Competence In Teacher Education Research Articles

The Multifaceted Field of Virtual Exchanges in Teacher Education: A Literature Review

Virtual exchanges can be seen as a powerful tool in fostering digital- pedagogical, intercultural, and foreign language competences in teacher education. Since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, virtual exchanges in teacher education have gained increasing attention both in research and practice. Despite a growing number of publications and various fields and themes covered by research and reports, few publications are concerned with connecting and systematising the discourse on virtual exchanges between 2020-2023. This paper, thus, aims to offer a comprehensive overview of how virtual exchanges are employed in teacher education by adopting a scoping study approach and examining research papers published in this period of time. Our findings cover the planning, implementation, and evaluation of virtual exchanges, as well as some overarching recommendations for improving the delivery of virtual exchanges in teacher education as they are provided in the research papers. Virtual exchanges in teacher education are a multifaceted field since it has multiple aims, usages, and impacts, which largely depend on the (mostly voluntary) work of teacher educators, the institutional framework within which the exchanges take place, and student teachers’ motivation to participate. The future of virtual exchanges in teacher education would benefit by opening up beyond foreign language teacher education and combining small-scale with large-scale studies to better inform research and practice.

Developing professional digital competence in Norwegian teacher education: a scoping review

The widespread use of educational technology in schools compels teachers to seamlessly integrate technology while developing students’ digital competence. As educational technology continually evolves, digital competence becomes a dynamic target. Thus, teacher education must effectively prepare student teachers to teach effectively with technology. Researchers are increasingly examining the concept of teachers’ digital competence and how teacher education supports student teachers’ acquisition of digital skills for future employability. In Nordic countries like Norway, the term Professional Digital Competence (PDC) frames a teacher’s essential knowledge for using digital technology in teaching and learning. Despite this focus, there’s limited understanding of how Norwegian teacher education fosters PDC. This scoping review investigates current research on PDC and its implementation within Norwegian teacher education. Findings from numerical and thematic analysis offer insights into the prevalent types of PDC research. Thirty-four peer-reviewed papers were identified and coded along three dimensions: (1) theoretical perspectives, (2) research questions and methods, and (3) application and implementation. The review reveals a predominant focus on student and teacher educator perceptions or self-assessments when measuring digital competence. Our findings show that professional digital competence in teacher education is diverse and multifaceted. However, there are gaps in the current state of knowledge. To address this, we propose a definition and a framework to guide teacher educators. Future research should broaden participant profiles and involve a more diverse group of educators.

Fostering teacher–student relationship-building competence: a three-year learning trajectory for initial pre-primary and primary teacher education

It is widely acknowledged that high-quality teacher-student relationships contribute to both student and teacher well-being. However, research shows that building these relationships can be challenging for teachers and signals opportunities for teacher education to better prepare them for building high-quality teacher-student relationships. As teachers’ relationship-building competence allows them to establish high-quality relationships with students, even those typically at-risk for conflictual relationships, we propose a learning trajectory targeting teachers’ dyadic relationship-building competence to be implemented in initial teacher education. Such a learning trajectory allows for progressively deepening the level of understanding and self-reflection throughout the three-year initial education program. To address teachers’ relationship-building competence in teacher education, relevant competencies, selected in previous research by an independent expert panel, were translated into specific learning goals, learning activities, and materials in close collaboration with partner university colleges. An overview of planned quantitative and qualitative data collection is presented. The learning trajectory could strengthen initial pre-primary and primary teacher education programs in supporting pre-service teachers’ relationship-building competence.

Tensions between the political, institutional, and project levels when developing professional digital competence in teacher education. A cultural historical activity theory analysis of inhibiting and facilitating factors

ABSTRACT This study is a Cultural Historical Activity Theory analysis of the tensions between object and motive at the political, institutional and project management levels for five digitalisation projects aimed at integrating professional digital competence (PDC) in Norwegian teacher education (TE). The study is inspired by ethnography and builds on a variety of qualitative data (including qualitative interviews (N = 14)) gathered through the author’s participation in different roles (2017–2021). Identifying objects and motives across levels allows for the identification of factors inhibiting and facilitating factors the development of PDC in TE. An analytical model was developed to identify the objects and motives at each level, showing a political object of preparing for the future, an institutional object of creating high quality TE, and a project management object of delivering a lasting impact on TE. These differing objects and motives guide the activities at each level and reveal tension, including between the political push for change, project management’s attempts to deliver impact, and a culture built on academic freedom which seems counterproductive by slowing things down. The study also reveals facilitating factors, such as funding and relevance in collaboration with schools, and inhibiting factors like academic freedom and the expected speed of change.

