Scaffolding Pre-service Teachers’ Observations: Eye on the Future

Source: Teaching Education, Volume 22, Issue 3, 2011, pages 325-337.

In this article, the authors describe how pre-service teachers were scaffolded to engage in effective observations in their field experiences to reflectively build a foundation for learning about teaching.

Data were collected from 27 pre-service teachers during two semester-long language arts methods courses where students used a blended approach for their observations.

The description of the course demonstrates that the design of a blended observational process with the related tools completed in the language arts methods courses met the needs of pre-service teachers by honing their observation skills in order to have the potential to positively impact classroom teaching.