Postlesson Conferencing Comparisons Between Trained and Untrained Cooperating Teachers

Purpose

Educating prospective teachers to be reflective in their practice has long been considered to be desirable (Dewey, 1933). A great deal of research however, has determined that this task is difficult (Tsangaridou & Siedentop, 1995). An area that has been limited in its investigation is the facilitative role that cooperating teachers (CTs) can play in helping student teachers (STs) reflect on their own teaching. This presentation will examine the CT/ST dyad to determine the effectiveness of trained CTs in helping STs reflect, as compared to untrained CTs.

Methods

Trained CTs attended a 30-hour workshop that addressed many issues but placed a particular emphasis on post lesson observation conferencing using a collaborative approach (Glickman, Gordon & Ross-Gordon, 2001) whereby the CT listens and questions and the ST dominates the conversation, as a way to facilitate reflection. Two case studies were used that described actual ST experiences and the CTs role-played conferencing using collaboration. Audio taped post lesson conferences were obtained from a total of 20 CT/ST conversations. Ten of these were from CTs who took the training workshop and 10 were from untrained CTs. Audiotapes were transcribed by a research assistant, and all transcripts were anonymous.

Analysis/Results

Transcripts were analyzed to determine total CT questions asked, types of questions, total word count for CT and ST, and type of responses provided by the STs. The type of questions and responses were analyzed inductively and categories were formed. Transcripts were analyzed by a second researcher and inter-observer reliability of categories for questions and responses were 90% and 88% respectively. Results determined that trained CT conferences were almost twice as long as those conducted by untrained CTs. Trained CTs asked significantly more questions than untrained ones and their STs spoke more than they did; the opposite was true for untrained CT/ST conversations whereby the CT dominated conversation. ST responses from an untrained CT were mainly categorized as ‘technical', while those from the STs of trained CTs were ‘situational' as well as ‘technical', which demonstrates more critical thinking within their reflection responses (Tsangaridou & O'Sullivan, 1994).

Conclusions

Follow-up interviews were conducted of trained CTs after working with STs for an eight-week placement to determine their perception of the effectiveness of the workshop. All CTs commented that they were comfortable using a collaborative approach and that the case studies helped them the most in their preparation.