| The impact of traditional and alternative teacher preparation programs on student achievement and the instructional delivery methods used in middle school and high school Algebra I classrooms was explored through a mixed method comparative design. The data analysis revealed that alternative teacher preparation programs are a viable avenue to explore in meeting the needs of public schools for providing qualified teachers in mathematics classrooms at the middle school and high school levels. Data from the standardized state test and district level quarterly assessments revealed no significant differences between groups on half of the achievement measures, but there was a significant difference favoring the alternative preparation teachers on two of these measures. Only on one achievement measure, administered early in the school year, students of traditionally trained teachers outscored students of alternatively trained teachers. Furthermore, classroom observation data suggested teachers did not frequently implement instructional strategies based on NCTM standards or principles regardless of the type of training program. |
