Exploring beginning mathematics teachers' perceptions of university-based teacher induction programs
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University-based teacher induction programs are a relatively new form of beginning teacher induction which are housed in a university rather than provided by the schools where new teachers are hired. Like many induction programs, university-based programs seek to support new teachers as they transition into the teaching profession but are unique in that they exist both inside and outside of the teacher's school culture. For math teachers specifically, these programs have the potential to mitigate tension between the reform-oriented instructional practices they learned at the university and the traditional instructional techniques they experienced both in their own K--12 schooling and in their new jobs. In this dissertation I investigate how these university induction programs interact with beginning middle and secondary math teachers' goals and visions for instruction, the promoted actions of their schools, and other elements of the school culture and climate, to consider its role in teacher learning and development. Utilizing zone theory to understand this interaction, I investigated two university-based teacher induction programs 1) Desert Valley, which was specifically designed for middle and secondary mathematics teachers and 2) Oceanside, which was designed for all K--12 teachers regardless of content area. The findings from this study suggest that the beginning math teachers at Desert Valley felt supported in implementing reform-oriented math practices in their classroom but that their perceptions of their student capabilities had a limiting effect on how many of the ideas were integrated into their practice. The teachers from Oceanside perceived the program as providing more individualized, general supports which helped them to implement their own vision of instruction, which was typically aligned with their school colleagues. While both of these programs were designed to support beginning teachers, the findings suggest that they also had the potential to create additional tensions for teachers as they navigated their school culture and climate.
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Ph. D