Training Preservice Special Educators for Professional Collaboration What Teacher Educators Think and Do

Training Preservice Special Educators for Professional Collaboration: What Teacher Educators Think and Do

Laurie A. Sharp, Ed.D. Tarleton State University

Michelle Simmons, Ed.D. West Texas A&M University

Abstract

Special educators must possess well-developed knowledge and skills for professional collaboration. However, much literature has revealed inadequacies with professional collaboration among preservice special educators enrolled in special education teacher preparation programs, as well as low self-efficacy beliefs among practicing special educators in the field. The present study sought to extend these findings by: (1) evaluating teacher educators’ views of preservice special educators’ preparedness for professional collaboration and (2) identifying preparation practices that teacher educators use to cultivate preservice special educators’ knowledge and skills with professional collaboration. To achieve these goals, the present study disseminated a cross-sectional survey among teacher educators who were affiliated with university-based special education teacher education programs and train preservice special educators. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected among 46 respondents affiliated with special education teacher preparation programs in the South Central United States. Quantitative data analyses demonstrated high views concerning preservice special educators’ preparedness for professional collaboration, and qualitative data analyses generated three themes regarding current preparation practices. Based upon these findings, several implications for teacher educators, study limitations, and areas for future research were described.

Keywords: preservice special educators, professional collaboration, special education, teacher educators, teacher training

Introduction

Professional collaboration is a high-leverage practice that PreK-12 special educators use to address the individual needs of students with disabilities (McLeskey et al., 2017). Professional collaboration involves working with a wide range of education stakeholders, such as other teaching professionals, school administrators and staff members, family members, and caregivers, to provide a foundation upon which effective teaching and learning occurs (Friend & Cook, 2017). When special educators collaborate with other education stakeholders, all who are involved experience benefits. Students with disabilities have equal opportunities to engage with the core PreK-12 general education curriculum (Fisher & Frey, 2001), gain access to expanded services and educational enrichments (Thomas, 2004), experience successful transitions to life after high school (Roberts, 2010), and receive appropriate supports that promote learning (Silverman & Millspaugh, 2006). Additionally, PreK-12 education professionals enhance their individual and collective efficacy (Morgan, 2016), and students’ families become more

knowledgeable about special education services and how to support their child at home (Aceves, 2014).

In today’s schools, special educators must be “masters of collaboration” (Fisher, Frey, & Thousand, 2003, p. 46). However, research has shown concerns with how teacher educators equip future special educators to engage in professional collaborations during teacher training (Hamilton-Jones & Vail, 2013; Weiss, Pellegrino, & Brigham, 2017). Since Leko, Brownell, Sindelar, and Kiely (2015) posited that professional collaboration was one of the cornerstones for effective delivery of individualized services to students with disabilities, special educators must be effectual professionals who possess refined professional collaboration skills. With this in mind, the present study sought to (1) evaluate teacher educators’ views of preservice special educators’ preparedness for professional collaboration and (2) identify preparation practices that teacher educators use to cultivate preservice special educators’ knowledge and skills for professional collaboration. Findings from the present study offered a snapshot of special education teacher training for professional collaboration and suggested avenues with which teacher educators may improve current preparation practices.

Review of Relevant Literature

The term professional collaboration has recently received increased attention and a rise in prevalence within the field of special education (Hernandez, 2013). Unfortunately, current understandings of professional collaboration may be distorted, narrow, and oversimplified. According to Friend and Cook (2017), professional collaboration is a “style of interaction” where two or more people are “voluntarily engaged in shared decision making as they work toward a common goal” (p. 5-6). Successful professional collaborations involve a wide range of education stakeholders—teaching professionals, educational leaders, evaluation personnel, parents, families, caregivers, and service providers—who pool their collective expertise to develop comprehensive understandings about the strengths and needs of students with disabilities. To achieve this shared goal and mutual investment, collaborative partners must work together to design, plan, and implement instruction and support services that promote success among each individual student (McLeskey et al., 2017).