Fostering Global Competence in Teacher Education: Curriculum Integration and Professional Development

In an increasingly interconnected world, global competence in teacher education is paramount. This qualitative study delved into the perspectives of teacher education students, exploring their insights and experiences regarding integrating global competence into educational practice. Through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis, several key themes emerged, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of global competence. Participants emphasized the necessity of understanding diverse languages, cultures, histories, and geographical landscapes, highlighting their role in fostering intercultural empathy and appreciation. Moreover, the study elucidated the challenges faced in promoting global competence within the educational system, including curriculum constraints and limited opportunities for experiential learning. However, amidst these challenges, participants identified various strategies and recommendations for enhancing global competence in teacher education. These recommendations included integrating cross-cultural content into the curriculum, providing experiential learning opportunities, investing in professional development for educators, and fostering partnerships with international educational institutions. By addressing these recommendations, educators and policymakers could pave the way for a more inclusive and globally-minded educational system, equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in an interconnected world.

Exploring and reflecting on the influences that shape teacher professional digital competence frameworks

ABSTRACT The importance of Digital Competence in teacher education has increased in recent years resulting in a range of digital competency frameworks aimed at guiding national and regional governments in their integration of digital competence in teacher education. The discourses and assumptions underpinning digital competence frameworks are discussed in this paper using two influential supra-national competency frameworks, the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers and the DigCompEdu, as examples. The theoretical reflection argues that several influences have shaped the current discourse. These influences include the rise of teacher performance and competency frameworks, the tradition of ranking teachers’ levels of technology use and the techno-centric education discourses that align technology use with constructivist practices. Through this theoretical reflection, the paper raises questions about their use in, and implications for, teacher education arguing that, while such frameworks provide helpful guidance for policy makers and teacher educators, they may stifle teachers’ professional autonomy and straight-jacket technology use in a linear and deterministic manner.

Empowering Media Literacy Skills: Enhancing Student Teachers’ Awareness of New Literacy Competencies in Teacher Education

Empowering Media Literacy Skills: Enhancing Student Teachers’ Awareness of New Literacy Competencies in Teacher Education

Cross-Cultural Experiences in Teacher Education: Indonesian Pre-Service English Teachers' Perspectives on International Teaching Practicum

This study addresses a significant gap in current literature concerning the international teaching practicum experiences of Asian pre-service teachers specializing in English education. Focusing on three Indonesian pre-service teachers, the research explores their experiences during international practicum in the Czech Republic, Thailand, and Malaysia. Methodologically, the study employed in-depth semi-structured interviews, along with the analysis of narrative journals and artifacts from the International Teaching Practicum (ITP) program, following the thematic analysis approach by Braun and Clarke (2006). This involved meticulous examination of data, coding, and thematic classification to derive meaningful interpretations. Key findings highlight the challenges faced by participants, including language barriers and cultural adaptation. Despite these challenges, participants reported substantial growth in confidence and self-assurance, fostered by active participation in teaching and learning activities. Significantly, the practicum provided valuable insights into multicultural education, deepening the participants' understanding of different teaching methodologies, the role of teachers, and the nuances of local educational systems. The implications of this study are far-reaching, particularly in enhancing multicultural competence in teacher education. By shedding light on the under-researched area of international teaching practicum involving Asian contexts, the study contributes essential insights into the evolving landscape of global teacher education.

