Conceptions Of Teaching Research Articles

In Search of Quality English Teaching in Nepal: Narratives, Reflections and Descriptors

The aim of this paper is to analyze Nepali English teachers’ narrations and reflections about good English language teaching which they most enjoyed and affected their career choices. The present paper adopted narrative inquiry as a research design. The study was conducted with five participants who unfolded stories and memoirs on how they learned English. The participants shared their experiences which left indelible marks on their minds. The data were analyzed thematically in such a way that their conceptions of quality English teaching were reflected. The study indicated that teachers are instrumental in enabling learning, and they succeed most when they exhibit the behaviors that lead to the desired learning outcomes, such as excellent grades, favorable attitudes toward learning, and improved learning abilities. Good teaching is not a static, stereotyped activity that can only be accomplished by using instructional techniques. Quality English language teaching cannot be imagined without quality English teachers who are required to possess competencies like strong subject-matter expertise, pedagogical skills, contextual knowledge, passion, and the capacity to foster a friendly learning atmosphere so that they can maximize learning and are better able to accomplish increased learning. Thus, quality English language teaching places learners at the center of the learning process.

Teacher and Student in the 21st Century: A Mixed Design Research

This study aims to investigate the effect of the teaching practice course on gaining 21st century teacher skills for pedagogical formation group teacher candidates. Participants views on the course, 21st century teachers, 21st century students, and metaphors created regarding these are also examined. We employed an embedded mixed design. In the quantitative part of the study, a single-group pre-test and post-test experimental design is used. The qualitative part is conducted with phenomenology. For data collection purposes, the 21st century teacher skills use scale, a semi-structured interview form, and a metaphor form were used. We found that the teaching practice course is effective for gaining 21st century teacher skills. This result can be interpreted as teacher candidates enrolled in pedagogical training programs being able to complete the program with acquired teaching skills and being capable of providing the necessary education to their students, composed of 21st century learners. Participants expressed their views on the concepts of 21st century teacher and 21st century student under different categories. Teaching practice courses contributed under the categories of professional skills, professional knowledge, and attitudes and values. Metaphors created by the participants on the concept of the 21st century teacher were related to guiding, updating knowledge, being productive, and being innovative, and on the concept of the 21st century student, they were related to developing, being able to load lots of information into the mind, fulfilling what is expected of them, and being in constant struggle. These results provide a significant insight into how teacher candidates perceive 21st century educational concepts and teacher-student roles.

Generic skills in higher education – teachers’ conceptions, pedagogical practices and pedagogical training

ABSTRACT Teachers’ conceptions of teaching play a key role in the pedagogical practices they apply in their teaching. Previous studies of conceptions of teaching generic skills have been mainly qualitative with small samples, and thus there is a need for a more extensive quantitative study. This study investigates the associations between higher education teachers’ conceptions of teaching generic skills, pedagogical practices, pedagogical training, and teaching experience. The data consist of teachers’ survey answers (N = 286). The findings indicate that conceptions were related to pedagogical practices. In addition, pedagogical training has a significant relation to conceptions and pedagogical practices. However, teaching experience did not relate to conceptions of generic skills, but it did to some of the practices. This study suggests a need for teachers to enhance their awareness of conceptions related to teaching generic skills and highlights the importance of pedagogical training.

The Relationship between Teaching-Learning Conceptions and Sense of Self-Efficacy of Pre-Service EFL Teachers

Teachers’ teaching-learning conceptions and sense of selfefficacy are important constructs that can affect each other and directly influence the effectiveness of teaching. This study investigates the relationship between teachinglearning conceptions and sense of self-efficacy of preservice EFL teachers using a mixed-method research design. The quantitative data were collected from 374 4th grader pre-service teachers who were studying ELT in state universities. This study used the Turkish versions of the Teaching and Learning Conceptions Questionnaire and Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale. Open-ended questions were used to gather qualitative data from 42 pre-service teachers who consented to respond. Descriptive statistical techniques and content analysis were used for the data analysis. The study found that teachers adopted a constructivist conception more than a traditional one. The results also suggest that the pre-service teachers have high level of self-efficacy beliefs. The results showed that preservice teachers' teaching-learning conceptions and sense of self-efficacy were related. High and positive correlations were found between their constructivist conception and efficacy for student engagement, efficacy for instructional strategies, and efficacy for classroom management. The preservice teachers felt efficacious in instructional strategies, student involvement, and classroom management. Their traditional conception is negatively correlated to their efficacy for student engagement.Taking the results into consideration, implications and suggestions were formulated for the main stakeholders of language teacher education.

