Early childhood education practicum students' perceptions of their practicum setting and factors linked to satisfaction and teacher efficacy
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Amy V. Johnson (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Danielle Crosby
Abstract: This exploratory study was designed to investigate how early childhood education practicum students describe their practicum experience in early childhood classrooms. Drawing on data from a larger ongoing study of practicum experiences, the current study examined how intrapersonal feelings while in the practicum setting, perceived fit with their cooperating teacher, practicum satisfaction, and teacher efficacy, and the relationships between these variables. Thirty-two undergraduates enrolled in a practicum course participated by completing multiple questionnaires at the end of the course. Practicum students generally reported fairly positive experiences though some variation existed including some students reporting feeling mild levels of frustration. Bivariate correlations revealed that feelings of being energized and relaxed and satisfied were positively associated, and frustration negatively associated, with students' perception of fit with their cooperating teacher, satisfaction with practicum, and students' sense of teaching efficacy. Hierarchical regressions considering all variables simultaneously revealed that feeling frustrated while in the practicum classroom predicted lower levels of teacher satisfaction and teacher efficacy. Additionally, feeling more satisfied in their practicum settings predicted practicum students feeling more efficacious. These findings provide insight into how practicum students perceive their practicum experience and what factors contribute to both their practicum satisfaction and teacher efficacy. Implications for future research are discussed.
Early childhood education practicum students' perceptions of their practicum setting and factors linked to satisfaction and teacher efficacy
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Created on 5/1/2013
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2013
- Keywords
- Cooperating teacher, Intrapersonal feelings, Practicum Satisfaction, Practicum Students, Preservice Teachers, Teacher Efficacy
- Subjects
- Early childhood teachers $x Training of
- Practicums
- Student teachers $x Training of