“And then I check to see if it looks legit” – digital critical competence in teacher education

This study investigates pre-service teachers’ understanding and use of their own digital critical competence. In the Norwegian teacher training programmes, pre-service teachers at all levels are required to develop critical reflection skills and learn basic digital skills. They have to be able to communicate digitally and at the same time be able to reflect on how developments in technology entail a growing need for critical assessment of digital media. Through a qualitative approach, we interviewed 17 social studies pre-service teachers at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and asked how they understand and use digital critical competence. Our study shows that the students’ understanding of digital critical competence as a concept in the early stage of their education is mainly linked to source criticism and can largely be classified as a procedural understanding. A procedural approach means acting without any consideration of the underlying intentions; it requires little thought, and cognitive operations are ignored. More experienced pre-service teachers can link digital critical competence more clearly to the teaching profession and the school context and can reflect on didactic perspectives. They have a more norm-critical approach and question how information and knowledge are established. We find that they have developed a more critical and reflexive approach. The implication for teacher education is that digital critical competence should have a space in all subjects, not just social studies. This will help improve the quality of education and equip the pre-service teachers for everyday life as critical and reflexive teachers.

Exploring the Impact of Integrating the Nursery Teacher Certificate on Student Teachers’ Teaching Competences in Teacher Education in Shaanxi, China

This quantitative study investigates the impact of integrating the Nursery Teacher Certificate into teacher education in Chinese vocational and technical colleges, specifically focusing on the perspectives of student teachers majoring in Early Childhood Care Education. The study aims to assess the influence of integrating the Nursery Teacher Certificate into nursery teacher education on the teaching competences of student teachers. A sample of 95 respondents, enrolled in the Early Childhood Care Education program across five vocational and technical colleges in Shaanxi, China, participated in the study. The findings reveal that integrating the Nursery Teacher Certificate has a positive impact on student teachers’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes, enhancing their practical teaching competence. However, the certificate program neglects the cultivation of classroom management skills in the teacher education, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive approach to address this gap. These findings have implications for the revision of certificate curricula to incorporate explicit training in classroom management and emphasize the importance of nurturing well-rounded teaching competences. By addressing this discrepancy, teacher education programs can better prepare future nursery teacher educators for the challenges they may face in their teaching careers.

Exploring the Impact of Integrating the Nursery Teacher Certificate on Student Teachers’ Teaching Competences in Teacher Education in Shaanxi, China

Exploring the Impact of Integrating the Nursery Teacher Certificate on Student Teachers’ Teaching Competences in Teacher Education in Shaanxi, China

Assessing competence in teacher education: Development of university students’ problem-solving skills

In our research, we examined the development of complex problem-solving skills among 1st-year teachers training undergraduate students in engineering at Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania (N = 73). The research aimed to determine whether knowledge transfer works among students in interpreting life-like, specific problems. A worksheet was used as a measuring tool. In compiling it, we applied the concept that tasks include computer-transferable algorithms (such as cryptography process, parallel computing, and constraints), and their solution does not require any special IT knowledge, only structured and logical thinking. The research reports on the extent to which teacher training students have acquired knowledge and problem-solving strategies related to certain disciplines. The obtained data shed light on the fact that the lack of an interdisciplinary approach hinders the recognition of the connections between the different fields of education. Keywords: Computational thinking; problem-solving skills; Teaching education.

Exploring the Relationships between Pre-Service Preparation and Student Teachers’ Social-Emotional Competence in Teacher Education: Evidence from China

The role of social-emotional competence in sustaining teachers’ professional development has been increasingly gaining prominence. Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study attempted to explore the deep internal mechanisms of the influence of university climate on student teachers’ social-emotional competence in the context of China. A cluster sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey on 1776 student teachers from 20 universities in 17 provinces of China. This study uses a structural equation model to analyze the effect of university climate and basic psychological needs on social-emotional competence, which is moderated by relative deprivation. This study found that university climate has a significant positive effect on social-emotional competence; the association between university climate and social-emotional competence is mediated by basic psychological needs; relative deprivation plays a moderating role. The direct effect of university climate on social-emotional competence and the path from university climate to basic psychological needs were moderated by relative deprivation. Specifically, compared with low relative deprivation individuals, the university climate had a weaker positive effect on social-emotional competence and basic psychological needs in high relative deprivation individuals. Based on above empirical evidence, this study shed light on the mechanism for cultivating student teachers’ social-emotional competence, thus improving our understanding of the sustainable professional development of teachers from an emotional perspective.

