Instructional Goals Explored: Teacher Candidates in the Final Clinical Experience

Abstract This study, framed as a qualitative case study, examined the instructional goal-setting process of teacher candidates during their final clinical experience. The study followed three teacher candidates at a Midwestern university who were enrolled in their final clinical experience semester of their teacher preparation program. Methodology included document analysis and interviews. The teacher candidates set goals in four instructional areas: engagement, differentiation, classroom management, and assessment. The study found that the case study participants successfully set instructional goals using self-reflection as well as feedback from their university supervisor and their cooperating teacher. The study also found that the teacher candidates utilized prior knowledge, coursework, and field experiences to help them set their instructional goals. In order to prepare teacher candidates for their first classroom job, the instructional goal setting process will help the teacher candidates to know their strengths and areas of weaknesses, so they can incorporate those into their first professional development pla