Elementary Education Teacher Candidates Research Articles

An Action Research for Developing 21st-Century Learning Activities Design Skills of Elementary Teacher Candidates

The aim of this action research is to develop the skills of elementary teacher candidates in designing 21st-century learning activities. Action research, one of the qualitative research methods was applied in the study. Some criteria were determined and the applicability of the criteria were tested by the participants. Data were collected from two groups in two different education terms. The criteria sampling method was used for determining participants. The first group has 52, while the second group has 42 elementary education teacher candidates (ETCs). A rubric to design learning activities was created with ETCs in the first term and they applied them as a performance homework. In the second term, ETCs experienced by applying revised rubric to design 21st-century learning activities. They also fulfilled a self-assessment form to tell their experiences. Collected data were analyzed document analysis, descriptive analysis, and content analysis methods. Findings indicated that ETCs have developed professional and personal skills by designing 21st-century learning activities.

An Analysis of the Questions Elementary Education Teacher Candidates Pose to Elicit Mathematical Thinking

ABSTRACT This paper describes the findings of a study that examined the questions elementary education teacher candidates (TCs) posed while facilitating a number talk or a discussion about a word problem with elementary school students. The TCs in this study were undergraduates participating in a practice-based mathematics pedagogy/methods course designed to provide multiple experiences unpacking, planning, and rehearsing pedagogies focused on eliciting students’ mathematical thinking. Recordings of the TCs facilitating a discussion were analyzed using two different frameworks: question types from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Principles to Action and components of eliciting students’ thinking. Findings indicate varied levels of questions across participants, but showed that some TCs were able to pose question types aimed at effectively eliciting students’ mathematical thinking. Implications for future studies include further examination about how to increase TCs’ enactment of effective questions in classrooms after practice-based teacher education activities.

Gender Discrepancies in Online English Learning in Vietnam Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

The following research reports on a collaborative effort between two university field supervisors for an elementary teacher preparation program in the Pacific southwest. Utilizing practitioner inquiry and situated learning as conceptual frameworks, the authors qualitatively examine the experiences ten elementary education teacher candidates have with promoting student engagement during emergency response teaching because of the COVID-19 pandemic. An interpretive phenomenological analysis of 20 lesson reflections and supervisor observation notes reveals teacher candidates (TCs) need more support with questioning, feedback and formative assessment, and technology tools to keep students engaged when teaching at a distance. Recommendations suggest a need for teacher preparation programs to provide TCs with opportunities to practice engagement strategies in distance education settings.

Teaching during a Pandemic: Elementary Candidates’ Experiences with Engagement in Distance Education

The following research reports on a collaborative effort between two university field supervisors for an elementary teacher preparation program in the Pacific southwest. Utilizing practitioner inquiry and situated learning as conceptual frameworks, the authors qualitatively examine the experiences ten elementary education teacher candidates have with promoting student engagement during emergency response teaching because of the COVID-19 pandemic. An interpretive phenomenological analysis of 20 lesson reflections and supervisor observation notes reveals teacher candidates (TCs) need more support with questioning, feedback and formative assessment, and technology tools to keep students engaged when teaching at a distance. Recommendations suggest a need for teacher preparation programs to provide TCs with opportunities to practice engagement strategies in distance education settings.

Is it “just” planning? Exploring the integration of social justice education in an elementary language arts methods course thematic unit

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine undergraduate elementary education teacher candidates’ abilities to successfully integrate social justice teaching into their interdisciplinary ELA and social studies thematic units. The projects were analyzed to determine the extent to which, if any, social justice education has been addressed.Design/methodology/approachThis study used purposive sampling of two sections of an elementary writing methods course. Students were grouped into Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to design an integrated thematic English Language Arts (ELA), Social Studies and Social Justice unit. At the conclusion of their project, components of their units were analyzed using the Social Justice Continuum of Teacher Development.FindingsOverall, the results indicate that candidates were likely to plan for inclusive practices in their instructional units. There was significant attention across units to inclusive materials and content, but there was very little attention to critical or transformative practices in planning. This likely indicates candidates’ awareness about the need for diverse content but tells us little about their ability to critically analyze the power structures themselves that contribute to the need for inclusive practices.Originality/valueBefore classroom teachers can be expected to engage in critical conversations in their own classrooms, the experiences they have within their preparation programs need to be considered. These findings indicate more explicit work must be done to support candidates in their ability to critically analyze hegemonic power structures and to engage their students in learning experiences that move beyond using diverse resources into teaching advocacy strategies to students.

