Initial Teacher Education Courses Research Articles

Awarding digital badges: research from a first-year university course

ABSTRACT This paper reports on a study that replaced marks with digital badges in an undergraduate Initial Teacher Education course. The aim was to examine the impact of badging on students, and on the quality of university provision. Data collection consisted of surveys and focus groups. The study found that while digital badges had considerable potential to improve the student experience in terms of engagement with feedback, motivation and reducing ‘grade anxiety’, delaying the awarding of marks caused significant student anxiety. The effect on university provision was more positive, and digital badges promoted constructive alignment between university-based assessment tasks and external professional standards frameworks. The student findings pointed to an underlying tension associated with implementing student-centred, outcomes-based assessment methods in contexts designed to accommodate traditional high-stakes assessment. Five recommendations for future practice were made: (1) Remove marks altogether where digital badges are used; (2) Do not substitute written feedback with digital badges; (3) Developing a badge framework is important for both students and staff; (4) Inform students about what to expect; (5) Develop a ‘Badge Tree’.

‘Opening up’ Corpus Linguistics

Despite a multitude of empirical studies pointing to the benefits of integrating corpora in second language (L2) teaching and learning, corpus use in the pre-tertiary L2 classroom remains the exception rather than the norm. This much-discussed research-practice gap can be attributed to the limited physical, intellectual and social accessibility of both corpus research and corpus resources. To address this issue, I explore the potential of Open Education in a course aimed at imparting corpus literacy to pre-service EFL teachers. I present the design of a course focused on the collaborative creation of a new Open Educational Resource (OER): a guide to creating corpus-informed teaching materials. The present study evaluates the effectiveness of three iterations of this course in enhancing the physical, intellectual, and social accessibility of corpus linguistics for L2 education. Analyses of pre- and post-course surveys, students’ OER chapter submissions, and reflection statements show that the semester-long course successfully developed participants’ technical and pedagogical corpus literacy. The findings suggest that the adoption of OER-enabled pedagogy in an initial teacher education course can make a positive contribution to bridging the corpus research-teaching gap.

Pre-service teachers’ experiences of a core Bachelor of Education (primary) unit: Teaching and learning about relationships and sex education for and about sex, gender and sexual diversity

ABSTARCT The expectations placed on teachers and teacher educators have increased particularly in relation to education topics such as relationships and sex education. One group of four pre-service teachers and a teacher educator based in an Australian university studying a Bachelor of Education (primary) share their experiences of teaching and learning in a fourth-year core curriculum unit of study in health. The aim of this paper is to explore narrative accounts using Archer’s approaches to reflection (Archer, 2007) of our teaching and learning experiences. The reflections are shared within the context of making decisions about learning effective practices for relationships and sex education for and about sex, gender and sexual diversity as part of the curriculum, policy and pedagogical imperative in Australia. We found that queering pre-service primary school teacher practices for RSE is possible through deep reflection as part of teaching and learning in an initial teacher education course work core unit of study. Making this practice visible has implications for initial teacher educators in university contexts globally.

Pre‐service teacher knowledge of children's literature and attitudes to Reading for Pleasure: an international comparative study

AbstractReading for Pleasure (RfP) acknowledges the importance of reader engagement and the role of the teacher as a reader of children's literature. The foundational work of the Teachers as Readers (TARs) programme successfully illustrated the impact of RfP activities on student learning. Previous studies of teachers' reader identities have shown a strong need for professional learning to boost teachers' confidence with children's literature. However, less emphasis has been placed on the adoption of RfP pedagogy within initial teacher education (ITE) to develop pre‐service teachers' (PST) knowledge of children's literature, as well as their understanding of teachers as reading role models for future students. This paper analyses data from research into RfP undertaken in two ITE programmes for primary teachers informed by contrasting policies in Scotland and Australia. Though both countries aim to improve school student literacy success, the curriculum mandates differ, shaping the potential pathways available in ITE courses. It is within this context that we report on 3 years of data on PST reader knowledge collected from 300 students using survey tools adopted from the original TARs study. Emerging findings provide evidence that teacher educators need to act as circuit breakers to alter PST attitudes to reading.

Non-Indigenous Initial Teacher Education students navigating the cultural interface

ABSTRACT Despite strong policy impetus to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content across all levels of education in Australia, it is frequently reported that these aims are not being met. Settler ignorance and resistance are key contributing factors. However, recently, in our experiences teaching Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses in the university sector, we found students who are, without being required to, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content into their lesson plans, representing a shift from this dominant discourse about teachers and students. In this small-scale qualitative study, we sought to expand the dialogue from why non-Indigenous teachers do not include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content to a strengths-based understanding of why others do. Using ‘yarning’ approaches we interviewed four non-Indigenous ITE students to understand the factors that shaped their decisions and how they navigated the cultural interface. We put forward that students felt morally compelled to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in their lessons. They were deeply concerned with ethics, actively positioned themselves as ‘learners’ and privileged First Nations voices to mitigate their positioning as non-Indigenous teachers. We conclude with implications for policy responses and questions about institutional responsibility.

