ERIC Number: ED431745
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1996-Oct
Pages: 26
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Analysis of the Content of E-Mail Exchanged among Preservice Elementary Teacher Candidates.
Levin, Barbara B.; Truscott, Elizabeth H.
This paper presents an analysis of the content of electronic mail exchanged among a team of 24 undergraduate elementary education majors in a Professional Development School program during 1 year of their 2-year teacher education program. Teacher candidates were required to exchange journal entries via e-mail with peers and communicate with keypals who were also preservice teachers in another state. Qualitative analysis of the e-mail exchanged revealed that dialogue centered on several themes: (1) relationships with students, cooperating teachers, university supervisors, and fellow interns; (2) concerns about their own development as teachers; (3) personal issues; (4) professional issues including children's special needs, gender issues, parent and family communications, and questions about the purpose of schooling; (5) concerns about teaching, including instruction, planning, and curriculum; (6) issues related to specific grade levels, such as the difference in behavior and curriculum in different grades; and (7) technical issues regarding use of electronic mail. Overall, the e-mail messages exchanged appeared to provide these prospective teachers with a good outlet to think about and process their field experiences. The content of the exchanges were focused, highly reflective, and oriented to shared problem solving, moral support, and positive feedback. (Contains 38 references.) (Author/SM)
Descriptors: College School Cooperation, Computer Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Electronic Mail, Elementary Education, Elementary School Teachers, Higher Education, Partnerships in Education, Preservice Teacher Education, Professional Development Schools, Student Teacher Attitudes, Student Teachers, Student Teaching
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Teaching and Curriculum (3rd, San Antonio, TX, October 17-19, 1996).