Changes In Teaching Practices Research Articles

Interrogating an implementation filter: what constraints changes in teacher practice in response to professional development

ABSTRACT It is well known that teacher professional development may not result in meaningful change to classroom instruction. A recent theoretical model by McChesney and Aldridge (2021) posited that this phenomenon may be explained on account of ‘implementation barriers’ to professional development delivery. The present study thus investigated the nature, structure, and distribution of such barriers to the impact of teacher professional development on classroom practice. Using survey data collected from three Illinois school districts (N = 274), we identified six distinct but non-orthogonal barriers (e.g. school culture, relevance, teacher resistance) and found that the most commonly perceived specific implementation barriers were time constraints and pressures, other curricular mandates or demands, and stress or burnout. Repeated-measures analysis of variance also showed some differences in the profiles of the six barriers across the school districts.

Strategies for Integrating Generative AI into Higher Education: Navigating Challenges and Leveraging Opportunities

The recent emergence of generative AI (GenAI) tools such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Gemini have introduced revolutionary capabilities that are predicted to transform numerous facets of society fundamentally. In higher education (HE), the advent of GenAI presents a pivotal moment that may profoundly alter learning and teaching practices in aspects such as inaccuracy, bias, overreliance on technology and algorithms, and limited access to educational AI resources that require in-depth investigation. To evaluate the implications of adopting GenAI in HE, a team of academics and field experts have co-authored this paper, which analyzes the potential for the responsible integration of GenAI into HE and provides recommendations about this integration. This paper recommends strategies for integrating GenAI into HE to create the following positive outcomes: raise awareness about disruptive change, train faculty, change teaching and assessment practices, partner with students, impart AI learning literacies, bridge the digital divide, and conduct applied research. Finally, we propose four preliminary scale levels of a GenAI adoption for faculty. At each level, we suggest courses of action to facilitate progress to the next stage in the adoption of GenAI. This study offers a valuable set of recommendations to decision-makers and faculty, enabling them to prepare for the responsible and judicious integration of GenAI into HE.

Data-driven innovation: a model for education transformation

This paper proposes a continuous, linear data-driven innovation (DDI) model for education transformation grounded in evidence-based tools and data analysis. It advocates prioritizing “big data” and “small data” to inform incremental innovative changes in pedagogical practices. A detailed example of applying this DDI model in a Malaysian primary school is provided, including using exam results and quality standards to select a target school and diagnostic tests to identify issues. An intervention is designed utilizing multiplication tables and evaluated through public exam performance. Subsequent teacher training and student programs emerge. The model catalyzes ongoing localized innovations.

The Evolution of ELT Methods: A Comparative Analysis of Pre and Post-COVID-19 Pedagogical Practices in Pakistan

The present research was designed to investigate the effect of the pandemic on the teaching methods of the English language that are used in Pakistan and also to analyze the adaptations and innovations that occurred in English Language Teaching after COVID-19. A literature review of 5 research studies was conducted to acquire deeper knowledge about the evolution of the ELT methods in Pakistan. Interviews and questionnaires assisted in quantitative and qualitative data collection from teachers. During the research, the researchers discovered that the pandemic has accelerated the changes in pedagogical practices so quickly that online and remote teaching modalities have become compulsory. Teachers were focused on the dynamic characteristics of flexibility, creativity, and continuous professional Development for maneuvering the complexities of distance education and learning. This study concludes that the ELT method is very active, and it involves a lot of digital tools, online platforms, and blended learning approaches, which means that the teaching and learning methodologies could be more stable, but they are adaptable and diversified. Therefore, educators and policymakers should prioritize integrating digital tools and online resources into that curriculum to improve accessibility and engagement.

