Amount Of Teaching Experience Research Articles

The relationship between the teaching experience of South African geography teachers and their involvement in self-directed professional development activities

This study explores the relationship between teaching experience of geography teachers and their involvement in self-directed professional development (SDPD) activities to enhance their geography knowledge, skills and attitudes, understanding and development in the geography curriculum areas, as well as teaching and learning practices. A non-experimental survey design was employed in the study. Grade 10 to 12 geography teachers (n = 130) from the Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Bojanala Platinum districts in the North West province in South Africa with different amounts of teaching experience in geography education who attended the scheduled geography meeting with their respective subject advisors, completed a questionnaire on SDPD activities in geography education, developed by the researcher. The analysis of the results did not establish any relationship between geography teachers’ teaching experience and their involvement in SDPD activities. In this study the practical significance was calculated to indicate whether the difference between the geography teachers with different teaching experiences and their involvement in SDPD activities is large enough to have an effect in practice. Medium to small practically significant differences between early-, mid- and late-career geography teachers’ involvement in reading articles and books, watching videos, consulting role-players and experimentation were reported. Interestingly, medium practically significant differences were reported between mid-career and late-career geography teachers in conducting self-directed research in geomorphology, development geography and geographical information systems.

Challenges Facing Somali Islamic Education Teachers in Implementing 21st Century Teaching Approaches

This article reports on the results of a census survey that explored what Somali secondary school teachers perceived to be the challenges hampering their use of 21st-century teaching approaches in the Islamic Education subject. The survey also examined if the perceived challenges differed significantly by school type (i.e., public versus private) and teaching experience (i.e., extensive, moderate, and minimal). The implementation challenges were categorized into five types: school-related, teacher-related, student-related, subject-related, and approach-related. 200 Islamic Education teachers employed at 53 secondary schools in Hargeisa, the capital city of Somaliland, responded to a 35-item questionnaire adapted from Aldossari (2018). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVAs. The results indicated that the most prevalent challenges were school-related obstacles (e.g., unsuitable classrooms and the lack of educational equipment), with the highest mean rating (M = 3.70). At the same time, teachers’ lack of experience and knowledge of 21st-century instructional approaches were the two most widely reported teacher-related obstacles. Private- and public-school teachers differed significantly in their perceptions of teacher-related, subject-related, and approach-related challenges. The ANOVA results suggested that teachers with the greatest amount of teaching experience (i.e., 11 years or more) tend to perceive significantly greater challenges in utilizing 21st-century instructional approaches in the classroom than did their less experienced colleagues. The findings of this study contribute to a clearer understanding of the magnitude of the challenges confronting Islamic Education teachers in Somali secondary schools. It is hoped that the findings can be used to raise the awareness of school leaders and stakeholders in Somaliland and beyond about the challenges facing Islamic Education.

Getting KnERDI with Language: Examining Teachers’ Knowledge for Enhancing Reading Development in Code‐Based and Meaning‐Based Domains

AbstractMuch of the early research on teachers’ knowledge for reading instruction used instruments that primarily emphasized code‐based aspects of reading, unintentionally signaling that meaning‐focused knowledge is not essential for teaching foundational reading to elementary‐age children. In this study, we developed the Knowledge for Enhancing Reading Development Inventory (KnERDI; pronounced 'nerdy'), an instrument that measures teachers’ knowledge in two domains: alphabetic code/word reading and meaning/connected text processes. Using this instrument, we sought to determine if teachers’ knowledge of the two proposed domains was highly associated and if knowledge was related to level of education and amount of teaching experience. We report on the reliability and validity of the KnERDI and describe patterns in educators’ performance on this instrument. We found that the KnERDI measured both domains with acceptable reliability in multiple samples of educators enrolled in an online professional development course. Educators scored higher on the meaning/connected text process subscale than on the alphabetic code/word reading subscale. The two subscales were strongly correlated, indicating that teachers’ knowledge as measured on the KnERDI is a unidimensional construct. Advanced degree completion was not consistently related to educators’ scores on the KnERDI, but there was a positive association between educators’ performance on the instrument and their years of experience teaching early reading, particularly with respect to the code‐based domain. We discuss potential uses of the KnERDI in future research and practice, positive trends in educators’ performance on the instrument, and challenges in measuring educators’ knowledge for supporting higher‐level language and comprehension processes.

