Stakeholder perceptions : the impact of a university-based laboratory school on a campus-based university educator preparation program

Abstract

A gap in research on the impact of a university-based laboratory school on a campus-based educator preparation program and a decrease in the number of university-based laboratory schools requires current laboratory school programs to evaluate strengths and weaknesses to provide quality evaluative data to ensure continued viability. This qualitative study sought to expand the extant research by identifying perceptions of stakeholders, educator preparation program students, faculty, administrators, and laboratory school teachers, parents, and administrators--to examine the impact of a laboratory school on an educator preparation program. The case study outlined stakeholder perceptions at one university and one laboratory school and investigated the perceptions of stakeholders regarding the impact of a university-based laboratory school to a campus-based educator preparation program. Four major themes emerged related to the impact of a laboratory school on an educator preparation program include: experimentation, early practice and ability to bridge theory to practice, expertise of faculty and teachers, and safety and support of environment to practice new learning. A fifth overarching theme was identified as significant to research: complexity of the organization.