Decolonising DMU: Reflections on Changes, Challenges and Impact with an Eye toward the Future

Based at De Montfort University, Decolonising DMU is a strategic initiative working to create an anti-racist institution where all can achieve. Growing from DMU’s Freedom to Achieve project Decolonising DMU extends anti-racist work across the structure and composition of the institution, moving away from a sole focus on the curriculum. The Library has played a core role within both of these projects working with staff and students to gain better representation in library collections, facilitating library work experience to enhance staff and professional diversity, working with academics to decolonise reading lists, enabling changes in pedagogical practice and to raise awareness of issues and the lived experience of people of colour. This ultimately leads to changes in practice to enable a better sense of belonging and visibility for students of colour which in turn leads to more successful engagement and student retention. The article provides examples of actions, challenges and ways forward, with specific reference to Library and Learning Services. Reflections on the complex and evolving nature of this work are made alongside the implications for the student and staff experience plus service and collection development. This work reinforces the critical importance and impact of the decolonising H E movement on academic libraries and student success.

EXPLORING IMPACTS OF TEACHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (PPG) ON TEACHER PRACTICE: A CASE OF TWO EASTERN INDONESIAN RURAL SCHOOL TEACHERS

Several studies have shown the benefits of joining the teacher education profession (PPG) for English teachers. However, little research still exists on its positive impact on teachers in disadvantaged or rural areas. This research examines the benefits received by English teachers in rural areas in eastern Indonesia. This qualitative case study research examines teachers from Central Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara as PPG Tadulako University 2022 alums. Data was collected using in-depth interviews and supported by documentation data and observations during the PPG period. The thematic analysis results show that teacher participation in PPG impacts increasing pedagogical knowledge and skills, increasing teacher awareness, and changing teaching practices, ultimately impacting student motivation in learning. This research contributes to the discourse on teacher professionalism development to improve the quality of teachers and education in Indonesia, especially teachers in rural areas.

Teachers’ Perceptions of the DBR-CPD Program as a Change in Pedagogical Practice in the Professional Development of EFL Teachers

Facilitating change in teaching pedagogical practices through designed school-based research projects (DBR) offer teachers the opportunity not only to make change in their teaching sustainable but also to construct a professional perception framework that leads to said change. This paper investigates how the teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) or second language (ESL) perceive the change process in their pedagogical practices during their involvement in a DBR programme that aimed to develop their teaching to improve their students’ literacy skills. The data was gathered by implementing a mixed-methods study through the use of questionnaires and interviews. The results indicate that there are main factors that govern the process of the change in perception for the EFL/ESL teachers during their professional development program as non-native teachers of English, including contextualisation, diversity and the innovation levels of the pedagogical practices in the non-native English-speaking context.

The case of the model classroom: cognition and authenticity in teacher professional development

ABSTRACT A persistent challenge for teacher professional development is how to best support the translation of knowledge into practice. Building on scholarship that characterizes teacher learning as both a cognitive and situated process, we examine one district’s effort to enact a model classroom approach to professional development. Based on qualitative interviews, observations, and survey data, we find that teachers who engaged in the model classroom in sustained ways reported incorporating specific strategies into their practice. The model classroom had key characteristics that supported teacher learning: the ability of teachers to observe real-life practice with students present and the alignment of model classroom activities to teachers’ own teaching contexts. According to teachers' self-reports, these dimensions of authenticity triggered a range of cognitive responses and prompted self-reported changes in teacher practice. Most importantly, how teachers reported feeling during a model classroom visit was related to how much teachers reported internalizing what they observed and how much teachers made plans to incorporate new ideas into their practice.

