Print rich environments: Our pre-service teachers’ report of what they observed in their field experiences
Abstract
This study examined teacher candidates' observations and perceptions of classroom print-rich environments during field observations. The focus is on what the teacher candidates report and believe they have observed in classrooms regarding print-rich environments. The subjects were 35 undergraduate teacher candidates enrolled in two language arts and arts methods classes requiring 36 hours of field observations in an urban setting. Pre-service teacher candidates' weekly reflective journals and semester-end descriptions provided data sources. A qualitative method was used to examine patterns of observations and descriptions concerning print-rich environments. Results revealed that most teacher candidates did not realize and observe the dynamic nature of print-rich environments. Suggestions are offered for fixture improvement of field observations for pre-service teachers.
Reference
Tao, L., & Robinson, H. (2005) Print rich environments: Our pre-service teachers' report of what they observed in their field experiences. Reading Horizons, 45(4), 349-366.
Journal
Reading Horizons
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
no
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
- field-based methods course
- University
Preservice Participants
- Undergraduates (university based program)
Preservice Sample Size
35
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- focused description
- weekly reflections
Data Analysis Tools
- Constant comparative analysis
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
Research Questions
What did our pre-service teacher candidates report as to what they observed in urban elementary school classrooms pertaining to the pedagogical use of print-rich environments fostering students' literacy growth?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes