Date of Award

2013

Publisher

North Dakota State University

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Awarded

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Program

Occupational and Adult Education

Department

School of Education

College

Human Sciences and Education

Faculty Advisor

Erichsen, Elizabeth

Description

This study sought to understand learning through the lifeworlds of preservice teachers who are in the last semester of their elementary education program at a Midwest University. The research was an explorative study into preservice teachers' understanding of how they learn, how they define learning, and how their own experiences as students will transfer, as they become professional educators. This study addressed the overarching question: What does it mean to learn and think about learning through the lens of 21st century senior standing elementary education preservice teachers as they transition to the other side of the desk? This study employed a staged data gathering design in which 25 preservice teachers participated in an online questionnaire, a focus group session, and individual interviews. The data was analyzed systematically according to methodology outlined in transcendental phenomenology procedures. Two categories of themes were identified: (a) Preservice teachers' own learning, and (b) Preservice teachers' teaching. Within the categories, eleven themes were identified that addressed learning according to the lifeworlds and experiences of the preservice teachers involved with the study. The lessons learned through this study can be used to inform teacher education programs as more and more 21st century learners are taught to become teachers of other 21st century learners.

Rights

NDSU Policy 190.6.2

Rights Link

https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf

Handle Identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/10365/27013

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