Secondary Science Teachers’ Views and Approaches for Teaching for Climate Justice and Action

ABSTRACT Climate change is a growing global crisis with short and long-term physical and human impacts. Although climate change is a global occurrence, the impacts of climate change are not felt equally among all locations and all groups of people. Climate justice education is a form of social justice education that invites students to consider how the contributions toward and impacts of climate change differ across racial, socioeconomic, geographic, and intergenerational lines. Climate justice education can be impactful and may motivate climate actions and activism. To learn more about how climate justice education can be enacted, this mixed methods study sought to investigate Ohio secondary science teachers’ climate justice and climate action teaching practices and their reasons for their instructional choices. Eighty-six Ohio secondary science teachers completed an electronic survey about their climate change teaching practices, and 26 of these teachers were interviewed to explain their practices. Research participants most often framed their climate change teaching as a global social issue and as a current problem with primarily physical impacts on the Earth. Most participants who taught about climate change address multiple climate actions and at least one climate justice issue. When participants address climate justice, they most commonly address geographic injustices and least often address racial injustices. Teachers most often teach individual, apolitical climate mitigation actions and seldom teach collective and/or adaptation actions. Implications for science teacher professional learning and curriculum development are discussed.

Narrowing the Research-to-Practice Gap in Effective Professional Development in a State Preschool Program: Describing the Process and Findings from a Research-Practice Partnership

This study describes the implementation and findings from a consultation process designed to enhance the professional development (PD) offered to teachers working in Virginia's state-funded preschool program. A PD Rubric was developed to translate research on effective PD (i.e., PD practices linked to positive changes in teacher practice and/or child outcomes), systematically assess the extent to which “business as usual” PD across 122 school divisions aligns to evidence-based practices, and guide individualized PD consultation calls with preschool leaders. Findings indicated that the area of PD with the greatest room for improvement was providing PD that supports teachers to refine their teaching skills, as opposed to only gain knowledge. Early childhood leaders reported that the PD consultation process was valuable, particularly talking with their consultant. Findings from this study provide insight into how to bridge research and practice around supporting the delivery of effective PD for preschool teachers at scale.

Characterizing changes in teacher practice and values through co-design and implementation of computational thinking integrated biology units

ABSTRACT Background and Context To better reflect the computational nature of STEM disciplines and deepen learning of science content computational thinking (CT) should be integrated in science curricula. Teachers have a critical role in supporting effective student learning with CT integrated curricula in classroom settings. Objective Our team worked with high school teachers to co-design and implement CT-integrated biology units. Method We use a model of professional growth and qualitative case studies to characterize changes in teacher practice and values through their involvement in co-design and implementation of a CT-integrated biology unit. Findings Teachers followed similar pathways of professional growth, but their participation and perceptions varied, resulting in three dimensions: 1) participation during design, 2) participation in co-design during implementation, and 3) perception of CT benefits related to student learning. Implications It is important to support teacher comfort and engagement in the co-design process in order to better facilitate professional growth and CT integration.

MODERN APPROACHES TO PREDICTING STRATEGIES FOR THE FORMATION OF INFORMATION LITERACY OF STUDENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF EDUCATION

The article discusses modern approaches to predicting strategies for the formation of information literacy of students. The phenomenon of information literacy, the genesis of this phenomenon, its criteria and elements are considered. The authors establish the correspondence of the levels of change in pedagogical practice in the context of digital transformation of education to the levels of interaction of students with digital educational materials.

Teachers’ research diaries – reflection and reconnection in times of social isolation

ABSTRACT In response to the spread of COVID-19 in early 2020, schools across the UK moved to virtual teaching arrangements for the majority of their learners. Some localized school closures occurred in England in February 2020, with a national lockdown following in March 2020. Although relaxed in June 2020, concerns about rising cases of the virus led to a second period of enforced school closure across the UK in January 2021. With no sign of the pandemic abating, we wanted to gain insights into teachers’ experiences at this unique time. We used a solicited diary method with teachers over a 4-month period to reflect on workload and wellbeing issues related to their changing teaching practices. The diaries were supplemented by a series of teacher interviews. In this paper, we carry out a critical reflection of diary use. We observe how diaries provide a structure for eliciting ideas in an ordered way, and which then become a resource for a teacher’s professional reflection. This process also appears to strengthen some of the social connections that were compromised during the social distancing periods of the pandemic, and which has benefits for teachers’ wellbeing.

