The Relationship Between Cooperating Teachers' and Student Teachers' Use of the Problem-Solving Approach to Teaching

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to describe the extent to which cooperating and student teachers used the problem-solving approach to teaching. A hypothesis was employed to test the relationship between cooperating teachers' use and the student teachers' use of the approach. The sample consisted of 15 student teachers and their cooperating teachers. Videotapes of the student and cooperating teachers' classroom teaching were collected and analyzed using an instrument developed by the researchers. Student teachers and cooperating teachers spent less than 20% of their instructional time using the problem-solving approach to teaching. Student teachers spent the most time guiding students in seeking data and information to solve the problem. Cooperating teachers spent the most time gaining and maintaining the interest of students in learning the subject matter. A positive relationship was found between the cooperating teachers' use and the student teachers' use of the problem-solving approach to teaching. It was concluded that a student teacher's use of the problem-solving approach to teaching could be enhanced if cooperating teachers modeled the approach. It was recommended that priority be given to selecting cooperating teachers who model the desired teaching behaviors expected of student teachers.

Psychosocial Differences by CTE Discipline and Personality Type in Student Teachers

“…Literature in education (Lemma, 1993;Posner, 2000;Roe & Ross, 1994;Schwebel, Schwebel, Schwebel, & Schwebel, 1996;Weamser & Woods, 2003), Agricultural Education (Deeds, Flowers, & Arrington, 1991;Edwards & Briers, 2001;Garton & Cano, 1996;Harlin, Edwards, & Briers, 2002;Norris, Larke, & Briers, 1990;Peiter, Terry, & Cartmell, 2005;Schumacher & Johnson, 1990) and Family and Consumer Sciences (Montgomery, 2000) corroborate this statement. There are studies focusing on the student teacher-cooperating teacher relationship aspect of the overall student teaching experience (Kitchel & Torres, in press;Kitchel & Torres, 2005;Montgomery, 2000).…”

An analysis of pre-service teacher preparation and instructional supervisory practices in Agricultural Education

“…Studies that address agricultural education student teaching were focused on student teacher and cooperating teacher relationships, relationships between cooperating teachers' and student teachers' styles of teaching, and student teachers' needs, satisfaction, and concerns about student teaching (Fritz & Miller, 2003;Garton and Cano, 1996;Garton & Chung, 1996;. There is limited literature on how Agricultural…”

“…Agriculture curricula differ significantly among different agricultural education institutions (Barrick, 1993;Mclean & Camp, 2000 Regarding field experiences, several agricultural education studies discussed student teachers' needs, concerns, school and community relationships, problem solving capabilities, and satisfaction with student teaching, (Edward & Briers, 2001;Fritz & Miller, 2003;Garton & Cano, 1996;Garton & Chung, 1996;. Since student teacher supervision has been cited as a key aspect of field experiences (Darling-Hammond, 1990), it is necessary to keep improving it.…”

“…There were a few studies that discussed agricultural education student teacher supervision as a way of enhancing teacher preparation and quality; Fritz and Miller (2003) studied supervisory practices of university supervisors as they supervised agricultural education student teachers. Garton and Cano (1996) related student teachers' teaching strategies to that of their cooperating teachers. Student teacher supervision by cooperating teachers and student teachers' perceptions and preferences of the supervision they experience are also important in making field experiences enriching for prospective teachers.…”

“…found that "out of 803 articles published in the Journal of Agricultural Education between 1976 and 2001, only three were specifically on supervision" (p. 34). Studies by and Garton and Cano (1996) were the latest in agricultural education that addressed cooperating teachers' supervision of student teachers.…”