Pre-service Teachers Research Articles

Cultivating STEAM teachers: A regional resource‐based model for normal university students in Chongqing

AbstractThe cultivation of innovative talents with interdisciplinary skills is a central goal of STEAM education, and the success of STEAM education hinges on the availability of qualified STEAM teachers. This study explores how to integrate STEAM awareness, understanding, and curriculum development into the teacher education and major course learning system of normal university students in Chongqing, China. Drawing upon the region's rich resources, the study proposes a three‐level STEAM teacher training model. At the macro level, the model advocates for a collaborative educational ecosystem involving government, schools, businesses, and society. At the meso level, it presents a 4‐year curriculum model that progressively cultivates preservice teachers' interdisciplinary thinking, integration skills, and pedagogical competence. At the micro level, the model explores effective pedagogical methods and strategies for implementing STEAM projects in real‐world teaching scenarios. This regional resource‐based model offers a “Chongqing plan” for training STEAM teachers and ensuring a sustainable supply of innovative talents to support the region's economic and social development.

Scientific Literacy in Basic Education: An Analysis of Curricula Contexts and Pre-service Teachers’ Views in Tanzania

This is an analysis of how scientific literacy (SL) is featured in the science education pipeline of Tanzania based on the SL frameworks of five arguments (economic, utility, democratic, social and cultural) and three visions (Visions I–III). It analyses four curriculum documents for science in basic education, and the views of 79 pre-service teachers collected using a questionnaire. The findings indicate that only economic and utility arguments are abundant in the curricula and pre-service teachers’ responses. Further, the findings show that Tanzania’s basic education science curriculum largely reflects Vision I, which emphasises content and procedural knowledge. Moreover, the curriculum is highly structured, thus making it difficult for teachers and students to engage in science-related situations (Vision II). The need to cope with the pressure exerted on teachers and students by high-stakes examinations adds to this difficulty. Generally, we establish that SL is not well featured in all the curriculum documents we analysed, as the pre-service teachers’ responses confirmed. We recommend that the curriculum be reviewed to include explicit reference to SL.

Preparing Teachers for Inclusive Education: Pre-Service Teachers’ Knowledge, Perceptions and Experiences of Inclusive Pedagogy from Teaching Practice

Various scholars have questioned the effectiveness of teacher education programmes in preparing teachers for inclusive education. This study examines how teacher education programmes prepare pre-service teachers for inclusive education in terms of perceptions, knowledge and pedagogy. The study uses focus group discussions to examine pre-service teachers’ knowledge of inclusive education and their experiences of inclusive pedagogy from teaching practice. The SACIE-R questionnaire tool assesses the perceptions of 187 pre-service teachers with regard to inclusive education. The findings indicate that pre-service teachers acquire theoretical knowledge with gaps in field-based knowledge that hinder their ability to link theory and practice, and to develop inclusive pedagogy. Moreover, pre-service teachers have a low level of sentiments and harbour many concerns and negative attitudes towards inclusive education. The findings of the study contribute insights that can inform the design and structuring of inclusive education courses in teacher education programmes.

Using reflection and dialog feedback to promote the development of situated and dynamic pedagogical content knowledge

This study explores the reflection and dialog feedback of preservice teachers (PTs) in a one-semester chemistry teaching design and practice course with the aim of improving their situated and dynamic pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Using a collective case study method, reflections and dialogs from 18 PTs across six teaching cycles were analyzed. The research results indicate that teaching reflection focuses on five themes: the diversity of student situations, the functionality of teaching contexts, the consistency of teaching content, the construction of teacher‒student dialog, and the progression of subject practice activities. The reflection of the PTs strengthened meaningful teaching content and corresponding specific skills, and effective dialog feedback provided external evaluation standards. The reflection prompted teachers to evaluate from multiple perspectives and levels and provided important insights to promote the development of situated and dynamic PCK. This study concludes with a discussion of the practical implications and potential for future research to develop a situated and dynamic PCK for PTs.

The influence of community social capital on pre-service teachers’ career calling: the mediating role of career exploration and the moderating effect of agreeableness

The influence of community social capital on pre-service teachers’ career calling: the mediating role of career exploration and the moderating effect of agreeableness

Modified Literature Circles: Improving ESP Students’ English-speaking Skills Through Movie Circles

For Thai students, English-speaking skills have been among the most problematic. This study aims to compare the English-speaking skills of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) students before and after employing movie circles, and to investigate their attitudes toward employing movie circles. The participants consisted of 30 ESP students studying a dual program in social development and education at a public university in Thailand. They were also classified as pre-service social studies teachers. A mixed-methods study was performed utilizing the one-group pre-test-post-test design. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. The instruments were movie circle lesson plans, pre- and post-English-speaking tests, an attitude questionnaire, and semi-structured interview questions. The results revealed significant improvement in the ESP students’ English-speaking skills, as well as positive attitudes toward using movie circles to improve English-speaking skills. The findings suggest that movie circles, or peer-led discussion activities, can be integrated into ESP classrooms with the specific goal of improving English-speaking skills.

