Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

1. Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently? Odd Helge Lindseth

2. Odd Helge Lindseth Associate professor in social sciences Hedmark University College Faculty of Education and Natural Sciences Hamar, Norway E-mail: odd.lindseth@hihm.no Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

3. Paper to be presented at The Association for Teacher Education in Europe (ATEE) 35th annual conference, Budapest, Hungary, 26th - 30th August, 2010 Paper presented Friday 27th August 2010 Parallel sessions, round 1, Professional development of teachers 1.B Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

4. This presentation • Empirical study of Norwegian teacher trainees’ values and behaviours • Variations in how teacher trainees’ prioritize their studies • Concern: Work effort, competences and professionalism (“minimalistic students” becomes “minimalistic professionals”?) Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

5. Student groups analysed • Early year teacher trainees (1st and 2nd year students in a 3 year program) • Primary school teacher trainees (1st and 2nd year students in a 4 year program) • All full time students attending Hedmark University College in Hamar, Norway Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

6. Problem of inquiry Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently? • Obligations besides their studies (family, paid job, work in voluntary organizations)? AND/OR • Low levels of professional, work and educational values? Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

7. How to measure teacher trainees’ prioritizing of their studies? • Hours per week performing student activities (attending lectures, seminars etc., writing essays, reading curriculum etc., - alone or with other trainees) • The trainees’ own assessment of how they prioritize their own student activities • The trainees own assessment of’ their work effort compared to fellow trainees Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

8. Hours per week performing student activities. Mean hours by trainee group. Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

9. Findings ... • Teacher trainees work around 24 hour per week with student activities • First year trainees work somewhat more than second year trainees • Small differences between early year and primary school teacher trainees Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

10. Trainees saying they work with their studies only as much as they have to. Percentages by trainee group. Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

11. Findings ... • Around 1/3 of trainees say they work with their studies only as much as they have to • More primary school teacher trainees than early year teacher trainees have a “minimalistic” approach to studying Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

12. Trainees saying they work with their studies about as much as most as their fellow trainees. Percentages by trainee group. Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

13. Findings ... • Around 2/3 of trainees say they work with their studies about as much as their fellow trainees • Most trainees regulate their work effort towards a “common level of effort”, which could be interpreted as a “minimalistic” approach to studying Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

14. Hours per week performing student activities. Mean hours and Pearson’s R correlations by private activities. All teacher trainees. Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

15. Findings … Trainees’ work with their studies … • Increases somewhat when having children (mean increase of 6 hours) • Decreases somewhat when having paid work (mean decrease of 3 hours) Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

16. Measurement of professional values Professional loyalty Index measuring the degree to which trainees are loyal and committed to the profession they are training for Professional standard Index measuring the degree to which trainees want to work according to the professional standard and according to what they have learned during their professional studies Professional obedience Index measuring the degree to which trainees are willing to comply with the demands of society and to their management’s decisions, even if they might not find it right, or even if they disagree Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

17. Measurement of work and educational values Extrinsic work and education Index measuring the degree to which trainees have extrinsic attitudes towards work, education and learning  work, education and learning only as means to other ends Intrinsic work and education Index measuring the degree to which trainees have intrinsic attitudes towards work, education and learning  work, education and learning as goals in themselves Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

18. Correlations between hours per week performing student activities and value indexes. Pearson’s R correlations. All teacher trainees. Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

19. Findings … Trainees’ work with their studies … • Increases somewhat when having higher degree of professionalism (all three dimensions) • Increases somewhat when having intrinsic attitudes towards work, education and learning • Decreases somewhat when having extrinsic attitudes towards work, education and learning Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

20. Concluding analyses Which factors determines how much trainees work with their studies? • Obligations besides their studies • Professional, work and educational values • Student group (Early years or primary school) • Student year (1st or 2nd year trainees) • Year born Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

21. Concluding analyses (cont.) Regression analysis Explained variance (Adjusted R2) = 0.9 Significant scores only Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

22. Conclusions The most important factors in explaining how much time trainees work with student activities: • Extrinsic attitudes towards work, education and learning Values which forms a basis for the trainees’ approach to studying and strengthens certain behaviours • Being an experienced trainee (2nd year as opposed to 1st year) Experiences makes it possible to adjust your work effort in accordance to what is needed to reach your study goals Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?

23. Conclusions (cont.) • A “minimalistic” approach to studying • Studying full time with 2/3 work effort • Work effort regulated by values and towards a “common level of effort” • Work effort decreases when becoming 2nd year trainee • Teacher educations must work with the trainees’ values and their use of time Why do teacher trainees prioritize their studies differently?