Initial Teacher Education Institutions Research Articles

Well-being of pre-service teachers: A construct validation study across three countries

Teacher well-being is becoming increasingly important in research and in education policy. However, studies that investigate the well-being of pre-service teachers empirically are still scarce and tend to use instruments that assess general well-being or focus only on negative aspects such as stress and strain. Therefore, this study tests the psychometric properties of the pre-service teacher well-being questionnaire. The questionnaire draws on research in well-being psychology and aims to capture pre-service teacher well-being as a multidimensional and context-specific construct. The underlying model consists of three positive dimensions, (1) positive attitudes towards initial teacher education, (2) enjoyment of initial teacher education, and (3) positive academic self-concept regarding initial teacher education, and three negative dimensions, (4) worries about initial teacher education, (5) physical complaints related to initial teacher education, and (6) social problems in initial teacher education. Evidence presented in this study is based on an online survey that pre-service teachers for primary and secondary school from Switzerland (n = 989; primary education: 76.8 %), Germany (n = 563; primary education: 16.3 %), and Austria (n = 197; primary education: 76.6 %) completed in spring 2022. Results confirmed the factor structure and the reliability of the instrument for all but one factor, and there is evidence for correspondence with other well-being constructs. Furthermore, partial measurement invariance was established between the three countries’ subsamples. These findings support the use of the instrument for assessing pre-service teacher well-being. Directions for future research and implications for initial teacher education institutions are discussed.

An Exploration of Teacher Leadership: Are Future Teachers Ready to Lead?

The teaching profession has become increasingly complex in the last decades. The changing role of teachers has called for a new paradigm of the teaching profession that recognises the potential of teachers to lead for supporting school development and change. The influence teachers have on the school community and their commitment to school change are at the core of teacher leadership definitions. Preparing future teachers to act as leaders in their schools can support the overall efforts for school improvement. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore pre-service teacher leadership development. The study utilised a qualitative methodology to address: (i) pre-service teachers’ understanding of teacher leadership, (ii) the role of initial teacher education in shaping the understanding of teacher leadership, and (iii) the contribution of initial teacher education to pre-service teachers’ readiness for exercising leadership roles for school improvement. The study was conducted with pre-service teachers in the leading initial teacher education institution in Kosovo. A total of 42 pre-service teachers from all years of the Primary Teacher Education programme participated in four group interviews with the aim of discussing in depth the core elements of teacher leadership in order to better grasp the pre-service teachers’ understanding of this concept as well as their readiness to exercise leadership roles. A model devised by Snoek et al. (2019) was used as an analytical framework to determine the development of teacher leadership in initial teacher education. The study reveals that there is no consensus on the definition of teacher leadership. The findings show that the understanding of teacher leadership is based on a contextually drawn vision of what it means to be a teacher, resulting in a narrow view of leadership with regard to individual and classroom levels. The study concludes that initial teacher education has a critical role in contributing to shifting the conceptualisation of teacher leadership beyond the isolated views of individual and formal leadership. The findings have imperative implications for providing good models of initial teacher education that support the preparation and readiness of future teacher leaders to tackle the ever-increasing complexities of the teaching profession.

Quality initial teacher education in the grip of teacher educator ‘academic tribes and territories’

ABSTRACT Examining quality in teacher education is considered a complex task. One dimension of this complexity is examining teacher educators as key stakeholders in ensuring quality teacher education. However, the influence of teacher educators towards quality teacher education seems to be still under-researched. The theoretical framework on academic tribes and territories is employed to investigate how teacher educators' affiliations and scholarly domains lead a quality teacher education. This is a qualitative study reporting on 40 interviews conducted with teacher educators and management staff over three data collection stages in initial teacher education institutions in Kosovo. Teacher educators leading quality teacher education is characterised by many tensions and contradictions that originate in their professional embeddedness. The study endorses systematic interventions that require institutions to recruit and support teacher educators to have: wide-ranging roles that move beyond teaching, competencies to enact contemporary study programmes that facilitate research-based approaches, and open-minded views that promote interdisciplinary collaborations.

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.

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.

