Examining preservice teachers’ perceived performance while student teaching: A longitudinal study

Abstract

With this study, we sought to fill a gap regarding preservice teachers’ self-evaluation during the student teaching experience. An instrument was created and validated for use as a weekly self-evaluation tool for preservice teachers during the student teaching internship. This instrument encourages preservice teachers to self-assess and use self-regulated learning strategies during their student teaching experience. The finalized instrument should be used in conjunction with other activities of the student teaching portfolio to meet the phases of self-regulated learning (forethought, performance, and self-reflection). The purpose of this study was to examine the change in preservice teachers’ perceived performance over time during the 14-week student teaching internship. The objectives of this study were to describe preservice teachers’ performance scores and examine the variance in preservice teachers’ self-reported performance scores over the student teaching internship. Means and standard deviations for each of the five constructs during the 14-week period are reported. The self-evaluation scores of all five constructs of the validated instrument show an upward trend over the 14-week student teaching internship, with peaks and valleys scattered throughout. Research should continue with the goal of identifying the reasons for the peaks and valleys in weekly self-evaluation data.