Pre-service Teacher Education Research Articles

Integrating AI in teacher education: exploring the impact on preservice teacher competencies

ABSTRACT Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly embedded in daily life, transforming how we process information, analyse data, and communicate. As AI enables new forms of interaction, educators need to assess its implications for teaching and learning. This study examines how AI tools, specifically ChatGPT, were integrated into preservice teacher education to support learning activities and competency development. Using a mixed-methods approach, a survey was used to assess the impact of AI-supported learning on preservice teachers’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Additionally, follow-up interviews provided deeper insights into their experiences and perceptions of AI’s role in education. By analysing both overall patterns and personal experiences, this study explores the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into teacher preparation.

Climate Change, Education, Training, and Perception of Pre-Service Teachers

This study aims to analyze the level of teacher training and education on climate change received by future Social Science teachers in Primary Education. Based on a questionnaire completed by 1224 pre-service teachers from five Spanish universities and one Colombian university, the main results indicate that the majority received training on this phenomenon during their school years (78.3%), though the percentage nearly halves in higher education (44.0%). In addition, future Social Science teachers have a moderate level of preparation—half of the participants selected “3” on a Likert scale (1 to 5), accounting for 54.2% of responses. For this reason, it is necessary to expand climate change education in higher education in order to equip teachers for addressing future environmental issues in the classroom. Education represents one of the most important factors in adapting to climate change, helping present and future societies build resilience to climate change scenarios.

Rethinking teacher development: blending socially responsible teaching approaches with Indigenous Knowledge to enhance equity and inclusivity

Since the advent of democracy in South Africa, the education system has endeavoured to ensure not only physical access but also epistemological access to learning for all students. Consequently, the imperative of basic education is to deliver a curriculum that is equitable and inclusive. Higher education institutions’ teacher education programs serve as crucial social agents capable of driving transformative curricula grounded in a framework of social justice. This study seeks to explore the potential of decolonizing pre-service teacher education for equity and inclusivity through socially just pedagogies (SJPs). The curriculum under examination revitalizes SJPs, emphasizing the significance of personal pedagogical dimensions, the politics of difference, and the nexus between pedagogy and agency. Through interviews with nine purposively selected curriculum studies lecturers across all three North-West University campuses in South Africa, we elucidate how SJPs can inform a more equitable and inclusive curriculum aligned with transformative ideals. Lecturers advocate for the integration of new concepts/topics in teacher education to advance the transformation of knowledge, power, and identity within the curriculum. They call for the recognition and incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), history, and languages to achieve equity and inclusivity in curriculum delivery. This study contributes to the discourse by amplifying voices from the Global South that challenge the predominant Eurocentric learning paradigm in South Africa and offer an alternative perspective on decolonized pre-service teacher education through SJPs.

PCK에 따른 영유아언어교육 대학교재 내용 분석

This study aims to analyze how Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) is reflected in university textbooks used for early childhood language education, in response to the growing emphasis on language development and the role of teachers in early childhood education. A total of 28 textbooks widely used in South Korea were analyzed based on Shulman's (1986) framework, which includes four components: content knowledge, curriculum knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and knowledge of learners. The analysis revealed that while most textbooks extensively addressed content knowledge and curriculum knowledge, they tended to lack specificity and practical application in pedagogical content knowledge and knowledge of learners. In particular, practical teaching strategies and contextual examples were rarely included, and learner diversity and individual developmental differences were often insufficiently considered. This study provides foundational insights into the current state of early childhood language education textbooks and offers implications for improving textbook development and curriculum design in pre-service teacher education.

‘디자인 씽킹 기반 팀 문제해결 교육 프로그램’ 적용 과정에서 예비 교사의 활동과 변화 양상 분석

This study applied the “Design Thinking-based Team Problem-Solving Education Program (DTbTPS)” to pre-service teacher education and analyzed the activity patterns observed during the process. The DTbTPS was implemented with pre-service teachers from three universities, and qualitative data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. A phenomenological research method was used to analyze the data. The results revealed that pre-service teachers exhibited 17 distinct types of responses during the DTbTPS. Their activity patterns could be categorized into three stages: the problem-identification stage, the problem-solving stage, and the problem-solving outcome stage. These findings suggest that the scope of the DTbTPS should be expanded, as it not only enhances pre-service teachers’ understanding of the design thinking process but also promotes empathy toward students. Furthermore, the analysis revealed significant emotional rather than functional changes, emphasizing the importance of addressing students' emotional experiences in educational settings. This study demonstrates that innovative teaching and learning methods, such as the DTbTPS, can influence pre-service teachers’ educational philosophies. Therefore, it is crucial to design such programs in a way that effectively reflects their underlying pedagogical principles.

