Preservice Teacher Preparation Research Articles

Participant Chinese teacher and student perceptions of an international teaching practicum with Australian pre-service teachers

ABSTRACT Insights into local Chinese teacher and student views of an international teaching practicum with Australian pre-service teachers are the focus of this paper. A qualitative content analysis was undertaken on teacher and student accounts captured through individual interviews with four teachers and questionnaire survey with 186 students. The paper uncovers how teachers and students perceived what they experienced in the practice of intercultural communication on teaching and learning. Emphasised in the analysis is the importance of situating discussions within the Chinese social cultural context, acknowledging the influence of traditional Chinese cultural values and educational conceptions on their teaching and learning practice. The findings reveal meaningful insights into intercultural comprehension involving teaching strategies, learning content and assessment and classroom management. The study’s findings highlighted that this international teaching practicum was a beneficial and valuable experience for participant Chinese students and teachers. The study also highlighted a potential gap in the preparation of Australian pre-service teachers and the Chinese students and Chinese teachers, regarding culturally specific and culturally aware competencies.

Classroom management practices commonly used by secondary school teachers: results from a Queensland survey

A preventative approach to classroom management is associated with increases in student engagement and improved teacher well-being. However, research indicates that many teachers use predominantly reactive practices, aimed at controlling student behaviour. Queensland state secondary school teachers (N = 587) were surveyed about the classroom management practices they most often used to prevent and respond to unproductive student behaviours in their classrooms. Findings indicated that teachers mainly relied on practices to establish expectations, practices from the Essential Skills for Classroom Management professional development resource, and practices which sanction students for behavioural infractions. There were, however, also encouraging indications that teachers try to prevent unproductive behaviour by fostering student engagement in learning activities while addressing misbehaviour in low-key ways. Implications for pre-service teacher preparation and ongoing professional development are discussed.

Teacher Educators' Appropriation of TPACK-SAMR Models for 21st Century Pre-Service Teacher Preparation

The study examined how teacher educators are appropriating technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) and substitution, augmentation, modification, redefinition (SAMR) frameworks in their pre-service teacher preparation programmes. To ensure rigor, quality, and preparedness of pre-service teachers, there is a need to articulate expectations around effective use of these frameworks together with contemporary teaching and learning theories at the pre-service teacher preparation level. One-on-one in-depth interviews and participant observations were conducted with eight (8) teacher educators. The findings revealed that teacher educators are appropriating technology in ways harmonious with their prevalent traditional teacher-centred teaching strategies at enhancement levels. The researchers recommend the adoption of technology integration frameworks and teaching and learning theory at policy making levels in pre-service teacher training institutions.

활동·사료·탐구 중심 역사 수업을 견인하는 교사 요인 탐색

The innovation in teaching and learning history has been a long sought goal. With recent educational policies emphasizing learner-centered learning combined with efforts from outstanding master teachers, we have been witnessing several noticeable reforms in classroom history instruction over the past decade. However, it is hard to assume that these innovations are widespread. In bringing transfomations to history classrooms, more studies focus on teacher factors nowadays. With a goal to investigate how these teacher factors relate to lesson transformations, this study interviewed 24 middle school history teachers on their ideas about three teacher factors known to have effects on lesson planing and enactment: teaching experiences, teacher’s perspective on history as a discipline, and teacher’s perspective on history as subject matter. The study found that middle school history teachers recognized that teaching experience was closely linked to the increase in teachers’ knowledge on students as learners of history. This knowledge aspect asssociated with teaching experience could help foster more effective history teachers in pre-service teacher preparation period. The study also found that teachers often thought that history as a discipline and history as subject matter had more differences than commonalities; further they anticipated that history as subject matter needs more distance from the discipline. Teachers’ perspectives towards subject matter affect lesson planning and enactment; therefore, further studies are called for the analysis how these perspectives originated and how these can enhance history instruction.