Teacher educators must incorporate carefully coordinated, coherent, and well-designed learning activities throughout teacher training to develop preservice special educators’ knowledge and skills for professional collaboration (Leko, Brownell, Sindelar, & Murphy, 2012). Specifically, preservice special educators must acquire understandings about fundamental principles of professional collaboration, discover ways to function as a collaborative partner among others, and become competent in how to foster success among students with disabilities in diverse contexts (Council for Exceptional Children [CEC], 2015). Since knowledge and skills for professional collaboration do not come naturally to many individuals, teacher educators need to ensure that coursework and field experiences promote preservice teachers’ understandings in a way that is meaningful (Da Fonte & Barton-Arwood, 2017).

Even though professional collaboration has been recognized as a vital aspect of special education teacher training (CEC, 2015), there has not yet been a collective effort among teacher educators to provide preservice special educators with explicit training on its vital components (Weiss et

al., 2017). As such, education researchers have highlighted inadequacies with current teacher training efforts. For example, Hamilton-Jones and Vail (2013) reported that preservice special educators held inflated self-efficacy beliefs for professional collaboration. They noted that preservice special educators verbalized high levels of confidence and preparedness to practice professional collaboration in the workplace, yet they seldom demonstrated any knowledge of specific abilities and skills associated with professional collaboration.

The lack of appropriate teacher training for professional collaboration is further supported by studies conducted among practicing special educators. Findings from these studies have revealed that practicing special educators do not feel adequately prepared to engage in successful professional collaborations with general education teachers (Keefe & Moore, 2004; OtisWilborn, Winn, Griffin, & Kilgore, 2005; Zagona, Kurth, & MacFarland, 2017); students’ families (Latunde & Louque, 2012); and other professionals, such as career and technology education staff members (Schmalzried & Harvey, 2014), mental health professionals (Babyak & Koorland, 2001), and school nurses (Pufpaff, McIntosh, Thomas, Elam, & Irwin, 2015). Based upon these research findings, it is evident that ongoing training for professional collaboration must occur among practicing special educators in the field. Due to the specialized nature of their role, special educators need frequent opportunities to engage in learning activities that continuously develop and refine their ability to engage in successful professional collaborations with a wide range of individuals in complex school settings (Ketterlin-Geller, Baumer, & Lichon, 2015).

Methods

Context

The present study is part of a state-wide analysis that examined the viewpoints of teacher educators concerning special education teacher training. Due to guidelines associated with teacher licensure among state education agencies, the researchers conducted this state-wide analysis in one state located in the South Central United States. The researchers employed a cross-sectional survey research design to ascertain descriptive information from teacher educators who train preservice special educators (Ruel, Wagner, & Gillespie, 2016). Selection of this research design was an appropriate and efficient way to recognize how teacher educators view the preparedness of preservice special educators and to identify preparation practices they used to develop competence with the required behaviors, knowledge, and skills of novice special educators.

Research Sample

A full list of teacher educators in the state was unavailable at the time of the present study. Therefore, the researchers used purposive sampling techniques to create a participant pool of teacher educators who were affiliated with university-based teacher education programs and trained preservice special educators. First, the researchers consulted the state education agency’s website and identified 55 state-approved, university-based teacher preparation programs for special educators. Next, the researchers accessed each university’s website and searched through publicly available information (i.e., class schedules, course syllabi, faculty listings in academic departments) to locate teacher educators who train preservice special educators. The researchers stored the names and email addresses of teacher educators who fit this criterion in a virtual

spreadsheet stored within a password-protected Google Drive. These purposive sampling techniques resulted in the identification of 283 participant pool members.

Instrumentation

The researchers created a web-based survey instrument using Google Forms to collect data. The survey instrument included closed-ended items that collected demographic information (i.e., age range, gender, years of teaching experiences) and ratings for respondents’ views of preservice special educators’ preparedness with each of the CEC’s (2015) initial preparation standards:

1. Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences 2. Learning Environments 3. Curricular Content Knowledge 4. Assessment 5. Instructional Planning and Strategies 6. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice 7. Collaboration

Within these seven standards, the CEC delineated a total of 28 key elements that define the needed behaviors, knowledge, and skills of novice special educators. For each key element, respondents used a 5-point Likert scale (i.e., Not At All Prepared, Slightly Prepared, Somewhat Prepared, Very Prepared, or Extremely Prepared) to indicate their viewpoints. The survey instrument also contained one open-ended item for each standard that asked respondents to provide information about preparation practices they use to develop preservice special educators’ competence for associated key elements.

