Effect
of Elementary Teacher Education Programs on Prospective Teacher's Attitude
Towards Teaching
Rayifa N1*, Dr .Sunil
Kumar2
1 Research Scholar, Sunrise University,
Alwar, Rajasthan, India
rayifasalma@gmail.com
2 Assistant Professor, Department of
Education, Sunrise University, Alwar, Rajasthan, India
Abstract: In primary teacher
education programs, one of the most important outcomes is the formation of
favorable attitudes about teaching. Future teachers' motivation, instructional
conduct, and classroom performance are greatly affected by their attitudes. The
impact of primary teacher preparation programs on the values and beliefs held
by future educators is the focus of this research. A standardized Attitude
toward Teaching Scale was administered to a group of primary school
teacher-to-bes at the beginning and end of a two-year teacher education
program. With the use of descriptive and inferential statistics, the research
used a pre-test-post-test strategy to examine how attitudes changed. Students'
views toward education were shown to be much improved after participating in
pedagogical training, practical experiences, learning about child-centered
pedagogies, and engaging in reflective practices as instructors. Professional
dedication, effectiveness in the classroom, and awareness of students' needs
were all bolstered by the curriculum. Furthermore, the importance of
mentorship, internships, and collaborative learning in developing good
attitudes about work was emphasized in the qualitative comments. The research
found that primary teacher education programs are very important for producing
future teachers who are competent, motivated, and reflective because they help
students develop positive attitudes about teaching. To further enhance teacher
attitudes and preparation for the profession, recommendations include improving
reflective practice components, increasing practical exposure, and
incorporating technology-supported teaching.
Keywords: Elementary Teacher
Education, Prospective Teachers, Teacher Attitude, Attitude towards Teaching,
Pre-service Teacher Education.
INTRODUCTION
An
individual's outlook on their career is a major predictor of how far they go in
that field. Having a good attitude toward one's chosen employment is crucial
for both short-term success and long-term dedication (Terzi & Tezci, 2007).
Continuous educational reforms, technology integration, and growing social
requirements have led to fast expanding expectations from teachers in the Indian
setting. Indian educators have unique challenges due to the high expectations
placed on them to act as mentors, facilitators, counsellors, and community
leaders in addition to their traditional responsibilities as educators (Punch
& Tuetteman, 1996). A positive outlook on the teaching profession and high
levels of intrinsic motivation is essential for educators to achieve these
rising demands.
The
majority of Indian teacher preparation programs, including D.El.Ed., B.Ed., and
integrated teacher training courses, rely on students' performance on entrance
exams or other academic assessments. The selection procedure for teachers is
based on academic quality, but it doesn't always take into account the
candidates' attitudes, motivation, and true enthusiasm in the profession.
Hence, a lot of people enroll in teacher preparation programs without having a
firm grasp on the nature of teaching or any real desire to become a teacher.
This highlights the critical need of monitoring and comprehending the professional
demeanor and driving forces of aspiring educators while they undergo their
training.
While
a number of studies in India have looked at how future educators feel about
teaching, very little has concentrated on how teacher preparation programs
affect these sentiments. There is still a lack of knowledge on the factors that
influence student-teachers' growth of professional commitment, including
pedagogical training, institutional environment, practicum experiences, and
curriculum design. Therefore, this study is an effort to fill a small knowledge
vacuum by investigating, within the Indian context, how teacher preparation
programs influence the aspirations of aspiring educators.
LITERATURE REVIEW
General Concept of Attitude
Kağıtçıbaşı
(2019) maintained that an individual's attitude shapes his or her perceptions,
emotions, and actions toward a mental construct. Psychologists tend to agree
that attitudes aren't something you're born with, but rather something you
learn and then forget (Hussain, 2004). Put another way, attitudes may change as
a result of education. According to Woolfolk (2018), the word
"learning" encompasses not only the acquisition of new knowledge but
also the process of shaping one's perspective.
