| Scope of Study. The purpose of this study was to undertake, through analysis of a questionnaire, an in-depth look at business methods courses offered by colleges and universities which prepare business education teachers. Specifically the purposes of this study were to determine: (1) location of the business teacher education program, (2) approximate number of business teacher education majors, (3) exact number of business methods courses offered, (4) exact number of credit hours awarded, (5) length of the student teaching experience, (6) when business teacher education students take business methods courses, (7) specific titles of the business methods courses, (8) approximate amount of each business methods course that is considered to be methodology oriented and subject-matter oriented, (9) time devoted in business methods courses to selected topics, and (10) perceived degree of importance of various assignments given in business methods courses.;Findings and Conclusions. Responses to each item of the questionnaire were analyzed and evaluated through percentage comparisons and with One-Way and Two-Way Chi-Square Tests for Significance. The results of these analyses indicated the following: (1) Business teacher education programs are relatively small. (2) Business methods courses are a major part of business teacher education programs. (3) A student teaching experience of at least one-half semester seems to be perceived as the minimal acceptable level. (4) Business methods courses are usually taken before the student teaching semester. (5) Methods of Teaching Business Subjects is the most commonly used title for a business methods course. (6) Teachers of business methods classes perceive their courses as being primarily methodology oriented. (7) Business methods teachers spend the majority of class time on typewriting, shorthand, accounting, and general business. (8) Business methods teachers should strongly emphasize micro-teaching presentations, lesson plans, and unit preparation; and they should stress journal research and exams. (9) Schools with more business teacher education majors tend to have more business methods courses. (10) Schools with more methods courses spend more time on certain topics than do schools with fewer methods courses. (11) There are certain topics for which there is no pattern to the amount of time spent regardless of the number of methods courses offered. |
