Initial Teacher Training Research Articles

Literature and language education

AbstractThis study explores the perceptions of English language teachers of the use of literature in the context of bilingual secondary education in the region of Madrid (Spain). An approach was adopted under which eighty-one English teacher participants completed a questionnaire so that a quantitative methodological approach of a descriptive – correlational nature could be adopted for this study. Results unveiled teacher perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks of using literary texts as a teaching and learning tool, their selection of literary texts and their actual implementation of these texts in their English classes, as well as the training needs for the effective use of literary texts as a language teaching and learning tool in the bilingual EFL secondary classroom. The pedagogical implications of the study emphasize the need to redesign and consolidate teacher training programmes containing literature and innovative teaching aspects both in initial teacher training programmes and for continued training.

Initial literacy with 5 and 6 year-old children. Key aspects to initial teaching training

Se analiza una sesión de aula con niños y niñas de entre 5 y 6 años donde se promueven aprendizajes de aspectos comunicativos de la escritura (para qué se escribe, para quién, donde, etc.). Se entiende la alfabetización inicial como un proceso complejo que trasciende la mera técnica gráfica y se propone estudiar la producción textual como un producto sofisticado. Para ello, se diseña una secuencia didáctica en el marco de un proyecto que se implementa en aula, con lo que se obtienen grabaciones de audio que son transcritas posteriormente. Los resultados muestran, a partir del análisis de categorías emergentes, que los niños acceden a los saberes lingüísticos promovidos gracias a que la actividad alfabetizadora se desarrolla en el marco sociocontructivista, centrado en la actividad dialógica. Para concluir, se exponen los principales hallazgos y se discuten a la luz de otras investigaciones. Asimismo, se consideran las implicaciones de la investigación para la didáctica de la lengua escrita en los primeros cursos escolares.

Reflection on the Complexity of Mathematical Objects in the Initial Training of Teachers

This work aims to know the perception of future mathematics teachers about the complexity of mathematical objects and their possible application in teaching practice, in order to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics in Basic General Education (GBS) and the Unified General Baccalaureate (BGU). For this, 19 future professors were asked about the different meanings of some mathematical objects, and they were proposed to raise contextualized problems in which a certain meaning had to be applied in their resolution. The results show that encouraging reflection on the complexity of mathematical objects in the initial training of teachers and their relationship with the design of contextualized problems affects their way of understanding mathematical competence

Teacher identity as inquirer: voices of teacher educators

ABSTRACT This qualitative study uses the dialogical self theory to explore teacher educators’ voices as they speak on the issue of teacher identity positioning, specifically when it comes to the position of teachers as inquirers. A content analysis of self-reports from 18 teacher educators yielded 3 primary teacher core I-positions. The results showed that the teacher educators viewed teachers more as mediators than as instructors or inquirers. Although all the participants acknowledged the relevance of the inquiry process in the teaching profession, they differed as to the value, purpose, and learning outcomes of adopting an inquiry position in the initial training of teachers.

Initial teacher training in School Management

Initial teacher training in School Management

Education for Ethnic-Racial Relations in the new Curriculum Guidelines and in the Common National Base for the Initial Training of Brazilian Teachers: Implications for the Teaching of Anti-Racist Science and Biology

By ethnic-racial relations one understands the relations established between ethnic groups whose base is guided by race category, seen on a social perspective. Schools should be an environment propitious to the promotion of Education for Ethnic-Racial Relations, the teacher being an indispensable agent in this process. The present study is characterized as documentary research with a qualitative approach that sought to analyze, in a comparative perspective, evidence of a proposal for Education for Ethnic-Racial Relations present and/or absent in the Curriculum Guidelines and in the Common National Base for Initial Teacher Training (Resolution 2/2019), as well as the possible implications for the teaching of anti-racist Science and Biology in Brazil. The study leads us to conclude that the new Curricular Guidelines and the Common National Base for the Initial Teacher Training do not bring concrete evidence of an effective proposal for Education for Ethnic-Racial Relations as proposed by Resolution 2/2015, which was hastily revoked by Resolution 2/2019. The absence of these indications tends to result in negative implications for the teaching of anti-racist Science and Biology, since it was previously supported, we had found in the guidelines for teacher training an alternative to insert the study of ethnic-racial relations in undergraduate courses in the area. We hope that this study will collaborate for research in the area of ​​teacher training and ethnic-racial relations in the teaching of Science and Biology, especially for educational policies aimed at training teachers.