Working with trauma-affected young people in secondary schools: Exploring ‘self-care’ with pre-service physical education teachers

Working with trauma-affected youth in physical education (PE) can be a challenging and, at times, stressful and emotionally demanding process. Whilst little is known about how student trauma affects in-service teachers, even less is known about how it might impact pre-service PE teachers. The aims of this paper are therefore to (1) explore pre-service PE teachers’ experiences of working with students affected by trauma, and (2) consider the potential implications of this for their well-being. Through an online professional learning programme, we worked with three distinct groups of pre-service PE teachers ( n = 22). The workshops generated data through individual activities and group tasks that allowed participants to reflect on their experiences. Findings revealed that pre-service teachers had several encounters during their school-based placements with young people who may have experienced trauma. These experiences were felt by the pre-service PE teachers – both emotionally and physically. Pre-service PE teachers were encouraged to develop self-care strategies; however, our participants indicated that this was not always easy to do. That said, pre-service PE teachers were able to describe some of the strategies they engaged with to take care of themselves and safeguard their own well-being. Many of these strategies were relational and involved spending time with others – such as school colleagues (teachers and/or mentors) – who were available to offer both practical and emotional guidance and support. Thus, our findings reinforce the importance of pre-service teachers learning about self-care and emotional regulation as part of initial teacher education courses.

Awarding digital badges instead of grades?

Micro-credentials are seeing increasingly rapid adoption in higher education (McGreal & Olcott, 2022), however their efficacy is still being explored (Stefaniak & Carey, 2019); as Oliver (2019) notes, “rapid innovation can be exhilarating, but it can also confuse the very people who might benefit most” (p. i). This Pecha Kucha is derived from a project that examined the impact of awarding digital badges instead of assessment grades within a large undergraduate Initial Teacher Education course in Australia. The aim of the project was to examine the impact of micro-credentials on the student experience, including motivation and engagement with feedback, as well as the impact on the quality of university provision, including the alignment between university assessment and broader workplace standards frameworks. Traditional methods of assessment, such as numeric grades, may not reflect the full range of competencies that students hold and that will benefit them in their future careers (Bassett, 2015; Robinson & Aronica, 2015). Moving away from awarding marks/grades to using competency based micro-credentials may help to address this issue, as micro-credentials can be used to assess both skills and dispositions, as well as knowledge in practice. Micro-credentials (to be referred to as digital badges) may also contribute to a more holistic and detailed record of students’ achievements (Elliot et al., 2014). This work was broadly underpinned by theories of human motivation (Deci & Ryan, 1985). Specifically, and following from the aims outlined earlier, the project was guided by research on gamification and (student) motivation (Hamari & Koivisto, 2015; Hamari, 2017), and research on the impact of grades on student motivation (Butler, 2011). With respect to university provision, the project was guided by Stefaniak and Cary’s (2019) framework for implementing digital badges in higher education. What impacts did implementing digital badges have on student motivation and engagement with feedback? What impact did implementing digital badges have on university provision? Study design and implementation was informed by Stefaniak and Cary’s (2019) Framework for Successful Badge Program Implementation, which includes ‘Badge Instructional Design’, ‘Badge System Platform’, and ‘Badge Program Implementation’. A three-phase, mixed method approach was adopted, consisting of online surveys and semi-structured focus groups. Findings showed positive motivational and social impacts of digital badges, and positive effects on engagement with feedback, however removing grades from a course designed around traditional modes of assessment also caused significant student anxiety. It was also found that digital badges improved university provision through promoting constructive alignment between assessment and professional standards. There were also unexpected findings warranting future research, including how digital badges reduced student anxiety around the awarding of numeric grades. A number of key recommendations were made: 1) if using badges, remove marks 2) adopt a whole-of-school approach 3) badges are not a substitute for quality written feedback, 4) invest in appropriate software infrastructure, 5) developing a badge framework is important for both students and staff, 6) students need to know exactly what to expect, 7) develop a ‘badge tree’. Overall, it was found that digital badges have considerable potential to improve the student experience, however these benefits can be overshadowed by student anxiety if the badging system is not optimally conceptualised and executed.

