Changes In Teaching Practices Research Articles

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.

Educational Designer social influence: changing teaching and learning practice

In the current neoliberal agenda, universities require Educational Designers (EDs) to establish influence and ensure the improvements in education for the benefit of graduates. The preservation of high-quality teaching is fundamental in connecting educators with students, which was crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the influence of EDs on affecting a change in teaching practice has not been adequately explored. This case study collected qualitative survey responses from seventeen EDs in one Australian university, and used inductive thematic analysis to explore how they attempted to influence academics to change teaching practices. Results indicated a definitive need to collaborate with academics to implement the desired changes. Moreover, strong professional relationships with academics, effective communication, and creating a favourable environment were important to the EDs’ influence attempts. Cultural challenges within the university was an interesting discovery regarding influence capability. These findings provide key insights into how EDs support a change in educational practice within the university environment.

Tracing the threads of research to establish equitable and culturally appropriate pedagogical practices within mathematical interactions and discourse for all learners

ABSTRACT Research by Wood and her colleagues has had a lasting and transformative impact on the mathematical outcomes for Pāsifika learners is Aotearoa/New Zealand. In this chapter, I describe a journey from what began as a solitary teacher searching for answers for their own discomfort at the inequitable outcomes for some students in her classroom to that of teacher educator and researcher. I describe the excitement of finding a myriad of studies by Wood and peers which opened doors to potential changes in pedagogical practices to better meet the needs of Pāsifika and Māori students. I outline the essence of these many studies and how they have been foundational for current 21st century mathematics classrooms. More importantly, I show how Wood and her fellow researcher’s many theories have been extended in practical ways to be inclusive and build on the cultural and social world of Pāsifika and Māori students.

Teachers’ Perceptions of Remote Learning during the Pandemic: A Case Study

The closure of higher education institutions (HEIs) due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to visible changes in pedagogical practices. With the lockdown, there was ambiguity and disagreement about the workload of teachers and students, and about what to teach and what strategies to select. For most instructors, the first challenge was to recreate the face-to-face experience. Worldwide, most universities have speedily adopted synchronous and asynchronous communication modes. Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco, Webex, Zoom, and Moodle were among the most used tools. The present study is based upon a quantitative approach, and it intends to analyse teachers’ perceptions of remote teaching during the first pandemic period. Data were collected through an online questionnaire during June and July 2020. The questionnaire had 27 questions divided into three main sections: sociodemographic characterization, e-Learning strategies, and remote assessment. The study population was teachers of a Portuguese HEI. A random sample was used with 547 participants. The main conclusions show that the less experienced teachers are, the more satisfied they feel with remote classes and remote assessment. On the other hand, the most experienced teachers used more tools during the remote teaching period and developed more strategies to perform remote assessment. Regarding the overall assessment of the emergency remote teaching, the participants consider that it was a positive period, and they were moderately satisfied with remote classes and the strategies and tools used during this period.

Social justice knowledge construction among physical education teacher educators: the value of personal, professional, and educational experiences

ABSTRACT Background: The imperative for social justice in education means that pre-service teachers should learn how to teach for and about social justice, including pedagogical and content knowledge. Understanding how physical education (PE) pre-service teachers and teacher educators construct and develop their knowledge of social justice pedagogies and critical content, intertwined with values based on social justice and equity, is needed to best support future teachers. Purpose: The focus of this paper is how physical education teacher educators and PE and sport pedagogy university faculty have developed their knowledge of teaching for and about social justice: where their knowledge came from and how they draw upon it in their teaching and programme design. Method: Seventy-two faculty from seven countries engaged in an in-depth interview about their conceptualisation of social justice, their knowledge, practices, institutions, and policy contexts and completed a demographic survey on their social identity and professional experiences. Using a social justice pedagogical and content knowledge (SJPACK) model, thematic analysis generated formal educational study, workplace experience, and personal or social identity bases of social justice knowledge. Findings: Many of those who expressed a commitment to teaching about and for social justice had personal and professional experiences that had provided ‘eye-opening’ moments. For instance, some had encountered marginalisation and discrimination based on their identity. If social justice issues were not a part of a participant’s lived experience, but they had professional experience in the field, they were struck by what they did not know and subsequently sought out postgraduate or professional development. Professional experiences in the field were much more likely than formal education experiences to provide recognition that participants needed to learn more about social justice. Social justice is both knowledge and an ideological stance, so learning about social justice is as much about values and disposition as about content. Social justice must be important enough for teacher educators to embed in their belief system so that it becomes part of their pedagogical practice. Conclusion: This study prompts consideration of the professional development needs of teacher educators concerning social justice that goes beyond acknowledging the existence of sociocultural issues by moving towards changes in pedagogical practices in PETE and PESP programmes. We advocate collaborative and reflective professional development for educators if SJPACK is to be woven throughout teacher education programmes and not just incumbent on educators with personal experience of social justice issues.

