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The beliefs of preservice teachers in the MicroLESSONS series
Author
Chan, Bee Choo
Supervisor
Lim, Cher Ping
Abstract
Preservice teachers who were taught in traditional classrooms as students are unlikely to be able to carry out constructivist practices. Hence, one of the challenges for teacher educators is to shift preservice teachers away from traditional beliefs and to help them adopt constructivist practices. MicroLESSONSTM has been introduced into the teacher education programme at NIE to coach preservice teachers in constructivist approaches. However, it is uncertain if such a short, one-off constructivist learning experience that microLESSONSTM provides can change their pedagogical beliefs. The purpose of the study is to find out if participation in a constructivist-based microLESSONSTM series can shape and change the preservice teachers' pedagogical beliefs. The study, adopting a case study approach which combines both qualitative and quantitative methods, examines the experiences and pedagogical perspectives of preservice teachers before and after microLESSONSTM. The participants are a class of first-year preservice teachers taking the Introduction Technology module (EED100) at NIE. The findings showed no significant change to the preservice teachers' pedagogical beliefs after participation in the microLESSONSTM. The preservice teachers felt inadequate in facilitating constructivist lessons in real classrooms. Most preservice teachers held unclear definition of constructivism and expressed concerns about its implementation. However, preservice teachers expressed more confidence in creating IT-based instructional packages that employed constructivist approaches, and had better understanding of the diverse use of technologies for enhancing teaching and learning. These findings will provide teacher educators with important information to help determine curricula and direction of existing teacher education programme.
Date Issued
2003
Call Number
LB1727.S55 Cha
Date Submitted
2003