Majority Of Student Teachers Research Articles

Why all the drama? Perceptions and Experiences of Foreign Language Student Teachers on Training in Improvisational Drama Pedagogy

Abstract Improvisational drama techniques (IDTs) can benefit foreign language (FL) learners by offering them an engaging way to practise speaking while hiding behind the safety of a character mask. This study aimed to glean perceptions toward and experiences with IDTs among FL student teachers, as well as training needs related to integrating IDTs as a pedagogical tool. Foreign language student teachers at a Dutch university who had not received IDT-training took part in a questionnaire (n = 197). Former student teachers who had taken such a course in drama were interviewed in depth (n = 9). Almost all student teachers - both those who had and had not received IDT-training-shared the belief that IDTs have added pedagogical value. The majority of student teachers who had not had drama training indicated that they did not often implement IDTs in their classes. Former student teachers who had IDT-training continued to integrate IDTs with some regularity. Both groups provided valuable input on the components that should be included in a future IDT-training module for both student teachers and in-service teachers. Our findings give rise to the hypothesis that training can play a key role in galvanizing teachers to implement IDTs, and allow us to formulate design criteria for an innovative training module.

Nordic Student Teachers’ Views on the Most Efficient Teaching and Learning Methods for Species and Species Identification

Teachers need knowledge of species and species identification skills for teaching the structure and function of ecosystems, and the principles of biodiversity and its role in sustainability. The aim of this study is to analyze Nordic student teachers’ views on the most efficient methods and strategies to teach and learn species and species identification, and to find some trends about how well their views are reflected in a species identification test. Student teachers in Finland, Norway, and Sweden (N = 426) answered a questionnaire consisting of fixed and open-ended questions, and a species identification test. An analysis of variance, Chi-Square, and t-test were used for quantitative data and an inductive content analysis for qualitative data. Results showed that outdoor teaching and learning methods are more efficient than indoor methods. The majority of student teachers considered outdoor experiential learning with living organisms as the most efficient teaching and learning method. Student teachers who highlighted outdoor experiential learning and outdoor project work as their most efficient methods received significantly better results in the species identification test than the others. Field trips and fieldwork were emphasized as the most important sources in schools and universities, while the Internet was the most important source among media. The student teachers underlined teachers’ expertise in the form of in-depth understanding of subjects and supervising skills for efficient teaching both outdoors and indoors. Therefore, teaching and learning of species and species identification as the practical part of biodiversity and sustainability education is emphasized as an integral part of teacher education programs.

A STUDY ON THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION STUDENT TEACHERS’ INCLINATION AND RELEVANT RESOURCES FOR ONLINE LEARNING

From the students’ side their inclination, possession of relevant resources and accessibility to the Internet are very important to learn through online. Furthermore, it would be useful if they can find extra time for online activities and fluency in English language. With the development of the information and communication technology, online learning is growing rapidly around the world. The Open University of Sri Lanka is also gradually moving into offering more online courses. The Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme is one of the oldest and major programmes offered by the Department of Secondary and Tertiary Education (STE) of the Faculty of Education. Now department is working to introduce online components into the PGDE programme too. This study has four objectives namely to find out the inclination of student teachers in distant areas to follow an online course, The possession of relevant resources by wise inclination and possession of the resources to follow an online course and the available facilities and resources at the centers to conduct an online course. The study was carried out through a survey. For this purpose two remote districts were selected as a purposive sample; Namely Ambalantota study centre and Badulla regional center. The samples of the PGDE student teachers were selected by using the random sampling technique. Seventy five (75) student teachers were selected from each center by random sampling technique. The two data collection instruments used - a questionnaire and a semi structured interview schedule. Data were analyzed by using both qualitative and quantitative analyzing methods. The study revealed that, Majority of the student teachers were somewhat willing to spend around 2 hours per-day on online course. The student teachers’ inclination to use the internet related communication tools were less than 41%. Majority of student teachers were willing to do online learning activities. Majority of students accessed the internet only through the mobile phones. Males’ inclination was higher than the females’ inclination to follow an online course. Majority of the male student teachers have more personal resources than the female student teachers. Availability of the printers was comparatively low among both male and female student teachers. Both centers have the Internet facility but the number of computers was not adequate for the PGDE student numbers in both centers. The study intended to guide the students’ considering their diverse learning needs, and the course designed and developed to be compatible with the mobile phones. The students should be given more opportunity to use available resources at the centers of the university in a more efficient and effective manner. Article visualizations:

