In-service Teacher Education Research Articles

Middle-Level Teacher Development and Identity: A Review of the Literature

Historically, the field of middle-level education has taken it as a given that teachers of young adolescents should be specially prepared to teach in the middle grades, developing a teacher identity that centers around responding to and advocating for the age group above an identity as a subject area teacher. Defined broadly as teachers’ dynamic conceptualizations of themselves as educators and their related roles, decisions, and actions, teacher professional identity has garnered considerable attention in the research literature as a potential source of leverage in multiple dimensions of schooling, preservice teacher education and in-service teachers’ professional learning, and teachers’ professional lives. Teacher identity at the middle level is ideally grounded in a deep commitment to helping young adolescents realize their power and possibilities. While the literature on teacher identity development is well-established in some educational contexts, studies specifically examining the potentially unique developmental trajectory of teacher identity among middle-level educators remain limited. To address this gap, we conducted a review of the literature to address the question: what does the research say about middle-level teacher development and identity? Our review identified 26 relevant sources on middle-level teacher development and identity, published from 2015 through the first half of 2024, and yielded key ideas within three themes: (a) the development of teacher identity, (b) the intersectionality of teacher identity, and (c) critical consciousness, agency, and teacher identity. This review identifies both progress and gaps in the current literature, recognizes potential future directions for research on middle-level teacher identity, and offers possible implications for preservice and in-service middle-level teacher education.

Re-framing Pacific education, teacher knowledge and practice: innovations from within Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT In many countries including Aotearoa New Zealand, rapidly changing population demographics have led to increasing cultural diversity in classrooms. Developing equitable outcomes for diverse learners including those from indigenous and migrant heritage requires educators to both respect cultural diversity and enact intercultural understanding and capability. This has implications for both pre-service and in-service teacher education and more broadly educational policy. In this article, we draw on examples from New Zealand of shifts in Pacific education policy and practice related to teacher education. We track policy development over the past three decades that originated from concerns about inequity for Pacific students in schooling to more recent policy initiatives that engage deeply with Pacific learners, families, and communities. We illustrate the shifts in educational policy and teacher education by using three cases of the Pacific led initiatives to exemplify the reframing of Pacific education, teacher knowledge, and practice, by listening to and privileging the voices of Pacific people. We argue that to address equitable education for diverse student communities, teacher education needs explicitly to recognise and acknowledge structural inequities and racism inherent in education systems while providing opportunities for reflection and deep learning about differing knowledge systems and ways of being.

In-service teacher education in death education through participatory action research (PAR)

ABSTRACT Current teacher education neglects educational needs, such as death education. A participatory action research (PAR) approach based on the needs and interests of teachers was adopted. One private and two state schools at all levels of non-university education were involved. The objective was to understand a process of change in teaching facilitated by PAR in the context of a teaching innovation project in death education. The results are presented according to the PAR phases. Conclusions are that the training process reduced the gap between scientific knowledge and educational practice, and that specific death education competencies were developed alongside personal growth amongst teachers.

유아교사의 놀이신념과 유아 놀이성의 관계에서 교사 놀이지원역량의 매개효과

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effect of early childhood teacher’s play support competency on the relationship between teachers' play beliefs and children's playfulness. To this end, a questionnaire was administered to 246 classroom teachers of 3-5 year olds in daycare centers and kindergartens in B, U, and K cities. To analyze the final 246 collected data, descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, pearson correlation coefficient analysis, and mediation effect analysis were conducted using SPSS 25.0. The results of the analysis are as follows. First, there were differences in their play support competency depending on the type of organization they work for and their final education level. Teachers' play support competency was significantly higher in workplace daycare centers than in public kindergartens, and teachers who graduated from graduate school were significantly higher than teachers with less than a college degree. Second, early childhood teachers' play beliefs, play support competency, and children's playfulness were positively related. Third, teachers' play support competency were found to have a partial mediating effect on the relationship between teachers' play beliefs and children's playfulness. Based on these results, the relationship between teachers' play beliefs, play support competency and children's playfulness was discussed. And implications for preservice and in-service teacher education were presented.

