Inservice Education Needs of Teachers Working with the Mentally Retarded

啟智教育教師在職進修需求之研究

本研究之目的，乃在探討啟智教育教師在職訓練之需求狀況。教師自陳的相對專業能力水準、喜愛的在職訓練方式，以及自陳專業能力水準和現職、性別、年齡、最高學歷、專業訓練、啟智班教學年資、普通班教學年資、與學校轄屬的關係，皆在本研究中加以探討。對本研究的調查工作作回應的有臺灣地區224名國小與171名國中啟智教育教師。蒐集資料所用的研究工具為啟智教育教師專業能力及進修需求調查問卷。資料分析所採用的方法包括平均數的排序、史皮爾曼等級相關，t考驗、變異數分析、以及卡方考驗。從本研究所獲致的結論有下列幾方面：1、國小與國中教師在自陳的十項水準最高的專業能力是相同的。這些專業能力皆與教師必須熟稔的基本能力有關。2、國小與國中教師在自陳的十項水準最低的專業能力項目中有八項是相同的。這些專業能力項目和研究、資源運用、及復健領域的特殊知識或技能有關。3、就專業能力的領域而言，國小與國中教師皆對輔導能力這一領域最感自在。而一般專業能力領域和課程與教學領域，卻分別是國小與國中教師自認為能力最低的所在。4、國小與國中教師在專業能力水準的自我評價方面，其結果是相當一致的。5、國小與國中教師自陳的專業能力水準和其性別及年齡變項無關。6、在課程與教學這－專業能力領域方面，師專畢業的教師對他們專業能力水準的評價顯著高於一般大學畢業的教師。7、受過特殊教育系、師專特殊教育組、或特殊教育專業學分訓練的教師，在全部或某些專業能力領域上，一般要比沒受過特殊教育專業訓練的教師，有自陳較高能力水準的趨勢。8、教師具有較長的啟智班教學年資者，其在專業能力水準的自我評價上也較高。9、普通班教學年資可能與自陳的專業能力水準有關，不過此一關係似乎微弱。10、在國小教師方面，自陳的專業能力水準與學校轄屬並無關係。然而，台北市的國中教師在某些專業能力領域方面，對彼等能力水準的評價，要比台灣省的國中教師明顯約為高。若將國小與國中教師合併而言，台北市的教師對其評量與記錄專業能力水準的評價，顯著高於台灣省與高雄市的教師。11、國小與國中啟智教育教師皆認為特殊教育學位與專業學分之修習是最好的兩項正規進修方式。12、國小與國中教師最想參與的三項短期進修活動是參觀其他學校或機構啟智教育活動、國內啟智教育參觀與旅遊合併安排之活動、及啟智教育相關教材之研習。這些短期的進修方式與啟智教育的實際運作有十分密切的關係。

The purpose of this study was to explore the inservice training needs of teachers working with mentally retarded students. The expressed relative competency levels, preferred inservice training formats, and the relationships between the expressed competency levels and the variables, namely, job status, sex, age, academic background, professional training, teaching experience in special class for the mentally retarded, teaching experience in regular class, and school location were determined in the study. The respondents of the study consisted of 224 elementary and 171 junior high school teachers of the mentally retarded in Taiwan. The instrument for data collection was the Inservice Needs Survey for Teachers of the Mentally Retarded. The data analysis approaches included mean scores ranking, the Spearman rank correlation, t test, analysis of variance, and the Chi-square test. The conclusions drawn from the study are as follows: 1. The elementary and junior high teacher groups share the same highest ten competencies related to basic abilities with which a teacher must be familiar. 2. Eight of the lowest ten ranks of the competency items are identical for both elementary and junior high teacher groups. These competency items are related to special knowledge or skills in the areas of research, resource usage, and rehabilitation. 3. In terms of competency areas, both elementary and junior high teacher groups felt most comfortable in the area of guidance ability. The area of general competencies and the area of curriculum and instruction were marked lowest, respectively, for the elementary and junior high teacher groups. 4. The elementary and junior high teacher groups have fairly consistent self-assessment in regard to the levels of competencies. 5. The variables of sex and age are not related to the expressed competency levels of both elementary and junior high teacher groups. 6. The teachers having junior teachers college background assessed their competency levels significantly higher than did the teachers with ordinary college background with respect to the competency area of curriculum and instruction. 7. A tendency was revealed that the teachers having professional training in the department of special education, special education training in junior teachers college, or certification program of special education, generally expressed higher levels in all or some competency areas than did the teachers with no special education training. 8. The more teaching experience in special class for retarded students a teacher had, the higher competency levels he/she might self-assess. 9. Teaching experience in regular class may have a relationship to expressed competency levels but it appears to be a weak one. 10. No relationship was found between expressed competency levels and school location for the elementary teacher group. However, the junior high teachers from Taipei City assessed their competency levels significant1y higher than did the junior high teachers from Taiwan Province on some competency areas. In the over-all teacher group, the teachers from Taipei City evaluated their competency levels on assessment and records significantly higher than did the teachers from Taiwan Province and Kaoshiung City. 11. The degree and certification programs, perceived as most desirable, were two formal inservice education formats by elementary and junior high school teachers working with the mentally retarded. 12. The top three desired short-term inservice training activities for both elementary and junior high teacher groups are visiting educational programs of other institutions, a combination of program visitation and recreation, and workshops on instructional materials. These short-term inservice formats are fairly related to practical operations with respect to the education of mentally retarded students.