Pre-service Student Teachers Research Articles

Computational Thinking Development: Benefiting from Educational Robotics in STEM Teaching

<p style="text-align: justify;">The delivery of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning to improve an individual’s competence and future career interests has become a critical scientific undertaking for teachers and researchers alike. A plethora of research has proposed various hands-on robotics activities built on constructivist theories, thereby facilitating the development of knowledge based on reality for scientific and non-scientific stakeholders. Robotics may become an essential focus point within technology provision, which is an essential underlying characteristic for the seminal development of computational thinking (CT). However, despite the potential benefit of CT in developing an individual’s problem-solving skills, strategies for improving this ability through hands-on robotics activities largely remain underexplored. This paper highlights the constructs drawn from hands-on robotics activities in a STEM workshop designed for pre-service teacher students. The qualitative research design involved eight participants to investigate the responses of pre-service teachers to a hands-on robotics activity intended to provide STEM material. The research findings emphasise the correlations between the CT principles and STEM learning phases and underscore the roles played by educational robotics to enhance previous literature on learning experience.</p>

Using Flipgrid for teaching practice: Pre-service student teachers’ reflections and lessons learnt

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, South African universities have, like other universities worldwide, been faced with the transition from face-to-face classes to online teaching. Teaching practice (TP) coordinators (university lecturers responsible for the work-integrated learning component of teacher training programmes) found themselves having to improvise and innovate to meet this sudden pedagogical change by revisiting conventional TP models and approaches and finding new ways to give student teachers valid and constructive alternatives to face-to-face classes when these were suspended (Carrillo and Flores, 2020; Hojeij and Baroudi, 2021; Sepulveda-Escobar and Morrison, 2020). From the perspective of pre-service student teachers at a South African university, this case study reviews the effectiveness of ‘Flipgrid’, a social-learning video platform, which was successfully integrated into a third-year TP module. One of its greatest strengths proves to be its ability to provide pre-service student teachers with the opportunity to gain confidence in their teaching abilities.

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Students’ Experience of Mentoring

The school practicum is an essential component of pre-service student teachers’ training in the PGCE qualification, affording opportunities to develop mentees’ own identities. Along with a range of competences. This study explores how student teachers at Nelson Mandela University perceived their School-Based Learning (SBL) mentoring experience about the roles that mentors should fulfil based on an adapted seven-factor framework (Hudson, 2004, 2009) by adopting a post-positivist paradigm. The findings showed that both groups of participants who would like to return to the same mentor again or those who wish not to do so indicated that these seven factors played a crucial role in their decision-making.

Digital Literacy and TPACK’s Impact on Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Ability to Develop Science Learning Tools

The transition of education from the 4.0 era of the Industrial Revolution to the 5.0 era of the Social Revolution necessitates educators’ skill development. Particularly, technology-based learning devices must be designed with digital literacy and Technological Pedagogical Kontent Knowledge (TPACK) skills in mind so that learning tools for teachers are more creative and innovative. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of digital literacy and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) on the ability of prospective Madrasah Ibtidaiyah science teachers to create learning tools. This study employed a survey approach. Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (Islamic Primary School) IAIN Lhokseumawe sixth-semester preservice teacher students were the subjects of this study. The data collection method employed a questionnaire and a straightforward regression analysis. The results demonstrate a strong correlation between digital literacy and the ability to compose science learning tools. A t-table value of 9.880 indicated a positive and significant relationship between digital literacy and the capacity to organize science learning tools. With a t-table value of -0.562, TPACK has no significant effect on the ability to compose learning tools. Therefore, it can be concluded that digital literacy has a positive effect on the ability of preservice Islamic primary teachers to create science learning tools for their students.

Advancing Transformative Learning to Develop Competency in Teaching Social Studies Online of Pre-service Teacher Students in Chiang Mai Education Sandbox

The objectives of the research at this time were to 1) study and construct the transformative learning innovation to develop competency in teaching social studies online and 2) study the results of transformative learning to develop competency in teaching social studies online of pre-service teacher students in Chiang Mai education sandbox. For research methodology, participatory action research (PAR) was used. The samples in the research consisted of 1) Staff of teachers teaching social studies (9 people); 2) Experts of learning management (5 people), and 3) Students taking the course of the social studies teaching methodology for Semester 1 of the 2021 academic year (43 people). Purposive sampling was used to get a total of 57 people. The instruments used in the research were 1) unstructured interview forms, 2) assessment forms of the suitability of the approach of organizing innovative transformative learning to develop competency in teaching social studies online, and 3) questions reflecting learning. Qualitative data were analyzed by using content analysis. The presentation was conducted in the form of descriptive analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed by using the statistical package to find the mean and standard deviation. The study results revealed that: 1. Regarding innovative transformative learning to develop competency in social studies online teaching, arrangements should be made for students to learn the methodology of social studies pedagogy in the form of hybrid learning. This will help students have teaching competencies in real classrooms(onsite) and virtual reality classrooms (online) efficiently. The approach to organizing learning innovation called area-based pedagogy had efficiency at the highest level and 2. The developed learning innovation helped develop teaching competencies of pre-service teacher students to be consistent with the Thai Qualifications Framework for Higher Education of digital competencies efficiently.

