Dispositions in Teacher Education: Complex but Comprehensible

In 2003, Azusa Pacific University Teacher Education Department began research aimed at gauging the dispositions of their teacher credential candidates. To meet their obligation as a Christian university, an NCATE accredited School of Education, and a Teacher Credential program with the State of California, the program was directed to evaluate that teacher candidates know and can demonstrate the content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, professional knowledge and skills, and professional dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Initially the project piloted a system wide process to measure the dispositions of their teacher credential candidates based on a generic criteria set and rubric. Data was collected and analysed. However in light of conflicting research found in the literature from the field, concerns arose regarding whether the current instrument was actually measuring the appropriate critical attributes of teacher dispositions. Consequently the researchers undertook a three year project to examine on the nature of dispositions; their place and importance in the development of teacher candidates; and the challenges of following the NCATE mandate. Input was solicited from local, regional, national, and international stakeholders to initially examine an instrument developed by researchers in North Carolina. As a result of analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data, a list of essential criteria that could be used to effectively measure teacher candidate dispositions emerged. Consequently a more reliable measure of candidate dispositions is currently in use as part of a comprehensive program of using Dispositions to guide and measure teacher candidates.