Teacher Expertise Research Articles

From Statistics Anxiety to SoTL: How a scholarly enquiry led to professional growth

In higher education academic staff are experts: disciplinary experts. They are often required to have significant research expertise, research degrees and a long track record of formal and experiential learning in their chosen specialist subject area. Then, after a long research apprenticeship, they finally get a teaching role. The UKPSF, Advance HE and even, to some extent, the Teaching Excellence Framework, all exist to professionalise teaching as a legitimate career in higher education but still, on appointment, most early career lecturers are subject experts but novice teachers.
 There is a growing professional requirement for higher education academic staff to adopt a scholarly approach to learning and teaching practice, to gain professional recognition as teachers, and to undertake scholarship of teaching and learning as part of ongoing and continuing professional development. Whilst taking a scholarly approach to practice is an expectation of the UKPSF, and scholarly teaching practice is a characteristic of expertise in teaching, what role does SoTL play in professional development?
 This article explores how a significant first foray into SoTL for early career statistics lecturers has resulted in unexpected learning for those who engaged in it. A study on how statistics anxiety may differ amongst different cohorts of students became a vehicle for deep learning about teaching, about students, about course design and pedagogy, and about SoTL. This led to a ‘critical awakening’ as scholarly teachers through the process of data collection, analysis, and reflection.
 The aim of this article is to showcase the value not only of pedagogical evaluation as a scholarly output and source of publication, but also that the process of engaging in SoTL, whether it results in successful outputs or not, is of extreme value in becoming an expert scholarly teacher in higher education.

Examining How Voice Teachers Influence Student Achievement

While studies have defined voice teacher expertise, seldom have associations been made between voice teachers and their students’ performing achievements. This study investigated which characteristics and attributes of successful classical and music theatre voice teachers influence student success. A sample of 123 Australian voice teachers (77% females, 22% males, 1% non-binary), aged 26–78 years old (M=48.23), completed an online, quantitative survey examining teacher background, experience, and genre. Additionally, standardized, quantitative measures examined psychological components such as teacher empathy and leadership. Findings demonstrated statistically significant associations between greater student achievement and the teacher’s own performance and teacher training and achievements as well as the number of students they have taught. Additionally, teacher leadership, specifically training facilitation and positive feedback, was statistically positively associated with student achievement. Teacher genre was not found to influence student success. These findings indicate that incorporating leadership training into voice pedagogy courses, while facilitating ongoing performing and professional development, could contribute to voice teacher expertise which would conceivably produce more successful students.

Re-Imagining Post COVID Education the Challenges and Opportunities of Blended Approaches in Bangladesh

The COVID-19 epidemic has taught the global education community, including Bangladesh. After the epidemic, switching to online education was very difficult. Many educational institutions worldwide struggled to switch from on-campus to online learning since it required considerable adjustments to their digital competences, pedagogical expertise, psychosocial counseling, interaction levels, engagement techniques, evaluation methodologies, support systems, etc. After the Covid period, should we return to traditional teaching and learning approaches or embrace the revolutionary new possibilities? Never. What tactics should we use? For this study, Bangabandhu Digital University, Bangladesh Open University, and Daffodil International University researchers gave students and instructors a semi-structured questionnaire. Blended learning is common in Bangladesh, according to preliminary study. We identified numerous challenges and potential for building a sustainable blended education system in Bangladesh using the Blended Education For All (BEFA) model.

Revealing the impact of the hidden curriculum on faculty teaching: A qualitative study.

In health professions education, faculty may feel frustrated or challenged by aspects of their teaching. The concept of a hidden curriculum for students describes the expectations and assumptions enacted in educational programmes that tacitly impact students' learning experiences. A hidden curriculum has been suggested as a possible influence on faculty but has not been well explored. The aim of this study was to explain how a hidden curriculum might operate for faculty in health professions education. An interpretivist perspective was used to frame this qualitative study that examined one-on-one interview data generated with 16 faculty members from six different health care professions. Participants were asked to describe teaching experiences that they perceived as demanding. Using a hidden curriculum framework, descriptions of demanding teaching experiences were analysed inductively to identify relationships between a teacher's intended practice and what they could accomplish. These relationships were interpreted as the possible ways that a hidden curriculum was operating for faculty. A hidden curriculum for faculty was found to operate in three ways by undervaluing the importance of having teaching expertise, undermining teaching goals through institutional conventions and perpetuating feelings of isolation. A hidden curriculum for faculty can be represented as multiple overlapping domains and shape how faculty experience their teaching roles. The results provide examples that reveal how a hidden curriculum may operate for faculty. Faculty developers may find the insights provided by this study useful to make the hidden curriculum visible and help their faculty make sense of and navigate demanding teaching experiences.