Experiences of Slovenian In-Service Primary School Teachers and Students of Grades 4 and 5 with Outdoor Lessons in the Subject Science and Technology

The present paper presents the results of a survey on outdoor lessons conducted by teachers of the subject Science and Technology in the 4th and 5th grades of primary school in the school’s vicinity. It examines differences between teachers themselves and between teachers and students, as well as the ideas and limitations of outdoor lessons. The study included 70 in-service primary school teachers of the 4th and 5th grades and 154 students of the 4th grade and 151 students of the 5th grade of primary school. The data were obtained with two questionnaires: an e-questionnaire for teachers and a paper-pencil questionnaire for students. The results show that 13 per cent of teaching time in the subject Science and Technology consists of outdoor lessons. Statistically significant differences were found between teachers with different amounts of teaching experience, while differences in the quantity of outdoor lessons did not arise among teachers of different school strata and among teachers who had an early experience with outdoor lessons in the vicinity of school themselves as students compared to teachers who had no such experience. The teachers had several specific and general ideas for outdoor activities for the thematic sets of the Science and Technology curriculum and reported similar difficulties in planning outdoor lessons to those reported in other countries. The results of the research show that the teachers report the use of outdoor lessons in the vicinity of school more often than recalled by the students. The students reported that such activities typically take place about twice a year, mostly in playgrounds, meadows, and forests. The results provide an insight into the state of the teachers’ initiatives for outdoor lessons in the subject Science and Technology and indirectly offer opportunities to reflect and act on outdoor lessons from different perspectives.

Change in University Pedagogical Culture – The Impact of Increased Pedagogical Training on First Teaching Experiences

This study aims to explore whether the increase in pedagogical training has had any effect on new teachers’ experiences. We consider first teaching experiences to be crucial for a teacher’s career and the development of the environment’s pedagogical culture. We hypothesised that even if new faculty begin their teaching career without any formal pedagogical training, due to the changed pedagogical culture within faculties, they receive more support from their colleagues than their peers did 10 or 20 years ago. In this study, teachers with different amounts of teaching experience were asked to describe their first teaching experiences to get an overall picture of topical issues (Study A). Then, a larger sample was collected to shed more light on the assumed change in teaching cultures (Study B). According to the results, the majority (63.6%) of novice teachers with 0 to 4 years of teaching experience did not have pedagogical training. However, the amount of aid that novice teachers received from their colleagues was higher among those who had recently begun their careers compared to more experienced teachers, suggesting a change in teaching cultures. Novice teachers’ experience that teaching interferes with their research indicates that the changes in pedagogical culture are only partial, leaving the professional identity underdeveloped. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.3.20

The Factor Structure of the Tacit Knowledge Inventory for High School Teachers in a Greek Context

This study presents the factor structure underlying Tacit Knowledge Inventory for High School Teachers (TKI-HS) which constitutes an informative measure for the assessment of experienced-based tacit knowledge of Greek secondary school teachers, as well as the effect of the teaching experience factor on teachers’ preferred strategies for their workplace interactions. The aim of this study was to provide an insight into the factor structure underlying this instrument in a Greek context, as the structure of its factors has only been assessed in a limited European context. The sample consisted of 279 high-school teachers, 83 men (29.7%) and 196 women (70.3%) who varied in the amount of teaching experience, ranging from 1 to 19 years. The participants completed a Greek version of the TKI-HS inventory consisting of 11 scenarios, each of which provides seven strategies as a framework for evaluating teachers’ responses to potentially challenging social situations. Confirmatory factor analyses verified the single-factor structure of each of the seven strategies, which were included in each of the 11 scenarios of the Greek version of the TKI-HS inventory, confirming, in total, a slightly different structure of the Greek version of the TKI-HS Inventory from the one suggested by the inventory designers. Teaching experience has been found to have a small effect on the respondents’ choice of tacit knowledge strategies for their interpersonal interactions. Implications for future research were identified and discussed.

