Postgraduate Certificate In Education Students Research Articles

Unearthing student teachers’ Physics misconceptions during Work-Integrated Learning

This study explored student teachers’ Physics misconceptions during Work-Integrated Learning in high schools in South Africa. The sample in this work comprised eight final-year student teachers pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree and seven Postgraduate Certificate in Education students. An unstructured observation method was utilised to collect data during the lessons that were conducted by the participants. It was observed that a significant number of the participants had some misconceptions about constructs in Physics. Most of the misconceptions were confirmed in Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism. Some of participants claimed that the misconceptions emanated from prescribed textbooks and equally from their previous studies. A number of suggestions were made to rectify specific misconceptions in the discipline of Physics amongst the student teachers.

Assessing the entrepreneurial intention of female students in South Africa:The case of postgraduate certificate in education students

Globally, female entrepreneurship is acknowledged as a major force behind innovation, social progress, and economic success. But to launch and expand successful businesses, women in South Africa face many obstacles. Considering the significance of inclusive participation in the mainstream economy, it is necessary to understand the factors that may inspire or impede the intention of women in becoming entrepreneurial. The population consisted of students of a private higher education institution. Data was collected from female students of postgraduate certificate in education. An online system was designed for data collection using a questionnaire. This allowed for a wider audience to participate, but it also prevented the participants' identities from being revealed because they were not in contact with the researchers. IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used to analyze the data. Every student's response was examined, and the analysis was used to categorize the responses. Results reveal intriguing patterns in the participants’ perceptions of entrepreneurship. Doubt about oneself when starting a business is strongly correlated with pessimism about success, which implies a lack of faith in entrepreneurship. Furthermore, although there is a desire for entrepreneurial fulfilment, developing business concepts is difficult and presents a significant barrier. A major contribution of this paper is that it responds to the call by National Development Plan (NDP) (2030) of South Africa, which seeks ways to increase inclusivity, improve equity, and diversity in mainstream economy.

A Reflection on Preparing PGCE English Pre-Service Teachers for Effective Teaching Practices

This paper argued that Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students in South Africa, as well as other nations of the globe, deserve more attention than their undergraduate counterparts in terms of the training and support they receive at the teacher education programmes. The paper is a reflection journal of a PGCE English grammar lesson, and the observation revealed that the PGCE students had certain knowledge expectations before they enrolled in the teaching profession. It further indicated that such expectation was a function of their prior learning experiences and current experiences of learning in the teacher education programme. The findings from the observation revealed the knowledge gap in their training which the students themselves deem a powerful force in the formation of their professional identity as teachers in training. It is therefore argued in this paper that such a gap, if not well addressed, may leave educationists in a situation where they continue to produce graduate teachers who are not just ill-prepared but who also lack confidence in themselves as well as the institutions that trained them. The paper thus has two implications for practice: implications for PGCE curriculum development and implications for a reflexive pedagogy in PGCE classes in the teacher education programmes in South Africa and globally. Keywords: PGCE Pre-service Teachers, Teacher Education, Curriculation, Pedagogic Practices, Reflexive Pedagogy

PGCE students’ learning through reflective journaling during teaching practice: An exploratory study

In the study reported on here the reflective journals of student teachers enrolled for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) were explored to determine what new learning they had acquired during their teaching practice. Reflection is a process of reviewing an experience of practice to analyse it for improvement. In this way, reflective journals could be viewed as a tool that moulds and harnesses the professional development of student teachers. Critical emancipatory research was adopted to reflect on student teachers’ journaling as an important assessment tool to be used to empower students with pedagogical content to convey knowledge to learners. In the study we purposively sampled a selected group of 10 PGCE students’ reflective journals. We found that students’ reflective journals are important tools that shape student teachers’ professional identities during teaching practice. Furthermore, we found that student teachers’ journaling is an emancipatory platform that allows students teachers to think independently and innovatively to free their thoughts on real teaching and learning situations. We recommend that teacher training institutions should emphasise the importance of journaling in teacher training programmes with a focus on critical thinking and problem-solving innovation.

