Examine Preservice Teachers Research Articles

Exploring Preservice Teachers' Translanguaging Practices and Perceptions in Teacher Training: A Global Englishes Perspective

AbstractThis study explores how preservice English teachers in China perceive and leverage their Chinese and English linguistic repertoires in ELT methodology training, and how a reflective understanding of their use of these repertoires can contribute to their development as teachers. To understand how their practices and conceptualizations of language and teaching are in accord with an orientation toward or away from principles of Global Englishes Language Teaching (GELT), we drew on theories of translanguaging space and stance (García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017; Li, 2011) and the GELT framework (Rose & Galloway, 2019) to examine preservice teachers' experiences in teacher training. Through multimodal conversational analysis of lesson recordings, we found that preservice teachers created translanguaging spaces to utilize different languages in the critical negotiation of pedagogies. In addition, they displayed traslanguaging stance by strategically incorporating multimodal and multicultural resources in microteachings. We also carried out semistructured interviews in which the preservice teachers, influenced by factors such as language ideologies and curriculum design, displayed mixed views toward translanguaging practices in teacher training, and the ELT classroom. By investigating the feasibility of GELT in TESOL teacher training in China, this study emphasizes the need to empower preservice teachers as critical agents in terms of assessment design and curriculum delivery for sustainable Global Englishes‐oriented innovations to occur.

Using Contemplative Practice for Pre-service Teacher Healing

There is a critical need to create a shift in curriculum that is framed around the whole person rather than isolating a pre-service teacher’s development solely to theory, content, and skills. This paper explores ways to promote citizenship, sustain preservice teacher wholeness and wellbeing, and examine preservice teacher perceptions of spirituality and mindfulness.

Planning for Equitable Student Sensemaking: An Examination of Preservice Teachers’ Noticing of Elementary Science Lesson Plans

ABSTRACT Designing and analyzing lesson plans is a ubiquitous practice in teacher education, and yet we know little about how preservice teachers (PSTs) notice elements of their lesson plans that afford opportunities for supporting equitable student sensemaking. We investigate how the use of a tool, a framework for supporting equitable sensemaking, guided 36 PSTs to notice four features of equitable sensemaking in their plans. Qualitative analysis of PSTs’ comments about their plans generated a coding rubric and three associated levels for noticing. These levels included (1) paying little to no attention to explicit strategies and making assumptions about the ways that traditional classroom practices might facilitate equitable sensemaking; (2) attending to some strategies but providing few details; and (3) attending to and making connections between specific moves and broader principles and practices of supporting equitable student sensemaking. Guided by the tool, PSTs were able to provide elaborate details about their plans to design instruction to engage students in authentic scientific work focused on investigating and explaining phenomenon (feature 4) and to position students as knowers (feature 2), but they struggled to discuss explicit ways to leverage students’ lived experiences in their science lessons (feature 3) and facilitate equitable engagement and participation (feature 1). This suggests that even with the use of a tool, it may be challenging for PSTs to attend to and describe in detail strategies for leveraging students’ out-of-school lives and interests for science learning and explicit classroom strategies for making learning accessible and engaging for all.

Examination of Pre-Service Teachers' Experiences on Student-Centered Instruction

The teaching approach, in which the student is at the center of learning, is becoming more and more common. The teacher is an important factor in the implementation of this approach. Pre-service education plays an important role in the qualified training of teachers. If teacher candidates learn student-centered teaching through experience at the university, they are expected to apply it more easily when they start working. In this direction, it was aimed to examine the student-centered teaching experiences of pre-service teachers. It is supposed that pre-service teachers' views on this process will contribute to the development of pre-service teacher education. The research was carried out with the phenomenology design, and 67 pre-service teachers were included in the research with the criterion sampling method. The research data collected with an open-ended questionnaire form were analyzed by content analysis. According to the results of the research, pre-service teachers think that student-centered teaching encourages them, makes them effective, and provides them with skills. Because of these features, they consider the approach as an effective learning approach and think that the experiences give them emotional awareness and improve their professional competencies. However, pre-service teachers experience educational problems such as indecision, anxiety, lack of self-confidence and knowledge, and inexperience while performing student-centered teaching.