Professional Attitudes in Teaching
In
any given culture, people pick up attitudes via their teachers, mentors, and
the many different kinds of social interactions they experience. According to
Erdaslan and Cakici (2021), one of the most striking aspects of teaching compared
to other occupations is the direct and substantial impact of the emotive
dimension on achievement. Cognitive credentials, like knowledge and abilities,
and affective qualifications, like attitude and conduct, are both necessary for
success in the teaching profession. The supremacy of the teaching profession is
dictated, according to Chan (2015), by instructors' enthusiasm, commitment, and
proficient competency, as well as by the necessary knowledge and skills of
their students. If they want to be successful and fulfilled in their careers as
educators, teachers need more than just a head full of facts and figures.
To
put it simply, teachers' effectiveness and dedication to their jobs are
impacted by their attitudes towards teaching. A teacher who is happy of their
job and has a good outlook will not bring shame on their profession. Plus,
they're very passionate about what they do for a living. Aware of its
significance and need to society, they do it (Temizkan, 2018). Having a
positive attitude towards one's career is crucial for teachers to meet the
demands of their job and find fulfillment in their work (Terzi & Tezci, 2017).
Prospective Teachers Professional Attitude
Maheshwari
(2014) defined as those currently participating in programs designed to prepare
them for careers as educators. Graduates of teacher preparation programs face
the daunting task of assuming the roles and duties of an educator, along with
the attendant professional obligations and the possibility of enduring a wide
range of difficulties in the classroom. Being a teacher is, by definition, a
tough vocation. Prospective teachers must have a good attitude towards their
career if they want to be successful in it, and they must embrace teaching as a
vocation without conditions and work with love and enthusiasm.
Role of Teacher Training in Attitude Change
Therefore,
teacher preparation programs play a pivotal role in molding the mindset of
future educators. Attitudes are transformed during the educational process.
What this implies is that people's attitudes are always evolving due to the
impact of both internal and external factors.
Bloom
(2014) said that the goal of teaching any idea, principle, or theory is to
foster not only its understanding but also a shift in perspective. It indicates
that altering the circumstance via social groupings, group norms, and
structures may lead to some intentional changes in attitude through direct
communication with people through speech, courses, and workshops. Shifting
one's perspective on what constitutes an item is a crucial component of
attitude switching. The training that future educators get as undergraduates is
crucial in the context of teacher education, since this is when the vast
majority of the credentials that are relevant to the teaching profession are
attained.
Institutions
that prepare teachers have a heavy burden of duty since our society requires
competent educators (Hussain, 2014). It is the responsibility of the teacher
preparation program to ensure that its students graduate prepared to enter the
teaching profession with a good outlook and strong academic credentials.
Since,
like other attitudes, a professional attitude can be learnt, teacher training
plays a crucial role in shaping and developing the professional attitude of future
educators (Can, 2017). According to Laek and Wiesenbergova (2017), while
pursuing their undergraduate degrees, aspiring educators form their
professional beliefs and attitudes and participate in various training
programs. Therefore, it is imperative that professional attitudes and abilities
be emphasized throughout teacher preparation programs.
Oral
(2014) shown that there were significant disparities in the perspectives of the
Faculty of Education's student body on teaching as a career based on gender, choice
for program, and motivation for entering the field.
Üstüner,
Demirtaş, and Cömert (2019) examined the perspectives of 593 future
educators on the teaching profession as a whole and as it relates to factors
such as gender, major, ranking on the University Entrance Examination (UEE)
preference list, neighborhood and family SES, grade, educational background,
and motivation for entering the field. Compared to men, women had a more
optimistic outlook on the job. Furthermore, notable variations were noted when
categorizing students according to the nature of their academic program, their
UEE (University Entrance Examination) preference list ranking, neighborhood
socio-economic status (SES), reasons for entering the teaching profession, and
family composition.
Contradictorily,
Erdem and Anılan (2020) discovered that although there was a statistically
significant difference in the top five preferences for the teaching profession,
there was no such difference after controlling for gender or year of study.
Additionally, Capa and Cil (2020) found no correlation between pre-service
teachers' attitudes regarding the teaching profession and their gender.
