ERIC Number: EJ1455719
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0951-8398
EISSN: EISSN-1366-5898
Perpetuating Neoliberal Pathologies: What Teacher Candidates Believe Students with Disabilities Should Learn
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education (QSE), v38 n1 p1-19 2025
Teachers' beliefs impact student outcomes. Yet, regulatory agencies look to standardized accountability measures to establish a base for student improvement. This study examines other qualitative factors that impact student success by exploring teacher candidates' beliefs about what students should learn. Specifically, it examines the beliefs of teacher candidates who were enrolled in a course on teaching students with disabilities. Education Journey Maps and interview data were conducted with 24 teacher candidates. Analyzed through a conceptual framework of Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) and neoliberalism, results indicate that teacher candidates possess an economic habitus that seeks standardization, commodifiable skills, and individualism. Teacher candidates implicitly understand that human capacity and diversity are multifaceted but believe that holding the same standards for everyone will rid our education system of discrimination against people with disabilities. This work has implications for wider debates on the impacts of standardization and neoliberalism in teacher education.
Descriptors: Preservice Teachers, Student Attitudes, Students with Disabilities, Neoliberalism, Critical Race Theory, Standards, Inclusion, Regular and Special Education Relationship, Reading Skills, Writing Skills, Financial Literacy, Social Bias, Attitudes toward Disabilities, Student Diversity, Democracy, Individualism
Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) (ED/OSERS)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A