Conflict Resolution: Preparing Preservice Special Educators to Work in Collaborative Settings

The movement toward collaboration in school reflects a departure from previous practice in which educators worked in isolation. While collaboration and teaming offer positive means for addressing changing practice in schools, the potential for conflict also exists when team members do not share similar jargon, ideas, goals, or perspectives. Preservice special educators will be expected to face and resolve conflict situations in practice. In this study an investigation was conducted on the impact of instruction in conflict analysis and steps toward resolution on preservice special educators' skills to understand, analyze, and take steps toward resolution of actual teacher interpersonal conflict situations. Data were taken from written responses to actual conflict situations between teachers which were scored according to critical components of conflict. A multiple baseline design across groups of participants was used to examine the effectiveness of the instruction. Participants' attitude and approach toward conflict situations were examined through pre- and post-intervention interviews and administrations of a conflict style assessment instrument. The results of the study indicated that instruction in conflict analysis and steps toward resolution had an impact on participants' ability to analyze and consider steps toward resolution of conflict situations. Positive changes in participants' attitudes and approaches to conflict also were revealed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Fleming, Janetta L.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Monda-Amaya, Lisa
• Renzaglia, Adelle

• Education, Administration

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9944852

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/80319