Will this pre-service teacher be an effective educator? Depends who you ask: faculty characteristics of their assessments of students

Need for Cognitive Closure (NFCC), defined as a preference for quick answers on a given topic and low tolerance for ambiguity, is one aspect of an individual’s worldview, that is related to perceptions of events and people. The characteristics of an “effective educator” remain unclear, despite extensive research in the field. Education department faculties at colleges and universities assess the likelihood of pre-service teachers’ success as educators. This study involved 284 faculty members from education departments at colleges and universities, and examined three aspects of the contribution of faculty NFCC to these assessments: 1. How do NFCC among faculty influence perceptions of behavioral patterns that preservice teachers should possess to become effective educators. 2. Background characteristics of faculty that contribute to their NFCC. 3. Identification of behavioral patterns of preservice teachers that may indicate their potential as effective educators. Five different behavioral patterns of preservice teachers were identified by faculty as predictors of their effectiveness as educators. Two of these patterns focus on cognitive abilities: the “Independent and Analytic Learner” and the “Open-Minded Thinker”. The “Sensitive and empathetic” pattern focuses on social-emotional competencies. The “Pedagogically Competent” pattern emphasizes instructional abilities, such as assertiveness, while the “Organized” pattern relates to their ability to meet deadlines and submit assignments. Results indicated that teacher educators with a higher NFCC showed a greater preference for “Pedagogical Competence” and “Organization” as stronger predictors of effective teaching among students. Additionally, participants with higher academic degrees exhibited a lower NFCC. Implications of these findings are discussed.