How Methods Instructors and Program Administrators Promote Teacher Education Program Coherence

Abstract

Although a growing body of scholarship points to the importance of teacher education program coherence, few studies focus on the ways in which teacher education program directors, field placement coordinators, and methods course instructors foster program coherence. This mixed-methods study draws on interview data from four teacher education program directors, seven field placement coordinators, and 25 elementary mathematics and English language arts methods course instructors at four large, public research universities, as well as survey data from 305 elementary teaching candidates at those universities. Using a coherence framework, we analyze differences across programs in the degree to which teaching candidates perceived their programs as having clear visions and high levels of program coherence. We also describe ways in which program directors, field placement coordinators, and methods instructors described and promoted shared visions across courses and between courses and field experiences. Implications for teacher education programs and research are discussed.

Toward New Visions of Teacher Education: Addressing the Challenges of Program Coherence

“…It can also result in teacher candidates (TCs) failing to achieve the learning and performance outcomes set by program leaders, in part because they do not see them as learning goals. The paper by Cavanna and colleagues (2021) illustrates one example of such as disconnect and resonates with previous work by other scholars, including those cited above.…”

Study Program Leaders’ Perceptions of Coherence and Strategies for Creating Coherent Teacher Education Programs

“…In line with this argument, the study programs' perceptions of "coherence-as-process" (Floden et al, 2021;Levine et al, 2023) indicate that they see the importance of longlasting (or never-ending) work for coherence and their responsibility for creating opportunities and structured support (Cavanna et al, 2021) for faculty members to take part in that work. Indeed, Floden et al (2021) argued that seeing coherence-as-process in TE programs demands a broad approach as well as discussions across the various instructors and mentors in the program.…”

“…Approaching coherence as a process underscores the importance of continuous work and collaboration within and across faculties (Floden et al, 2021; Levine et al, 2023; Richmond et al, 2019), which implies that study program leaders 1 (SPLs) might be crucial in fostering coherence in TE programs. However, research on how SPLs in TE work to achieve coherence remains scant (Cavanna et al, 2021; Hermansen, 2020). This study fills this gap by investigating two related research questions (RQs):…”

Koherens i lektorutdanninga ved tre utdanningsinstitusjonar i Noreg. Ein kvalitativ studie frå eit leiingsperspektiv

“…Tatto (1996) viste at studentane hadde betre laeringsutbyte viss det var lagt til rette for å skape ein felles visjon blant dei tilsette, og viss studieprogrammet var strukturert etter prinsipp som skulle støtte opp under denne felles visjonen. Cavanna et al (2021) har vist at studentar som vert utdanna frå program med lite omgrepskoherens når det gjeld laering og undervising, verker å ha vanskar med å artikulere ein klar visjon av deira eigen laerarpraksis og meir sannsynleg vil forlate laerarprofesjonen. Både leiing, tilsette og studentar må vere einige i visjonen som studieprogrammet har (Hammerness, 2006(Hammerness, , 2013, og visjonen må vere reflektert i både organisering, undervising og praksis (Grossman et al, 2008, s. 282).…”

“…Studiar gjort på koherens i laerarutdanning spenner over eit spekter av perspektiv når det gjeld tematikk og informantutval. Når det gjeld utval av informantar tek nokre studiar eit studentperspektiv (Canrinus et al, 2017;Canrinus et al, 2019;Fitchett et al, 2018), andre eit programleiingsperspektiv (Hammerness, 2013;Hermansen, 2020), og nokre nyttar ein kombinasjon av desse (Cavanna et al, 2021;Hammerness, 2006). Når det kjem til kva tematikk som vert undersøkt, finn vi døme på forsking på samanhengen mellom det studentane laerer ved utdanningsinstitusjonen og dei erfaringane dei gjer seg i praksis (t.d.…”