여자교사체육교육공동체 원더티처의 결성과 활동 탐구

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the formation of the female teacher physical education community called Wonder Teacher and the professional development activities of physical education classes and to find their meaning. Methods: Participants in the study selected four of the management teams that can give in-depth answers to the story of community formation and program planning and operation. Participation and observation, documents, and in-depth interviews were used for data collection, and a qualitative research method was used to describe the formation and activities of Wonder Teacher, analyze them inductively, and interpret them. Results: As a result of the study, Wonder Teacher was formed for solidarity and harmony of female physical education teachers. The wandering of female physical education teachers led to the birth of a community through the awakening of the truth that they were not alone. The main activities of Wonder Teacher were found to be practical training by subject, online open lectures, and sports clubs, and each activity was pursuing customization, inclusion, and Work-life Blending. The researcher derived the meaning of Wonder Teacher formed for solidarity and harmony of female physical education teachers and continued various activities as an ensemble. In addition, the necessity of forming a teacher learning community with various ages, genders, and motivations was suggested. Conclusion: The formation and activities of Wonder Teacher, which started with the wandering of female physical education teachers, is leading to the improvement of female teachers' professionalism in physical education. These are the directions for voluntary professional development activities of female teachers through the teacher learning community. It is expected that this study will present implications for the composition, operation, and support of the in-service teacher education and teacher learning community and serve as the basis for research on the female teacher learning community in the field of physical education.

Unveiling Classroom Assessment Literacy: Does Teachers’ Self-Directed Development Play Out?

Ideally, teachers’ classroom assessment literacy can be developed through in-service teacher education or assessment training from institutions. Yet in reality, teachers may not gain sufficient assessment training on the job or from institutionalised training programmes. This contextual disadvantage cannot explain teacher inertia in advancing their professional knowledge and their skills in classroom-based assessment. Instead, teachers are encouraged to proactively rely on themselves to enhance their CAL amid their tried-and-tested assessment practices. The current qualitative case study explores how a university English teacher directed herself to develop CAL in her assessment practices over time. Data were collected through narrative frames, interviews with the teacher and her students, classroom observations, and documents. This study shows that self-directed CAL development may be buttressed by the teacher’s prior assessment experiences. The teacher’s self-agency and reflections further empowered her to acquire the assessment knowledge, skills, and experience in improving assessment effectiveness. The implications for enhancing self-directed professional development in assessment are also discussed.

Framework for a Research-Based and Interdisciplinary Use of Sensors in Elementary Teacher Education.

Sensors should be integrated into teacher education, as they are essential tools in the digital practices needed for full participation in society. Electronic sensors can be used as laboratory/scientific tools, as everyday mobile learning tools, and as epistemic mediators in several scientific fields, as well as in interdisciplinary approaches. In this way, electronic sensors can play multiple roles in the main dimensions of teacher education. The aim of the research presented in this paper was to create a framework for the research-based and interdisciplinary use of sensors in elementary teacher education, based on the thematic analysis of seven case studies implemented in Portugal. The thematic categories used in the cross-case analysis were fundamental in revealing the different roles played by sensors in the different phases of the didactic sequences of the cases. Subsequently, the thematic analysis made it possible to identify patterns of affordances of sensors and to relate the multiple roles of electronic sensors to different areas of the Portuguese elementary teacher education model. The research synthesis made it possible to outline the framework perspectives. The resulting framework systematized and highlighted the affordances of sensors in pre-service and in-service elementary teacher education as scientific, epistemic, interdisciplinary, and didactic mediators. These affordances were revealed to be particularly important in data-driven inquiry problem-solving, pedagogical content knowledge, and professional knowledge development. The framework created can be expanded in future related research.

Nature-based teacher education as beyond ‘getting outside:’ relational attunement, attending to the un-noticed, and ethical responsibility

ABSTRACT As in-service teacher educators, we take concerns about the environmental emergency and the crisis of colonialization seriously. We offer graduate programs in Place and Nature-based Experiential Learning to try and foster cultural change within mainstream schooling, while also preparing teachers for the immense challenge of teaching within the Anthropocene. In this article, we share four vignettes that describe experiences that contributed to important shifts in worldviews and ways of being with land for ourselves and/or our students, and we explore how this has led us to think differently about teaching and learning. Guided by Indigenous and eco-critical scholarship, we identified ecological pedagogical practices across the vignettes that contributed to such shifts, including relational attunement and attending to the un-noticed. We consider how this attending and attuning makes ethical demands that potentially puts us at odds with conventional dominant educational practices and expectations.

