Assessing Teacher Dispositions In Pre-Service Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a significant difference between the perceived dispositions in pre-service teachers in urban settings versus non-urban settings. It was also the intent of this study to describe the change in perceived dispositions throughout pre-service teachers’ internship experiences. Graduate students (N=44) from a teacher education program participated by providing responses to surveys, reflections, and focus groups. Final Assessment (FA) grades were also gathered to validate responses. The nature of self-reported data requires this study to collect both quantitative and qualitative data so that pre-service teachers’ responses can be validated with their experience, which influenced the decision to employ a mixed-methods design for this study. A triangulation mixed methods design (QUANT + QUAL) was used. The quantitative analysis used a non-experimental comparative approach. Inductive within deductive coding was used to analyze the journal responses and focus groups. Template analysis (King, 2004) used pre-established codes based on the 10 INTASC Principles and Dispositions Indicators (1992). Themes also emerged inductively and were identified throughout the coding process.