PGCE Students Research Articles

An ethics of care: PGCE students' experiences of online learning during Covid-19

An ethics of care: PGCE students' experiences of online learning during Covid-19

A pedagogy of care: PGCE students’ experiences of online learning during Covid-19

The article discusses the online teaching and learning experiences of university students during the recent countrywide lockdown and higher education institutional shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing on philosopher Joan Tronto’s phases of care and associated moral elements, the article reports on survey data from a large cohort of students in the Post Graduate Certificate of Education programme at Stellenbosch University and seeks to analyse the students’ care needs and experiences of care during this period. The aim of the article discussion is not to answer the question whether the university institution offered the students good care during the campus shutdown and remote teaching and learning, but rather to understand the experiences of the students of online teaching and learning during this time.

Teaching and Learning Latin in the Key Stage 3 Classroom: Using the Cambridge Latin Course Explorer Tool

The Classics department at my school has 32 Apple iPads. This allows for extensive individualised use of ICT in Classics lessons. Having access to tablets opens up many possibilities, not least the fact that students can stay in their usual classroom and pick up their tablet periodically to aid their learning. This facility lends itself perfectly to the Cambridge Latin Course (CLC) electronic resources. There are many online activities, games and exercises on the CLC website which were developed to support learning through supplementary activities based on the original print materials. However, it is only when students have frequent and individual access to these resources that they can reap the benefits. My school, equipped with iPads, has provided the perfect opportunity to conduct a case study on the experiences of students using a CLC online resource in Latin lessons. As a PGCE student who has recently completed an undergraduate degree in Classics, I have had a lot of experience using electronic tools to aid the translation of Latin texts, namely the programme ‘Diogenes’, and the website http://www.perseus.tufts.edu. For this reason I was particularly interested in the use of ICT as a tool to aid the reading of Latin and enhance language acquisition.

Learning to Teach through Mother Tongue: PGCE Student’s Experiences in one South African University

Learning to Teach through Mother Tongue: PGCE Student’s Experiences in one South African University

Talking Together, Learning Together: The Story of English PGCE Student Teachers’ Adventures in Classics

This article reports on the first two phases of a project to promote the classics through English at Key Stage 3, a scion of the Cambridge Schools Classics Project. We discuss the primary importance of speaking and listening in the English classroom both for the individual and the collective, and reflect on the power and importance of using classic tales in English as a means of promoting good-quality oracy. We comment on the precarious position of both oracy and story in the 2014 national curriculum. We report on the impact of a project during which student teachers were introduced to classical oral storytelling and encouraged to use it in their teaching. Findings suggest that the student teachers recognised oracy and storytelling as fundamental to their developing pedagogy and that they saw the need to promote oracy.

Critical reflections on the PGCE (Foundation Phase) qualification in South Africa

There is a crisis in provision of quality teaching in the foundation phase of schooling in South Africa. This article argues that the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Foundation Phase) (PGCE(FP)) has potential to help address this crisis. The article draws on data from university admission policies, focused discussion between teacher educators from six universities, and a survey of registered PGCE(FP) students at one of these institutions. Through an examination of criteria for admission to the qualification, the article considers which students could potentially be recruited into teaching via the PGCE(FP). The value of students’ academic maturity is highlighted in relation to the duration and content of the curriculum, and in terms of knowledge and motivational effects on children taught by these teachers. It is recommended that admission criteria for the PGCE(FP) should allow recruitment of graduates from a wider variety of academic backgrounds, and it is argued that this qualification should be seen as part of a continuum of professional learning and that teachers with a baccalaureate are well skilled to be active lifelong professional learners. Specific suggestions are made for further research to develop a full analysis of the distinct contribution the PGCE(FP) can make to the early years teaching profession.