Prioritising students in Assessment for Learning: A scoping review of research on students' classroom experience

AbstractAssessment for Learning (AfL) is important in policy and practice in secondary schooling across the globe. It is associated with teacher expertise, student agency, a dialogic classroom climate, and a commitment to the needs of all learners. Research about AfL often includes measuring the efficacy of selected practices or foregrounding the role and experience of teachers. Less prominent is literature examining student experience, which is problematic, given AfL's generally agreed aim of orienting learners as evidence seekers, interpreters, and decision‐makers. This scoping review examined 75 empirical studies published since 2002 that provided evidence of the lived experiences of secondary school students when teachers facilitated AfL pedagogical practices. A conceptualisation of student experience as comprising six interrelated dimensions, ranging from recognition of classroom practices to integration with experiences beyond the classroom, is proposed in the thematic arrangement of results. Findings show student experience as responsive to changes in teacher practice when students are co‐practitioners of AfL and developers of disciplinary expertise. The pedagogic power of students as evaluators is affirmed in evidence that positive student evaluation of the worth or value of a practice is an important precondition for productive student experience. AfL further contributes to a generative experience of learning when it enhances dialogic interactions, with students and teachers as partners in moving learning forward. Inclusive AfL and discipline‐specific AfL practices are evident but under‐represented in the field. The video abstract for this article is available athttps://youtu.be/L8HI‐KIskLs.

Organizational Commitment and Motivation in Promoting Change in Teaching Practices among Elementary Teachers

The researcher determined the perceived level of organizational commitment and motivation in promoting change in teaching practices among elementary teachers. Descriptive - correlational research design was utilized. The respondents of this study were one hundred fifty three (153) elementary teachers in fifteen (15) schools of Tiaong District, Division of Quezon. Survey questionnaires through Google forms were used. The researcher used statistics such as mean and Pearson product moment correlation. The significance was tested at the 0.01 probability level. Overall, based on the data gathered, the extent of manifestation as perceived by the respondents in organizational commitment obtained a mean of 4.35 and SD of 0.58 with a verbal interpretation of highly manifested, and the extent of manifestation in organizational motivation got a mean of 4.37 and SD of 0.67 with high manifestation as interpretation. Meanwhile, the respondents' perceived level of the related factors of teachers' change in teaching practices- teaching skills, knowledge, and concept is indicated by an overall mean of 4.37 as "highly manifested." Specifically, as to developing pupils learning (4.41-highly manifested), facilitating learning (4.38-highly manifested), and fostering a positive attitude toward learning (4.38-highly manifested). The findings gathered in the study led to the formulation of a conclusion that organizational commitment in terms of affective, continuance, and normative commitment and organizational motivation in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are significantly related to teaching practices in terms of knowledge skills and concept, facilitating learning, developing students learning and fostering a positive attitude. Therefore, the hypothesis is not sustained.