Envisioning quality education for sustainability transformation in teacher education: perspectives from an international dialogue on Sustainable Development Goal 4

PurposeThe explanatory study aimed to understand the global perspective of quality education and describe transformative strategies that empower teacher educators and equip the education system and future teachers to act as change agents by fostering learning processes that support students towards a sustainable future.Design/methodology/approachThe explanatory study used a descriptive qualitative design. The researchers conducted four semi-structured group interviews of the 23 participants including pre- and in-service teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers from Austria, Germany, Italy, Canada, the United States, and South Africa during the Teach4Reach 1.0 project on SDG4. The inductive thematic analysis of the data was guided by Kuckartz’s six-phase approach for constructing data-driven categories.FindingsThe study identified SDG4 as pivotal in supporting the overall UN Agenda 2030. Furthermore, three distinct themes unequivocally emerged and were developed concerning the imperative nature of envisioning transformation for sustainability: (1) collaboration, (2) well-being and context of individuals, and (3) strategies for skill development.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the qualitative nature of the study, the participants’ comprehensive understanding of the SDGs and their perceptions remained conditional to methodological subjectivity.Practical implicationsThe study enabled a dialogue between educational stakeholders (pre- and in-service teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers), whereby an awareness and encouragement of SDG4 regarding quality education and training of quality future teachers occurred. A further implication includes increased collaboration and dialogue regarding the well-being of individuals (educational stakeholders), the context of individuals, and strategies for skill development.Originality/valueThe study elaborates on reaching the SDGs and identifies themes essential for sustainability transformation in teacher education. It also highlights further research and clarity about the responsibilities of educational stakeholders for quality education, for instance, (1) how to increase the supply of quality teachers by focusing on collaboration, well-being, and the contexts of individuals and (2) how value-embedded skills can support quality education for sustainability.

Foreign Language Teaching in Poland - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. An Interview with Professor Hanna Komorowska

Hanna Komorowska, full professor of applied linguistics and language teaching, University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw, works in the field of pre- and in-service teacher education. As head of the curriculum development centre, she built a team which designed the first set of communicative syllabus documents for second and foreign languages taught in the Polish school system. After the fall of communism, she was heading the Expert Committee for foreign language teaching and teacher education reform in Poland. Former vice-President of Warsaw University, the Polish delegate for the Modern Languages Project Group of the Council of Europe, member of the EU High Level Group on Multilingualism, consultant to the European Centre of Modern Languages in Graz, co-author of the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages she now serves as president of the Polish edition of the European Language Label and the Training and Consultancy expert of the ECML.

Using avatar rehearsals to practice eliciting student thinking with preservice teachers

A critical but understudied skill within teacher education is how to create productive book discussions with robust interactions between students and teachers. In the present study, avatar rehearsals were used as a practice-based technique to teach the skills of leading book discussions that elicit student thinking. The use of avatars is fairly new to the field of teacher education and understudied when paired with high-leverage practices like productive discussions. Findings showed that the avatar rehearsal enabled PSTs to demonstrate emerging, but unstable, progress in eliciting. Implications suggest that more rehearsals are needed, within both pre- and in-service teacher education.

Teacher education for mathematical modelling: exploring the experiences of secondary school teachers in two courses

This paper focuses on in-service teacher education as a crucial agent in driving educational paradigm shifts for the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling. Our paper presents empirical research based on two case studies, examining training courses for in-service secondary school mathematics teachers. The first course integrates different modelling approaches, while the second one is based on the anthropological theory of the didactic and uses the proposal of the study and research paths for teacher education. Both experiences conclude with teachers working on the design of modelling tasks to be implemented in secondary schools. Both courses are analysed through the lenses of how teachers progress on the collective identification of conditions and constraints for modelling, when teachers deal with the design of modelling tasks and analyse their implementations. First, the results show the kind of modelling tasks teachers design and the level of disciplinary specificity at which they plan modelling to be implemented. Second, we analyse how teachers address the “ecological analysis”, that is, the identification of conditions and constraints that facilitate or hinder the integration of modelling in secondary school classrooms after their experiences.

초임초등교사의 영어교사교육과 영어교수의 경험 및 인식

This study aimed to explore elementary teachers’ experiences and perceptions of English in-service teacher education and English language teaching. Fifty elementary English teachers took part in the survey. Of these, ten teachers were involved in the focus group research. Their interviews, reflection journals, and lesson observations and analyses were collected. Data were analyzed through a mixed-method approach, primarily qualitative with quantitative methods as needed. The results are as follows: First, novice teachers found that the provision of English courses in novice teacher training was insufficient, but they felt in-service teacher training, graduate programs, teacher learning communities, and mentoring helped improve their teaching abilities. Second, when teaching, novice teachers in the focus group concentrated on phonics and basic language skills and activity- and learner-centered instruction, and they developed effective materials in their English classes. They experienced difficulties teaching English in English and teaching students at different levels. However, they made progress through various trials and errors. Third, for the professional development of novice English teachers, suggestions were made in the areas of teacher education programs, teacher learning communities, schools and administrations, and policies on teachers and teacher education, as well as the novice teachers’ efforts. Significant implications concerning novice English teacher education will be explored in greater detail.

