Teacher Beliefs Research Articles

Fostering self-regulated learning-focused feedback: Getting preservice teachers prepared

Since self-regulated learning (SRL) has been integrated into educational objectives, it is crucial for EFL teachers to incorporate SRL elements, such as feedback, into their instructional practices. Given the inherent complexity of the feedback process and the challenges associated with changing in-service teachers' feedback focus, developing preservice teachers’ literacy at the beginning of their professional careers is essential. To investigate the extent to which preservice teachers can generate multifocus feedback incorporating an SRL element, this study analyses the feedback categories generated by 286 preservice teachers and examines the underlying factors that influence their feedback choices using a mixed-methods approach. The feedback pattern analysis revealed that, despite recognizing the importance of SRL, preservice teachers struggled with creating multiple feedback entries supporting SRL. An investigation into SRL-focused feedback patterns and their influencing factors suggested several ways to embed SRL into the core of teacher feedback. These include building teacher beliefs to cultivate collegial resources, constructing a databank of feedback comments on SRL activities to facilitate feedback provision, and examining learner differences to craft individualized feedback. The conclusion summarizes the implications for future feedback studies, outlining an agenda for further research in this area.

Culturally responsive teaching in question: A multiple case study examining the complexity and interplay of teacher practices, beliefs, and microaggressions in Germany

Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is viewed to promote equity, yet critics argue it may be tokenistic, resembling liberal multiculturalism without encouraging critical thinking and anti-racism. Seeking to understand CRT complexities, a multiple case study design including structured observations and interviews with five secondary school teachers in Germany, explored the interplay of CRT practices, teacher beliefs, and microaggressions. CRT practices varied, while teachers perpetuated deficit- and racist ideologies and often overlooking structural causes. Classroom microaggressions perpetrated by teachers went unrecognized (as problematic) in post-interview reflections. Our research emphasizes the need to reposition critical thinking as its foundation for promoting equity in classrooms.

Longitudinal analysis of teacher self-efficacy evolution during a STEAM professional development program: a qualitative case study

Despite the widespread advocacy for the integration of arts and humanities (A&H) into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education on an international scale, teachers face numerous obstacles in practically integrating A&H into STEM teaching (IAT). To tackle the challenges, a comprehensive five-stage framework for teacher professional development programs focussed on IAT has been developed. Through the use of a qualitative case study approach, this study outlines the shifts in a participant teacher’s self-efficacy following their exposure to each stage of the framework. The data obtained from interviews and reflective analyses were analyzed using a seven-stage inductive method. The findings have substantiated the significant impact of a teacher professional development program based on the framework on teacher self-efficacy, evident in both individual performance and student outcomes observed over eighteen months. The evolution of teacher self-efficacy in IAT should be regarded as an open and multi-level system, characterized by interactions with teacher knowledge, skills and other entrenched beliefs. Building on our research findings, an enhanced model of teacher professional learning is proposed. The revised model illustrates that professional learning for STEAM teachers should be conceived as a continuous and sustainable process, characterized by the dynamic interaction among teaching performance, teacher knowledge, and teacher beliefs. The updated model further confirms the inseparable link between teacher learning and student learning within STEAM education. This study contributes to the existing body of literature on teacher self-efficacy, teacher professional learning models and the design of IAT teacher professional development programs.

Moroccan EFL Teachers’ Beliefs about the Potential Contribution of Multilingualism to the L3 English Classroom: To What Extent Is Multilingualism an Asset to L3 English Learners?

The current study set out to investigate Moroccan English language teachers’ educational beliefs about the potential of multilingualism for the L3 English classroom. Utilizing a mixed-method approach of investigation, this study employs two instruments to collect data: questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. An online questionnaire was completed by 169 teacher informants who participated in this study, 20 of whom were selected for the semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings revealed that teacher participants generally exhibited partial/moderate awareness of the usefulness of multilingualism to the L3 English classroom as they held moderate positive educational beliefs about its potential for fostering their multilingual learners’ L3 English. Hence, this study suggests that Moroccan L3 English teachers be encouraged to take maximum advantage of their students’ multilingualism in a way that is beneficial to their L3 English learners. Teacher education has a significant role in positively shaping L3 English teachers’ educational beliefs in that respect.

