How Arizona Community College Teachers Learn to Teach

What is it about?

Learning to Teach 2Abstract A survey of novice community college teachers in Arizona examined what learning experiences are available to help them learn to teach, and how valuable they consider those experiences to be in learning to teach. These activities can be organized into four general categories: reflective activities, classroom application, formal methods of learning teaching strategies, and college-based activities. Of these activities, new teachers value reflective activities the most, followed by classroom application, then formal methods of learning teaching strategies. College-based activities got the lowest ranking. These rankings raise two questions that warrant further professional exchange and research. First, are college-based professional development activities actually less valuable in promoting student success or are they simply perceived that way by faculty members?Second, is there an intuitive process that new teachers use to learn to teach that relies more heavily on reflective and applied activities?

Featured Image

Why is it important?

A survey of novice community college teachers in Arizona examined what learning experiences are available to help them learn to teach, and how valuable they consider those experiences to be in learning to teach. These activities can be organized into four general categories: reflective activities, classroom application, formal methods of learning teaching strategies, and college-based activities. Of these activities, new teachers value reflective activities the most, followed by classroom application, then formal methods of learning teaching strategies. College-based activities got the lowest ranking. These rankings raise two questions that warrant further professional exchange and research. First, are college-based professional development activities actually less valuable in promoting student success or are they simply perceived that way by faculty members?Second, is there an intuitive process that new teachers use to learn to teach that relies more heavily on reflective and applied activities?