Teacher candidates' misconceptions of effective teaching as they demonstrate abilities to plan, teach, and assess for student learning: A multiple cross-case analysis

This study specifically examines the reflective practices found in selected work samples that demonstrate teacher candidates' abilities to plan, teach, and assess student learning. Through the purposeful selection of three work samples, a qualitative case study has been employed in order to perform an in-depth search of underlying patterns and themes that identify theories held by teacher candidates that possibly constrain high levels of learning for all classroom students: (a) an essentialist viewpoint of classroom students as they are placed into perceived achievement categories, and (b) the teaching of a mandated curriculum during a specified timeframe regardless of student abilities. The outcome of this study suggests that teacher candidates will not use high-level reflections for pedagogical decision making that would move students from lower achievement categories to higher ones until the impact of implicit person theories and psychological essentialism are addressed. Implications regarding teaching employ the idea that additions in the form of a table rubric need to be added to the work sample that deal with a focus on misconceptions that occur regarding content that is being taught with the ongoing development of various accommodations so that content confusion is eliminated and learning occurs. This type of change in the work sample format will deploy the focus back on student learning and away from category traits perceived to be essentialist in nature. Another implementation in this study considers the development of high-level reflections implemented in methods and practica courses in higher education, eliminating blaming struggling and failing students for lack of content learning.