Using the Tuning Protocol to Generate Peer Feedback During Student Teaching Lesson Plan Development

Self-adequacy during the student teaching experience is high on the list of concerns expressed by student teachers (Fritz & Miller, 2003; Ng, Nicholas, & Williams, 2010). That factor, in combination with others, determines student teachers’ goals and sparks their motivation to engage in effective instructional planning (Baylor & Kitsantas, 2005). The purpose of this study was to determine student teachers’ perceptions of the use of the tuning protocol, a formalized process of reflective practice and peer review (Allen & McDonald, 1993; Easton, 2009), to revise lesson plans. When open coding was used to analyze student teachers’ perceptions, four themes emerged: benefits, drawbacks, structure of the tuning protocol, and recommendations for future use. The majority of student teachers were satisfied with the outcomes of the tuning protocol review process and planned to use it in their professional careers. Recommendations for use of the tuning protocol in various stages of the teacher education program are presented.

Exploring identity construction of student teachers practicing ELF pedagogy in a microteaching course

This paper reports on the results of a qualitative study that explored the experiences of a group of student-teachers (STs) in Indonesia as they undertook a microteaching course as part of their undergraduate teacher training program. Grounded in the notions of ‘teacher identity as the process of becoming’ (Britzman, 2003) and ‘identity in practice’ (Varghese et al., 2005), the present paper examines how participation in a microteaching course that oriented STs to ELF pedagogy affected the formation of teacher identities amongst one group of STs in Indonesia. Data were gathered from three post-mini lesson interviews with individual STs and STs’ mini lessons. The findings show a positive relationship between ELF pedagogy, STs’ perception of their teacher role and their identity construction. Many STs’ identity construction appears to be informed by their concerns of the hegemonic presence of English in the local community and their role primarily as a revival of Indonesian cultures. Although the majority of STs showed a general agreement towards the need to construct a teacher identity independent of native-speaker norms, a few STs continued to believe the importance of teachers to speak Standard English due to its marketability potential.

Effectiveness of New Innovations Introduced to the Continuous Assessment Mechanism of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programme

Two research studies (Lekamge & Jayathilake, 2002; Jayathilake, 1996) which focused on the Continuous Assessment (CA) mechanism of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education programme of the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) had identified several problems such as lack of quality of the set assignments, limited comments on assignments, discrepancies among marking examiners, ill practices among student teachers and high turnround time of assignments and suggested long term and short term measures to those problems. As a result, the Faculty introduced several innovations namely course team approach, training workshops for marking examiners, Activity Based Assignment Day Schools and appointment of Centre coordinators for improving the quality of the CA mechanism. Having implemented those innovations for nearly three years, it has necessitated an exploratory research study to examine the effectiveness in improving the quality of the CA mechanism and to reveal how it could be further modified to maximize their potentials. The sample of the study included 290 student teachers representing four regional and two study centres of the OUSL, 104 marking examiners and 21 visiting academics of those centres. Exploratory interviews, questionnaires and direct observations were used as the main data collection methods of the study. They revealed that the majority of student teachers, visiting academics and marking examiners were satisfied with the new innovations and admired the positive changes taken place in setting, marking and monitoring of assignments. Finally the study recommended several improvements to those strategies which would further maximize the benefits to all stakeholders.

Foundation phase teachers’ (limited) knowledge of geometry

This study is about student teachers’ conceptual understanding of shapes. While the National Curriculum Statement stipulates that by the time learners exit high school they should have grounded knowledge of basic geometry and know shapes such as polygons and polyhedrons and their properties, this study finds that the majority of student teachers have limited knowledge of basic geometry and require not remedial, but re-learning of these basic concepts. The Van Hiele levels of geometric thought model is used as a lens to gauge and understand students’ knowledge of geometry. A cohort of 128 first-year students registered for a foundation phase programme took part in the study. It was found that while Grade 12 learners are expected to operate at levels 3 and 4 of the Van Hiele’s levels, the majority of the participants in the study were operating at level 1, the level of the learners they will be teaching when they complete the course. Suggestions are made for how to address this problem.