Use of information and communication technologies in mathematics education lecturers: Implications for preservice teachers

The availability and use of educational resources in classrooms has increased remarkably; however, preservice teachers graduate from initial teacher education institutions (ITEIs) and join the profession without the skills for teaching in these new learning environments. This qualitative study was conducted in four South African public ITEIs. It is aimed at examining mathematics lecturers’ integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) into teaching and its implications for preservice teachers’ readiness to teach in contemporary classrooms. Individual interviews were conducted with 12 mathematics education lecturers and 20 fourth-year students in five focus groups. The findings revealed that whilst the lecturers had some knowledge of how to teach with digital technologies in lecture rooms, they did not model specialised mathematics teaching skills to their students. Informed by activity theory, this study identified institutional gaps in the implementation of digital technologies for teaching. Institutions seemed to view access to technology as sufficient for effective use by lecturers. Initial teacher education institutions should therefore establish and regulate structures that equip and support lecturers with desired ICT pedagogical skills if preservice teachers are to be prepared for the modern classrooms.Transdisciplinarity Contribution: This research contributes to literature on the use of ICTs in Initial Teacher Education. Although it focuses on Mathematics Education, its findings demonstrate the importance of Professional Development if the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) of lecturers in these institutions will adequately prepare preservice teachers for the modern classroom.

Applying Active Learning Strategies to Develop the Professional Teaching Competency of Chinese College Student Teachers in the Context of Geography Education

Developing the professional teaching competence of college student teachers is a vital task in initial teacher education institutions. The aim of this research, based on a quasi-experimental design, was to apply active learning strategies to develop the professional teaching competence of Chinese college geography student teachers. In total, 96 geography student teachers in China participated in this research; 50 of them were placed in the experimental group, and the remaining 46 were placed in the control group. The intervention on active learning strategies was based on Bloom’s taxonomy and the Standards for The Professional Competence of Teachers majoring in Secondary Education for Student Teachers. The experimental group received the experimental intervention for 16 lessons, while the control group was exposed to the traditional teaching in the same teaching schedule. The results of the one-way ANCOVA undertaken show that the intervention consisting of active learning strategies significantly improved the professional competence of the Chinese college student geography teachers in the experimental group. This study contributes empirically to the universities, educators, and researchers involved in initial teacher education programmes in the geography field.

Project-based learning in initial teacher education: contributions for the professional development of elementary school teachers

This study aims to understand how Project-based learning, addressed in initial teacher education programs, is reflected in the practices and professional development of elementary school teachers, as it is a method that contrasts with students' conceptions about teaching and promotes the development of pupils’ skills and knowledge. The study uses a multiple case study design, in which the main data collection techniques are interviews and document analysis. The results show that initial teacher education institutions are concerned with the integration of this teaching method in its programs, although its approach is insufficient for future teachers and beginning teachers to implement it with confidence. Data also reveal the need for greater monitoring by higher education institutions during teachers' induction phase, in order to support them during the constraints of this stage, encouraging the use of active teaching methods and contributing to an early stage of their professional development.

University–school collaboration as an arena for community-building in teacher education

ABSTRACT Background In many settings internationally, initial teacher education (ITE) relies on cooperation between schools and universities. When these institutions collaborate on teacher education, the shared work can form a basis for community building. This article focuses on experiences in Norwegian ITE of the Change Laboratory (CL), a form of participatory data analysis workshop, as an arena for such work, and hence community building, in teacher education. Purpose Contextualised within the framework of cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), the research aimed to understand participants’ experiences of collaboration in CLs, and how the CLs functioned as an arena for community building. We asked: in what way was the work in CLs during the first year of an intervention research project in teacher education experienced as community building? Method The research was conducted within a four-year teacher education research and development project involving two ITE institutions. We carried out focus group interviews with three groups engaged together in shared work: teacher educators in university (n = 10), teacher educators in school (n = 5), and student teachers (n = 20). Data were analysed qualitatively. Findings During the project, all participants gradually felt that they had a voice and were listened to. Their mutual engagement on the project work, and the use of CHAT also brought them together. Overall, the findings were encouraging and suggested that a focus on community building in CLs in the start-up phase of a project can lay the foundation for collaboration between teacher education and schools, contributing to the co-construction of knowledge, and to learning and development. However, the challenge of disseminating the work to colleagues in universities and schools was perceived as a hindrance. Conclusions The development and sustaining of collaboration in teacher education is an important goal, ultimately benefitting the entire learning community. Crossing boundaries can lead to joint learning, as in this project, and to further development and learning in teacher education.