Work Integrated Learning (WIL): A Phenomenographic Study Of Student-Teachers’ Experiences

The study investigated the work integrated learning (WIL) experiences of final year PGCE and BEd student teachers. The study sample consisted of 50 student-teachers selected randomly from 165 final year BEd and PGCE students. Each student was requested to complete an open-ended questionnaire based among other things on the issues which formed the object of the study. In-depth interviews were also held with 10 of the respondents selected randomly. Inputs from 10 purposively randomly selected schools were also considered. A phenomenographic method of data collection and analysis was employed. The results showed that around 50% of the students-teachers were not ready and not motivated to become teachers due to the following: learner indiscipline; lack of confidence due to subject content inadequacy; resources and facilities in schools not conducive to effective teaching; lack of support from some mentors; lack of adequate preparation before being sent to schools, for example on the use of LTSM (Learning-Teaching Support Material), chalkboard practice, lesson planning, development and presentation; lecturers who do not visit regularly, and in some cases students felt alienated when on practice. The study however highlighted the following for improvement in the WIL to stimulate student-teacher interest and effectiveness: strengthen the content delivery to build more confidence among learners, strengthen the pedagogical approaches to improve student-teacher knowledge and skills in inclusive teaching, human development and learning, curriculum management, etc. and improving the work experience practices to enhance students skills in the use of chalkboard, LTSM, lesson planning, development and implementation. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n7p300

Teaching inclusively: are secondary physical education student teachers sufficiently prepared to teach in inclusive environments?

Background: Contemporary British educational guidelines, such as the National Curriculum (NC) have adopted inclusivity in the way children with special educational needs (SEN) are taught. Therefore, inclusion has risen up the political agenda, resulting in more children with SEN being taught in mainstream environments. Empirical research has attempted to examine PE teacher's perceptions of inclusion. However, it is evident that PE teachers perceive the training they receive during initial teacher training (ITT) as a constraint on their practice with specific regard to teaching children with SEN. Purpose: This study aimed to determine if student secondary PE teachers are sufficiently prepared to teach children with SEN inclusively, by examining their training at ITT as well as their perceived preparedness and confidence to teach inclusively. Participants and setting: 107 students from a four-year BA (Hons) and a PGCE secondary PE ITT course attending a North West England ITT institution participated in the study. Research design: Survey research was implemented to examine if student secondary PE teachers attending two different ITT courses were sufficiently prepared to teach in inclusive environments. Data collection: A 31-item semi-structured questionnaire comprising predominantly of closed questioning, was used for this study. Open-ended questions were included to collect qualitative data, intended to add richness to the data and explore students' perceptions. Questions focused upon respondents' inclusion training at ITT, the perceived effectiveness of this training, students' preferences in teaching, experience of teaching children with SEN, as well as their perceived preparedness and confidence to teach inclusively. Data analysis: Quantitative data was analysed statistically using SPSS. Qualitative responses were analysed using NVivo. Comparisons were made between the two different participant groups, in order to determine whether curriculum differences impacted on perceived preparedness and confidence to teach inclusively. Findings: Findings showed that BA (Hons) student teachers received more formal inclusion training compared with the PGCE students. Yet, student teachers from both courses were being expected to teach children with a range of different SEN within their in-school placements. As such, students from both courses demonstrated a desire to receive more formal hands-on experience of teaching inclusive PE, with particular reference to activity specific SEN training. Finally, it was discovered that while the participants generally felt prepared and confident to teach children with SEN, displaying positive attitudes for inclusion; few attributed this to their training at ITT, deeming their inclusion training at ITT as ineffective. Conclusion: PE ITT providers need to embed aspects of inclusion training throughout their curricula so that inclusion is not perceived as a bolt-on option. This will ensure student and newly qualified teachers (NQTs) have the experience and knowledge to teach inclusively. This training should include activity-specific SEN training, and student teachers should be provided with opportunities during their in-school placements to plan for and teach children with a range of different SEN. In doing this, it is expected that NQTs will enter teaching prepared, with the necessary skills to deliver inclusive PE lessons, thereby, confidently meeting the needs of their pupils.

Brunei Trainee Teachers' Coping Strategies for Stressful Situations

Abstract The survey investigated the extent to which Brunei trainee teachers used the task-oriented, emotion-oriented, and avoidance-oriented coping strategies when in stressful situations. Data collection employed the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations. Participants consisted of 118 educational psychology student teachers at the University of Brunei Darussalam. Of these, 89 (75%) were females while 29 (25%) were males. The sample comprised of 71 (60%) BEd and 47 (40%) PGCE students. Overall, the task-oriented strategy was the most used coping method followed by the emotion-oriented style. There were no significant gender and programme of study differences in the way participants employed the three coping procedures. Age, gender, and programme of study were not significantly correlated with the three coping strategies. The coping strategies were found to be distinct ways of reacting to and relieving stress according to the Brunei sample. Further mixed methods research was recommended to gain further insights on the problem. Keywords: Stress; coping; strategies; task; emotion; avoidance; student teachers.