Student Access to and Competence in Migrating to a Fully Online Open Distance Learning Space

Aim/Purpose: This article aimed to explore student perceptions and experiences of migrating to a fully online mode during COVID-19. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic changed the mode of delivery from face-to-face or blended learning to fully distance learning. The introduction of the Disaster Management Act (2020) in South Africa forced all institutions of learning to close their doors and move to teaching and learning online. We, therefore, needed to investigate whether the students at an Open Distance Learning (ODL) institution had access to the necessary devices and to see how they responded to fully online learning. Subsequently, this prompted a need to investigate student access to and competence in online learning in a fully ODL space during COVID-19. Since COVID-19 is a recent occurrence, little is known about how students experienced a (forced) move to fully online learning. In South Africa specifically, much less is known about fully online learning. Methodology: The structured web-based survey was sent to all registered Bachelor of Education and Postgraduate Certificate in Education students. The structured questionnaire asking questions about students’ access to devices and their experiences of learning in a fully online mode, was administrated through Google Survey forms. There were 2,858 responses received. Descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis were used to uncover findings. Contribution: This paper sets out student teachers’ experiences of learning in a fully online mode during COVID-19 in a developing country such as South Africa. These experiences as representative of the global South, are previously unknown to scholars and can assist in designing future fully online programs in this context. Findings: Access to affordable data is an obstacle for students to access the learning management system. Students felt that the university took a long time to distribute laptops and also indicated that they lacked a suitable and stable internet connection. The digital divide was made more apparent and significant during COVID-19 although students indicated that they did develop necessary digital competencies. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners in Open Distance Learning should understand students’ context regarding access to tools and connectivity when designing courses. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should explore theoretical framings to understand issues related to online education when access to tools and connectivity is limited. Impact on Society: The digital divide was exacerbated by COVID-19. Students and communities need support to move to online modes of engagement. Future Research: More studies of a qualitative and mixed-method nature should be conducted to fully understand student teachers’ context and challenges with online learning. Further research that includes student responses using non-digital means needs to be explored.

Fostering Critical Self-reflection among PGCE Students: A Case of Micro-teaching Practices

This paper explored a fostered critical self-reflection among Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students after their micro-teaching sessions. During the first and second micro-teaching sessions, student teachers attend to the pre-lesson phase; and the actual teaching focuses on the mastering of skills such as lesson planning, use of instructional teaching media, management of classroom activities and questioning skills, among others. In return, student teachers are provided with written and face-to-face feedback or a video recording as a third option. These three approaches are employed by lecturers to assist student teachers to critically reflect on their own progress and practices. The aim of the research study was to explore the use of critical reflection PGCE students after micro-lesson exposure. Vygotsky's theory of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) was used to demonstrate that a scaffolded self-critical reflection in a micro-teaching can be useful. This study used a qualitative research approach. A purposive sample of 16 students was selected with the aim to broaden the understanding of self-critical assessment within a micro-teaching context. An open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data which was later analysed categorically into different themes, according to the items responded to by the students. The findings showed that PGCE students are able to apply critical self-reflection as a skill to enhance and confront teaching problems at a very limited scale. Furthermore, the study revealed that PGCE students find it challenging to critique themselves using various tools such as video-recordings, reflective journaling among others within Vygotsky's ZPD.

The Nexus between Teaching Practice and PGCE Student-Teachers: The Perceptions of Subject Mentors on Pre-Teachers' Readiness for Teaching Career

Teaching practice is critical to teacher education as it provides the pre-service teachers with practical experience of professional responsibilities and classroom practices, which are basic foundations for their choice of teaching as a profession or career. It is mandatory for pre-service teachers to experience teaching practice as a requirement in teacher education to acquire practical teaching competence in schools. Students in teaching practice are required to be mentored by their subject teachers in the schools. Thus this study investigates subject mentors' perceptions of Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students' teaching practice lived experiences to determine their readiness for professional classroom practices. Competence and readiness to teach are inseparable because the latter demonstrates the skills which pre-service teachers display when delivering certain aspects of their teaching. Hence teaching is incomplete without teaching practice. Five subject mentors who were mentoring PGCE student teachers were purposively selected and engaged in semi-structured interviews for the data collection for this study. Content analysis was used to identify themes and analyse the data. The findings revealed, among others, that PGCE student teachers do not have adequate pedagogical content knowledge. Based on the findings, the study, therefore, recommends that the training for PGCE students has to be increased from one year to two years to acquire the appropriate knowledge and skills.