Curriculum reform in Wales: Physical education teacher educators' negotiation of policy positions

AbstractThis paper reports on research that explored the experiences of secondary Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) professionals' simultaneous negotiation and implementation of the new Curriculum for Wales (CfW) Health and Well‐Being (HWB) Area of Learning and Experience (AoLE) and policies focused on the transformation of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in Wales. The study was an exploratory case study of PETE professionals working within one university's ITE programme. Data were generated through documentary analysis of PETE and ITE programme materials and semi‐structured interviews with staff involved in programme management and delivery. Data analysis employed Ball and colleagues' conceptualisation of policy actors and contexts to critically examine the varied policy positions that PETE professionals adopt in navigating and negotiating enactment of the HWB AoLE within their ITE provision. Attention is drawn to the significance of historical and culturally situated dimensions of secondary physical education and PETE in Wales, and significant changes to the professional culture of ITE, in shaping PETE educators' engagement with the HWB AoLE. The paper concludes by contending that ITE institutions in Wales need to further consider how PETE (and other) educators can be actively supported to engage in sophisticated policy work within their institutions and across policy and professional networks.

Professional development of elementary school teachers at the beginning of their careers: the role of project-based learning

The beginning of a teacher's career is a challenging period for the development of their educational practices, being essential for their professional development. This study aims to understand the role of Project-based learning in the professional development of elementary school teachers at the beginning of their careers. The qualitative analysis carried out is based on the data collected through semi-structured interviews to eight beginning teachers. Results show that beginning teachers show some difficulties in integrating these methods in their teaching practices, which could be lightened through a more consistent collaboration between initial teacher education institutions and schools, in order to facilitate their career integration and professional development.

Broaden and Build? Examining student teachers’ understanding of teacher collaboration

Teacher collaboration is widely endorsed across the teacher continuum, including student teachers, due to its positive impact on teachers’ professional practice, knowledge and support, and learner outcomes. Notably, one’s definition of teacher collaboration informs beliefs and engagement in the process. Yet, little attention has been given to student teachers in this regard. Employing Broaden-and-Build theory (BBT; Fredrickson, 2004), this case study examines student teachers’ understanding and the perceived impacts they align to the teacher collaboration. 119 student teachers in one Initial Teacher Education (ITE) institution, in the Republic of Ireland completed a researcher-designed questionnaire seeking their definition of teacher collaboration and aligned impacts they afford to the process. Thematic analysis revealed participants’ understandings of collaboration included working together, sharing and a school-wide activity. Participants were positively disposed to collaboration, with enhanced intellectual, social and emotional resources attributed to collaborators. Inhibitory factors, such as lack of understanding, limited time and problematic working relationships were also identified as restricting collaborative opportunities and by extension associated gains. Discussion of the findings and their support of BBT are presented, as well as future research emanating from this study considered.

Demonstrating ‘Impact’: Insights from the Work of PreserviceDemonstrating ‘Impact’: Insights from the Work of Preservice Teachers Completing a Graduate Teacher PerformanceTeachers Completing a Graduate Teacher Performance AssessmentAssessme

Initial Teacher Education (ITE) reform in Australia has mandated that graduating teachers demonstrate their practice and ‘impact’ through the completion of a Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) prior to graduation. The requirement to analyse ‘impact’ in teaching, requires a nuanced understanding of what ‘impact’ is and how it manifests in varied contemporary classrooms. This paper reports on how a sample of high-performing pre-service teachers from one Australian ITE institution, within a framework devised by Australia’s largest TPA consortium, appraised the impact of their teaching in the context of the disciplinary area of Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS). How ‘impact’ was articulated through GTPA submissions revealed data-informed and holistic interpretations layered to include opportunistic teaching moments and relational and affective impact as well as analysis of cognitive progress. The paper also identifies ways in which analysis of impact might be further finessed with greater attention to pedagogical content knowledge and discipline-specific progression.

