Teacher Beliefs Research Articles

Lecturer’s Belief and Classroom Practices on The Use of Video in English Language Teaching

This study aims to investigate the EFL lecturer's beliefs in teaching speaking using video to fifth-semester students in a private university in Indonesia. A qualitative method was employed as the design of this study, involving an in-depth exploration of the lecturer's perspectives and practices. An English teacher was purposefully selected as the research subject of the study. The data were collected through stimulated recall and semi-structured interviews, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the lecturer's beliefs and classroom practices. The findings were categorized into six major themes: 1) the source of the lecturer's belief in teaching speaking using video; 2) the purpose of using video in teaching speaking skills; 3) the reasons for using video in teaching speaking skills; 4) the reflection of those beliefs in classroom practices; 5) considerations in choosing the videos; and 6) challenges faced by the lecturer in teaching speaking using video. The results revealed that there was no discrepancy between the teacher's beliefs and teaching practices. The lecturer believes that using video in teaching speaking classes enables students to learn individually, which is reflected in his teaching practice. For example, the lecturer allows students to watch videos individually, facilitating a more personalized learning experience. This alignment between belief and practice underscores the importance of integrating multimedia tools in language teaching, as they can enhance student engagement and autonomy. The study highlights the potential of videos as a valuable resource in language education, particularly in improving speaking skills among EFL learners

Equity and excellence in English language education in the USA: A literature review from the 1960s to 2020s

This study examined the trends in English language education (ELE) using a literature review from the 1960s to the 2020s as a research method. After reading the 1012 journal article abstracts, 210 articles emerged using the 37 keywords, which were supposed to embrace racial and linguistic equity. After multiple iterations of reading and open coding these abstracts, thirty-two articles were selected for the final analysis. One research question guided this study, “What were the emerging trends of PK-12 ELE in the USA in terms of equity and excellence from the 1960s to the 2020s?” Three phases were identified: Phase 1 (1968-1999) on remedial service; Phase 2 (2000-2007) on test accountability; and Phase 3 (2008-2020) on asset-based ELE. We integrated Feiman-Nemser’s central tasks into the four themes: 1) gaining EBLs' funds of knowledge (FoK), 2) enacting EBLs' racial, linguistic, and cultural repertoires, 3) forming teacher beliefs, and 4) deepening knowledge of the curriculum. The findings revealed shifts in three phases under each theme: from assimilating to the target language and culture and devaluing EBLs' assets in Phase 1 to interweaving EBLs’ FoK but with racialized attitude towards EBLs in Phase 2 and valuing EBLs’ FoK as assets, seeing them as ‘language architect’, and integrating translanguaging and resisting raciolinguistic ideologies into ELE in Phase 3.

Spanish Teachers’ Beliefs about Plurilingualism: A Case Study in a Monolingual Context

In Spain, the learning of foreign languages has become one of the most interesting educational challenges in recent decades. Regulatory changes have been proposed to align with the Council of Europe’s language policy, which aims to promote plurilingualism and pluriculturalism among European Union citizens. Although the development of plurilingual competence in students has become a key goal, there is little evidence regarding the beliefs of current teachers, especially in monolingual contexts, where multilingualism is mainly developed through instruction. This study involved 307 teachers who taught languages or subjects in a foreign language. The results reveal beliefs about the promotion of plurilingualism, the objectives of language learning, the importance of plurilingual competence, and its characterization that at times do not align with the European language policy and its approach to plurilingualism, though there is agreement on other issues. Among the variables analyzed, two variables—academic training and the number of languages known—were found to significantly influence the beliefs revealed.

A Systematic Review of Teachers’ Perceptions and Beliefs Towards Gender Issues in Mathematics Learning

