Interventions to Increase Prospective Teacher Candidates' Praxis II Content Exam Scores

Author

Takara HartFollow

Date of Award

12-2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education Systems Improvement Science

Committee Chair/Advisor

Dr. Reginald Wilkerson

Committee Member

Dr. Renee Jefferson

Committee Member

Dr. Roy Jones

Committee Member

Dr. Kristen Duncan

Abstract

Teacher shortages are a pervasive issue in South Carolina’s public schools. Some prospective teacher candidates have shown obstacles in meeting the minimum required Praxis II Content exam score. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and develop specific Praxis II Content exam interventions to improve scores for six prospective teacher candidates in South Carolina. All participants were trying to meet the licensure exam requirement for various alternative certification programs. Malcolm Knowles’ Andragogy Adult Learning Theory guided the study as a theoretical framework, and Lev Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Constructivism provided the conceptual frame. Descriptive coding and analysis, using Dedoose software, were used to categorize codes to identify emergent themes. Prospective teacher candidates needed targeted support to improve their licensure exam scores. Findings indicated all participants received more points, in at least one category of the Praxis II Content exam, after participating in the intervention workshop sessions. Therefore, it was recommended that a further longitudinal study be conducted with a larger sample population to improve Praxis II Content exam scores. The improvement of participant scores could lead to classroom vacancies being filled in South Carolina’s public schools.

Recommended Citation

Hart, Takara, "Interventions to Increase Prospective Teacher Candidates' Praxis II Content Exam Scores" (2021). All Dissertations. 2958.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/2958