Instructors’ Beliefs About ESP Assessment: A Case Study

With the world's increasing globalization, English has become the most widely used language for communication, and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has begun to receive more attention in the twenty-first century due to the effects of globalization and an increase in the need for skilled workers. English for Specific Purposes is a specialized branch of English language learning that focuses on teaching English in particular fields. The assessment process must be customized to the unique characteristics of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), and teacher beliefs can significantly impact on how students are taught and assessed in this subject. Previous research has concentrated on ESP course design and needs assessment in the field. However, teachers' beliefs regarding ESP assessment have not received enough attention. As a result, the study's goal is to investigate the instructors' beliefs regarding ESP assessment in higher education. Three English instructors in a state university’s College of Foreign Languages serve as a sample for this qualitative case study. Semi-structured interviews and seven weeks of reflective journaling were used to gather the data. According to the results, participants believe that ESP assessment has specificity, and it is valuable and accountable. It is also believed that ESP assessment lacks students’ motivation and requires adaptation. The school policy, student motivation, and teacher performance in ESP assessment have influenced these beliefs. To conclude, teacher participation and education are necessary for ESP assessment.

Using positioning theory to investigate the participation of culturally and linguistically diverse adolescent students in classroom discussion

AbstractTeachers have a critical opportunity to decide how to position transnational funds of knowledge of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Positioning theory investigates how views of self and others are applied in social interactions. This scoping literature review identified nine studies that used positioning theory to trace the participation of adolescent CLD students in classroom discussions. The review was limited to peer‐reviewed studies set in school and afterschool classes in the United States. The findings provide a variety of real‐world examples of students and teachers negotiating their identities and navigating participatory opportunities. In response to how the findings revealed the far‐reaching influence of the teacher, this article introduces a model illustrating the intersection of two key components of teaching style: teacher beliefs and positioning of transnational funds of knowledge. Four teacher profiles represent four stances: The Culturally Responsive Teacher, The Wide Net, The Silencer, and The Idealist.

The Impact of Educational Beliefs on Work Engagement Among Private College Teachers in China: An Empirical Study

The Impact of Educational Beliefs on Work Engagement Among Private College Teachers in China: An Empirical Study

Investigating Islamic Religious Education Teacher Beliefs Toward Multimedia Learning

<p><em>Teachers' beliefs regarding multimedia learning are essential. This study aims to explore teachers' beliefs about multimedia learning in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) at Senior High School in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. This research employed the mix-method QUAN-QUAL, the exploratory sequential design. Nine teachers were involved based on a purposive sampling technique. Twenty-three questionnaire items were constructed to collect the quantitative data. An interview guide was used to collect the qualitative data. The quantitative data was collected through a cross-sectional survey, and the qualitative data was collected through a semi-structured interview. The SPSS version 26 was utilized to analyze the quantitative. Moreover, thematic or coding analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Multimedia learning was shown to have excellent potential to improve students' learning experiences. With proper implementation and adequate support, multimedia learning could effectively improve the quality of Islamic Religious Education. However, some challenges must be faced to achieve optimal learning outcomes. </em></p>

Writing in the discipline of education: beliefs of future teachers regarding their academic literacy

Writing in the discipline of education: beliefs of future teachers regarding their academic literacy

Self-Efficacy: Readiness of Teachers in Inclusive Schools

Inclusive education involves ensuring that all students, including those with disabilities, have access to and participate fully in their educational environment as a fundamental right. Central to this is the concept of teacher self-efficacy, which refers to a teacher's belief in their ability to effectively instruct diverse learners. Teachers with high self-efficacy are more likely to approach disabilities with a positive and inclusive mindset, whereas those with lower self-efficacy often demonstrate less inclusive attitudes. This study aimed to assess whether teachers in inclusive primary schools possess the self-efficacy needed to effectively teach students with disabilities. A descriptive and quantitative methodology was employed, involving all 40 teachers within the study. Findings revealed that teachers in inclusive elementary schools tend to exhibit lower self-efficacy when addressing disabilities outside their area of expertise. Across various self-efficacy dimensions—such as inclusive teaching, collaboration, and behavior management—teachers were generally rated as moderate, regardless of the extent of direct interaction with students with disabilities. The results indicate a need for targeted professional development and training to enhance teachers' ability to support students with disabilities more effectively.