There is still very little concern especially, regarding teacher's perceptions towards gender differences and their influences in mathematics learning. Teachers are prominent factors in mathematics learning and the importance of perceptions and beliefs of teachers towards gendering, their long-term influences and their differential impacts on males and females cannot be ignored. The purpose of this study is to synthesize existing researches related to teachers' perceptions and beliefs towards gender in learning Mathematics. A qualitative systematic review of related literature of teachers’ perceptions and beliefs towards gendering in learning mathematics is conducted. The qualitative review has followed the PRISMA protocol that was outlined by Moher et al. Total of 10 articles (six quantitative, four qualitative including a systematic literature review) are chosen for inclusion for this study. Thematic analysis suggested by Braun and Clarke is used as a method to draw findings and conclusions by generating themes within the information. The thematic findings of the study are associated with the major themes that are related to teachers' perceptions and beliefs towards gender in mathematics learning. The findings are based on the major themes: participation and motivation; behaviors and performance; abilities and ICT use; teaching methods, curriculum and practices and career choices. Hence, the importance of exploring teachers' perceptions and beliefs towards gender issues in mathematics learning has been acknowledged in this study. The study has claimed that gender parity can be achieved when mathematics teachers believe that students (both boys and girls) are valuable potentials and they praise them for their effort and achievements to develop confidentiality in mathematical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Recommendations to the concerned stakeholders to enhance equity in mathematics learning are proposed in this study.

Preservice teachers’ beliefs toward online learning and future teaching: Redesigning teacher training

Global health and political crisis lead to the development of educational practices. This study examined pre-service teachers’ beliefs concerning online learning and their future teaching in online environments. Seven hundred sixty four participants responded to online questionnaires at three points in time during the Covid-19 period. It was found that the average level of beliefs in readiness for future online learning and teaching is moderate. Whereas, the level of beliefs in online teaching is consistently high compared to beliefs in online learning. Three of the four components of the Dynamic Change of Personality Traits Theory (DCPT) showed higher levels of Pre Service Teacher (PST) beliefs in future online teaching than beliefs in their ability to learn online. Findings of this study propose that radical changes in learning environments impact the formation of beliefs. As beliefs contribute to the construction of motivation they must be acknowledge as essential for future teaching environments.

Von wissenden Zweifelnden und unwissenden Überzeugten. Eine latente Klassenanalyse anhand des inklusionsbezogenen pädagogischen Wissens und der inklusionsbezogenen Überzeugungen angehender Grundschullehrkräfte

ZusammenfassungDerzeit wird diskutiert, welche spezifischen Kompetenzen Lehrkräfte im Kontext inklusiver Bildung benötigen. Dabei gelten inklusionsbezogenes pädagogisches Wissen sowie entsprechende positive inklusionsbezogene Überzeugungen als bedeutsam. Während zu inklusionsbezogenen Überzeugungen angehender Grundschullehrkräfte zahlreiche Befunde vorliegen, ist das inklusionsbezogene Wissen weitgehend unerforscht. Um angehende Grundschullehrkräfte adäquat auf die Tätigkeit im inklusiven Unterricht vorzubereiten, bedarf es empirisch gesicherter Erkenntnisse über personenzentrierte Ausprägungen und Faktoren inklusionsbezogener professioneller Kompetenzen im Grundschullehramtsstudium. Die vorliegende Studie leistet einen Beitrag zur Bearbeitung dieses Forschungsdesiderats. In einem Querschnittsdesign wurden N = 716 Grundschullehramtsstudierende bayrischer Universitäten zu ihrem inklusionsbezogenen pädagogischen Wissen und ihren inklusionsbezogenen Überzeugungen befragt. Insgesamt lagen die inklusionsbezogenen Kompetenzen der befragten Grundschullehramtsstudierenden im positiven Bereich. Im Rahmen latenter Klassenanalysen konnten jedoch vier Klassen identifiziert werden, die sich in diesen Variablen signifikant unterscheiden und mit wissende Überzeugte, wissende Zweifelnde, unwissende Überzeugte und unwissende Zweifelnde beschreiben lassen. Klassenunterschiede in der Ausprägung der inklusionsbezogenen Kompetenzfacetten scheinen vor allem abhängig vom Studienfortschritt und dem Besuch inklusionsbezogener Lehrveranstaltungen zu sein. Diskutiert werden Implikationen für die Ausgestaltung adaptiver Lehrangebote und die Struktur des Studiums.