Reaching Out: Yarning, Sharing, and Learning with First Nations Artists through Social Media

In this article, I examine the potential of social media to meaningfully connect students and educators with First Nations popular musicians. Utilising yarning-as-method under the theoretical frame of storying, I present accounts of attempts to embed the practice in high school classes before exploring how the process was refined for an initial teacher education course under the guidance of Noongar scholar Clint Bracknell. In addition, I share yarns of First Nations artists, who reveal the reciprocal benefits of reaching out and sharing back as a decolonial tool for building relationships and supporting the inclusion of First Nations music. Although centred on an Australian context, I explore themes and pose questions that aim to resonate with a global audience searching for innovative and meaningful ways to embed First Nations cultures into music curricula.

Working toward a place-based online pedagogy

ABSTRACT Online learner engagement research has risen internationally due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in relation to experiential learning. However, this research has focused on the use of technology to access learning about a particular place rather than consider the pedagogical potential of the places in which the learner is located. This study therefore considers the question: What is the pedagogical potential of place for online learners? The aim of the study is to scrutinise pedagogical practices that facilitate applied understanding of course concepts in a way that enables learners to contextualise learning in their unique locations. This paper analyzes recounts of experiences with place-based inquiry with online students in an initial teacher education course offered in regional Australia. The evidence presented suggests that place-based pedagogy enables students to see learning concepts at work in context, beyond the abstract. Further, contrary to expectations that the experience of place-based learning is diminished in an online environment, there might be advantages for the preparation of pre-service teachers in experiencing place-based inquiry in their own locales.

From “Am I just too old for this?” To “Hey – I think I could do that!”: a collaborative self-study of the implementation of blended synchronous learning in initial teacher education

AbstractBlended Synchronous Learning (BSL) refers to when students located in physical classrooms learn together with peers who attend remotely, via networked digital technologies. The Covid-19 pandemic, along with ambitions to increase flexibility in learning delivery mode for students, has led to the increased implementation of BSL in tertiary education. The current evidence-base around BSL provides important principles for its use, but relatively little research has examined the experiences of teaching staff in depth. This article uses a self-study methodology to explore educators’ experiences of BSL implementation in a post-graduate Initial Teacher Education course in Australia. Six teaching staff, all co-researchers for the study, contributed reflective data, and engaged in analysis and interpretation of the data via structured critical friendships. Insights related to four key themes were derived from the analysis: institutional and pedagogical factors; educator wellbeing, self-efficacy and professional identity; staffing support; and collegial professional learning. The implementation of BSL, while aligned with existing recommendations, produced significant challenges for educators in relation to institutional support and training, pedagogical practices, operation of BSL technologies, professional identity and self-efficacy. Cognitive overload was a prominent feature of the BSL teaching experience. On the whole, while drawing on existing skills and teaching experience, educators held significant concerns with the overall quality of student learning in BSL—especially for remote students. Training, practice, technical and co-teaching support, as well as collegial relationships, were important mediators of educator experience. The findings suggest that the implementation of BSL requires substantial investment in staffing, training, skill development, and opportunities for authentic, meaningful practice and prototyping. The findings also affirm the value of timely, organisationally supported and collaborative professional learning as part of BSL implementation.

Weaknesses of ICT integration in the initial teacher education curriculum

The article presents a Portuguese national study on integrating information and communication technologies (ICT) in initial teacher education courses (ITE), which sought to highlight to what extent ICT are presently considered in the training curriculum of future teachers. The study was developed on a documental corpus of 819-course syllabus sheets of 45 master's courses, which were analysed through a methodology supported by content analysis procedures. The results achieved were also put under analysis, considering the European Framework for Educators' Digital Competence (DigCompEdu), and a shy presence of technologies was identified in the analysed curricula. Regarding DigCompEdu, which functions as a common framework to be followed in the European Union, the results show that this is configured as another factor to be remedied in the context of integrating ICT in ITE in Portugal. Among the contributions that this study promotes is the finding of the reduced presence of ICT identified in the context under study, a reality familiar to several countries, which implies in curricular terms, initial teacher training is still ineffective in preparing teachers to meet the needs of today's digital society.

