The utilization of preservice teachers as an intervention strategy: The impact on learning environment perceptions in a professional development school

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the implementation of a critical component of the Professional Development School (PDS) model on learning environment perceptions of elementary students, teachers and preservice teachers. This critical component involved the use of preservice teachers as an intervention strategy in third and fourth grade classrooms. This study focused on the effects that a PDS has on the children in attendance. Specifically, the learning environment perceptions of third and fourth graders were studied with respect to the utilization of preservice teachers as an intervention strategy. Additionally, the impact of these preservice teachers with regards to the learning environment perceptions of third and fourth grade teachers was also studied. Finally, as a natural consequence, the learning environment perception of the preservice teachers themselves was examined.;In summarizing the total study, while the total test results for the My Class Inventory did not reveal a significant difference between the learning environment perceptions of third and fourth grade students who did and did not have preservice teachers, two subscale areas emerged as being significantly different for students following their interaction with preservice teachers. Classrooms became significantly more cohesive while also becoming more competitive. The same could not be said for the classrooms without preservice teachers. Further, the total test results for the School Level Environment Questionnaire did not reveal significant differences between the learning environment perceptions of third and fourth grade teachers involved in this study. While both groups of teachers reported gains for the majority of the subscales, none of the differences were significant at the 0.05 level. This suggested that the preservice teachers did not have a significant impact on the learning environment perceptions of the teacher participants. Additionally, the preservice teachers themselves reported scores on the survey that indicated that they were very favorably impressed with their learning environment.