The Relationship between Mindful Attention Awareness, Perceived Stress and Subjective Wellbeing

It has been suggested that mindfulness is a predictive factor in self-reported perceived stress. The present study aimed to investigate the link between mindful attention awareness, perceived stress and subjective wellbeing without the presence of a complementary intervention to promote mindfulness-based strategies. Methods: The online survey participants (N = 257) were university students enrolled in initial teacher training. Self-report measures included the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI). Results: PWI was negatively correlated with PSS (r = −0.550, p = .001), MAAS was negatively correlated with PSS (r = −0.567, p = .001) and positively correlated with PWI (r = 0.336, p = .001). The mean score for PSS (M = 20.61, SD = 6.62) was above the reported norm (14.2). Conclusions: The findings suggest that higher levels of mindful attention awareness may be associated with lower levels of perceived stress and higher subjective wellbeing levels and lower levels of perceived stress may be associated with higher subjective wellbeing. The findings confirm that pre-service teachers are a demographic that experiences elevated levels of perceived stress regardless of the stage in initial teacher training programs.

Learning Scenario to Promote Comprehension of the Meaning of Subtraction

The integration of virtual manipulatives in classroom practices facilitates student learning processes. For this, the teacher must understand how to support students in establishing mathematical connections between the manipulation and their interpretations of the representations. We present a learning scenario that integrates the use of virtual manipulatives in mathematical modelling tasks. It was designed and implemented during initial teacher training, with the aim of helping a group of first-year elementary school students to overcome difficulties identified in their comprehension of the meaning of subtraction. The research, following the principles of design-based research, included three distinct moments: an individual written pre-test, an intervention phase with six micro-cycles, and an individual written post-test. The analysis of the collected data—audio, screen recordings, and written productions—allowed us to identify the most influential structural characteristics of the learning scenario: mathematical communication, collaborative learning, self-regulation, and co-regulation of learning. Our results suggest that differentiated instruction, minimal guidance, and scaffolding played an important role in the support provided by the pre-service teacher to students in the mathematical modelling activities that integrated virtual manipulatives.

Understanding the Relationship between Preschool Teachers' Well-Being, Interaction Quality and Students' Well-Being.

A substantial body of research shows that teacher-student interactions have a significant impact on student outcomes. However, to our knowledge, less is known about the association between teachers’ and students’ well-being and the implications for teacher–child interactions, particularly in the preschool context. Research Findings. Using ordinary least squares regression, we investigated the association between affective balance and burnout among 28 preschool teachers and the emotional and behavioral problems of 593 students between three and four years old. We found that teacher affective balance—not teacher burnout—was associated with fewer emotional and behavioral problems in children. Furthermore, the different domains of interaction quality affected children’s well-being in different ways. Practice or Policy. In initial teacher training and continuing professional development, teachers should be provided with support and strategies to help them manage their mental health and children well-being. Some interventions which have shown encouraging results are discussed.

Students’ Immersive Experience in Initial Teacher Training in a Virtual World to Promote Sustainable Education: Interactivity, Presence, and Flow

The Virtual World is a technology that has created countless opportunities for teaching and learning, innovating traditional and online education, and promoting a more sustainable and accessible education. Through their avatars and digital representations, students can navigate, observe, and manipulate virtual objects, while interacting with their classmates inside the simulated 3D environment. This study examined how preservice teachers experience and participate in a VW that simulates a university campus, considering three main components: interactivity, sense of presence, and state of flow. A total of 103 pedagogy students, enrolled in an educational technology course, participated in the study. A postintervention survey was implemented, as well as a self-report about the immersive experience. The results show a high level of agreement with the survey’s affirmations, which allows for the determination of the favorable levels of interactivity, presence, and flow, as well as the meaningful and positive associations among these technological properties. Guidelines are argued to deepen the Virtual World’s potential and are given for the design of pedagogical activities in those environments.