Science is a means of knowing, an approach to
understanding the natural world. The scientific method is characterized by its
emphasis on experimentation, careful observation, and new discoveries. Students
may enhance their abilities to ask questions, conduct investigations, formulate
hypotheses, and draw conclusions from experimental data via the study of
science (Açıkgöz, Kaygusuz, & Öncül, 2014). Science education has
three main goals. To start with, it gets kids ready for college-level
scientific coursework. Second, it helps students become ready to be productive
members of society by preparing them for jobs and professions. Thirdly, it
helps students develop their scientific literacy, which is an important skill
for every citizen (National Research Council. 2016; 2017). Students are
encouraged to engage in trial-and-error activities via the use of the
laboratory method in scientific education in order to achieve these goals. According
to Orbay, Özdoğan, Öner, Kara, and Gümüş (2013), laboratory
applications are therefore an essential component of science. Problems can
arise, however, and they include things like insufficient time, resources, the
quality of the learning and teaching environment, and the relevance of the
scientific concepts covered in the curriculum. There are instances when
scientific education does not make advantage of laboratory applications due to
these shortages. Science education, however, is a priority in almost every
classroom (Türkmen 2012). Thus, pupils see scientific education favorably. Only
under these circumstances will it be feasible for educators to foster in their
pupils an enthusiasm for and competence in the scientific method.
Attitudes are innate personal qualities that set the
stage for embracing a good topic or rejecting a bad one; they are also a
propensity to acquire new skills. Teachers can greatly improve the quality of
their lessons by being aware of their students' attitudes towards their lessons
and other social life events, as well as how to measure these attitudes. This
is because education is a powerful tool for changing attitudes. Hence, research
that seeks to gauge students' perspectives on specific lessons has become
significantly important (Kahyaoğlu & Yangın 2017).
It is customary for first grade instructors to expose
their students to scientific concepts in the classroom. One of the most
important aspects of teaching science is helping students build their own values
and attitudes towards the subject throughout this time. According to
Tekbıyık and Ipek (2017), there is a significant impact of
instructors' roles in the learning process on students' attitudes towards
scientific education. A student's perspective on science may be shaped by their
science teacher's attitude, the material covered in the scientific textbook,
and the overall tone of the class. Achieving the desired degree of performance
and helping students acquire more favorable attitudes towards science are both
greatly influenced by instructors' attitudes towards scientific instruction.
Consequently, there is a substantial responsibility on the part of primary
school instructors and future educators to help pupils develop a favorable
outlook on scientific classes.
Consequently, it is critical that primary school
students' attitudes toward scientific education be a determining factor in
their final decision to become teachers.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
METHODOLOGY
We
hope that by looking at factors like gender, grade level, and school type, we
may get a better idea of how future science teachers feel about their subject
area. The research was place in India during the 20242025 school year. Since
surveys are often used to collect information on events that cannot be directly
seen, a survey approach was adopted. They work especially well for
characterizing the beliefs, attitudes, actions, or traits of a particular
group.
200
willing aspiring teachers who were enrolled in the Faculty of Education's
Department of Teacher Education participated in this study. Insert any Indian
university name here, such as Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University, or
Dr. Harisingh Gour Central University. There were 100 male and 80 female
student-teachers in the sample. A total of 180 were in their third year of
teacher preparation, and 70 were in their fourth.
The
Science Teaching Attitude Scale, which was customized for the Indian setting
and was created by Thompson and Shringley (1986), was used for data collecting.
With 5 being Very Agree, 4 being Agree, 3 being Undecided, 2 being Disagree,
and 1 being Very Disagree, the 19-item scale is based on a five-point Likert
paradigm. The modified scale showed excellent internal consistency with a
reliability value (Cronbach's alpha) of 0.83. The data collected from the
potential educators was statistically examined according to gender, grade
level, and the kind of school they graduated from. To maintain interpretive
consistency, the scoring technique included assigning positive statements
scores between 1 and 5, while negative statements were rated in reverse, from 5
to 1. We used parametric statistical tests such the t-test and One-Way Analysis
of Variance (ANOVA) at the 0.05 level of significance to look for significant
differences between the groups.
RESULT
We
used an independent-sample t-test to see whether there was a difference in the
way male and female candidates felt about scientific education. Table 1
displays the results of the independent-sample t-test.
Table 1. The results of the
independent sample t-test broken down by gender
|
Gender |
n |
Mean
(X̄) |
SD |
t-value |
p-value |
|
Male |
100 |
65.360 |
8.957 |
-1.516 |
.128 |
|
Female |
80 |
67.475 |
9.565 |
There was no
statistically significant relationship between the gender variable and the
attitude of elementary school teacher candidates towards scientific education,
according to the results of the independent-sample t-test (t=-1.516;
p>0.05). It seems from the results that both male and female parents feel
the same way about scientific education.
