Community Teaching Research Articles

A Weaponized Information Landscape during an Unprecedented Public Education Crisis in Morocco

The introduction of the new statute for education in Morocco in September 2023, officially known as decree law No. 2.23.819, unleashed a mixed feeling of utter dismay and indignation amongst the teaching community throughout the country. October 5, 2023 marked the beginning of massive teachers’ strikes that swept the country into January 2024. This article explores the involvement of teachers, syndicates and the government in the dissemination of various types of information disorder to influence the power dynamics to their advantage. Based on responses from a survey completed by teachers and a focus group discussion with 7 members of coordination committees, we present a clear perspective about the various forms of information disorder that were disseminated in social media during teachers’ strike. Our conclusion is that candid, transparent, and regular dialogues can boost trust between the three stakeholders and improve the information landscape in the country.

Community-Engaged Research Projects in School Settings: Science Teachers’ Practices and Reflections

Community-engaged research (CER) is a justice-oriented research paradigm that emphasizes equitable and reciprocal knowledge co-production with community members and organizations, sharing power, benefits, contributions, and responsibilities among all participants. This study explores nine teachers’ cases of facilitating CER projects in their respective school settings, aimed to support students’ critical consciousness and action for environmental issues and injustices. This study contributes to educational research by adapting an existing framework for CER for environmental justice that can guide K-12 teaching and research on it. By analyzing data from teacher community meetings and individual interviews in the CER framework, this study articulates classroom practices that addressed the Distribution, Procedure, Recognition, and Transformation dimensions of CER, as well as the positive impacts and challenges of these implementations. The findings report teacher practices categorized by the CER dimensions they addressed (the what of the practices) and the instructional strategies they employed (the how of the practices). The findings also compare the frequency of these practices as an indicator of variation in teacher practices and illustrate this variation through three teachers’ CER cases. The findings also document the positive outcomes of CER in student empowerment, as well as the challenges related to time, resources, assessment, and stakeholder skepticism, underscoring the need for systemic support to enhance CER in school settings. The discussion focuses on the implications of these findings and ways to address the identified challenges through future research and institutional efforts.

Evaluation Of Biology Teachers' Knowledge in Sidoarjo Regarding the Concept of Poliovirus and Wolbachia Infected Mosquitoes

Biology is a dynamic and constantly developing science. The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia reported nine cases of childhood polio in East Java in January 2024. In addition, the Ministry of Health launched a pilot project to implement Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes as an innovation to control dengue fever in five big cities in Indonesia. This health problem is studied in biology lessons on viruses in senior high school. This paper aims to analyze the knowledge of the concepts of polioviruses and Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes in the biology teacher community in Sidoarjo. The respondents were 43 biology teachers in Sidoarjo. Respondents' prior knowledge was measured by pretest. After the respondent takes the pretest, the respondent gets the concept of the virus. After the material, respondents do a post-test. 11 pretest questions and 11 post-test questions are packaged in Google form. The results showed that all participants participated in the activity from start to finish, taking the pretest, listening to the material, and doing the post-test. The pretest mean score was 40.18, and the post-test mean score was 91.36. The highest pretest score was 81.81. The highest pretest score was 100. A total of 15 teachers (34.88%) were unsure that Wolbachia-infected mosquito was the best solution to reduce disease. Twenty-one respondents (48.83%) agreed mainly with society's concern that the Wolbachia-infected mosquito is dangerous for humans. Respondents' knowledge increased after receiving the concept of the virus

Students Emotion and Distraction Detection While Adopting E-Learning Approach

Currently, e-learning has changed the way students’ study by providing high-quality education that is not restricted by place or time. Mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers are some of the products that make online learning easier. These devices were used for mandatory online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, because the e-learning approach prevents an instructor from actively observing a group of students, they may become distracted for many reasons, significantly reducing their learning potential. This paper proposes an intelligent system called the Intelligent E-Learning Monitoring System (IELMS) that helps faculty members keep track of such students and supports them in improving their performance. Convolutional neural network (CNN) techniques are utilized to detect emotions, and once the optimum algorithm for detecting emotions has been identified, it is fused into the model that detects an online learner’s distraction. The fused model produces logs of distraction and emotion. These logs will assist the teaching community in identifying underperforming online learners and facilitating counseling.