Using contextual problems to develop preservice mathematics teachers’ understanding of exponential and logarithmic concepts

Understanding a mathematical concept in real-world situations is of practical importance and would be helpful to learn the concept in depth. One potential way to help students learn mathematical concepts in real-world situations would be to engage them with contextual problems. Exponential and logarithmic concepts are essential topics in higher secondary and university curricula, and most students seem to have a procedural understanding of them, and their interpretation in real-world situations has less attention. We examined preservice teachers’ understanding in designing contextual problems for exponential and logarithmic statements. We conducted the study in two countries: Czech Republic and Iran. The process of this study included an initial interview, implementing a set of activities, and an exit interview. The results of the initial interview showed that the preservice teachers did not have enough understanding of exponential and logarithmic statements in real-world situations, but the class activities helped them to develop their understanding of these concepts in real-world situations. Indeed, the results of the exit interview showed that the preservice teachers came to a conceptual understanding in addition to their previous procedural understanding. We report characteristics of preservice teachers’ understanding that would be productive in teaching and learning exponential and logarithmic topics through contextual problems.

Examination of Pre-service Teachers' Perceptions on the Transition System to Secondary Education and Their Suggestions for Improving the System

Bu çalışmada, öğretmen adaylarının ortaöğretime geçiş sistemi ile ilgili algılarının belirlenmesi ve sistemi geliştirmeye yönelik önerilerinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden olan olgubilim (fenomenoloji) deseni kullanılmış, çalışma grubunu 2021-2022 eğitim-öğretim yılı güz döneminde Anadolu Üniversitesinde öğrenim gören 147 öğretmen adayı oluşturmuştur. Veriler içerik analizi ile analiz edilmiştir. Katılımcıların üçte biri sistemin olumlu ve olumsuz yönlerinin bulunduğunu, üçte ikisi ise sürecin hiçbir olumlu yönünün olmadığını belirtmişlerdir. Ortaöğretime geçiş sistemine yönelik olumlu algılara ilişkin üç alt tema (eşitlik ve adaletli ölçme ve yerleştirmeye fırsat vermesi, öğrencileri olumlu yönde etkilemesi, ülke gerçeklerine ve özelliklerine uygun olması), olumsuz algılara ilişkin beş alt tema (Öğrenciye yönelik etkiler, sistemin işleyişi, sınavın yapısı ve niteliği, okullar ve eğitim anlayışına yönelik etkiler, eşitsizlik ve adaletsizliğe yönelik algılar, ebeveynlere yönelik etkiler) belirlenmiştir. Çalışmada, sistemin geliştirilmesine yönelik olarak bütüncül bir yaklaşımın benimsenmesi, çoklu ve esnek değerlendirme sisteminin uygulanması, her okulun kendi sınavını yapması, uygulamalı sınavların yapılması, nesnel ve nitelikli ölçmenin gerçekleştirilmesi, süreç odaklı ve okul notlarının göz önünde bulundurulduğu ölçme, değerlendirme ve yerleştirmenin yapılması, sosyo-kültürel etkinlikler ve projelerin de yerleştirmelerde değerlendirilmeye alınması, fırsat eşitliğini sağlayan politikaların geliştirilmesi gibi önerilerin katılımcılar tarafından üretildiği anlaşılmıştır.

Elementary preservice teachers' responsiveness while eliciting students' initial arguments and encouraging critique in online simulated argumentation discussions

AbstractEngaging children in argumentation‐focused discussions is essential to helping them collaboratively make sense of scientific phenomena. To support this effort, teachers must listen and be responsive to students' ideas to move the discussion forward with the goal of reaching consensus. Given the complexity of this ambitious science teaching practice, in lieu of traditional field experiences, online simulated teaching experiences provide opportunities for preservice teachers to practice implementing these strategies in a low‐risk, high‐support environment. Limited research has explored elementary preservice teachers' responsiveness while navigating an argumentation‐focused discussion, particularly in an online simulated teaching experience. The purpose of this study was to examine preservice teachers' responsiveness to students' ideas while eliciting students' initial constructed arguments and encouraging argument critique in two online simulated teaching experiences. Findings showed that preservice teachers' responsiveness to students' ideas was high in both online simulated teaching experiences when asking students to share evidence as well as engage in critique. However, their responsiveness varied when prompting for reasoning and was often low when eliciting students' claims. These findings provide empirical evidence that such online simulated teaching experiences can be used as productive spaces for PSTs to practice being responsive to students' ideas during argumentation‐focused discussions.

