Teacher Education Curriculum Research Articles

The simple view of teaching: authorised pedagogies, curriculum and the neoliberal learner in preservice teacher education

ABSTRACT In the context of a global teacher recruitment crisis, the English department for Education has responded by implementing a new, highly prescriptive curriculum for initial teacher education called the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework. Using a combination of content analysis and an original approach entitled “doppelganger as method,” we examine where a doubling has occurred, asking how this doubling functions. Our analysis of the Core Content Framework focuses on the construction of both learners and learning, teachers and teaching. We find that the complex, relationship-based, messy act of educating pre-service teachers is reduced to a simple view of teaching in which fidelity to the authorised curriculum content and pedagogy define quality. This doubling of teacher education into its doppelganger, teacher training is essentially dehumanising as it denies the personhood of the people involved and the complex, relational aspect of the process.

Leveraging Cultural Intelligence in Pre-Service Teachers: An Imperative for Socially Just Pedagogies

“The number one predictor of success in today’s borderless world is cultural intelligence.” – David Livermore. To live and work in harmony in today’s globalized society, like emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence is a conversation that cannot be ignored. Cultural intelligence is the difference between individuals who succeed in today’s multicultural, globalized world and those who fail. Teacher education institutions must be agents and catalysts for cultural intelligence. Since teachers continue to work with an increasingly diverse student population, the integration of culturally responsive curricula and culturally responsive teaching practices into teacher education is imperative to ensure socially just pedagogies. The purpose of this research is to analyse the level of cultural intelligence of pre-service teachers through a critical pedagogical lens, to identify gaps in the different dimensions of cultural intelligence and to make recommendations about how teacher education curricula may be differentiated to improve the level of cultural intelligence thus nurturing socially just pedagogies. A qualitative strategy was employed for this study. The target population of this study constituted preservice teachers. Data was collected using both a survey-type questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study based on the survey indicated that the majority of the respondents rated themselves as having high levels of cultural intelligence; however, individual interviews suggested that students displayed a relatively low level of cultural intelligence. It is therefore recommended that teacher education institutions reimagine their curricula to ensure that cultural intelligence is deliberately embedded into the design of their programme offerings to ensure the promotion of socially just pedagogies.

Exploration on the application of dynamics principles in police physical education curriculum teaching

The police physical education curriculum focuses on the integration of physical training and police skills training, aiming to enhance students’ physical fitness and police skill levels. By reasonably applying the principles of dynamics, teachers can develop more scientific and reasonable training plans, optimizing aspects such as strength training, speed training, endurance training, and skill instruction. The application of dynamics principles not only helps improve students’ physical fitness but also assists teachers in better understanding the mechanical principles involved when students perform movements, thereby enabling more effective skill instruction. Therefore, in the teaching of police physical education, emphasis should be placed on the integration and practice of dynamics principles to improve teaching quality and effectiveness, providing strong support for cultivating high-quality police talents.

중등 사회과 예비교사의 학교현장실습 경험: 비사범계 학생들의 경험을 중심으로

Objectives In this study, I will analyze how social studies pre-service teachers come to evaluate themselves as subject teachers through their experience teaching subjects during school field training. and analyze the perceptions and judgments social studies pre-service teachers come to make about the actual society and classes through the teachers and students they encounter in their subject classes. Methods For this reason, we conducted focus group interviews (FGI) with 16 social studies students affiliated with graduate schools of education, and pre-service teachers who were taking non-instructional field. Results As a result of the analysis, the pre-service teachers realized that they lacked subject knowledge and began to question their professionalism as teachers. and While taking an integrated social studies class, the pre-service teachers was faced with a reality that contradicted the theoretical discussions they had learned at university, and they felt panicked and confused. On the other hand, In the social studies elective class, pre-service teachers sometimes experienced difficulties as students who had come to the class for different purposes reacted negatively to the class due to the atmosphere they were living in. Conclusions It is necessary to supplement the pre-service teacher education curriculum so that teachers can acquire expertise in content knowledge in accordance with the characteristics of the social studies content area. and Ahead of the application of the high school credit system, it is necessary to make systematic and practical efforts to achieve teaching practices that are consistent with the purpose of the curriculum for both integrated social studies and elective subjects.

