Student Attitudes and Achievement in an Educational Psychology Course after Micro-teaching

The effects of a microteaching experience on the achievement and attitudes of teacher candidates enrolled in a basic educational psychology course was investigated. A class of 137 students was randomly split into five discussion groups (which met once a week); the students of one group participated in microteaching-feedback-reteaching experiences (the MT group) while students in the other groups discussed tests, texts, and papers (control groups). Student achievement scores from papers and exams, student responses to items of the Purdue Rating Scale for Instruction (PRSI) for evaluating the overall course and instructor, and student responses to a discussion section evaluation questionnaire were each analyzed for differences between the control groups and the MT group. Results showed no significant differences in academic achievement between the two groups; significant differences for PRSI analyses--the MT group rated the overall course instructor less favorably and the laboratory aspects and relevancy of the course to teaching more favorably than did the control groups; and significant differences in questionnaire responses--the MT students perceived greater learning and course relevancy to teaching. (A nine-item bibliography is included.) (SM)