La práctica escolar en Menorca durante el franquismo

The historical study of the school practice requires the location and analysis of a whole series of testimonies so far rarely used in historical interpretation –teaching practice reports, notebooks, photographs, etcetera–. Through the historical method, we have approached some of the practices implemented in Minorca (Spain) during the Franco’s dictatorship (1939-1975), which has allowed us to detect some of the changes and continuities that occurred in the day-to-day of school. By this analysis we have been able to verify how the practice of the teachers is more determined by their formation and experience than by the norms approved in the political field. The main conclusion of the study is that while the educational legislation wants to break with the school culture of past times, some of the practices implemented during the Dictatorship continue to demonstrate the persistence of an entire series of teaching methodologies and strategies from pedagogical renewal movements. Therefore, we can see how changes in teacher practice do not always have a direct connection to the ruptures that occur at the political level and, on the other hand, we see how these are slow processes in time. This study shows us that, as is the case today, there were historically a whole series of continuities, at the level of school practice, that resisted the political will to impose change.

Coaching for Better Teaching: A Study on Student-Centered Instructional Coaching

As the appeal and need for greater student achievement have been increasing each day steadily, so does the wish to find ways to reach those levels. The student-centered coaching (SCC) model is designed to improve teachers' instructional abilities that will improve student achievement. This research study aimed to examine the perceived impact of SCC on teachers’ instructional practices and the challenges to and facilitating factors in implementation. The study employed a qualitative phenomenological research design to investigate the student-centered coaching practice of a school district in Northern USA. Qualitative data collected from seven teachers and three coaches who were conveniently available to participate in the study through semi-structured interviews were subjected to content analysis. The results suggested that the respondents considered SCC as an effective model to change teacher practice and ultimately impact student learning. Based on the qualitative data, a few recommendations were offered to help address potential challenges in implementing the SCC in the future.

Will–Skill–Tool Components as Key Factors for Digital Media Implementation in Education: Austrian Teachers’ Experiences with Digital Forms of Instruction during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Although comprehensive digitalization (e.g., the provision of skills and resources) had already been placed on Austria’s education policy agenda prior to the emergence of COVID-19, there is evidence that educators had some difficulty ensuring digital learning opportunities for their students when schools closed in early 2020. Against this backdrop, the present study, which drew on qualitative data from the large-scale INCL-LEA (Inclusive Home Learning) study, aimed to determine whether secondary school teachers (n = 17) from Viennese schools met the prerequisites for successfully implementing digital instruction, formulated in the Will–Skill–Tool model developed by Christensen and Kzenek (2008). Findings reveal that teachers primarily associated their sufficient digital skills with three factors: (1) basic interest and competence, (2) recently attended training, and/or (3) a positive attitude toward changing teaching practices. Interestingly, some educators recognized that digitization offers great potential for implementing individualized teaching approaches. However, the findings point to the didactic necessity of digital socialization in terms of social communication and inclusion when establishing emergency digital education.

A Changing World and a Changing Teaching Practice Model for Zimbabwe in a Post Covid-19 Context

The advent of Covid-19 in March 2020 and its declaration by WHO as a global pandemic led to a closure of schools which, in turn, affected the Teaching Practice (TP) component of the 3-3-3 teacher education model. This research sets out to establish alternative TP models when face to face interaction is impossible. In doing so, the study analyses Zimbabwean teacher education TP policy with regard to how it might remain relevant in the post Covid-19 context without compromising its quality. The study was carried out at a teachers’ college in the Midlands Province. It utilises online focus group discussion, interviews, and document analysis to generate data. Through the lens of content and discourse analysis, the study unpacks the professional arguments presented by college lecturers who forged onwards and redirected teacher education in the post Covid-19 context. It emerges that a TP model which accommodates supervision and assessment based on video recorded lessons is a good alternative to traditional face to face supervision. College lecturers certainly regard the TP component of teacher education as crucial and, therefore, not simply to be left in the hands of school-based supervisors. Furthermore, online supervision and assessment is possible regardless of internet access challenges. The study recommends that colleges utilise both traditional and online based supervision where applicable. Student teachers are encouraged to video record lessons during the periods they have learners, so that the video recorded lessons could be used for their supervision and assessment when learners are unavailable. Further studies could consider the feasibility of a larger scale online TP supervision model.

