Preservice Teacher Preparation Research Articles

Pre-service Social Sciences Teachers’ Reflections on a Teacher Preparation Program

The need for quality education in South Africa and beyond encourages research that interrogates the preparation of pre-service teachers and their ability to teach in the classroom after graduation. This qualitative paper focuses on the reflections of final year pre-service Social Sciences teachers in a South African public university. Gibbs’ reflective cycle is used as a lens. We used open-ended questions to gather data from 19 pre service Social Sciences teachers to explore their preparedness and readiness to teach in future. The research process constituted two phases. Phase one was implemented from 10 February 2020 to 9 March 2020 and phase two occurred in July 2020. Phase two was necessitated by the negative educational implications of COVID-19. Findings indicated that the participants faced challenges pertaining to content knowledge, which was aggravated by the introduction of online learning due to COVID-19. Despite these challenges, participants remained resilient and optimistic toward the teaching profession. Deducing from their voices, we recommend clarification of content in Social Sciences core subjects of History and Geography. Balanced tuition for content knowledge and pedagogy is recommended. Ongoing professional development is needed for academic advisors concerning subject specifications and for lecturers to empower them about remote teaching, communication, and technological skills to improve teaching and learning. Regular monitoring by the teaching and learning unit in the faculty is required to identify challenges and to intervene where necessary. The varied challenges of online learning also warrant the equipping of students with the necessary resources to facilitate learning.

Field Experiences, Mentoring, and Preservice Early Childhood Teachers’ Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Beliefs

In this study relationships between preservice early childhood teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and their mentor teachers’ mentoring were examined. Quantitative research method was used in the study by the using multivariate data collections. The Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) was administered to 96 pre-service teachers and mentor teachers. Time spent teaching and observing science was recorded also recorded by participants by the using time trackers. The Mentoring for Effective Science Teaching (MEST) instrument measured perceptions of the teachers’ mentoring activities, including modeling and feedback. Correlational analyses estimated the relationship between the preservice and mentor teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, beliefs and time spent teaching, and beliefs and modeling and feedback. The findings suggest that mentor teachers play an important role in the preparation of preservice teachers, and that this role is particularly true for those mentors with higher science teaching self-efficacy beliefs. It also showed that how teaching practices have significant roles while preparing future teachers. For teacher education program could be pay attention to teaching practices while giving a decision for choosing mentor teachers. For future researchers may also look at the different sections of mentoring practices and their impacts on preservice teacher’s teaching skills.

Integrating Virtual Reality Into a PETE Methods Course

An emerging issue in many physical education teacher education programs across the country is the limited pedagogical knowledge and hands on teaching experience of pre-service teachers going into any early clinical setting. Due to the lack of experience and knowledge, pre-service teachers may not be successful when given the opportunity to provide instruction. This in turn impacts their development and confidence as an instructor early in their career. Implementing a three-dimensional virtual reality experience to supplement an early field experience is a nontraditional way to approach the preparation of pre-service teachers.

Pathways to a Knowledge Society: A Proposal for a Hierarchical Model for Measuring Digital Literacy Among Israeli pre-service Teachers

This paper presents the results of an empirical study on validation of performance statements for an inventory of the digital literacy skills required for learning. These skills are used to determine digital readiness of pre-service teachers. The paper reports on validation of an adjusted set of 54 performance statements which were categorized into seven digital learning domains. The seven digital learning domains were validated based on structural equation modelling which was then confirmed by factor analysis using AMOS software. The results of the analysis indicate the existence of a multi-layered model where all digital learning domains are positively connected to each other. Our findings therefore suggest a strong statistical validity of the performance statement inventory. The findings also point to the fact that pre-service teachers are in a transit phase from digital immigrants to digital natives. That, in the context of Covid-19 pandemic, implies the need to invest in appropriate preparation and training of pre-service teachers to teach in an online environment. The inventory for measuring digital literacy can be used to assess teachers’ digital readiness on a regular basis, thereby enabling them to adjust the teaching materials and pedagogy to achieve the required level of digital readiness, as defined by the school.

Examining STEM Teaching at the Intersection of Informal and Formal Spaces: Exploring Science Pre-service Elementary Teacher Preparation

ABSTRACT There is a growing emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education focused learning spaces vis-à-vis science education in the US public schools. These STEM learning spaces mostly take place in informal learning spaces such as STEM makerspace, coding academies, and STEM camps. With this emphasis, teachers teaching science in elementary grades may find themselves being asked to teach in STEM focused learning spaces that lay outside of their areas of expertise in science teaching to teach STEM concepts and skills (e.g., computational thinking, 3-D Modeling, TinkerCAD). This problem is further compounded by the fact that many informal spaces (e.g., STEM makerspaces) are now being integrated into formal school structures and schedules. This paper shares findings by examining the preparation of elementary pre-service teachers for teaching in one informal space—a STEM makerspace. We used an exploratory qualitative design method and share results that indicate including preparation in informal STEM teaching may be beneficial in one elementary teacher preparation program.

