Teacher Education Research Articles

¿Qué sabemos sobre cómo formar docentes para la educación en ciudadanía en México?

This study represents an initial effort to characterize what is known -and what is not- about how to prepare teachers for citizenship education in Mexico. This scantly explored question is necessary to transform said training, and consequently, to transform citizenship education. Using a qualitative approach and a hermeneutic method, the documentary analysis of a bibliographic selection was combined with the analysis of three in-depth interviews carried out with teacher educators with extensive experience in the field. One conclusion is that the systematized and substantiated knowledge on how to prepare teachers for citizenship education is limited. More can be inferred from what is known about its problems, such as its excessively theoretical nature, its dependence on the teacher preparators’ own experiences within the educational system rather than specialized or updated approaches, and the difficulties of practicing critical and experiential approaches to citizenship education in rigid and traditionalist contexts. However, the results also point to possible directions to reverse a status quo in teacher preparation which seems to persist despite successive educational reforms, including the current one.

Imágenes sobre la educación para la ciudadanía en la formación inicial del profesorado

Although in the past decades a lot has been written about citizenship education, at least in Spain little is known about how pre-service teachers are formed to educate for citizenship. In recent years we have tried to cover this gap with a line of research that to date has focused on the teacher educators of the Primary Education Degree at the University of Cantabria. After gathering their verbal rationalizations about political life and citizenship education through semi-structured interviews, we realized that we needed to go beyond this level of analysis and use new research techniques to delve into the tacit perceptions of the teachers, since they cannot be considered as the mere product of deliberate mental exercises. Hence, we chose to examine certain language tropes less subject to conscious control like metaphors, taking advantage of the recent contributions of cognitive science and neuroscience about the automatic thinking (Kahneman, 2012) and its influence on our political decisions (Haidt, 2012; Lakoff, 2008). This look at the data allowed us to detect allegories such as “citizens as plants”, “citizenship as motor” and “democracy as a goal” that outline an idealized narrative about citizenship education.

Building agency in school–university partnerships: lessons from collaborative research during the pandemic

PurposeThe literature highlights the disconnection between university-based teacher education and field experiences as a significant barrier to student teacher preparation. To address this gap, the Research Teams (RTs) programme promotes a Networked Learning System (NLS), focusing on boundary-crossing work, inquiry and critical reflection to generate knowledge. This paper examines the emergence of relational and collective agency within this collaboration, linking school and university knowledge to enhance professional learning and drive teaching innovation.Design/methodology/approachEmploying an exploratory qualitative design, data collection includes advising team notes, reflective session materials, interviews and focus groups. Qualitative content and discourse analysis were utilised.FindingsFindings reveal how RTs promote relational agency among university tutors, school staff and preservice teachers and collective agency in the context of collaborative research. The pandemic presents both social interaction opportunities and challenges.Originality/valueThe relevance of this study lies in the necessity to advance knowledge regarding the development of collaborative learning systems that encourage cross-institutional relationships, allowing for the creation and flow of knowledge. It highlights the role and development of collective and relational agency in fostering the development of a NLS. It also raises questions about the challenges and investments needed to sustain and scale collaborative research models that cross professional and institutional values and beliefs within schools and universities.

The relationship between perceived school stress and satisfaction with life among Norwegian school-based adolescents and the moderating role of perceived teacher care: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPerceived stress from schoolwork and perceived teacher care are shown to influence adolescents’ life satisfaction. However, there is a need to further explore how levels of perceived school stress affect life satisfaction of Norwegian adolescents across gender and school levels using nationwide data, and whether this association is moderated by perceived teacher care. Hence, this paper sought to: (1) describe perceived school stress, perceived teacher care and satisfaction with life in Norwegian adolescents stratified by gender and school level, (2) examine the association between perceived school stress and satisfaction with life by testing perceived teacher care as a possible moderator and (3) explore the association between perceived teacher care and adolescents’ satisfaction with life.MethodsWe utilized cross-sectional data from the Norwegian Ungdata Survey from 2021, encompassing adolescents from lower and upper secondary school. Two-thirds of all Norwegian adolescents participated in the Ungdata Survey from 2021. All data is anonymous. The study variables are presented according to lower and upper secondary school as well as gender. Linear regressions were conducted and adjusted for socioeconomic status (SES) by using SPSS.ResultsIn total, 139,841 adolescents were included. Girls exhibited higher perceived school stress, lower perceived teacher care, and lower life satisfaction than boys in both lower and secondary school (all p < 0.01). Strong inverse associations on satisfaction with life were found in both genders in lower and upper secondary school among those who reported very frequent perceived school stress, with perceived teacher care moderating the relationship (B= -0.67; 95% CI [-0.70 to -0.65], P < 0.01]). Moreover, robust associations were unveiled between high and low levels of perceived teacher care and life satisfaction across gender and school level.ConclusionsHigher perceived school stress was strongly inversely associated with life satisfaction in Norwegian adolescents, in both girls and boys, and in both lower and secondary school. Teacher care was identified as a moderator and seems to play a crucial part in the everyday life of Norwegian adolescents. These implications extend to teacher education, practice, and policy, which should be aware of the pivotal role of perceived teacher care on Norwegian school-based adolescents‘ life satisfaction.