An Exploration of the Maturation of PGCE Student Teacher's Ability to Reflect, Using a Range of Reflective Strategies to Identify Possible Stages of Development

This research took place over a one year PGCE training period. The participants were given the opportunity to reflect on their experience in a verbal (focus groups, action learning sets and interviews) and written (journal and questionnaires) form. These reflective learning techniques were interpreted using Dewey’s five stages of learning. Results showed that participants with a pre – requisite of positive emotion could reflect through Dewey’s five stages and that action learning sets in the latter part of the training year was the most appropriate reflective learning strategy to enhance reflection.

Exploring university student teachers’ beliefs and practices on textbooks in the E.S.L. Classroom

The present study compared University of Swaziland Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) primary, Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.)Secondary and Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (P.G.C.E) students’ perceptions on the use of English Language texts in the classroom with their actual classroom practice. The study sought to establish the extent of University student teachers’ dependence on commercial textbooks in their teaching. Fifteen students formed the sample for this study with five students being purposively drawn from each of the three groups of students. A questionnaire was administered to the respondents which the investigator followed up with structured interviews. Lesson plan analyses and one hour lesson observations were done on each of the fifteen student teachers. Findings from the study point to a general lack of textbook adaptation in spirit and practice by all the three groups of students where the textbooks is taken more as a curriculum to be taught than a resource to be used. The dependence on the textbook was most manifest among the PGCE students and least prevalent among the B. Ed primary student teachers. The consistence with which this pattern manifested itself suggested the presence of a correlation between teaching experience [which the B. Ed groups had and PGCE group did not have] and ability to adapt textbook material in language teaching. It also gave the impression that primary school teachers [represented by the B. Ed primary group] are generally more adaptive in their use of textbooks than their high school counterparts [represented by the B. Ed. Secondary and PGCE groups].

Active citizenship: a preliminary study into student teacher understandings

Background: The last two decades have witnessed an increase in interest in education for citizenship in a number of westernised democracies. In England, citizenship education has been a statutory subject within the secondary National Curriculum since August 2002. As a relatively new subject within the curriculum, practice in citizenship education is in a developmental stage. A number of terms and concepts within citizenship education are therefore being defined and re-defined both through practice and research, including the central concept of active citizenship. To support the introduction of citizenship education, initial teacher education programmes have been established in a number of higher education institutions across England to train specialist teachers of citizenship education. Research has highlighted the positive contribution that specialist citizenship teachers are playing in establishing and developing citizenship education in schools (OfSTED 2006, Towards consensus? Citizenship in secondary schools, Report HMI 2666, London: OfSTED; Kerr et al. 2007, Vision versus pragmatism: citizenship in the secondary school curriculum in England, available from http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR845.pdf), yet little research has been undertaken that explores how these new specialists understand central aspects of the subject. Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the understandings of active citizenship held by student teachers undertaking specialist pre-service Post Graduate Certificates of Education programmes in England. The student teachers were training to teach citizenship education to pupils in the 11–16 or 11–18 age range. In view of the relatively small population from which the sample was drawn, the research was intended as an exploratory study of the present situation, the findings from which can inform further research within the field. Sample: In the final synthesis, the sample comprised 149 student teachers from 12 higher education institutions (HEIs) in England. This represented well over half of the total population of secondary citizenship PGCE students in English HEIs for the academic year in which our data were collected (2006/07) (Training and Development Agency for Schools 2005, Secondary ITT place allocations for 2006/07 and 2007/08. Annex B, 6; London). Design and methods: A closed response questionnaire was administered to the student teachers. Specific questions were formulated in relation to issues relevant to student teachers' understanding of active citizenship, in terms of its nature and application. A three- and five-point Likert scale was employed as a reliable and effective means of enabling respondents to answer the questions. However, the questionnaire was not intended to establish an overall scale. Because there were multiple questions being investigated within individual questions, with non-random allocation to groups, significance testing was considered inappropriate in this exploratory study. However, as an approximate guide, all associations mentioned in the text produced a significance at the 5% level in the Kruskal–Wallis test, where association is employed as a means of explaining some of the variation between responses to questions. Results: Analysis showed that 47% of student teachers strongly agreed or agreed that ‘active citizenship is a coherent concept, the meaning of which is shared by citizenship educators’, whereas 35% strongly disagreed or disagreed with this statement. Furthermore, there was a clear spread of student teacher responses across the higher education institutions and the reactions to this statement were indicative of an association between response and HEI attended – i.e. student teacher views may have been influenced by the HEI attended. Whether the student teachers did or did not perceive active citizenship to be a coherent concept did not seem to have impacted on nor influenced their responses to the other questions in the questionnaire. Conclusions: Results from this exploratory study suggest that citizenship student teachers perceive active citizenship to play an important part in providing active learning activities for pupils within community, whole-school and classroom settings. However, the research raises a number of questions that deserve the attention of citizenship teacher educators. If ‘active citizenship’ has, indeed, become part of the new vocabulary of citizenship education, then it is essential that the specialists, who will forge the curriculum in our schools, are aware of wider debates and issues surrounding the subject, its role and its meaning.