Using Q Methodology to Understand Faculty Development Needs to Prepare for Next Generation NCLEX.

Using Q Methodology to Understand Faculty Development Needs to Prepare for Next Generation NCLEX.

Challenges and Complexities in Teacher Conceptualization of Dynamic Assessment in the L2 Classroom: A Case Study in Türkiye

Dynamic assessment is a dialectic procedure requiring teachers to assess learners’ progress by paying attention to students’ errors while providing graduated prompts to help them fix them. Although previous studies have focused on the teachers’ competence in carrying out the dynamic assessment, this case study explores the dynamic assessment conceptualization of two English language teachers. Data were gathered through video-recorded sessions, reflective reports, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations. Results showed that while one of the teachers reconceptualized her role as a graduated prompt provider, the other teacher resisted adopting any roles that dynamic assessment requires. The study implies careful consideration of personal and contextual factors shaping teachers’ assumptions to make a change in teacher practice.

A randomized controlled trial study: An analysis of virtual professional development and virtual mentoring and coaching for mainstream teachers serving emergent bilingual students

Preparing mainstream in-service teachers of emergent bilinguals (EBs) to provide engaging instruction is key to the academic and linguistic outcomes of EBs. Pre- and post-classroom observation recordings were used to compare four instructional components: ESL strategy, activity structure, communication mode, and academic language across treatment (VPD + VMC) and control (VPD only) conditions through a paired-samples t-test. The findings indicated that teachers in the treatment and control conditions changed their pedagogical practices from pre-to post-classroom observations across ESL strategy, activity structure, communication mode, and language content. Additionally, we analyzed teachers' pre- and post-intervention classroom observations utilizing descriptive statistics to investigate how teachers’ individual pedagogical practices across the two conditions changed over time. Lastly, post-classroom observation recordings were used to compare the difference between treatment and control teachers' ESL strategy, activity structure, communication mode, and language content implementation through an independent-samples t-test. These findings indicated no significant differences between treatment and control teachers' implementation of post-ESL strategies, activity structure, and language content but in one area of communication mode (i.e., verbal, reading, and writing). The conclusion of the study is that 60 h of asynchronous VPD sustained over a six-week period is key for teachers of EBs to make positive changes in pedagogical practices without the need for the added short-term VMC support (3 h over three sessions).

Measuring and predicting teachers’ commitment to implementing evidence-based programs

Practical wisdom and empirical evidence indicate that teachers’ commitment to learn and enact a practice (i.e., their commitment to implement) is a critical but overlooked mechanism for supporting changes in teacher practice. Shortcomings in this area of scholarship stem from research gaps regarding: (1) how to operationalize teachers’ commitment to implementing new practices and (2) which factors predict whether teachers are committed to using new practices. To address these gaps, this study collected survey and open-ended response data from 107 early childhood education teachers implementing an evidence-based social-emotional learning program called Tools of the Mind (TotM). After comparing intention, planning, and motivation approaches for operationalizing teachers’ commitment to implement, a motivation approach emerged as the most consistent and valid method. Teachers’ belief that TotM would benefit children's development was identified as the strongest predictor of teachers’ commitment to implement based on structural equation modeling and open-ended survey data. Findings are discussed in the context of implementation science and teacher workforce development.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING A NETWORK COMMUNICATIVE CULTURE OF THE FUTURE TEACHER