Student Teachers’ Views of the impact of School Experience Programme on their Perceptions of the Teaching Profession

This study analysed the impact of the School Experience (SE) programme on rural student teachers’ perceptions of the teaching profession. This was done through investigating the views of Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and Bachelor of Education (BEd) fourth year students which were randomly selected. A qualitative and quantitative survey through semi- structured questionnaire with closed and open - ended items and structured interviews was conducted. The majority of student teachers (86%) felt that school experience positively socialised them into the teaching profession by providing them with the needed work-based experience. Most of the student teachers in the study felt that a student teacher’s experiences during SE mediate their beliefs, opinions, views and convictions about the teaching profession, making them like or dislike the profession. Ten percent were ambivalent and still an insignificant number (4%) decided against the teaching profession. One of the major recommendations of the study is that since the SE programme is critical in the formation of one’s perceptions about and commitment to the teaching profession, teacher training institutions should design appropriate SE programmes and closely monitor them to ensure they continue achieving the intended goals. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n8p336

Beginning and end of the internship: student teachers’ interpersonal profiles and the accuracy of their self-beliefs

An important purpose of internships in teacher preparation programmes is to develop competence through experience. The research questions in the present study concern student teachers’ interpersonal profiles (i.e. patterns of their interpersonal behaviour as perceived by students) and the accuracy of their self-belief regarding the interpersonal relationship with students at the beginning and end of the internship. Participants were student teachers (n=34) of a one-year teacher education programme. There were fewer student teachers with preferable interpersonal profiles at the end of the internship than in the beginning. Self-beliefs at the beginning indicated that the majority of student teachers were underestimating themselves; at the end of the internship most of them were overestimating themselves. About two-thirds had more accurate self-beliefs at the end of the internship than at the beginning. Overestimating oneself seemed negatively related to more accurate self-beliefs at the end of the internship and student teachers with more preferable profiles had more accurate self-beliefs.

The effect of portfolios on students' learning: student teachers' views

This study reports on student teachers' views of portfolios as a learning tool when they are combined with a weekly test conducted at the end of each lesson to help student teachers self‐evaluate. Student teachers' written reflections during the process provided data for the study. Analysis of the data showed that a majority of student teachers initially felt that compiling a portfolio would be time‐consuming and an extra burden added to their already busy schedule. However, later on they all found that the process was a useful learning experience. Moreover, the portfolio process – especially combining self‐reflection with weekly tests – encouraged students to study regularly, increased retention and made learning more enjoyable. Suggestions for the successful portfolio implementation include the following: guiding students both at the beginning of and during the process, providing continuous and prompt feedback during the process and making self‐reflection – especially guided by reflection prompts – an essential part of the process.

Reasons for joining the teaching profession: Primary student teachers

This study explored student teachers' reasons for joining the teaching profession. A sample of the student teachers of the University of Otago, College of Education participated in this study, responding to a questionnaire aimed at identifying their reasons for choosing teaching as their career. Analysis of the data showed that a large percentage of student teachers enrolled in the institution demonstrated a strong desire to become a teacher, and that only a small percentage of them were ambivalent about teaching as their career choice. In terms of their future plans, the results indicated that the majority of student teachers had a desire to work abroad. Based on the results, the paper also draws implications that may be relevant for other jurisdictions in the Pacific region and beyond.Â

Influence Of The Relationship Between The Student Teacher And Cooperating Teacher On Student Teacher'S Decision To Enter Teaching

The purpose of the study was to determine if student teachers' perceptions of the student teacher/cooperating teacher relationship were predictive of their decisions to enter the teaching profession. The target population of this study consisted of preservice agricultural education students atTexasA&MUniversity. The accessible sample consisted of student teachers in agricultural education atTexasA&MUniversity in fall 2004, a group of 33 student teachers. Multiple regression was used to build a model that explained the greatest amount of variability in the student teachers' decision to enter teaching, based on the student teachers' perceptions of the cooperating teacher and other suspected predictor variables. The typical student teacher in agricultural education was a 22 year old white female completing an undergraduate degree. The majority of student teachers had no full-time agricultural employment experience. The majority of student teachers had at least four semesters (two years) of high school agricultural science courses. It was concluded that the student teaching/cooperating teacher relationship is not predictive of decision to teach. However, semesters of high school agricultural sciences courses completed was predictive of one's decision to teach. The best model explained 18.3% of the variance.

Implications of Student Teachers’ Implementation of a Curricular Innovation

This study examined 49 student teachers’ actions and perspectives when implementing a curricular innovation (the tactical games approach). Data were collected via videotaped lessons, interviews, and follow-up questionnaires. Questions for interviews and questionnaires were pilot tested and data were analyzed using the constant comparison method. Videotape analysis was facilitated by Noldus’s Observer (4.0) software and was tested for interobserver reliability. Results revealed that pupils were actively engaged for more than half (52%) of class time. The majority of student teachers’ questions were of low order (76%). The greatest challenges student teachers faced were pupils being new to the approach, or lacking skills. The greatest facilitators to implementing the tactical approach were physical education teacher education courses. Student teachers suggested that more opportunities to teach using the tactical approach in schools during methods classes would better prepare them for practicum. A follow-up questionnaire, one year later, determined that 87% of participants were still using the “innovation” in their teaching.

