The purpose of the qualitative study using a phenomenological approach was to gain insight of preservice teachers' experiences with a WebCT seminar designed to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a Hispanic-Serving Institution's teacher education program. By applying a "holistic approach" to analyze data, NVivo software was used to assist the process. Findings indicate the use of discussion board and a reading strategy were influential in developing critical thinking and problemsolving skills, respectively.
Resumen
KeywordsHispanic teacher candidates, critical thinking, web-based learning, problem-solving skills, online explicit strategy instruction, NVIVO qualitative data analysis software
While strong consensus exists for preparing culturally competent occupational therapists as the national minority population grows, scholarship in this area continues to evolve. Conversations and explorations of best practices and perspectives add the practical component related to this phenomenon. Perspectives will be shared for leveraging culture to promote respect within communities from asset-based ideologies from the vantage point of a Latino clinician in a predominately Latino underserved community. The authors provide a brief review of the related literature, unpack the definitions of cultural competence, and discuss the pedagogical approach used by an occupational therapist educator. Framing the conversation from an asset-based pedagogical perspective, the use of culture as resources will be depicted. By honoring community values, beliefs, and assets for developing cultural competence, the authors explore the use of culturally relevant pedagogical approaches in a Hispanic-serving university graduate program situated in the border region of South Texas.
Prevailing teacher education reform initiatives call for preservice preparation to be "clinically rich" shifting the primary locus, and therefore location, of learning from within university walls to schools (National
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