Pre-service Secondary Teachers’ Central Concerns and Coping Strategies during Internship

• Main Authors: Yi-JinChung, 鍾宜君
• Other Authors: Wan-Lin Yang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/33237273463236182050

碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 教育研究所 === 104 === Using Critical Theory as a theoretical framework, this multiple case study aims at exploring secondary preservice teachers’ central concerns, coping strategies, their related context and how these three constructs interrelate with each other. Four preservice teachers who graduated from teacher education programs in universities in Taiwan were recruited for this study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, documents, and preservice teachers’ reflection notes. Data was analyzed by qualitative cross-case analysis. Data was analyzed within each individual case, and then a thematic analysis across the cases was done. Findings suggest that: (1) Preservice teachers experienced numerous frustrations and difficulties during their internship, such as role ambiguity, lack of autonomy, and heavy workload. (2) The randomly assigned mentorship leads to conflicts and tensions between mentors and mentees. (3) The oppressed preservice teachers tend to adopt passive coping strategies to comply with the policy. (4) Teacher education programs in universities and in teachers’ colleges have different guidance and objectives. For example, curriculum in teachers’ colleges focus more on assisting students in passing the screening exams and getting licensure, while preservice teachers graduated from teacher education programs in universities need to work on it by themselves. (5) While the notion of free market was promoted, the concept of being a teacher has been changed as well. Nowadays, prospective teachers view teacher education training as investment that offer them alternative job opportunities. Hence, once preservice teachers experienced frustrations and oppressions, their determination on becoming a teacher are very likely to be wavered. This research aims to provide related recommendations for teacher education programs and policymakers to ameliorate the issues addressed in the findings.