ChatGPT in foreign language education - friend or foe? A quantitative study on pre-service teachers’ beliefs

Artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prominent in digital language teaching and learning and it will gain even more significance in the future of EFL education (cf. Schmidt & Strasser 2022). Therefore, it is key to explore how those who will shape this future perceive the newest development: pre-service EFL teachers. As Zheng puts it: “EFL pre-service teacher beliefs are the focus of change in the process of education” (2009), consequently their perceptions and beliefs regarding this evolving area of teaching and learning are of utmost importance. Focussing on the latest developments in ChatGPT, this paper aims to give a first insight into the potential and limitations of this AI platform from the perspectives of pre-service teachers in Germany. Therefore, this research project explores the following research questions: o RQ1: Do student teachers consider ChatGPT relevant for their future teaching practice? o RQ2: In which areas of language education do they see potential changes due to ChatGPT? In what ways? o RQ3: Are there any differences in the perception of ChatGPT between tech-savvy and non-tech-savvy student teachers? The research instrument is a combination of the "technology commitment" scale (Neyer et al. 2016) and items developed specifically for this research project. For RQ3, the analysis refers to existing preliminary work that was able to establish a relationship between technology commitment and the probability of technology application (cf. Knetzek & Christensen 2016). Based on the results of the survey, this paper then aims to offer new perspectives for EFL teacher education and outline concrete reflection activities that further pre-service teachers’ critical engagement with AI in language education.

Measuring teacher beliefs about factors that promote Classroom Social and Emotional Learning (CSEL)

The success of social and emotional learning (SEL) in the classroom hinges on the buy-in of teachers, as they serve as the principal implementers of SEL initiatives. This is particularly relevant in contexts where SEL is nascent and emerging. In response to this need, we developed a scale to measure teachers’ beliefs about factors that promote classroom social and emotional learning (CSEL). We validated the scale in India, where SEL has recently gained attention, on a large sample of teachers (N = 2097). Factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure comprising beliefs about healthy classroom management, inclusive classroom culture and supportive student relationships. The scale demonstrated good psychometric properties: strong internal consistency, predictive validity (with mental well-being), convergent validity (with emotional intelligence), discriminant validity (with perceived stress) and measurement invariance across males and females. We hope that understanding teachers' beliefs on these factors can help inform successful program implementation, and thus offer crucial insights for mainstreaming SEL.

CCM in the choral classroom: Pedagogical practices of two high school music educators

This study aims to enrich the discourse on integrating contemporary commercial music (CCM) genres into vocal music education. Despite existing methodologies by vocal pedagogues, there is a pressing need for a formalized CCM pedagogy. Developing such a pedagogy requires understanding and possibly drawing inspiration from the pedagogical practices and philosophical beliefs of current vocal music educators teaching these styles. To delve deeper, the author conducted a qualitative case study with two suburban high school music educators proficient in CCM vocal techniques. Each participant underwent a 30- to 40-minute semi-structured interview and an observed rehearsal, and provided course materials. Analysis revealed key themes: Caroline’s motivation, teaching techniques and community response; and Matt’s musical background, motivation, beliefs, teaching practices and community response. Despite contextual differences, both shared musical backgrounds and positive community feedback. These findings offer insights for vocal music educators and teacher education programmes.

Developing an instruments to measure prospective teacher beliefs about mathematical problem-solving using the Rasch model

Beliefs in solving mathematical problems become the basis for action, the basis for change, and the basis for learning mathematics. This research describes the development of an instrument for measuring prospective teachers beliefs in solving mathematical problems. One hundred sixty prospective teachers’ with experience in problem-solving and learning mathematics became research respondents. The research data was analysed using the Rasch model. The results of the data analysis show that the instrument developed is considered reliable and valid. Fifty-five items can be used to measure prospective teachers’ beliefs about solving mathematical problems. The instruments that have been developed can be used as initial assessments in implementing problem-based learning to help students develop problem-solving skills to face challenges in real life.

청소년 학부모의 식생활 영역을 활용한 융합역량과 교육 신념

청소년 학부모의 식생활 영역을 활용한 융합역량과 교육 신념

The role of teacher beliefs in teacher learning and practice: implications for meeting the needs of English learners/emergent bilinguals

Researchers generally agree that teachers’ beliefs influence their practice, but more research is needed on the relationship between teacher beliefs and their responsiveness to professional learning, especially among those serving diverse student populations. We examined the relationship between teachers’ beliefs, instructional practices, and student outcomes during the 2021–22 school year. Two California kindergarten teachers with high proportions of English Learners/emergent bilinguals collaborated with instructional coaches on an action research project designed to improve student engagement and oral language production during distance learning. Planning and debrief conversations revealed how teachers’ beliefs about student learning, and about the role of families and the teacher in supporting student learning, shaped the extent to which they adopted research-based practices, their differing student oral language and engagement results, and the emergence (or not) of a third space. The findings have implications for designing and carrying out effective teacher learning. We also contribute to the literature on the use of activity theory and third space to investigate teacher learning and its connection to instructional practice in classrooms serving culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Developing professional capital through technology-enabled university-school-enterprise collaboration: an innovative model for C-STEAM preservice teacher education in the Greater Bay area