Enhancing self-efficacy and coping mechanisms in special education: the effects of a cognitive behavioural therapy workshop on pre-service teachers in Israel

ABSTRACT This article examined a five-session Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) workshop’s impact on twelve third-year pre-service special education teachers in Israel. The primary objective was to investigate the efficacy of a five-session workshop tailored to enhance coping mechanisms and self-efficacy within the context of special education training. Results showed significant improvements in participants’ cognitive process understanding and coping abilities specific to special education demands. Challenges in implementing CBT techniques are identified, highlighting the need for practical training. The findings suggest that CBT workshops can effectively prepare pre-service teachers for the complexities of special education, improving their classroom management skills.

Using large language models to support pre-service teachers mathematical reasoning—an exploratory study on ChatGPT as an instrument for creating mathematical proofs in geometry

In this exploratory study, the potential of large language models (LLMs), specifically ChatGPT to support pre-service primary education mathematics teachers in constructing mathematical proofs in geometry is investigated. Utilizing the theoretical framework of instrumental genesis, the prior experiences of students with LLMs, their beliefs about the operating principle and their interactions with the chatbot are analyzed. Using qualitative content analysis, inductive categories for these aspects are formed. Results indicate that students had limited prior experiences with LLMs and used them predominantly for applications that are not mathematics specific. Regarding their beliefs, most show only superficial knowledge about the technology and misconceptions are common. The analysis of interactions showed multiple types of in parts mathematics-specific prompts and patterns on three different levels from single prompts to whole chat interactions.

Technology Integration as a Spectrum: integrating technology in early childhood classrooms

ABSTRACT This study explores how early childhood preservice teachers use technology in PreK-3 classrooms, focusing on the alignment between their intentions and actual practices. Using the ‘Technology Integration as a Spectrum (TIS)’ model, the study identifies four types of technology use. Findings reveal that preservice teachers primarily use technology for adult- or software-driven goals, which often contradict their pedagogical beliefs. Although they advocate for child-centred learning approaches, their technology use predominantly reflects these more structured methods, resulting in misalignments between intended purposes and actual practices. This study highlights the need for diverse technology use, including Free Use, and recommends critical reflection on technology practices to ensure alignment with pedagogical goals for effective implementation.

Augmented Reality for Exploring Solids: A Study on Improving Pre-Service Teachers

Applications of augmented reality are gradually being integrated into teaching at various levels and types of schools. Augmented reality has the potential to transform the training of future teachers in the context of developing their mathematical knowledge, digital skills, and teaching competencies. The paper focuses on researching the impact of augmented reality on the learning of future primary teachers. The aim was to investigate the impact of AR applications on the development of cognitive and psychomotor skills and on students' motivation to learn. The study had a mixed research design. Using a pedagogical experiment, we investigated the effectiveness of an educational intervention based on the use of applications Augmented Reality in combination with hands on activities in the training of future teachers. The educational intervention was a set of activities that were carried out in a mixed reality environment using the 3D solids construction kit, the Polyedres augmentes and GeoGebra applications. The content of the educational intervention was the exploration of significant elements and properties of solids. We tested students' knowledge and abilities in the following areas: identification of simple solids from a picture; identification of significant elements of solids (vertices, edges and faces); identification of the shapes of faces of solids; nets of solids; simple metric tasks with solids. The study was conducted in 2024 with 152 primary education students as part of geometry courses. In line with the results of previous research in this area, we found that AR has the potential to improve understanding of geometric concepts, increase interactivity and student motivation. Augmented reality opens up new possibilities for exploring solids and their properties, as it allows for transfer between planar and spatial representation of solids and helps to develop spatial imagination.

