Geraldine L. Cochran FIU Bootcamp March, 6, 2012

1. A Q-Methodology Approach to the Investigation of the Relationship Between Level of Reflection and Typologies Among Prospective Teachers in the Physics LA Program at Florida International University Geraldine L. Cochran FIU Bootcamp March, 6, 2012

2. Introduction • There is a shortage of highly qualified mathematics and science teachers. • Number 1 Priority Rising Above the Gathering Storm (U.S. & Committee on Science, 2007). • Need for highly qualified teachers (No Child Left Behind Act, 2001) • Teachers the most important factor (Blueprint for Reform: Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 2010). • Teacher Preparation and Student Achievement • 10th graders in North Carolina (Clotfelter, Ladd, & Vigdor, 2010) • Middle school students in large city district (Neild, Farley-Ripple, & Byrnes, 2009) • Florida students grades 3-10 (Harris and Sass, 2007)

3. Background • Shortage of highly qualified teachers • Teacher Preparation is important • Additional concerns • Teachers must submit to top-down education reform approaches (Tyack & Cuban, 1995) • Pressures for accountability (Macrine, 2011; Ravitch, 2011; Vinson, Ross, & Welsh, 2011) • High stakes testing and scripted curriculum (Brown, 2011; Lipman, 2011; Macrine, 2011; Nieto, Bode, Kang, & Raible, 2008)

4. Problem Statement • Colorado Learning Assistant Model (Otero, Pollock, and Finkelstein, 2010) • National emulation • Limited research on preservice teachers • Limited research from implementing institutions • Reflection in Teacher Education • Conflicting results in the research • Limited research from the perspectives of preservice teachers • No research on preservice physics teachers reflection

5. Conceptual Frameworks Reflection Thinking and Reflective Action John Dewey (1933) Reflective Practice Donald Schon (1983) Colorado Learning Assistant Model Otero, Pollock, and Finkelstein (201)

6. Purpose of the Study • Determining the perspectives of prospective physics teachers in the Learning Assistant Program at FIU • Relationship between views on reflective teaching and level of reflection evident in writing • Relationship between views on teaching experience and level of reflection evident in writing

7. Research Questions • What are the various views or typologies that exist among physics LAs participating in the LAP at FIU in regard to reflection on teaching and their experience in the LAP? • Using Hatton and Smith’s (1995) rubric for determining different types of reflective writing, what percentage of writing assignments submitted by participants will be characterized as having evidence of reflection? • Controlling for teaching experience provided by the LAP, do physics LAs’ attitude regarding reflection on teaching account for a significant amount of unique variance in the level of reflection evident in their writing? • Controlling for views regarding reflection on teaching, does teaching experience provided by the LAP account for a significant amount of unique variance in the level of reflection evident in their writing?

8. Research Hypotheses • Using Hatton and Smith’s (1995) criteria for determining different types of reflective writing at least 94% of the writings submitted by physics LAs will be characterized as having evidence of reflection. • Controlling for LA experience, physics LAs’ views regarding reflection on teaching accounted for a significant amount of unique variance in their level of reflection on teaching. • Controlling for views regarding reflection on teaching, teaching experience provided by the LAP accounted for a significant amount of unique variance in the level of reflection evident in their writing.

9. Participants and Sampling • Participants • Former Physics LAs at FIU • Present Physics LAs at FIU • Sampling Procedures • Criterion Sampling • Maximum Variation • Sample Size –at least 79 participants

10. Q methodology Developed by William Stephenson (Stephenson, 1935) Procedure for measuring subjectivity objectively (Brown, 1993) Facilitates researcher in determining typologies (Newman, Howley, & Ramlo, 2011) Faster than interviews, richer than surveys, utilizes a more rigorous analytical framework than focus groups and ethnographic observations (Davis & Michelle, 2011) Provides a rich method for determining predictor variables (Newman, Howley, & Ramlo, 2011)

11. Q Methodology Procedure • Concourse development • Interview • Written reflection assignments • Q sample • Views on reflective thing • Views on teaching experience • Q sort • Three piles • Normalized grid • Interviews • (Brown, 1993; Newman & Ramlo)

12. Q Analysis • Correlation matrix • Factor extraction • Principal components • Centroid Extraction • Hand rotation • Factor interpretation • Flagged sorters • Tables of consensus • Tables of disagreement • Distinguishing factor tables • Reliability (Ramlo, McConnell, Duan, & Moore, 2008) • Validity (Ramlo, 2008)

13. Level of Reflection in Writing • Hatton and Smith’s (1995) Criteria for the Recognition of Evidence for Different Types of Reflective Writing • Reliability • “Consistency of the measurement instrument” Newman, Newman, Newman (2010) • Interrater reliability • Validity • Expert judge validity is “similar to face validity except that it is the perceptions of expert judge who report the test is measuring what it claims to be measuring”

14. Logistic Regression Appropriate when outcome variable is categorical Allows for controlling of variables and predicting outcomes

15. Thank you!