To establish reliability and validity with the survey instrument, the researchers performed a pilot test among 20 special education experts (Ruel et al., 2016). These experts were teacher educators who were affiliated with university-based teacher preparation programs located in different states beyond the context of the present study. Each pilot test participant completed the survey instrument and provided feedback for survey administration, organization, and content. Based upon this feedback, the researchers made minor revisions with wording on the survey instrument.

Data Collection and Analysis

The researchers collected data during a four-month period. At the beginning of the survey period, the researchers sent an initial email to all participant pool members that provided information about the study and included a hyperlink to the survey instrument. The researchers tracked survey completion in the virtual spreadsheet that contained information for participant pool members. To address nonresponse bias, the researchers sent three monthly follow-up emails that encouraged participation.

To achieve the purpose of the present study, the researchers retrieved and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data from the three survey items related to professional collaboration (see Figure 1). First, the researchers retrieved quantitative data from the three closed-ended survey items. The researchers summarized these data descriptively with frequency counts and percentages (Johnson & Christensen, 2014). For each quantitative survey item, the researchers examined

findings to uncover patterns concerning respondents’ viewpoints for preservice special educators’ preparedness for professional collaboration.

Next, the researchers retrieved qualitative data from the open-ended survey item. The researchers analyzed these data independently with two levels of coding (Saldaña, 2016). In the first level, the researchers used open coding to label initial concepts in the data. In the second level, the researchers used axial coding to confirm the accuracy of codes and group similar codes into themes. While coding independently, the researchers made analytic memos to document their questions, reflections, and thoughts. Once both researchers completed their independent analyses, they held a virtual meeting to debrief about their coding processes, share their interpretations, and discuss differences until they reached complete intercoder agreement.

Figure 1. Survey items for professional collaboration.

Results

When the survey period closed, the researchers completed surveys from 46 respondents, which yielded a survey return rate of 16.25%. As shown in Table 1, respondents were predominantly females who were between 40-69 years of age. Moreover, most of the respondents reported that they had five or more years of experiences with training preservice special educators.

Table 1 Demographics of Survey Respondents Characteristic N

Gender

Female 36

Male 10

Age Range 20-29 years 30-39 years 40-49 years 50-59 years 60-69 years 70-79 years Years of Teaching Experiences

Less than 1 year 2-4 years 5-7 years 1 7 13 9 14 2

2 3 12 8-10 years 9 More than 10 years 20

Quantitative Results

As shown in Figure 1, the CEC’s (2015) initial preparation standard related to professional collaboration consists of three key elements. Respondents indicated their views of preservice special educators’ preparedness for: (a) uses fundamentals of effective collaboration, (b) works as a collaborative resource with others, and (c) uses collaborative methods to support well-being among students with exceptionalities in diverse settings. As shown in Table 2, the majority of respondents expressed views that preservice special educators were either Somewhat Prepared or Very Prepared with each of these three key elements.

Table 2 Respondents’ Views of Preservice Special Educators’ Preparedness for Collaboration Key Elements Not At Slightly Somewhat Very Extremely All Prepared Prepared Prepared Prepared Prepared Uses fundamentals of effective -- 1 15 19 11 collaboration. (2.2%) (32.6%) (41.3%) (23.9%) Works as a collaborative -- 1 14 21 10 resource with others. (2.2%) (30.4%) (45.6%) (21.7%) Uses collaborative methods to -- -- 12 24 10 support well-being among (26.1%) (52.2%) (21.7%) students with exceptionalities in diverse settings.

Qualitative Results

Of the 46 survey respondents, 33 respondents provided a response to the open-ended question related to current preparation practices for professional collaboration. In total, these responses consisted of 562 words. Qualitative data analyses generated the following three themes: Preparation Practices during Coursework, Preparation Practices during Field Experiences, and

Concerns about Training for Professional Collaboration. A summary of each theme is provided below.

