Teacher Education Students an Classroom Teachers: A Comparison of Conative Levels

Abstract

In this study, Nelli and Atwood attempt to examine whether prospective teach ers measure at the same personality level as practicing teachers. The selected personality variable was conative level. Seventy-three elementary teacher prep aration students at a major state univer sity and 41 elementary teachers in an urban area in the same state partici pated in the study. Analysis of variance showed no significant difference be tween the conative levels of preservice teachers and regular teachers. The authors offer three possible explana tions for this finding and outline sugges tions for further research.