Mixed methods research on reflective writing in teacher education.

In this paper, mixed methods research is presented and discussed in the context of research on reflective writing for the professional development of pre-service teachers. First, we present prominent theoretical frameworks to analyze reflective writings. Second, we review relevant methodological approaches of research on reflective writings in teacher education, such as qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Third, we present a study from our research lab combining qualitative content analysis and linguistic analyses as an example for a concurrent mixed method approach. The results of the qualitative content analysis indicated that 198 reflective writings of pre-service teachers were primarily descriptive and on a low level. Computational linguistic analyses revealed that affective and cognitive terminology utilization in reflective writing differed significantly across the different levels of reflection, with a higher frequency of such terms correlating with deeper levels of reflection. Thus, essential challenges and opportunities of implementing such a mixed method study to analyze reflective writings are illustrated and discussed. Finally, we conclude the paper by discussing on how mixed methods approaches might be further advanced in the field of reflective writing research in teacher education.

Online Pedagogical Training during the COVID-19 Outbreak: Responses, Challenges, and Contributions

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the widespread closure of educational systems, prompting a shift to online learning methods for instructors and students in higher education institutions. This study explores how pedagogical instructors supported accessibility to online pedagogical training during this crisis. This qualitative investigation employed a case study methodology, focusing on the high school training program at a multicultural college of education in Israel. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six pedagogical instructors to explore their roles as educators, their oversight of pedagogical training, the implementation of didactic workshops and practical work, and their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic across technological, pedagogical, and emotional dimensions. Findings underscore the critical role of pedagogical instructors during the shift to remote learning. They facilitated communication using digital tools among pre-service teachers, coaching professors, and students, akin to conducting an orchestra with multiple participants. Amid widening educational, technical, and social disparities among students, pedagogical instructors and their pre-service teachers played a pivotal role in curriculum adaptation and crisis management within the school setting.

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.

Applying Mentored Blended Learning With Mooc To Improve Preservice Teacher's Teaching Skill and Self-Efficacy

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the Mentored Blended Learning with MOOC (MBM) model in enhancing the teaching skills and self-efficacy of preservice teachers prior to their internships. By implementing this model, the study aims to provide insights into how a structured combination of mentorship, blended learning, and MOOCs can improve practical teaching competencies and confidence in preservice teachers, thereby informing future approaches in teacher education training programs. Theoretical reference: This study uses constructivist, social learning, self-efficacy, and blended learning models to enhance preservice teachers' teaching skills and self-efficacy, focusing on active learning, self-efficacy, and authentic contexts. Method and material: The study used a mixed-methods approach, involving 120 preservice teachers, 5 preschool teachers, and 5 experts. The MBM model was developed through focus group discussions and evaluated by experts. The experimental group received training through the MBM model, while the control group followed the traditional curriculum. Results and Conclusion: The study found that the Mentored Blended Learning with MOOC (MBM) model significantly improved the teaching skills and self-efficacy of preservice teachers compared to the control group. This suggests the MBM model's potential for improving teacher education by combining mentorship, blended learning, and MOOCs.

Reproducibility in the Classroom

Difficulties in reproducing results from scientific studies have lately been referred to as a reproducibility crisis. Scientific practice depends heavily on scientific training. What gets taught in the classroom is often practiced in labs, fields, and data analysis. The importance of reproducibility in the classroom has gained momentum in statistics education in recent years. In this article, we review the existing literature on reproducibility education. We delve into the relationship between computing tools and reproducibility through visiting historical developments in this area. We share examples for teaching reproducibility and reproducible teaching while discussing the pedagogical opportunities created by these examples as well as challenges that the instructors should be aware of. We detail the use of teaching reproducibility and reproducible teaching practices in an introductory data science course. Lastly, we provide recommendations on reproducibility education for instructors, administrators, and other members of the scientific community.

