The Relationship between Instructional Behaviour and Information Processing of Student Teachers: A Hong Kong Study

Abstract

The last decade of research on teacher thinking has principally followed the model of teaching as decision-making, which has delimited the extent of observation. More descriptive studies are needed. Among aspects requiring attention is student teachers' development during teaching practice period.

The research reported in this paper investigated the instructional behaviour and information processing of student teachers during their teaching practice. The subjects were student teachers majoring in English language teaching in the full-time P.C.Ed. programme of the University of Hong Kong. Two sets of data were collected weekly to plot the subjects' developmental patterns. Each subject was first video-recorded in the classroom and then audio-recorded during interview with a stimulated recall procedure. The procedure generated 63 videotapes and 63 audiotapes from nine subjects during the seven weeks of their teaching practice.

The instrument for identifying instructional behaviour was the Teacher Innovator System (TIS). Information processing was described through analysis of the subjects' stimulated recall protocols, from which the Stimulated Recall Analysis System (SRAS) was generated. The subjects exhibited a recitation style of instructional behaviour, and were primarily concerned with the flow of lessons and their own performance, whereas the spontaneity of interaction was of secondary importance. Over time, there is an increase in metacognition of teaching alongside attempts to experiment with student-centred activities. Also, some shifted their attention from plan-implementation to spontaneity of interaction. Despite their awareness of problems, the student teachers generally did not come up with decisions which change the direction of lessons.

Descriptors::

• Istructional behaviour of student teachers
• information processing
• teaching practice