Purpose Preservice teacher (PST) professional development programs are crucial for cultivating high-quality STEAM teachers of the future, significantly impacting the quality of regional STEAM education. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as a region of cross-border cooperation, integrates the resources and advantages of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, possessing rich cultural heritage and innovative capabilities. Transdisciplinary Education for Cultural Inheritance (C-STEAM) is an effective approach to promoting educational collaboration within the Greater Bay Area, facilitating the integration of both technological and humanities education. This study aims to develop a Technology-Enabled University-School-Enterprise (T-USE) collaborative education model and implement it in the Greater Bay Area, to explore its role as a support mechanism in professional development and its impact on C-STEAM PSTs' professional capital. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a qualitative methodology, the study interviewed PSTs who participated in a C-STEAM teacher education course under the T-USE model. Thematic coding is used to analyze their knowledge acquisition, interaction benefits with community members, and autonomous thinking and decision-making in theoretical learning and teaching practice. Findings The findings show that the T-USE model significantly enhanced the PSTs' human capital, including teaching beliefs, knowledge, and skills. In terms of social capital, PSTs benefited from collaboration with PST groups, university teaching teams, in-service teachers, and enterprises, though challenges such as varying levels of expertise among in-service teachers and occasional technical instability emerged. For decisional capital, the T-USE model provided opportunities for autonomous thinking and promoted teaching judgment skills through real teaching challenges and scenarios. Reflective practice activities also supported PSTs' professional growth. Originality/value This study reveals the effectiveness and internal mechanism of the T-USE model in C-STEAM PST training, offering significant theoretical and practical references for future PST education.

Teacher Views of Relationships between their Teaching Practices and Beliefs, the School Context, and Student Achievement

Teachers hold many beliefs, shaped by their educational knowledge, experiences, and cultural, social, historical, and political environments. These teacher beliefs, together with teacher characteristics and school context factors can influence cognitive processes, expectations, instructional decisions, and practices which could affect learning experiences, student engagement, and achievement. Numerous studies have explored these factors, however, often separately or with only one or two others. This paper explores primary school teachers’ self-reported perceptions on the relationships between teacher beliefs (including teacher class level expectations, self-efficacy, motivation, goal orientation, work engagement, passion for teaching, relatedness to students), teacher characteristics (including gender, ethnicity, teacher experience), and school context factors (including decile and year level taught), and the impact of these on student achievement and teachers’ instructional practices.Associations were found between teaching self-efficacy and all the other factors explored; work engagement and teachers’ years of teaching experience, gender, and school decile; and years of teaching experience and student achievement. Further, relatedness to students, passion for teaching, and teaching self-efficacy was found to be associated with teachers’ instructional practices.

Emotions and beliefs in teaching: promoting job crafting among academics

Academics are expected to craft their jobs to keep up with changes in the teaching environment. Improving academics’ willingness to engage in job crafting presents a significant challenge in higher education. Based on the Broaden-and-Build Theory, this study examines the association between teaching emotions and job crafting, and the mediating effect of teaching efficacy. Three hundred and thirty-two Chinese academics reported their demographic information, teaching emotions, teaching efficacy, and job crafting via an online platform. After controlling for gender, age, academic rank, and discipline category, the results of the mediation model indicated positive relations between teaching emotions and job crafting. Teaching efficacy fully mediated the relations between negative teaching emotions and job crafting. These findings offer valuable insights for future research on academics’ job crafting and provide practical recommendations for both university managers and academics.

Continuity vs. Discontinuity: A Case of Home Language and Literacy Socialization in Indonesia

The present study explores the language and literacy socialization (LLS) of Indonesian children from low- to middle-income families. The Indonesian government has never truly involved home and family as the base for literacy socialization in its programs, affecting the nation-state's low rank in literacy proficiency. This paper aims to describe the LLS of low- to middle-income Indonesian families and examine how the language used by caregivers and parents stimulates the issue of continuity or discontinuity between home and school literacy practices. The study used an ethnographic approach in which the researchers observed the LLS events of 6 families in Surabaya, Indonesia. Conversations between caregivers/parents and children during literacy events were recorded. The findings suggest that every family has different patterns of literacy practices depending on their beliefs and culture at home and that parents' or caregivers' language and style of communication may facilitate or hinder children's access to literacy. Two socialization patterns were identified, including reference to past experience and collaborative negotiation of meaning. It is argued that not only the background of education but also caregivers' literacy culture and educational beliefs play a role in their strategy of language and literacy socialization at home.

