Concerns Expressed by Agricultural Education Preservice Teachers in a Twitter-Based Electronic Community of Practice

Abstract

Student teaching is an important capstone experience in which preservice teacher candidates begin to learn the skills they need to become effective teachers. During this experience, candidates develop concerns for themselves as well as for their students. As preservice teachers encounter challenges and obstacles, it is important for them to communicate these concerns. Preservice teachers from Iowa State University participated in a Twitter-based electronic community of practice to express their teaching concerns. This study was designed to identify preservice teachers’ concerns and determine if they aligned with Moir’s (1990/2011) phases of first-year teaching. By understanding preservice teachers’ concerns in real time, teacher educators can better address the candidates’ self-adequacy concerns throughout the teacher preparation program. We recommend that preservice teachers express their concerns during student teaching through an electronic community of practice so teacher educators can address concerns in a timely manner.