Öğretmeyi öğrenmek: Araştırma görevlilerinin öğretmen adaylarına öğretmeyi öğrenme serüvenleri

Son zamanlarda eğitim camiası araştırma görevlilerinin lisans öğrencilerinin öğrenmelerinde oynadıkları rolün farkına varmıştır. Ancak, araştırma görevlilerinin öğretim becerilerinin geliştirilmesi boyutu doktora programlarında ihmal edilmiştir. Bu nitel çalışmada, Durumlu Öğrenme Kuramı perspektifi kullanılarak araştırma görevlilerinin öğretmen adaylarına öğretim yapmayı öğrenme kesifleri incelenmiştir. Ortaöğretim Fen ve Matematik Alanları Bölümünde doktora yapmakta olan 12 araştırma görevlisi çalışmaya katılmıştır. Veriler yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşmeler ile toplanmıştır. Katılımcıların öğretim yapmayı öğrenmelerine yardımcı olan bağlam, kişi ve araçları belirlemek için toplanan veriler daha önceden belirlenmiş kavramlar kullanılarak (deductive) analiz edilmiştir. Sonuçlar araştırma görevlilerinin öğretmeyi öğrenme deneyimlerinin doktora programları ve çalışma ortamları ile yakından ilişkili olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Deneyimli araştırma görevlileri yeni başlayanlar için model oluşturmaktadır. Danışmanların bu noktada desteği eksik bulunmuştur. Doktora ve lisans derslerini veren öğretim üyeleri ve deneyimli araştırma görevlileri yeni araştırma görevlilerinin öğretim yapma deneyimlerini desteklemişlerdir. Tezler, kitaplar ve makaleler katılımcılara öğretim ile ilgili güzel örnekler sunmaktadır. Ayrıca deneyimli araştırma görevlileri kaynaklar ve yöntemler ile ilgili zengin bir listeye sahip iken göreve yeni başlayanlar deneyimli araştırma görevlilerinin uyguladıkları yöntemleri taklit etme eğilimindedirler. Bu çalışma araştırma görevlilerinin üniversite seviyesinde öğretim yapabilmeleri için deneyimli öğretmen eğitimcilerinin rehberliğine ek olarak formal bir eğitime ihtiyaçları olduğu noktasının altını çizmektedir.

Learning to Teach: Graduate Assistants’ Expedition into Teaching Teachers

Recently, the educational community has realized the vital role of graduate assistants (GAs) in the learning of undergraduate students; however, developing teaching expertise is often an overlooked component of graduate programs. In this qualitative case study, we used Situated Learning Theory to examine GAs expedition of learning to teach teacher candidates. Twelve GAs studying for a PhD in the science and mathematics department for secondary education participated in the study. Data was collected by semi-structured interviews. A deductive approach was utilized to analyze data to get GAs common views of the context, people, and tools that helped them learn to teach. Results showed that GAs experience for learning to teach was associated with both their PhD program and work environment. Experienced GAs were role model for beginner GAs. The support of advisors on learning to teach was found to be insufficient. Instructors in the PhD and undergraduate programs, as well as other experienced GAs, supported the experience of new GAs for learning to teach. Theses, books, and articles also provided examples of good teaching. Experienced GAs had a richer list of sources and strategies of how to use them as a source for learning to teach whereas novice GAs have a tendency to imitate experienced ones. This work further highlights the need for formal education for learning to teach in graduate programs, as well as mentoring by experienced teacher educators.

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