Exploring the Value of Dialogue in Improving Boys' Writing

Thus great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes, Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite: Fool! said my muse to me, look in thy heart, and write. (Sir Philip Sidney) This study emerged from working with a Year 7 boy in the author's first placement school on a PGCE course. There was a marked disparity between his oral contributions in class and the quality of his written work. Ugurcan's oral contributions were excellent, demonstrating a mastery of syntax and structure, impressive vocabulary, engagement with the text and awareness of audience. His written work, on the other hand, was weak in terms of quality and quantity, and he refused to revise and redraft work. This pattern resurfaced in my second placement school, an all‐boys independent college. The standard of many of the boys' written work was markedly below that of their oral work. They seemed to thrive on the immediacy of praise for oral contributions, and peers placed high value on these contributions. Contrary to the idea that boys dominate talk, they worked effectively through dialogue: they were receptive to their peers and were prepared to review ideas in the light of others' contributions. On the other hand, there seemed to be frustration in the process of composition, an annoyance that ideas needed to be framed and streamlined. Written tasks were met with resistance. Similarly, there was opposition to the concepts of revising and redrafting. In my second placement school, I became fascinated by the role of dialogue in the all‐male environment and surprised at the absence of the stereotype of boys as dominant and unreceptive talkers in the classroom. At the same time, I was worried by the discrepancy between boys' oral and written work, fluctuating between blaming my own lack of experience and finding ways to close the gap. Over the course of my second placement I recorded many conversations with boys who were eager to articulate their problems with the writing process. I also recorded classes on writing taken by fellow PGCE students and members of the English department. These transcriptions form the basis for my argument championing the value of dialogue in facilitating boys' writing.

The experience of black African religious education trainee teachers training in England

This study addresses issues surrounding the recruitment and training of black African religious education teachers within the context of the government’s intention to make the teaching profession more representative of the wider community. In relation to this there is a strong emphasis in the Teacher Training Agency’s Qualifying to Teach on selection procedures which promote equality of opportunity and the recognition of individual training needs. The study is informed by the work of Sikes and Everington who have highlighted the place of religion and culture within the personal histories of religious education teachers. Black African members of two successive cohorts of PGCE students are tracked to identify their training needs in relation to their cultural and religious backgrounds. The data identifies four cultural and religious factors which impact on their training to teach religious education in the UK. Finally, as advised by the Carrington Report, recommendations are made for the practice of teacher educators.

