An examination of the socialization of newly-qualified, inexperienced teachers, formal and informal processes
Date
1990
Authors
Allingham, Andrea
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Abstract
The purposes of this investigation were to determine the adequacy of induction, orientation, and inservice practices in meeting the needs of new teachers, and to determine the effects of critical incidents experienced by newcomers.
The study, conducted over the 1989-90 school year, involved novice high school teachers voluntarily participating from 11 school districts across British Columbia. Two questionnaires were administered over a fivemonth period in order to see if there were changes in perceptions as the subjects gained in experience, and to determine which common inservice practices were perceived as most useful. Also, the research tried to discover if there were differences in those whom new teachers regarded and utilized as resource personnel over the course of the induction year.
Major findings included some differences between genders in terms of choices of resource personnel, some significant differences in the perceptions of older neophytes regarding peers, some significant differences in the methodological influences between age groups, and differences between urban versus rural/village school districts in induction procedures. Findings of this study did not always support those of previous re-search; in some cases, the findings of this study directly contradicted them.