How do you trust in the midst of mistrust? A longitudinal study (2010–2021) on building trust in a professional learning community of science teachers in Chile

ABSTRACT Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are valuable spaces for collaboration and reflection to promote the transformation of teaching practice and resilience to change. In PLCs that are sustained over time, trust-building is a key element. In Latin America, school systems and educational models are based on mistrust, which in Chile is consistent with a highly unequal, individualistic, and competitive school system, making the generation of PLCs particularly complex. Through a longitudinal study, we describe how trust is built and maintained in a Chilean PLC of science teachers who meet regularly to share and reflect on their practice. We analysed 18 group sessions, six focus groups, and four interviews conducted over 11 years of this PLC. The results show relevant elements to initiate trust, such as building an initial bond of trust between some participants, recognising one’s limitations, and negotiating common meanings and objectives. In the second stage, the free expression of experiences and emotions, reflecting on practice and validating its members’ experiences allows for the construction of a genuine and highly valued space for professional development, which promotes practice transformation.

R.A.I.C.E.S. (Roots): A conceptual framework for community‐building that connects linguistic and cultural wealth to support emergent bilinguals

AbstractProject R.A.I.C.E.S. (Reaching All Individuals and Communities to Establish Success in Language Learning) is a National Professional Development grant initiative operating at Stephen F. Austin State University. Grant objectives were designed to enhance school readiness, English acquisition, and literacy outcomes for emergent bilinguals (EBs), English learners (ELs), and multilingual learners (MLLs) through collaborative professional development events involving university, community, parent, and school district partnerships. The Spanish word raíces translates to roots in English, symbolizing the project's commitment to preserving and nurturing the cultural and linguistic diversity of the community by reframing language learning within an additive paradigm. Project R.A.I.C.E.S. creates paid professional development events to build a community of professors, preservice teachers, in‐service teachers, parents and caregivers of emergent bilingual children, and children in collaborative professional development sessions called academias (academies). Each academia positions all participants, especially parents and caregivers and their children, as key stakeholders and equal partners in the learning process to honor the community's cultural wealth, emphasizing linguistic and cultural sustainability for English language learners in educational settings. Moreover, the academias provide preservice and in‐service teacher professional development and preparation for the TExES ESL certification exam, crucial for better meeting the needs of EBs/ELs/MLLs in rural schools.

Teacher Perspectives on the Usefulness of a Formative Assessment Tool to Support Their Implementation of Learning Through Play

ABSTRACT In this study, we explore teacher perspectives on the utility of a formative assessment tool, Teacher RePlay, to support their implementation of learning through play (LTP) activities in classrooms for students age 3 to 12 years in Bangladesh, Colombia, and Uganda. Research suggests that formative assessment tools may be useful to bridge support from professional development trainings to the classroom. The Teacher RePlay tool was designed to provide continued support to teachers subsequent to their participation in training sessions on implementing LTP. Through interviews, we explored the benefits and challenges teachers experienced while using the tool. Teachers reported the tool improved their planning and delivery of LTP activities and cited positive outcomes, including enhanced student engagement, attendance, and overall learning. Challenges in implementing LTP included class size limitations, time constraints, and technology access. The study underscores the importance of considering cultural contexts in implementing LTP and suggests future considerations, including alternative resource delivery formats and the creation of a support community for teachers. We highlight, as an alternative to the traditional professional development model, the promise of formative assessment tools as a means of providing continual and productive support to teachers.

