Paper Title
Evaluation of Pre-Service Teacher Training

Abstract
The purpose of this study is to evaluate pre-service teacher training at a college of education based on graduates’ survey responses. The teachers surveyed are graduates of this institution and are currently teaching in the school systems. The study used an instrument entitled the Pre-Service Preparation of Teachers to Teaching, and was developed by Darling-Hammond (2006). The sample of this study included 528 teachers who were graduates of the College of Education at Kean University in Union, New Jersey USA and were teaching in elementary and secondary schools around the state. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis was carried out to test the validity of the instrument, and five factors emerged. The results of CFA indicate a good fit. Cronbach alpha and split-half reliability procedures were used to deter reliability. The subscales were found to be reliable. These factors were highly and positively correlated with each other. The teacher responses were compared on these five factors based on gender, experience, teaching level, location of the school, number of students in classroom and school, socio-economic status of schools, and whether teachers had a master’s degree or not. T-tests and one-way ANOVAs conducted to see whether there were differences among groups. Teachers indicated that the pre-service training they had received in the college of education prepared relatively well on supporting different learning styles. Secondly, they rated equally program and teaching and teaching and learning competencies. They rated professional development the third while they rated their preparation as the lowest on creating a productive classroom. Recommendations were made based on these findings. Keywords - Teacher Training, Pre-Service Teacher Training, Teaching Practice, Faculty of Education, and Teachers.