The Role of the String Project in Teacher Training and Community Music Education

The National String Project Consortium was designed to encourage string education majors to become string teachers and to stimulate growth of new school orchestra programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which these goals were accomplished across 13 university sites in 2003-2004. Survey data were obtained from project directors, master teachers, student teachers, children, and parents (N = 1,458). Results indicated the majority of student teachers were music education majors who received professional and financial benefit from participation, and were engaged in authentic string teaching in productive and rewarding settings. Children studied string instruments under satisfying and affordable conditions. The String Project seems to have filled a void where school strings programs do not exist, or functioned to supplement strings instruction available in the schools.

An intercultural approach to challenging issues in Northern Ireland teacher education

This paper reports action research intended to advance intercultural learning and pedagogy within teacher pre‐service education. Northern Ireland (NI) student teachers returning from teaching abroad and students from abroad training in NI shared views upon pedagogical practices, identified features supportive of inclusive teaching and assessed the potential of teacher intercultural learning. Experience of teaching abroad acted to challenge, but in some cases also to affirm, teacher dependence upon professional authority, independent pupils' learning and associated forms of control in classrooms. A majority of student teachers appeared encouraged by their experience of teaching abroad to experiment with pedagogies supportive of a negotiated and more inclusive curriculum and involving more cooperative learning in classrooms. Without significantly greater intercultural experience in NI teacher education, in the selective nature of NI schooling and in the control of subject disciplines under the NI statutory curriculum, sustained use of more transformative pedagogies is considered problematical in NI schools. Cet article retrace une recherche‐action mise en oeuvre afin de promouvoir l'apprentissage interculturel et sa pédagogie. Des étudiants nord‐irlandais en formation initiale, rentrant de stage pratique à l'étranger, et des étudiants d'autres pays, effectuant un stage en Irlande du Nord, ont partagé leurs points de vue sur des pratiques pédagogiques, ont identifié des aspects encourageant l'éducation à l'altérité et ont évalué le potentiel d'apprentissage interculturel du professeur. L'expérience d'enseigner à l'étranger a mis ces étudiants au défi, mais dans certains cas a aussi renforcé la dépendance de l'enseignant à l'égard de l'autorité, du travail individuel de l'élève et du maintien de la discipline dans la classe. Cette expérience a encouragé la majorité de ces futurs professeurs à faire l'expérience des pédagogies développant un programme scolaire négocié et un apprentissage fondé sur la collaboration dans la classe. Sans réformes majeures, l'application intensive de ces pédagogies a été considérée comme problématique pour les écoles nord‐irlandaises. Dieses Papier berichtet über Aktionsforschung mit dem Ziel der Förderung von interkulturellem Lernen und Pädagogik im Bereich der Lehrerausbildung. Nordirische Studierende, die aus einem Auslandslehrpraktikum zurückkehren und ausländische Studierende, die in Nordirland ausgebildet wurden, tauschten Eindrücke über pädagogische Praktiken, identifizierten Merkmale welche „inclusive teaching“ unterstützen und bewerteten das Potential für interkulturelles Lernen in der Lehrerausbildung. Die Lehrerfahrung im Ausland bewirkte eine Herausforderung, in manchen Fällen aber auch eine Bestätigung der Abhängigkeit der Lehrenden von Autorität, der Arbeit von einzelnen Schülern und Schülerinnen und der Kontrolle im Klassenraum. Die Mehrzahl der Lehramtsstudierenden wurde durch ihre Erfahrung ermutigt mit einer Pädagogik zu experimentieren, die verhandelte Curricula und gemeinschaftliches Lernen unterstützen. Ohne weitgehende Reformen wurde der Einsatz dieser Pädagogiken in den Schulen Nordirlands als problematisch betrachtet. Este estudio informa sobre investigaciones prácticas para potenciar la pedagogía y el aprendizaje interculturales de los docentes. Los estudiantes de Magisterio de Irlanda del Norte que vuelven de su periodo de prácticas docentes en el extranjero y los estudiantes extranjeros de prácticas en Irlanda del Norte comparten puntos de vista sobre prácticas pedagógicas, identifican áreas de apoyo para una enseñanza global y evalúa el potencial del aprendizaje intercultural. La experiencia de las prácticas en el extranjero sirvió de reto, pero en algunos cursos también reforzó la dependencia del docente en la autoridad, en el trabajo personal de los estudiantes y en el control del aula. La mayoría de los estudiantes de prácticas se sintieron animados a experimentar con pedagogías de negociación de contenidos curriculares y de aprendizaje colaborativo. Sin reformas importantes, el uso continuado de esta pedagogía se considera problemático en las escuelas de Irlanda del Norte.