Advancing Equity-Based Mathematics Teaching in the Primary Grades

Using the lens of Gutiérrez's framework for equity-based teaching, this study examines how two clinical practice experiences supported elementary education teacher candidates' development of mathematics pedagogies. Findings indicate that clinical experiences with teachers who demonstrate equity-based practices were associated with candidates' confidence to implement equity-based teaching. Further, in classrooms that did not promote equity-based teaching candidates were still able to implement equity-based practices when teaching small groups of students. Implications include the need for teacher educators with specific content expertise to form partnerships and clinical practice experiences with schools to ensure that equity-based practices are present.

Examining Elementary Education Teacher Candidates’ Experiences Completing edTPA

This study examined 388 elementary education teacher candidates (n = 388) across four semesters in one educator preparation program about their experiences completing the performance-based assessment edTPA. Candidates were in one of three programs at a large, public research university in the Southeast region of the United States. These programs included: a general undergraduate elementary education program, an undergraduate elementary/special education dual licensure program, and a post baccalaureate graduate certificate in elementary school teaching program. Findings indicate that candidates across all three programs reached consensus on the five biggest challenges of edTPA. The challenges included: (1) deeper thinking for students; (2) identifying the language function of the lesson sequence; (3) including discourse in the lesson plans; (4) including the syntax supports in their lesson plans; and (5) making connections to research and theory. While all three groups of candidates identified these five challenges, the order and the extent to which they were a challenge varied by group. Further, candidates expressed disproportionate periods of time dedicated to edTPA during student teaching. Candidates in the graduate certificate in teaching program reported that they felt less prepared than undergraduate students in the other programs. Implications include examining how to best support candidates in all three programs to increase their likelihood of success on edTPA.

Preparing elementary education teacher candidates to teach with technology: The role of modeling

In teacher education programs, modeling from both teacher education faculty and clinical educators in schools can support teacher candidates’ adoption of new instructional practices. This study examined how modeling from both teacher education faculty and clinical educators influenced elementary education teacher candidates’ development of technology integration knowledge and use of technology while teaching. Further analysis looked at how technology modeling and use aligned to higher-order thinking skills using the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy framework (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2000). Teacher education faculty primarily modeled technology integration with higher-order thinking skills such as rigorous practice activities and project-based learning, whereas the clinical educators modeled technology integration through lower-level activities such as educational review games and showing videos. Further, candidates used technology in lower-level ways more than higher-level ways. Based on the findings of our study, we discuss how modeling can support teacher candidates’ development of TPACK.

Preparing Teacher Candidates to Successfully Complete A High-Stakes Licensure Assessment

This design case describes the creation, implementation, and refinement of an online asynchronous teacher education course that supports elementary education teacher candidates in their design of learning segments in preparation for the high-stakes teacher education assessment, edTPA. edTPA is a performance-based assessment that is a requirement for teacher candidates to successfully complete to graduate and earn their initial teacher license. This design case will focus on the instructional design and assessment aspects of the edTPA assessment, in which candidates must design and implement a learning segment focused on a specific reading skill. The design case will include screen captures of the course, and describe the iterative design of developing the online course, as well as two cycles of revising the course based on data that includes feedback from candidates, input from faculty experts, as well as learning outcomes from the course and the high-stakes assessment. Data from teacher candidates who completed the course will be included to provide readers with a vicarious experience about the design case.

Study abroad as social and emotional learning

Purpose This paper investigates and reports on the study abroad experiences of 22 teacher candidates from the Southeast region of the USA (n=22). The purpose of this paper is to examine the teacher candidates’ development of social and emotional learning through their international teaching experiences. Design/methodology/approach The study is framed by Critical Cosmopolitan Theory, which is a theoretical lens for a critical understanding of the development of global competencies for critical consciousness. The paper uses a case study research design (Yin, 2008), which included data collected via artifact analysis, participant interviews and participant observation through field notes. Findings The study found how the study abroad and international teaching experiences were instrumental in aiding in the teacher candidates’ social and emotional learning. This included the adoption of culturally responsive teaching practices, development of reading the world and enactment of taking action to rewrite the world. Research limitations/implications One of the limitations is the relatively small sample size. This is due, in part, to the high cost associated with study abroad. The high cost of study abroad can be a barrier for students to access the cross-cultural experiences afforded by study abroad. The hefty price tag of study abroad often limits the number of teacher candidates at public institutions who can go on study abroad (Malewski and Phillion, 2009). A future research agenda is needed about ways to help off-set the costs in order to make study abroad more affordable and equitable. Practical implications The practical implications of this paper are that it provides an instructive lens for how to integrate social and emotional learning within a study abroad experience. At the same time, the paper connects socio-emotional learning (SEL) with the development of global competencies and global citizenship. Social implications The social implications relate to the practical implications in that the paper illustrates how SEL is connected to the development of global citizenship development. The study weds the critical cosmopolitan framework with SEL to show how learners develop empathy through reading and rewriting the world. Originality/value The case study presented in this paper highlights the possibilities of study abroad in tandem with international teaching experiences to help prepare teachers with SEL features like fostering empathy, developing culturally responsive practices, and becoming critically conscious and cosmopolitan. The study fills a gap in the literature regarding the development of SEL among elementary education teacher candidates through study abroad and international teaching experiences.