Primary specialisations in Australia: graduates’ perceptions of outcome and impact

In 2014, the Australian Government established the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) to advise on how teacher education programmes could ensure new teachers were adequately prepared for the classroom. Following this, the Australian Government endorsed a key recommendation of the TEMAG Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers report, the inclusion of specialisations in primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This research was conducted at an Australian public university that, in 2016, had embedded specialisations in a revised primary teacher programme structure and was one of the first ITE institutions in Australia to graduate primary teachers with a specialisation. Using a mixed-methods case study design with convenience sampling, this study sought to investigate these primary graduates’ perceptions of undertaking a specialisation in relation to the development of content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge in the specialist area, as well as perceived employment advantages. This research took place over 4 years with participants having completed a Bachelor of Education (Primary) at least three months prior to participating. The participants reported benefits to having completed a primary specialisation but expressed concerns about their preparedness to teach their specialisation and whether it would result in any advantages for employment. Recommendations from the participants included teaching practice in their area of specialisation, consideration of specialist skills and changing the timetabling of the specialisation in the programme. Ultimately, there is a need for ongoing research in this area to determine the extent to which primary specialisations deliver the intended outcomes and impacts at both the policy driver level and the university level.

The implementation of early science education in preschool teachers’ initial teacher education. A survey of teacher educators about their aims, practices and challenges in teaching science

ABSTRACT Initial teacher education is the main opportunity to prepare pre-service preschool teachers to foster young children’s science competences. Although initial teacher education is important for preschool teachers’ later instruction in practice, little is known about early science education in initial teacher education. To gather first insights into initial teacher education, this study explored the lesson aims, the frequency of different content taught and teaching methods used, and lessons preparation sources of 72 German teacher educators. In addition, teacher educators reported their challenges regarding their teaching of early science education. Data was gathered by using self-reports. Results revealed that the key lesson aims of teacher educators involved refer to the promotion of pre-service preschool teachers’ motivation and the preparation of the students for implementing science learning experiences in preschools. The teacher educators also reported challenges they faced teaching early science education, which included the students, general conditions, the actual teaching of early science education and teacher educators’ own qualifications. With regard to the teaching practices, we found a high variance in the content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge taught. Implications for policymakers, professional development providers and initial teacher education institutions are discussed.

Identifying space for mainstreaming multilingual pedagogies in European initial teacher education policies

This study sought to explore the ideological and implementational spaces for mainstreaming multilingual pedagogies (MPs) in initial teacher education (ITE) policies and curricula across the European Union. The concept of linguistically sensitive teaching (LST) was used as a lens to examine inclusive, equity-centred MPs in ITE. A multi-sited comparative case study was conducted to collect data in nine locations. As a result, a general trend of ideological spaces was observed for MPs in language-in-education policies at the European and (sub)national levels. However, this ideological space was not always implemented in ITE. As a second result, explicit mentions of MPs and LST were identified in the ITE curricula of seven sites, and in each of the nine cases, a potential space for implementation was observed. As a third result we found that the greatest potential for opening implementational spaces for MPs lies in courses that aim to develop general pedagogical and sociolinguistic knowledge as well as professional beliefs in future teachers. In conclusion, we contend that the linguistic ecology and the organisational structure of education systems (decentralisation) are factors that help explain the successful mainstreaming of MPs in ITE institutions.

Examining the relationship between resilience to digital distractions, ICT self-efficacy, motivation, approaches to studying, and time spent on individual studies

This study examines how concepts, such as resilience to digital distractions, ICT self-efficacy, and motivation, relate to student teachers’ approaches to studying and time spent on individual studies during pre-service education. The sample comprised 219 first-year student teachers enrolled in Norwegian initial teacher education programs. Student teachers’ motivation, resilience to digital distractions, and gender (female) were positively correlated with students’ approach to studying and time devoted to individual study. Initial teacher education institutions can emphasise the importance of resilience to digital distraction and encourage student teachers to develop their own approaches to studying and setting aside time for individual studies.

English language skills for disciplinary purposes: What practices are used to prepare student teachers?