Reconceptualising Preservice Teachers’ Subject Knowledge in Climate Change and Sustainability Education: A Framework for Initial Teacher Education from England, UK

Climate Change and Sustainability Education (CCSE) has been gaining prominence with the imminent climate emergency humanity is facing. This paper draws upon a conceptual framework created to support the development of preservice teachers’ subject knowledge of CCSE whilst undertaking Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs in England. The core aims and learning outcomes within the framework, namely knowledge; attitudes, values and behaviours; and competences and capabilities, are defined to illustrate what subject knowledge looks like, in this area, for preservice teachers in England. This paper highlights data gathered from 71 preservice teachers via an initial presurvey from three ITE institutions across England. The data were gathered from Early Years and Primary and Secondary phase trainees across both postgraduate and undergraduate programmes. The presurvey captured a range of qualitative and quantitative responses from preservice teachers to showcase priority areas, from their perspective, in the teaching of CCSE. The responses were coded and then themed according to the three aims and learning outcomes of the framework (knowledge; attitudes, values and behaviours; and competences and capabilities) to understand preservice teachers’ views on CCSE at the start of their courses. The findings suggest that preservice teachers lack key subject knowledge in CCSE to teach it effectively in schools. Hence, this paper recommends further work needs to be carried out to embed CCSE work in ITE courses across England. It is further suggested that the CCSE framework highlighted in this paper can act as a key national document to support ITE institutions to conceptualise the teaching and learning of CCSE across their ITE programmes.

Virtual Reality in education: supporting new learning experiences by developing self-confidence of Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) student-teachers

ABSTRACT Emerging evidence has demonstrated that Virtual Reality (VR) supported lessons are able to enhance positive emotions and engagement as well as more memorable experiences, when compared to more traditional instructional tools such as readings from textbooks and videos. However, teachers’ self-efficacy while teaching with VR technologies, VR safety in the classroom, the need for technical support and costs have been identified as potential obstacles for Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) who are interested in the effective use of VR in the classroom. This study aims to explore how we may begin to address these obstacles by integrating VR supported lessons in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses. The originality of this study lies in the implementation of a short intervention in an already crowded Post graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) curriculum and in analysing the impact on PSTs’ self-confidence as a factor to initiate sustainable development. Participants were 198 PGDE Primary School student-teachers, who attended two-hour VRsupported sessions a week apart in February 2020. Findings suggest that engagement with VR lessons have encouraged participanting PSTs to explore this technology for their future practice across different subjects, impacting positively on their self-confidence.

Child protection and safeguarding in initial teacher education: A systematic scoping review

To improve educational outcomes for maltreated children, there is an urgent need to strengthen the capacity of the education workforce to respond appropriately to their needs. We conducted a systematic scoping review to synthesize current evidence about child protection and safeguarding in initial (pre-registration) teacher education with the aim of developing a knowledge base, and understanding what we — as researchers, teacher educators, and professional accreditation bodies — can and should be doing better. Thirty-one studies (reported in 38 papers) met the inclusion criteria. Studies were coded inductively against standardised criteria and critically appraised. Coding of study aims yielded three themes forming a descriptive map of research in the field: (i) studies investigating student teachers’ perceptions of their preparedness to deal with child protection and safeguarding (n = 15); (ii) studies investigating preparation for child protection and safeguarding in initial teacher education courses (n = 14); and (iii) studies investigating student teachers’ preferences for future training (n = 2). We identified key contents or topics covered, teaching methods and delivery modes, time allocations, and personnel involved in course delivery. Findings show that child protection and safeguarding are seldom investigated in initial teacher education, averaging only one published study per year over a 32-year search period with most studies having been conducted in Australia and the UK. Time allocated to child protection and safeguarding in initial teacher education courses varied from 1 to 16 h. Content covered was limited to several core topics with primacy given to child maltreatment subtypes, indicators, and reporting duties. Delivery methods were dominated by lectures, workshops, and discussions. Few studies had investigated the efficacy of innovative and interactive teaching strategies or online learning. We conclude that child protection and safeguarding in initial teacher education may be improved by leveraging off existing well-designed, rigorously evaluated programs, which have been found to be feasibly delivered and acceptable to future professionals.

Geometry in the Curriculum Pedagogical Projects of Mathematics Degree Courses at Parana State Universities

Background: Geometry is an important branch of mathematics and there are many arguments in favour of teaching it at all educational levels. Objectives: To analyse the pedagogical projects of the degree in mathematics courses (PPC) of Paraná state universities, to identify how geometry contents are organised for the degree students' education from the perspective of the current regulations. Design: Exploratory research developed from bibliographical and documentary studies, focused on the National Common Core Curriculum (BNCC), the Paraná Curriculum Reference (RCP) and the PPCs of several mathematics degree courses. Setting and participants: We examined the fifteen PPCs of the state universities of Paraná, obtained from the institutional websites or by email via course coordination. Data collection and analysis: We explored the resources and subsequently developed the categories based on the learning objectives of the BNCC, the RCP, and the regulations for initial teacher education courses, supporting the procedures mobilised on the content analysis. Results: We found that the geometry learning objectives in the regulations align with the profiles identified in the PPCs and the contents presented in their syllabuses. Conclusions: We admit the relevance of a complete and broad curriculum for the initial education of mathematics teachers. However, we believe it should not be imposed or inappropriate but the basis for qualifying good professionals who, in the future, will favour the development of students' capacities such as reflection, autonomy, and collaboration.

