Examining Perspectives of Entry-level Teacher Candidates: A Comparative Study - Vol 35 - August 2010

Oct 15, 2026

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This study examines entry-level teacher candidates’ career choices, professional goals, and views on the teacher’s role across two elementary teacher education programs in the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America. Sixty-six participants responded in writing to questions about why they chose teaching, what they hoped to accomplish, and how they conceptualized the teacher’s role. Major group differences appeared in the first two questions, while descriptions of a teacher’s role used similar terms. The work highlights participant characteristics and discusses implications for teacher education career preparation, teacher–student relationships, and how cultures and policies shape outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Examining Perspectives of Entry-level Teacher Candidates: A Comparative Study

Study focus and participants

Teacher education context in China and the USA

Recruitment, training, retention challenges

Australian Journal of Teacher Education Examining Perspectives of Entry-level Teacher Candidates: A Comparative Study Ping Liu California State University Long Beach U. S.A. [pliu@csulb.edu](pliu@csulb.edu) Abstract: This study examines entry-level teacher candidates on career choice, professional goals and view on a teacher’s role. The candidates were enrolled in two elementary teacher education programs in the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America. A total of 66 participants responded in writing to three questions about why they decided to become a teacher, what they wanted to accomplish as a teacher, and how they viewed the role of a teacher. Major differences were found between these groups in their responses to the first two questions but the participants used similar terms to describe a teacher’s role. Characteristics of these participants are highlighted and discussed, and educational implications on teacher education career preparation, teacher/student relationship and impact of cultures and policies are provided. Teacher education is regarded as critical to the quality of education in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the United States of America (USA) . According to Cobb (1999), both countries “cite the importance of a well-trained teaching force as essential to preparing students to function competently within an increasingly technologically information-based society”(p. 2) . However, to recruit, train and retain high quality teachers is no easy task. The USA is faced with a major challenge of possibly losing 50 percent of the teaching force during the first decade of the twenty-first century because of retirement or younger teachers’departure from the profession (Goldberg & Proctor, 2000) . Therefore, in its report,“What Matters Most for Teaching America’s Future,” the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (1996) concludes that a central strategy for improving schools is through recruiting, preparing and retaining good teachers. Identification and application of a strategy can be done rather efficiently but it takes much more time to resolve an issue. Four years later, teachers are still in demand because the pool of quality teachers continues shrinking and attrition rates remain high (2004, Heller) . To address the issue, Heller (2004) developed a guide of over 100 pages with an aim to improve teacher recruitment, training and recruitment from preservice education to restructuring the profession. Similarly, to strengthen teacher education, the PRC has recently taken actions to attract high quality candidates into teacher preparation programs by waiving tuitions. In August of 2007, new teacher candidates (approximately 12,000 in total) benefited from the policy and were accepted to study at six top teacher preparation universities in the PRC (State Council, the People’s Republic of China, 2007) . These candidates are Vol 35, 5, August 2010 56 Australian Journal of Teacher Education expected to join the teaching force at rural schools when they finish the credential program. Moreover, international comparison of teacher education is conducted between the USA and other countries including the PRC (Cobb, 1999; Cooper & Alvarado, 2006; Darling-Hammond & Cobb, 1995) . The above authors compared the practice of teacher preparation, recruitment and retention in both western countries and developing countries to identify issues and best practices. One of the goals is to inform policymakers to help them make appropriate decisions related to teacher education. Cooper and Alvarado (2006) indicate that a shortage of quality teachers is shared by both Western (the USA and United Kingdom) and many developing (Portugal and Hong Kong) countries. However, the difference is that a large number or up to 40 percent of newly prepared teachers in Western countries choose to leave the profession ordo not go into teaching in comparison to developing countries where po

FAQs

What does the study investigate about entry-level teacher candidates?

It examines candidates’ career choice, professional goals, and how they view a teacher’s role.

How were the participants selected and what data were collected?

Candidates were enrolled in two elementary teacher education programs in China and the USA, and 66 participants answered three written questions.

What were the main findings when comparing China and the USA groups?

The groups differed notably in why they decided to become teachers and what they wanted to accomplish, while they used similar terms to describe a teacher’s role.

Oct 15, 2026

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