Growing our own: enabling PGR teachers to flourish in authentic ecosystems

Postgraduate researchers who teach (PGR teachers), or Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) play a valuable role in global Higher Education, being a central part of the teaching workforce. PGR teachers are noted, amongst other things, for their ability to relate closely to students, bringing research-informed perspectives and providing effective and nuanced support to students in a massified HE sector. However, in spite of their longstanding presence, they are ubiquitously described as being in a ‘liminal space’ in the literature, and as early career colleagues, often have less professional experience and reduced agency to make pedagogical decisions, all whilst experiencing precarity and other challenges relating to occupying an impermanent role. Professional development opportunities for PGR teachers are reasonably widespread but do they enable the best way for PGR teachers to grow and thrive in their teaching work? This Afterword, drawing on the contributions of authors in Issue 4 of the JPPP, considers how PGR teachers are deploying the outcomes of professional learning, and where the ‘best space’ might be for them to develop and evolve as practitioners. It reflects on the structure and rationale established in the Warwick Postgraduate Teaching Community and argues for the support and initiation of similar PGR communities of practice across the sector, as being optimal spaces for PGR teachers to thrive, learn and grow with peers.

Imagining just futures through interdisciplinary pedagogies: cultivating communities of practice across the sciences and humanities

Abstract This case study describes an experimental initiative at James Madison University funded by a National Science Foundation grant in Fall 2021 that aimed to support interdisciplinary collaborative pedagogical development related to Science, Technology, and Society (STS) with a particular focus on ethics and justice. The case study argues that creating infrastructure to cultivate and sustain small teaching communities of practice that include faculty from humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields, can support the challenging and necessary work of developing integrated STS-informed pedagogies across the curriculum. A flexible framework is examined through multiple lenses, including perspectives from each faculty participant, representing teaching departments of Biology, World Languages & Cultures, Integrated Science and Technology/Biotechnology, Justice Studies/Disability Studies, and Integrated Science and Technology/Public Interest Technology and Science. Authors provide key insights about what enables and sustains an interdisciplinary community of practice.

Communities of secondary science teachers: a systematic review

ABSTRACT Many parts of the western world are struggling with a teacher shortage, which is particularly severe in some teaching areas including science. Part of a potential solution to this shortage is reducing teacher attrition rates, especially among early career teachers. At the same time, a need has been identified to drive larger numbers of students towards studying science. This creates an environment whereby teachers are required to teach science either out of field, or out of science specialisation. The community in which teachers operate has been identified as critical to both increasing teacher satisfaction and driving effective professional development. At the same time, the emergence of social media provides an avenue for teachers to effectively communicate and collaborate. This systematic review, therefore, aims to summarise the research on communities of in-service secondary science teachers since 2010, corresponding to the significant adoption of social media. It shows that whilst significant research has been done across a range of different community structures, there exists a lack of rigorous distinction between these different styles. There is also a research gap surrounding the use of social media, as well as the use of communities to support out of specialisation science teachers.

Professional Development of Teachers in the Context of STEM Education as a Relevant Psychological and Pedagogical Issue

The article analyzes scientific research related to the issues of professional development of teachers in the context of STEM education, which is determined as a prerequisite for improving the quality of education. It is determined that the professional development of teachers in the context of STEM education involves mastering the knowledge and skills necessary for the implementation of STEM programs and methods, adaptability and cognitive flexibility, professional self-improvement, etc. This process should be systematic and continuous and requires training and professional development during courses, scientific and practical seminars, conferences, workshops, summer schools, and other educational events. The article presents the results of a study that highlights the psychological and pedagogical aspects of teachers' professional development in the context of STEM education, and identifies a number of problems with professional support for educators. The authors of the publication substantiate the relevance of teacher training to ensure the competitiveness and high quality of the educational process. The steps for effective professional pedagogical development in modern conditions are highlighted and a list of resources for the professional development of the teaching community in the context of STEM education is proposed.

Teacher vs Artificial Intelligence: a comparison of the quality of feedback provided by a teacher and generative artificial intelligence in assessing students' creative writing

