Teacher Education Curriculum Research Articles

Pedagogic Content Knowledge of the Cameroon Teacher Education Curriculum on Teacher’s Effectiveness in Primary School Classrooms in Cameroon

Pedagogic Content Knowledge of the Cameroon Teacher Education Curriculum on Teacher’s Effectiveness in Primary School Classrooms in Cameroon

Bachelor of Secondary Education Graduate Tracer Study from 2018-2022 in a State University in Batangas, Philippines

Teacher Education Institutions prepare their graduates to be globally competitive and adaptive in the changing world. This will lead to better job opportunities and a higher chance of employment. Thus, it is necessary to provide quality academic preparation. With a graduate tracer study, the status of the graduates can be assessed, and valuable information for evaluating the results of the education and training of a specific institution can be determined. The main objective of this study was to examine the career trajectories of the BSEd graduates major in Biological Sciences, Sciences, and Mathematics. The descriptive survey method of research was applied to this research, with a survey questionnaire as the main data gathering instrument. It analyzed data from 177 respondents, characterized by a preponderance of females (131 or 74%) over males (46 or 26%), as well as unmarried or single graduates (159 or 90%) as opposed to those who were married (18 or 10%). The study found that there were more respondents who finished Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Biological Science (92 or 51.98%) as compared to Sciences and Mathematics. They had chosen this degree because they have a strong passion for the teaching profession. Most of the respondents are Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT) passers (144 or 81.36%) and were employed locally at the time of the study. Also, their present job was relevant to their college degree. The majority of them view assessment (with a weighted mean of 3.91) as the most useful part of the teacher education curriculum in their job.

Research on the Reform Path of College Physical Education Curriculum Teaching from the Perspective of Life Safety Education

Research on the Reform Path of College Physical Education Curriculum Teaching from the Perspective of Life Safety Education

Opportunities and Barriers of Integrating the 1+X Certificate System into Nursery Teacher Education in China

The development of high-quality vocational education is a critical factor in establishing a robust economy. Therefore, every nation places significant emphasis on the quality of teaching and learning within vocational education. This study investigates the use of the 1+X Certificate System to enhance teaching competence among nursery teacher students in China, with a particular focus on the experiences of Early Childhood Education (ECE) teacher educators who support their students during their teacher education. Employing a qualitative research design, the study conducted four in-depth case studies of ECE teacher educators who integrated the 1+X Certificate System into the nursery teacher education curriculum at a college in China. The findings of the study reveal the 1) Alignment with the Existing Curriculum; 2) Effectiveness in Teacher Education; and 3) Adequacy of Teaching Resources; and 4) Establishing Partnerships with Nursey Schools that ECE teacher educators encountered in utilizing the 1+X Certificate System to improve the teaching competence of nursery teacher students. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the integration of the 1+X Certificate System into nursery teacher education programs. The implications of this research may inform future efforts to enhance the quality of nursery student teacher education, leading to the development of a highly skilled workforce in the ECE sector.

Between Academia and School: Habitus Reflexivity as One Way of Dealing with the Theory-Practice Tension in Teacher Education

Teacher education’s primary goal is to train prospective teachers, which differs from study programmes, such as philosophy or mathematics, that do not cater to defined professions. This traditional understanding of the teaching profession becomes apparent when students ask: ‘How is this content, topic, method, task, or question relevant to school work?’ It is also reflected in the inclusion of practical school training in teacher education curricula. In Austria’s teacher training, these practical elements are accompanied by theoretical and methodological teaching foundations. However, students often question the applicability of theoretical knowledge to the teaching profession, which creates tension between the academic and pedagogical orientations. This paper discusses these very theory-practice tensions in teacher education based on findings from the project Habitus. Power.Education, which involved student teachers at an Austrian university. We argue that teacher training at universities is neither merely a place for producing a future workforce nor a self-growth space without purpose. Teacher training, rather, combines both (sometimes ambivalent) elements: education in its broadest sense and professional training. Using our empirical material, we show that the theory-praxis gap manifests in the tension between academic and pedagogical orientation. To address and mediate this tension, we propose the concept of habitus reflexivity. Promoting such a form of reflexivity among students makes it possible to bridge the gap between the different logics of university and school. Furthermore, it helps to comprehend inequality and power imbalances in the education system and develop agency, which is essential for navigating the ever-changing and complex world of modern schools.

