Building Program Coherence and the (Un)intentional Clinical Experiences for First-Semester Preservice Teachers

Drawing on a theory of program coherence, the establishment of an educational third space, and intentional clinical experience, the authors created a unique entry point in a teacher education program. The authors developed the Onsite Secondary Education Project (OSSEP) to connect relevant educationa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Action in teacher education 2018-08, Vol.40 (3), p.319-335
Main Authors: Fitchett, Paul G., King, Elena Tosky, Fisher, Tom, Coffey, Heather, Harden, Susan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
clinical experience
Field Experience Programs
Preservice teacher education
Preservice Teachers
program coherence
Secondary Education
Student Attitudes
Student Experience
Teacher Education Curriculum
Teacher Education Programs
Theory Practice Relationship
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Summary:Drawing on a theory of program coherence, the establishment of an educational third space, and intentional clinical experience, the authors created a unique entry point in a teacher education program. The authors developed the Onsite Secondary Education Project (OSSEP) to connect relevant educational theory and discipline-specific pedagogy through intentional clinical placements for first-semester preservice teachers. Results from this exploratory research demonstrate that program coherence and structured clinical experiences can help preservice teachers orient themselves to the teaching profession and connect educational theory and practice. However, unintentional experiences were identified, suggesting that increased exposure to the classroom helped shape participants' views toward the teaching profession. Findings offer evidence of a teacher education that balances the idealism of teacher education with the practicalities of the PK-12 classroom.
ISSN:0162-6620
2158-6098
DOI:10.1080/01626620.2018.1486747