Introduction. Writing foreign-language creative writing assignments is one of the goals of foreign language teaching in higher education. Modern AI tools (ChatGPT 4.0) are able to provide learners with evaluative feedback and recommendations for essay revision. However, the feedback quality from ChatGPT 4 and other AI tools is a subject of discussion in the teaching community. The aim of this paper is to compare the feedback quality provided by ChatGPT 4.0 and teachers in evaluating students' essays. Materials and methods. A bank of English essays (N=350) written by linguistics students (A2-B1 level) was used as the material. The participants of the research were 12 teachers of English at Derzhavin Tambov State University (Russian Federation). For every essay, one teacher and ChatGPT gave evaluative feedback on the following criteria: 1) content of the essay; 2) organisation and structure of the essay; 3) supporting ideas and arguments; 4) language of the essay (lexical aspect of speech, grammatical aspect of speech, syntax); and 5) originality of the idea. The recommendations received from the teacher and ChatGPT 4.0 were evaluated on the basis of norm-referenced testing. The data analysis was carried out using the Student’s t-test. Research results. It was found that ChatGPT matched the teacher in terms of the quality of evaluative feedback for the following criteria: ‘content of the paper’ (t=0.24; p>0.05), ‘organisation and structure’ (t=1; p>0.05), and ‘supporting ideas and arguments’ (t=1.43; p>0.05). Moreover, ChatGPT outperformed the teacher (not a native speaker) for the criteria ‘language of the essay’ (t=1.67; p≤0.05) and ‘originality of the essay’ (t=1.78; p≤0.05), which is explained by the fact that the GPT language model was developed based on large English textual data. This allowed the AI tool to be more accurate in assessing specifically the linguistic correctness of a written expression. Conclusion. The novelty of the study is in the confirmation of the ability of the AI tool ChatGPT 4.0 to provide qualitative feedback in assessing creative writing at the teacher's level or even better. The results of the study support more intensive implementation of ChatGPT 4.0 in the process of teaching foreign language and assessing the development level of students' writing skills.

사립유치원 경력교사가 경험하는 직무에 대한 고민과 요구

The purpose of this study is to find out the concerns and demands of the job experienced by experienced teachers in private kindergartens. To this end, seven experienced teachers who obtained the qualification as first-class full-time kindergarten teachers in Seoul were selected as participants for in-depth interviews. As a result of the study, from the concerns about the job experienced by experienced teachers in private kindergartens to the concerns arising from the kindergarten working environment, it was found that 'concerns of experienced teachers about unstable teaching jobs', 'concerns of experienced teachers for new job expansion', and 'challenges for adaptation to the new environment of experienced teachers'. The concerns arising from the perception of experienced members were 'excessive burden of work given to experienced teachers' and 'difficulty in recognizing and performing roles as intermediaries'. The demands for jobs experienced by experienced kindergarten teachers in private kindergartens were 'improving the reasonable treatment and treatment of experienced teachers' and 'development of teacher education programs for differentiated experienced teachers' due to the improvement of the institutional level. The improvements at the individual level were 'activation of mentoring using experienced teachers' and 'operation of a kindergarten professional learning community for experienced teachers'. It is expected that the job environment of experienced kindergarten teachers will be improved through this study.

INFLUENCE OF SCHOOLS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION ON THE RETENTION OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN RURAL PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF RWANDA A CASE OF RUHANGODISTICT

