Listening to Learn: Preservice Teachers’ Voice on What Matters Most in their University Preparation Programs

This study explores the perspectives of preserviceteacher candidates on the topics in education they perceive as the most important and urgent as they prepare for their first year of teaching. Utilizing quantitative methodology, the study aims to identify and prioritize educational topics sixty (n = 60) preservice teacher candidates believed were critical to their professional development. Participants are asked to rate the topics based on two criteria: urgency and importance. Each topic is rated on a scale from 0 to 5, where 0 indicated unfamiliarly with the topic, 1 indicated low urgency or importance, and 5 indicates high urgency or importance. The top five topics all students perceived as most important and most urgent included: Classroom Management, Student Behavior, School Safety, Teacher Burnout, and IEPS/504s. The findings provide insight into the current priorities and the concerns of future teachers, informing the teacher education program about areas that require immediate attention and resources. This study aims to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of teacher education programs to ensure teacher readiness during their first year in the profession.