TEACHER MULTILINGUAL BELIEFS AND PRACTICES IN THE ENGLISH CLASSROOM: IMPLICATIONS FOR COURSE DEVELOPMENT

The CEFR and the Companion Volume to the CEFR (Council of Europe, 2001, 2020), as the main language policy documents in Europe, intend to improve the standard of language teaching, learning and assessment. These documents among other things proclaim students’ diverse linguistic repertoire as an asset in the language classroom. In this light, the promotion of multilingual education initiatives and enhancing students’ plurilingualism is an educational requirement. Teachers, language teachers included, are seen as agents of change who can foster multilingual approaches in their language classrooms (Krulatz et al., 2022). Although previous studies have found that many language teachers hold favourable views on multilingualism, they face challenges when implementing multilingual approaches in the (foreign) language classroom. Teachers’ beliefs on multilingualism in (foreign) language teaching and learning and how these impact their teaching practices have not been investigated in the Ukrainian education context, which has always been multilingual. The purpose of the article is to share and discuss the results of a quantitative study designed to investigate Ukrainian teacher beliefs in learning English and whether these beliefs are reflected in teaching practices. Data were collected using an online questionnaire administered to 73 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers from 12 Ukrainian universities. The research questions were ascertained using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis. The collected insights helped to identify areas that require a more careful consideration in the multilingual education in Ukraine. The outcomes reveal complex and uneven relationships between teacher multilingual beliefs and the implementation of multilingual practices in EFL classrooms in Ukraine, with discrepancies in their perceptions and practices. The main finding suggests that the majority of Ukrainian language teachers have a favorable perception of multilingualism, yet they lack the required expertise and confidence to effectively build on their students' linguistic resources in teaching English. In addition, there are some critical gaps in teacher understanding of fundamental concerns about multilingualism. Suggestions will be made for a scenario-based approach to a teacher professional development course.

Epistemic beliefs of Norwegian history student teachers: Testing and assessing two measurement instruments

Since teachers’ and students’ epistemic beliefs about history are believed to significantly impact teachers’ practices, students’ performance and the ability to think historically of both, investigating such beliefs is important. Following the seminal works of Maggioni and colleagues (Maggioni, 2010; Maggioni et al., 2004; Maggioni et al., 2009), a number of studies have adapted versions of her Beliefs About Learning and Teaching History Questionnaire (BLTHQ) and Beliefs about History Questionnaire (BHQ) to quantitatively evaluate epistemic beliefs in different national contexts (Mierwald et al., 2016; Miguel-Revilla et al., 2017; Namamba & Rao, 2016; Nitsche, 2019; Stoel, Logtenberg, et al., 2017). However, the validity and reliability of these instruments have mostly been found to be problematic (Mierwald & Junius, 2022; Stoel et al., 2022). We have tested two different questionnaires – Maggioni’s BLTHQ and our own adaptation of the BHQ ¬– in separate surveys, on respectively 176 and 324 Norwegian history student teachers. For both questionnaires, our exploratory analysis showed a three-factor solution, supporting King and Kitchener’s (1994) model, and undermining the two-factor solutions found in many former studies. However, despite both questionnaires showing acceptable consistency and fitness, these levels were not optimal, and confirmed the problem of epistemic inconsistency (or ‘wobbling’) revealed by previous studies. These results encourage further qualitative studies to better understand the problem of wobbling, to design better questionnaires to be tested in the future.

Practical epistemology of history teachers and its relationship to normative injunctions

Over the past few decades, significant work has been done regarding the epistemic beliefs of history teachers. However, nuanced epistemic beliefs do not appear to manifest as regularly as may be expected in teaching practices (Wilke et al., 2022). While exploring the normative injunctions imposed in part by the hidden curriculum (Giroux & Penna, 1979), the “school form” (Barthes & Alpe, 2018), and the challenges that history teachers face, this article argues that explicit and implicit demands made on history teachers generate a form of practical epistemology, which goes beyond epistemological beliefs. While at times this appears at odds with their understanding of history as a discipline, it enables them to meet the diverse mandates and directives they encounter. We believe that the concept of practical epistemology (Gholami, 2017) provides avenues for reflection that deserve to be pursued. Lastly, regarding criterialist epistemology (Maggioni, VanSledright, & Alexander, 2009) and historical thinking (Seixas & Morton, 2013), we emphasize that they themselves could be subjected to a critical review by both students and teachers in their practice.