Preparation practices during coursework. Within this theme, respondents specified preparation practices they use to develop preservice special educators’ knowledge and skills for professional collaboration during coursework. These preparation practices included “authentic assessments” and a wide variety of specific learning activities, such as “case studies,” “class discussions,” “group projects,” “parent panels,” “role playing,” and “scenario simulations.” Respondents also provided preservice special educators with explicit instruction through coursebased lectures to “teach [preservice special educators] to learn cooperatively.” Additionally, respondents modeled common processes involving professional collaborations for preservice special educators, such as “developing IEPs (i.e., individualized education program)” and “participating in ARD (i.e., admission, review, and dismissal) committee meetings.”

During coursework, respondents noted that they relied on technology, such as “email” and digital tools within their learning management system, to promote professional collaboration among preservice special educators. Respondents also noted that they used external experts at times to deliver “third party interpersonal training.” Moreover, respondents encouraged all preservice special educators to broaden their network for professional collaboration by establishing membership in the CEC professional organization.

Preparation practices during field experiences. Within this theme, respondents specified preparation practices they use to develop preservice special educators’ knowledge and skills for professional collaboration during field experiences. According to respondents, field experiences provided preservice special educators with valuable opportunities to collaborate with a wide variety of professionals in authentic contexts, such as their “mentor teacher,” “site coordinator,” and university instructors. Respondents emphasized that field experiences empowered preservice special educators to continually practice “professionalism,” which helps facilitate a smooth “transition from students to teachers.”

During field experiences, respondents noted that they required preservice special educators to “attend ARD meetings” and “parent meetings.” Respondents also noted that they required preservice special educators to actively participate in “PLCs (i.e., professional learning communities),” the development of “IEPs,” and “co-teaching” experiences with general education teachers. Furthermore, respondents indicated that preservice special educators practiced how to foster positive relationships with families. For example, one respondent explained that preservice special educators “write letters to parents in English and Spanish with clear language to reach all families.”

Concerns about training for professional collaboration. Within this theme, respondents shared concerns they have regarding preservice special educators’ preparedness for professional collaboration. One respondent stated, “This is an area of concern in [my teacher preparation program’s] curriculum.” Similarly, another respondent explained:

I feel that this area is weak in [my teacher preparation] program. We talk a lot about parental involvement and parental value, but I really think that more needs to be done to

really develop effective teaming practices and teaming skills in [preservice special educators].

In addition to concerns about current preparation efforts, respondents also commented that some of the key elements associated with professional collaboration “will be further developed as [preservice special educators] work in the field.”

Discussion

Due to the specialized nature of their role, practicing special educators must be collaborative teaching professionals (Woolf, 2015). However, education researchers have revealed shortcomings in how teacher educators train preservice special educators to practice professional collaboration (Hamilton-Jones & Vail, 2013; Weiss et al., 2017). Similarly, education researchers have also reported that practicing special educators feel unprepared to collaborate with other professionals effectively (Babyak & Koorland, 2001; Keefe & Moore, 2004; Latunde & Louque, 2012; Otis-Wilborn et al., 2005; Pufpaff et al., 2015; Schmalzried & Harvey, 2014; Zagona et al., 2017). These findings are concerning because special educators must leave their teacher preparation programs and enter PreK-12 education settings with “well-developed [professional] collaboration skills to communicate and work with various service providers” (Leko et al., 2015). To deepen understandings about special education teacher training, the researchers conducted the present study to ascertain (1) teacher educators’ views of preservice special educators’ preparedness for professional collaboration and (2) current preparation practices used to cultivate preservice special educators’ knowledge and skills for professional collaboration.

Findings in the present study demonstrated that many teacher educators queried held high views of preservice special educators’ preparedness with each of the three key elements associated with professional collaboration. This finding mirrored the inflated self-efficacy beliefs for professional collaboration that preservice special educators held of themselves (Hamilton-Jones & Vail, 2013). At first glance, these findings have suggested that teacher training is sufficiently developing preservice special educators’ knowledge and skills with professional collaboration. However, it becomes quickly apparent that practicing special educators hold contradictory views and feel inadequately prepared to engage in successful collaborations with others (Babyak & Koorland, 2001; Keefe & Moore, 2004; Latunde & Louque, 2012; Otis-Wilborn et al., 2005; Pufpaff et al., 2015; Schmalzried & Harvey, 2014; Zagona et al., 2017).