Examining the reading comprehension pedagogical practices developed by ESL teachers in Namibian primary schools

Many studies addressing methods to improve reading comprehension in English Language Learners (ELLs) primarily focus on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) samples. Unfortunately, ESL teachers in global South regions like Namibia have often been overlooked in this research. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the self-developed strategies employed by Grade 7 ESL teachers to enhance reading comprehension in primary schools within Namibia’s Oshikoto region. This research adopts an exploratory case study approach with an interpretivist orientation. The selection of five Grade 7 ESL teachers is done purposefully, and data collection involves stimulated recall interviews and classroom observations. To analyse the collected data, an inductive thematic analysis is applied. The findings shed light on the practices of experienced teachers, revealing that they continue to utilise pedagogical methods acquired during their initial teacher education, including previewing, reading aloud, fluency training, and vocabulary development. However, these methods do not appear to guarantee improved reading comprehension for learners. Importantly, these teachers did not adapt their practices to suit their specific cultural and linguistic contexts and the needs of their learners. The study’s findings hold implications for the initial teacher education curriculum as they emphasise the importance of incorporating reflective practice to foster personal practical knowledge for teaching reading in non-Western settings.

Perceptions of pre-service special education teachers in South Korea toward teaching physical education for students with disabilities

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the study was to examine the perceptions of pre-service special education teachers in South Korea towards teaching physical education to students with disabilities. The qualitative descriptive case study was used to examine the perceptions of five pre-service special education teacher candidates using in-depth semi-structured interviews, a review of the teacher education curriculum, and the researchers’ field notes. The data were analyzed using constant comparative data analysis and exposed three themes, which were: (a) teaching students with disabilities in South Korea, (b) a lack of competency in teaching physical education, and (c) the challenges of teaching students with disabilities. In this study’s results, pre-service special education teacher candidates showed a lack of competency in teaching physical education to students with disabilities. Nevertheless, teacher candidates realised the many benefits of students’ participation in physical education classes. Therefore, it has been suggested that university faculty in teacher education programs should provide an opportunity for pre-service special education teachers to engage in practicum training and take classes to increase their content knowledge in teaching physical education.

Articulation and implementation of professional standards for teachers in teacher education institutions

This study determined the constructions of administrators and teachers in the articulation and implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) in teacher education institutions. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed to explore the narratives of the 20 purposively selected participants from the five higher education institutions in Cebu. Coding and categorization of participants' vignettes, following Clarke and Braun's (2014) thematic analysis model, resulted in five indexed themes: neediness not readiness, tenacity, and supportability, challenged but not frustrated, receptivity and positivity, and responsibility and accountability. Points of convergence and divergence were also identified from the TEIs articulation and implementation of PPST. The rationalization attached to integrating the beginning teacher indicators in the teacher education curriculum provides input on establishing contextualized, professional development initiatives for teacher quality. As such, forging partnerships between and among teacher education institutions through curriculum quality audits may be considered.

Development of Social Science Teaching Modules in the Implementation of the Independent Curriculum at the Junior High School Level in Pekanbaru

The Indonesian Education and Culture Ministry's autonomous curriculum teaching modules were used to construct social studies teaching modules. Because the Ministry only provides general examples, richer modules tailored to schools and students were developed. Class VII modules were produced using ADDIE model RD. The first step was a needs and empirical study of SMP Pekanbaru social studies teaching modules involving student and teacher observations and interviews. The modules were designed and developed using Canva Education and e-modules. Six experts validated the module's practicality. Other Pekanbaru junior high social studies teachers discussed the module. Qualitative analysis of validation questionnaire data. After the material was approved, SMP Pekanbaru social studies educators adopted it. Twenty students were given a learning motivation questionnaire to test the curriculum. Teachers who implemented the module received practical surveys and module usefulness at the end of the activity. Motivational and practical surveys were quantitatively analysed, and the Wilcoxon difference test was used to compare learning motivation before and after the module. The module enhanced student learning motivation; 100% of students were high and sufficient after using it, up from 90% before. The teachers also liked the module and thought it was practical and valuable.

