Choosing among alternatives for tracing conceptual change

Abstract This study was designed to determine which of three measures would provide the most useful and economical information on changes over time in prospective teachers' conceptions of “effective teaching”. Subjects were 70 elementary and secondary education students in the second and fourth years of a 5-year teacher education program. Cognitive measures were: concept maps of effective teaching, computerized repertory grid interviews on characteristics of good teachers, and observations and critiques of a videotaped teaching episode. Concept maps proved to be the most productive measure, showing both meaningful qualitative changes and statistically significant quantitative changes over time in prospective teachers' conceptions.