The Effects of Teacher's Competencies in the Application of Online Teaching and Learning on Students' Academic Stress, Learning Motivation, and Academic Achievement in Statistics Subject

Online learning may lead to several problems, causing academic stress that lowers student motivation. Thus, great instructor skills are needed to overcome challenges and automatically build a successful and efficient online learning process. The study examines how teacher competencies in four dimensions – Teacher’s technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), teacher’s belief (TB), teacher’s self-efficacy (TSE), and teacher’s enthusiasm (TE) – affect students’ academic stress in the cognitive (CD), behavioral (BD), affective (AD), and physiological domains (PD), as well as learning motivation (SLM) and academic achievement (AA). The study uses multivariate regression analysis, the ordinal logistic regression, and the Structural Equation Model (SEM). Multivariate regression analysis is utilized to examine the effects partially and simultaneously of dependent and independent variables. The ordinal logistic regression is used for the same purpose but on the data with an ordinal scale; the final grade shows the AA variable. Whereas, SEM is used to investigate the relationship between complex variables. The sample retrieval technique is conducted using non-probabilistic sampling by the method of accidental sampling with 219 college students. Results show that TPACK, which is one dimension of a teacher’s competencies, negatively affects students’ academic stress, which is BD, AD, and PD. However, TPACK does not significantly affect CD. Adverse effects suggest increasing teacher’s competencies in integrating technology and pedagogies in the development of educational content, especially in online learning, and reducing or minimizing students’ academic stress. Besides that, TPACK also has a positive effect on SLM, and SLM in turn positively affects AA. On the other hand, the variable component of teachers’ competencies, such as TSE and TE, has a positive effect on CD. Likewise, CD positively affects AA, so indirectly, TSE and TE positively affect AA. Of every effect and relationship between independent and dependent variables studied, the variable to contribute most effectively to online learning is the TPACK variable. Keywords: online teaching, teacher’s competencies, student’s academic stress, student’s learning motivation, academic achievement, TPACK, SEM, multivariate regression, logistic ordinal regression

The interplay between teacher beliefs, instructional practices, and students’ reading achievement: national evidence from PIRLS 2021 using path analysis

BackgroundReading and reading comprehension are crucial skills, yet many students in grade 4 struggle with them. To address this, several instructional practices have gained popularity. For one, explicit reading strategy instruction (ERSI) is deemed useful, given the finding that successful readers tend to employ reading strategies. As a second example, differentiated reading instruction (DRI) is believed to improve all students’ reading comprehension. Indeed, a one-size-fits-all approach may not work for all students, considering their different reader profiles. Despite the importance of ERSI and DRI, much uncertainty remains about what happens in the classroom and why. One way to understand teacher instructional practices such as ERSI and DRI, is by applying psychological behavioural theories to the teaching context. They provide a framework to predict human behaviour based on human characteristics and beliefs. Educational research points to teachers’ self-efficacy (TSE) and attitudes (TA) as particularly important concepts, especially in the field of science. However, associations between TA, TSE, instructional practices and students’ reading achievement remain insufficiently studied. This study addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the interplay between TSE and TA regarding ERSI and DRI, the implementation of these practices, and students’ reading achievement.MethodsDigitalPIRLS 2021 data from Belgium (Flanders) were used. To gather information about ERSI, DRI, TA and TSE, national adaptations were made to the teacher questionnaires. Three nested path models with a two-level design (students nested into classes) were estimated.ResultsThis study indicates that teachers with higher TSE and more positive TA in ERSI and DRI implement these practices more frequently. Positive TA regarding ERSI and DRI also correspond to positive TSE regarding these instructional practices. Furthermore, ERSI and DRI implementation are positively related. Finally, no significant associations between teacher beliefs, instructional practices, and students’ reading comprehension were found.ConclusionWhereas TSE and TA are considered highly context-dependent, uncertainty remains about TSE and TA regarding ERSI and DRI. The results highlight the importance of subject-specific TSE and TA for teachers’ instructional practices. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the necessity of supporting teachers in developing their TSE and TA towards reading comprehension instruction.

