Second career adults' views of an accelerated teacher education program

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/d20002943

The purpose of this study was to evaluate students' feelings of preparedness after completing an accelerated teacher education program designed for second career adults. Through a case study design, the researcher explored how a program's design impacted students' feelings of preparedness to enter the field, their views of the effectiveness of the components of the program, and how these graduates viewed the profession as novice teachers. The use of a questionnaire and interviews provided the researcher with descriptions of the participants' perceptions of the accelerated program. Observations of graduates in the role of teacher showed the researcher if participants utilized the skills they developed during the education program and provided an opportunity to interview them individually. The study suggested that strong entrance requirements, in-depth training in pedagogy, and extended supervised time in the field increased students' feelings of preparedness. Outcomes of this study may inform the design and implementation of future accelerated teacher education programs.