Exploring the impact of expert guidance from school-based mentors on student teachers’ professional learning

ABSTRACT This article reports on research undertaken to understand the impact on primary student teachers’ professional learning when school-based mentors explicitly share their expertise through discussing some of the ‘Learn how to’ statements from the Core Content Framework for Initial Teacher Training, introduced by the Department of Education in 2019 to establish minimum entitlement for all student teachers. Initial Teacher Education has become more school-based and the role of school-based mentors is increasingly significant. Primary student teachers took part in an online survey, and school-based mentors in focus group discussions, to explore the impact of weekly expert guidance meetings and how these might be improved. Student teachers valued learning from school-based mentors when they shared their expertise in an explicit, well-contextualised way but this practice was not fully embedded across schools. Mentors were keen to share their expertise with student teachers, and identified the importance of structured, dedicated time to discuss the ‘learn how to’ statements, tailored to individual needs, and for student teachers to identify specific follow-up actions to apply to their developing practice. Mentors identified ways in which such discussions might have greater impact through, for example, developing their knowledge of the curriculum of the ITE provider.

Early career teacher’s approach to fraction equivalence in Grade 4: A dialogic teaching perspective

The research presented in this article reports on the results of a case study examining the classroom practice of one early career Grade 4 teacher (Nox, pseudonym) as she teaches equivalent fractions. The goal was to explore the ways and extent to which her instruction reflected a dialogical teaching approach, defined as a pedagogical approach underpinned by five specific principles that can be enacted through a range of possible talk strategies to achieve sustained participation of learners and thus enhance meaningful learning. I provide a pedagogical activity to illustrate to teachers how, by instigating and developing classroom talk in the primary classes, a dialogic teaching sequence may be implemented. However, the majority of the existing literature on dialogic teaching stems from studies conducted in Asian, European, and North American countries, whereas systematic research on dialogic teaching across international contexts remains limited. Nox was interviewed after obtaining observational data to seek clarity on some of the observed instructional practices. Analysis of transcripts using the notion of dialogic teaching as a theoretical lens revealed that there was little evidence of Nox’s attempts to use talk to make learning of equivalent fractions a cumulative process. In addition, time constraint was the most significant factor in Nox’s teaching of equivalent fractions: she considered the curriculum too congested. Implications are drawn for evaluating dialogic teaching in primary mathematics classrooms. Future, larger studies may shed light on the extent of these results and, if need be, a significant investment on initial teacher training may be necessary to underscore the value of dialogic teaching in enhancing meaningful learning of, at least, equivalent fractions.

Prosocialness and Happiness in Chilean Student Teachers.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relation between prosocialness and happiness in a sample of student teachers (N=224, age=21.42). Adapted versions of a prosocialness scale and another on happiness were used. A structural equations model was estimated that presented a suitable fit (CFI=0.951; TLI=0.944 and RMSEA=0.065). The results yielded a positive relation between prosocialness and happiness. Its implications for initial teacher training are discussed.

QUY TRÌNH RÈN NĂNG LỰC DẠY HỌC THỰC HÀNH CHO SINH VIÊN ĐẠI HỌC SƯ PHẠM NGÀNH SINH HỌC

Biology is an experimental science, therefore it is important to concentrate on the training Biology pre-service teachers not only teaching capacity in general, but also the implementation of biological experiments in particular. In this paper, we build the experimental capacity structure and propose the procedure to develop this capacity for pre-service Biology teachers. On the basis of the proposal procedure, we carried out educational experiments to assess the soundness and rationality of the proposed process. In this way, contribute to improving the quality of the initial training of teachers in biology and the quality of the teaching of biology in schools.

Initial Teacher Education in peril: Why the market review is about anything but 'world-class training'

The Initial Teacher Training Market Review was released at the end of the most tumultuous of academic years. In spite of a claim to offer the promise of 'world- class training', the proposals, if enacted, have the potential to force out many with genuine expertise in teacher education. Written during the seven-week review consultation period, this article questions the recommendations of the document and the motivation behind what has been proposed. A range of possible implications are explored, and questions are posed about the review process itself.

Learning about Sustainability and SDG with Future Primary Education Teachers in Initial Training

The current situation of global change, caused by our way of life and our consumption habits, has negative effects on the social, economic and environmental spheres. To alleviate these changes, from the field of education, various actions focused on sustainability are being carried out. Knowledge of sustainable environmental development is essential in the formation of citizenship, and therefore in education. That is why the purpose of this work is to introduce future primary school teachers to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development established by the UN, as an educational tool for teaching and learning sustainability in classrooms. The 4th Degree of Primary Education students worked at designing a didactic intervention, based on the development of Education for Sustainable Development Competencies (ESDC), complemented with the dissemination on Instagram of visual creations on the SDGs designed for primary education students. As a result, 5 didactic proposals and 84 posts were generated on Instagram with 1131 comments. In conclusion, in teacher training, it is necessary to become familiar with the scientific contents and the various ways of working on them in the classroom, to enable the necessary didactic transfer.