Linking Instructional Leadership and School Support to Teacher Expertise: The Mediating Effect of Teachers’ Professional Development Agency

The focus on developing teacher expertise makes teaching and learning more sustainable, as it is a way of working to create improvement in education. The objective of this study was to explore the direct or indirect impacts of principal instructional leadership and school support on teacher expertise and explore the mediating effect of teachers’ professional development agency. A survey of 1123 teachers was conducted at 21 primary schools and 20 secondary schools in Hebei and Shanxi provinces of northern China. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping were performed to test the relationships between variables. Results showed that teachers’ professional development agency mediated the effects of principal instructional leadership and school support on teacher expertise. School support was a better predictor of teacher expertise than principal instructional leadership. Providing instructional conditions and leadership support were non-significantly related to teacher expertise. Colleague support and student support were the better predictors of teacher expertise than providing instructional guidance and monitoring. The findings indicate that the growth of teacher expertise depends on building their professional development agency. Teachers will have a strong sense of agency to sustain the teaching profession when principals establish a supportive school climate that emphasizes teaching and learning in their leadership practice and enables teachers to build positive relationships with colleagues and students. The study confirms the supportive factors that impact teacher expertise and provides useful implications for the daily practice of teachers, principals, and administrators.

Alignment of the synthesis of qualitative data (SQD) model, technology self-efficacy and TPACK Core measures in preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology

Preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology in their future classrooms is a complex endeavor. Several factors known to affect the use of technology in the classroom include technology knowledge and skills, positive attitudes toward integrating technology, pedagogical expertise with technology and content knowledge in one or more disciplines. One strategy that has been used in many educator preparation programs has been to create a course that teaches how to integrate technology. Measuring the impact of these types of courses is important in determining whether they are meeting the needs of the pre-service teachers in their pursuit to integrate technology in a meaningful and effective way. This paper reports on the measurement and alignment of three aspects that impact pre-service technology integration - technology self-efficacy, strategies and experiences provided by the preparation programs, and the intersection of technology, content knowledge and pedagogy. Pre-service participants in a semester-long course focused on integrating technology gained significantly from pre to post on each of the scales, demonstrating an increase in technology self-efficacy, experiences related to technology during their program and confidence in fusing technology, content knowledge and pedagogy. In addition, the three measures focused on different areas of technology integration aligned to show relationships of the attributes important for using technology in their future classrooms.

Development of a theoretical construct for teacher expertise in the Chinese context and identification of its components: A mixed-methods study.

Teacher expertise is a vital element of teaching quality. Examining what constitutes teacher expertise has important implications for the theoretical development and practical application of teacher expertise. The present study was conducted to develop a theoretical construct for teacher expertise in the Chinese context, identify its components, and verify the validity of this construct. This study adopted an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design. To develop a construct for teacher expertise and identify its components, critical incident interviews were conducted with 102 primary and secondary school teachers. Grounded theory analysis was applied to code 621 stories from critical incident interviews. To verify the construct validity and discriminant validity, a survey of 1,041 teachers was conducted in 21 primary schools and 20 secondary schools in Hebei and Shanxi provinces. Confirmative factor analysis, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Mann-Whitney test were used to evaluate the validity of the construct. Knowledge structure, teaching ability, and professional development agency constituted the construct for teacher expertise. This construct had good construct validity and discriminant validity. Knowledge structure could not identify expertise. Teaching ability and professional development agency could differentiate between expert and non-expert teachers. Teacher expertise is a complex, multidimensional, and adaptive construct. The construct can be used as a valid and reliable instrument to identify and develop teacher expertise. Moreover, this study expands on prior studies and complements recent theoretical models describing teacher expertise.

