Date of Award
2002
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Ellen Clymer
Keywords
assessment, competency, Early Childhood Education, evaluation, faculty, grades, higher education, inventories, literature review, mean scores, mission, null hypothesis, practicum, self-assessment, self-reflection, skill development, skills inventory, Santa Barbara City College, statistical analysis, student teachers, student teaching, t-test, training program
Abstract
The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Department at Santa Barbara City College has the mission of offering coursework and applied student teaching opportunities to those interested in working with young children from birth to age eight. As part of their student teaching practicums, student teachers learn the skill of self-reflection in the self-assessment process. The nature of the problem for this study is the ECE Department uses two different skills inventories in assessing the competency level of student teachers. The student teachers perceive a double standard exists in the evaluation of their skills. Also, the faculty do not use consistent language in describing the importance of the skills inventory as well as in giving examples of skills to guide student teachers in the self-assessment process. There is much room for human error and the potential grieving of grades in this area is also problematic. Ultimately, the reputation of the department is at stake as a quality training institution.
The purpose of this research study is to compare the mean scores in skill development in the use of two skills inventories for Early Childhood Education student teachers. The outcome of the study will assist the department f aculty in deciding to use one of the current skills inventories over another, if there is a statistical significance, or to develop a new skills inventory. The f ollowing research question has been developed. Do student teachers who use Skills Inventory I demonstrate a higher mean score in skill development than student teachers who use Skills Inventory II?
For the collection of the data, six procedures were used: (a) a review of literature; (b) contact with each course instructor was made and an explanation of the research study was given; (c) course instructors submitted copies of final grade sheets; (d) each student was given a random number for identification purposes; (e) points for skill development from each sample group were entered in to a statistical computer program; (f) statistical procedures were performed on the data and final results were given to the Early Childhood Education Department Chair and faculty.
Based on the results of the statistical test performed, the null hypothesis was accepted. With a t stat of -0.40476 and a t critical value of 1.679427 and using a 0,05 level of significance, there was no significant difference between the means of scores in skill development between ECE student teachers for the " Spring" sample and the "Fall" sample. The alternative hypothesis was rejected.
Three conclusions were drawn from the study: (a) the statistical analysis of the collected data showed there was no significant difference, at the 0.05 level, between the mean scores for skill development, thus failing to reject the null hypothesis; (b) the study did not statistically support one skills inventory over another in having a greater impact on the competency level of ECE students; (c) the study did activate the commitment of the faculty to design one skills inventory and provided an opportunity for the faculty to discuss their differences and reach an agreement with a focus on the goal of student teaching and the mission of the department.
Three recommendations were made as a result of the study: (a) ECE faculty review the literature and develop a foundation of knowledge and understanding of the self-assessment learning process with a focus on self-reflection; (b) ECE faculty design and implement one skills inventory in the assessment of student teachers' competency levels; (c) ECE faculty design and implement a periodic review process in evaluating the purpose and effectiveness of the skills inventory and the related self assessment process.