Helping Pre-Service Student Teachers Develop Teaching Skills in English Proficiency Courses in an EFL Teacher Education Program: A Phenomenological Study

Teacher education programs seek to equip EFL pre-service student teachers with pedagogical and teaching skills. Existing research showed that pre-service teacher preparation programs deliver pedagogical knowledge and teaching skills in the form of courses focusing on pedagogy and teaching, demonstrative classes, and teaching practicums. However, sometimes this is not enough to prepare EFL teachers well. This fact has made some teacher preparation programs to explore other alternatives. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of 10 EFL teacher educators and 10 pre-service EFL student teachers about the development of English teaching skills in courses meant to develop English proficiency in a pre-service EFL teacher education program at a public university in Nicaragua. Data were collected utilizing structured interviews, document analysis, and classroom observations. Findings demonstrated that English proficiency courses are an excellent source to help pre-service student teachers develop pedagogical and didactic knowledge. To achieve that, EFL teacher educators provide student teachers with a didactic explanation of teaching strategies they use to teach English skills. Student teachers, on the other hand, keep a record of those explanations in a diary with their reflections about the effectiveness of teaching and learning strategies. Student teachers are given opportunities to teach their classmates demo classes using some of the strategies or activities their professors used. Student teachers found this way of acquiring teaching skills challenging but useful. In the beginning, they feel nervous; however, as they progress, they get used to that integrated learning approach. Finally, participants said that the pedagogical diaries created by student teachers are used not only in demo lessons but also in their teaching practicum as well as when student teachers teach for the first time in schools.

“I Gotta Touch that?” Attitudes and Self-Efficacy of Pre-Service Teachers Regarding Scary or Disgusting Science

This study focused on our teaching efforts in regard to preparing preservice teachers to one day teach children about ecological concepts that many find scary or disgusting. Specifically, we examined the attitudes these preservice teachers had towards certain invertebrates. These attitudes were compared to their self-efficacy towards teaching about them. A multiple case study design was used, involving both qualitative and quantitative data. Participants were categorized as having positive, neutral, or negative attitudes towards the invertebrates and activities. Self-efficacy for participants’ perceived ability to teach these concepts were categorized as high, medium, or low. Correlations were run to examine relationships between variables of attitudes and self-efficacy. Participants demonstrated more negative than positive reactions towards the invertebrates. Positive correlations between attitudes towards invertebrates and their self-efficacy towards teaching about them were found. This indicates that if we want future teachers to be comfortable teaching about the scary and disgusting aspects of an ecosystem, we need to find ways to help them improve their attitudes towards those aspects of the outdoors.

“Danger of a single story”: Pre-service teachers’ of color use of an online discussion board to discuss the essentialization of culture

AbstractThe current demographic gap that exists between a predominantly white and female teacher force and an increasing diverse K-12 student population has prompted a focus on the recruitment and retainment of teachers of color. These recruitment and retainment efforts at times come at “the expense of preparation” (Gist, 2014, p. 266). Further, education scholars have critiqued teacher education due to the exclusion of the voices and experiences of pre-service teachers of color (Sleeter & Thao, 2007; Takimoto Amos, 2016). With the goal of improving the preparation of pre-service teachers of color, this article offers a concrete pedagogical strategy to build on the cultural and linguistic resources of pre-service teachers of color. In addition, the authors discuss how pre-service teachers of color enrolled in Diversity in Education course responded to the TED TalkDanger of a Single Story(Adiche, 2009). In response to the prompt “What do you wish people really knew about your identity”, three themes were illuminated: 1 – Resisting Essentializing, and Racializing Discourses, 2 – Hybrid Identities, 3 – Solidarity, and Community Building. The authors discuss how constructivist learning and culturally responsive pedagogies should be utilized to build equitable teacher education programs for all pre-service teachers. Additionally, best practices, recommendations, and strategies are included for the use of the online discussion boards as productive sites for critical thought.

Partnerships in mathematics and science teacher preparation in Zimbabwe

<p class="ABS-C">Research evidence indicates that collaborative partnerships among stakeholders develop strong sense of ownership, interest and commitment, which promotes successful programme implementation. Research evidence also supports that loose partnerships adversely affect programme implementation. This study sought to explore the nature of partnerships among teacher education stakeholders in the pre–service Diploma in Education programme, offered at Teachers’ College S which is an associate of the University of Zimbabwe. Interviews with mentor teachers, pre-service teachers on attachment teaching practice/practicum, and head teachers were used to generate and collect data. Findings revealed existence of collaborative partnerships among Teachers’ College S, schools and the University of Zimbabwe. However, most mentor teachers expressed concern on absence of a policy guiding their operations. Recommendations to strengthen collaborative partnerships in pre–service teacher preparation were made.</p>

