Effects of human relations training on secondary preservice teacher philosophy of human nature and beliefs about disadvantaged students

Vita.This investigation was conducted to determine the effects of human relations training on preservice teachers' philosophy of human nature and beliefs about disadvantaged students. Five treatment groups, three experimental and two control, differing by either content or type of leader, were employed in the study. The active control was conducted as an unstructured sensitivity group. The active control was conducted as an unstructured sensitivity group. The three experimental groups were as follows: a) value clarification-stressing the values of the preservice teacher and how these values are expressed to others b) disadvantaged (counselor led)-focused on attitudes and beliefs the preservice teacher had about culturally disadvantaged students c) disadvantaged (teacher led)-covered the same activities as the previous group but had a non-counselor, experienced teacher as a group leader. The passive control experienced pretesting and posttesting only as an activity related to the study. Subjects were 81 education majors from Texas A&M University. Fifty-six students from two secondary teaching methods and curriculum courses were randomly assigned to either the active control or one of the three experimental groups. Twenty-five subjects from an introductory educational psychology course served as the passive control. Subjects in the four training groups participated in six two-hour sessions over a three week period.