The professional development needs for the use of educational technology

PurposeThis study aimed to identify the professional development needs of academics in Hong Kong higher education for the use of educational technology.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was conducted in 2017, which involved 374 academics from Hong Kong higher education institutions. The survey covered their perception and use of educational technology for professional activities and their relevant professional development needs.FindingsThe results showed an overall positive perception by the academics of the usefulness of online learning with the aid of technology, which was regarded as an effective complement to face-to-face learning. However, their use of educational technology focused only on general online applications, such as document and video-sharing tools, and e-learning platforms. Among various professional development needs, those related to the use of specific educational software with sharing of practical examples were considered to be most highly desired by the academics. In addition, the academics working in lecturer positions tended to use more online applications and had a higher need for professional development, than those with more teaching experience.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to identifying the current status of the use of educational technology and the professional development needs among academics in Hong Kong, as well as the differences between academics in different job positions and with different amounts of teaching experience. The results help in designing suitable professional development activities which address the specific needs of academics.

Characterizing the knowledge of educators receiving training in systematic literacy instruction.

Addressing the needs of students with dyslexia requires an in-depth knowledge of various components of a multi-dimensional approach to reading intervention, which is supported by an understanding of the structure of the language being taught. The current study explored the association between teacher knowledge of the English language and different stages of training provided through 2-year courses that meet the objectives of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) standards of teacher knowledge and practice. It included 347 K-12 licensed teachers who were at various stages of training when they completed a test of knowledge in the areas of Phonological Sensitivity, Phonemic Awareness, Decoding, Spelling, and Morphology. The level of terminal degree (i.e., BA or MA) held by participating teachers and their amount of teaching experience did not predict performance on the test. In contrast, participating teachers differed in their level of knowledge as a function of how much training they had received as part of a 2-year course. Increased training was associated with elevated levels of knowledge. Moreover, teachers who completed the 2-year training program and went on to obtain certification through a national certifying organization had reliably greater knowledge than those who had not. Additionally, the weakest domains of knowledge across all teachers were in spelling and morphology, suggesting a need for improved training in these domains, given that they are identified deficiencies for persistently poor responders to reading intervention and in children presenting with late emerging forms of reading disability.

Teaching What We Know: The Influence of Pre-service EFL Teachers’ Background on L2 Reading Attitudes

Some aspects of Korean English teachers’ background such as the experience as second language readers may have shaped their attitudes toward English reading in less than favorable ways. Therefore, the primary aim of this research was to investigate how Korean EFL teachers’ background variables which include their L2 reading proficiency, access to English books for pleasure reading and their teaching experience relate to affective aspects of their L2 reading attitudes. To address these aims, a two-part L2 reading attitude survey was administered to 29 pre-service Korean EFL teachers. Results were that those with higher L2 reading proficiency are more comfortable reading in English, but there was no difference in comprehension ability and anxiety regarding L2 reading. Thus, it appears some aspects of attitude are more affected by L2 reading proficiency than others. Amount of teaching experience was found not to affect the participants’ levels of comfort or anxiety when reading in English. In accordance with other studies, those who reported having access to English books available to read for pleasure were more comfortable and less anxious about reading in English than those who indicated that they did not. This finding demonstrates that simply having L2 books available can make a difference in pre-service teachers’ L2 reading attitudes.

Chinese teachers’ perspectives on teachers’ commitment to change

Purpose– The willingness of teachers to be part of and contribute to education reform is crucial for its success and effectiveness. Based on the motivation theory of Bandura (1986), Leithwoodet al.(1999) conceptualized teachers’ motivation as part of educational change and described it using four dimensions including personal goals, context beliefs, personal beliefs, and emotional arousal. They also defined teachers’ commitment to change as teachers’ identification with or desire to be part of the change process. To date, most studies relating to teacher commitment to change have been conducted quantitatively, with comparatively little qualitative investigation into teachers’ lived experiences during a period of curricular reform. The purpose of this paper is to fill this qualitative gap in the literature and describes the realities of Chinese secondary teachers during a period of curricular reform. It investigated how the four dimensions of teachers’ commitment to change interact with one another during the change process, and how internal and external school factors affect teachers’ levels of commitment to change.Design/methodology/approach– In this research, the purposive sampling strategy was used. Age, gender, years of service, and the type of school at which teachers taught were taken into consideration. In all, 23 Chinese teachers with different numbers of years of work experience participated in this study. According to Hargreaves (2005), teachers can be categorized into three groups based on their years of working experience. Teachers with one to five years’ teaching experience are regarded as early career teachers, teachers with six to ten years of teaching as mid-career teachers, and teachers with more than ten years of working experience as experts. The samples all had upper secondary school teaching experience. They were all certified teachers in China. Their years of working experience ranged from 1 to 5, 6 to 10, and more than 11 years. Their teaching subjects included English, literature, math, geography, physics, biology, and chemistry. Semi-structured, open-ended, in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Open-ended interviews were used to give teachers the opportunity to expand and elaborate upon their perception and experience of their commitment to change and describe in detail their experiences in school contexts where their commitment to change was supported or hindered.Findings– The research revealed that teachers in different age groups had different perceptions of teachers’ commitment to change and also that internal and external organizational factors have different effects on their perceptions. This study seeks to contribute to teachers’ professional development in the Chinese school context and may help school administrators across cultures to adopt more appropriate methods for realizing effective change in their schools.Originality/value– This study seeks an in-depth understanding of Chinese teachers’ motivation to be part of school reform, in particular the motivation process of Chinese teachers with different amounts of teaching experience. It contributes to the understanding of effective education change in China and other similar contexts.