The perceptions of trainee teachers towards Forest School, does connection to nature matter?

ABSTRACT The increasing popularity of outdoor learning (OL) amongst researchers and practitioners highlighted the need to further investigate primary teacher trainees (PTTs) perception towards it and how this may be related to their nature connection. Participants were PTTs who were considering attending Forest School (FS) Training Level 1 as part of their Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course. This mixed-methods research employed the Nature Relatedness (NR) scale to measure trainees’ relationship with nature. Semi-structured interviews with those who chose to attend FS training were conducted to ascertain their perceptions and attitudes towards the training. Through Thematic Analysis of interviews five themes emerged, including favourable perceptions of FS Training and OL for their future teaching career and a positive nature connection. A significant difference in the mean NR scores was identified with higher NR scores for the group who chose to attend the FS training in comparison with those who did not.

Preservice teachers’ dispositions for technology integration: common profiles in different contexts across Europe

ABSTRACT Technology integration in education has a great potential for learning, provided it is based on solid teacher knowledge and pedagogical reasoning. Teacher Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is deeply connected with non-rational factors such as beliefs and attitudes – dispositions –, together informing behaviours for technology integration. This article reports on research into preservice teachers’ TPACK and dispositions for technology integration when entering initial teacher education (ITE) courses that will likely impact their professionalisation. This is part of a wider multiple case study engaging 288 participants across three European ITE institutions. Participants’ TPACK and dispositions were investigated through a questionnaire. Findings suggest four patterns of preservice teachers’ dispositional configuration (disengaged, idealist, executive and self-sufficient) shared by the different contexts, albeit at different rates. Further research is ongoing to understand how ITE may engage the different profiles and which factors specifically may affect dispositional configurations in preservice teachers’ education.

Developing trauma-informed teacher education in England

Trauma-informed practice in education is an area of growing interest in England and internationally. Embracing trauma-informed practice in schools requires trauma and related content to be included in teacher education. Over a period of eight years, a short course was developed and incorporated into the teacher preparation programmes at a large university in England. Through methods of teacher educator self-study and autoethnography, we examine the process of the course’s development and identify mechanisms, enablers and barriers to change in the current policy context of teacher education in England. Important factors that supported change were the gradual development, external collaboration, positive outcomes as a warrant and source of motivation, the development of champions and enthusiasts for trauma-informed practice, and departmental leadership support. Barriers to the development were the constraints of prescribed content on initial teacher education courses, prevailing practices in some schools and settings, challenges in adapting material suitably for all education phases, and some beginning teachers’ responses to personally relevant course content. The successful introduction of the short course demonstrates that inclusion of trauma-informed content in initial teacher education is possible even in an unfavourable policy environment.

Secondary pre-service teachers’ voices of becoming mathematics teachers

ABSTRACT This paper captures and reports on mathematics pre-service teacher (PST) voices. Mathematics PSTs, in a tertiary mathematics secondary curriculum teaching subject assessment, were asked to perform a small-scale literature review on an issue they identified as important in mathematics teaching. The assessment, written as an article, required literature-based recommendations, a reflection on how this would impact the PST’s future teaching and guidance for all mathematics teachers. The article was aimed for publication by the Mathematics Association of Victoria—a state-based mathematics professional association in Australia. PSTs were advised that articles would potentially be published, and their voice would reach practicing mathematics teachers. The published articles, which capture pre-career mathematics teacher voices were analysed for insight into what four PSTs said of their future teaching to a mathematics teacher audience. The professional teacher standards were recognised to influence comments given the strong emphasis of standards within initial teacher education courses. Findings speak to what mathematics PSTs expect of their future teaching role prior to being in-service. The paper contributes a snapshot of early established professional voices in a discipline where there is currently a shortage and highlights the messages that emerged.

Beginner teachers and classroom communities: a thematic analysis of UK beginner teachers' experiences in initial teacher education and beyond

This research explores the perspectives of beginner teachers in England, both on their Initial Teacher Education courses and their first year of teaching, to see if and how teacher educators might support them better. We carried out semi-structured interviews with 11 beginner teachers. They highlighted the joy they experienced in their daily work, the overwhelming workload and the significance of self-reliance in the classroom. The findings suggest that the circumstances for fruitful support by colleagues are severely hampered in the first year of teaching, where teachers' learning is largely driven by their classroom communities.