Teaching for mastery in primary mathematics: A study of translating research into policy and practice

AbstractIn this paper we investigate the translation of research into professional development (PD) materials for teachers of primary mathematics, by England's National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, and related changes in teacher practices of teachers using the materials. We use interview data gathered from three teachers, via six teacher interviews, conducted over a two‐year period. The small sample allows us to explore the richness of their stories, while not being able to generalise to all teachers. Our results show that both implicit and explicit messages from research can become visible in new classroom practices. For instance, the teachers in our study all came to view the concept of number quite differently to how they had in the past, and in a way that was in keeping with research that informed the PD materials. A new view of number was implicit in the PD materials and in the teachers’ descriptions of their practice. Other changes in teaching practices were explicitly spoken about by the teachers and were explicitly written about in the PD materials. Our work points to the efficacy of a team of practitioners working, with guidance, to create practical resources which embody research results. We propose viewing teachers as active partners in the process of translating research into practice.

Edu-business within the Triple Helix. Value production through assetization of educational research

ABSTRACT Growing demands on evidence-based teaching, combined with increasing business involve-ment, constitute a transformation of education in which research and research collaborations have become commodities and selling points for companies. This article, building on interviews with 30 Swedish edupreneurs, explores how the discursive trope of the Triple Helix organises collaborations between the business sector, research, and school. In what ways do people in edu-business use research and research collaborations and what kinds of values do they expect to produce through different practices? The study identifies five approaches to research – philanthropists, influencers, ambassadors, brokers, and engineers – and describe the edupreneurs’ manifold ways of using, relating to, and translating research into sellable products. Using the theoretical lens of assetization, we show how different values are produced: (1) economic – strengthening the company’s brand; (2) pedagogical – changing teaching practices; (3) political – lobbying for policy change and changing public conversations; (4) academic – defining useful research and funding research, and (5) social – building networks. We conclude that the striving for Triple Helix collaborations preserves the entrepreneurial right to define useful research and providing legitimacy through the power of research, an important asset on the edu-market.

ENSINO REMOTO PARA ESTUDANTES DO PÚBLICO-ALVO DA EDUCAÇÃO ESPECIAL NOS INSTITUTOS FEDERAIS

ABSTRACT: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the required social distance measures, face-to-face classes were suspended in early 2020. Considering this scenario, the purpose of this study was to analyze the practices of educational planning for students with Special Education Needs (SEN) at the Federal Institutes of Education, Science, and Technology (Institutos Federais de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia - IFs). The exploratory and descriptive approach used in this study, which is in the format of survey research, was carried out with the participation of 156 professors from different campuses of the FIs. Data collection was performed via a questionnaire. The data obtained were systematized, organized, and analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively into thematic categories, following the instrument variables. The results showed that teachers sought different alternatives in remote education, such as: collaborative planning; adoption of different procedures in specific planning; prediction of changes in pedagogical practices; use of didactic material and adapted assessments, etc. The adopted technologies and the virtual environment were considered in both positive and challenging aspects. It is concluded that the demand to meet the educational needs of these students in remote education requires the redesign of pedagogical processes, with different actions, which will vary depending on each institute. However, there was a lack of guidelines to develop the individualized teaching plan, as well as greater articulation collaboration with special education teachers, which can impact the quality of teaching and learning of students with SEN. It is suggested that further research should be carried out, seeking to further deepen and evaluate the remote teaching experiences during the pandemic.

Science Conferences: A Pathway for Enacting the NGSS

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is the latest initiative to promote authentic scientific work in the classroom. Previous reform efforts have not caused the change in teacher practice and student learning that was hoped for, despite their ubiquity and accessibility. The culprit may be the culture of school that is often recalcitrant to change. This article argues that the NGSS may be the most scientifically aligned reform but may be doomed to failure unless it can be connected with the culture of schooling. The central idea offered here is to incorporate the professional practice espoused in the NGSS by using a cultural emblem of school science—the science fair. The trick is to transform the science fair into a science conference.