An Attribution Theory Lens on Plagiarism: Examining the Beliefs of Preservice Teachers

Academic misconduct is a prominent issue at postsecondary institutions. This issue includes the act of plagiarism, which has received considerable attention on campuses. There is a growing body of research examining why students engage in plagiarism, and what they know about plagiarism, but little of this research is guided by a theoretical framework. Although all students may be tempted to plagiarize, students in teacher education programs represent a unique population because they are concerned with developing their own academic performance alongside the skills necessary to manage situations of academic misconduct as future teachers. Therefore, our first aim was to examine preservice teachers’ beliefs about plagiarism. Then, following the principles of Attribution Theory, our second aim was to investigate how beliefs of controllability related to acts of plagiarism impacted participants views on responsibility, emotions, help giving, and reporting. We used a within-person repeated measures design with three levels of controllability manipulated through hypothetical scenarios of plagiarism to collect data from 201 preservice teachers. Overall, preservice teachers had strong beliefs about plagiarism. Moreover, when scenarios included students who engaged in plagiarism that was controllable, participants were more likely to view the student as responsible, feel anger towards them, support punishment, and recommend reporting the student, than when the act of plagiarism was not seen as controllable. We provide recommendations for instructors and administrators for supporting students and highlight limitations and directions for future research.

Alternative Confirmatory Factor Analytic Models for Examining Preservice Teachers' Non-Cognitive Skills

This study provides a comparative analysis of the inferences that can be reached about preservice teachers' emotional awareness and personality traits when several alternative factor analytic models are tested simultaneously. An empirical illustration is provided using two datasets collected for a research study aiming to profile the social-emotional behavior repertoire of preservice teachers. Four alternative factor analytic models were considered for both datasets: the unidimensional model, the correlated model, the higher- (or second-) order model, and the bifactor model. Results indicate that the higher-order factor model for emotional awareness (n = 670) and the bifactor model for personality traits (n = 670) were the preferred models that better represent the underlying factor structures. Multidimensionality and practical decisions concerning score reporting are discussed.

What does critical thinking mean? Examination of pre-service teachers’ cognitive structures and definitions for critical thinking

This study aims to determine pre-service teachers’ cognitive structures and conceptual definitions for the concept of critical thinking, thereby revealing their perceptions about it. Document analysis, one of the qualitative research approaches, was employed in the study. The study group consists of 161 pre-service teachers from different departmental programs of a state university in Turkey (primary school teaching, mathematics education, science education, Turkish education, social sciences education and psychological counseling and guidance education) enrolled in the ‘Critical and Analytical Thinking’ elective course in the fall and spring semesters of the 2021–2022 academic year. A form consisting of open-ended questions prepared by the researchers was used as a data collection tool. The first part of the form consists of a word association test used to reveal pre-service teachers’ cognitive structures about critical thinking and the relations between the concepts in this structure while the second part involves an open-ended question in response to which they can write their original definitions for critical thinking. Content analysis method was used to analyze the data obtained from the form. The analysis showed that the pre-service teachers had rich cognitive structures for the definition and content of critical thinking, that they preferred to describe the concept of critical thinking as skill-based in their definitions and did not include critical thinking dispositions in their definitions as much as skills, although they emphasized many critical thinking dispositions in the word association test, that their definitions were consistent with the definitions in the literature, and that their perceptions of critical thinking were relevant to the nature of critical thinking.

Examination of pre-service teachers' experiences in teaching practice with distance education

The COVID-19 epidemic, which affects the functioning of institutions in almost every field, has also affected pre-service teacher education. In this process, unlike the traditional practice, pre-service teachers carried out the teaching practice with distance education. However, since the application was sudden, urgent and new, it could not be adequately evaluated. In this research, it is aimed to examine the pre-service teachers’ experiences of teaching practice with distance education in the COVID-19 process. The research was designed as a case study. Research data were obtained by semi-structured interview and observation forms. The collected data were analyzed with descriptive, and content analysis methods. The participants are seven pre-service teachers and two practice teachers who guide these candidates. According to the results of the research, it has been revealed that pre-service teachers give distance education according to their own possibilities and adapt to the process in teaching practice. However, it was determined that they faced some problems in preparation, classroom management, teaching process and using technology. It is expected that future applications will be more effective if pre-service teachers receive training on distance education, are supported with distance education tools, and their infrastructure problems are resolved.

Examination of Pre-Service Teachers’ Safety Expectations in The Design of Smartphones in Terms of Various Variables

