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Teachers' beliefs about pedagogy and related issues
Author(s) -
Snider Vicki E.,
Roehl Rebecca
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
psychology in the schools
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1520-6807
pISSN - 0033-3085
DOI - 10.1002/pits.20272
Subject(s) - psychology , professional development , mathematics education , pedagogy , teacher education , constructivism (international relations) , teaching method , class (philosophy) , international relations , artificial intelligence , politics , political science , computer science , law
This study explores teachers' beliefs about pedagogical issues as well as related educational and professional issues. Six hundred K–12 teachers in three Midwestern states received surveys and 60% returned them. Results of the survey indicated that teachers were relatively unified in their beliefs, and few differences emerged around demographic variables. More teachers believed in teaching practices consistent with constructivism than believed in explicit instruction; however the majority of teachers were mixed, undecided, or balanced about pedagogy. Teachers reserved their strongest beliefs for the importance of learning style, eclectic instruction, and small class size in the primary grades. Few teachers believed that a great teacher is characterized by high student achievement outcomes, and over half believed that factors such as home environment or dyslexia prevent children from learning basic skills despite the school's best efforts. Teachers valued experience over education and training for professional development and viewed teaching as more of an art than a science. Results are discussed in relationship to current challenges in education. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 873–886, 2007.