Beginning teachers’ developing clinical judgment: competencies, skills and attitudes

Project Details

This paper reports on a case study that tracked a group of beginning teachers who are undertaking an employment-based model of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Combining academic study for a Masters level degree with part-time employment in secondary schools, this pathway combines intensive face-to-face study with substantial professional in-school experience. The focus of the study was the development of clinical judgement and the ways in which these beginning teachers articulate the knowledge, skills and attributes required for their professional decision making. Drawing on a sequence of three points of data generation using open-text questionnaires, findings of the study indicate a strong acknowledgment of the centrality of a student-centred approach by the beginning teachers.

Participants’ responses also indicated awareness of the importance of using a range of approaches to target identified learning need as well as recognition that pedagogic interventions need to be supported by the latest research evidence and the theoretical literature. However, there was comparatively limited evidence of beginning teachers generating data on the impact of their own practice, or reflecting on the implications of their pedagogic choices to inform adjustments for future interventions. This highlights the importance of helping beginning teacher to deepen their understanding of the cyclical nature of clinical judgement.v

Researchers

• Teresa Angelico
• Kira Clarke
• Jeanna Kriewaldt J.
• Sally Windsor
• Andrea Truckenbrodt