Conceptions of classroom assessment and approaches to grading: teachers’ and students’ perspectives

ABSTRACT Classroom assessment and grading play central roles in education, with important impacts on teachers and students. This study examined the interactions between Canadian teachers’ and students’ conceptions of assessment and approaches to grading. 219 teachers and students completed a survey with two scales: Teachers’ Conceptions of Assessment (TCOA) and Teachers’ Approaches to Grading (TAG). Factor analysis of the TCOA scale showed four factors: assessment to improve teaching and learning, negative or irrelevant assessment, assessment for student and school accountability, and inaccurate assessment. Analysis of the TAG survey also showed four factors: social-emotional pressures for grade increases/changes, situational considerations for grade increases/changes, contextual-based grading, and achievement-based grading. Discriminant analysis showed that four out of these eight factors from the two scales had the strongest effects on teachers’ and students’ membership in their respective groups. The results contribute to a more complete understanding of assessment cultures as conceived by teachers and students.

JOB SATISFACTION, ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE: STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT AMONG PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS

The desire of teachers to support students and assume responsibility for their education is embraced by the concept of teacher’s organizational commitment. The idea of teachers' organizational commitment embraces teachers' desire to assist students and take ownership of their education. To determine how happy they were with their positions, how they felt about the business culture, how balanced work and family life were, and how devoted they were to the organization, this study looked at 420 public school teachers in the Davao Region. Furthermore, it analyzed the associations between the factors. A structure-equation model was used to determine work-life balance, job satisfaction, and organizational culture that matched teachers' organizational commitment. The discoveries uncovered high degrees of hierarchical commitment, the balance between serious and fun activities, authoritative culture, and occupation fulfillment. Important relationships were between work-life balance, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction. Organizational culture and organizational commitment were also important relationships. Lastly, there was a good fit for the teachers' organizational commitment regarding work-life balance, organizational support, and professional pride. These factors included organizational culture, employee management, and strategic emphasis. Therefore, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and work life balance were strong predictors of organizational commitment. In order to prevent teacher turnover in this profession, it was advised that schools always support teachers' ongoing professional development, which can be done through seminars and training.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0015/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Limited or complete? Teaching and learning conceptions and instructional environments fostered by STEM teaching versus research faculty

BackgroundAn instructor’s conceptions of teaching and learning contribute to the establishment of learning environments that may benefit or hinder student learning. Previous studies have defined the continuum of teaching and learning conceptions, ranging from limited to complete, as well as the instructional practices that they help to inform (instructor-centered to student-centered), and the corresponding learning environments that these conceptions and practices establish, ranging from traditional to student-centered. Using the case of one STEM department at a research-intensive, minority serving institution, we explored faculty’s conceptions of teaching and learning and their resulting instructional practices, as well as uncovered their perspectives on the intradepartmental faculty interactions related to teaching. The study participants were drawn from both teaching-focused (called Professors of Teaching, PoTs) and traditional research (whom we call Research Professors, RPs) tenure-track faculty lines to identify whether differences existed amongst these two populations. We used interviews to explore faculty conceptions and analyzed syllabi to unveil how these conceptions shape instructional environments.ResultsOverall, PoTs exhibited complete conceptions of teaching and learning that emphasized student ownership of learning, whereas RPs possessed intermediate conceptions that focused more on transmitting knowledge and helping students prepare for subsequent courses. While both PoTs and RPs self-reported the use of active learning pedagogies, RPs were more likely to also highlight the importance of traditional lecture. The syllabi analysis revealed that PoTs enacted more student-centered practices in their classrooms compared to RPs. PoTs appeared to be more intentionally available to support students outside of class and encouraged student collaboration, while RPs focused more on the timeliness of assessments and enforcing more instructor-centered approaches in their courses. Finally, the data indicated that RPs recognized PoTs as individuals who were influential on their own teaching conceptions and practices.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that departments should consider leveraging instructional experts who also possess a disciplinary background (PoTs) to improve their educational programs, both due to their student-centered impacts on the classroom environment and positive influence on their colleagues (RPs). This work also highlights the need for higher education institutions to offer appropriate professional development resources to enable faculty to reflect on their teaching and learning conceptions, aid in their pedagogical evolution, and guide the implementation of these conceptions into practice.

