Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) programs often struggle with creating a “real-life” scenario for the interview process. Minimal information is available for ways to best train and educate undergraduate teacher education pre-service candidates for the professional interview process (Kernodle, Turner, & Everhart, 1999). Many times, the process entails pre-service candidates creating a resume, coming dressed professionally, and answering interview questions given by their professor/instructor. In turn, the process lacks authenticity and is often seen by the students as a “requirement” or an “assignment”. In addition, “senior physical education majors in teacher preparation do not usually have an opportunity to talk to school principals about personal interviews until they are actually interviewed for their first job” (Rikard & Senne, 1996, p. 16). Many teacher preparation programs often fail to give “direction and guidance” of ways to secure their first job (Senne, 2002). The purpose of this research was to develop, implement, and analyze an authentic interview process for teacher education students.
Method:
Researchers developed a collaborative process (hiring fair simulation) where undergraduate students (n = 96) were interviewed by professional administrators (n = 160). In this process, candidates were assigned to a team of practicing administrators and “applied” for a position by sending out a cover letter and resume for the “school” in which they were hoping to gain employment. In the process, candidates participated in: 1) an interview process; 2) a critique session of their materials; and 3) focus groups with administrators. Candidates and administrators completed surveys based on the process.
Analysis/Results:
Based on four consecutive years of data, survey results indicate that candidates and administrators found the process inspiring and meaningful for their professional careers. It was unlike any previous “mock interview” process they have experienced and as one candidate said, “I have become a better interviewee after participating in the hiring fair simulation process.” In addition, candidate perceptions indicate that the experience was authentic and “stressful”. However, based on informal interviews, the job simulation fair often alleviated the pressures undergraduate students often experience as they interview for their first real job.
Conclusions:
Pre-service candidates found the process imperative for their future experiences. In addition, administrators also found the process useful and recommended that the hiring fair simulation becomes an annual requirement for all students in teacher education programs.