Announcing the Final Examination of Katherine Cruz-Deiter for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of four preservice elementary teachers (PSETs) in a teacher preparation course and the factors that informed their science teacher identity. The theoretical framework used was phenomenology, and the study addresses under-researched undergraduate preservice elementary teachers within teacher preparation courses with no science teaching experience and the development of their science teacher identity. Methods included participant survey, semi-structured interviews, and a card sort activity. Analysis was conducted with basic statistical methods for the quantitative data, and coding followed by creating themes for the qualitative data. Results show that the responses (n=24) to an open question survey revealed 19 PSETs did not identify as science teachers. Verbal discourse from 4 PSET semi-structured interviews and a card sort activity were also analyzed. Further, self-identified social markers did inform the science teacher identity of the 4 PSETs interviewed. Rich verbal discourse revealed the participants’ experiences through the lens of their positionality shaped and reshaped their identity.
Since this research study explored the unconscienced day-to-day events of the participants, reflective discourse was applied to reveal how social markers and positionality in their sociocultural worlds informed their science teacher identity. Reflecting on the science teacher identity phenomenon, one implication of the work is that increasing science content knowledge may not be the only factor that informs professional identity amongst the PSETs. Studies with more participants are needed as well as future longitudinal studies to determine if science teacher identity informs the quality of science teaching in the K – 5 elementary science classrooms post-graduation.
Committee in Charge: Andrea Borowczak (Chair), Su Gao, Shiva Jahani, Tonjua B. Freeman
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