A follow-up study of the alternate secondary education program at Eastern Illinois University for the years 1981-1982, 1984-1985, 1986-1987, and 1987-1988

Abstract

Eastern Illinois University developed a clinically oriented competency-based secondary teacher education program, designed to give students early exposure to the public high school classroom. The program consists of 27 required modules in areas of teacher education.

Purpose of the study. The purpose of this study was to investigate the success of the program by surveying the graduates of four different years. The study was limited to the objectives of ten required modules. An instrument was developed to provide answers for four concerns expressed by the program Director. A pilot study and coefficient of correlation test using the developed instrument were conducted. One hundred forty questionnaires were sent. Responses were received from 114 (81.43 percent) respondents. Demographic information was tallied by age, position, area of teaching, experience, size of school, and location. The Director's concerns about the program were identified with the responses to the modules which were computed to percentage figures.

Conclusions. In the area of Educational Foundations, two of the three modules received a greater number of responses to "less emphasis" than the other modules. In satisfaction with all modules, the respondents responded mainly to the first three categories of "strongly agree," "agree," and "undecided." The 1987-88 group was the most critical.

Recommendations. (a) A formal evaluation for each module should be conducted, (b) Each module receiving responses of "disagree" and "strongly disagree" should be examined, (c) Each module identified as needing change in emphasis should be examined, (d) A system preventing module information exchange by students should be developed, (e) Statements within modules not following the normal pattern of the other statements should be studied, (f) The modules concerning Educational Foundations should be examined for content, (g) A study should be conducted comparing the qualifications between traditionally trained teachers and the graduates of this program.