The Contribution of Inservice Teacher Education Program (PPG) on Teachers' Professionalism

The Contribution of Inservice Teacher Education Program (PPG) on Teachers' Professionalism

Perceptions of Sustainability among Children and Teachers: Problems Revealed via the Lenses of Science Communication and Transformative Learning

Scholars and policymakers see sustainability as depending on the inter-relationships between the three pillars of the environment, society, and the economy. However, it remains less clear how key stakeholders with a responsibility for educating the next generation perceive the concept of sustainability and act accordingly. In order to gain new insights, this research scrutinises participant perceptions of sustainability and climate change in two eco-schools in England for primary children (aged 5–11 years). Our case study involved individual interviews with classroom teachers and headteachers, group interviews with fourth- and fifth-year students (ages 10–12 years), and in-class observations. We also analysed data from student exercise books and photographs of school grounds to understand participants’ self-reported knowledge and perceptions of sustainability and climate change. Within a framework drawing on theories of science communication and transformative learning (a learning approach based on having challenging experiences), the results show that the integration of sustainability into the curriculum was limited and problematic. That is despite the fact that all students and teachers were aware of the environmental dimensions of sustainability, such as climate change and the overuse of natural sources. These findings suggest that schools are no different to other institutional settings when it comes to dealing with the challenges of integrating sustainability into daily practice. We conclude that there is a need for in-service teacher education programmes to enable and motivate teachers to provide richer teaching-learning environments so as to enable effective learning in schools about sustainability and climate change.

TEACHERS' PERSPECTIVES ON PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

This research paper attempts to study school teachers' perspectives on the professional ethics required of them. The authors mainly studied the awareness and understanding of teachers on some essential professional ethics. It has been found that teachers are confronted with many moral issues while discharging their responsibilities and in decision-making. The paper's significant findings highlighted the need for a professional code of conduct for teachers considering policy perspectives that guide them in discharging their duties as teachers. The paper highlighted the need to incorporate the ethics curriculum in pre-service and in-service teacher education programmes, which is essential to empower them and support them to understand their role as professionals. The study further emphasises the need to develop a framework on professional ethics for teachers and use the developed framework during their professional development programmes at different levels.

An identity project: a case study of two inservice elementary stem teachers’ experiences with a comprehensive professional development

This paper describes the experiences of two teachers, Ms. Santiago and Mr. Jelenik, who participated in a comprehensive National Science Foundation-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professional learning experience. This comparative case study describes how Ms. Santiago and Mr. Jelenik leveraged the justice-oriented curriculum of a STEM professional learning opportunity to transform their identities as educators while influencing their instructional practices. The professional learning experience included access to a justice-oriented curriculum introduced through monthly content-focused experiences, regular faculty learning communities, and support from an expert onsite coach. Evidence of transformed identities and instructional practices is derived from semi-structured in-depth interviews and video recordings of classroom teaching and learning. Analysis of the interview data suggests that Ms. Santiago and Mr. Jelenik found the professional learning experience transformative and that the experience served as a pedagogical identity project. Evidence from the classroom videos suggests that Ms. Santiago and Mr. Jelenik’s instructional practices shifted, becoming more justice-oriented and student-centered. Moreover, Ms. Santiago’s practices shifted in a manner more aligned with an engaged teaching approach. We conclude that the comprehensive STEM professional learning experience served as a pedagogical identity project while positively influencing the instructional practices of Ms. Santiago and Mr. Jelenik. Implications for preservice and in-service teacher education are discussed.

Self-Efficacy-Forming Experiences for Experienced Teachers Working with Multilingual Learners

To enhance teachers’ preparedness to support the growing number of multilingual learners, teacher educators need to engage inservice teachers working across K-12 settings in continued professional learning. In this study, we described a teacher education program designed for inservice teachers who were from diverse backgrounds and worked in a variety of instructional settings involving multilingual learners. Based on survey and follow-up interview data, teachers reported enhanced preparedness to work with multilingual learners and shared self-efficacy-forming experiences through the program. The findings revealed learning opportunities aligned with the sources of teachers’ self-efficacy including knowledge development, mastery experiences, and vicarious learning experiences. Implications for inservice teacher education programs that prepare educators for multilingual learners were provided.