Integrating the Key Competencies of International Large-Scale Assessment (ILSA) into the Teacher-Education Curriculum in the Philippines

This study proposes a framework to integrate competencies from various international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) into the program design of a teacher educational institution (TEI) in the Philippines. Using a descriptive-developmental research design, the study examined how ILSA key competencies can be incorporated into the curriculum, along with practices of outcomes-based educational programs at the TEI. Inductive thematic analysis of focus group interviews revealed one overarching program-level theme: using ILSA as a benchmark for curriculum development. At the micro level, four core themes emerged: (1) strengthened content teaching, (2) increased pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) courses, (3) explicit targeting and teaching of ILSA competencies through course-intended learning outcomes (CILOs), and (4) ILSA-like assessments. The study recommends that the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) and TEIs collaborate to align pre-service teacher training with global literacy standards, ensuring that pre-service teachers are equipped to teach ILSA-recommended skills.

In Search of Deliberate Practice: Simulating Teaching in Three Teacher Education Programs

Background: Mixed reality simulations (MRSs) offer a platform for novice teachers to practice teaching in the absence of real children. Though prior research suggests simulated practice can be beneficial for novice teachers, these studies describe widely varying designs and implementations across teacher education programs (TEPs). As such, we lack clarity about the relative benefits of different approaches to simulated practice for novices who are entering teaching via a growing array of pathways. Purpose: To better understand the influence of context on novice teachers’ experiences in simulations, we conducted a study of three teacher education programs that used simulations as a component of their teacher education curriculum. Specifically, we asked the following research questions: How do novices in three differently structured TEPs experience a series of parallel practice opportunities in MRSs? What contextual features into, through, and beyond the approximation contribute to variation, if any, in novices’ experiences of practice in MRSs? Research Design: This mixed methods study leverages postsimulation survey data from novices ( n = 160) in three TEPs to understand how they experienced a parallel series of simulation tasks paired with support in the form of coaching or self-reflection. We elaborate on survey findings with qualitative analysis of each teacher education program and interviews with a purposive sample of participants from each program ( n = 15). Conclusions: Findings highlight the influence of context and supports on novices’ simulation experiences. In particular, the sequencing of practice with other preparatory opportunities into and beyond the approximation, as well as the provision of feedback and level of challenge through the practice can promote more useful practice opportunities in teacher education.

Fifty years of teacher education in South Africa: towards systematic learning and social transformation

ABSTRACT The article tracks key moments in teacher education policy and curriculum in South Africa from the 1970s to the present day. Political and social features of education in each decade are outlined, from a racialised and fragmented system of teacher education, to the imagining of alternatives, and the imperative for educational transformation. The article pays special attention to the role of teacher education in a national agenda of social reconstruction within the goals of the 1996 Constitution of South Africa, to establish a post-apartheid society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights. Drawing on a conception of teaching as organising systematic learning, we track ways in which changes in teacher education policy have enabled or restricted opportunities for systematic learning for students in different social contexts, and towards advancing equity. We argue that insights from strong theoretical frameworks create conditions of possibility for student teachers to analyse and interrogate their observations and experiences within the existing schooling system. In so doing, they potentially become agents of transformation, as they imagine practical possibilities for improving teaching in and beyond their immediate school and contextual realities. At the same time, we note the limitation of too narrow a focus on systematised knowledge, without sufficient attention to the life histories and aspirations of student teachers themselves. We suggest that a crucial way forward is to consider how personal development, teacher knowledges and classroom experiences and interactions work symbiotically to support student teachers’ pedagogic learning, even against the enduring challenges of severe inequalities in South Africa. This requires attention to how knowledge informs teaching, how curricula can support the process of learning to teach, and how systematic learning can be nurtured in the pursuit of social transformation.

