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Preparing pre-service teachers to design instructionally aligned lessons through constructivist pedagogical practices
Date
2013
Abstract
Examining how teacher education influences preservice teachers‟ (PSTs) application of content knowledge, decision making when planning for teaching, creation of innovative teaching practices and design of aligned instruction, has significant implications for understanding learning to teach. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which the constructivist pedagogies (e.g., interactive community discussions, problem-solving, group challenges) employed by teacher educators through the implementation of a rick task (Macdonald, Hunter & Tinning, 2007) assisted PSTs in their understanding and construction of knowledge about instructional alignment. Data collection employed rich tasks and focus group interviews with a sample of 31 physical education teacher education (PETE) PSTs enrolled on a one-year Graduate Diploma Physical Education programme. Data were analyzed inductively (Patton, 1990) using the constant comparative method (Rubin & Rubin, 1995). Results revealed that PSTs varied in their articulation of the various elements of instructional alignment that were captured in the rich task. Through the use of such constructivist strategies as problem-solving, group discussions, and critical friends, PSTs understood and valued the process of instructional alignment as they moved from feelings of fear and apprehension to being confident in their own development. Areas of strength and deficiency that were noted in the PSTs‟ attempts to design instructionally aligned lessons will guide the teacher educators in revising programme components and their own practice.
Supervisor
Description
peer-reviewed
Publisher
Elsevier
Citation
Teaching and Teacher Education;33, July, pp. 100-112