In the study reported on in this article, we explored the preparation practices used to prepare student teachers to use English language skills in disciplinary content teaching. Despite studies which emphasise generic academic literacy where language is a subset of this field discourse, there is a dearth of research studies on the use of English in the specific context of disciplines in initial teacher education (ITE), which is addressed here. Guided by social constructivism, we collected data from 102 purposively selected student teachers from 3 universities. A qualitative multiple case study design was used as the methodological tool, and data from focus group discussions and document analysis were collected, documented and analysed. The results of the analysis show that the student teachers were prepared using structured and unstructured English Across the Curriculum (EAC) pedagogical activities. Structured activities are content oriented learning processes that are largely rigid and prescriptive, while unstructured activities are rooted in the academic values and identity that are held in the institution. Although drawn from a relatively small sample, these findings may assist ITE institutions to develop a curriculum that attends to multiple strategies for developing student teachers’ strategic competence in EAC.

Teacher-Researcher Development? Unpacking the Understandings and Approaches in Initial Teacher Education in Kosovo

The teacher-researcher is a prevailing concept in the post-professionalism age of teacher education. The development of teacher-researchers is discussed alongside reforming initial teacher education programmes as research-based. At this time, there is no consensus regarding the understanding and methodologies of teacher-researcher development. The purpose of this study is to examine student teachers’ and teacher educators’ understandings of and approaches to teacher-researcher development in initial teacher education in Kosovo within the research-based education movement. The study used a qualitative research design. The data were collected through open questionnaires (n = 270 student teachers), interviews (n = 15 teacher educators), and programme content (n = 5) at two initial teacher education institutions in Kosovo. Using Healey and Jenkins’s research curriculum categories as a guiding framework, the study identified four clusters of contradictory understandings and approaches relating to teacher educator practice and programme values and goals, fragmenting the context of teacher-researcher development in Kosovo. In order to build consensus in teacher-researcher development, coordinated efforts are recommended to address the current isolated and differing understandings and practices within the broader context of initial teacher education.

Deconstructing health and physical education teacher education: a mapping and analysis of programme structure and content in Australia

ABSTRACT Background: In Australia, Initial Teacher Education Institutions (ITEIs) provide undergraduate Health and Physical (HPE) programmes that meet a number of regulatory requirements, including those of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). In addition, ITEIs must also ensure programme alignment with state/territory-based jurisdictional requirements. While historically varied philosophies and practices have shaped HPE teacher education nationally, ITEIs are thus operating in an increasingly regulated environment. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report research that has critically examined the structure and content of ITEI undergraduate programmes in Australia that prepare teachers for HPE in secondary schools. Analysis at programme and unit levels was undertaken to explore programme variance, ITEI priorities and consideration of the implications that programme structure and content has for graduate secondary HPE teachers and their employers. The paper seeks to contribute to wider debates about the role of teacher education in shaping HPE curriculum futures and the challenges faced by ITEIs to navigate increasing government regulation. Methods: An audit and document analysis of 15 Australian ITEIs identified programme structures and specific units of study for the preparation of secondary HPE teachers. These programme structures were compared to those of an ITEI in Western Australia (WA), similarly preparing secondary teachers of HPE, and undertaking internal programme renewal. The WA ITEI’s programme nomenclature and elements therefore provided the reference point for analysis of variation across programmes nationally. Findings: Findings show that graduate secondary HPE teachers in Australia are variously prepared, with ITEI programme structures ranging in nomenclature, breadth of content, positioning of units and the amount and placement of school-based practicums. ITEIs variously meet state, territory and federal accountability and accreditation requirements in preparing secondary HPE teachers. Programme variations may mean that graduate secondary HPE teachers have differing perspectives on HPE curriculum and pedagogy. Schools employing graduate teachers cannot assume all graduate teachers have a common outlook on or backgrounds in HPE, while meeting the graduate standards. Conclusions: The significant variation between programme structure and content at the 15 ITEIs preparing teachers for HPE in secondary schools indicates that in a heavily regulated sector, ITEIs in Australia remain critical players in shaping HPE practices across Australian schools. Further research is needed to appropriately ascertain the impact of ITEI programme variation on HPE teachers’ values and professional practice.