예비교사의 디지털 역량에 대한 요구분석

The recent digital transformation in school education, including advancements in g enerative AI and digital technologies, highlights the need for digital competence a mong teachers. This study investigates the digital competence needs of pre-service elementary school teachers using Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), Borich's Needs Assessment Model, and The Locus for Focus Model. The study participants were 98 first-year pre-service teachers from University A. The results showed th at pre-service teachers perceived all four sub-competencies of digital competence a s highly important. Among these, the sub-competency with the highest priority wa s the capability to utilize digital technology in education, specifically in areas such as digital-based curriculum reconstruction, design of personalized learning using di gital technology, evaluation, selection, and development of digital technologies, data, services, and content, and design of practical learning experiences based on digital technology. The findings suggest that teacher education curriculum should be impr oved to reflect the high-priority competencies identified by pre-service teachers. B ased on the results, discussions and implications for research are proposed.

Teacher education in Israel: a fifty-year journey (1974–2024)

ABSTRACT This study explores the evolution of teacher education in Israel from 1974 to 2024, analysing key policy actions, reforms, and initiatives that have shaped the field over the past five decades. During these years, extensive efforts were undertaken at the state level by the Ministry of Education and the Council for Higher Education to elevate the status of the teaching profession by advocating for the professionalisation and professionalism of teaching and teachers. These efforts include the academisation process of all teacher education colleges, the establishment of task forces and standing committees to address challenges, continuous upgrades and adjustments to the initial teacher education curriculum, support mechanisms for newly qualified teachers, ongoing professional development for practicing teachers, including master’s degree programmes, salary adjustments, and the decision to move the colleges of education to the sole auspices of the Council for Higher Education and the Planning and Budgeting Committee. Despite these numerous attempts, the status of teachers has continued to decline, and the profession has struggled with low public perception and prestige, leading to both quantitative and qualitative teacher shortages. The repeated policy shifts and inconsistent implementation strategies have often exacerbated rather than resolved these issues. By providing a comprehensive historical analysis, the study offers insights into the successes and significant shortcomings of past initiatives, aiming to inform future policy-making and strategic planning to enhance the effectiveness and appeal of the teaching profession in Israel.

On the Integration of "Teaching, Learning and Evaluation" from the Perspective of Core Literacy and its Construction Paths

In the curriculum standards for various subjects in compulsory education issued in April 2022, it is advocated that the "teaching, learning, and evaluation" be integrated, and teachers are required to transform their educational approach and pay attention to the educational function of evaluation. The integration of "teaching, learning and evaluation" is not only the basic requirement of the new curriculum scheme, but also an important path to deepen the reform of basic education curriculum teaching, but also an important measure to develop students' core quality and implement the fundamental task of cultivating morality and people. However, from the current teaching practice, there are still many problems in the integration process of "teaching, learning and evaluation". This study makes a specific analysis of this, and tries to put forward the strategy of constructing the integration of "teaching, learning and evaluation", explore the effective path to promote teaching, so that the integration of "teaching, learning and evaluation" can be implemented.

A look at the early childhood teacher education undergraduate curriculum: is it gender sensitive?

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to investigate whether the Early Childhood Teacher Education Undergraduate Curriculum in Türkiye is gender sensitive. A document analysis method was used. Course contents were obtained from the Council of Higher Education, and the learning outcomes of the courses were accessed from the Early Childhood Teacher Education Undergraduate Program web page of a university. In the content and learning outcomes of the courses, the terms “gender (sex), men/women, social background, equality, children’s rights and democracy, cultural diversity, norm-normalisation, gender bias, sexism-homophobia, LGBTIQ+ were searched for gender sensitivity. We found that these terms are used in a limited way in the curriculum and are mostly included in the content of elective courses. The teacher education curriculum has limited content for pre-service teachers on gender equality. Adding new courses to the curriculum or improving the content of existing courses to support the perception of gender equality among teacher candidates is recommended.