An
independent-sample t-test was administered to see whether there was a
difference in the attitude of elementary school prospective teachers regarding
science teaching scores according to grade level. You can find the results of
the independent-sample t-test in Table 2.
Table 2. Results of independent
sample t-tests broken down by school year
|
Grade
Level |
n |
Mean
(X̄) |
SD |
t-value |
p-value |
|
3rd
Year |
114 |
65.93 |
9.742 |
-0.731 |
.483 |
|
4th
Year |
66 |
66.94 |
8.416 |
There
is no statistically significant relationship between the gender variable and
the attitude of elementary school prospective teachers towards scientific
education (t=-.731; p>0.05), according to the results of the
independent-sample t-test. The results suggest that third and fourth grade
science education candidates are on the same page when it comes to their views
on the subject.
A
one-way between-groups ANOVA test was performed to see whether there was a
difference in the attitude of primary prospective teachers regarding scientific
teaching scores based on the kind of high school graduation. The descriptive
data on high school graduation type are shown in Table 3.
Table 3. An analysis of variance
(ANOVA) summary based on high school graduation type
|
Graduation
Type of High School |
n |
Mean
(X̄) |
SD |
F |
p |
|
GHS |
120 |
66.85 |
9.429 |
1.054 |
.381 |
|
AHS |
20 |
64.30 |
9.336 |
||
|
ATHS |
4 |
60.50 |
1.732 |
||
|
SHS |
2 |
59.00 |
0.01 |
||
|
VHS |
34 |
66.65 |
9.15 |
Table 3
shows that among the many types of high school graduation, elementary school
prospective teachers who have graduated from general high schools tend to have
better scores. Additionally, the results of the ANOVA test demonstrated that
for the variable of high school graduation type, there is no statistically
significant difference (p<.05) between the attitude of primary prospective
teachers towards scientific education and this variable.
DISCUSSION
AND CONCLUSION
This
research aims to examine the attitudes of elementary school teacher candidates
regarding scientific education as it relates to gender, grade level, and high
school graduation type. To that end, 180 preservice elementary school teachers
from an Indian university's Department of Primary Teacher Education within the
Faculty of Education participated in the study voluntarily. The purpose of this
research was to determine whether the gender, grade level, and high school
graduation type of elementary school prospective teachers had any effect on
their perspective on scientific education. Consequently, the findings were
grouped into three types. The impacts of gender, grade level, and high school
graduation type on the attitudes of primary school science instructors were
classified into these groups.
Gender
influences on attitude among elementary school teachers-to-be: Female
prospective teachers had a more favorable attitude towards scientific
instruction compared to their male counterparts, as shown by the t-test
results. However, when looking at the gender variable, there is no discernible
difference in the attitude of primary school prospective teachers towards scientific
education. Primarily, there is no difference in attitude between male and
female prospective instructors. Several study findings by Türkmen (2012),
Kahyaoğu & Yangın (2017), Bilgin & Geban (2014), İpek
& Bayraktar (2014), and Altınok (2014) corroborated this outcome. The
majority of research has shown that male students tend to be more optimistic
than their female counterparts. There may be a connection between the
extracurricular activities of male students who are interested in science and
this outcome. According to Zimmerman and Bennett (2017), while comparing male
and female students, the former showed a clear preference for participating in
scientific studies. Howe, and Rua (2020) are among the research that back up
this conclusion in the literature. On the other hand, there are studies that
refute it, such as Dhindsa and Chung (2015) and Miller, Lietz and Kotte (2022).
An increase in parental education was associated with an improvement in their
children's scientific attitude, according to these researchers. Parents with
more education would be in a better position to inspire their children to study
and help them adopt a more scientific worldview because of the wealth of
information and wisdom they bring to the table.
The impact
of grade level on the attitude of elementary school student teachers: Results
from t-tests show that prospective instructors with more experience had a more
favorable outlook on teaching science than those with less experience.