유아의 창의성 증진을 위한 유아교사의 발문 기술 유형 탐색: 질적 사례 연구를 중심으로

This study aimed to explore the types of kindergarten teachers' questioning techniques to promote young children's creativity through a qualitative case study based on the researcher's experiences as a teacher and principal. The research data included personal records and class-related materials. The collected data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The results of the study classified the types of teacher's questioning techniques to promote young children's creativity into five categories: questions that support imagination, questions with clear meaning and purpose, follow-up questions, questions that encourage participation in the problem-solving process, and questions that help children organize their thoughts. Specific examples for each type were presented and analyzed to explore the impact on the development of young children's creativity. This study is expected to provide a deep understanding of kindergarten teachers' questioning techniques and contribute to developing effective questioning strategies to promote young children's creativity. Additionally, it is expected to be utilized in pre-service teacher education and professional development for in-service teachers.

국어과 예비교사를 위한 문학 비평 교육 강의 사례 연구 : K대학교 문예비평론 강의 사례를 중심으로

The purpose of this study is to explore the direction of literary criticism education for pre-service Korean language teachers based on the lecture design process and the results of the lecture execution of the K University major elective course “Korean Literary Criticism” conducted in the second semester of 2022. The professionalism of the literature, which must be possessed as a teacher of literature, can be demonstrated when the ‘professionalism of literature’ and ‘teaching professionalism’ work in combination. The professionalism of literature is related to the question of whether the teacher has a good professional knowledge and critical eye for literature. Teaching professionalism refers to the ‘professional ability required for the class’, which is the most essential activity among various professional activities required of the teacher. The researcher embodied the lecture on literary criticism as ‘professionalism of literature’ is an activity to learn the theory of literary criticism and write criticism directly based on this, and ‘teaching professionalism’ is an activity to virtually set a learner or classroom situation and conceive a literary criticism class. This study is meaningful in that it has presented an example that can help set the direction of literary criticism lectures for pre-service Korean language teachers. However, it is difficult to generalize the results because it is based on the lecture cases of one semester and targets a small number of 11 people. Therefore, it should be supplemented by accumulating lecture cases in the same subject in the future and continuing the research.

The impact of childhood trauma on the mental health problems of primary education preservice teachers: the mediating role of rumination and the moderating role of self-acceptance

The impact of childhood trauma on the mental health problems of primary education preservice teachers: the mediating role of rumination and the moderating role of self-acceptance

Increasing the Active Supervision of Inclusive Early Childhood Education Pre-Service Teachers Using Goal Setting and Step Counters.

A reversal design (i.e., ABAB) was used to examine whether increasing steps correlate with higher levels of student interactions. Furthermore, does allowing educators to monitor their steps and set step goals enhance the potential for intervention adoption and lead to lasting teacher behavior change? Each pre-service inclusive early childhood special education teachers were in the final year of their preparation program, during their student teaching practicum. The study took place in two public k-5 elementary schools situated in a mid-size city (approximately 52K in population) in the Southern United States. In addition to visual analysis procedures, nonoverlap of all pairs was used to assess overlap, and Tau-U were used to calculate effect size. The research questions were: (1) Does goal setting and step counting increase the physical steps taken by educators during instruction?; 2) Is there a functional relation between steps taken and teacher-student interactions?; and (3) Are step increases a socially valid approach for increasing teacher-student engagement? Although the results point to minor (positive) effects on teacher steps, the data's variability prevents us from drawing conclusions about the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Nonetheless, when comparing baseline levels to MSI behaviors, we can observe meaningful shifts in a therapeutic direction in the MSI data.. Implications for research and practices are also presented.