Interpreting, translating, and embedding school curriculum in physical education teacher education: the need for collective action within and across the teacher education continuum

ABSTRACT Olson, J. K. [1977. “Teacher Education and Curriculum Change: Reexamining the Relationship.” Curriculum Inquiry 7 (1): 61–66]. https://doi.org/10.1080/03626784.1977.11076205. argued how in the wave of curriculum development, the role of teachers, and therefore initial teacher education (ITE), had been neglected and as such, they provided a vision for a revised form of ITE. We contend that almost 50 years on, the ITE community is yet to fulfil this vision for ITE. We explore this argument through the recent wave of physical education curriculum policy development, particularly the introduction of Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE), and the processes of interpretation, translation, and embedding curriculum into ITE. We were guided by the research question: How are physical education teacher educators embedding curriculum into their Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) programmes to best prepare pre-service teachers (PSTs) to teach such curriculum? Seventeen physical education teacher educators across three ITE institutes were interviewed on the processes of embedding LCPE into their respective programmes. Findings discuss the necessity for PETE programme reconfiguration, the (mis)alignment between PETE and current realities of PSTs, schools, and society, and highlight the need for advocacy and sharing across PETE. This paper advocates for teacher educators to be positioned as policy actors, pedagogical possibilities in PETE, and the need for different stakeholders to work (and learn) together.

Educational research in physics teacher education: the role of mathematics in physics teaching

Abstract Do student teachers benefit from contact with research, as required in our national teacher education curriculum? This paper describes the experiences of two pre-service teachers, who learned about common challenges encountered in the intersection between mathematics and physics. After a literature survey, they decided to try out a few questions with second-year high-school students (age 17). One of the student teachers constructed a pre- and post-test, confirming earlier results that students perform better on computational tasks. The second pre-service teacher included a few additional questions on a test given by another teacher. Based on the results on the test, four students were selected for interviews. The students interviewed all stated that they spend the majority of their time on calculations, whereas none of them had the habit of reading the textbook to understand the concepts. The interviews also revealed that solving a problem does not guarantee that the student understands the calculation. All students described a strategy of looking for a suitable formula on the sheet provided and just inserting numbers given. Through the test and the interviews, the student teachers gained training in assessment and an increased awareness of conceptual challenges and also of what Physics Education Research can offer.

Ways forward: More inclusive teacher education in England

AbstractThis paper underscores the need to address the matters of inclusion and social justice within the teacher education curriculum in England. Current curricula for teacher education emphasises subject and pedagogical knowledge for teaching, including supporting pupils with special educational needs. Although these knowledge are critical, we argue that matters of sexual orientation, disability, race and gender are not addressed in the statutory curriculum content. This has serious implications for pre‐service teachers who may be inadequately prepared for teaching in classrooms with diverse learners and for pre‐service teachers with minority and global majority identities who may feel excluded from the curriculum. We offer some ways forward for embedding inclusion into teacher education programmes.

Инновационные педагогические технологии и роль преподавателей в обеспечении качественного педагогического образования в Саудовской Аравии

Saudi Arabia's education sector has experienced substantial growth, with considerable investment and emphasis placed on teacher education. This qualitative research delves into the specific requirements and challenges faced by teachers in Saudi Arabia to underscore the necessity for comprehensive teacher education programs. Until now, Saudi teachers' colleges trained future school teachers for all school subjects especially English as a second/foreign language. However, there has been a change in teacher education planning and curriculum, and teachers of English (especially for schools) are mostly recruited who have bachelor's or master's degrees in English language/literature. Some researchers and educationalists are always of the view that proper pre-service teacher training is required to prepare effective teachers because school teaching lays a solid foundation for future courses and workplaces including English language institutes (for English teachers). Keeping the crucial roles in view, teacher education is expected to train teachers in digital education in augmented or virtual learning environments which emerged as a need in the post-Covid scenario. To cater to such needs, the researcher employed a purposive sampling technique and recruited 20 experienced school teachers and 5 English language instructors (from King Abdulaziz university, Jeddah-Saudi Arabia) who participated in semi-structured interviews. The study unearthed critical insights into teachers' perspectives, highlighting their needs, experiences, and expectations within the educational landscape. Through thematic analysis, the research identified significant areas for improvement in teacher education initiatives. The outcomes underscore the urgent need for tailored teacher education programs to better equip English teachers, ultimately enhancing the quality of English language instruction in Saudi Arabian schools.