A STUDY OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN RELATION TO EMOTIONAL MATURITY OF PRE- SERVICE STUDENT TEACHERS

The purpose of the present study was to explore the influence of academic achievement of pre-service student teachers on their emotional maturity in relation to their gender and residential area. The sample consist of 357 B.Ed. course trainers (183 Male and 174 Female) randomly taken from Self-financed B. Ed. Colleges of Bhopal City. To measure the emotional maturity of pre-service teachers, Emotional Maturity Scale (EMS) developed by Dr. Yashvir Singh and Dr. Mahesh Bhargava (2006) were used. For measure the academic achievement of pre-service student teachers, their final year graduation obtained percentages were used. Mean, SD and ‘t’ test were used for data analysis. The result showed that there is no significant influence of academic achievement of pre-service student teachers on their total score of emotional maturity and emotional progression, social adjustment and independence. The pre-service student teachers with high academic achiever are more emotionally stable and more integrated personality than that of the low academic achiever. No significant influence of gender and residential area was found in respect of total score of emotional maturity and all factors. The female pre-service student teachers are significantly higher academic achiever in comparison with those of male counterparts. Urban pre-service student teachers are significantly higher academic achiever in comparison with those of rural counterparts.

The relationship between self‐assessment and performance in learning TPACK: Are self‐assessments a good way to support preservice teachers' learning?

AbstractBackgroundTo purposefully integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) into contemporary teaching, teachers must have complex technological, pedagogical and content‐related knowledge (TPACK). TPACK could be fostered through diverse learning environments such as working in a makerspace as part of university teacher training. The development of TPACK in (preservice) teachers depends on how effectively they can assess their own knowledge and adapt their own learning process. Self‐assessment tools can be used to identify and assess their individual TPACK.ObjectivesThe study presents data on TPACK development through project work in a makerspace. It examines the consistency of self‐assessment and performance tests in relation to TPACK and discusses the applicability of self‐assessment scales to self‐regulated learning.MethodsTPACK self‐assessment takes place among preservice teacher students (N = 327) in a pre‐post design. This is complemented and contrasted with an external assessment in form of a self‐developed performance test (teaching vignettes).ResultsSelf‐assessment and performance test show a TPACK‐increase resulting in the project work in the makerspace, with higher performing students benefiting more from the intervention than lower performing students. All students tend to overestimate their TPACK before and after the intervention, with low‐performing students overestimating themselves more than high‐performing students. Existing TPACK scales can serve as readily available self‐assessment tools, but should be complemented by other knowledge assessment measures. Furthermore, depending on the results of the self‐assessment, different learning opportunities should be made available so that preservice teachers with a lower TPACK still benefit from the project work in the makerspace.Take AwaySelf‐assessments accompanying the work in the makerspace could provide feedback information about TPACK‐related knowledge, learning processes and learning outcomes and thus support students in structuring their work. For this purpose, it seems necessary to improve the quality of self‐assessment to enable reliable reflection on preservice teachers' own learning process.

Assessment of the ability of game-based science learning to enhance genetic understanding

ABSTRACT Background Game-based science learning (GBSL) provide an alternative route for learning genetics, but its effects on students’ conceptual learning is contested. In this paper we assess the utility, in primary teacher education, of Recal: a game designed to promote participants’ learning of key genetic concepts through acting as detectives investigating a case. Purpose The purpose of the study was to analyse and compare teacher students’ learning of genetics through the game, and both their attitudes towards and experiences of it. Tests were conducted in Spanish and Swedish contexts to assess its potential utility in contrasting cultural and educational contexts to obtain indications of the potential breadth of its application. Samples Participants included 120 pre-service teacher students from a university in north-eastern Spain and 51 from a university in western Sweden. Design and methods The research involved an intervention, in which students played the game, and assessment of its efficacy by questionnaires designed to investigate students’ knowledge of genetics before and after the game, their expectations and experience of it, and their satisfaction with it. The results were analysed statistically. Results The game appeared to enhance both Spanish and Swedish participants’ knowledge of genetics, and they reportedly found it both educationally beneficial and engaging. It was also assessed in terms of the following characteristics of GBSL, based on experiential data: contextualisation, authenticity, collaboration, problem-solving, guided paths and competition. Conclusion The results clearly indicate that the game has utility in different countries and educational contexts. The article discusses how the six characteristics of GBSL facilitate or hinder learning, and implications (for educational professionals and researchers) of the findings.