Pedagogical Knowledge of Physical Education Pre-Service Teachers for Teaching Inclusive Classroom Setting

Despite the growing recognition of inclusive education, empirical studies on the pedagogical competencies of pre-service teachers in Digos City's Physical Education (PE) programs are limited. Using a quantitative, descriptive research design, the study assessed the pedagogical knowledge of pre-service PE teachers in inclusive classroom settings and explored variations based on age and gender. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to examine demographic profiles, measures of central tendency (mean) and dispersion (standard deviation) to assess pedagogical knowledge, the Mann-Whitney U test to evaluate age group differences in instructional, adaptation, and overall skills, and the Chi-Square test to investigate gender-based differences in these skills. The results indicated that younger pre-service teachers demonstrated superior instructional skills to their older counterparts, though there were no significant differences in adaptation skills between age groups. Additionally, gender did not affect the level of preparedness for inclusive practices, suggesting uniform readiness across diverse gender identities. To enhance the preparedness of pre-service PE teachers for inclusive classroom settings, it is recommended that professional development programs focus on targeted training to improve instructional skills, particularly for older pre-service teachers, while also providing continuous, tailored support to ensure all teachers can effectively meet the diverse needs of students.

Philosophy for/with children (p4wc) and primary education: through the lens of a pre-service teacher reflecting on their practice

Philosophy for/with Children (P4wC) is used widely as a pedagogical approach in schools. However, it can also be used beyond schools and is increasingly being utilised in university based pre-service teacher education. This article shares reflections from pre-service teacher educators using P4wC in their institution in the south of England both to encourage critical reflection upon education itself, and also as a practice to share with pre-service teachers in the hopes that they may carry it forward as a pedagogical approach in their own future classrooms. These pre-service teacher educators share and reflect upon a case study provided by one of their students, a pre-service teacher in their final year of an undergraduate degree in primary education at the university. Within this case study, the pre-service teacher shares a critical discussion about their research exploring literature surrounding P4wC and reflects upon their early exploration of this approach within a primary school classroom. The pre-service teacher concludes their case-study with a recognition of some challenges but also with a commitment to continuing to engage with P4wC moving forward in their career. The pre-service educators conclude the article by reflecting upon their student’s experiences, the impact using P4wC had upon that pre-service teacher and the value of embedding P4wC in pre-service teacher education.

Advancing Inclusive Education in Higher Education:Challenges and Opportunities in Preparing Pre-ServiceTeachers to Support Students with Disabilities

Purpose: This study aims to explore the integration of inclusive education for students with disabilities in higher education, with a specific focus on how pre-service teacher training curricula address this critical issue. It seeks to identify the challenges universities face in supporting students with disabilities and to examine the role of teacher education in advancing inclusive practices. Study design/methodology/approach: A scoping review methodology was adopted, analysing literature published between 2000 and 2024. The review draws on a diverse range of academic sources to assess the state of inclusive education in highereducation, particularly in relation to teacher training programmes. Findings: The study reveals that, despite significant global progress in fostering inclusive learning environments, substantial gaps persist in preparing teachers to meet the needs of diverse learners. These shortcomings are often attributed to theinadequate emphasis on inclusive pedagogies in pre-service teacher training and insufficient institutional support structures for students with disabilities. The findings highlight the necessity for continuous professional development for educators androbust, accessible support systems within institutions. Originality/value: This review underscores the importance of revising pre-service teacher education programmes to embed inclusive education more comprehensively. It offers practical recommendations, including enhancing collaboration betweeneducators and disability support services and fostering greater institutional commitment to inclusivity. By addressing these areas, higher education institutions can better prepare future teachers to support the diverse needs of students with disabilities, contributing to the development of genuinely inclusive learning environments.

