Elementary Teacher Education Program Research Articles

Tutor Competence in Online-Learning Service within Distance Education

The online learning landscape in the Elementary Teacher Education (PGSD) program at Universitas Terbuka Makassar poses significant challenges for tutors, requiring them to adapt to new pedagogical approaches and technologies. This study investigates the competence of tutors in facilitating synchronous online-learning tutoring (Tuweb UT) and asynchronous Learning System Management (LMS) through Silayar UT, which integrates an independent learning program into online platforms. The study examines the tutors' social, strategic, and ethical competence in managing online classes, with a focus on their preparation, planning, and interaction with students. The study uses an ex post facto design with descriptive statistics, analyzing data from 185 tutors in 340 online classes within the undergraduate PGSD program during the 2022 registration term. The findings highlight the tutors' ability to prepare and plan for online tutoring, deploy the tutoring unit (SAT) as a learning service scheme, and incorporate relevant competencies and module characteristics into their tutoring mode. The study also shows that tutoring assignments are given in accordance with competence and that active engagement in Webinar UT and LMS (Silayar UT) is high, with attendance averaging 93.03%. The results indicate that tutors are competent in preparing and planning for online tutoring, incorporating online platforms into their experiences, and fostering active interaction with students, which in turn supports the completion of students' academic trajectories. The study's implications for online learning practices are significant, highlighting the importance of tutor competence in navigating the challenges of online education. Recommendations for further research include exploring the impact of tutor competence on student outcomes and investigating the role of technology in enhancing tutor-student interaction.

Researching on practice through lesson study: developing prospective teachers’ knowledge of student learning

PurposeThis paper focuses on prospective teachers’ (PTs) participation in a lesson study (LS) that prompted them to research their own practice. We seek to describe the dimensions of PTs’ knowledge of student learning developed during the process and the LS features fostering it.Design/methodology/approachThe participants were two PTs, a teacher educator, a cooperating teacher and a researcher. The LS was integrated into a Portuguese initial elementary teacher education program. Following a qualitative approach, we used participant observation.FindingsThe PTs developed their knowledge of students’ learning of the concept of area in four dimensions: theories; students’ interests and expectations; ways students interact with the content and students’ strengths and weaknesses in learning the concept. To support this development, the LS design considered follow-up sessions and emphasised collaborative work.Originality/valueThis study focuses on PTs researching their practice and disseminating the results, which has been overlooked in previous research of LS with PTs. The results highlight the potential of LS to motivate PTs to research their practice and emphasise the importance of involving them in disseminating LS results.

The Analysis of Mathematical Problem-solving Ability of Elementary School Teacher Candidate: Fraction Case

It is important for school students as well as elementary school teacher candidates to master mathematical problem-solving abilities. This study aims to analyze the mathematical problem-solving ability of elementary school teacher candidates on the concept of fractions based on Polya’s steps. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach. The research participants were 12 students of elementary school teacher education program whose problem-solving abilities were assessed based on the topic of fractions for 60 minutes. The results of this study indicated that students were able to understand information related to the questions; (1) determine what had already been known and what was being asked completely. In addition, students were also able to understand the relationship between the information provided. It can therefore be said that students were able to understand the problem. (2) Most students were less able to develop a correct problem-solving plan. (3) Most students completed solutions based on incorrect strategies. (4) Students rarely re-checked the problem-solving. Based on the results of the interviews, they rarely solved the problem-solving questions. Thus, it can be concluded that the level of their mathematical problem-solving ability was still low. Keywords: elementary school teacher candidate, fraction case, mathematical problem solving ability

Interpreting Teaching STEM Education to Pre-service Elementary Teachers Through Online Course

