| Summary: | Three groups of business educators assigned priorities to 41 competency statements and five competency clusters that had been identified in previous research as being important for vocational and technical education teachers. One hundred fifty survey instruments were distributed among 55 business teacher educators, 80 cooperating teachers, and 15 local supervisors of business education. Responses were received from 120, or 80 percent, of them.
The responses were analyzed and the results used to answer the following research questions:
1. How do the groups rank selected clusters of teacher competencies?
2. How do the groups rank selected competencies within clusters?
3. To what extent do the groups agree with regard to priority ranking of clusters of teacher competencies?
The findings of the study indicate that business educators assign priorities to clusters of teacher competencies in the following order: (1) Student-Centered Teaching, (2) Lesson Preparation, (3) Performance Oriented Teaching, (4) Nondirective Teaching, and (5) Student Discipline and Control.
Significant agreement was found in every case except two. Local supervisors did not agree on the order of priorities for competency statements within clusters related to"Individualized Evaluation and Instruction"--one of the competency patterns in Cluster 1--and"Lesson Preparation."
The conclusions of the study were as follows:
1. In developing teacher competencies for prospective business teachers, business educators probably place the greatest amount of emphasis on those competencies needed in working directly with students in a classroom setting.
2. In developing teacher competencies for prospective business teachers, business educators probably place high emphasis on competencies needed in lesson preparation.
3. In developing teacher competencies for prospective business teachers, business educators probably place high emphasis, but to a lesser degree than lesson preparation, on those competencies related to results of teaching.
4. In developing teacher competencies for prospective business teachers, business educators probably place moderate emphasis on those competencies related to process of teaching.
5. In developing teacher competencies for prospective business teachers, business educators probably place the least amount of emphasis on those competencies related to" student discipline.
Based upon the findings and conclusions of the study, the following recommendations were made:
1. In revising their curriculums, course content, program experiences, and teaching methodology, business teacher educators should consider the priorities revealed in this study. Revisions based on these priorities should reflect greatest emphasis on competencies needed by prospective business teachers related to student-centered teaching.
2. Since the priorities revealed in this study represent responses from three groups of business educators, State Department of Education personnel should consider using them in revising curriculum guides and other materials related to business teacher education programs.
3. In order to provide a basis for comparison of the assignment of priorities to teacher competencies across vocational programs, research studies similar to this one should be undertaken in other vocational areas.
4. Since priorities change with changing conditions, business · educators should reexamine priority strategies on a continual basis. === Doctor of Education
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