Mature Students in Teacher Education: A theoretical Perspective

支持較年長學生修習師培教育：理論的觀點

江淑真(Shu-Chen Chiang)

《教師專業研究期刊》 7期 (2014/06) Pp. 91-109

摘要

本文從理論探討的觀點支持較年長的學生修習師培教育。首先回顧台灣的師培教育政策演變，結果發現大學畢業後但仍欲從事教師一職的成年人們，與年紀較輕且仍在學的大學同儕相較，長久以來一直處於邊緣化地位。根據東西方的理論觀點，本文選用30歲為分野來探討較年長學生適合從事教職的原因：在美國及歐洲多個先進國家所觀察到的「轉大人」（emerging adulthood）理論，其中提及現代二十幾歲的年輕人們有著延緩進入成人角色的趨勢，例如：長期且穩定的工作、進入婚姻以及養育子女。因而經過相對變動的二十幾歲而進入30歲之後的人生階段應漸趨穩定，此一觀點恰巧呼應長久以來影響台灣社會甚鉅的孔子思想「三十而立」。本文以理論的觀點來回應實徵資料中所顯示，比起年輕同儕，較年長學生擁有更適合從事教職的社會心理特質。在此支持較年長學生修習師培教育的前提下，提出相關建議與其政策啟示。

關鍵字

較年長學生 ； 師培教育 ； 師培政策

並列摘要

This paper supports mature students participating in teacher education on the basis of a literature review. After reviewing the development of teacher education policy, I found a historically marginalized status for post-graduate adults who intend to be a teacher, compared to their younger peers who still enroll in college. Age 30 as the cutoff is driven by both theoretical perspectives, including the phenomenon of emerging adulthood observed in the U.S. and advanced countries in Europe. Emerging adulthood refers to today’s youth delay to enter their fully adult roles such as a stable job status, marriage and parenting. Therefore, age 30 should be considered a new life stage after the volatile period of one's 20s, which corresponds to the statement of At 30, I took my stand in a Confucius-influenced society like Taiwan. With theoretical perspectives, this paper aims to reflect the evidence shown in empirical studies: mature students expressed themselves as more psycho-socially suitable for the teaching profession than their younger counterparts. Given this, suggestions and policy recommendations were provided.

並列關鍵字

mature students ； teacher education ； teacher education policy