Date of Award

2-24-2003

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

First Advisor

Mary Ruth Laycock

Abstract

The Legacy Project was an experimental course taught in the spring of 2002 at the University of North Dakota. The course was designed to examine the relationship between social consciousness, idealism, and education. A study was conducted of the seven pre-service teachers enrolled in the course to determine their perceptions of and experiences in the class. From this study, four major themes evolved. The first was the perception among the participants that there may often be a “liberal” bias or agenda at work in their college classes. The second was their description of a gradual erosion of idealism as they progressed through their teacher education program. The third theme involved their perception of the need for a “non-traditional” field experience to complement their work in student beaching. The final theme discovered was an affinity on the part of the participants for a class which revolved around an open discussion that asked them to refine and then act upon their beliefs. Utilizing these four themes and the perceptions and experiences of the seven participants, the study undertakes to make several recommendations for the future improvement and implementation of a class like The Legacy Project.

Download

Share

COinS