Student teacher perceptions of university supervisor performance

Celeste Carol Williams, Tennessee State University

Abstract

This study examined student teacher perceptions of university supervisor performance. Student teachers who were enrolled in educational seminar courses at Tennessee State University were asked to complete a survey as a means of evaluating the performance of their university supervisors. Comparison of university supervisor performance was made across several variables: (a) supervisor gender, (b) supervisor employment status, (c) supervisor college affiliation, (d) supervision of specific type of placement, (e) date of student teaching experience, (f) number of student teachers supervised. Data were analyzed using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test and the Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between number of student teachers assigned to a supervisor per semester and the level of supervisor performance. Quantitative findings revealed no significant difference in level of supervisor performance based on gender, employment status, or supervisor's college affiliation. However, findings revealed statistically significant differences in level of supervisor performance regarding type of placement supervised and semester in which the student teaching experience took place. Quantitative findings further suggested a strong relationship between the number of student teachers assigned to supervisors per semester and supervisor performance as measured by the total evaluation scale, the caring subscale, the feedback/evaluation subscale, and the fairness subscale. Qualitative data analysis revealed themes regarding student teacher and university supervisor professional interactions such as supervisor disposition/attitude, availability/accessibility, feedback/evaluation, professionalism, respect, and observation visits.

Subject Area

Curricula|Teaching|Teacher education

Recommended Citation

Celeste Carol Williams, "Student teacher perceptions of university supervisor performance" (2001). ETD Collection for Tennessee State University. Paper AAI3024639.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI3024639

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