Insufficient comprehension of integrated STEM learning has become one of the main difficulties for teachers in implementing STEM lessons at school due to lack of integrative STEM curriculum in teachers’ education programs. Therefore, the Elementary Teacher Education Program Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia in Purwakarta offers STEM Education for Elementary course as an optional course to support 21st-century education at the elementary school level. However, due to the continued Covid-19 pandemic, during the second semester of the academic year 2020/2021, all courses in our program were entirely carried out online. Through the descriptive analysis method, this paper details how the 16-weeks course was enacted online with a varied delivery form. Forty-two pre-service teachers enrolled in the course. Data on the course implementation were gathered in the form of video recordings of the lesson, while students’ perception of the course delivery was captured through a course evaluation questionnaire. Results imply that the course includes a theoretical and practical session with teaching simulations and engineering challenges to model STEM teaching and learning to develop pre-service teacher’s STEM pedagogical and content knowledge. In addition, course evaluation suggests that after enrolling in the course, the pre-service teacher has positive perceptions of the course delivery. Keywords: STEM education, pre-service elementary teachers, online course

Utilization of waste paper as teaching media for volcano eruption simulation in improving student knowledge

Indonesia has the highest number of active volcanoes in the world due to its geologic location at the confluence of the Eurasian and Australian plates. However, despite this, the knowledge of local communities regarding volcanic eruptions is still very minimal. Therefore, it is important to provide education to the community in this context is the local community. This Community Service Program aims to increase community knowledge related to the process of volcanic eruption by using pulp-based learning media, so that it can become disaster mitigation knowledge. The methods used are observation, coaching or training based on practical simulations, questionnaires and interviews. The subject of this Community Service is the community of Tambun village, Baolan sub-district, Tolitoli district, totaling 21 people in collaboration with students of the elementary school teacher education program in semester III. The results of this program are the increase in community knowledge related to volcanic eruptions and the growth of community awareness related to the use of waste paper, this is in line with SDGs 4 and SDGs 17 relating to quality education and partnerships with the community.

Exploring of Inquiry Skills of Teacher Students: Biology, Physics, and Elementary School Teacher Education

Inquiry skills are needed by a teacher to create effective learning experiences so that the overall quality of education can improve. This becomes even more important for distance education students, whose characteristics include being independent and active learners. This research aims to determine the level of inquiry abilities of students in the biology education, physics education, and elementary school teacher education programs at the Open University. The subjects of this research were 96 students from various regions. The survey method was implemented by providing an instrument in the form of questions to measure inquiry skills, which were distributed via Google Forms. The research results show that students’ inquiry skills vary. Students in the Biology Education and Physics Education study programs are at an intermediate level, but students in the Elementary School Teacher Education study program are at a low level of inquiry skills. Inquiry skills for each dimension also vary. Based on these results, efforts are needed to improve the inquiry skills of distance education students in the form of training or other habits so that they can implement them.

Nearby Nature: An Interdisciplinary Science, Literacy, and Technology Project Situated within a Traditional Teacher Preparation Program

ABSTRACT Pre-service teachers often learn to teach in siloed methods courses despite evidence that interdisciplinary pedagogies benefit elementary school students. To address this discrepancy, six teacher educators initiated a two-year self-study to improve their practice. They co-created a shared module to integrate technology, literacy, and science content. The self-study was designed to answer the research question: what are the successes and challenges of implementing an interdisciplinary module within an elementary teacher education program? Findings relate to three main categories: teacher education pedagogies, use of technology tools, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Areas of promise for future integration are discussed.

학습된 무기력과 비자기결정성 진로동기의 관계성 탐색

Objectives The aim of this study is to investigate pre-service elementary and special education teachers’ learned helplessness and its effect on career motivation.
 Methods Data were collected from students enrolled in an elementary and special pre-service teacher education program at a rural university in the K area of the Republic of Korea. Participants completed a self-reported questionnaire including scales assessing learned helplessness in daily life (“helplessness”), learned helplessness in academic situations (“academic helplessness”), and career motivation based on self-determination theory. Data from 62 participants were analyzed using descriptive analysis, correlational analysis, multiple regression analyses, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test.
 Results Descriptive analyses revealed the absence of learned helplessness (helplessness, academic helplessness) among participants. Levels of amotivation were low, while autonomous motivation, including identified regulation and intrinsic regulation, were high. Correlational analyses indicated significant positive correlations between learned helplessness and non-regulation, external regulation, and introjected regulation, respectively. Regression analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis H test indicated that academic helplessness was the significant predictor of non-regulation and external regulation.
 Conclusions These findings suggest that negative responses to academic failures could result in a lack of initiation or persistence in career goal-directed behaviors, or in avoiding the adverse outcomes associated with career-related activities. This study provides valuable foundational data for understanding learned helplessness and undetermined career motivation, offering insights for interventions and future research in the field.

