Overlooked Perspectives: Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions on their Educator Preparation Program

Melody Zoch; Dawn Bagwell; Malitšitso Moteane

Overlooked Perspectives: Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions on their Educator Preparation Program

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the experiences of 12 elementary preservice teachers (PSTs) in their educator preparation program (EPP) at a university in the southeastern United States. Through survey and interview data, we elicit PSTs’ perceptions of their program holistically. Findings surface PSTs’ perceptions in four key areas: program structure, course content, internships, and critical consciousness. The study suggests that EPPs can enhance PSTs’ experiences by incorporating PST feedback into programmatic decisions, strengthening support for critical consciousness. The PSTs’ perceptions highlighted in this study have the potential to inform EPPs’ decision-making and to impact the work of teacher educators more directly in efforts to cultivate more inclusive, responsive, and community-centred teacher preparation. Our findings provide insights into how institutions may adapt reflective processes to consider their individual contexts, allowing the results of this study to inform a larger international body. We argue that listening to PSTs can be a powerful and valuable way of examining our own teacher education practices and should inform programmatic decisions and practices. Their voices can help teacher educators rethink, reshape, and reimagine teacher preparation.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Melody Zoch This is me
0000-0002-0594-1622
United States

Dawn Bagwell ^*
0000-0001-5752-7303
United States

Malitšitso Moteane This is me
0000-0002-4674-2670
United States

Publication Date

August 31, 2025

Submission Date

March 11, 2025

Acceptance Date

August 17, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 14 Number: 2

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA56TD43EW

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Zoch, M., Bagwell, D., & Moteane, M. (2025). Overlooked Perspectives: Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions on their Educator Preparation Program. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 14(2), 101-118. https://izlik.org/JA56TD43EW