The Erosion of EFL Teachers’ Content and Pedagogical-content Knowledge Throughout the Years of Teaching Experience

Theoreticians have long been offering EFL teachers worldwide lots of methodological contributions. But do the teachers ever try to keep themselves in touch with those contributions so as to improve their teaching task? And do they also practically try to enhance their content knowledge as required of especially every non-English teacher of English? There was an attempt to answer the mentioned questions in this paper. To do so, one hundred and fifteen school level EFL teachers in Marand, East Azerbaijan, Iranwere studied.The subjects’ content and pedagogical-content knowledge were measured through two sets of multiple-choice questions. The results of the investigation indicated that regretfully a remarkable number of teachers possess much less than expected amount of both content and pedagogical-content knowledge, which is also triggered by their amount of teaching experience. That is, the more years they teach, the more amount of content and pedagogical-content knowledge they lose. So a necessity is felt for EFL teachers to be strongly and continuously motivated in order to update themselves in terms of both of the above-mentioned types of knowledge. Both content and pedagogical-content knowledge can be thought of as keys to act as a professional EFL teacher in order toefficiently serve EFL learners.

Teachers' experiences supporting children after traumatic exposure

Teachers can be instrumental in supporting children's recovery after trauma, but some work suggests that elementary school teachers are uncertain about their role and about what to do to assist children effectively after their students have been exposed to traumatic stressors. This study examined the extent to which teachers working with children from ages 8 to 12 years report similar concerns. A random sample of teachers in the Netherlands (N = 765) completed a questionnaire that included 9 items measuring difficulties on a 6-point Likert scale (potential range of total scores: 9-54). The mean total difficulty score was 29.8 (ranging from 10 to 50; SD = 7.37). On individual items, the fraction of teachers scoring 4 or more varied between 25 and 63%. A multiple regression analysis showed that teachers' total scores depended on amount of teaching experience, attendance at trauma-focused training, and the number of traumatized children they had worked with. The model explained 4% of the variance, a small effect. Because traumatic exposure in children is rather common, the findings point to a need to better understand what influences teachers' difficulties and develop trauma-informed practice in elementary schools.

Five Years of Teaching English Through English: Responses from Teachers and Prospects for Learners

It has been more than 5 years since the TETE policy came into effect. Now is the time to assess the effectiveness of the policy, particularly from the teachers’ point of view. This study aims to identify Korean teachers’ responses to the TETE policy through written survey questionnaires. Their perspectives were analyzed with reference to the type of school they work for, the amount of teaching experience they have, and the frequency with which they use English. The findings indicate that most of the teachers perceived TETE as different from simply using English for classroom management purposes. Their definition of TETE included either mostly or only English for all instructional purposes. Teacher anxiety associated with classroom teaching was notable although the teachers did not seem very anxious about interacting with their students in English. They seemed to believe in the benefits of TETE for both teachers and students. These perceptions were, however, found to be significantly different according to school level, teaching experience, and the frequency of English use. The implications of the findings are discussed and some useful strategies for TETE are suggested.