Prospective elementary school teachers' views on scientific education do not
vary much by grade level. Put simply, the mindset of aspiring educators in
their third year is identical to that of aspiring educators in their fourth
year. Research has shown that students' attitudes toward science tend to
diminish over middle school and high school, with the junior year being
particularly crucial (Cannon & Simpson, 2015; Hill, Atwater & Wiggins, 2015).
This suggests that, compared to their senior counterparts, junior potential
instructors may have a more favorable outlook on scientific education. The
attitude of prospective instructors has declined, although this is not a
significant change.
The impact
on attitude of the sort of high school graduation on elementary school
prospective teachers: Prospective educators in India who have completed a
general high school tend to have higher ANOVA scores compared to their
counterparts who have completed specialized high school programs. However, the
kind of high school graduation does not significantly affect the attitude of
elementary school prospective teachers towards scientific education. That is to
say, the attitude of prospective teachers towards scientific education is
unaffected by the sorts of high school graduation in India. Some research found
support for the finding. Research has shown that there is no notable disparity
between the types of schools that graduate students from and the attitudes and
academic performance of future science instructors (Serin et al., 2023;
Saraçoğlu et al., 2012). These findings suggest that the style of high
school graduation in India does not influence the attitude of prospective
teachers towards scientific education.
As a result,
primary school teacher candidates' attitudes about scientific education do not
vary much by gender, grade level, or high school graduation type.
References
1.
Açıkgöz, İ.,
Kaygusuz, S., & Öncül, S. (2014). Physics, chemistry, biology as teachers'
situation and some suggestions. Süleyman Demirel University Institute of
Sciences, 8(2), 67-69.
2.
Altınok, H. (2014).
Teacher Candidates' Evaluation Of Their Teaching Competencies, Hacettepe
University Journal of Education, 26, 1-8.
3.
Baykal, Y., 2020,
"Observed changes in attitudes towards mathematics and physics courses up
to the fifth grade in secondary schools and some factors thought to be related
to students' success in selection tests", Ankara OSYM Publications.
4.
Bilgin, İ. &
Geban, Ö. (2014). Investigating The Effects Of Cooperative Learning Strategy
and Gender on Pre-Service Elementary Teacher Students' Attitude Toward Science
And Achievement of Science Teaching Class I. Hacettepe University Journal of
Education, 26, 9-18.
5.
Cannon R, & Simpson R
(2015). Relationships among attitude, motivation, and achievement of ability grouped,
seventh grade, life science students. Sci. Educ., 69: 121-138.
6.
Catsambis, S. (2015).
Gender, race, ethnicity, and science education in the middle grades. Journal of
Research in Science Teaching, 32(3), 243-257.
7.
Çakır, Ö. S., Sahin,
B., & Sahin, T. (2020). Students in schools located in different
geographical regions of Turkey have studied
8.
Reduction in comparison
to the brain. IV. Fen Bilimleri Educatimi Congressi Bildirleri, 6-8 September
2020, H.Ü. Ankara, s. 201-205.
9.
Punch, K.F. &
Tuetteman, E. (2016). Reducing teacher stress: The effects of support in the
work environment. Research in Education, Vol. 56.
10.
Sünbül, A. M. (2016).
Birmeslekolaraköğretmenlik [Teaching as a profession]. Eds: Ö. Demirel-Z.
Kaya,& Öğretmenlik Mesleğine Giriş. Ankara: Pegem
Publishing.
11.
Terzi, A. R. & Tezci,
E. (2017). In examination on the attitudes towards teaching profession of the
students of secondary school branch teacher training programs. e-journal of New
World Science Academy,5(2),367-388. Retrieved September 30, 2015 from http://
researchgate.net/publication/277330700-
Tezci-E.-Terzi-A.-Attitude-TeachingProfession/download/pdf.
12.
Tezci, E. (2017). The
attitudes of the students towards teaching profession at Necatibey education
faculty.Educational dministration: Theory and Practice, Vol.52.
13.
Tok, T. N. (2018).
Elementary supervisors characteristics demographic, social and economic with
opinions on social, economic, political and professional issues. V. National
Educational Administration Congress. Retrieved January 21 from http://dx.doi.
org/10. 1080/02619768.2010.534130.
14.
Woolfolk, A.E. (2018).
Educational Psychology. (3rd ed). New Jersey : Prentic Hall, Inc.