Pemahaman Guru IPA Pra Jabatan Terhadap Mitigasi dan Isu Perubahan Iklim

Climate change is a global challenge that threatens the world today. Efforts to deal with the problem of climate change are inseparable from the extent to which individuals understand the issue of climate change. The purpose of this study was to determine the understanding of pre-service science teachers at Sriwijaya University on the issue of climate change. Data obtained through questionnaires and interviews. Data were analyzed qualitatively. The subjects of this study were 24 final semester students consisting of Physics Education, Biology Education and Chemistry Education study programs. The results showed that 1) pre-service science teachers (students) still did not explore and understand the issue of climate change where 75% of the responses of pre-service teacher students thought it was important to find solutions and understandings to overcome climate change; 2) students assume that climate change is a simple problem, this is shown from student response data, namely 59% know that increasing greenhouse gases can cause climate change. In addition, the difficulties that students experience in reducing the impact of climate change stem from behaviors that are often carried out by students in daily life such as being difficult to save electrical energy, difficult to dispose of waste according to its type. Students' understanding of climate change issues is still lacking and there needs to be awareness within each of them in order to encourage them to take climate change mitigation actions

Feminism, Intersectionality, and Gender Category: Essential Contributions for Historical Thinking Development

The following article inquires how introducing the gender category, feminism theories, and intersectionality into social sciences education, especially regarding historical thinking development, could be key for the construction of a more critical and egalitarian future. The main research problem is knowing how the use of the gender category is included, or not, in the development of historical thinking in pre-service teacher beliefs and how it could condition them when they work on historical and social problems in the classroom. The main objective is to analyze the historical thinking development in pre-service Spanish teacher students and their capacity for constructing critical discourses with a gender perspective. Pre-service teachers of five Spanish universities (of the Primary and Secondary Education Degree) were asked about a report from a digital newspaper version that forces them to use historical thinking and to consider gender stereotypes and prejudices. Their responses were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results indicate that pre-service teachers are not able to identify their own gender roles and prejudiced attitudes when they attempt to explain a social problem and they propose solutions, even when they could verify that there was another manner to understand this report. Hence, this research highlights the relevance of implementing feminism, intersectionality, and gender category for historical thinking development since these future teachers need to work around democratic culture competences. By contrast, not including this perspective will lead to them still maintaining historical thinking and democracy configured on hegemonic, heteropatriarchal, sexist, and Eurocentric cultural models.

The Impact of Metacognitive Learning Techniques on Learners’ Essay Writing Performance: A Study on Pre-Service Teacher Students at Teacher Training School of Bouzeareh

This study was carried out to investigate whether pre-service teacher students are aware of using Metacognitive Learning Techniques (MLT) in writing their academic essays, and to explore which metacognitive learning Techniques (MLT) is mostly adopted by the students in essay writing. The study also examined the significant relationship between MLT and students’ essay writing performance (EWP) and established which MLT is a predictor of students’ EWP depending on the views of pre-service teacher Training School of Bouzareah students, Algeria. The questionnaire employed was adapted from Farahanian’s MLWQ. The data was analysed using SPSS V28 by employing the mean scores, correlation matrix, and regression. The findings indicated that most of the respondents are aware of using metacognitive learning strategies in their essay writing and that Planning, Organization, and Goal setting were the commonly used strategies by the students. The results identified a substantial connection between MLT and students’ performance in essay writing. And that Awareness was found to be the only predictor of students’ EWP. The study, therefore concluded that students do not only learn effectively by using metacognitive writing strategies but also can transfer skills learned beyond the classroom activities. This implies that metacognitive strategies-based teaching is highly essential and beneficial as the influence of metacognitive learning strategies (awareness) has been established in this study as part of the reasons behind students’ essay writing performance. By implication, higher institutions of learning, as well as education policymakers, are urged to include metacognitive learning techniques into the pedagogical approaches and make necessary emphasis on its usage.