The use of online discussion board and blogs to enhance History student teachers' Work Integrated Learning (WIL)

ABSTRACT The paper reports on research on History student teachers' enhancement of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) using online tools like a discussion board and blogs. It draws on the enhancement programme planned for the History student teachers - 78 Bachelor of Education students (BEd) 4th-year students and 28 Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students who were expected to integrate technological tools in their teaching during WIL; some of them, mostly PGCE students lacked the necessary Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in this regard. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which the online discussion board and blogs enhanced student teachers' classroom practice during WIL. The theoretical lens that informed this study was the five-factor model of mentoring for effective teaching that underpinned the need for improved support and mentoring by the History student teachers: personal attributes, system requirements, pedagogical knowledge, modelling, and feedback. Qualitative research methods and purposive sampling were used. The data was analysed using content analysis as per the five-factor model of mentoring for effective teaching. The findings revealed that student teachers responded overwhelmingly positively to the use of the online tools. They also revealed that the one-and-a-half-hour face-to-face debriefing was not acceptable to the majority of the participants. Most of them felt that it was just a formality and failed to address their immediate needs compared to being mentored online by their peers. In light of these findings, the study suggests that the usage of an online discussion board and blogs in mentoring and encouraging the improvement of student teachers' PCK should be considered and included when planning WIL programmes. Keywords: History; Work Integrated Learning; Reflection; Discussion board; Blogs; Five-factor model of mentoring for effective teaching.

The value of teaching practice as perceived by Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students

The pursuit of excellence in preparing student teachers for the teaching profession is a never-ending endeavour. This study aimed at investigating the value of teaching practice as perceived by the participants, how they determined such value using human judgement and whether value judgement can be used as a form of reflection during teaching practice by PGCE students. Human judgement can be used as a tool to promote reflection and an evaluation strategy which promotes a culture of observation and critical thinking about one’s practice. The qualitative study involved 25 participants, all of whom were Postgraduate Certificate in Education students and had completed the practical teaching period. In this study we applied Kant’s theory to analyse the data gathered by means of narratives. The results, which were based on self-reported values on teaching practice, revealed that the participants viewed teaching practice as valuable and pointed out that it benefitted them and others by enabling them to gain valuable experience in the classroom and in general school management. The participants based their judgement on three components of value judgement, both negative and positive: emotions, attitudes and experiences. Keywords: Postgraduate Certificate in Education; student teachers; teaching practice; value judgement on teaching practice; value of teaching practice

Diversity among Post Graduate Certificate in Education Students during a Yearly Educational Excursion in a University in Gauteng Province, South Africa

This article focuses on describing diversity among Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) University students from different backgrounds, using educational activities such as egg, shoe string and solar heating as activities. The aim of this study is to describe diversity among PGCE University students during an educational excursion in 2014. Qualitative research method was used and also data was collected through informal observation. One hundred and fourty PGCE students were informally observed by the researcher during their stay at Achterbergh. The findings of this study indicated that the educational activities done by these students were of value. The reason being that they became aware of the importance of friendship, respect, self-awareness, improved social interaction, improved relationships, cultural and language barriers. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p1434

An analysis of the language of attribution in university students' academic essays

The study reports on challenges related to the use of the language of attribution in academic essay writing by Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students at Rhodes University, as a microcosm of similar challenges faced by university students elsewhere. The study content-analysed 150 essays written by 50 PGCE students taking the course ‘Language, Learning and Cognition’ which the researcher taught. Key categories analysed were: student preferences for the type and style of incorporating authors’ ideas in own academic essays, appropriateness of attributive words used, punctuation within the language of attribution, tense consistencies, appropriateness of attendant lexico-grammatical collocations, attributive words’ fit with the syntax and grammar of the writer’s ideas, as well as their consonance with the spirit and intent of the citations. Although findings point to gross challenges across all categories of analysis, they were most glaring in the matching of attributive words with the intent of citations and in the use of proper punctuation. Chief among the study’s recommendations is the need for explicit instruction in, and attention to, the language of attribution in university students’ essays by all lecturers and not just those in academic literacy development. Keywords : academic writing, attributive tags, attributive verbs, author’s voice, citing, direct quotes, essay, essay quality, language of attribution, paraphrases, referencing, tense consistencies.