Findings in the present study also revealed current preparation practices that teacher educators use to prepare preservice special educators for professional collaboration. Overwhelmingly, most of the reported preparation practices occurred during coursework. Among these reported preparation practices, teacher educators relied upon teacher-centered learning activities (e.g., modeling common collaborative processes) and peer-centered learning activities (e.g., group projects). Although many of the reported preparation practices occurred during field experiences, it was not clear how teacher educators developed preservice special educators’ knowledge and skills with professional collaboration beyond the provision of working with others. Of particular interest were the expressions of concern that teacher educators shared about

professional collaboration. These concerns recognized shortcomings for this facet of teacher training, as well as the need for continuous on-the-job training.

Findings from the present study have several important implications for teacher educators who are responsible for training preservice special educators. First, teacher educators must ensure that they themselves have clear and comprehensive understandings of professional collaboration. Professional collaboration has become a popularized buzzword in the field of special education (Hernandez, 2013), and it is imperative that the professionals involved with training preservice special educators understand distinctions of “the interpersonal style” and “critical components of [professional] collaborative behavior” (Friend, 2000, p. 132). Of equal importance, teacher educators must also possess extensive understandings of factors that impede professional collaborations, such as conflict (Bradley & Monda-Amaya, 2005).

Second, teacher educators must make concerted efforts to “facilitate broader and richer crossarticulated experiences among [academic] departments and programs” to train preservice special educators and other preservice teaching professionals, such as PreK-12 generalists and content area specialists, for professional collaboration (Harvey, Yssel, Bauserman, & Merbler, 2010, p. 31). By facilitating cross-departmental training experiences, teacher educators have greater opportunities to facilitate more frequent training opportunities that reinforce knowledge and skills for professional collaboration among a wide range of prospective teaching professionals.

Lastly, teacher educators must increase efforts to keep the focus of teacher training on “learning to teach” in authentic PreK-12 school settings (McLeskey & Brownell, 2015, p. 13). By doing so, preparation practices are more likely to promote the generalization of behaviors, knowledge, and skills learned during teacher training into the future work of practicing special educators (Markelz, Riden, & Scheeler, 2017). Maintaining such a focus also requires teacher educators to cultivate strong partnerships with other professionals involved with teacher training, such as cooperating teachers and university supervisors (Roberts, Benedict, & Thomas, 2013).

Limitations and Future Research

The present study was exploratory in nature and intended to provide a snapshot of special education teacher training for professional collaboration. Although reported findings have contributed to existing understandings in the literature, there were a couple of methodological limitations that warrant caution with interpretations. First, the sample size in the present study was small, and the survey response rate was low. Accordingly, reported results cannot be easily generalized to a larger population. However, data from the present study have provided practical knowledge to help teacher educators assess the impact of teacher training for professional collaboration in their respective special educator preparation programs.

Second, data analyses in the present study did not involve testing for statistical significance. To address this limitation, future researchers should examine professional collaboration during teacher training in a more scientifically rigorous manner. For example, future researchers may use a case study research design to conduct in-depth explorations of programmatic special education teacher training for professional collaboration. Additionally, future researchers may perform longitudinal analyses that investigate the impact of preparation practices used during

teacher training on future professional collaboration practices used by practicing special educators in the field.

Conclusion

The work of special educators is quite complex and necessitates specialized expertise. Special educators have a great responsibility to attend to the wide-ranging needs of students with disabilities. As special educators strive to best serve each individual student, it is critical for them to engage in successful professional collaborations with others. Consequently, teacher preparation programs must offer preservice special educators high-impact training for professional collaboration that generalizes into their future teaching practices. Moreover, practicing special educators require continuous professional learning opportunities to further develop and refine their knowledge and skills for professional collaboration. Giving increased attention to professional collaboration among preservice and practicing special educators safeguards the interests and rights of students with disabilities.

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About the Authors

Laurie A. Sharp, Ed.D., is an Associate Professor and the Dean of University College at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Dr. Sharp promotes student success among adult learners, actively participates in professional service, and maintains an extensive research and publication record.

Michelle Simmons, Ed.D., is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. Dr. Simmons is program coordinator in the educational diagnostician graduate program. Dr. Simmons’ research focuses on best practice in assessment and evaluation, multicultural evaluation and instruction for students with disabilities.