Exploring Science Teachers’ Belief towards Inquiry Based Teaching Learning Activity at Grade –VI

The National Curriculum of Bangladesh (2012) recommends student-centric IBT (IBT) learning activities in the science classroom. However, teaching science in Bangladesh is hardly follows the instructions of curriculum, and most teachers are found not to place adequate emphasis on involving the students in the inquiry process. A possible reason might be science teachers’ belief. The focus of the research questions is to find out firstly, the beliefs of both urban and rural sixth grade science teachers and secondly, the differences between genders and lastly to explore the challenges of IBT. Thereby, a sequential explanatory mixed method was adopted for this study. The participating teachers were from both rural and urban areas. An interview was taken to support statistical and quantitative data for an in-depth explanation. The result revealed that teachers from both urban and rural areas have positive beliefs towards inquiry, and there is no significant difference between urban-rural and male-female teachers. In the case of urban teachers, the challenges were time and classroom management, but not for rural teachers. This study recommends that stakeholders use the inquiry instruction, reshape the training, and provide the teachers with the necessary opportunities for professional development programs in an effective way. Teacher’s World: Journal of Education and Research, 49 (2),135-149

Stimulated recall, teacher beliefs, and teacher practices: Using structured reflective practice to examine teacher talk

AbstractTeacher talk is one of the key instructional components in English language teaching classrooms. This study used reflective practice and stimulated recall to investigate teacher beliefs and practices about teacher talk. Data came from two participants who teach English as a second language (ESL) courses at a private university in the United States. Findings of the study illustrated a disconnect between teacher beliefs and practices regarding teacher talk, suggested that quality and quantity of teacher talk are intertwined constructs that cannot be understood in isolation of each other, and highlighted the role of silent time in teacher talk. Implications for how stimulated recall through reflective practice can be used as a teacher education tool are discussed.

Teachers’ belief and practice in environmental education: evidence from an Indonesian Islamic primary school

ABSTRACT Environmental education (EE) has been extensively implemented in various education settings for decades. However, a study investigating the belief and practice of EE in Islamic school contexts is rare. Thus, this interview study examines how Islamic primary school teachers’ belief of EE impacts on their pedagogical content knowledge and practices in promoting environmental literacy. Anchored in education for sustainability framework [Warwick (2016). “An Integrated Leadership Model for Leading Education for Sustainability in Higher Education and the Vital Role of Students as Change Agents.” Management in Education 30 (3): 105–111. https://doi.org/10.1177/0892020616653463], an interview protocol was designed. Three female teachers of an Islamic primary school in East Java, Indonesia, were recruited and interviewed to examine their beliefs and practices in the enactment of EE. The findings of the study show three key themes: (1) holistic education and experiential learning; (2) environmental literacy development; and (3) character formation and values education. This study provides practical contributions on how EE can be enacted to foster primary school students’ environmental literacy for sustainable school and community.

Multicultural Efficacy Beliefs in Higher Education: Examining University Instructors' Burnout and Mental Well-Being.

Canadian universities are experiencing a dramatic increase in enrollment of students from diverse backgrounds. Evidence suggests many educators are not prepared to teach in multicultural contexts. Educators' lack of preparedness to teach in such contexts may lead them to develop burnout, which can negatively impact their mental and professional well-being. However, self-efficacy beliefs may buffer against job burnout and promote mental well-being. Hence, multicultural efficacy is an important factor for teaching in multicultural settings. In this study, we examined the relationships of multicultural efficacy with university instructors' burnout and mental well-being. A total of 158 faculty and sessional instructors were recruited from four prominent higher education institutions in Canada. The results revealed that multicultural efficacy was significantly related to the Personal Accomplishment facet of burnout and mental well-being, even after controlling variance accounted for by demographics, job-related characteristics, teaching self-efficacy, and colour-blind racial attitudes. These findings indicate that domain specific multicultural efficacy and general teaching self-efficacy are distinct constructs. Further, findings may inform the development of training opportunities and diversity-related workshops to enhance university instructors' awareness of diversity, social justice issues, and multicultural efficacy to better equip them for instruction in multicultural classrooms.