Report on a Comparative Study of Two Years' Operation of the Dallas Teacher Center Professional Semester Program. Research on Elementary Teacher Preparation Monograph No. 2.

This report presents comparative data collected from 122 North Texas State University elementary education students enrolled in the Dallas Teacher Center Professional Semester (DTCPS) program during the 1972-73 and 1973-74 academic years. Three instruments--One Word Sentence Completion, Self Report Inventory, and Directed Imagination Test--were used to gather data on the following topics for factor analysis: (a) self-perception ability, (b) optimism-hope, (c) empathy-view of others, (d) general adjustment and mental health, (e) attitude toward teaching, (f) view of children, and (g) confidence regarding classroom discipline. Results indicate the following: (a) in all of the attitudinal dimensions sampled, the student teachers experienced positive growth during the DTCPS program; (b) inner-city and middle-class schools were suitable settings for this significant positive attitudinal growth to take place; and (c) the total impact of the DTCPS program would appear to have been the influence producing these results. Also, a high proportion of the participants who completed the DTCPS program saw themselves and others favorably, tended to be well-adjusted adults, had hope and optimism for the future, and were committed to the teaching profession. Raw scores averages for each instrument are included in the tables. (PD)