Exploring the Relationship between Cognitive Style and Teaching Style

To a great extent the nature of the relationship between the cognitive style of a student teacher and their predominant teaching style in the classroom has been ignored by educational research. This study used an opportunist sample of 84 trainee teachers studying for one year full time for a Post Graduate Certificate in Education, in a range of subject specialist areas, based at a single English university. Students' cognitive styles were assessed, and those with more extreme cognitive style scores were selected to participate in semi‐structured interviews. A subject specialist mentor had been assigned to each student; 77% (n=59) completed a questionnaire on their perceptions of the teaching style of their PGCE student. Statistically significant differences in approaches to learning and teaching were identified between the four cognitive styles. Gender differences were also noted with analytic‐verbaliser females adopting the most analytical style in the classroom and wholist‐imager males the most wholist style. Qualitative analysis identified differences in approach to teaching between the students with more extreme cognitive styles. Wholists were more sensitive than analytic students to situational factors such as the culture of the school, support from the mentor, and in their ability to accept criticism. Further research is recommended to verify such findings. In this respect, a longitudinal study focusing on changes in cognitive style and approach in the classroom could be fruitful. Consequently, universities need to adopt varied teaching and assessment tools varied in order to accommodate the continuum of cognitive styles.

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.

Primary newly qualified teachers' experience of the induction year in its first year of implementation in england

This research followed a cohort of 43 primary PGCE students in England into their first teaching posts who were undertaking the induction year in the first year of its operation. An analysis of the responses identified five key issues: the timing of the statutory arrangements; the reduced timetable; funding; the support system; and career entry profiles. The study indicates that the rapid introduction of the induction year meant that many of the arrangements did not operate as intended

'I never even gave it a second thought': PGCE students' attitudes towards the inclusion of children with speech and language impairments.

Approximately 7% of young school-aged children have specific language impairments. Many such children are now being educated in mainstream settings. However, there is a dearth of up-to-date and valid research that considers UK (student) teachers' attitudes towards such children. This study aimed to investigate trainee teachers' attitudes towards teaching children with speech and language impairments, to investigate the reported effects of those attitudes on participants' acceptance of teaching such children, and to consider any implications for speech and language therapy (SLT) services and inclusive education. Nineteen trainee teachers (PGCE students) from a university in the North West of England took part in semistructured group interviews. The data were transcribed and analysed qualitatively, and recurrent themes identified. A range of attitudes was expressed, and six major themes were identified from the data. Participants discussed concerns about the resources and knowledge they considered necessary to support fully children with specific language impairments. There was some differentiation of attitudes related to the types of disability that a child may have and the subject being taught. Much of the discussion was about disabilities in general rather than specific to speech and language impairments. Many of the participants reflected on their own previous experiences to inform their opinions. Although many of the participants expressed positive attitudes, some had concerns about workload and at least one was openly hostile to the idea of teaching children with disabilities within mainstream settings. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to previous research, the quantitative data obtained in this project, SLT services and the increases in the inclusion of children with specific language impairments into mainstream educational settings.

'I wasn't trained to work with them': mainstream teachers' attitudes to children with speech and language difficulties

Approximately one-eighth of early school-aged children in the UK have speech and language difficulties. Many such children are now being educated in mainstream settings. However, there is a dearth of up-to-date and valid research that considers UK (student) teachers' attitudes towards such children. Two hundred and sixty-eight trainee teachers (PGCE students) from Manchester were given two questionnaires, containing both closed and open questions, to measure their attitudes towards and experiences with children with speech and language difficulties. A range of attitudes was expressed and most concern was around the issues of resources (both time and knowledge based). Most teachers were positive about their expectations of such children. Attitudes were not significantly related to teachers' gender, teaching type/subject, previous knowledge of someone with speech and language difficulties or experience of children with such difficulties. Views on the educational placement for children with a range of communication difficulties varied. The authors consider that two-pronged action is needed to facilitate an improvement: a greater focus on the inclusion debate (not specifically tied to this group of children) and also additional knowledge and resources.

Student Teachers' Perceptions of School-based Mentoring in Initial Teacher Training (ITT)

In recent years school-based mentoring has become an increasingly important aspect of the process by which student teachers begin to learn how to teach. This article reports secondary PGCE students' evaluations of their school-based mentoring experiences. The data were collected via in-depth interviews with 16 student teachers and self-complete questionnaires completed by 224 student teachers from four different training courses in central and northern England in 1999. The main findings are that: (1) student teachers consider mentoring to be a, if not the, key aspect of school-based ITT; whilst (2) student teachers' accounts of their school-based experiences suggest that teacher-mentors are not always successful in creating conditions for effective student teacher learning.