Training Special Education Teachers through Computer Simulations: Promoting Understanding of the Experiences of Students with Disabilities

In increasingly diverse schools, teachers are challenged to effectively instruct students with a wide range of disabilities. Yet, preservice training and hands on experience in instructing students with disabilities are limited; many new teachers report a lack of sufficient training in working with diverse students. Frequent opportunities for practice are important in successfully preparing preservice teachers; however, budget and time constraints make ample opportunities for practice difficult. Simulations can provide a safe and controlled environment for teachers to engage in frequent practice and receive immediate feedback. The simulations in this article cover a wide variety of disabilities that educators could encounter with students in the classroom. These simulations can help raise empathy, awareness, and improve student-teacher relationships while helping teachers create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning for all students.

You Are Not Alone: Pre-Service Teachers’ Exploration of Ethics and Responsibility in a Compulsory Indigenous Education Subject

Aunty Mary Graham, Kombu-merri elder and philosopher, says: "You are not alone in the world." We have a responsibility to each other, as well as to the land; and violence is the refusal of this relationship that binds us (Rose). In this paper, I use Emannuel Levinas’s ethics as first philosophy and epistemological violence to consider how non-Indigenous educators come to know Indigenous people. In his philosophy, Levinas presents a paradox: that to act as if one is a free being, as first philosophy, is to ignore that one is not alone in the world and that the presence of others evokes responsibility. However, to claim to know another is to bring them into one’s totality, one’s knowledge framework; an act of reducing another to who you think they are. We must find a new relationship to knowledge, one that is not based on possession. For non-Indigenous educators learning about teaching Indigenous students and perspectives in schools, much of the curricular material draws on the corpus of knowledge constructed by non-Indigenous researchers, politicians, and professionals about Indigenous people (Nakata, Cultural Interface). This material is already bound by others' interests and motivations. How can non-Indigenous educators engage with Indigenous peoples, histories and knowledges in a way that foregrounds the responsibility that our entanglement prompts? In this paper, I present data from my research into pre-service teachers undertaking a compulsory university subject in Indigenous education, where the pre-service teachers wrote weekly reflective learning journals. This data is drawn primarily from the end of the semester, where students reflected on what their learning would mean as they moved into future practice. I explore the role of responsibility in regards to the ethical violence that Levinas discusses.

Sticking points: Sites for developing capacity to enact socially just instruction

Preparing preservice teachers (PSTs) to enact socially just instruction, especially in fieldwork contexts, remains a challenging, understudied goal addressed by this research. Analysis of data from two qualitative studies reveals how Daybook conversations served as pedagogical and discursive spaces that helped PSTs negotiate conflicts, or sticking points, which emerged in their fieldwork. Their rehearsals during these conversations enabled PSTs to create space for instructional experimentation to enact socially just instruction. The article offers possibilities for modeling with and for PSTs how their teaching can work to disrupt systems of inequity across relationships, diverse teaching contexts, and time.

Chemistry Education in Kosovo: Issues, Challenges and Time for Action

Although several reforms have shifted the direction of education, a debate on the strengths and limitations of science education in Kosovo has not yet been initiated. The present article analyses the development of chemistry education in Kosovo and encourages questions that could shape science education practices in general. In particular, the article analyses the pre-university chemistry curriculum in Kosovo over the years, as well as examining chemistry teacher education programmes. The analysis is based on descriptive research of data and document analysis. The multidimensional analysis of the issues and challenges of chemistry education will provide recommendations for future research on chemistry education and chemistry teaching practices in order to make chemistry education and the pre-university chemistry curriculum relevant to the context of Kosovo. As pre-university education curricula, especially the curriculum for the natural sciences, and the preparation of both pre-service and in-service teachers in Kosovo are considered challenging, a firm conclusion for actions has not been reached. Nevertheless, the article seeks to spark a debate in the field.