A reflection on the teacher education curriculum and the decolonizing agenda in England

ABSTRACT This paper is a reflective piece on the thought processes individuals and teams have when engaging in decoloniality work in Teacher Training/Education. We argue that until the self is decolonized, the process of decolonialization becomes rhetoric. We also question how much we can decolonize whilst working in the academy whose very culture, symbols and practices are borne out of colonialism and the period of enlightenment; whose very raison d’être is to elevate some knowledge over others and to claim cultural and academic superiority. The current political landscape in England approaches anti-racism as a political ideology that must be avoided in schools and education and this ideological battlefield is evident in teacher education. We aim to recognize the tensions and resistance to decolonialize, which demonstrates the messy and contingent process of moving between shifting positions and subjectivities. It confronts the challenge of the teacher–practitioner who must balance their own moral and philosophical grounding whilst attending the political imperatives of the work. This can take the form of according with the policies and procedures of the institutions in which they are situated which can often be balkanizing and debilitating.

Barriers to Early Identification and Intervention for Children with Special Education Needs (SEN) in Public Kindergartens (KGs) in the Sagnarigu District of the Northern Region, Ghana

This descriptive study examines the barriers to early identification of pupils with Special Education Needs (SEN) and its related intervention in 25 public Kindergartens (KGs) randomly selected within the Sagnarigu District of Northern Ghana. A total of 50 KG1&2 teachers and 25 Headteachers answered our questionnaires. The data collected were cleaned, presented in a tabulated form, and analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The study revealed that only 12 learners with SEN were identified and supported in 7 schools out of a total of 25 schools. This shows that there were more children with SEN in those schools. Yet, they were not identified because most teachers had inadequate knowledge of special education and relied mostly on observational techniques to identify such children in their classes. Also, most Heads of schools and teachers were unconcerned. They had no plan to identify SEN children in their schools because the inclusive education policy in Ghana only proclaims the rights of SEN children but does not make any provision for their identification and integration in the regular classroom. The study recommended, among others, that the National Teaching Council (NTC) should review the teacher education curriculum in Ghana to include some core courses in SEN in order to equip all teachers with the needed knowledge to identify and handle learners with SEN at all levels in Ghanaian basic schools. Also, the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service should provide sustainable funding for early identification and support systems for SEN learners in public KGs.

Critical thinking for transformative praxis in teacher education: Music, media and information literacy, and social studies in the United States

The notion and practice of critical thinking (CT) has moved from its speculative formation by John Dewey to a standard element in teacher education curricula and standards. In the process, CT has narrowed its focus to the analysis and articulation of logical thought, and lost transformative value. In this paper, we examine the conception and implementation of CT in three teacher education domains primarily in the United States–music, media and information literacy, and social studies–asking how CT has deformed education in those domains, and how domain-specific approaches could reinvigorate CT. We further suggest refocusing the purpose of CT in teacher education on accomplishing transformative education for equity in school and society, by implementing a critically reflective, transformative praxis based on the insights of domain-specific approaches to CT.

