Unacknowledged knowledge growth: A re-examination of the effects of teacher education

Abstract

Researchers on teacher education have faced two dilemmas. The first concerns the knowledge base for teachers. Although education coursework provides the potential to transmit formally the knowledge base of the profession, the knowledge base required for teaching has never been systematically defined. The second dilemma concerns the distinction between the coursework and fieldwork in teacher preparation and how experiences in each contribute to knowledge acquisition and growth. Using the model of the components of the knowledge base in teaching emerging from the "Knowledge Growth in a Profession" project at Stanford University, this research looks at the self-reports of knowledge acquisition of six novice teachers during their teacher preparation year. The results suggest that coursework and fieldwork offer distinct opportunities for learning. From the field experiences teachers reported they acquire general pedagogical knowledge including classroom management and organization. They also learn about students' understanding and misunderstanding of their subject matter. From their coursework the novices reported acquiring their conceptions of their subject matter for teaching as well as their sense of pedagogical ideals.