ICT Integration Barriers: Pre-service Science Teachers' Internship Experiences

The National Education Policy 2020 and National Curriculum Framework 2023 prioritize seamless ICT integration throughout school education, advocating not for a separate subject, but for its presence across all disciplines. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) integration in education refers to the intentional and purposeful utilization of digital tools and resources to enhance learning experiences and teaching practices (UNESCO, 2013). It goes beyond simply placing technology in classrooms; it involves seamlessly weaving ICT into the curriculum, pedagogy, and overall school culture to achieve specific learning goals (Means et al., 2013). Critical understanding of ICT has been labelled as a crucial part of the teacher education programme and the same has been suggested by NCTE curriculum. Though ICT integration is discussed as a paper in the pre-service teacher education program, the effectiveness of its implementation in teaching learning process during the internship is of the paramount importance and the problems and challenges that come during the implementation is something that has not much touched by in research. The present study has tried to study the problems and challenges faced by pre-service teachers in ICT integration during their internship program. The results include several problems and challenges faced by pre-service teachers in ICT integration during internship that include access and infrastructure, pedagogical challenges and social and emotional challenges. As India strives for educational innovation and technological advancements, addressing these challenges becomes imperative. A holistic approach involving targeted teacher training programs, infrastructure development, and policy initiatives is crucial to empower pre-service science teachers in overcoming these obstacles. By actively working towards mitigating these challenges, the system can better prepare future science educators to utilise the potential of ICT and foster a more engaging and effective learning environment.

Foster young people’s creativity and shape their competencies

Creative teachers are essential for fostering pupils’ creativity. This paper explores the education of pre-service chemistry teachers, whose training encompasses both professional and pedagogical preparation. As part of their curriculum, they undertake courses such as Laboratory Exercises in Analytical Chemistry. Analytical chemistry, a branch of chemistry focused on the identification and quantification of substances, involves chemical analysis and the development of laws, criteria, and methods for determining qualitative and quantitative composition. Conducting laboratory exercises provides an optimal environment for enhancing the creative abilities of both pupils and pre-service teachers. This paper presents proposals, methodologies, and selected laboratory exercises aimed at fostering creativity and developing essential skills among pre-service chemistry teachers.

Promoting Digital Competencies in Pre-Service Teachers: The Impact of Integrative Learning Opportunities

Offering learning opportunities for developing digital competencies in pre-service teacher education remains challenging despite its growing importance in preparing future educators. This study investigates the effectiveness of integrative learning opportunities, called “digitally enhanced courses”, which combine subject-specific and digital learning objectives. Implemented at a German university (2019–2023). These courses aimed to promote digital competencies required for technology-supported teaching. Using survey data from 312 pre-service teachers, the research examined students’ self-assessed digital competencies, technology acceptance, and value–cost assessments through multiple measurement instruments, including TPACK scales, the Technology Acceptance Model, and Expectancy–Value beliefs. Results revealed significantly higher self-assessed digital competencies in private contexts compared to teaching situations. While mere course participation showed no significant impact, both the frequency and number of attended courses positively correlated with higher self-assessed digital skills across all TPACK dimensions. Additionally, increased technology acceptance and higher success expectations were associated with enhanced teaching-related digital competencies. The findings emphasize that the effectiveness of digitally enhanced courses is contingent upon systematic implementation and student engagement, highlighting the need for structured curricular integration of digital competency development in teacher education through comprehensive, spiral-curriculum approaches rather than isolated interventions. However, this study’s reliance on self-reported data may introduce social desirability and subjective estimation bias, and its cross-sectional design limits causal interpretations. Future research should employ longitudinal approaches to examine competency development over time, incorporate objective performance-based assessments, and explore how instructional design and curricular integration influence digital competency acquisition.

Introducing Exploratory Teaching in Preservice Teacher Education Through Lesson Study

In exploratory teaching, the pupils learn from their work on tasks that aim to introduce new concepts, procedures, representations and mathematical ideas. Lesson study, with its focus on teachers’ collaborative and reflective work around issues of pupil learning, is a powerful formative process that may be used in preservice teacher education, sustaining an exploratory teaching approach. In this article, we present a lesson study experience in preservice teacher education, addressing the case of a preservice teacher who is preparing to teach in grades 1–6. Our aim is to identify what key aspects of knowledge of teaching practice does the preservice teacher use when preparing and leading an exploratory lesson during her participation in a lesson study. Our methodology is qualitative, with data collected from the lesson study sessions and the collection of documents produced during the lesson study work, and the data are analysed using a model that presents the key aspects of knowledge of teaching practice. The results show that the structure and the activities carried out in the lesson study, such as designing the lesson, selecting the task and anticipating questions to be posed to pupils, promoted the use of the preservice teacher’s didactic knowledge regarding the phases of an exploratory lesson.

