Changes In Teaching Practices Research Articles

Changing Teacher Practices and Perceptions and Improving Student Communication Outcomes Through Shared Reading

Shared reading is a powerful literacy intervention for the development of early communication and literacy skills. For students with extensive support needs who are beginning communicators, shared reading has the potential to support the development of initiation and expressive symbolic communication skills. This descriptive, multicase, mixed methods study investigated changes in teacher shared reading practices and perspectives, as well as the communication skills of students with extensive support needs associated with completing professional development focused on a responsive and interactive approach to shared reading. The sample included four classroom teachers and 13 students with extensive support needs in one rural, public elementary school. Teachers increased their use of targeted interactive shared reading practices from 50% to 90%. Students increased the number of expressive communication skills they exhibited ( p = .031, r = .60), as well as the highest level of their symbolic communication ( z = 2.16, p = .031, r = .60). Thematic analysis of teacher interviews identified shifts in their perceptions of their role, expectations, and ability to support student communication development during shared reading, which converged with the changes noted from fall to spring during observations of teacher practice and students’ communication skills during shared reading.

The Relationship Between Teacher Collaboration and Instructional Practices, Instructional Climate, and Social Relations

There is growing consensus about the importance of teacher collaboration. Less clear are the mechanisms by which teacher collaboration can positively impact student achievement. We address this gap by examining two questions using panel data methods. First, does the degree to which teachers collaborate predict future growth in conditions relevant to student learning, including teachers’ instructional practice, instructional climate, and trust relations? Second, does growth over time in collaboration affect growth in these outcomes? We find evidence that both collaboration at baseline and its growth over time are positive predictors of change in teacher practice, instructional climate, and trust relations.

Time matters: a critical multimodal study of an English learning app for children in China

ABSTRACT Time and its management, as evident in the scheduling, sequencing and structuring of activities, is important in early childhood education (ECE). While ECE apps have been changing teaching and learning practices for over a decade, research has yet to examine how they represent and manage time. To address this gap, we analysed the representation and management of time in iHuman ABC, a popular English learning app for children in China. Adopting Djonov and Van Leeuwen's (2018) model for analysing semiotic software and Van Leeuwen’s (2008) critical discourse studies framework, we examined temporal features in the app's design and references to these features in promotional materials and user reviews. Findings reveal that iHuman ABC reflects an instructivist ideology which considerably limits children’s ability to organise their time and contradicts research-based recommendations for teaching English. This study contributes to critical multimodal studies of the potential of software to transform educational practices.

Negotiating between the accountability and the innovation mandates: evidence from Italian schools

ABSTRACT In Italy, the National Evaluation System (SNV), encompassing both internal and external accountability components, is designed not only to hold school actors accountable but also to stimulate innovation and change in pedagogical practices. Nevertheless, existing literature presents inconclusive and contradictory findings regarding the effects and the relationship between school performance-based accountability (PBA) and educational innovation. Utilizing sensemaking and filtering theories, this paper analyses the negotiation of PBA and innovation mandates in Italian schools, emphasizing how school actors interpret, filter, and adapt the policy expectations to their organizational and educational practices. Special attention is given to the influence of local school contexts and performative pressures on this process. The primary data collection method involves interviews with school leadership teams and teachers analysed through an ideal type case analysis. Findings reveal diverse school responses to the double mandates of PBA and innovation. Varied logics of school enactment within the contemporary policy context are identified, influenced by teacher attitudes towards PBA and schools’ socio-economic conditions. Innovation is evident in both advantaged and disadvantaged school contexts, albeit with distinct applications and interpretations. Overall, the adaptation of PBA prerogatives in schools to foster innovation and change is neither uniform nor direct, although external pressures impact educational practices across contexts. Beyond socio-economic factors and administrative and marketing accountability pressures, additional intervening elements include school leadership and staff cohesion as well as school infrastructure and material resources.

Development and validation of an instrument investigating elementary teachers’ sense of agency for science instruction

ABSTRACT This paper examines the development and validation of the Survey of Elementary Teachers’ Sense of Agency (SETSA), which investigates elementary science teachers’ sense of agency for teaching science. How elementary teachers express agency is critical to the learning outcomes of youth, particularly because elementary classrooms often serve as foundational sites for science experiences. Yet, elementary science teachers’ sense of agency for teaching science is understudied. Therefore, we developed the SETSA through a rigorous, systematic process. Development and validation of the SETSA occurred in multiple phases. Experts examined initial survey items, which were revised and consolidated into the 49-item SETSA. This was piloted with elementary teachers and the results led to a refined version. This later survey was administered to current teachers in elementary classrooms throughout the United States, with 1680 teachers responding. Analyses supported a robust, 10-factor model, which is consistent with frameworks and constructs in the current literature. Factors included in an elementary teacher's sense of agency for teaching science were: structures, science teacher identity, relationships, emotions, experience, professional vision. Factors included in an elementary teacher's expressions of that agency were: structure negotiation, science teacher identity negotiation, change in teacher practice and teaching with a justice orientation.

Interrogating an implementation filter: what constrains 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.

EFFECTS OF TEACHER COACHING SKILLS ON INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING IN SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT

The article argues that developing teacher coaching skills in managing the school environment plays an important role in promoting successful inquiry-based learning in the school environment. This approach encourages students to ask questions, explore topics in depth, and take an active role in their learning, leading to increased engagement and motivation. Students are encouraged to analyze information, make connections, and draw conclusions independently, helping them gain a deeper understanding of concepts. It helps adjust instructional strategies and interventions to meet specific learning needs in the school environment, leading to more personalized instruction. In essence, teacher coaching in inquiry-based learning acts as a catalyst for changing teaching practices and student learning experiences. It enables educators to create an engaging, student-centered environment where inquiry, exploration, and critical thinking thrive, ultimately benefiting the entire school community.

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.