Book Clubs as Professional Development Opportunities for Preservice Teacher Candidates and Practicing Teachers: An Exploratory Study
Abstract
The issue of professional development is receiving increased attention, as educators and policy makers are realizing the centrality of teachers to school reform and improvement. This paper describes research on book clubs as a mechanism for professional development and discusses how different study group configurations (i.e., preservice teacher candidates and practicing teachers) utilized book club activities as a central component of their professional development activities. While participation in professional book clubs provides opportunities to examine educational issues, the process is complex and should be examined carefully.
Reference
Burbank, M. D., Kauchak, D., & Bates, A. J. (2010). Book Clubs as Professional Development Opportunities for Preservice Teacher Candidates and Practicing Teachers: An Exploratory Study. New Educator, 6(1), 56-73.
Journal
New Educator
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
Preservice Participants
- Undergraduates (university based program)
Preservice Sample Size
24
Other Participant Data
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- Interviews
- student reflections
- Survey
Data Analysis Tools
- open coding and examined for emergent themes
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
Research Questions
"1. To what extent do the developmental differences among preservice teacher candidates and practicing teachers impact their general receptivity to professional development opportunities in the form of book clubs?" (p. 59).
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
"2. What are the differences in the ways in which preservice teacher candidates and practicing teachers respond to professional book clubs that focus on issues of diversity within contemporary classrooms?" (p. 59).
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Unknown
"3. To what extent does participation in professional book clubs influence long- term professional goals for engaging in collaborative professional development?" (p. 59).
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Unknown