Cognitive and Motivational Person Characteristics as Predictors of Diagnostic Performance: Combined Effects on Pre-Service Teachers\u2019 Diagnostic Task Selection and Accuracy

The acquisition of diagnostic competences is an essential goal of teacher education. Thus, evidence on how learning environments facilitate pre-service teachers’ acquisition of corresponding competences is important. In teacher education, approximations of practice (such as simulations) are discussed as being learning environments that can support learners in activating acquired knowledge in authentic situations. Simulated diagnostic interviews are recommended to foster teachers’ diagnostic competences.The conceptualization of diagnostic competences highlights the importance of cognitive and motivational characteristics. Motivational learning theories predict that the activation of acquired knowledge in learning situations may be influenced by motivational characteristics such as individual interest. Although teachers’ diagnostic competences constitute an increasing research focus, how cognitive and motivational characteristics interact when shaping the diagnostic process and accuracy in authentic learning situations remains an open question.To address this question, we report on data from 126 simulated diagnostic one-on-one interviews conducted by 63 pre-service secondary school mathematics teachers (students simulated by research assistants), studying the combined effects of interest and professional knowledge on the diagnostic process and accuracy. In addition to the main effect of content knowledge, interaction effects indicate that participants’ interest plays the role of a “door-opener” for the activation of knowledge during simulation-based learning. Thus, the results highlight the importance of both, cognitive and motivational characteristics. This implies that simulation-based learning environments should be designed to arouse participants’ interest to support their learning or to support less interested learners in activating relevant knowledge.

Critical Factors Influencing Pre-Service Teachers’ Use of the Internet of Things (IoT) in Classrooms

This This study aims to explore the factors that influence pre-service teachers' decisions to use the Internet of Things (IoT) in a classroom setting as a digital system to enhance their teaching and learning. To achieve this aim, the technology acceptance model (TAM) is used to investigate the effects of using the IoT in an e-learning environment on pre-service teachers’ perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitudes toward using IoT, and the influence of such attitudes on students’ behavior. Forty-seven final-year pre-service teaching students were selected to participate by purposeful sampling. A quantitative approach via regression analysis was conducted to analyze the collected data. The results showed that the TAM-related factors of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use significantly contributed to pre-service teachers’ intentions to use the IoT in classrooms. However, their intention to use the IoT was not influenced by their attitude toward it. Implications and recommendations for future work are suggested as a result of this study.

Promoting Pre-service Teacher Students’ Learning Engagement: Design-Based Research in a Flipped Classroom

Students’ learning engagement is recognized as one of the main components of effective instruction and a necessary prerequisite for learning, but students’ learning engagement in flipped classroom poses some pedagogical challenges. This study aimed to promote students’ learning engagement via the flipped classroom approach. Design-based research (DBR) was adopted in this study to conduct an experiment involving three iterations in a Modern Educational Technology (MET) course in a Chinese university. The participants included 36 third-year pre-service teacher undergraduates. Classroom observations and a learning engagement questionnaire were used to measure the effectiveness of the flipped instruction in terms of students’ learning engagement. Data analysis applied descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and paired samples t tests. The results showed that after three rounds of iterative experiments, students’ learning engagement (behavioral, cognitive, and emotional) significantly improved. Several principles are provided as guidelines for instructors to implement flipped classroom approach to promote students’ learning engagement.

Assessing Self-regulated Learning Skills of Teacher Education Students at VNU University of Education

This article present the output of a quantitative study on self-regulated learning (SRL) of pre-service teacher students at VNU University of Education. Based on a literature review of both theoritical and imperical researches on SRL, a conceptual framework of SRL has been defined for developing a students’self - assessing questionnaire on SRL skills. Data of 809 respondents, who were VNU University of Education’s pre-service teacher students, were analyzed for this report. The outputs of descriptive statistics showed that all the investigated SRL skills of the students were limited, with the average mean scores of four SRL strategies ran between 3 and 4 (within the 1-5 Likert scale). Among various SRL skills being surveyed, the students assessed themselves better in keeping efforts and being persistent in targeting their study goals. Meanwhiles, a considerable ratio of respondents was reported to be lack of independent learning skills such as setting goals and plans for their own study, self monitoring and regulating their learning techniques. Besides, the percentage of students with limited ambition and self-efficacy in studying was also noteworthy, which may become a warning for various stakeholders, especially the university’s lecturers, the student union and clubs to focus on appropriate solutions and activities to promote students’ SRL.