Strategies for Increasing Teacher Competence and the Quality of Islamic Education Learning at State Middle School 8 Medan

This study aims to determine: Strategies for increasing teacher pedagogical competence. Learning quality improvement strategy. Obstacles that arise are faced by school principals in improving teacher performance in the learning process and Islamic Religious Education at State Middle School 8 Medan. The research method uses a qualitative approach. Data collection techniques through interviews, observation, and documentation studies. The results of the strategy as a school principal's program in improving the learning process and quality of education are: (1). Improving teacher expertise in carrying out the learning process (2). Optimizing the use of learning media in the learning process and the quality of education. (3). Supervise in overcoming problems related to unprofessionalism by teachers in carrying out assignments (4). Collaborating with stakeholders and the community Implementing strict discipline for all components of the school. Obstacles that often arise and are faced by school principals in improving teacher performance in the learning process and quality of education are: There are PAI teachers who are not creative in carrying out the learning process to improve the quality of education with religious programs. Students have not been consistent in carrying out religious learning. Differences in students become obstacles to the development of learning aspects. Lack of awareness on the part of parents in determining students in the learning process.

Pedagogical competency training for teachers of inclusive school at SDN 2 Petir

The constitutional mandate that every citizen has the right to an equitable education is reflected in inclusive schools. However, it can be challenging for inclusive schools to offer the best education due to the many features of students, both cognitively normal and those with special needs. This is because of a lack of pedagogical expertise, particularly among teachers who lack a base in inclusive education. Therefore, this community service program aims to provide pedagogical competency training for SDN 2 Petir teachers. Community service activities are carried out in three stages, namely preparation, implementation and evaluation. The training was delivered through seminars on the practice of early identification of ABK and the practice of collecting ABK profiles, as well as information on inclusive schools and the characteristics of ABK. The evaluation's findings demonstrated that the training significantly improved the pedagogical knowledge and abilities of SDN 2 Petir teachers.

Science Literacy -Based Pocket Book on Environmental Pollution and Climate Change in Junior High Schools

Research on the development of an integrated science pocket book based on scientific literacy on environmental pollution and climate change aims to see the validity, practicality and response of students. This study used ADDIE's research development (R&D) which consisted of Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. But in this research only reached the development stage. Data is collected through a questionnaire. After analyzing the needs and designing an integrated science literacy-based pocket book, the research proceeded to the development process. Scientific literacy consists of 4 aspects, each aspect has its own indicator code. At the pocket book development stage it was validated by five experts, namely, material experts, media experts and 2 teachers. The results showed that the validation of material, media, pedagogic experts , and 2 teachers was 3.42 with a very valid category. The results of the practicality test obtained a score of 81.84 which can be categorized as very practical, and the results of the student response test obtained a score of 86.05 in the very good category . In conclusion, the development of integrated science pocket books based on scientific literacy on environmental pollution and climate change is stated to be very valid, practical and very well used by students in the learning process.

Teaching Climate Change Science with the Humanities and Global Perspectives

Teaching Climate Change Science with the Humanities and Global Perspectives

Early career teachers thriving in the everyday challenges of teaching: understanding the relationship between professional competence and teacher buoyancy

PurposeThis study examined the relationship between early career teachers' (ECTs') perceived professional competence (PC) and teacher buoyancy (TB) and the contribution of such dynamic interaction between ECTs' perceived PC and TB to their thriving in the face of everyday teaching challenges.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a concurrent mixed-methods research design. A total of 218 ECTs taking a postgraduate, part-time initial teacher education programme completed two quantitative measures: Professional Competence Questionnaire and Teacher Buoyancy Scale – Extended Version. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between PC and TB. Qualitative data via semi-structured interviews were collected from 14 survey respondents and were interpreted through a case study approach.FindingsThe quantitative findings showed: (1) Competence in classroom teaching predicts the personal and contextual dimensions of teacher buoyancy; and (2) Competence to work in schools predicts the personal dimension of teacher buoyancy. The qualitative findings showed two cases that exemplified how the dynamic interaction between ECTs' perceived PC and the personal and contextual dimensions of TB supported their development of teaching expertise.Originality/valueThe paper provides empirical findings on the relationship between PC and TB. It highlights ECTs' perceived Competence to work in schools as goal alignment and engagement with school policy as a crucial facilitating condition that develops ECTs' capacity to face daily challenges and engenders their thriving in terms of development of teaching expertise.

Can differentiated and personalized mixed-reality simulations transform teacher learning?

