To What Extent Can Pre-service Teachers Turn Theoretical Knowledge They Have Acquired into Practice?

Abstract

This study examined to what extent pre-service teachers can turn into practice theoretical knowledge and principles they have acquired throughout their 4-year pre-service training during teaching practice. The study was designed on the basis of the qualitative research model and the data was collected through an interview form prepared by using the standardized open-ended interview technique. The sample of the study consisted of 42 senior year students from different departments of the faculty of education at a university in Middle Anatolia, Turkey. The findings of the study showed that teacher candidates couldn't completely put into practice their theoretical knowledge they have learned in the faculty. It is also found that while the subjects participants have turned into practice best were "communication with students" and "classroom management", they generally had some difficulties in turning into practice their theoretical knowledge on the subjects including "the subject area knowledge", "assessment and the monitoring of students' progress" and "planning and the implementation of the teaching-learning process". © 2015 IOJES. All rights reserved Keywords: 1 Pre-service teachers, theoretical knowledge, practical skills, teacher training, theory-practice gap Extended Summary PurposeThe quality of teacher education programs is as important as the quantity of them. To be trained as qualified teachers in pre-service education process, acquiring necessary knowledge, principles, attitudes and understandings related to their field of study and teaching profession is as important as gaining practical abilities or to be able to transform what they know into real learning-teaching situations. One of the most investigated issues in the studies conducted on teacher education is the gap between theory and practice (Allen & Wright, 2014; Allsopp, DeMarie, Alvarez Mchatton & Doone, 2006;Cheng, Cheng & Tang, 2010Hascher, Cocard & Moser, 2004;Korthagen & Kessels, 1999;Standal, Moen & Moe, 2014). Many teacher educators such as Carr (1987), Lenz Taguchi (2007 and Schön (2003) indicated that teaching is a profession in which theory and practice are embedded in each other; therefore separating theory from practice creates a false dichotomy (Cited in Allen, 2009). Thus, it can be said that it is necessary for teacher training programs to focus on practical applications of the learning-teaching process rather than the theory-based preparation (Major & Tiro, 2012). Consequently, the aim of this study is to present to what extent pre-service teachers are able to turn into practice their theoretical knowledge gained throughout the 4-year faculty education. MethodThis study adopted a qualitative research methodology. The case study, which is included in the scope of qualitative research model, was used as the research model. It is a qualitative research method which International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 2015, 7 (2), 265 -282 266 investigates a fact in the context of real life and examines situations related to this...

Öğretmenlerin ve Öğretmen Adaylarının Öğretmenlik Mesleği Genel Yeterliklerine İlişkin Öz Değerlendirmeleri

“…Bununla birlikte hizmet öncesi öğretmen eğitiminde çok az yer tuttuğu ve verimli olmadığı noktasında tespitler ve eleştiriler getirilen (Aksoy, 2013;Büyükgöze-Kavas ve Bugay 2009;Gülmez-Dağ, 2012;Kozikoğlu, 2016;Özdemir, Ceylan ve Canoğlu, 2015) uygulama boyutunu yansıtan "mesleki beceri" yeterlik alanının özellikle öğretmen adaylarında daha yüksek bulunması programın çıktıları açısından sorgulanması gereken bir durumdur. Yani çok fazla zaman ayrıldığı görülen öğretmenlik mesleği teorik eğitiminin, bu alana göre çok kısıtlı bir süreçte gerçekleştirilen öğretmenlik uygulamasından daha az yeterlik algısı oluşturması önemli bir bulgu olarak değerlendirilebilir.…”

Farklı Eğitim Programlarıyla Yetişen Öğretmenlerin Hizmet Öncesinde Aldıkları Eğitimin Etkililiğine İlişkin Görüşlerinin Karşılaştırılması

“…Örneğin 1924-1938 yılları arasında öğretmen yetiştiren okullar "nazari derslere" fazla önem vermeleri; "ameli çalışmalara" ise yeterli önem vermedikleri gerekçesiyle eleştirilmiştir (Akyüz, 2011). Hizmet öncesi eğitimin özellikle "uygulama" yönünün yetersizliği Gökçe ve Demirhan (2005), Arslan ve Özpınar (2008), Büyükgöze Kavas ve Bugay (2009), Ayan (2011), Atik Kara (2012), Ünver (2014) ve Özdemir, Ceylan, Canoğlu (2015) tarafından gerçekleştirilen çalışmaların sonuçlarıyla da örtüşmektedir. Küçükoğlu ve Kızıltaş (2012) tarafından yapılan karşılaştırmalı bir çalışmada diğer ülkelere (Almanya, Fransa, İtalya, Rusya) göre Türkiye'de öğretmen adaylarının okul ve sınıflardaki uygulamalı çalışmalarının daha zayıf olduğu bulunmuştur.…”