Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Curriculum & Instruction/Literacy Studies

Committee Chair

David Callejo-Perez

Committee Co-Chair

Sebastian R. Diaz

Abstract

The assessment of educator dispositions has created numerous challenges for teacher education institutions. Many of the issues surrounding dispositions assessment relates to the uncertainty in determining the dispositions that are most important to address in all teacher education programs. Additionally little consideration has been given to the possibility that some dispositions may be more important to some fields of education than to others. This research is an investigation into the importance and efficacy of identified clusters of dispositions, as well as the identification of dispositions important to Health and Physical Education in comparison with those important to all areas of education. The research questions include the following: 1. Building upon prior work of Simpson and Diaz, what are overall general perceptions of the importance and efficacy related to each category of identified dispositions? 2. Are there differences in teacher education students' (both undergraduate and graduate), local school professionals' (including teachers, administrators, and counselors), and teacher education faculty's perception of how well the institution develops the identified dispositions categories in its candidates? 3. What dispositions are perceived to be important specifically to the fields of Health and Physical Education?;A survey was sent to teacher educators, mentor teachers, and teacher education students. Participants rated the importance and efficacy of ten conceptual clusters of dispositions. Additionally, participants listed specific dispositions perceived to be important to teaching Health and Physical Education and those perceived to be important to all fields of education. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and frequency distribution.;Results of this study indicate that all ten conceptual clusters are considered very important to education. The perception of efficacy of each of the ten clusters is good. There was significant variability in the perception of importance among teacher education faculty, teacher education students, and mentor teachers for five of the ten clusters. There was significant variability in the perception of efficacy for one of the ten clusters. There appears to be differences in the dispositions important for teaching Health and Physical Education in comparison with all fields of education. The results of this study have implications for the preparation of teacher education students, the accreditation guidelines for teacher education institutions, and state certification practices.

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