ERIC Number: EJ861099
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Dec
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0007-0998
EISSN: N/A
Changes in Student Teachers' Agency Beliefs during a Teacher Education Year, and Relationships with Observed Classroom Quality, and Day-to-Day Experiences
Malmberg, Lars-Erik; Hagger, Hazel
British Journal of Educational Psychology, v79 n4 p677-694 Dec 2009
Background: Conceptualizations of teachers' agency beliefs converge around domains of support and instruction. Aim: We investigated changes in student teachers' agency beliefs during a 1 year teacher education course, and related these to observed classroom quality and day-to-day experiences in partnership schools during the practicum. Samples: Out of a sample of 66 student teachers who had responded to at least two out of four times to a questionnaire (18 men 48 women; mean age 26.4 years), 30 were observed during teaching, and 20 completed a 4-day short form diary. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis validated two agency belief constructs. Multi-level models for change investigated individual differences in change over time. Multi-level path models related observation and diary responses to agency beliefs. Results: Supportive agency belief was high and stable across time. Instructional agency belief increased over time, suggesting a beneficial effect of teacher education. This increase was predicted by observed classroom quality (emotional support and student engagement) and daily positive affect and agency beliefs. Conclusions: Teacher education is successful in creating a context in which student teachers' supportive agency beliefs can be maintained and instructional agency beliefs can increase during the course.
Descriptors: Preservice Teacher Education, Student Teachers, Education Courses, Path Analysis, Factor Analysis, Beliefs, Construct Validity, Attitude Change, Questionnaires, Instructional Effectiveness, Classroom Environment, Correlation, Teacher Attitudes, Student Attitudes
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A