Experiences that shape pre-service teachers’ inclusive practice beliefs: a group concept mapping study

ABSTRACT

Teachers’ beliefs inform their instructional practice, which in turn has direct bearing on students’ success. The current study utilised Trochim’s Group Concept Mapping (GCM) to explore the experiences that influence pre-service teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning in inclusive classrooms. Fifty-one pre-service teachers at the end of their programme were interviewed about these experiences. Fifteen pre-service teachers sorted the statements that captured these experiences and rated how important they would be for developing beliefs about teaching in inclusive classrooms. Four distinct themes were identified as was their importance. Practicum/collaboration experiences were most important followed by work and personal experience, and then education. These results underscore the importance of both professional and personal experiences and implicate teacher education programmes in the development process.

KEYWORDS:

• Practice beliefs
• pre-service teachers
• inclusive education
• teacher education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Jessica Delorey is a doctoral candidate in the School and Applied Child Psychology program in the Faculty of Education, Western University.

Jacqueline Specht is a Professor and Director of the Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education in the Faculty of Education, Western University.

Michael Fairbrother was a doctoral candidate at the University of Ottawa during the tenure of the research. He completed his degree in 2020 and is currently a sessional instructor at the University of Ottawa and a research assistant at the Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education at Western University.

Linda Ismailos was a doctoral candidate at Brock University during the tenure of the research. She completed her degree in 2020 and is currently a Professor at Niagara College and sessional instructor at Brock University.

Mélissa Villella is a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Education, at the University of Ottawa.

Evan Charles is a doctoral candidate in the School and Applied Child Psychology program in the Faculty of Education, Western University.

McKenzie Vanderloon was a doctoral candidate at Western University during the tenure of the research. She completed her degree in 2020 and is currently under supervised practice as a Psychologist in Ontario.

Tiffany Gallagher is a Professor in the Faculty of Education, Brock University.

Grace Howell is Research Centre Co-ordinator of the Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education at Western University.

Jess Whitley is an Associate Professor of Inclusive Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa.

Additional information

Funding

Author Note: This work was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada 435-2015-0128