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development and learning (d’Alessio, 2018).
Knowing that PSTs’ self-efficacy development is key to preparing highly qualified
teachers who are likely to stay in the field, it is important to identify the ways in
which alternative or supplemental field experiences can influence this development.
Our study sought to understand more fully the role that MTs play in supporting
PSTs as they negotiate learning to teach in traditional and non-traditional classroom
settings within the framework of self-efficacy development.
Dr. Jennifer Lemke
Methodology has been an educator
In this study, we utilized a qualitative approach to examine the research question, for 17 years, serving as
“What is the impact of engaging preservice teachers in microteaches on their sense a classroom teacher,
literacy interventionist,
of self-efficacy as future teachers?” To understand the intricacies of how participants and new-teacher mentor.
identified experiencing Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy through the MT She is now serving as
experience required the collection of rich, descriptive data (Yin, 2018). Qualitative an assistant professor of
research methodology allowed us to uncover participants’ conceptions of self- literacy at the University
efficacy development (Charmaz, 2008) in order to interrogate “how people interpret of Nebraska at Omaha. Her
literacy interests focus
their experiences, how they construct their worlds, and what meaning they attribute on student engagement,
to their experiences” (Merriam, 2009, p. 5). Qualitative research lends itself to multicultural literature,
applied research environments such as classrooms where it is possible to investigate and literacy integration.
site-specific conditions to inform and potentially make recommendations to those in
the field (McEwan & McEwan, 2003) and effect change (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). jenniferlemke@
unomaha.edu
Context
The TPP in this study was situated at a midsized midwestern urban university.
The research team consisted of four members of the instructional team for a block of
courses tied to a common field experience for students who are typically in the third
or fourth year of their undergraduate program. As members of the faculty group
supporting the students in this study, we were uniquely positioned with both an emic
and etic perspective on the research question, context, and student participants.
Traditionally, PSTs in our TPP participate in multiple field experience
opportunities prior to their clinical practice semester, but, at the time of this study,
some field experiences were interrupted due to the pandemic. Namely, in the field
experience explored in this research, PSTs were typically placed in classrooms 4 days
per week, but this timeframe was limited to 2 days per week in Fall 2020 semester
and Spring 2021 semester. On the non-field days, the instructors provided on-campus
learning opportunities through MTs and professional development workshops.
PSTs created a lesson plan targeted around a specific Interstate Teacher Assessment
and Support Consortium (InTASC) performance standard (Council of Chief State
School Officers [CCSSO], 2013), which they then taught to a small group of peers
in 15-minute increments. After teaching,
each PST received immediate verbal and
written feedback from both their peer group ...[Preservice teachers’] self-
and an instructor. Peers and instructors were
encouraged to provide specific feedback that efficacy development is key to
highlighted strengths of the lesson as well preparing highly qualified teachers
as areas of growth. The team made changes
from Fall 2020 to Spring 2021 based on who are likely to stay in the field...
feedback from PSTs. The targeted changes
included reducing the number of MTs from

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