Developing Pre-Service Teachers’ Skills in Post-Secondary Transition Through Applied Practice

The need for special educators who can support students with disabilities in the transition to adulthood is well documented in the literature. In this article, we will report on the program improvement efforts by one university to embed more evidence-based transition practices into their pre-service teacher preparation program with the support of a state personnel development grant. Key aspects of the program revision will be outlined and accompanied by online resources for faculty to utilize when seeking to improve their special education preparation program in the area of post-secondary transition. The pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the impact of the revision are included in the discussion; along with suggestions for future directions, research, and work in rural areas.

Becoming Inquirers: A Review of Research on Inquiry Methods in Literacy Preservice Teacher Preparation

ABSTRACT Inquiry models of teaching and learning have a long history in education. With a focus on contemporary (2000–2018) empirical research, this systematic review of literature focuses on the question: What is known about how inquiry is used and framed in literacy preservice teacher preparation? Findings suggest that inquiry is an effective tool for preservice teacher learning, and although there are challenges (i.e. time, resources, preservice teachers’ preconceived ideas about curriculum, and curricular constraints), preservice teachers can learn to enact inquiry-based teaching methods with transformative possibilities.

Perceived Workplace Experiences of Adapted Physical Educators and Physical Educators

ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the workplace experiences of physical education and adapted physical education teachers while also considering biological sex. Role socialization theory was used as a guiding lens. Method: Participants included 653 teachers (women = 382) who taught physical education (n = 420) or adapted physical education (n = 233). Five instruments were used to examine workplace experiences regarding: (a) marginalization and isolation, (b) two elements of perceived mattering, (c) three role stressors, (d) resilience, and (e) emotional exhaustion. Group comparisons were analyzed using a 2 × 2 (discipline x biological sex) factorial MANCOVA while including years of teaching experience as a covariate. Results: No significant interaction effect between teacher group and biological sex was detected; however, there were significant main effects of teacher group, F(9,640) = 19.49, p < .001; Wilk’s Λ = .79, partial-η2 = .22, and of biological sex, F(9,640) = 2.81, p < .01; Wilk’s Λ = .96, partial-η2 = .04, on the dependent variables. Significant follow-up univariate tests showed that the adapted physical education teachers perceived less marginalization, less isolation, more perceived mattering, and less emotional exhaustion than the physical education teachers. Women from both groups felt significantly more role overload when compared to the men. Conclusion: Collectively, these findings both relate to and extend role socialization theory in explaining how adapted physical education teachers are socialized through the workplace in comparison to their physical education counterparts. Practical implications for preservice and inservice teacher preparation and future research directions are discussed.

Using Teaching Rehearsals to Prepare Preservice Teachers for Explanation-Driven Science Instruction

ABSTRACTWithin two sections of science methods for elementary and middle-school teachers, an embedded, multi-case study design was employed to explore whether teaching rehearsals would better prepare preservice teachers (PSTs) to implement explanation-driven science instruction. A teaching rehearsal allows PSTs to practice teaching a segment of their lesson and receive in the moment feedback and an opportunity to redo instruction before implementing a lesson with children. One section (or case) engaged in a teaching rehearsal before implementing their first science lesson in their field experience classroom. They practiced how to support children with organizing, analyzing, and interpreting data, introduce the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) framework, and guide students through the process of constructing a scientific explanation. The other section (or case) did not engage in a teaching rehearsal. All PSTs in the teaching rehearsal group were able to successfully engage students in a sense-making discussion to identify patterns in the data, introduce the CER framework, and support students in collaboratively forming a claim as well as multiple pieces of evidence. These findings are contrary to the non-teaching rehearsal group where an in-depth discussion of the data occurred when providing evidence to support a claim. As a result, some inaccurate or incomplete claims were constructed and supported by vague evidence. Both groups struggled to support students through the process of constructing a reasoning statement that fully justified the claim and evidence. These results demonstrate that teaching rehearsals help prepare PSTs to implement several aspects of an explanation-driven science lesson.

