"Studies of Skill Development for Novice and Early-Career Teachers"

Join Dr. Elaine Silva Mangiante and Dr. Tracy Pelkowski, Associate Professors from the Education Department, as they present the results of their research published in the book, Teaching and Learning for Adult Skill Acquisition: Applying the Dreyfus and Dreyfus Model in Different Fields. This book highlights the work of scholars/practitioners who use the Adult Skill Acquisition Model to inform the teaching and promotion of a learner’s growth in a career across six stages of skill development: novice. advanced beginner, competent, proficient, expert, and mastery.

Dr. Silva Mangiante will present findings and implications from a three-year longitudinal study of a pre-service teacher’s evolving understanding and enactment of skills for teaching during her elementary teacher preparation program while also serving an as undergraduate researcher in engineering education.

Dr. Pelkowski will describe how she used the skill acquisition model to analyze the culturally responsive practices of three secondary social studies teachers. Data indicated that participants ranged from novice to approaching the competent stage regarding Gay’s (2010) characteristics of culturally responsive pedagogy. Results suggest that teachers need ongoing training and support in the development of critical consciousness and culturally responsive areas of practice.

Elaine Silva Mangiante, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Education Department specializing in math, science, and engineering design education at the elementary level. Her research interests include strategies for elementary science and engineering education, effective teaching practices, promotion of students’ social norms of interaction, urban education, and mentoring for teacher development from novice to expert.

Tracy Pelkowski, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Secondary Education at Salve Regina University. Her scholarship focuses on how to prepare culturally responsive, anti-racist secondary educators as one means to promote equity in education. Tracy has presented research at numerous conferences in the U.S. and abroad, including the American Educational Research Association, the National Council of Social Studies, and the International Conference on Learning.