Phase 1 provided instruction in either a cognitive modeling mode or a direct instruction mode; phase 2 provided a skill-demonstration video with either self- efficacy commentary accompanying the demonstration or task-oriented commentary. A 2 (low self-efficacy vs. moderate self-efficacy) x 2 (cognitive modeling vs. direct instruction) x 2 (self- efficacy vs. task-oriented commentary) MANOVA performed on written protocols revealed sta tistically significant main effects favoring cognitive modeling and self-efficacy groups in apply ing the strategies that were taught. Also, the cognitive modeling groups made more references to teacher activity, and the self-efficacy groups made more references to student activity in their protocols.

Effects of instructional type and feedback on prospective teachers' self-efficacy beliefs.

AbstractUndergraduate teacher education students were randomly assigned to observe two types of instruction and two types of attributional feedback concerning teaching a child how to find the main idea of a paragraph. Dependent measures were the students’ self-efficacy beliefs regarding teaching the skill and their predicted persistence in teaching the skill. Two (cognitive modeling vs. direct instruction) by two (self-efficacy vs. task-oriented statements) ANOVAs revealed significant effects for cognitive modeling related to increases in self-efficacy beliefs and persistence levels, and for task-oriented statements in raising persistence levels. Implications for research in self-efficacy theory are discussed.

Outcomes of Using Computer Simulations

AbstractThis study analyzed changes in learners’ responses as they sought to improve their performance using a context-specific set of computer simulations. The simulations were written to train learners in the principles of behavior analysis for solving classroom management problems. Changes in learners’ responses showed that items corresponding to concepts that showed superior performance in a previous experiment were changed at very high rates. The primary gains from learning via computer simulations of the kind employed in this case are best understood as being associated with increased practice rather than with the development of integrated schematic knowledge.

Cognitive Modeling Effects on Preservice Teachers with Low and Moderate Success Expectations

AbstractPreservice teachers exhibiting low and moderate levels of self-efficacy beliefs were randomly assigned to observe two types of instruction (cognitive modeling vs. direct instruction) and two types of attributional feedback (self-efficacy vs. task-oriented statements) concerning teaching a child how to find the main idea of a paragraph. Dependent measures were estimates of their success regarding teaching the skill, self-efficacy beliefs, and predicted persistence in teaching the skill. Results suggest that, for students exhibiting initial low self-efficacy beliefs, cognitive modeling combined with task orientation is more effective for raising estimates of success. There were no effects found for students initially exhibiting moderate levels of self-efficacy beliefs.

Early childhood and elementary preservice teachers’ beliefs

Abstract In this study we examined 382 preservice teachers’ perceived efficacy, their beliefs regarding teaching and learning, and the relationship between these two variables by analyzing quantitative and qualitative data using a modified version of the Gibson and Dembo Teacher Efficacy Scale and six open‐ended questions. A general linear model analysis revealed that several factors differ across certain preparation programs. Preservice teachers’ efficacy beliefs increased at the end of these two different teacher education programs. Qualitative analyzes revealed variance in preservice teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning between the two majors and in the two locations which they were studying. Most ending‐level preservice teachers had adopted the views of the way teachers are supposed to teach promoted by the particular teacher education program. The internal program coherence, program structural contexts, programs goals, and learning experiences in the program may act as important factors on preservice teachers’ beliefs.

Children's Short- and Long-Term Retention of Science Concepts Via Self-Generated Examples

Abstract During a 3-week unit on energy, 26 fifth-grade students generated their own examples for 13 out of 26 energy concepts. On both the short-term and long-term (6 months) retention measures, there were statistically significant effects favoring concepts for which students generated examples. Subjects performed better on the section of the test related to definitions of concepts for which they had found examples. Although subjects did not perform better on the sub-test that involved recognition of other examples, results partially support the hypothesis that elementary school students recall concepts for which they generate their own examples better than concepts for which they do not.

Book Review : The Moral Dimensions of Teaching John I. Goodlad, Roger Soder, and Kenneth A. Sirotnik, Editors. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1990. 340 pp.

acquisition of skills as the criterion that separates the novice from the expert, The Moral Dimensions of Teaching expands the concept of professional development to include affective and interpersonal dimensions. I am reminded of the writings of Arthur W. Combs (Combs, 1982; Combs, Blume, Newman, & Wass, 1974) on the professional development of teachers. Basing his observations on phenomenological principles of human behavior, Combs (1982) contended that &dquo;possession of a comprehensive, congruent, and accurate frame of reference is a prime requisite in any truly professional activity&dquo; (p. 4). Professionals are able to defend their professional actions on the basis of a well-grounded framework. The professional development of teachers becomes a process of developing comprehensive, congruent, and accurate rationales.