why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

Odd Helge Lindseth


Odd Helge Lindseth

Associate professor in social sciences

Hedmark University College

Faculty of Education and Natural Sciences

Hamar, Norway

E-mail: [email protected]


Paper to be presented atThe Association for Teacher Education

in Europe (ATEE)35th annual conference,

Budapest, Hungary, 26th - 30th August, 2010

Paper presented Friday 27th August 2010Parallel sessions, round 1, Professional development of teachers 1.B


This presentation

• Empirical study of Norwegian teacher trainees’ values and behaviours

• Variations in how teacher trainees’ prioritize their studies

• Concern: Work effort, competences and professionalism (“minimalistic students” becomes “minimalistic professionals”?)


Student groups analysed• Early year teacher trainees (1st and 2nd

year students in a 3 year program)• Primary school teacher trainees (1st and

2nd year students in a 4 year program)

• All full time students attending Hedmark University College in Hamar, Norway


Problem of inquiry

Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently? Obligations besides their studies (family, paid job, work in voluntary organizations)? AND/OR Low levels of professional, work and educational values?


How to measure teacher trainees’ prioritizing of their studies?

1. Hours per week performing student activities (attending lectures, seminars etc., writing essays, reading curriculum etc., - alone or with other trainees)

2. The trainees’ own assessment of how they prioritize their own student activities

3. The trainees own assessment of’ their work effort compared to fellow trainees


Hours per week performing student activities. Mean hours by trainee group.

EarlyYears

2nd year

Primary2nd year

EarlyYears

1st year

Primary1st year

All

21,5 22,0 26,1 24,2 23,6

N 60 25 53 47 185


Findings ...

• Teacher trainees work around 24 hour per week with student activities

• First year trainees work somewhat more than second year trainees

• Small differences between early year and primary school teacher trainees


Trainees saying they work with their studies only as much as they have to. Percentages by trainee group.

EarlyYears

2nd year

Primary2nd year

EarlyYears

1st year

Primary1st year

All

36 46 30 44 38

N 66 28 57 50 201


Findings ...

• Around 1/3 of trainees say they work with their studies only as much as they have to

• More primary school teacher trainees than early year teacher trainees have a “minimalistic” approach to studying


Trainees saying they work with their studies about as much as most as their fellow trainees. Percentages by trainee group.

EarlyYears

2nd year

Primary2nd year

EarlyYears

1st year

Primary1st year

All

76 64 81 80 77

N 66 28 57 50 201


Findings ...

• Around 2/3 of trainees say they work with their studies about as much as their fellow trainees

• Most trainees regulate their work effort towards a “common level of effort”, which could be interpreted as a “minimalistic” approach to studying


Hours per week performing student activities. Mean hours and Pearson’s R correlations by private activities. All teacher trainees.

No Yes Pearson’s R N

Have children 22,5 28,5 .18 183

Have paid work 25,3 22,4 -.11 185

Have unpaid work at home 23,5 24,1 .01 185

Participates in studentorganizations on campus

23,4 23,9 .02 164

Participates in other voluntaryorganizations outside campus

24,2 22,9 -.05 179


Findings …

Trainees’ work with their studies …• Increases somewhat when having

children (mean increase of 6 hours)• Decreases somewhat when having paid

work (mean decrease of 3 hours)


Measurement of professional values

Professional loyalty Index measuring the degree to which trainees are loyal and committed to the profession they are training for

Professional standard Index measuring the degree to which trainees want to work according to the professional standard and according to what they have learned during their professional studies

Professional obedience Index measuring the degree to which trainees are willing to comply with the demands of society and to their management’s decisions, even if they might not find it right, or even if they disagree


Measurement of work and educational values

Extrinsic work and education Index measuring the degree to which trainees have extrinsic attitudes towards work, education and learning work, education and learning only as means to other ends

Intrinsic work and education Index measuring the degree to which trainees have intrinsic attitudes towards work, education and learning work, education and learning as goals in themselves


Correlations between hours per week performing student activities and value indexes. Pearson’s R correlations. All teacher trainees.

Pearson’s R N

Professional loyalty .12 181

Professional standard .12 183

Professional obedience .11 182

Extrinsic work and education -.27 183

Intrinsic work and education .21 184


Findings …

Trainees’ work with their studies …• Increases somewhat when having higher

degree of professionalism (all three dimensions)

• Increases somewhat when having intrinsic attitudes towards work, education and learning

• Decreases somewhat when having extrinsic attitudes towards work, education and learning


Concluding analyses

Which factors determines how much trainees work with their studies?

1. Obligations besides their studies2. Professional, work and educational values3. Student group (Early years or primary school)4. Student year (1st or 2nd year trainees)5. Year born


Concluding analyses (cont.)

Regression analysisExplained variance (Adjusted R2) = 0.9Significant scores only

B Beta Significance level

Extrinsic work and education(scale from low to high)

- 2,0 -.22 .014

Student year(1st year trainees = 0,2nd year trainees =1)

- 4,6 -.21 .008


ConclusionsThe most important factors in explaining how much time trainees work with student activities:1. Extrinsic attitudes towards work, education and

learning Values which forms a basis for the trainees’ approach to studying and strengthens certain behaviours

2. Being an experienced trainee (2nd year as opposed to 1st year) Experiences makes it possible to adjust your work effort in accordance to what is needed to reach your study goals


Conclusions (cont.)

1. A “minimalistic” approach to studying2. Studying full time with 2/3 work effort3. Work effort regulated by values and

towards a “common level of effort”4. Work effort decreases when becoming

2nd year trainee5. Teacher educations must work with the

trainees’ values and their use of time

why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

Documents

traineesthe trainees

teacher education

student activitiesthe

studies family

year students

work effort

year traineessmall differences

time students