Academic proficiency levels of education majors: A follow-up study

• Published in: The Teacher educator 1999-09, Vol.35 (2), p.30-43
• Main Authors: Roden, John K., Cardina, Catherine E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; College Bound Students; Education Majors; Elementary Secondary Education; Followup Studies; High School Seniors; Higher Education; Mathematics Skills; Preservice Teacher Education; Reading Skills; Science Process Skills; Two Year Colleges
• ISSN: 0887-8730; 1938-8101
• DOI: 10.1080/08878739909555224

One purpose in this study was to determine the percentage of subjects from a nationally representative sample of high school seniors who reported intentions to major in education and were actually majoring in education during a 2-year follow-up analysis. Results showed less than half the subjects were majoring in education. Moreover, subjects with the poorest high school academic proficiency scores were much less likely to be attending college or majoring in education. A second purpose of this study was to describe high school academic proficiency levels in mathematics, reading, and science among students majoring in education as compared to all other college majors. Results showed high school academic proficiency scores of secondary education majors faired better, overall, than the general 4-year college population. Conversely, 4-year college students in elementary and early childhood education were more apt to have left high school with some academic deficiencies, especially in the area of science among early childhood majors.