WHY IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO TEACH TEACHERS ABOUT EVALUATION? THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVES

The paper argues for a wider presence of evaluation in the training of future teachers. The argumentation relies on an analysis of the evaluation theory and its impact on the quality of teaching. The milestones are presented, along with Donna Merten’s division of evaluation theory into four types: postpositivist, constructivist, transformative and pragmatic. Instead of showing a linear vision of evaluation development, the author proposes a heterodox approach, as suggested by Henryk Mizerek. Next, the paper discusses the evaluation status of the trans-discipline. The second part proposes a review of research on the impact of evaluation on the quality of teaching and learning, including a discussion of limitations in available data and reviews. The last section focuses on evaluation at the micro level: schools, teams, and individual teachers. The author concludes that theoretical development and internal differentiation in evaluation, together with the proven influence on the quality of teaching and learning, bring arguments to strengthen the presence of evaluation in teacher education curricula. In particular, self-evaluation, with its ability to improve self-reflexivity, needs more attention.

Enhancing inclusive education through active student teacher participation: A case study of a university in Cape Town

Addressing the needs of a diverse learner population remains one of the most pressing education concerns of the 21st century. One of the issues debated is whether a responsive teacher education curriculum caters for the needs of student teachers, and how effective it is in preparing student teachers for teaching in diverse situations. It is essential to locate this issue within teacher education given the expectations on graduate teachers to deliver socially just pedagogies in school terrains that are often marked by deep inequalities. The Covid-19 pandemic has illuminated these inequalities, which have become the subject of all educational discourses. This study foregrounds student teacher voices regarding how they experienced curriculum reforms towards inclusive education in the Bachelor of Education (BEd) programme at a university in Cape Town, South Africa. Specifically, the study engages with how different modes of curriculum delivery position student teachers as both recipients and co-creators of the intended knowledge and skills-and who can engage in critical interaction with the learning material, and provoke self-scrutiny among student teachers and lecturers. This qualitative interpretivist study was framed around constructs of cognitive apprenticeship, guided participation, participatory appropriation, and border crossing. Data were collected through focus group interviews. It was found that an approach to learning in which student teachers are positioned as knowledge collaborators leads to the meaningful appropriation of some aspects of a curriculum on inclusive education.

Applying Statistical Analysis Methods to Study the Key Factors of Innovative Curriculum Systems in Teacher Education

Abstract Based on analyzing the curriculum of teacher education in colleges and universities, this paper proposes the key factors of the innovative curriculum system of teacher education, i.e., the innovation of teacher curriculum and teaching materials. Based on the method of correlation analysis to construct a curriculum system oriented to teacher education innovation, the systematic cluster analysis method is used to study the proper classification of the curriculum system by calculating the Euclidean distance for R-type clustering, showing the clustering process and results of the whole curriculum system. The similarity coefficient of student achievement is used to measure the degree of similarity between the variables, and according to the results of clustering analysis of teachers’ educational research situation, it is proposed to meet the needs of teachers’ educational research. The values of educational research results of teachers with external influence are 3.63, 2.32, 2.45, 3.56, 3.34. i.e., the degree of influence of the educational research results of teachers with external influence on the school and outside of the school is much greater than the degree of influence on the classroom team and grade team.

Cross-cultural research on early childhood teacher education curriculum design

This study was an attempt to compare the distinctive features in current Early Childhood Teacher Education (ECTE) curricula conducted at two universities, one in China, and one in the US. Document reviews, interviews, and questionnaires shed light on the two different approaches to curriculum design. Two program directors and 25 participants, viewed as “cultural outsiders,” were recruited. Results showed that the US model could be viewed as “deep” learning while the Chinese model was seen as “broad” learning. The US ECTE curriculum focused on a robust connection between general education and professional courses, strong standards, content-centered professional courses, multiple cultures, and more credit for field experience. The ECTE curriculum at the Chinese university provided a wide variety of general education and professional courses, arts-related professional courses, national cultures, and more modalities for field experience. This study also examined the impact of culture and society on the ECTE curriculum design.

Staying Agentic in Times of Crisis: A Literature Review for a Narrative Inquiry on Female EFL Teachers

Female English teachers make significant contributions to their field, yet stories about them are under-researched. This paper presents the framework of an ongoing narrative inquiry aimed at understanding female teachers’ agency and its role in their professional identity construction during the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on a systematic review of relevant research, the framework displays several key themes, including the significance of active learning and digital literacies, and the scarcity of narrative inquiries into female teachers. We thus argue that in order to gain insights into post-pandemic pedagogy, there is a need for studies that depict female English teachers’ agency in enacting their pedagogical competencies and showcase their continuous efforts in constructing their professional identities, despite the challenges that they face. Against the backdrop of our review, the teacher education curriculum must include course(s) on agency and identity construction.