Exploring the relationship between self-efficacy beliefs when teaching science and engineering

The belief that pre-service science teachers can effectively instruct science has been the subject of substantial research. However, a lack of research exists to examine the relationship between pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and their capacity to teach science and engineering. To fill this void in the literature, it is necessary to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy beliefs in engineering and science education. To address this knowledge deficit, this research investigated the relationship between pre-service science teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in science instruction and their engineering teaching self-efficacy beliefs. The data were obtained from 224 pre-service science teachers using a quantitative approach. The study results indicated that pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in science teaching were higher than in engineering teaching. The correlation analysis revealed a strong and significant correlation between self-efficacy beliefs in science and engineering teaching. The regression analysis also showed a significant relationship between self-efficacy beliefs in science and engineering. In addition, the results also revealed that science-teaching self-efficacy beliefs explained 52% of the variation in participants’ engineering-teaching self-efficacy beliefs. Future research recommendations are derived from the results.

Jordanian early childhood teachers' beliefs regarding best practices utilizing developmentally appropriate/inappropriate practices as a benchmark

The main objective of this study is to investigate the beliefs of early childhood teachers in Jordan regarding best practices using the Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) and Developmentally Inappropriate Practice (DIP) frameworks. Additionally, the study aims to determine the influence of certain variables on teachers' beliefs regarding best practices. To achieve this objective, a questionnaire was developed and administered to 101 early childhood teachers in Jordan. The data collected was analyzed descriptively using means and standard deviations. The results of the study showed that early childhood teachers' beliefs about best practices were consistent with the DAP construct outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Similarly, their beliefs about lower-quality practices were in line with the DIP construct. However, the study also revealed that teachers still held positive beliefs about some traditional practices despite their potential to be developmentally inappropriate. Furthermore, the statistical analysis showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the beliefs of teachers regarding best practices based on their education level or teaching experience. Based on the results of the study, recommendations are made for decision makers and researchers to help them make informed decisions and develop effective professional development plans, which could help early childhood teachers in Jordan to implement DAP effectively. Overall, the findings of this study provide valuable insights that can be used to enhance early childhood education and improve the quality of teaching practices in Jordan.

Adapting the science teaching efficacy beliefs instrument to assess engineering teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-service elementary teachers: Rasch model and confirmatory factor analysis

Adapting the science teaching efficacy beliefs instrument to assess engineering teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-service elementary teachers: Rasch model and confirmatory factor analysis

The storyline approach as a didactic tool to promote efficacy beliefs of (student) teachers in creative music activities with young children

The storyline approach as a didactic tool to promote efficacy beliefs of (student) teachers in creative music activities with young children

TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ BELIEFS ABOUT TRANSLANGUAGING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background and Purpose: In recent years, there has been increased attention to translanguaging in educational research, particularly in higher education. The successful implementation of translanguaging practices depends on various factors, including the attitudes and beliefs of both teachers and students. However, there has been limited systematic review on this issue. This study aims to examine and synthesize existing literature on teachers’ and students’ beliefs regarding translanguaging practices in higher education contexts. Methodology: A systematic review was conducted, following PRISMA guideline. Research databases including Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC were searched with specific search terms ‘perception OR belief AND translanguaging’, resulting in the retrieval of 469 articles. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 28 articles were selected for ultimate thematic analysis. Findings: The analysis revealed that teachers’ and students’ beliefs regarding translanguaging were significantly shaped by their pre-existing values and knowledge, institutions’ policies, as well as the nature of courses or curricula. Despite the evident benefits of translanguaging pedagogy highlighted in the reviewed studies, teachers encountered challenges in its implementation. The study identified four primary areas of support needed for the implementation of translanguaging, encompassing teacher training, adjusting curriculum and assessment, fostering collaboration, and developing language policy. Contributions: This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of the attitudes, perceptions, and experiences of both teachers and students in implementing translanguaging practices in higher education. The study contributes to advancing knowledge and understanding of translanguaging in higher education, with implications for both theory and practice in this area. Keywords: Higher education, students’ beliefs, systematic review, teachers’ beliefs, translanguaging. Cite as: Wang, J., Hanafi Zaid, Y., Ibrahim, N. A., & Haladin, N. B. (2024). Teachers’ and students’ beliefs about translanguaging in higher education: A systematic review. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 402-419. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp402-419