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Abstract
This dissertation study is about using self-regulated learning (SRL) to improve teacher questioning ability for preservice science teachers (PSTs). The aim of the study was threefold: (1) designing a novel approach that integrates SRL into professional learning and coaching during student teaching for PSTs, (2) improving PSTs’ questioning ability, and (3) fostering SRL skills for PSTs.This research was a multi-case study using multiple analysis methods. The participants were three PSTs representing low, intermediate, and high self-regulated PSTs in a certification program for teaching secondary science. Professional learning was part of the coursework, which provided PSTs with both broad principles and concrete strategies. Lessons 1 and 2 provided PSTs with broad principles for SRL and teacher questioning. The last three lessons showed PSTs concrete strategies to implement some of the broad principles in the context of science teaching. Coaching occurred in Spring 2022 semester, along with five observations for each participant. Research data came from classroom materials, semi-structured interviews about planning classroom questions, classroom observations, classroom audio recordings, and semi-structured interviews about enacting questions.
Findings show that (1) the PSTs who were better at self-regulating planning and enacting questions asked a greater number of higher-level cognitive questions, (2) even though the changes that happened in each case had some unique characteristics, the quality of their SRL practice and asking questions all increased, and (3) coaching during student teaching contributed to the PSTs’ improvement in different aspects of asking questions (e.g., perceptions regarding planning questions, self-efficacy for asking questions, and quality of asking questions). The analysis elicits PSTs’ SRL practice in the context of planning and enacting classroom questions. The research suggests ways to improve PSTs’ questioning ability by integrating SRL into teacher preparation and offers a window into how PSTs’ SRL skills can be better developed. Another suggestion from the findings is the need to differentiate coaching during student teaching based on PSTs’ initial SRL skills. In addition, this study suggests that some adjustments within the current structure of university supervision could give the institutions more control over the quality and better prepare teacher candidates for the profession.