The landscape of US elementary mathematics teacher education: course requirements for mathematics content and methods

AbstractThe adequate preparation of future teachers of mathematics is critical, requiring sufficient opportunities to develop both pedagogical skill and content knowledge. Yet, despite new recommendations for mathematics teacher preparation, we know little about the landscape of course-based learning opportunities in US elementary teacher education programs. To what extent do US elementary teacher education programs meet the Standards for Preparing Teachers of Mathematics outlined by the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) for mathematics content and methods courses? Based on an a priori power analysis, we gathered a random sample of 291 higher education institutions. Within these institutions, we analyzed 736 programs, including Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Credential programs. We found that overwhelmingly US elementary teacher education programs do not meet the aspirations outlined in the AMTE standards, with Master’s and Credential programs and those covering all elementary grades particularly falling short. Potential explanations for these challenges and implications for teacher education program design are discussed.

Collaboration Across Departments: The Effects of an Intervention to Improve Preservice Teachers’ Writing

This study examines the impact of course-based collaboration between an elementary teacher education program and a writing center. Written texts of preservice teachers (n=141) were analyzed to establish the most frequent errors/problems in their writing. Based on the first analysis, the researchers designed and implemented an intervention focused on language usage, content, and coherence. The intervention group (n=41) significantly outperformed the control group (n=41) after a single intervention session, with large effect sizes for language usage and content, and a medium to large effect size for coherence.

‘We couldn’t share who we are without being able to draw on this “twoness”’: lessons for higher education in integrating linguistic and racial justice in the United States

ABSTRACT This article describes a program which centered multilingualism and racial justice in higher education in an elementary teacher education program in the United States. By using the theory of ideological clarity, we sought to understand learning outcomes for teacher candidates (TCs) and their contexts, and make salient the racial and linguistic intersections within TCs' identities/subjectivities. We show that by drawing significantly on candidates' linguistic, racial, and cultural resources, and intentionally supporting them within their teacher development, the program allowed TCs to develop critical awareness of ongoing educational inequities. At the same time, how candidates take up linguistic justice varies according to their raciolinguicized subjectivities while their reflections and enactments around multilingualism cannot necessarily be equated with taking a stance towards racial justice. We, therefore, advocate for higher education to continue establishing multilingual pedagogies through pedagogies and frameworks that concurrently address racism and decenter Whiteness.

A study on the future competency-based pre-service elementary teacher education program

A study on the future competency-based pre-service elementary teacher education program

Curriculum Evaluation of Islamic Elementary Teacher Education Programs in Indonesia