Commercial English Language Proficiency: A Case of Exit Level Commercial Major Subject Students in the School of Education at the University of Limpopo, South Africa

This article presents the findings of a study that was conducted to assess the commercial English language proficiency of Bachelor of Education (BED) 4th and Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students majoring in Accounting, Business Management and Economics (commercial subjects) at Limpopo University. A proficiency test consisting of items testing commercial language expression, comprehension, and vocabulary and error correction in both written and oral conversations was administered to a sample of 106 students consisting of BED fourth (4th) year and PGCE students majoring in commercial subjects. The test was developed by acclimatising existing English Language proficiency test as well as by using items identified from existing literature. The reliability of the proficiency test was tested using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The results of the study revealed that although PGCE students on average scored higher in the proficiency test, their level of commercial language proficiency was below acceptable minimum. Furthermore, statistically significant correlations were found between general commercial English expression and Comprehension, between comprehension and Vocabulary as well as between Error correction and Vocabulary. These findings suggest that both PGCE and BED students require intensive commercial language teaching. Furthermore, actions to improve the level of commercial language proficiency of both groups are recommended. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n14p386

Preparing isiXhosa home language teachers for the 21st century classroom: Student teachers' experiences, challenges and reflections

The aim of the article is to identify the gaps between theory and practice in pre-service teacher training with special reference to the teaching of isiXhosa as a home language in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase (Grades 10–12) in some Western Cape high schools. The article is based on data that was collected from Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students taking isiXhosa (home language) as one of their teaching method subjects as part of their pre-service training. The data were collected by means of an open-ended questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and an analysis of student teachers' reflective journals. The article provides an analysis of PGCE students' experiences and reflections on the teaching of isiXhosa as a home language in schools. It argues that if there is a gap between theory underpinning initial pre-service training and actual practice in schools, there will be no significant improvement in the teaching of isiXhosa as a home language. It concludes by proposing ways of improving both pre-service and in-service teacher education practice to develop African languages as academic or intellectual languages at school level.

‘It will make me a real teacher’: Learning experiences of part time PGCE students in South Africa

The province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa has a recent estimate of 8000 unqualified and under-qualified teachers. Some of these teachers have an undergraduate degree, but do not have a professional qualification. In order to become professionally qualified, teachers with a degree must complete a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), which is traditionally a programme offered to fulltime ‘pre-service’ student teachers. However, part-time students have already been teaching in schools for some years and thus are in fact ‘in-service’ teachers. They have already gained professional practical knowledge through learning on-the-job. The study aimed to investigate what kind of knowledge they had learnt through experience and how this knowledge changes as a result of their formal learning on the PGCE. The study interviewed twenty part time PGCE students who are already practicing teachers about the kind of professional knowledge they acquired through the formal programme and their perceptions of how their practice changed as a result of this learning. Most of the respondents said that they had changed their teaching practice as a result of studying for the PGCE and that pedagogical knowledge about assessment, classroom management and lesson structuring strategies were deemed to be most important. More than half reported that the programme had developed their confidence as a result of both developing personal competence and through becoming a ‘real’ teacher by dint of achieving professional status. This points to the importance of offering teachers with a degree the opportunity to become professionally qualified through a flexibly offered programme.

AN INVESTIGATION INTO FACTORS LEADING TO THE EXCLUSION OF PART TIME STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

This article reports on Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students’ experiences of learning as part time students in one South African Higher Education Institution. The aim of the study was to find out if part time students are fully included in the life of the university. This has been necessitated by the countries call for full inclusion of learners in teaching and learning. This study reveals the experiences and the feelings of students regarding the way they perceive teaching and learning as part time students. This is a qualitative study located within an interpretive paradigm. Two focus group interviews were conducted with PGCE students. These students were randomly selected from a pool of part time students. Each focus group consisted of six students. Data were transcribed and later were analyzed using phenomenological steps. The results suggest that in most cases part time students do not get the attention full time students get. There are some activities full time students are exposed to which cannot be done with full time students. This includes inadequate teaching and learning contact sessions and communication breakdown. Lecturers offered by guest lecturers who are experts in different fields are also one of the ways in which part time students are excluded. This study highlights the importance of equating services given to these students as stakeholders in higher education institutions (HEI). Without consideration of full inclusion of students into the full life of the entire institution, the aim of producing more and better teachers is unlikely to materialize. The study concludes by making necessary recommendations to remedy the situation. Key words: exclusion, experiences, foundation phase students, full time students, higher education institution, part time students, services.

