%D 1973
%T A study of the professional socialisation of student teachers in a college of education
%X This longitudinal study examines the professional socialisation
of a group of students during their three years in a College of
Education. A specially constructed stole Definition Instrument was
used, toeother with other questionnaires, to probe the nature of
students* teacher role conceptions at certain points durine the course.
The focus of the study upon the students' interpretation of their
experience entailed the extensive iniearviewing of a saeple of students
in each of te nine tares.
The investigation attempts to remedy deficiencies of previous
1..itish studies by developin: a theoretical framework to analyse the
process of processional socialisation and to take account of the
institutional setting in which this process occurs. An extensive study
of the cones.° as a social system was therefore undertaken examining
its formal and informal structures and processes. anal:Isis of
selection procedures, the college course, and the zewardiee and
eeectioniee eeate, a pervading and consistent set of valves was
identified. ehese institutional characteristics are shown to be of
muce importance in affecting students' responses to their college
experience.
Ihe students develop group peespectives during the course which
are related to the institutional setting and which involve a significant
shift in reference groups. Periods of school practice and the early
part of the course ere shown to be of great importance in ellapine
these perspectives. There is some redefinition of professional
attitudes; c prccecs only partially reflected in eoee liberal responses
to questionnaire items. Such changes are interpreted as evidence of increasing professionalism.
A pilot study of school practice showed it affecting attitude
scores, but recorded no significant relationships between observed
classroom behaviour and such scores. School placing appears to
influence both attitude scores and tutors* assessments of performance.
Students and tutors place different emphases upon students* professional
needs; the students generally favour role socialisation, but tutors
view the course as a process of status socialisation.
%L discovery10021974
%I Institute of Education, University of London
%A David Rex Gibson