An Investigation of pre-service teachers’ knowledge-base skills for teaching at the National University -

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the structure and components of the teacher preparation program (TPP) at the College of Education of the Lebanese University. In addition, the study assessed the efficacy of the TPP under study by surveying the views of the graduating students in their senior year about the extent to which the program had equipped them with the various types of knowledge that constitute the base for effective teaching. These types of knowledge included Content-Knowledge (CK) – Literacy, CK- Math, CK – Science, CK – Social Studies, Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) , Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), Practical Knowledge (PR-K), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), Technological Knowledge (TK) , Technological and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK). The methodology of the study employed content analysis of available documentary evidence, decrees, and course syllabi in order to describe the structure and curricular components of the program. Furthermore, a survey was administered to participants of the study and included a total of 50 likert-type items that assessed the participants’ perceptions of the degree to which the different types of knowledge have been achieved. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) were computed for each item in the survey, following which composite scores were computed for each type of knowledge by adding the sub-scores on every item of the corresponding sub-scales. Internal consistency (α-reliability) was computed for the items in the sub-scales and a mean rank order of responses was established in order to determine what types of knowledge are best achieved by the program. Results indicated that the program offers specializations in kindergarten, cycle I, and cycle II of basic education with concentration areas in foreign languages (French and English), Arabic-social studies, as well as science and mathematics. The curriculum is organized into a total of 120 credit-hours to