Influencing Generations: Pre-service teachers’ environmental worldviews at a South African university

One of the key means of achieving environmental mindfulness is through education. Using a social transformation orientation lens and questions in the Revised New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale (Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig & Emmet Jones, 2000), this study at a South African university examines the environmental worldviews of a cohort of pre-service education students prior to and after completing an introductory module on Resources and Environmental Management as part of a Social Science course. Quantitative results indicate that the module did not change NEP scores significantly, suggesting that engagement with the course content is low and hence concern for the environment is low. The results suggest that more emphasis ought to be placed on environmental education to improve pre-service education students’ mindfulness towards the environment.Keywords: sustainability and environmental education in teacher education; Geography education; environmental worldviews

Classroom Management Problems Faced by Pre-service Teachers of English Education Program in Senior High Schools

This research was intended to find out the kinds of problems, and how pre-service teachers deal with the problems relating to classroom management. The subject were students pre-service teachers who teach English to students in Senior High School. This study use quantitative descriptive method where the data of this study were gathered through the interview and questionnaire as the instruments of data collection. This study involved 56 students of English Education Program in FIB UB who conducted pre service teachers in Senior High School in academic year 2019/2020 as subject of the study. The participants were chosen by using random sampling technique in which the sample was chosen randomly, without considering any specific categorization both female and male. Specifically, the participants were chosen by considering their experience while pre-service teaching in Senior High School. This study used survey design as the method. The data was gathered through a questionnaire adapted from [1] Akarshu 2012, [2]Cezmi and Toprak (2013) and [3]Luo, Bellow and Grady (2000), the questionnaires about the problems relating in classroom management in learning process with a total of 21 statements. The researcher only takes 16 statements and translate to English. The research found 17 problems relating to classroom management which were additional item from the respondents and divided into two categories. They are; the classroom discipline and classroom participation. The five main problems are: 1) students make too much noise in class, 2) students lack of interest in lesson, 3) students inability to understand the lesson, 4) students not paying attention and 5) students come late to class. Moreover, dealing with the second research question about how the pre-service teachers deal with the problems, the writer found the SFS (students who try to find solutions) pre fer to solve the problems by developing teacher-students communication in the classroom.

Presence accounted for? student-teachers establishing and experiencing presence in synchronous online teaching environments

ABSTRACT In Ireland, as around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated that Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) adopt innovative approaches to ensure the continuity of placement-related components of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes. One post-primary concurrent ITE programme conceptualised and developed the Teaching Online Programme (TOP), a multifaceted initiative to introduce student-teachers to the theory and practice of synchronous and asynchronous online teaching via a structured and tutor-supported online peer-teaching experience. Drawing upon the Community of Inquiry framework as a lens, this paper considers how pre-service student-teachers facilitated and experienced ‘teaching presence’ while peer-teaching in a synchronous online environment as part of their TOP. The paper finds that design and organisation, facilitating discourse, and direct instruction, were viewed as relevant and helpful for teaching in online settings, and that overall there was agreement about the importance of establishing a strong sense of teacher presence when teaching in synchronous videoconferencing environments such as Zoom. It concludes by considering how these findings may be of relevance for future development of ITE programmes.

Physical Activity Leadership Development Through a Physical Education Teacher Education Service-Learning Course

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand how a service-learning project implementation can help preservice physical education teachers develop physical activity (PA) leadership skills. Methods: A qualitative exploratory single case study was employed, and eight preservice physical education students enrolled in service-learning course were recruited. Data included pre/post self-assessment surveys, reflection journals, individual interviews, and final poster presentations, and were coded using service-learning as a lens. Trustworthiness was established using multiple strategies. Results: Three major themes emerged, each with their own subthemes. Theme 1 was Practical Experience, Theme 2 was Learning to be Leaders, and Theme 3 was Service-Learning. Discussion/Conclusion: The hands-on structure of a service-learning course allowed students to develop PA leadership skills and provided them with the skills and confidence needed to implement expanded PA programs in the future. Service-learning courses are a viable option for PA leadership training in teacher education programs.

Exploring pre-service teacher’ views of science process skills

The school curriculum in Indonesia requires students to master science comprehensively through problem-based learning with the integration of science process skills (SPS) or scientific methods. This study aims to identify the responses of pre-service teacher students about the importance of SPS components. The data collection was done via a survey with samples of 120 pre-service teachers. The response of pre-service teacher to SPS was collected using 14 items in the questionnaire. The responses were analyzed qualitatively and statistically to find out the frequency of the strongest responses towards the SPS components. The results showed that pre-service teachers stated that problem-solving/critical thinking skills (63 voters), basic understanding answers (59 voters), hypotheses (41 voters), and making conclusions (39 voters) were key components in SPS. Based on these findings, the application of learning that can improve the science process skills of pre-service teachers is important to do.