In this research, it is aimed to reveal safety expectations of pre-service teachers in the design of smartphones and to examine them in terms of 8 variables as follows: gender, generation (Y-Z), department/branch group, main purpose of smartphone use, operating system, number of smartphones used, smartphone replacement frequency and smartphone segment preference. Quantitative research method was adopted, and the relational survey model was used. For the collection of data, Safety Expectations in the Design of Smartphones Scale (SEitDoSS) -which was developed as part of the first author’s Ph.D. thesis- consisting of 21 items and 5 factors (user-specific expectations, device-specific expectations, integration expectations, health-specific expectations and support expectations) and a Personal Information Form created to collect participants’ information about the variables. Anadolu and Osmangazi Universities (universities in Eskişehir province of Türkiye) were selected to obtain data. The application was carried out online in the spring semester of the 2020-2021 Academic Year, and a total of 252 participants were reached during the 8-week application. According to the results, pre-service teachers’ safety expectations in the design of smartphones are generally high. There was a significant difference in at least one dimension in terms of 7 variables: gender, generation, department/branch group, main purpose of smartphone use, operating system, smartphone replacement frequency and smartphone segment preference. According to the “number of smartphones used”, there was no significant difference in terms of safety expectations of smartphones in design. The implications of the results are discussed with the support of the studies in the literature.

German Preservice Teachers’ Stances on Criteria for Discussing Controversial Issues in the Classroom

In times of increasing political polarization, the question of how teachers deal with controversial issues in their classrooms becomes more important than ever. Rejection, avoidance, or an overtly neutral stance on different positions on these issues can be detrimental to democratic education. In this study, we examine preservice teachers’ stances on different criteria for discussing controversial issues in their prospective classrooms and propose a specification of the approach of balancing different views on controversial issues that we call “committed balancing”: a form of balancing that avoids according equal weight or importance to fundamentally unequal positions. To examine different stances that preservice teachers hold on controversy, we used a convenience sample of 162 German preservice teachers to develop the foundation for a standardized instrument that can be used to detect different ideas about the limits to controversial classroom discussions. We analyzed interviews with a subset of respondents to further examine their ideas about controversial issues in their future classroom practice. We found evidence of different strategies of (not) dealing with controversial issues as well as an emerging strategy of committed balancing. Our findings have practical implications for teachers and teacher educators in addressing controversial topics in the classroom. We suggest that “committed balancing” should be considered as a guide for how to approach these issues.

Examining ESL Preservice Teachers’ Personal Factors That Best Predict Their Confidence to Integrate Technology in Future Classrooms

This study was designed to examine preservice teachers' personal characteristics that can predict their confidence to integrate technology in their teaching practices. The investigators used a questionnaire designed based on Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory to ask 168 ESL preservice teachers enrolled in the English Department in a public university located in central Anatolia. The results of this study found that the use of technology during ESL preservice teachers' training was the most significant predictor of their self-efficacy to integrate technology in their teaching practices, then followed by the number of years they are attending the education training and finally their learning preferences such as the use of multimedia and digital materials. The results of this study also found that ESL preservice teachers’ gender and age were insignificant causes for building their confidence to integrate technology. The study also has found that there is a significant relationship between ESL preservice teachers' use of technology and their levels of self-efficacy and this relationship was strong and positive. These findings indicate that prior experience with technology among preservice teachers is a key component in determining their confidence in integrating technology into teaching and learning. The study offers vital insights into how teacher education programs might effectively prepare ESL preservice teachers for technology integration. Teacher education programs should prioritize chances for preservice teachers to obtain practical experience using technology in classroom settings. Finally, the investigators provide interpretation and recommendations based on these findings.Keywords: ESL, Personal Factors, Preservice Teachers, Self-Efficacy, Technology Integration

Transformative Potential of Culturally Responsive Teaching: Examining Preservice Teachers’ Collaboration Practices Centering Refugee Youth

Using a critical ethnographic approach, this research explores the experiences of preservice teachers in a Midwestern educator preparation program as they plan and implement an interdisciplinary community exploration and learning project using culturally responsive teaching practices to center local refugee youth. Data collection includes observing collaborative planning processes, collecting written reflections and photographs, and conducting post-project interviews. Findings suggest that culturally responsive teaching practices can lead to the development of asset-based mindsets of their peers through an emphasis on openness, interdisciplinary collaboration, and centering refugee youth. The implications of reframing service learning as learning and exploration are discussed, highlighting the benefits for both students and preservice teachers in terms of cultural competence and equity. Considerations for future research include the importance of longitudinal studies on the impact of cultural responsiveness in educator preparation programs. The research contributes to the understanding of effective teaching strategies for promoting equity in education and highlights the transformative potential of culturally responsive teaching on preservice teachers in collaboration with each other. Overall, engaging preservice teachers in community exploration and learning projects as culturally responsive teaching has the potential to dismantle racism, challenge biases, promote openness and partnership, and foster equity across middle-level learning spaces.