Education for Sustainable Development: Impact and Blind Spots within Different Routes in Austrian Teacher Education

Education for sustainable development (ESD) is increasingly being perceived as the educational paradigm of our time. Here, teachers act as multipliers in the dissemination of that new paradigm into practice. The question arises, however, as to how far teachers themselves are exposed to ESD issues in their initial teacher training and education. In this exploratory, mixed-methods study, we investigate the exposure of students to ESD-related topics in different routes of teacher education in Austria. We do so by means of a quantitative survey instrument, which was specifically developed for this investigation in a qualitative pre-study. Within the investigated routes we note different distributions of ESD-related topics. These findings serve as a starting point for deeper analyses, as well as an impetus to question existing curricula in different teacher education routes with regard to different ESD-related topics.

The Use of Digital Portfolio in Higher Education before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study is focused on the advantages and disadvantages of using a digital portfolio to improve the learning and evaluation processes in the initial teacher training of 4th-year students in the University of Seville (Spain). One of the interests of this research was to compare the learning capacities perceived by the students to improve their learning process before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative, descriptive methodology was applied, identifying the most relevant dimensions, categories and codes for the analysis, management and interpretation of the opinions of the students, with a research triangulation (Cohen’s kappa coefficient) and a coding performed using the ATLAS.ti 8.4 software. The results show that the advantages with greater percentage correspond to the following categories: learning, usefulness of OneDrive, autonomy and evaluation. The greatest disadvantages detected were: time, uncertainty, usefulness of OneDrive and autonomy. There are differences in the perceptions of the students, between before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, about the learning capacities developed with the use of digital portfolio, since they consider that they have acquired more significant learning, greater self-regulation of their learning and greater reflection capacity.

Primary initial teacher trainees' perceptions of and perspectives on the role of the teaching assistant in English primary contexts

This article focuses on exploring initial teacher trainees' experiences and perspectives on the role of the teaching assistant (TA) in mainstream primary contexts. A backdrop of shrinking school budgets coupled with a ‘mainstream for all’ political agenda is contributing to growing uncertainty about the role of TAs in education. This article presents the results of a small‐scale empirical study, involving 75 initial teacher trainees at the University of Cambridge. Trainees' perspectives regarding the roles/responsibilities that TAs have been seen to undertake and perceptions regarding the impact of the TAs they worked with were ascertained, with the aim of exploring how well current ITT content prepares students for an effective teacher/TA working relationship. Concept modelling was used as an analysis tool, to present visual representations of these perceptions. Trainees emphasised the administrative, pedagogical and pastoral roles that TAs were perceived to undertake and specifically highlighted the perceived ability of TAs to support students displaying needs relating to social, emotional and mental health. The findings highlight that the vague nature of current ITT content in relation to the role of TAs continues to serve as a barrier to students building coherent and consistent understandings of the successful deployment of TAs in English primary contexts.

GeoGebra Integration in Elementary Initial Teacher Training: The Case of 3-D Shapes

<p class="0abstract">The integration of technology in learning is increasingly popular and inevitable, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. In mathematics education, Geogebra has been used as a pedagogical tool in learning mathematics from elementary to university. The present study aims to explore first-year prospective elementary teachers’ experience constructing 3-D shapes using GeoGebra. This study uses a case study method with 40 first-year prospective elementary teachers from an elementary initial teacher training from a public university in Riau, Indonesia. The participants worked in small groups and discussed some 3-D shapes through an online platform, and in the end, each participant reflected their attitudes towards the integration of GeoGebra in learning 3-D shapes. The findings show that prospective elementary teachers discussed six types of 3-D shapes; cube, rectangular prism, rectangular pyramid, cylinder, cone, and spheres. They prefer to discuss curved surfaces rather than flat surfaces of 3-D shapes. In addition, prospective elementary teachers have positive attitudes towards integrating GeoGebra in elementary initial teacher training. They believe that GeoGebra supports them to understand better the concepts of volume and surface area of 3-D shapes, facilitate students to understand the properties of a geometry object, and compare the object one made using hand drawing to using GeoGebra. Meanwhile, difficulty in using the tools to construct 3-D shapes in GeoGebra becomes a hinder to understand mathematics concepts and properties. The implication of this study is that there is a potential to integrate GeoGebra in mathematics learning in elementary teacher training.</p>