Signature pedagogies of teacher education in physical education: a scoping review

ABSTRACT Introduction and purpose There is a need for contemporary studies which establish a shared language to further analyze and develop pedagogies in the field of teacher education in physical education (PE). This includes both initial teacher education (PE-ITE) and continuous professional development (PE-CPD), holding the responsibility for preparing pre-service teachers (PSTs) and teacher educators, as well as facilitating the ongoing professional learning of in-service teachers (ISTs) and teacher educators. This study entails a comprehensive scoping review covering the period from 2015 to 2023, encompassing studies within the broad field of teacher education in PE across international contexts, all examined through the perspective of Shulman’s, L. S. (2005. “Signature Pedagogies in the Professions.” Daedalus 134 (3): 52–59) concept of signature pedagogies. The purpose was two-fold: (1): to map the current literature on teacher education in PE (including PE-ITE and PE-CPD for both ISTs and teacher educators), and (2) to propose a preliminary shared language of signature pedagogies of teacher education in PE. Theoretical lens Signature pedagogies refer to the forms of teaching-learning that leap to mind when thinking about the preparation and ongoing learning and development of teachers (i.e. pre-service teachers, in-service teachers and teacher educators; Shulman, L. S. 2005. “Signature Pedagogies in the Professions.” Daedalus 134 (3): 52–59). Signature pedagogies are both pervasive and routine, cutting across topics and courses, programs, and institutions, and are described through three layers of structure – the surface, deep, and implicit. Method The research process was guided by a five-stage framework for conducting a scoping review. In line with the specific purposes articulated above, the research question guiding the review was: What is known from the literature on signature pedagogies of teacher education in PE? The search was restricted to articles published between 2015–2023. Both empirical and conceptual articles (i.e. those with data collection and those without) were included, provided the inclusion criteria were met. A total of 465 articles were included in the review, and the pedagogies identified from each article were co-constructed into themes/categories. Findings and discussion Three signature pedagogies of teacher education in PE across international contexts are identified and presented in terms of their surface, deep and implicit structure, including: (auto)biographical pedagogies, experiential pedagogies, and pedagogies of professional learning. Subsequently, we explore the similarities and differences between each of the three groups of pedagogies and what makes a pedagogy of teacher education in PE distinct from a pedagogy of teacher education more broadly. Conclusion and further research This study offers a preliminary shared language of teacher education pedagogies in the field of PE and is intended to open a dialogue around preparing and supporting pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, and teacher educators in the context of PE. While this review represents an initial step in addressing a gap in the literature by exploring and articulating teacher education pedagogies in PE, there remains a need to analyse their use across teacher education contexts and to consider how this shared language might inform a more intentional practice of these pedagogies within and across teacher education contexts in ways that might ensure more authentic, transformative and equitable teacher education practices in PE.

Pre-service TESOL teachers’ professional-awareness building through reflecting on reflections of critical incidents

AbstractScholars have questioned the effectiveness of reflective practice for gaining professional awareness or attaining professional development. In addition, the prevalence of inadequate comprehensive framework for pre-service teachers’ reflective practice and insufficient support of teacher educators have been noted in the literature. Against these backdrops, the present study attempted to demonstrate how reflecting on reflections, a form of reflective practice, of Critical Incidents (CIs) contributes to building pre-service TESOL teachers’ professional awareness. The study involved ten pre-service teachers (PSTs) in reflecting on reflections of CIs during the teaching practicum. Following the interpretive phenomenological approach, the study unfolded the CIs associated with pedagogical factors, including passive participation of the students, students’ late arrival in the classroom, disobedience to teachers’ instructions, the chaotic environment in the classroom, students’ rude behavior, and disruption caused by technical glitches, and CIs associated with intrapersonal and interpersonal factors, comprising students’ emotional exhaustion and unprofessional behaviors by senior teachers. Subsequently, it illustrated how PSTs cultivated their professional awareness through reflecting on reflections of CIs. The study presented a reflective practice framework applicable to pre-service and in-service teacher education programs. It also provided practical suggestions for pre-service and novice teachers to address and overcome the CIs. Teacher educators and trainers can harness the findings to prepare PSTs to conduct interactive and productive English language classes.