Classroom-Based Experiential Learning: Experiences from Kosovo Primary Schools

Background: Studies show that key significant variables related to effectiveness of teaching and learning are students' attitudes towards learning, teacher competencies and teaching methodologies applied (Riera et. al, 2023; Glazier &amp; Bean, 2019; Mulala, 2015; Amirtha &amp; Jebaseelan, 2015). Purpose: To explore changes in primary student attitudes towards learning pre- and post-implementation of a curriculum based on experiential learning methodology. Furthermore, the study also measured specific pre-service teacher variables (perceived self-efficacy, motivation, and power) pre and post implementation of experiential learning methodology. Methodology/ Approach: The study followed a carefully designed intervention, using comparison groups pre/post study design to compare outcomes of the groups before and after the study. The study was conducted with a sample of 856 fifth-grade students, and 30 pre-service teachers. Findings/ Conlusions: Results indicated that there were significant increases in positive attitudes of students in intervention group classes. Results also indicate higher motivation for engagement in the teaching process of intervention group pre-service teachers compared to control group pre-service teachers and a significant increase in perceived power during classroom hours for intervention group pre-service teachers from the pre-test to the post-test phase. Implications: The implications of this research extend to other educational systems, as incorporating hands-on practical experiences in teacher education programs results in capable teachers committed to lifelong learning and creation of positive learning environments, and incorporating experiential learning methodologies can enhance student engagement, positive attitudes and motivation to learn and excel academically.

The Role of Teacher Education in Improving Digital Literacy: A Pre-Service Teacher Case Study

The Role of Teacher Education in Improving Digital Literacy: A Pre-Service Teacher Case Study

The process(es) of learning about teaching using models-based practice: Pre-service teachers’ experiences

This research takes on the recommendation to continue examining the use of models-based practice (MbP) in diverse contexts by considering pre-service teachers’ (PSTs’) experiences of learning to teach using MbP in a physical education teacher education (PETE) program in Norway. Guided by the theory of a pedagogy of teacher education ( Loughran, 2006 ), this research was driven by the question: “What are PSTs’ experiences of learning about teaching using MbP in one comprehensive PETE course?” The context was a 15-credit PETE course taught collaboratively by four teacher educators to two cohorts of first-year undergraduate PSTs (25 PSTs in each cohort). Data were generated through a total of 24 focus group interviews with eight PST groups before, during, and upon completion of the course. A hybrid approach of inductive and deductive theme development enabled us to produce knowledge of how PSTs’ learning evolved through four phases: (a) (traditional) assumptions about physical education and teacher education, (b) learning about and through a new way of teaching and learning physical education, (c) challenging and being challenged by the traditional “gym” culture in schools, and (d) understanding what it means to be and become a (physical education) teacher. This research offers support to claims about the challenges in creating coherence at different levels in PSTs’ learning experiences in a Norwegian PETE program. At the same time, we show that MbP can provide PSTs with a coherent learning experience, potentially resulting in changes to how PSTs think about teaching physical education.

Norwegian pre-service teachers’ understanding of reflective rehearsals and democratic citizenship education: opportunities and challenges

AbstractImplementing democratic citizenship across disciplines in education requires careful consideration of how pre-service teachers are prepared to translate this concept into classroom practice. This study investigates Norwegian pre-service teachers’ understanding of reflective rehearsals as a model in teacher education for enhancing awareness of democratic citizenship education. Findings from focus group interviews with 24 participants reveal some opportunities offered by reflective rehearsals as a model for bridging theory and practice in teacher education. Reflective rehearsals are understood as a safe space for making fruitful errors, attempting change and developing professional judgement. Pre-service teachers express an increasing sense of ownership over their formation as becoming teachers. However, certain challenges are also discussed. Firstly, understanding democratic citizenship primarily as individual knowledge is problematic in teacher education, as it may separate pre-service teachers’ knowledge from their experience. Secondly, explicit dialogue concerning the connection between practice and educational purposes is needed. This article argues that reflective rehearsals could become a foundation for exploring the intersection of practice, theory and purpose, if this connection is made explicit and framed critically in teacher education.

How do we teach about ethnic and cultural diversity in PETE? A discourse analysis of interviews from Norway, Aotearoa/New Zealand and Canada

ABSTRACT Background Although social justice has been a topic of interest in physical education for over 40 years, research still shows that physical education excludes and marginalises students based on various identity dimensions. Presently, with societies becoming more diverse, there is heightened anticipation for teacher educators to demonstrate ‘cultural responsiveness’ or ‘cultural competence’. Purpose This paper investigates how Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) educators in Norway, Aotearoa/New Zealand and Canada construct teaching about ethnic and cultural diversity. Methods This study’s data comprise 23 interviews with PETE educators from three countries. We analysed the interviews using concepts from discourse theory and a framework from multicultural education. Findings While the way teacher educators discuss teaching about issues of ethnic and cultural diversity in PETE highly depends on each country’s contexts, there still are overlaps encapsulated by discourses. Our analysis suggests most discursive articulations from interviews reproduced liberal discourses, with fewer discursive articulations from conservative and critical discourses. Furthermore, the discourses constructed certain subject positions for students and teacher educators that carry implications for practice. Conclusion Although there are consistent attempts to engage with critical discourses, the dominance of liberal discourses persists in PETE in all three countries. This prevalence poses a risk of perpetuating othering and marginalisation.