Evaluating the Correlation between the Teaching Performance of Primary School English Language Teachers and the Training they Received

Teaching is a profession that requires its practitioners to be trained and certified. The training may take the form of pre-service or in-service. The teachers who pass through either of these modes of training are also required to possess ample and reasonable knowledge and skills of the subject matter they teach. In addition, the training that they take should focus on shaping their attitudes towards the teaching profession so that they can adapt, improve or change the reality they find in schools. In addition, they are expected to possess ample experiences of teaching. Purpose. This explanatory study explored the relationship between the training that teacher trainees received at Kemissie College of Teachers Education in Ethiopia and their teaching practice at primary schools. Methodology. The researchers collected the data for the study from pre-service teachers of the college using a questionnaire, interview, document analysis and classroom observations. A mixed approach was employed to collect and analyze the data. The results show that some of the courses contribute less to helping the trainees develop the required competence to teach the subject. There are also neglected but relevant courses. In addition, the practicum program is not being run as it is intended to be run. The relationship between the training that the teachers received and the teaching practice at primary schools is not strong. Therefore, it is recommended that more relevant courses and contents should be given emphasis. The practicum program should also acquaint trainees with the reality at primary schools in order to attain the intended purpose of the program. Supervisors and mentors should also guide the trainees and help them progress in their profession. Conclusion. This study found that the teacher training curriculum focuses on subject area knowledge, professional skills and teaching practices. These components are essential and helpful to train competent primary school teachers. The participants in the study revealed that some of the courses that they attended have contributed positively to their effective teaching of English at primary schools.

Crossing boundaries: developing preservice teachers' professional identity through hybrid school–university partnerships

PurposeSchool–university partnerships are the core of effective teacher preparation programs, and central to this model are the classroom teachers who mentor preservice teachers into the profession. This article describes an innovative collaboration that transcends institutional boundaries, operating in a hybrid space, aimed at supporting preservice teachers' development as educators, expanding their professional networks and fostering their sense of belonging and professional identity within a broader community of teacher leaders.Design/methodology/approachThis article describes a hybrid partnership model that provides preservice teachers with innovative mentoring experiences. Research on hybrid partnership models and boundary-spanning frames the discussion. The article provides a brief overview of two iterations of a collaboration between elementary preservice teachers and a cohort of teacher leaders in a fellowship program. The paper concludes by discussing lessons learned and directions for future research on the topic.FindingsPreservice teachers benefit from opportunities to engage with a variety of mentors throughout their program. While the classroom teacher serving as a mentor is central to teacher preparation, there is a space for hybrid partnership models that provide preservice teachers additional mentors to support their development and connections to a professional learning community of teacher leaders. Through innovative hybrid collaborations, preservice teachers engage with diverse mentors, expanding their professional networks and preparing them to navigate the complexities of the educational landscape with a sense of belonging and identity.Originality/valueThis article contributes to the literature on hybrid partnership models, aimed at empowering preservice teachers by integrating them into a professional community of teacher leaders, fostering their sense of belonging, identity and preparedness to navigate the complexities of the profession.

Supporting elementary preservice teachers' content knowledge for teaching about matter and its interactions

AbstractKnowledge of science content and the ability to translate knowledge into effective teaching is known as teachers' content knowledge for teaching (CKT). Teachers with developed CKT are able to more effectively determine instructional and assessment activities that will deepen K‐12 students' scientific literacy. However, preservice teachers (PSTs) can have limited opportunities to develop CKT, and little is known about how to support PST CKT development in elementary science teacher preparation. In our work, we developed instructional materials (i.e., “CKT Packets”) intended to support teacher educators (TEs) in developing elementary PSTs' CKT for one content area—matter and its interactions. We facilitated a professional learning community for TEs to support their learning how to implement the materials in their courses. We report on results from a mixed‐methods study using a quasi‐experimental cohort control design with a pretest and posttest to understand differences in PSTs' CKT (N = 250) in eight TEs' science classrooms. Nesting PSTs within their TEs' courses, and controlling for PSTs' prior CKT, engagement time on the assessments, prior coursework, and TE time‐invariant effects, we found preliminary evidence that PSTs achieved greater CKT when TEs implemented more CKT Packets. Salient factors that we hypothesize influenced TEs' productive uses of CKT Packets included disruptions to courses/contexts, TEs' sources of motivation for implementing Packets, TEs' entry points for the alignment of curricular materials with existing topics and pedagogical course emphases, TEs' approaches for first‐time use of curricular materials, and TEs' experiences with the instructional routines of the Packets. We bound our interpretation of results within limitations (e.g., small sample size, quasi‐experimental design) and suggest avenues for new research. Throughout this article, we include implications for TEs, PSTs, educative curricula developers, and researchers working to improve science teaching and learning for students.