Student Teachers' Expectations of Teaching as a Career in England and Norway

Research on student teachers' expectations regarding teaching as a career may help explain the reasons underlying problems of teacher recruitment and teacher retention which are causing concern in many countries. This study explores the expectations held by a group of student teachers in York, England and Stavanger, Norway. Questionnaires were completed by 121 York PGCE students and 75 Stavanger B.Ed. students. A majority of students in both groups were absolutely certain that they will be doing a socially worthwhile job, will be happy with the amount of holiday, and will feel elated by pupil achievement. However, only a low percentage in both groups were absolutely certain they will have enough time to do a good job. A majority of student teachers in both groups also regard teaching pupils as more important than their specialist subject, expect a proportion of the job to involve bad times (most often between 11 and 25% of the time), expect to be involved in management within a few years, and expect to stay in teaching for more than 10 years. Overall, the Stavanger students appeared to hold more positive expectations.

Seeing the Wood for the Trees: The National Literacy Strategy and Initial Teacher Education; pedagogical content knowledge and the structure of subjects

'Really I was just concentrating on getting it done' (Anna Goldman, 1st block placement). 'That was to help them with verbs because that was next' (Andrew Burns, final block placement). 'I wanted them to think about story structures-that would help them with their prediction' (Martha O'Brien, final block placement). I will suggest in this article that these comments are typical illustrations of the different ways student teachers view their role in the primary classroom and that to an extent these comments mark the stages of progression that student teachers often go through as they learn to become effective teachers of primary English. In the beginning they concentrate on the activity, and getting through it, more than anything else. As they move towards the end of their training, the majority of student teachers have learned that good English teaching is about much more than getting the task done. However, as Andrew (during his final placement) demonstrates, there is a danger that even student teachers at the end of their training view the curriculum as an end in itself, without questioning, exploring or fully understanding the rationale underlying it. I will suggest in this paper that highly prescriptive curricula, such as the National Literacy Strategy and the ITT English National Curriculum, increase this danger, at least in the short term.

The Great God of the Future: the Views of Current and Future English Teachers on the Place of IT in Literacy

Based on a small but representative study it appears that, in contrast to the past and to some current perceptions, the majority of student teachers and about half of serving teachers of English now welcome information technology (IT) in English and see it as central to the literacy of all pupils. Some current teachers of English remain ambivalent about IT but the general trend is toward a broader definition of literacy in English that gives significant, if not yet equal, value to electronic text alongside the printed word.

We watched them “fail”: university supervisors’ perceptions of “failure” in student teaching1

Student teaching is a public act, one in which there are several pairs of scrutinizing eyes looking on: pupils, cooperating teachers, principals, parents, and university supervisors. The majority of student teachers perform satisfactorily and develop strategies to cope with the demands of their classrooms. Some, however, “fail.” They either remove themselves voluntarily and are given a grade deemed to be unsatisfactory for obtaining provisional teacher certification or a teaching position, or they are given a failing grade. Focused on “failing” student teachers, this article explores the perceptions of university supervisors with direct responsibility for assessing preservice teachers in their capstone preservice practicum. These individuals have considerable influence over the future of student teachers because of the weight their evaluations have for future employment. The questions addressed include: What does it mean to “fail” in student teaching? Why does it happen? What are the characteristics of st...

Is initial training nurturing proactive teachers?

Summary Recent research suggests that while many beginning teachers may be ‘passively socialized’ into teaching and largely adopt existing practices and traditions, a minority are less willing to accept the existing reality as the only one possible. Goodman has described the attributes which characterize such teachers whom he labels proactive; these are high levels of commitment and motivation, innovation, willingness to ‘try things out’ and reflection. This paper addresses the question of whether such attributes are developed during initial training. Results indicate a liberalization of attitudes which, it is argued, is necessary if students and teachers are to be open to new ideas and innovative. Levels of other proactive attributes, while generally high, do not develop further during training for the majority of student teachers. A small, highly motivated group, judged by their tutors to be the best teachers, do appear to develop in a proactive direction, however.