Inculcating IKS cultural practices into the pre-service science and mathematics teacher education curriculum at an Institution of Higher Education in Namibia

In this paper we interrogate the teachers training programme offered at an institution of higher learning in Namibia. We used Empiricism to explore the authentic practices used in the transformational processes exposed to 3rd and 4th year mathematics and science student teachers. We emphasized three important constructs that guide the scholarship of teaching, namely standards of excellence, virtues and values to guide IK integration in the curriculum. We conclude that student teachers understood the meaning and importance of IK. However, the teacher preparation curriculum did not include aspects related to IK, it was left at their own discretion to adopt. We recommend appropriate strategies for adoption to implement and guide the required standards and values for curriculum development.

How Does Comprehensive Art Education Facilitate Children’s Creativity? A Mixed-Methods Study in China

ABSTRACT Research Findings: Comprehensive art education (CAE) can be an effective way to develop children’s creativity development. However, little is known about how CAE is implemented in kindergarten classrooms in China. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of CAE activity implementation. To assess the effectiveness of CAE in terms of early childhood creativity, 64 children in a Chinese kindergarten were assigned to experimental (n=32; 15 boys and 17 girls) and control (n=32; 15 boys and 17 girls) groups. The complete CAE intervention program, including teacher training and CAE activities, lasted for 11 months. Both groups of children took the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) pretest and posttest to assess their creativity. The findings showed that the experimental group had significantly higher TTCT scores than the control group. In addition, interviews with five teachers echoed the test results and raised the need for related teacher training. Practice or Policy: Results indicated a clear connection between the CAE activities and the enhancement of the children’s creative thinking abilities. These findings suggest that CAE nurtures children’s creativity and should form an essential component of early childhood and teacher education curricula.

Gender and Active Citizenship in Tanzanian Teacher Education: Curriculum Analysis and Student Teachers' Reflections

ABSTRACTActive citizenship is core to social justice for both women and men. This paper explores how gender and active citizenship are addressed in teacher education training programmes in Tanzania. We applied qualitative methods in analysing two teacher education institutions' curricula documents and conducted thee focus group discussions with final year teacher student teachers. Our review of the curricula focused on (1) the course names, (2) course aims, (3) learning outcomes, (4) teaching/learning contents or (5) reading lists. This was supported by the findings from focus group discussions. The findings show that, although both gender and active citizenship were incorporated in the existing teacher's education curricula in Tanzania, the weight given to these topics were marginal. We argue that more content in combination with contextualised and gender‐responsive teaching and learning resources or materials could give student teachers better competence necessary for linking knowledge they get with everyday gender and citizenship challenges in Tanzanian schools and their communities.

Diving into Diversity: Integrating Intercultural Competence into a PETE Curriculum

This article explores the integration of intercultural competence into one physical education teacher education (PETE) curriculum to address the increasing number of culturally and linguistically diverse children in physical education. Highlighting a potential lack of PETE student preparation, the article recommends adopting a framework based on Deardorff’s process model of intercultural competence. The proposed approach spans four methods courses, aiming to embed culturally relevant pedagogy. Emphasizing the importance of fostering culturally responsive and inclusive physical educators, the framework underscores the need for teacher education programs to enhance intercultural competence, thereby improving the quality and impact of PETE programs.

Exploring student teachers' stressors in teaching practice in the COVID-19 era in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe

This study explores student teachers' resilience in teaching practice in the COVID-19 era in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe. More specifically, the study was intended to gain insights into the significant teaching practice COVID-19-induced teaching practice stressors. This research study contributes new knowledge to the ongoing discourses about student teachers' resilience in teaching practice in the COVID-19 era. To explore student teachers' resilience on teaching practice in COVID-19 era, the study employed a qualitative social constructivist approach through a phenomenological research design. Data were generated through focus group discussions and in-depth semi-structured interviews. One teachers' college was conveniently sampled, and twenty-one student teachers and six student teachers' mentors were purposively sampled from three primary schools in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe. Data were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. The thematic findings revealed that student teachers teaching practice in the COVID-19 era are subjected to teaching practice stressors induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus, illness, isolation, stigmatization and death, anxiety, uncertainty, hopelessness, economic hardships, prolonged teaching practice period, school closures, transference of face-to-face teaching to online learning. Finally, thematic results revealed that the capacity for resilience can be developed during initial teacher preparation, so the study recommends that the teacher education curriculum include a module on resilience.