The study concentrated on the investigation of the influence of geographical location of schools on the retention of qualified teachers in Rwandas rural public secondary schools, with a particular emphasis on the Ruhango district. The study had specific four objectives, including evaluating the influence of working conditions on qualified teacher retention in Rwandas rural public secondary schools, establishing the influence of the school environment on qualified teacher retention, assessing the degree to which economic factors influence qualified teacher retention in Rwandas rural public secondary schools, to determine the influence of socio-cultural isolation on qualified teacher retention in Rwandas rural public secondary schools. The study employed a correlational research design with a study population of four hundred and four (404) in order to achieve its goals. The sample of 201 respondents, which was made up of teachers, deputy head teachers, and head teachers, was chosen using Slovins formula. The sampling techniques adopted included stratified, purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The research tools namely questionnaires and interview guide were tested for reliability and validity to ascertain their appropriateness for data collection where it was ascertained that Cronbach Alpha is within the required range and all comments from experts were incorporated. Respondents were provided questionnaires and structured interviews as research tools for data collection. The Statistical Product and Service Solutions (IBMSPSS) version22, a computer program, was used to enter the acquired raw data. The researcher accessed the influence of each school location indicator on the using inferential statistics, such as the Karl Pearson coefficient of correlation (r) and regression coefficients were utilized to assess how school location influences the retention of qualified teachers in Rwandas rural public secondary schools. Findings were displayed in tables and figures, and relevant suggestions and recommendations were given in light of the findings. Descriptive statistical findings revealed poor geographical locational factors in rural public schools with 60% of respondents disagreeing that they have favourable working conditions, school environment, economic conditions and sociocultural factors. Additionally, the responses did reveal that there is strong positive correlation between working conditions, school environment, economic conditions and sociocultural isolation and qualified teacher retention with Pearson coefficient of 0.736, 0.748, 0.742 and 0.754 respectively. there regression findings also did indicate a positive influence of geographical location factors of a school on qualified teacher retention with beta coefficients of working conditions, working environment, economic conditions and sociocultural isolation reported as 0.110,0.183, 0.145 and 0.285 respectively. the study concluded that there is positive significant influence of working conditions, school environment, economic conditions and sociocultural factors on qualified teacher retention in rural public secondary schools. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education and Policymakers to develop and implement comprehensive policies that enhance the living and working conditions of teachers in rural areas, improve school environmental factors, improve infrastructure within and outside school. Additionally, local education authorities and stakeholders should collaborate to foster a supportive community for teachers, Teachers should be proactive in seeking professional development opportunities and building a supportive network among their peers.

Responsive professional development: A facilitation approach for teachers’ development in a physics teaching community of practice

Creating learning environments that can accommodate teachers’ diverse needs is challenging because responsive elements are not clearly defined or identified. This study identified responsive teacher professional development (PD) elements by taking a phenomenological approach. Using surveys and interviews with 13 high school physics teachers in a PD program at a Midwestern university, we identified responsive features such as practicality, flexibility, and accessibility core to the enactment of a responsive PD. Other features were opportunities for community engagement, pedagogical support, and professional growth, which were aligned with the benefits of engagement in a Community of Practice model incorporated in this work.

Norwegian science teacher educators’ views of the master’s thesis and the supervision process

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to investigate Norwegian science teacher educators’ views of the master’s thesis and the supervision process in connection with the recent change to five-year master’s programmes. Interviews with fourteen science teacher educators from the seven teacher education institutions offering a master’s specialisation in science education were analysed inductively through thematic analysis. The teacher educators’ perceptions were represented by four themes: development of personal traits, academic competence, value for classroom practice and value for the teaching community. Furthermore, they emphasised being project leaders and having competence in science education and relational competence when supervising master’s theses. The science educators are positive about the general features of the master’s thesis, such as developing personal traits and more research-competent colleagues of teachers. However, the study revealed that many supervisors expressed a lack of competence and supervision experience, and we suggest involving teacher educators in research projects in education.

Teachers’ authoritarian leadership and students’ well-being: the role of emotional exhaustion and narcissism

BackgroundTeachers’ leadership styles have a significant impact on students’ academic performance, physical health and mental health. Authoritarian leadership, as a typical leadership style, is prevalent in the teacher community. The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanisms by which authoritarian leadership impacts students’ well-being. We also examined the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of narcissism.MethodsThis study is based on conservation of resources theory. We selected a sample of 369 students from a university in Sichuan province, collected data through two time points, and tested the data using SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 22.0.ResultsIt was found that teachers’ authoritarian leadership negatively impacted students’ well-being and that emotional exhaustion mediated the relationship between authoritarian leadership and well-being. Narcissism not only moderated the effect of authoritarian leadership on emotional exhaustion, but also moderated the mediation role of emotional exhaustion.ConclusionsOur findings enriched the research on authoritarian leadership and narcissism, and also had important practical implications for future teacher teaching in higher education.