Mixed-reality simulations (MRSs) create new opportunities for responsive teacher learning. This experimental study examined, starting from baseline Simulation 0 (Sim0) across three MRSs, the effect of differentiated coaching treatment in Simulation 1 (Sim1), and personalized practice in Simulation 2 (Sim2) on teachers’ provision of high-information feedback to avatar students as measured by the mean of feedback frequency weighted by quality. Motivational-supportive factors of MRS, including teacher perceptions of cognitive load, realism, and task-value were also examined. Participants were teachers at different career points (i.e., preservice: n = 69; early career: n = 66; and in-service: n = 68). Block randomization by grade level taught (elementary and secondary) and assessment of current feedback practices achieved pretreatment equivalence. Quantitative analyses revealed coaching significantly increased teachers’ use of high-information feedback. Teacher-selected personalized practice also impacted feedback. For example, the Sim2 decision to continue where the Sim1 action stopped was significantly related to decreases in clarify and value feedback and increases in pushing student thinking. Overall, differentiated and personalized professional development (PD) through MRS was valued by educators across the career trajectory and led to a complex evolution in teacher practices. However, the effects of the MRS were moderated by teaching experience. Teachers reported the MRS felt realistic and valuable; however, early career teachers’ perceptions were significantly lower than their preservice and in-service peers, especially under the coaching condition. In-service teachers reported greater cognitive load than less experienced teachers. Our discussion explores transforming teacher education across a career trajectory through assessing teaching expertise, differentiating PD, and personalizing practice.

Emphasizing effort vs talent in personal trainers' performance: consumption response of personal fitness training customers

PurposeFitness service companies often promote the companies' personal training service by attributing trainers' competent characteristics, qualifications or/and service provision to their effort or talent. This promotion is called performance attribution promotion. Utilizing attribution theory and the theory's adjacent studies, this study investigated whether and why performance attribution promotion affects consumers' service purchase of personal fitness training.Design/methodology/approachThe authors developed the experimental stimuli of performance attribution promotion and validated those through a pretest (N = 200). Using the validated stimuli, the authors conducted an experiment with employing a single factor between-subject design (performance attribution promotion: effort vs talent) based on random assignment (N = 200).FindingsThe analysis results revealed that attributing trainers' competent characteristics, qualifications or/and service provision to effort (vs talent) leads to a higher level of service registration intention. Moreover, this effect was mediated by the perceived teaching expertise but not by the perceived teaching trustworthiness.Originality/valueThese findings enrich the literature by illuminating a new mechanism and consequence of performance attribution promotion. The authors' study also extends the marketing studies related to expertise perception by presenting the attribution of visible features as one of the characteristics determining expertise perception. Finally, the authors' findings also have implications for fitness service companies and other stakeholders that seek to effectively leverage trainers' competent outcomes for consumer acquisition.

The professionalisation of teachers’ professional activities towards equalising educational opportunities for students

The subject of the undertaken analyses was the strategies used by teachers as part of bringing them closer to pedagogical expertise. The research aims to show the ways of defining profession-alisation by the respondents. As a result, we were looking for the answers to how teachers perceive professionalism and what actions they take to achieve pedagogical expertise. The empirical material comprises 19 interviews with teachers implementing the International Baccalaureate Programme. The theoretical framework for us was symbolic interactionism. We used the procedures of grounded theory methodology. As a result, we reconstructed the strategies they use to approach pedagogical expertise. We managed to characterise the three main dimensions of striving for professionalism by international schoolteachers, i.e., achieving professionalism through relationships, staying up to date, and achieving formal gratifications.

Book review: Teacher Expertise in the Global South: Theory, research and evidence, by Jason Anderson

Book review: Teacher Expertise in the Global South: Theory, research and evidence, by Jason Anderson

School Leadership and Curriculum Implementation: Challenges and Constraints in the Zimbabwean Education System

The research examined the challenges that rural school heads faced in implementing the new curriculum in Zimbabwe. Six primary school heads participated in this study. Curriculum changes were initiated as a key focus to restructuring the educational system with a strong emphasis placed on its implementation. The changes were intended to improve the quality of education for the benefit of learners. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches were employed, and the case study research design was used. The population comprised of twenty-eight primary schools in Mutoko district and from these six primary schools were purposefully selected. Interview guides, observation guides and document analysis schedules were used in this research study. The use of the three methods of gathering data was meant to increase the validity and reliability of the findings. The data from interviews were transcribed word for word and that from observations and document analysis were coded and then classified into different categories of themes. Findings revealed that teacher expertise, inadequate resource materials and lack of parental involvement in school activities were challenges that school heads faced in implementing the new curriculum. It was found out that Ministry involvement was greatly needed to equip schools with the requisite teaching staff and adequate resources for effective implementation of the new curriculum to take place.