Fostering meta-moral cognitive skills among pre-service teachers using creative problem-solving processes

Acknowledging strengths and weaknesses of an ethical judgment, called meta-moral cognitive skills, enables pre-service teachers to make better decisions. Engaging in critical thinking with creative problem-solving can critically evaluate ethical decision-making processes by analysing their different stages. Thus, this study investigated whether creative problem-solving can foster meta-moral cognitive skills. The researchers analysed solutions for a vignette based on real-life experience involving an ethical issue by 51 pre-service teachers using creative problem-solving processes: problem definition, information gathering, concept selection, conceptual combination and reorganization, idea generation, idea evaluation, solution monitoring, and implementation planning. A qualitative analysis of the responses showed that creative problem-solving supported pre-service teachers in identifying the rationale and criticisms of their ethical judgments and limitations in their proposed solutions. The implication is that it is crucial for prospective teachers to undergo training in creative problem-solving of various ethical dilemmas as part of their curriculum.

A Classroom Intervention of Enhancing Namibian Preservice Science Teachers’ Conceptual Understanding of Properties of Waves Through Mnemonics

This quantitative classroom intervention study investigated the effectiveness of using mnemonics to enhance preservice teachers’ conceptual understanding of the topic of wave properties in physics. The study involved a sample of 30 final-year undergraduate preservice teachers enrolled in the Bachelor of Education Honours, Senior Primary with specializations in Natural Science and Health Education at Dorado Campus of The International University of Management in Namibia. The primary objective was to assess the impact of a targeted mnemonic-based instructional intervention on their ability to comprehend and apply key physics concepts related to wave properties. Initially, participants’ baseline understanding of these concepts was evaluated through pre-intervention assessments, which provided a measure of their existing knowledge. A structured mnemonic-based teaching intervention was then implemented over a specified period, designed to facilitate improved understanding of wave properties. Following the intervention, post-assessment evaluations were conducted to compare and measure changes in the participants’ conceptual understanding of the subject matter. This comparative analysis aimed to identify any significant improvements resulting from the mnemonic-based instruction. The findings indicated that there were notable improvements in the participants’ conceptual grasp of wave properties after the mnemonic-based intervention. Additionally, the study collected and analyzed participants’ feedback regarding the use of mnemonics, offering insights into their perceptions of the technique’s effectiveness as a pedagogical tool for learning complex scientific concepts. This research contributes to the broader field of physics concepts by providing evidence-based strategies to enhance the preparation of preservice teachers, particularly in physics education. Ultimately, the results of this study have the potential to inform and improve teaching practices, fostering more effective and engaging educational experiences in future science classrooms.

Children’s voices through teachers’ stories

We understand our lives through narratives, and the form of these narratives is appropriate for understanding the actions of others, writes MacIntyre (1981). Meanwhile, narratives and our understanding of them also inform our understanding of our own actions. In this article, student kindergarten teachers share anecdotes from their teaching practice assignments. These preservice teachers (PSTs) relay stories that are serious and important from a child’s perspective, and which they themselves experienced as serious and important while spending time with children and listening to children’s voices. Our aim here is to give even very young children a voice in their own everyday lives and to discuss how PSTs might listen more closely to what children are saying. Our narrative analysis of stories (Van Manen, 1997, 2014; Clandinin, 2013) offered by Norwegian and Italian PSTs presents a range of perspectives on life management and a desire for conversation in children aged 2–8 years. The stories are told through the student kindergarten teachers’ voices, and they were shared with and reflected upon with the children’s in-service class teachers. The article sheds retrospective light on children’s telling of, and thinking about, stories.

Teacher noticing within the context of lesson study: a systematic review and prospective trends

PurposeTeacher noticing is a critical aspect of teaching competence that has garnered significant scholarly attention. This systematic review aims to comprehensively analyze the integration of teacher noticing into lesson study, exploring how different stages of lesson study influence the development of teacher noticing.Design/methodology/approachThis article systematically reviews 15 empirical studies on teacher noticing within the context of lesson study, focusing on research design, subjects, methods, theoretical frameworks and the specific impact of different stages of lesson study on teacher noticing.FindingsThe review reveals a geographical concentration of studies in Western countries, particularly in the United States, with a relative scarcity of research in East Asian contexts. Most studies focus on pre-service teachers, employ qualitative methods and are grounded in Van Es’s (2011) Learning to Notice framework. The findings indicate that different stages of lesson study significantly influence teacher noticing, particularly in the planning, teaching and reflection stages, where shifts in focus and depth of noticing are evident.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper explores how various lesson study stages impact teacher noticing development. It offers future research directions and calls for more cross-cultural studies. Certain activities within classroom research may restrict attention development, particularly when these activities fail to encourage in-depth cognitive analysis across all stages sufficiently. Future research should explore how to avoid these limitations in the classroom research process and design more effective strategies to support deep observation and analysis by teachers at each stage. In the reflection stage of classroom research, certain factors may restrict the focus on student thinking.Practical implicationsBy synthesizing the existing research into a comprehensive narrative, we provide an essential foundation for future studies on teacher noticing within lesson study contexts. This work not only charts the historical development of the field but also encourages more profound and actionable research engagement with the nuanced processes of teacher observation and reflection during lesson studies.Originality/valueThis paper explores how various lesson study stages impact teacher noticing development. It offers future research directions and calls for more cross-cultural studies and a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to fully understand the effects of lesson studies on teacher noticing.

