Presented by: Lynnette Mawhinney, Lincoln University
Presented at: American Educational Research Association conference
Date of Session: March 25, 2008

Session Description: The CRETE project included three program evaluation components. (1) Qualitative program evaluation on implementation was conducted with higher education faculty and through student focus groups in Years 1 and 2 of the project. (2) Quantitative data analysis was conducted through pre-test and post-test questionnaires from students in external training, infusion classes, and control conditions. (2) Following completion of CRETE, a qualitative interview study was conducted with thirty former pre-service teachers from Temple University, twenty who has participated in CRETE and ten who had not. This presentation provides a very brief reference to results from the first two evaluation components but concentrates on the qualitative research in the third component. The analysis of the data shows that CRETE participants found extreme value in lesson plans and instructional materials they can use in their own classrooms. Additionally, the participants valued the approach of learning about conflict resolution through simulation of the information in the workshops. On the other hand, it came out in the data that participants struggle with the long hours of the workshops. The non-CRETE participants struggle with obtaining the information about conflict resolution education from other means. As novice teachers, they want to implement conflict resolution education into their classrooms but lack sufficient knowledge.