The Impact of a School-University Partnership Model on Preservice Teacher Outcomes: Developing Future Special Educators

ABSTRACT Solutions for the special education teacher shortage typically focus on the retention of inservice teachers. A different approach starts earlier, focusing on preservice teachers who are developing their skillsets and determining their field of interest. Using Social Cognitive Career Theory as a framework, we examined preservice teachers’ special education career-related outcomes. In this pilot study, we evaluated the effect of a school-university partnership compared to a typical introduction to special education course. Using a quasi-experimental design, 77 participants completed pre- and post-measures on their special education: (a) perceived knowledge and comfort, (b) teaching efficacy, (c) career outcome expectations, (d) interest, and (e) career intentions. Results of paired t-tests showed that participants in both groups improved significantly in their perceived special education knowledge, confidence, and self-efficacy, with larger effect sizes for the partnership group. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) showed higher posttest scores in special education self-efficacy, interest, and intentions for those in the partnership group. Themes from participants’ open-ended responses mirrored quantitative findings. Implications from this pilot study for research, practice, and policy are discussed.

Examination of pre-service teachers' perceptions of the concept of fraction using the word association test

In this study, it is aimed to examine the perceptions of the mathematics teacher candidates regarding the concept of fraction. 32 teacher candidates participated in the research carried out in the screening model. The word association test was used as a data collection tool and the obtained data were analyzed by content analysis method. According to the results of the analysis, it is seen that the perceptions of teacher candidates regarding the concept of fraction are mostly concentrated in the themes of meanings of fractions, operations in fractions, and representation of fractions. In addition, the themes of numbers, notation, and other mathematical topics in which it is used are other themes that emerged. It was seen that the teacher candidates expressed the quotient meaning at most, they did not mention the percent meaning. It was seen that they mostly expressed the addition operation in fractions and the type of compound fraction. As a result, it is seen that pre-service teachers' perceptions about the concept of fraction are limited. Pre-service teachers can be given a more comprehensive and relational education on the concept of fraction.

Using video enhanced mobile observation for peer-feedback in teacher education

Mobile tools are integrated into teacher education settings to provide contextualized, connected, and collaborative teacher learning practices. In this case study, the video-enhanced observation (VEO) app was used in a science methods course to facilitate preservice teachers’ reciprocal peer-teaching of inquiry-based lesson study. This research examined preservice teachers’ perceptions on the challenges and affordances of using video enhanced mobile observation with peer-teaching feedback. Results from the technology acceptance model (TAM) revealed moderate levels of perceived ease of use, usefulness, and intention to use the VEO app. Further analysis of the open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews revealed self-reflection, feedback, and inquiry-based teaching support as emerging themes for the app integration. This research offers recommendations for implementing video enhanced mobile observation as a promising formative and performative-based assessment strategy within peer-feedback contexts in teacher education programs.

Is Online Assessment Better? Examination of Pre-service Teachers’ Views

The aim of this research is to examine the pre-service teachers’ opinions on online assessment during the Covid-19 process. In the study, which was designed with a basic interpretive design, data were collected from 138 teacher candidates with a structured interview form consisting of open-ended questions created by the researchers and analyzed by content analysis. According to the findings of the study, the pre-service teachers stated that they were evaluated by methods such as online exam, homework, online class participation, and online presentation and that each evaluation method had advantages and disadvantages. When the teacher candidates compared face-to-face assessment with online assessment, they focused on the disadvantages of homework and online exams. They indicated that the online assessment method could be in the form of online exam, qualified homework, and participation in the course, depending on the nature of the course. The findings were discussed within the framework of the literature, and suggestions were presented to researchers and practitioners.

Exploring preservice science teachers' attitudes toward environmental technologies

Understanding attitudes toward environmental technologies appears essential because of the need for profound societal changes associated with using new technologies to protect the environment. However, a lack of research investigating the attitudes of preservice science teachers toward environmental technologies exists in the current research literature. Therefore, this study aimed to examine preservice teachers' attitudes toward environmental technologies. A total of 196 students enrolled in a large Russian public university formed the participants of this research. Researchers used a scale for data collection. We administered the scale to the participants in the spring semester of the 2022 year. This scale included three sub-dimensions and 24 items. We analyzed pre-service teachers' attitudes in age, branch, and gender. The results showed that the developed scale consisted of three dimensions: positive, benefit, and negative. The results demonstrated that the participants in this research demonstrated moderate and low mean scores regarding the positive aspects of environmental technologies. The participants also demonstrated very positive attitudes regarding the benefits of environmental technologies. Regarding the negative aspects of environmental technologies, the participants had the lowest mean scores compared to the other items of the first two factors. The results also revealed some significant differences in participants’ age, branch, and gender. In conclusion, we discuss educational implications for promoting the environmental attitudes of preservice teachers about environmental technologies.