CMC-based projects and L2 learning: confirming the importance of nativisation

AbstractDespite the spread of reliable desktop audio and videoconferencing facilities, some CMC-based projects still rely on asynchronous written environments, if only because of the temporal constraints of synchronicity (Guichon, 2009; Develotte, Guichon & Vincent, 2010). Yet speaking is usually the skill students most need to improve when learning a second language (L2). This paper therefore sets out to measure the impact of distant written exchanges between Native Speakers (NS) and Non Native Speakers (NNS) on the development of NNS L2 oral output, focusing specifically on the effect of phonological nativisation. The context of this study is a teacher training programme for future primary school teachers in France. During their L2 course aiming to help them improve their mastery of English, they were given the opportunity to take part in a CMC-based project with PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) students from King's College, London. Action research was thus carried out to examine the potential of this project in the development of the participants’ L2 oral output.The L2 course being task-oriented, the trainee teachers’ L2 oral output was evaluated by means of pre- and post-tests based on tasks. The results show that stability prevails over progress, which is in keeping with the fact that interlanguage development is a long process (Chapelle, 2003: 119). The results also confirm the importance of phonological nativisation when learners have access only towrittenauthentic input.

Why wait until qualified?: the benefits and experiences of undergoing mental health awareness training for PGCE students

This small‐scale research project in England investigates the reasons why mental health training should be incorporated into the curriculum for initial teacher education (ITE). Most mental health problems begin in adolescence, but often remain undetected until adulthood. Early intervention is vital to recovery in the case of serious psychotic disorders and can reduce the long‐term impairment and levels of morbidity. School teachers are ideally placed to spot early warning signs. However, UK research suggests that teachers are ill‐prepared for this role, are not comfortable using psychiatric language and do not work well with non‐teaching support staff in a multi‐agency context. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the same is true of students training to teach by studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). It also investigates the extent to which PGCE students come across pupils with mental health problems on teaching practice and how effective a one‐day training course can be in preparing them for this role. A case‐study methodological approach utilised questionnaire surveys, a focus group interview and critical incident reflections. The Kruskal–Wallis test showed significant differences in attitude between PGCE students and more experienced teachers in relation to their Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services role. The findings present strong arguments in favour of incorporating mental health training into the PGCE curriculum in England, which might also be relevant to international practice.

