Possible Effects of a Course Enhancement on Elementary Pre-Service Teachers

There is a growing need for qualified teachers at all levels of education in the United States, but it is becoming hard to find such candidates. Traditional teacher preparation programs have recently experienced an increase in criticism regarding their lack of ability to produce qualified teachers. One reason for such criticism is based on a lack of consensus regarding the best practices for teaching pre-service teachers. Many colleges and universities face similar difficulties related to teacher preparation programs, yet it seems hard to find a remedy for these teacher preparation shortcomings. This research focuses on the effects that a course enhancement has on pre-service elementary school teachers’ mathematical content knowledge, general teacher readiness, as well as their self-efficacy in teaching. The course enhancement involves careful consideration of components that adhere to the Virginia Standards of Learning, teaching licensure requirements for the state of Virginia, as well as topics seen on the Praxis core mathematics exam. There is a very little to no research focusing on the effects of a course enhancement, in which case the results from this study provide insight into the most beneficial components related to teacher preparation programs.