Teachers' cognitive processing of complex school-based scenarios: Differences across experience levels. (July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Lisa E.; Klassen, Robert M.
• Is Part Of: Teaching and teacher education. Volume 73(2018)
• Page Start: 215
• Page End: 226
• Publication Date: 2018-07
• Subjects: Cognitive processing -- Teacher expertise -- Situational judgment test -- Teacher education; Teaching -- Periodicals; Teachers -- Training of -- Periodicals; Enseignement -- Périodiques; Enseignants -- Formation -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 371.10205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tate.2018.04.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0742-051X

Abstract

Abstract: Teachers are confronted with and must process challenging situations every day. Yet the development trajectory of their processing ability is unknown. Our two-part mixed method studies use a think-aloud methodology to understand how teachers cognitive process difficult school-based and non-school-based scenarios. Studies 1 and 2 examine the differences between expert, beginning, and pre-service teachers without and with pre-existing response options, respectively. Results from qualitative (but not quantitative) analyses indicate group differences in strategy, scope, content, and reasoning. Furthermore, we find that teaching is a domain-specific expertise. We discuss how this information can inform teacher education and professional development programs. Highlights: Expert teachers process school scenarios differently to beginning and pre-service teachers. Teacher groups differed in strategy, scope, content, and reasoning used to process the scenarios. Group differences are starkest when processing scenarios without pre-existing answer options. Teachers are more confident in their answers to school scenarios than non-school scenarios.