Supporting preservice teachers to navigate the tensions of teaching English Language Arts: An examination of two teacher educator's literacies pedagogies

In 1997-1998, we taught in the same independently funded elementary school. As teachers of Grade 1 and Grade 2, the school leadership asked us to research and recommend a program to support early reading instruction and replace the outdated basal readers. Opinions were sometimes diverse as we met with parents and school board members to identify beliefs/priorities in early reading instruction. More than 25 years later, in our work as teacher educators in two provinces, we are embroiled in similar conversations about reading instruction in a field mapped by polarizing views expressed in reports, social media, and teacher professional texts. As teacher educators, we recognize: 1) this context as challenging for preservice teachers to enter professional practice and 2) our role in supporting preservice teachers in entering the field. This was the impetus for a research study examining our pedagogies. We ask: How are we, as teacher educators, supporting preservice teachers to navigate the theoretical and practical tensions of teaching Language Arts through our pedagogies? In this article, we share findings from a collaborative Self-Study of Teacher Education Practice (S-STEP) where we leverage our long-standing relationship as critical friends in research/teaching to examine our teacher education pedagogies in our elementary English Language Arts courses in 2022-2023. Data sources include teaching artifacts (e.g., syllabi, powerpoints, activities) and videorecordings of discussions as we share these artifacts over Zoom. Guided by posthuman perspectives, we consider the non-human and human entities that were a part of our pedagogies. Analysis is currently underway. Preliminary findings suggest a shift from sharing particular practices with each other to a focus on decision-making to support preservice teachers in weighing the desires of teaching practices in literacies as well as diffusing binaries. This article highlights teacher education practices as relational and moving in response to context.

Implementing Cooperative Learning for Sustainable STEM Education in Nigeria: Preservice Science Teachers’ Knowledge and Beliefs

The study investigated preservice science teachers’ (PST) knowledge and beliefs about the implementation of cooperative learning for sustainable science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in Nigeria given that evidence shows that several Nigerian teachers are still unskilled in 21st-century pedagogies. The study sought to determine PSTs’ competencies for implementing cooperative learning in science classrooms, as informed by their knowledge and beliefs about the effectiveness of applying cooperative learning to teach science concepts. Four research questions guided the study. The design of the study is a descriptive survey involving the collection of quantitative data via questionnaires. This research design is appropriate for the present study as it sought to determine the knowledge and beliefs PSTs have about cooperative learning (CL). The study sample was drawn from all the PSTs in the federal tertiary institution (Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka) in Anambra State, Nigeria using the convenience sampling technique. The data for this study were collected electronically using an adapted version of Bouas (1993). The scale’s reliability was determined using the Cronbach alpha technique (α=.73). Percentage, weighted mean, and standard deviation, and one sample t-test were used to analyse the data collected in this study. The study’s findings showed that PSTs in Nigeria were both knowledgeable and held positive beliefs about cooperative learning pedagogy. Based on the study’s findings, implications for the study were discussed.

“It Was Nice To Be Able To Talk to Them Like They Were Family.”: A Mexican American Preservice Teacher’s Testimonio

A large body of scholarship focuses on how to prepare White teachers to teach students of Color and guide them to make sense of their Whiteness. Using testimonio, this article adds diversity to teacher preparation literature and makes space for Kelly, a Mexican American preservice generalist teacher, to share her story. In particular, I highlight how her relationships and language ideology influence her ethnic identity construction while participating in the figured worlds of 1) her family, 2) personal K-12 schooling experience, and 3) pre-service student teaching experiences. Kelly’s testimonio is a call to subvert monoglossic language ideologies, value translanguaging, and ultimately prepare PSTs with the self-reflexive capacity to engage in linguistically responsive and sustaining pedagogy.