Kritiska aspekter för lärande i ekologi – en studie av biologiundervisning inom lärarutbildningen

Based on variation theory, we analyze how a teacher educator in biology enacts the objects of learning (a) how the need for energy and matter is met in different organisms and (b) flows of energy and cycles of matter in ecosystems. The teacher's enactment is then compared with the students' lived objects of learning, as expressed in their written interactions in relation to the teacher's reflection questions. The study concludes that the enacted and lived objects of learning do not always correspond and critical aspects for knowledge development in ecology for the current group of teacher students are identified. Based on the analysis, the study suggests some areas that require special focus in teacher education in ecology. Carbohydrate as a carrier of energy between trophic levels, as well as the conversion of carbohydrate to water and carbon dioxide during cellular respiration, are examples of areas that the study highlights.

Divided by policy, united by resilience: Using transformative pedagogy to impact prospective teachers in all contexts

As American teacher educators and teachers are being roiled by restrictive legislation around critical race theory and divisive concepts in some states, our investigation explored the impact of critical communities of practice (CoP) on redesigning and teaching introduction to education courses with a transformative lens. This manuscript details the collaboration of four equity-minded teacher educators, each representing unique institutional and political contexts. While two authors taught in states which promote culturally sustaining pedagogies, the other two authors taught in states that had passed laws restricting the professional autonomy of educators and honest discussions of race and racism. Participation in this critical CoP as a support group enabled us to better understand and navigate our dichotomous policy contexts and renewed our commitment to teaching prospective teachers to be politically conscious and empowered to teach in anti-racist ways. Our CoP was instrumental in helping us recognize that transformative pedagogies and collaboration are effective tools that can provide much needed support to teacher educators across policy contexts, while we simultaneously strive to prepare teacher candidates who will teach in culturally sustaining ways.

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.

Understanding teacher ethico‐political identity formation from a Foucauldian perspective

AbstractIn recent years, we have seen an increased politicisation and objectification of what teachers should know, what teachers should do and who teachers should be while they are doing it. While evident across the continua of teacher education, such politicised constructions are particularly acute at initial teacher education. Given such attention to constructing what has been described as a ‘preferred’ teacher identity, this paper explores how prospective teachers construct themselves in ethico‐political terms (i.e., how prospective teachers construct the relationship that they have with themselves and how they account for themselves in that regard). Informed by a Foucauldian perspective and using a composite case that draws on interview data (photovoice and semi‐structured interviews) from a small sample (n = 4) of prospective Irish primary school teachers at various stages during their final semester of initial teacher education, this paper addresses ethico‐political identity in terms of substance, authority sources, self‐practices and telos. Findings illuminate prospective teacher ethico‐political identity as: (i) substance as the basis for nascent teacher practical knowing‐in‐action and pedagogical sensitivities; (ii) temporally organised authority sources; (iii) dynamic and interrelated self‐practices; and (iv) telos as a form of identity prolepsis that emphasises three major valuational endpoints. The paper concludes by contemplating the generativity of an ethico‐political conceptualisation of teacher identity (re)formation for teacher education purposes in terms of its conceptual, contextual, critical and reflective utility.

Game-based Pedagogy in Teacher Training: Results of a Pilot Course

Game-based learning (GBL) and gamification can improve the learning experience of students by making learning more fun, interesting, and motivating. However, integrating games in practice is challenging for many teachers as it requires competences that not necessarily are part of their teaching repertoire. Game-based pedagogy (GBP) refers to the teaching methods and learning processes involved in learning with games. Research stresses the need for adequate professional development and teacher education on GBP. However, there is a lack of empirical knowledge on effective methods to prepare pre-service and in-service teachers for using game-based learning. The aim of our research is to gain insight into the design of effective GBP learning experiences for teachers. The guiding research question was: What design elements of a course on GBL impacted in-service teachers' GBP competences and teaching practice? We investigated this question in the context of a teacher education program in the Fall 2023. We conducted an empirical study in which a course on GBL was designed, implemented, and evaluated in practice. The participants were 16 in-service secondary teachers from different disciplines in secondary education, from which 13 agreed to participate in this study, and three course leaders. We investigated participants’ and course leaders’ experiences, participants’ competences in GBP, the impact on participants’ teaching practice and the way design elements contributed to it. The data consisted of participant reflections, transcripts from participants and course leaders’ interviews and answers to a questionnaire. The data was collected and analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods between January and April 2024. Results reveal that in-service teachers’ improved their competences on GBP and increased their use of GBL in practice. Qualitative data analysis provides insight into the course's design elements and on participants’ learning process. This study contributes to GBP-education by offering a possible design solution and framework for developing effective teacher education.