AbstractFrom the Indonesian National Qualifications Framework (KKNI) perspective, each study program should be able to present itself with the “graduate profile” obtained through tracer study activities, feasibility studies and needs analysis in the community. The graduate profile must at least reflect abilities that refer to four aspects of needs (1) attitude, (2) knowledge, (3) general skills; and (4) special skills. The four abilities are translated into a learning outcome (learning outcome) in each course in the study program. Thus, all learning plans or Semester Learning Plans should be based on learning outcomes (learning outcomes) following the needs of the graduate profile. This study aims to evaluate the readiness of the Islamic Elementary Teacher Education study program in Indonesia to implement the current curriculum policy, called the Indonesian National Qualification Framework. This study follows a mixed-method research design by undertaking an evaluation study. Moreover, the data were collected through a literature study, document study, questionnaire, and interview. Twenty-one departments were analysed, involving seventeen state and four private universities. This study provided some noteworthy findings, one of which is to measure how much the readiness of programme directors to implement new policies.AbstrakDari perspektif Kerangka Kualifikasi Nasional Indonesia (KKNI), setiap program studi harus dapat mempresentasikan dirinya sendiri dengan "profil lulusan" yang diperoleh melalui kegiatan studi tracer, studi kelayakan, dan analisis kebutuhan di masyarakat. Profil lulusan harus setidaknya mencerminkan kemampuan yang mengacu pada empat aspek kebutuhan (1) sikap, (2) pengetahuan, (3) keterampilan umum; dan (4) keterampilan khusus. Keempat kemampuan tersebut diterjemahkan menjadi hasil belajar (learning outcome) dalam setiap mata kuliah dalam program studi. Dengan demikian, semua rencana pembelajaran atau Rencana Pembelajaran Semester harus didasarkan pada hasil belajar (learning outcome) mengikuti kebutuhan profil lulusan. Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi kesiapan program studi Pendidikan Guru Madrasah Ibtidaiyah di Indonesia untuk menerapkan kebijakan kurikulum saat ini, yang disebut Kerangka Kualifikasi Nasional Indonesia. Studi ini mengikuti desain penelitian campuran dengan melakukan studi evaluasi. Selain itu, data dikumpulkan melalui studi literatur, studi dokumen, kuesioner, dan wawancara. Dua puluh satu departemen dianalisis, melibatkan tujuh belas universitas negeri dan empat universitas swasta. Studi ini memberikan beberapa temuan yang mencolok, salah satunya adalah mengukur seberapa besar kesiapan direktur program untuk menerapkan kebijakan baru.How to Cite : Fauzan. (2022). Curriculum Evaluation of Islamic Elementary Teacher Education Programs in Indonesia. TARBIYA: Journal of Education in Muslim Society, 9(2), 149-162. doi:10.15408/tjems.v9i2.14869.

Evaluating Elementary Teacher Education Program in Terms of Affective Features Using Hammond’s Evaluation Model

In this study, elementary teacher education program was evaluated in terms of attitude, value, and academic motivation towards the teaching profession using Hammond’s evaluation model. Convergent parallel design of mixed method studies was employed. The qualitative component of the study included a total of 39 participants; 23 teacher candidates, 11 faculty members and five executive faculty members while the quantitative component of the study was carried out with 121 teacher candidates. The data were collected through “Academic Motivation Scale”, “Portrait Values Questionnaire”, “Teaching Profession Attitude Scale”, “document analysis, semi-structured interview forms, field notes, and observation forms. The results of the study indicated that although teacher candidates had high levels of attitude and motivation towards the profession, their attitude towards the course, thus motivation to attend classes, was low. Curriculum objectives for the affective domain were limited to a minimum, content was dense, and the faculty members mostly used expository teaching strategies such as traditional lecture method and question-answer technique.

‘What language does grandma speak?’: an understanding of dual language teacher candidates’ language ideologies in elementary placements

ABSTRACT This qualitative study explores the language ideologies of three elementary Spanish/English Dual Language teacher candidates (DLTCs) within the contexts of an elementary Teacher Education (ELTEP) program and their field placements in Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) classrooms. Using language ideologies and Bourdieu’s conceptualization of symbolic power and linguistic capital, we examine how the DLTCs’ own language ideologies either aligned or conflicted with those in their school placements. In our findings, DLTCs’ language ideologies emerged as both an asset and a commodity that granted access to social and professional opportunities. Additionally, the hegemonic presence of English noticeably influenced DLBE classroom practices, where DLTCs’ agentivity created spaces of resistance that supported Spanish. Implications for focusing and disrupting DLTCs’ language ideologies in DLBE contexts are also discussed. These findings support establishing more explicitly for DLTCs and Teacher Education Programs (TEPs), a connection between DLTCs’ language development experiences, ideologies and practices that lead to the attainment of the equity goals of DLBE.