Stressful life experiences of children: The correspondence between professional judgments of teachers‐in‐training and children's perceptions

AbstractThe extant studies reveal a considerable mismatch between students' and teachers' perceptions of student stress. The present study compared the judgments of teachers‐in‐training (N = 109) with the responses of first‐ and sixth‐grade children (n = 56 and 93, respectively). The following questions are addressed: (a) Do teachers' judgments of the stressfulness of children's experiences correspond with those of the children themselves? (b) Do teachers' perceptions differ according to general developmental status (first grade level versus sixth grade level)? (c) Does the amount of teaching experience have a significant influence on ratings? Results revealed that teachers' judgments corresponded more closely with the children's ratings at the first grade level than at the sixth grade level. However, teachers' perceptions did differ according to grade level for the majority of life events. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the ratings of the experienced and inexperienced teachers at either grade level. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 807–821, 2007.

Meeting Diverse Learning Needs: Differentiating Instruction in Graduate Early Childhood Mathematics Classes

This paper examines the strategies used, challenges faced and lessons learned in meeting the diverse learning needs of graduate initial certification and graduate certified teachers in the same cross-listed early childhood mathematics class. Questions investigated included “How can instructors best meet the learning needs of diverse candidates in the same class?” and “What are the candidates' opinions of attending classes with candidates with diverse amounts of teaching experience?” Candidate surveys, focus groups, candidate work and assessments were used to determine the most successful strategies to meet candidates' diverse learning needs. Using a differentiated instructional approach including knowing the candidates and their needs, scaffolding candidate learning and using a variety of grouping arrangements, were found to help candidates successfully benefit from a class that had a diversity of candidate needs.

Measuring Value Consensus Among Teachers in Respect of Special Educational Needs

Previous educational research has argued that consensus upon values and goals among teachers within a school is a necessary condition for the successful development of provision for pupils with special educational needs. This paper describes a study designed to investigate this assertion empirically. Questionnaires were administered to a crosssection of teachers in five English secondary schools which belonged to a consortium dedicated to the development of special educational needs provision. On each of four different dimensions, teachers were asked to rank five alternatives in order of importance. The strength of consensus in the sample as a whole, and within each school, was measured using Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W). A novel clustering technique was then applied, which succeeded in identifying groups of teachers who shared a stronger consensus than obtained in the whole sample or within each school. The findings suggest that other factors, such as the teacher's position in the school, amount of teaching experience, gender and type of subject taught, may be more important in the production of consensus than which school a teacher belongs to.

Perceived Participation in Decision-Making in a University Setting: The Impact of Gender

This analysis of responses to a 1988 survey of full-time faculty at a medium-sized university in central Canada indicates that women were less likely than men to perceive themselves as participating in university decision-making, even with controls for other relevant variables. Academic rank, visible or ethnic minority status, and membership in networks were also influential. No significant effect was found for the possession of a Ph.D., the amount of teaching experience, the possession of tenure, having a mentor, or the proportion of women in the division's faculty.

Education and Experience as Factors in Effective Classroom Management

Teachers' classroom management and students' work involvement were observed in 32 classrooms, Grades 4 to 6. Teachers with advanced professional education controlled a greater proportion of boundary-related activity in their classrooms. Their classrooms had more work involvement by students, less passive uninvolvement, and less anxiety was reported by students. Over-all, amount of teaching experience was unrelated to measures of classroom boundary management or students' work involvement or reported anxiety. Teachers with more experience at their current grade level did have classrooms with less anxiety. In this setting, systematic feedback or other guidance may be necessary to facilitate the development of more effective performance based on experience.

The Impact of Differential Expenditures on School Performance

Two decades of research into educational production functions have produced startlingly consistent results: Variations in school expenditures are not systematically related to variations in student performance. Enormous differences in teacher quality exist, but differences in teacher skill are not strongly related to educational backgrounds, amount of teaching experience, or teaching in small classes. Further, more skilled teachers simply are not regularly paid more than less skilled teachers. These findings suggest that school decision making must move away from traditional “input directed” policies to ones providing performance incentives. The concentration on expenditure differences in, for example, school finance court cases or legislative deliberations, appears misguided given the evidence.

Teachers' Self‐Perceived Competence To Teach Clothing Construction To Mainstreamed Students

All public high school home economics teachers in Missouri were mailed a survey questionnaire to assess their perceived competency to teach clothing con struction to physically handicapped students; 303 teachers (60%) responded. The 21‐item questionnaire measured three factors confirmed through factor analysis: Adaptive processes, design problem‐solving and alteration skills. Results indi cated that amount of teaching experience, personal clothing construction experi ence, and educational experience (specialized clothing construction courses) were significantly related to teachers' perceived competency to teach clothing construction to handicapped students.