The article defines the meaning of the concept of transformation in accordance with the characteristics of various fields of science, clarifies the features of digital transformation for educational organizations. The levels of replacement, improvement, change and transformation of changes in pedagogical practice are determined, which are a clear manifestation of digital transformation in education. In addition, the role of communicative revolutions in the history of mankind is determined. The value of communicative culture is determined in the case of interaction between communication and culture. The communicative qualities of the individual, which form the basis of pedagogical relations, are studied. The meaning of the concepts communicative culture of the teacher, pedagogical communication, and intercultural communication is determined. The role of the components of the teacher's communicative culture in professional pedagogical activity is considered. The communicative culture of a teacher is defined as a set of cultural norms, knowledge and values, knowledge and skills used in the course of his personal and pedagogical communication, contributing to its effectiveness. As components of a communicative culture, it is based on the ability for interpersonal relationships, acceptance and respect for opinions, differentiation and presentation of arguments, discussion of problems, readiness to communicate harmoniously and politely with strangers. As a result of the rapid development of information and communication technologies, the Internet has had a positive impact on increasing access to information for education and teachers. The network communication direction of traditional communication theory is often discussed today in the focus of attention of researchers and scientists. The content of the ethical principles of communication on the Internet is specified through psychological, emotional, technical, decorative and administrative categories. In the article, pedagogical communication in the electronic environment is considered as a developing pedagogical scientific direction that studies the effective interaction of participants in the educational process in the electronic educational environment. The actual communication skills of the teacher in the context of digitalization of educational processes are systematized. The effective factors of using network communications in the educational space of higher education organizations are revealed. The effectiveness of the use of training technology in the development of a communicative online culture of future teachers is substantiated.

Scale-up of the Internet-based Professional Learning to help teachers promote Activity in Youth (iPLAY) intervention: a hybrid type 3 implementation-effectiveness trial

BackgroundWhole-of-school programs have demonstrated success in improving student physical activity levels, but few have progressed beyond efficacy testing to implementation at-scale. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the scale-up of the ‘Internet-based Professional Learning to help teachers promote Activity in Youth’ (iPLAY) intervention in primary schools using the RE-AIM framework.MethodsWe conducted a type 3 hybrid implementation-effectiveness study and collected data between April 2016 and June 2021, in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. RE-AIM was operationalised as: (i) Reach: Number and representativeness of students exposed to iPLAY; (ii) Effectiveness: Impact of iPLAY in a sub-sample of students (n = 5,959); (iii) Adoption: Number and representativeness of schools that received iPLAY; (iv) Implementation: Extent to which the three curricular and three non-curricular components of iPLAY were delivered as intended; (v) Maintenance: Extent to which iPLAY was sustained in schools. We conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with teachers (n = 14), leaders (n = 19), and principals (n = 10) from 18 schools (11 from urban and 7 from rural locations) to determine program maintenance.ResultsReach: iPLAY reached ~ 31,000 students from a variety of socio-economic strata (35% of students were in the bottom quartile, almost half in the middle two quartiles, and 20% in the top quartile). Effectiveness: We observed small positive intervention effects for enjoyment of PE/sport (0.12 units, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.20, d = 0.17), perceptions of need support from teachers (0.26 units, 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.53, d = 0.40), physical activity participation (0.28 units, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.47, d = 0.14), and subjective well-being (0.82 units, 95% CI: 0.32 to 1.32, d = 0.12) at 24-months. Adoption: 115 schools received iPLAY. Implementation: Most schools implemented the curricular (59%) and non-curricular (55%) strategies as intended. Maintenance: Based on our qualitative data, changes in teacher practices and school culture resulting from iPLAY were sustained.ConclusionsiPLAY had extensive reach and adoption in NSW primary schools. Most of the schools implemented iPLAY as intended and effectiveness data suggest the positive effects observed in our cluster RCT were sustained when the intervention was delivered at-scale.Trial registrationACTRN12621001132831.

Using lesson study to change teacher knowledge and practice: The role of knowledge sources in teacher change

In this systematic review, we synthesize the findings of 13 studies identifying sources of knowledge within Lesson Study professional development (LSPD) and examine influences of knowledge sources on teachers’ content knowledge, understanding of students, and changes in pedagogical practices. Finally, we consider the implications of our findings for design of and future research on LSPD. We find that the literature base for LS is extensive, however, there are few studies that meet criteria for high-quality research. All studies reviewed reported a positive impact of LS and included a wide variety of LS structures and knowledge sources.