Exploring Cultural Competence in Teacher Preparation

Abstract

This mixed methods study explores teacher candidates’ self-efficacy in the application of culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) as measured by Siwatu’s (2007) Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale and examines those perceptions considering candidates’ performance on targeted rubrics of the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA), a nationally recognized tool for assessing teacher readiness. Pearson’s official edTPA scores on two culturally relevant rubrics were examined against survey results to ascertain whether perceived abilities align with target scores indicating learner-ready teachers. Interviews with participants provide triangulation and further validation while illuminating other factors related to CRP implementation during the candidates’ student teaching semester. Results show that pre-service educators feel efficacious in their capacity to implement CRP in theory; yet scores indicate that in practice, candidates struggle to implement culturally responsive lessons.