Using Flipped Learning to Improve Scientific Research Skills of Teacher Candidates

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a scientific research methods course delivered through flipped learning on teacher candidates' attitudes towards scientific research and the course, and examine the teacher candidates' and instructors' experience in the process. The convergent parallel design was adopted in the study, and the participants were 102 elementary education teacher candidates taking the scientific research methods course at a Turkish university. Throughout the 12-week course, the students were presented the theoretical knowledge, materials and presentations related to the course by means of a distance learning platform, while discussions and activities were held in the classroom environment. All the activities performed and the problems that emerged were discussed among the researchers, and the necessary corrections and modifications were reflected to the classroom and online environments. In the data-gathering process, observations, interviews, reflective diaries and quantitative instruments were employed. The results showed that there were some problems in the implementation of flipped learning, the students developed negative attitudes towards scientific research and the scientific research methods course, and the existing learning culture was an important factor in the effectiveness of flipped-learning practices.

How Do Prospective Elementary and Gifted Education Teachers of Gifted Students Perceive Scientists and Distinguish Science from Pseudoscience?

The present study aims to examine the perceptions towards scientists and science/pseudoscience distinctions of gifted education and elementary education teacher candidates who will educate gifted students especially at the elementary education level. A total of 92 volunteer prospective teachers, composed of candidates from gifted education and elementary education departments, participated in the study, which was carried out as a survey research. The data were collected using the Draw-a-Scientist Test and the Science/Pseudoscience Distinction Scale. The results of the study showed that both groups of prospective teachers‘ crafted drawings that reflected stereotypical perceptions in terms of appearance, work carried out by scientists, and gender. However, according to the results of the independent samples t-test, the elementary education teacher candidates were found to reflect more stereotypical characteristics in their drawings of scientists than the gifted education teacher candidates. The candidates‘ science/pseudoscience distinction scores did not significantly differ in department and there was a negative significant correlation between stereotypical image scores and scientific method scores.

Perception of Elementary Education and Art Education Teacher Candidates towards the Aesthetic Concept

Perception of Elementary Education and Art Education Teacher Candidates towards the Aesthetic Concept

Modeling Course Achievements of Elementary Education Teacher Candidates with Artificial Neural Networks

In this study, it was aimed to predict elementary education teacher candidates’ achievements in “Science and Technology Education I and II” courses by using artificial neural networks. It was also aimed to show the independent variables importance in the prediction. In the data set used in this study, variables of gender, type of education, field of study in high school and transcript information of 14 courses including end-of-term letter grades were collected. The fact that the artificial neural network performance in this study was R=0.84 for the Science and Technology Education I course, and R=0.84 for the Science and Technology Education II course shows that the network performance overlaps with the findings obtained from the related studies.

The Views and Atitudes of The Teacher Candidates from Preschool And Elementary School Teaching Departments toward Family Participation

Presently the family participation, which is considered as an important part of the education, makes a huge contribution to the whole education of the children. Therefore it is necessary to know the views and the attitudes of the teacher candidates especially before they become teachers and accordingly they should be supported regarding the family participation issue. The purpose of this study is to investigate the views and the attitudes of the elementary education teacher candidates towards family participation. In addition with this research it was attempted to determine whether the grades of the teacher candidates cause a common effect on their attitudes towards family participation according to their department. Within the research descriptive scanning model was used. The sample of the research consisted of totally 300 teacher candidates, were attending Uludağ University Education Faculty Preschool Teaching Department and Primary School Teaching department. Within the research the questionnaire, which was consisted of six open ended questions and Attitude Scale Regarding Family Participation for Teacher Candidates, which was developed by Yavuz Güler (2014), were used. In order to determine the views of the students from Primary School and Preschool Teaching departments, descriptive statistics were used. It was attempted to determine whether there was a relation between the departments with t test. According to their departments whether the grade has a significant effect on the total scores of the teacher candidates regarding family participation and the sub-dimensions was investigated with Two Factors ANOVA. The open-ended questions were given in the tables with frequency and percentages. As a result of the research teacher candidates not having adequate knowledge regarding family participation and the negative views they acquire from the environment regarding the families may cause them to develop negative attitudes and have prejudice regarding family participation.