Eliciting Students’ Voices Through STEM Career Explorations

This multiple case study elicited the voices of four 8th grade students, from a rural, low-income school district, who participated in STEM career explorations during their science class. Based on students’ written reflections during career explorations, interviews, and from field notes, we analyzed the ways students talked about their lives and experiences as they explored STEM-related careers, reflected upon the influences in their lives, and considered their futures. Students drew upon their interests and dispositions, primarily through home-based experiences, and often in spite of negative messages at school. Students aspired to live and work in their rural community, make their families proud, and sought financial stability in a career they would enjoy. Findings highlight the importance of out of school learning for these students, the important role of their families, and the prevalence of negative and racialized school experiences that often undermined students’ potential. In many ways, students held perceptions reflective of racial and gender stereotypes about who is successful in STEM, which influenced their aspirations. This study provides examples of how constructs from the expectancy-value theory are operationalized—particularly with regard to cultural and social experiences—through the voices of these rural students. The findings from this study lead to a number of recommendations related to university outreach efforts into rural communities, culturally relevant teacher professional development and pre-service teacher preparation, and dissemination to support others and draw insight from underserved students’ lives when undertaking steps to promote their futures.

Empowering Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers with Tech Fluency

Many early childhood pre-service teachers will bring some experience with technology into college which may include word processing, gaming, and social media. Some will have a knowledge of block or html programming.Working adult students often bring less experience. Technology in a 21st century elementary classroom integrates technology tools intentionally and ethically. Teachers need to be able to adapt to new technologies and coding languages quickly. Teachers need to embrace the interdisciplinary nature of Science- Technology-Engineering-Mathematics (STEM). A complex myriad of tools and strategies exist. This can seem overwhelming and disconnected from the individual disciplinary goals in the classroom. Pre-service teacher preparation programs must empower pre-service teachers with technology fluency in order to respond to fluid and diverse challenges of the 21st century classroom. This exploratory research project synthesizes pedagogy, international technology standards, peer groups, technology trainings, student evaluations, growth mindset theory, and common readers to reform a small liberal arts college’s approach to early childhood pre-service teacher preparation. The curriculum revision was guided by these questions: 1) How do our pre-service teachers relate to the present and future worlds of themselves and of their students? 2) How can pre-services programs empower early childhood teachers with tech fluency? The exploration involved undergraduate pre-service teachers over a 6-year period. The research resulted in a five-phase approach to educational technology that consists of Play, Learn, Create, Plan, and Share. Pre-service teachers explore technology tools, learn how they work, create innovative robots and projects from the tools, plan curricula that integrate those tools, and develop agency through sharing their thinking, curricula, and projects with the broader educational community. This approach can offer innovative systemic changes in education technology pedagogy.

Rethinking Learning Design: Reconceptualizing the Role of the Learning Designer in Pre-Service Teacher Preparation through a Design-led Approach

Acquisition of twenty-first-century skills is widely regarded as a determinant of future success. Design-thinking approaches are considered effective in acquiring these skills; however, there has been limited research into the usage of design thinking as a pedagogical approach to assist pre-service teachers (PSTs) in student-centered curriculum design and delivery. Research is also limited regarding the role of the learning designer as an external facilitator, contributing to the development of PSTs as design thinkers and the transformation of classroom practices. A comprehensive literature review reveals learning design remains misunderstood, misaligned with the practices of instructional design, and confused by the exponential growth of educational technologies. This study combines research on learning design, teacher self-efficacy, and design-led educational innovation to formulate the Learning DESIGN Model, a conceptual model of how learning designers can assist in the preparation of PSTs to improve students’ acquisition of twenty-first-century skills. The model facilitates the development of design-thinking processes, skills, and mindsets in PSTs to improve their self-efficacy and enable more student-centered approaches toward curriculum design and classroom practice. It is anticipated this will transform PST education, improve student engagement, and encourage in-service teachers to engaging in design thinking as an educational framework.

Implementing Authentic Assessment in EFL Classroom to Prepare Pre-Service Teachers for Curriculum 2013

This article aimed at the role of Authentic Assessment in Implementing In EFL Classroom To Prepare Pre-Service Teachers For Curriculum 2013. Authentic Assessment is a unit that will be the point of discussion in this article. How Authentic Assessment has big influences for understanding and perception of the prospective teacher. Authentic Assessment is an important thing that prospective teacher should understand. This study involves 10 respondents who were students of the 5th semester of English Language Education Program at Universitas Ibn Khaldun. The purpose of this study is to help prospective teacher understanding and prepare about Authentic Assessment. To collect the data the researchers follow some stages, namely filling out the questionnaires, interview, and observation. From the qualitative method, the researcher reported that the respondents’ responses are very diverse. The research findings showed that mostly they do not understand enough what Authentic Assessment is.