Towards a More Inclusive Profession: Teacher recruitment and ethnicity

Since coming to office in May 1997, the British Labour Government, with its commitment to social inclusion, has undertaken various policy initiatives to broaden access to public sector occupations, including teaching. In this paper, we focus on the participation of ethnic minority students in the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). We present the findings of a national empirical study drawing on data from a questionnaire survey and interviews with PGCE staff and students. Particular consideration is given to the students' motives for entering teaching and their images of the profession; the factors influencing their choice of course and institution; their experiences during training and their perceptions of the constraints upon ethnic minority recruitment. We also consider the strategies employed by PGCE staff to attract and retain ethnic minority recruits to the PGCE, and examine the dilemmas that they face when responding to ethnic diversity. We conclude with a discussion of the policy implications of the research and a commentary on the methodology employed in the research. Dès son début en mai 1997, le gouvernement travailliste du Royaume-Uni a suivi des politiques favorisant l'accès des minorités aux carrières dans les services publics, y compris celles de l'enseignement. Dans cet exposé, nous nous concentrons sur la participation d'étudiants de minorités ethniques au Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Nous présentons les résultats d'une large étude empirique utilisant les données obtenues à partir d'une enquête nationale et d'entretiens avec les professeurs et les étudiants du PGCE. En particulier, nous examinons les motivations qui font que les e´tudiants choisissent une carrière d'enseignant et leur image de la profession; les influences sur leur choix de cours et d'université; leurs expériences pendant la formation et leur avis sur les contraintes qui empêchent le recrutement des minorités ethniques. Nous discutons aussi les stratégies suivies par les universités pour attirer et retenir les e´tudiants de minorités ethniques, et nous examinons les dilemmes qui se présentent. Finalement, nous discutons des portées de cette recherche sur la politique nationale, et de la méthodologie de l'étude. Desde la instauración del gobierno laborista Británico en Mayo de 1997, y dado su compromiso en materia de inclusión social, éste ha llevado a cabo varias iniciativas con el fin de ampliar el acceso a las ocupaciones del sector público, incluyendo la profesión de educador, a las minorías étnicas. En este artículo, los autores examinan la participación de estudiantes en los Programas de Post-Graduados en Educación (PGCE) en Inglaterra y Gales. Se presentan los resultados de un estudio de gran escala obtenido a través de la aplicación de un cuestionario nacional y de entrevistas con el personal y los estudiantes de los programas de PGCE. Se presta atención especial a la motivación de los estudiantes para ingresar a la profesión de educador y a la imagen que tienen de la profesión; los factores que influencian su elección tanto de programa como de institución; sus experiencias durante la formación; y sus percepciones sobre las dificultades del reclutamiento de minorías étnicas. Los autores también consideran las estrategias empleadas por el personal de los programas del PGCE para atraer y retener a alumnos de minorías étnicas y examinan los dilemas que se encuentran frente a la diversidad étnica. El artículo concluye con una discusión sobre las implicaciones de esta investigación en las políticas. Seit ihrem Antritt im Mai 1997 hat die neue Britische Regierung eine Politik der Erleichterung des Zuganges fuer Vertreter ethnischer Minderheiten in Berufe des öffentlichen Dienstes verfolgt. Diese Politik schliesst auch den Berufsstand der Lehrer ein. Der vorliegende Beitrag konzentriert sich auf Studenten ethnischer Minderheiten, die an PGCE Programmen in England und Wales teilnehmen. Es werden Ergebnisse einer grossangelegten Studie präsentiert, deren Daten aus einer landesweiten Umfrage (per Fragebogen) und Interviews von Lehrern und Studenten der PGCE Programme stammen. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit wurde auf folgende Aspekte gerichtet: Was ist die Motivation der Studenten das Lehrfach zu wählen? Welche Vorstellungen haben die Studenten von dem von ihnen gewählten Beruf? Welche Faktoren beeinflusste sie bei der Wahl ihrer Kurse und Ausbildungsstaette? Welche Eindrücke und Erfahrungen machten sie während der Ausbildung? Wie schätzen sie die Probleme und Hindernisse bei der Anwerbung von Vertretern ethnischer Minderheiten für den Lehrerberuf ein? Strategien von PGCE Lehrern eingeschriebene Studenten etnischer Minderheiten zu behalten und neue anzuwerben wurden ebenso bedacht, wie auch die Probleme die daraus entstehen können. Der Beitrag endet mit einer Diskussion von möglichen Auswirkungen der Studie auf die von der britischen Regierung verfolgten Politik.

‘What Did You Learn at School Today?’: school-based and higher education-based primary student teachers' thinking

Primary teacher education in England and Wales has become increasingly school-based, but we have little evidence of how this change affects student teachers' learning. Fourteen school-based ‘articled teachers’ and 21 higher education-based Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students, all training to become early years teachers, were interviewed about their teaching at the start and end of their courses; at each point the Articled Teachers had spent about 75% of their time in schools and the PGCEs about 45%. The two groups raised very similar concerns at the start, with management issues predominating. The PGCE students' final concerns showed moderate changes including increased attention to children's learning. The Articled Teachers' concerns showed no changes apart from a decline in self-evaluation. It is argued that the PGCE students conformed to a standard pattern of student teacher development but the Articled Teachers did not. It is suggested that the Articled Teachers' failure to develop may have been due to a lack of reflection, and that their teacher mentors may not have taught them how to reflect. The implications for the future are discussed

“The David and Goliath Routine can Backfire – Tread Carefully”: A Focus-Group Evaluation of the Kia Kaha Anti-Bullying Kit

This article provides an evaluation of Kia Kaha, the New Zealand Police’s anti-bullying initiative. Information was generated by using three international focus-groups: (i) a group of Oxford University PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) students; (ii) a group of anti-bullying experts from Adelaide, Australia; and (iii) a group of third-year Education students from Victoria University of Wellington. After analysis of the data, several recommendations for possible improvements were made. These included retaining the bicultural theme but changing the programme, and using information from recent international research to develop a range of anti-bullying tools. It was also underlined that the onus for change should not be placed on the shoulders of the victim of bullying.