Crossing boundaries: developing preservice teachers' professional identity through hybrid school–university partnerships

PurposeSchool–university partnerships are the core of effective teacher preparation programs, and central to this model are the classroom teachers who mentor preservice teachers into the profession. This article describes an innovative collaboration that transcends institutional boundaries, operating in a hybrid space, aimed at supporting preservice teachers' development as educators, expanding their professional networks and fostering their sense of belonging and professional identity within a broader community of teacher leaders.Design/methodology/approachThis article describes a hybrid partnership model that provides preservice teachers with innovative mentoring experiences. Research on hybrid partnership models and boundary-spanning frames the discussion. The article provides a brief overview of two iterations of a collaboration between elementary preservice teachers and a cohort of teacher leaders in a fellowship program. The paper concludes by discussing lessons learned and directions for future research on the topic.FindingsPreservice teachers benefit from opportunities to engage with a variety of mentors throughout their program. While the classroom teacher serving as a mentor is central to teacher preparation, there is a space for hybrid partnership models that provide preservice teachers additional mentors to support their development and connections to a professional learning community of teacher leaders. Through innovative hybrid collaborations, preservice teachers engage with diverse mentors, expanding their professional networks and preparing them to navigate the complexities of the educational landscape with a sense of belonging and identity.Originality/valueThis article contributes to the literature on hybrid partnership models, aimed at empowering preservice teachers by integrating them into a professional community of teacher leaders, fostering their sense of belonging, identity and preparedness to navigate the complexities of the profession.

Exploring the experience of participants in a pilot scheme to recognise teaching excellence in healthcare: A mixed methods approach

BackgroundWithin healthcare settings, practice-based healthcare professionals are expected to teach, supervise, assess and/or support learners in their respective disciplines. Ongoing development opportunities focusing specifically on teaching skills and support of students are varied and there are no mandatory requirements for practice-based healthcare professionals to develop formal teaching qualifications, despite their direct involvement with learners. ObjectiveTo explore the experience of participants in a pilot scheme to recognise teaching excellence in healthcare. DesignA mixed methods approach was used. Setting(s)One inner-city integrated health care system in the UK. ParticipantsThis study involved eleven participants in total: seven applicants who successfully completed the award and four mentors who supported them throughout the application process. Mentors were all Advance HE Fellowship holders employed within one National Health Service (NHS) organisation and one Higher Education Institution situated within the Northwest of England. MethodsData collection methods included an online anonymised survey followed by individual semi- structured interviews. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and qualitative data were analysed using framework analysis principles. ResultsThe findings indicated that participants (applicants and mentors) found the overall experience positive and rewarding. The main positive aspects of taking part were:I. Increased confidence and sharing of teaching experience.II. Increased reflection and use of pedagogy.III. Formation of a teaching community of practice.IV. Perceived teaching career progression opportunities.The application process appeared to act as a catalyst towards re-engagement with underpinning pedagogy when considering the suitability and utility of effective teaching approaches for learners in practice. It also helped to promote a teaching community of practice where mentors were able to ‘pay forward’ and support practice colleagues to be recognised for their teaching roles.The main challenges were the competing demands on applicants’ time and the self-directed approach required to complete the award application. ConclusionGaining recognition of teaching excellence through an award scheme such as Advance HE Fellowship can foster a sense of empowerment, recognition and reward for educators who work with learners undertaking Higher Education Programmes, irrespective of the setting where teaching and learning takes place. However, without wider organisation support and resources, the benefits of such schemes can be diminished. RegistrationN/A Tweetable abstractWith institutional support, Advance HE Fellowships offer accessible recognition for healthcare educator's commitment to teaching excellence @AdvanceHE @NHSE_WTE

PhD students’ acceptance of the university teaching community’s cultural norms and by the teaching community: a phenomenographic study

ABSTRACT One of the aims of PhD students’ socialisation is for them to accept the norms of the teaching culture and to be fully engaged with and accepted by the university teaching community. However, when PhD students enter universities, they do not necessarily accept all of the university teaching community’s cultural norms, nor do they all experience acceptance by the community. This phenomenographic study aims to develop an understanding of the variation across PhD students’ lived experiences of their acceptance by the teaching community, and their acceptance of the university teaching community’s cultural norms. Twenty-five Estonian doctoral students participated in the study. The study identified three qualitatively different ways in which PhD students experienced acceptance of the teaching culture and acceptance into the teaching community. These were: as equal partners, as knocking against boundaries and as being on the margins.