Challenging epistemologies of objectivity through collaborative pedagogy: Centering identity, power, emotions, and place in teacher education

In this essay, we discuss how we have attempted to counter the ongoing dominance and (re)inscription of White supremacist, ableist, and settler colonial ways of knowing and being within an elementary teacher education program (TEP) through a consideration of identity and power, emotions and place-based pedagogy. Our approaches indicate means for regenerating and expanding upon marginalized epistemologies in TEPs, challenging curricular epistemicide, while our stories also indicate that these approaches and related ways of knowing are intertwined with our own identities, histories and felt experiences as well as challenges to our enactment of this work.

Design Principles That Support Course Design Innovation for Elementary Mathematics Methods Courses

Learning to teach mathematics is a complex endeavor, requiring sustained focus and time. Yet time is especially scarce in elementary teacher education programs, where preservice teachers (PSTs) learn all content areas. Through a collaborative self-study, five teacher educators identified three time-related tensions in elementary mathematics methods courses: (a) teaching mathematics content and pedagogy; (b) connecting theory and practice; and (c) promoting social contexts in teaching mathematics. To address these tensions, we offer three design principles and illustrative examples: (a) addressing multiple goals for each course component; (b) developing PSTs’ dispositions over time; and (c) building on PSTs’ strengths to develop understanding of mathematics. We present a reflection tool to assist matsshematics teacher educators in designing their courses to maximize their instructional time.

“Sometimes You're Going to Be Uncomfortable”: Pre-service Elementary Teachers’ Generative Orientations Toward Facilitating Critical Conversations Around Texts

Grounded in our commitment to support preservice teachers (PSTs) in an urban elementary teacher education program to develop anti-bias pedagogies, we engaged in a design-based study aimed at enacting critical conversations about texts that foster dialogue about power and privilege. In this analysis, we explore how PSTs engaged with children during discretionary moments within critical conversations in their field placements. We asked: What generative orientations are visible in PSTs’ analysis of and reflection on their facilitation of critical conversations with children? Findings reveal that PSTs who extended dialogue during these moments in critical conversations—rather than avoiding or ignoring children’s contributions—displayed an orientation toward seeing children as sensemakers; flexibly responded to encourage dialogue; and recognized the value of feeling uncomfortable.

Using Field Trips to Create Relevant Social Justice Informed Mathematics Lessons in an Elementary Teacher Education Program: An Action Research Study

ABSTRACT Teaching mathematics for social justice is a rich research area in which field trips have been under examined. The paucity of literature on math-based field trips for social justice, specifically, warrants further investigation. This action research study aims to improve our practice of empowering elementary preservice teachers to design math-based field trips to enhance student awareness of social justice issues. Two research questions (RQ) guided this project: (RQ1) How can teacher educators inspire social change within math education via the preparation of future elementary teachers using math-based field trips? (RQ2) What are preservice teachers’ perceptions of designing socially just math lessons using fieldtrips? We provide an overview of previous literature, describe the project we designed, and provide an analysis of preservice teachers’ experiences and perceptions of this project. Thematic analysis of student journals and final assignments generated eight overarching themes and three subordinate themes organized by three phases. Organization by phases indicates a structural approach that teacher educators may use when introducing a similar activity. Further analysis revealed elementary preservice teachers emphasized the beneficial challenge of this assignment, suggesting that math-based social justice field trips are important additions to teacher education programs. Finally, we discuss what we learned from this study as teacher educators and researchers and provide recommendations to the field of teacher education.

Evaluation of an elementary teacher education program to promote argument instruction

While previous teacher education research on argumentation primarily targeted science teachers, we will provide insights on where to begin teacher education for beginners in situations, where argumentation instruction is not yet common and time constraints impede teacher training. We conducted a short-term program that lasted 160 minutes, with 61 graduate students from a Japanese graduate school of teacher education as participants. It explained arguments, and taught the participants how to construct, score, and plan arguments that they could use in their classes. We conducted the argument construction and evaluation task to examine the presence or absence of components and the correctness of the arguments. The non-parametric quantitative response data were analyzed using SPSS by Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test and Mann-Whitney U test. The results showed that the post-test revealed significant improvements in both tasks. This program may be effective for non-science beginner teachers.