Dr. Dan Ernst

The purpose for conducting this study was to determine if there were significant differences between the teaching effectiveness of University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) student teachers and first-year teachers who were graduates of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. For this study, teaching effectiveness was defined by the four criteria of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Scholar-Practitioner Model: (1) teaching process, (2) the curriculum, (3) the learners, and (4) the profession. Student teachers' and first-year teachers' perceptions related to satisfaction were also examined to determine if there was a significant difference based on student teaching and first-year teaching experiences. A survey was designed and administered to UNL student teachers who completed the student teaching experience during the Spring semester of 1996 and UNL graduates who were first-year teachers during the 1995-96 school year. The survey contained 61 items regarding teaching effectiveness, and respondents were asked for demographic information and to rate their satisfaction with their experiences. Significant differences in teaching effectiveness were found for three of the four criteria: (1) teaching process, (2) the learners, and (3) the curriculum. No significant difference was found for the fourth criterion, the profession. No significant difference was found between student teachers' and first-year teachers' satisfaction based on the student teaching and first-year teaching experiences. Results of this study support use of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Scholar-Practitioner Model. However, as first-year teachers' self-rated perceptions of teaching effectiveness were lower than student teachers, additional support should be provided by teacher education programs.