Motivation and Job Satisfaction as Predictors of Professional Commitment in Teachers

In the education process, the person in direct communication with all the stakeholders and the implementer of the process is the teacher. The commitment of teachers to their profession has an important place in achieving the goals of education. As such, it is substantial to specify the variables that are related to and affect it to improve professional commitment. The concepts of teachers' motivation and job satisfaction have occupied a very important place in the literature in recent years. Determining the relationship between these two features and teachers' professional commitment will provide practical benefits for the educational process. The study investigated the relationship between job satisfaction and motivation of teachers with their professional commitment and their effect on it. The research, conducted with a correlational survey design, was carried out with 555 teachers from different school types and branches working in schools in different districts of Erzurum. Data were collected through the Professional Commitment Scale, the Job Satisfaction Scale, and the Teacher Motivation Scale. Multiple Linear Regression Analysis (MLRA) were used to analyze data. The results showed that teachers' professional commitment was positively related on motivation sub-dimensions and job satisfaction. Also, it was designated that job satisfaction and the sub-dimensions of motivation, "professional satisfaction and personal development" and "school management," were significant predictors of professional commitment. Considering the findings and limitations of the study, some suggestions were presented.

GURU DAN MURID DALAM PERSPEKTIF AL-QUR’AN DAN HADITS

This article aims to find out how the concept of teacher and student is according to the Qur'an and Hadith. The framework used to analyze this theme is a thematic study based on the discussion on the arguments of the Qur'an and Hadith in understanding the meaning of words and the essence of the concept of the teacher and student itself. The discussion that will be raised is the understanding of teachers and students from the perspective of the Qur’an and hadith. Because education is an activity that involves at least 2 individuals who are interrelated and interact with each other, which we know as teacher and student. Teachers are all those who try to improve others Islamically. They can be parents (fathers and mothers), uncles, siblings, neighbours, religious leaders, community leaders, and the wider community. As for students, they are people who want to get knowledge, experience and a good personality to equip their lives so they can be happy in this world and the hereafter by studying earnestly.

University teachers’ professional vision with respect to their conceptions of teaching and learning: findings from an eye-tracking study

This study investigated how university teachers’ (mis)conceptions of teaching and learning are related to their ability to notice and interpret pedagogically significant incidents in the classroom, that is their professional vision. Additionally, we examined whether university teachers can be supported in their development of conceptual understanding and professional vision through a short pedagogical training. A total of 32 university teachers who participated in this study completed a teacher conception questionnaire and an eye-tracking measurement with a stimulated retrospective recall (SRR) interview. A pre-test/post-test design was utilized. The findings indicate that in general, professional vision scores and (mis)conceptions of teaching and learning did not correlate. However, with regard to classroom incidents where teachers’ visual attention needed to be selectively allocated due to simultaneous interactions, university teachers with more misconceptions and less sophisticated conceptions of teaching and learning tended to focus on the teacher’s actions in the classroom. By contrast, university teachers with fewer misconceptions and with more sophisticated conceptions of teaching and learning tended to focus on students’ actions. University teachers’ less sophisticated conceptions became more sophisticated as a result of pedagogical training. Additionally, statistically significant improvements in participants’ noticing were identified, but interestingly not in their interpreting skills. The results emphasize the relevance of the need for pedagogical training and the development of conceptual understanding for university teachers in relation to learning theories in order to support their pedagogical expertise as well as their professional vision.

Teacher Self-Care Mandates as Institutional Gaslighting in a Neoliberal System

In this manuscript, I argue that narratives of self-care for educators in the midst of pandemic teaching are a form of gaslighting, supported and exacerbated by a neoliberal school system that reinforces individualist, White-normed conceptions of teaching and learning. To make this argument, I use several excerpts from practicing teachers’ writing to illustrate the deep sense of frustration and betrayal that teachers felt when inundated with self-care messages without regard for more systemic support and change.

SUPERVISI PEMBELAJARAN DALAM MENINGKATKAN SEMANGAT MENGAJAR GURU

This journal discusses with the learning supervision in boosting the spirit of teaching teachers. As for the focus on this journal is 1) the concept of learning supervision 2) the concept of teaching teacher 3) the implementation of supervision learning in raising the teacher's spirit. The purpose of this scientific journal is to describe the learning supervision in raising the teacher's spirit. it uses literature analysis methods that make use of library resources to obtain theories and restrict activities to library items and other factual references.

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF REFLECTION FOR TEACHERS? A STUDY ON PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

The concept of reflective teacher has been studied extensively in the last three decades and has facilitated the shift in the teacher education orbit from attainment to development. Our study seeks to discover the value of reflection for teachers and in what way their practices could potentially be influenced by it. The participants of the present study were 11 primary school teachers from Bucharest, Romania. By making use of a phenomenological qualitative inquiry approach, data were collected through a focus group and a reflective journal. The key findings indicate that the participants in the study are willing to embrace an investigative attitude that will help improve and assess practice, even if they are not used to it and do not always have the proper time to analyze their teaching practices daily. Moreover, multiple advantages of keeping a reflective journal were recognized: facilitation of teaching, enhancement of innovation, impact on professional growth, enhancement of problem-solving skills, improvement of overall effectiveness, and promotion of a positive learning environment.