Promoting socio-emotional learning competencies in teacher education through online clinical simulations

ABSTRACT Increasing research indicates the effectiveness of simulation-based learning as a means of socio-emotional learning (SEL). Traditionally, simulations are conducted face-to-face (FTF) with a live actor in the role of the ‘other’. The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the shifting of simulations to online settings. To explore the differences between FTF and online conditions, questionnaires were administered to 49 FTF participants, 87 online participants, and 50 control participants; 11 participants who experienced both experimental conditions were interviewed. Results revealed that online simulations contributed to similar SEL growth as FTF. Interviews highlighted differences in the subjective experience of FTF and online participants.

Understanding the relationships between teacher mindfulness, work engagement, and classroom emotions.

This cross-sectional study investigated the relationships between teacher mindfulness, work engagement, and classroom emotions composed of positive and negative emotions. A sample of 498 Chinese primary, secondary, and high school teachers completed an anonymous online questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, bivariate correlation, and a series of regression equations were conducted to analyze the data. The results indicate that teacher mindfulness, work engagement, and classroom emotions are all at the intermediate level, and significantly correlated. The effect of teacher mindfulness on classroom emotions is partially mediated by work engagement. In addition, negative emotions partially mediate the effect of teacher mindfulness on work engagement, while positive emotions fully mediate it. These results highlight the importance of fostering teacher mindfulness through mindfulness-based intervention, developing teacher emotion regulation competence in teacher education, and cultivating supportive classroom and school culture for teachers to experience more positive emotions from students and administrators.

An Examination on EFL Preservice Teachers’ Development of Core Competencies Through Technology-Enhanced Language Learning

The use of technology in language teaching and learning has become more and more significant in recent years. Technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) has been highlighted due to the rapid changes in the field of education. This study investigated how TELL affected preservice teachers’ perceived competencies in teacher education. Thirty-one preservice teachers at a medium-sized university in South Korea participated in this study. Survey questionnaires were the major data sources to check correlations between core competencies and see any differences in the participants’ competencies through the TELL environment. The results showed that all the five core competencies (i.e., self-directed learning, challenge, convergence, communication, and problem solving) are correlated. Among them, the correlation between competencies in convergence and problem solving showed the strongest relationship. From the t-test analyses, All the core competencies except for self-directed learning were statistically significant, which indicates TELL was an effective instruction for preservice teachers. This study discusses the importance of developing TELL strategies to increase competencies in convergence and problem solving and promoting reflective practice in TELL.

Student assistants in Future Classroom Labs moving between figured worlds and becoming a resource for developing professional digital competence in teacher education

Student assistants in Future Classroom Labs moving between figured worlds and becoming a resource for developing professional digital competence in teacher education

Sustainability – Local explorations – Global awareness

Education for Sustainable Development in teacher education: Possibilities, capabilities, and dilemmas in educating teachers to handle the complexity of sustainability issues through interdisciplinary and outdoor didactics. What is the relationship between specific substantive knowledge and interdisciplinary skills and the measurable competencies and 'Bildung' processes for teachers in a sustainable future? This paper presents a course, its intentions, methodology, content, and a discussion of the dilemmas between, on the one hand, subject-specific skills in 'nature & technology' and in 'history,' as well as interdisciplinary skills, and on the other hand measurable competencies in teacher education and ideals of 'Bildung.'

Trends of competencies in teacher education from 2015 to 2020: A Systematic Review Analysis

Trends of competencies in teacher education from 2015 to 2020: A Systematic Review Analysis

Assessing competence in teacher education: Development of university students’ problem-solving skills

In our research, we examined the development of complex problem-solving skills among 1st-year teachers training undergraduate students in engineering at Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania (N = 73). The research aimed to determine whether knowledge transfer works among students in interpreting life-like, specific problems. A worksheet was used as a measuring tool. In compiling it, we applied the concept that tasks include computer-transferable algorithms (such as cryptography process, parallel computing, and constraints), and their solution does not require any special IT knowledge, only structured and logical thinking. The research reports on the extent to which teacher training students have acquired knowledge and problem-solving strategies related to certain disciplines. The obtained data shed light on the fact that the lack of an interdisciplinary approach hinders the recognition of the connections between the different fields of education. Keywords: Computational thinking; problem-solving skills; Teaching education.