| The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the student teaching semester is an opportune time to present a model of self-assessment to student teachers. The questions for the study were: is there a place for student teacher self-assessment during student teaching and what is the nature of its impact on their professional development?; Two groups of elementary student teachers were utilized; four in the control group and five in the treatment group. Each participant was required to videotape three lessons (approximately three weeks apart) and write a critique of the lesson. After the first critique the treatment group was trained in self-assessment. There was an interview conducted of the treatment group participants after the last critique was required. A pre- and post-opinion survey was administered to the treatment group.; During the training, a model of self-assessment was presented to the treatment group with the intent that they were to utilize the model in promoting their professional development. The PIC (plan, implement, and critique) model was developed from aspects of other models and served as the conceptual framework.; A booklet was created from Danielson's Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching (1996) and provided to the treatment group as a standards of practice guide. It was used by the treatment participants as a performance guide for planning and critiquing. An adaptation of concept mapping was utilized using both the University of New Orleans Student Teaching Handbook (1999--2000) and the Framework for Teaching (Danielson, 1996). The critiques were analyzed by the researcher using a process of data analysis in order to ascertain the components and attributes identified by each participant, and the recognition of relationships among these aspects. These results were matched with the components and attributes outlined on both maps. The researcher examined frequency of components and attributes, and recognition of the relationships among these aspects.; It was found that there is a place for self-assessment during the student teaching semester. However, training and experience should precede before the student teaching semester. The participants in the treatment group credited self-assessment with aiding in their professional growth. |