Teachers Conception about Early Childhood Learners Adoption of 21st Century Skills in Central Punjab

Teachers' views on early childhood learners' 21st-century skills adoption are examined in this study. Education for the 21st century promotes student engagement and prepares them for a global, linked society. The study population was primary school teachers. The researcher randomly sampled two hundred fifty elementary school instructors—a questionnaire collected data for the study. Frequency, percentage, mean score, and standard deviation were used to achieve the study's goal. Most respondents said the classroom helped pupils communicate, according to the report. In contrast, most students said they support classroom punishment for learning. The institute improves early learners' communication and classroom motivation. Students follow the class routine and support classroom discipline because they feel safe and comfortable. The results suggest using the unified national curriculum at the preschool level to help young children develop 21st-century skills.

EFL teachers’ creativity in the classroom

In the 21st century, teaching and learning English should be creative. The teacher, as the orchestra conductor, is required to be creative in the classroom. The purpose of the present study is to scrutinize English teachers’ creativity when teaching. The concept of a creativity teacher (freedom, positive challenge, supervisory encouragement, group support, sufficient resources, and organizational support) from Amabille (1997) was adopted. This study is carried out in one Junior high school in Tebo Regency. Descriptive research methodology is used. The data was collected through direct communication and analyzed descriptively. The results revealed that the English teacher is creative in the classroom. She has implemented a pleasant learning atmosphere in the teaching and learning process. This study suggests that English teachers should be creative to foster students' creativity in the classroom environment. Keywords: 21st century learning; EFL teacher; teacher creativity

Prospective Teachers’ Metaphorical Perceptions of "School, Teacher, Principal and Superintendent"

Research on prospective teachers' perceptions and descriptions of the essential education
 concepts helps to determine their educational viewpoint before starting the profession. In
 this study, it is aimed to reveal and analyse the metaphorical perceptions of prospective
 teachers about the concepts of school, teacher, principal, and superintendent. The study is
 planned in a basic qualitative research design. Participants of the study were 95 students
 attending to Selcuk University in the 2021-2022 academic year. Participants were recruited
 by using convenience sampling. Data were collected by using an open-ended questionnaire
 form and were analysed by content analysis technique. A total of 358 metaphors related to
 the concepts of school, teacher, principal, and superintendent were produced by teacher
 candidates. Of these, 91 were related to schools, 103 to teachers, 89 to principals and 75 to
 superintendents. Findings showed that the metaphors reflect both positive and negative
 perceptions about the concepts. Prospective teachers often used positive metaphors for
 the concept of school, teacher, and principal. However, it was noted that the metaphors
 reflecting negative connotations for the concept of superintendent were relatively more.

Analysis of Perceptions on the Concept of Mathematics Teaching and Mathematics Teachers in Social Media: An Example of Participatory Dictionaries

Analysis of Perceptions on the Concept of Mathematics Teaching and Mathematics Teachers in Social Media: An Example of Participatory Dictionaries

Aspects of Application of the Teacher Concept in the Kyrgyz-English Picture of the World

Aspects of Application of the Teacher Concept in the Kyrgyz-English Picture of the World

Early Childhood Education Teacher Psychophysiology and Teacher Stress: Prior Findings, Current Studies, and Future Directions

Early Childhood Education Teacher Psychophysiology and Teacher Stress: Prior Findings, Current Studies, and Future Directions

University lecturers’ conceptions of online teaching in distance education courses in Vietnamese higher education

This study aimed to characterise academics’ conceptions of teaching in fully online undergraduate distance education courses with no on-campus component. The study aimed to fill a gap in the literature, as previous research had examined conceptions of teaching in face-to-face courses, with a few studies of blended teaching via the Internet in on-campus courses. Fourteen academics from five faculties in a Vietnamese regional university were interviewed, with the study taking place shortly after the outbreak of Covid-19. Grounded theory was used for data analysis. The results revealed four categories of conceptions of online teaching, namely online teaching (1) as transmitting structured knowledge and skills, (2) as guiding students to acquire knowledge and skills, (3) as facilitating students’ understanding via interaction and (4) as developing students’ understanding and capabilities. The four categories of conceptions were defined and distinguished by a set of six dimensions, which included e-Learning/LMS. The set of categories had some similarities to those found for face-to-face teaching, but also some distinctions which could be explained by the nature of online teaching and learning. The study, therefore, makes a major contribution by establishing a category scheme for conceptions of teaching in online distance education, with detailed characterisation of the four categories of conceptions. The descriptors of the conceptions showed cultural influences, particularly from a Confucian heritage, which is of significance as research into face-to-face conceptions had not found cultural variations.