Commentary: Teaching expertise is the best antidote for educational inequities.

This article discusses teaching expertise as the best antidote for educational inequities. Economically disadvantaged and minority students are over-represented in the population of those experiencing reading difficulties, and therefore the societal scourges of systemic racism and persistent economic inequalities are to blame. Closer examination of these variables, however, suggests that minority students attend under-resourced schools in greater numbers than white students and schooling itself predicts outcomes more than race alone. In other words, students who attend poor schools in unsupported environments are at risk for academic failure-no matter their race. While chronic inequities in schooling associated with race and poverty are currently receiving more attention, a substantial number of middle class and more advantaged students are also not learning to read proficiently. What do these children's experiences have in common with their less advantaged peers? They also are not receiving effective instruction, even though their schools have more material resources and fewer excuses for low reading achievement. There are several explanations for this chronic state of inadequate and ineffective reading and language instruction. First, the schools of education have been slow to embrace the science of reading on a wide enough scale. Second, faulty ideas about learning to read are deeply engrained in teacher culture and are perpetuated by publishers who will sell whatever consumers will buy, regardless of evidence for effectiveness. Third, the persistence of misconceived practices can be attributed to the fact that teaching reading is by nature very complex and challenging. For shifts to occur in the roles of school psychologists and other support personnel, professional learning opportunities must be expanded to include in-depth understanding of reading acquisition, reading disabilities, and research-aligned instructional practices. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Construction and validation of simulated scenarios in the emergency care of patients with chest pain.

To construct and validate clinical simulation scenarios for emergency care for patients with chest pain. A methodological study carried out in two stages: construction and validity. The construction took place through the survey of evidence from national and international literature. The validity stage took place through instrument assessment by judges, according to the Content Validity Index and application of a pilot test with the target audience. Fifteen judges with expertise in simulation, teaching and/or care participated in the research, in addition to 18 nursing students, in the pilot test. Two scenarios of clinical simulation were constructed, and all the assessed items obtained a value above 0.80, showing evidence of validity, being considered instruments suitable for application. The research contributed to the development and validity of instruments that can be applied for teaching, assessment and training in clinical simulation in emergency care for patients with chest pain.

Подход Е.О. Смирновой к оценке игрушек для детей

Background. [is paper presents the concept of psychological and pedagogical expertise of games and toys, developed under the guidance of Elena Smirnova. Elaboration of the concept is due to the fact that a toy is an important tool of children’s play and, according to many studies, has an impact on its formation and development. At the same time, the modern toy market has changed signi\cantly over the past decades and requires to be studied by specialists. [ere are several publications on the psychological and pedagogical evaluation of games and toys developed under E.O. Smirnova’s guidance. However, the Concept has been repeatedly changed and developed which was not re]ected in publications (the last work dates back to 2017). [is article is intended to \ll this gap. Objective. [is paper describes the Concept, methodology and procedure of psychological and pedagogical examination of games and toys developed under the guidance of E.O. Smirnova. Results. [e Concept of expertise is based on the cultural-historical approach and activity theory. A toy is considered as a tool for children’s play in broad sense, especially created by adults. Toys are classi\ed into 4 types of activity: play as such, productive activity, cognitive-explorative activity, and physical activity. Each kind of activity includes types united by speci\c features, goals and tools. Psychological and pedagogical evaluation of toys includes 4 evaluation parameters: ethical, aesthetical, operational-technical, and developmental potential of play action. [e result of expertise is the attribution of the toy to a certain activity type and age group. Conclusions. [e Concept of psychological and pedagogical evaluation of toys, created under the leadership of E.O. Smirnova, is based on key concepts and advances of cultural-historical psychology and activity theory. [e Concept can serve as a basis for research in this area, expanding and clarifying the ideas of science about the impact of games, play and subject tools on the development of children.