Preparing Elementary Teacher Candidates to Use Global Content: An Action Research Study

Globalization is a powerful force that will shape the future world in which our children will live. To prepare our students for the world, we need to prepare their teachers. To be effective in the new global environment, teachers need broader sets of knowledge and skills than have previously been required. We designed this action research study to examine our teacher candidates’ use of global education content to support our ability to develop their knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward its use. The following research questions focus the study: How do elementary education teacher candidates utilize global content within integrated unit plans? How can the elementary social studies methods course prepare teacher candidates to use global content? The findings reveal teacher candidates’ integration of global content was strongest in the areas of foundational-knowledge-level dimensions with few examples of higher-level application, cross-cultural experiences, or action-oriented learning tasks. Secondly, global education content requiring a critical perspective was minimal or nonexistent in the teacher candidates’ planning. We discuss these two concerns and present action steps to build teacher candidates’ capacity for developing higher levels of global content into their instructional unit planning.

Elementary Education Teacher Candidates’ Integration of Technology in the Design of Interdisciplinary Units

In this paper the authors evaluate 85 elementary education teacher candidates’ integration of technology into interdisciplinary units that the candidates wrote during the semester before their full-time student teaching internship. An inductive analysis of the units revealed that teachers used a wide variety of technologies with a large dependence on Internet-based technologies, interactive whiteboards, and iPad applications. Further analyses found that most of the technology uses were lower-level and focused on only basic skills. However, chi-squared tests for independence found statistically significant relationships between numerous factors and when technology was used in ways that addressed higher-order thinking skills. These factors included the structure of the lesson plans, the content of the interdisciplinary units, when the technology was integrated into the multi-lesson unit, and when the technology was integrated into specific phases of the lesson. Implications for teacher education programs and research that focuses on teacher candidates’ TPACK are provided.

The Effect of New Experimental System Design Related to the Plasma State on Achievement of Candidate Elementary Science Teachers

The educational objectives related to the plasma state of matter, which comprises more than 90% of our universe, are located in the properties of substances unit in the 9th grade high school physics course curriculum. If there are physical and technical limitations while performing an experiment, the use of different techniques is recommended, such as demonstration experiments or simulations. Performing experiments related to the plasma state, which is the topic of this study, is very difficult in the classroom due to technical limitations. Thus, students cannot achieve the educational objectives related to the plasma state of matter. In addition, in Turkey, university curricula of elementary science education departments do not include lectures on plasma. The purpose of this study is to increase students' comprehension of the plasma state of matter and its properties. The newly designed experimental system and simulations are intended to answer the following questions: What is plasma? What are the general characteristics of plasma? How can plasma be created in the laboratory? For this purpose, a research group was established. The research group participants include :28 female and 4 male elementary science education teacher candidates from Eskisehir Osmangazi University. Data were collected by an achievement test which includes 10 multiple-choice and 10 essay-type questions (to determine the reasons behind students' answers) developed by the researchers. Essay questions were scored with a rubric. The achievement test was administered before and after the experiment, and mean scores were compared by an independent samples t-test. In addition, the students' answers to the essay-type questions were compared by their rubric scores. The results of the independent samples t-test indicated that the students' mean post-test score was significantly higher than their mean pre-test score. In addition, rubric scores showed that students answered multiple-choice questions based on a higher level of understanding of plasma.

IPads and Teacher Education: Exploring a 1:1 Initiative in a Professional Development School Partnership

This study explores the experiences of elementary education teacher candidates in a Professional Development School Partnership that included a 1:1 iPad initiative. The teacher candidates in the year-long cohort were each given their own iPad to use in their coursework and field experience. Observation, survey, and interview data were collected to explore how the teacher candidates integrated the iPad into their teaching and learning. Using Rogers's (2003) Diffusion of Innovation framework, it was found that teacher candidates experienced a developmental process in their use of the iPad that resulted in some candidates reinventing their teaching approach and others remaining stagnant in regard to technology integration.

Suburban Spaces: Rethinking the U.S. Dream

When asked to create two-dimensional paper model communities without adequate analysis of the US lifestyles and architectural development, elementary education teacher candidates (TCs) in the Mid-west created residential areas with very little civic architecture, public transportation or amenities. The communities emulated suburban sprawl and reflected the students’ memories and lifestyles. A redesigned project included in-depth class discussion of social, economic, and ecological issues, along with a critical review of suburban history. Through democratic action TCs designed and created more socially and environmentally equitable model environments. Within the study the author reflects on the initial practice and pedagogy that she employed and then revised to enable TCs to think and organize civically, rather than materialistically. The author recommends built environment education within the pre-service education classroom to prepare students to be critically knowledgeable citizens. The practice can be extended to the public school classroom.