“Why Did Devon Just Leave the Classroom?”: Disability Studies in Education-Informed Related Service Provision

Public schools often schedule related services by using a mix of pull-out and push-in instruction, referred to as service delivery models. This poses challenges because the transitions to and from services are obvious to other students and can influence student identities and result in a loss of academic instructional time. This article shares inclusive approaches for novice teachers to learn how to organize related service provision in ways that strengthen student identities as individuals with disabilities. By focusing on how our previous teaching and research experiences inform our pedagogical design in our teacher education courses, we seek to open the door for future research on how related services are constructed and enacted in public schools that are working towards more inclusive pedagogy and practice. In this article we share how both authors are rethinking teacher education curriculum as a potential site for helping beginning educators understand the array of service delivery models and to address ways to conceptualize how related services are offered to students in PreK-12 schools across all classroom settings.

Examination reform for higher order thinking: A case study of assessment-driven reform in Uganda

Instruction in African contexts remain overwhelmingly rote, limiting the cognitive benefits and skills fostered by education systems. These conditions are reinforced by the high stakes and content of national exams, which primarily measure lower-order thinking skills and so constrain teacher instruction to focus on recall and memorization. Reforming national exams has been proposed as a means of increasing the focus on higher order thinking skill development, but doing so is complex and politically fraught. We present findings from a qualitative case study of assessment-driven reform in Uganda aimed at strengthening higher order thinking on exams and strengthening teacher education curriculum and instruction to prepare teachers’ capacity to instruct for higher order thinking skills within the system. Key findings focus on the capacity gaps within the system that generate the current conditions, the factors influencing the high policy prioritization of the current reform efforts, and the strengths and limitations of the implementation strategy pursued by the partners, in particular, to support teacher capacity strengthening. The paper concludes by discussing the promise and perils of assessment driven reform as a means of strengthening instructional quality in contexts like Uganda.

Authentic STEM education through modelling: an international Delphi study

BackgroundThe literature asserts that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education needs to be authentic. Although models and modelling provide a basis from which to increase authenticity by bridging the STEM disciplines, the idea of authentic STEM education remains challenging to define. In response, the aim of this study is to identify consensus on significant elements of authentic STEM education through models and modelling. Views were gathered anonymously over three rounds of questions with an expert panel. Responses were subjected to a multimethod analysis that pursued identification, consensus, and stability in the panel’s revealed propositions and themes around authentic STEM education through modelling.ResultsThe panel reached high consensus concerning the potential of STEM education to support learning across traditional subject borders through authentic problem solving. The panel also consented that modelling is indispensable for achieving real-world relevance in STEM education, and that model-based integrated STEM education approaches provide opportunities for authentic problem solving. Furthermore, results showed that integrating individual STEM subjects during teaching, in terms of including disciplinary knowledge and skills, requires specialised competence. Here, technology and engineering subjects tended to implicitly underpin communicated teaching activities aimed at STEM integration.Conclusions and implicationsThe panellists stress that STEM disciplines should be taught collaboratively at the same time as they are not in favour of STEM as a subject of its own but rather as a cooperation that maintains the integrity of each individual subject. Many respondents mentioned integrated STEM projects that included modelling and engineering design, although they were not specifically labelled as engineering projects. Thus, real-world STEM education scenarios are often viewed as being primarily technology and engineering based. The panel responses also implicate a need for multiple definitions of authenticity for different educational levels because a great deal of uncertainty surrounding authenticity seems to originate from the concept implying different meanings for different STEM audiences. These international Delphi findings can potentially inform integrated STEM classroom interventions, teacher education development, educational resource and curriculum design.