Teachers’ access to professional development in inclusive education: an exploration of the Ghanaian context

ABSTRACT The implementation of inclusive education appears to have stalled in secondary schools in Ghana, coupled with the fact that there is a dearth of literature on teachers’ access to PD in inclusive education. This study adopted the complexity system professional development (PD) model as a conceptual framework to explore the experiences of stakeholders in relation to teachers’ access to PD opportunities in inclusive education. This qualitative study draws on a purposive sample of 37 participants consisting of school leaders, special educators and teachers from both public and private secondary schools recruited in a region in Ghana. A semi-structured interview guide was developed, and data were collected via face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. Although the majority of the participants indicated that their pre-service teacher education exposed them to inclusive education, only a few felt that this training adequately prepared them to adopt inclusive pedagogical skills to address the diversity of learning needs in the classroom. At the individual teacher, learning activity and school and system support levels, the participants recounted major barriers to PD accessibility in inclusive education. We also discuss the implications of the study for policymaking.

Embedding 21st Century Skills into a Pre-Service English Language Teacher Education Program for Sustainability

Teacher education programs have a vital role in meeting needs of the global education community. Given the recent emphasis on education for sustainable development, several countries have attempted to reform their education policies and upgrade teacher education programs to promote sustainable education. Likewise, embedding critical and creative thinking, communication and collaboration skills (4Cs) into practicums has become an aim of professional development in pre-service teacher education programs for sustainability. With this regard, this study aimed at examining whether embedding 4Cs skills into teacher education programs through a systemic approach to professional development would help pre-service teachers to develop 4Cs skills and competencies associated with those required for education in the field of education for sustainable development (ESD). This study applied a mixed-methods case study that used critical interpretive research approaches to understand pre-service teachers’ experiences with the 4Cs and the connection between the 4Cs and ESD skills and competencies such as critical thinking. The results revealed that pre-service teachers developed the 4Cs as indicated by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (Partnership, 2019). We concluded that the 4Cs skills that were implemented and developed by pre-service teachers were strongly connected with the ESD skills and competencies for sustainability defined by UNESCO.

Dealing with Urban Biodiversity Through Butterfly Gardens: A Project-Based Learning Proposal for Pre-Service Teachers Training

Research in environmental education points out the need for an improvement in pre-service teacher education training in this area. This proposal follows PBL methodology and focuses on the development of an environmental education project whose final product is the organization of a science fair for elementary school students. The 5-week project addresses the topic of urban biodiversity decline and uses the butterfly garden as an initiative to mitigate it. Four months after the program ended, a survey was administered to the 86 participating pre-service teachers. A mixed-methods approach was used, collecting quantitative data on perceptions of urban biodiversity decline, the One Health concept, and environmental education, along with qualitative keyword responses to open-ended questions about the butterfly garden’s impact and the project’s value for self-learning and professional development. Participants reported positive perceptions regarding butterfly gardens after participating in our environmental program, recognizing them as both a valuable educational resource and an effective initiative to mitigate urban biodiversity decline. Respondents showed a strong pro-environmental attitude, taking seriously their role in transmitting environmental values. Using a butterfly garden for teaching purposes offers insight into environmental literacy, connection with nature, and improvements in well-being and is a powerful platform for deep and meaningful pedagogical learning.

Compilation of Augmented Reality Studies Conducted with Teacher Candidates

<p>The aim of this paper is to determine the level of teachers' readiness to use AR technology in teaching based on a systematic analysis of studies on the use of augmented reality (AR) in education. The study included research focusing on pre-service teachers, with no year limitation, and based on the following databases: Google Scholar, National Thesis, Eric, Scopus, Ebscohost, Web of Science, PsycInfo, JSTOR, ProQuest, Education Research Complete and Education Source. A systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA model, with eleven keywords such as ‘AR technology and pre-service teacher education’ searched in Turkish and English. The process highlighted 47 studies, with 42 studies meeting the inclusion criteria set. The included studies were analysed in terms of years, keywords, branch, purpose, method, sample size, results and recommendations, resulting in a compilation and presentation of studies on AR involving pre-service teachers.</p>