Case study of synchronous and asynchronous class operations in a non-face-to-face environment: Focused on the Pre-service teacher preparation course

본 연구는 COVID-19 이후, 비대면 환경에서 실시간과 비실시간 수업을 운영하기 위한 구체적인 교수설계 내용을 제시하였다. 특히, 비대면 환경에서 교수-학습 상호작용을 높이기 위한 전략을 제공하고, 강의법과 토의법의 혼합 교수방법을 적용한 수업 사례를 제시하였다. 연구 결과를바탕으로 한 논의점은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 비대면 환경에서의 수업을 효과적으로 운영하기 위해서는 교수자의 역할이 변화되어야 한다. 온라인 환경의 경우, 학습자의 개인적 조절감, 상호작용등의 요소를 즉각적으로 인지하기 어렵기 때문에 반응적 교수에 대한 역할이 강조되어야 한다. 둘째, 비대면 환경에서 토의법을 적용한 수업이 성공적으로 이루어지기 위해서는 실시간과 비실시간 수업 모두 교수자의 피드백이 필수적으로 지원되어야 한다. 피드백은 학습자의 수행에 대한격려이자 긍정적인 학습경험을 심어줄 수 있기 때문에 학습 활동을 촉진시킬 수 있다. 셋째, 학습관리시스템(LMS)을 활용한 다양한 학습활동이 권장될 필요가 있다. 비대면 환경에서는 교수-학습 상황에 대한 즉시성이 떨어지기 때문에 학습에 대한 사전 안내와 퀴즈, 과제, 토론 등 다양한학습 활동을 계획할 필요가 있다. 이를 통해 학습자 스스로가 자신이 학습 상황에 있다는 것을인지시켜줄 수 있어야 의미있는 학습경험이 될 수 있다. 본 연구는 COVID-19 이후의 비대면환경에서 수업 운영을 위한 구체적인 사례를 제공했다는 점에서 의의를 갖는다.

Preparing student teachers for real classrooms through virtual vicarious experiences of critical incidents during remote practicum: A meaningful-experiential learning perspective.

The Covid-19 pandemic has precipitated dramatic changes in education systems around the world and pre-service teacher preparation programs have been notably impacted by the associated difficulties and constraints. Due to lockdown of universities and schools, practicum placements had to shift from in-person to virtual learning environments. However, being a practical classroom activity, practicum posed particular challenges that prompted teacher educators to make adjustments in their pedagogical strategies to meet the course requirements. The present study reports on the first cycle of an action research project undertaken to respond to the practicum crisis caused by the Covid-19 restrictions. Conducted with eleven practicum students, this research investigated whether engaging student teachers in vicarious experiences of critical incidents through Kolb’s experiential learning cycle via a collaborative virtual application could create meaningful learning. The results indicated that the intervention process had the characteristics of active, constructive, authentic, intentional, and collaborative, and as well it led to improvements in practicum students’ domain-specific knowledge and skills. Despite a few number of concerns raised, which will be utilized to refine the future implementations of the first action plan, the practicum students reported that this experience supported them during remote practicum and contributed positively to their development. Drawing on the results of the study, a series of rationales for the use of virtual vicarious experiences of critical incidents during Covid-19 and beyond are provided.

Preparing Preservice Teachers to Implement Art-Viewing Experiences for Young Children

Several preservice teachers are scattered on the floor, looking anxiously at parents and their babies as they come into the room. This is their first day at an urban community center in Ohio, where...

“I Quit!”: White Privilege, White Fragility, and White-Hot Rage: A Poetic Response in Five Acts

This work consists of five narrative poems that correspond to five moments, Acts, related to a lesson about institutional racism and White privilege, presented to preservice teachers, via Zoom. That White privilege, White fragility, and institutional racism exist is well established, as is the necessity of commitment to preparing preservice teachers for cultural competence and responsiveness. Therefore, the poetry is presented without a literature review, in an effort to highlight the layered tensions of the author’s lived experience, the precarious positionality of tenure-track faculty, and the potential consequences of choices made, to teach (or not) controversial content.

Exploring preservice teacher self-reported and enacted TPACK after participating in a learning activity types short course

Preparing preservice teachers to teach effectively with digital technologies and media (DTM) is at the heart of initial teacher preparation as digital access continues to increase throughout society. The development of preservice teacher technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is important in order to create DTM-rich instruction. This study investigated preservice teacher self-reported and enacted TPACK after participating in learning activity types short courses, and the relationship between preservice teacher perceptions and observed practice. Data collection occurred using a pre-post self-report survey and preservice teacher lesson plans collected before and after short course implementation in two educational technology courses. Results from structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis indicated no significant differences in preservice teacher self-reported technological content knowledge (TCK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), and TPACK, significant differences in preservice teacher enacted TCK, TPK, and TPACK, and no significant relationship between preservice teacher self-reported and enacted TPACK.

Writing-to-Learn in Elementary Classrooms: A National Survey of U.S. Teachers

We contacted a random sample of 900 elementary teachers (grades K-5) in the United States to inquire about their use of writing to support students’ learning of classroom content or concepts. Characteristics (i.e., grade level, public v. private school, school locale, school enrollment) of the 150 teachers who responded to our survey were not statistically different from the entire sample surveyed. More than two-thirds (67%) of responding teachers reported receiving minimal to no college preparation on how to use writing to support their students’ learning. Although at least one-half reported using 30 of the 50 writing-to-learn activities included on the survey in at least one subject area, there were subject area differences. Teachers reported using a significantly greater number of writing-to-learn activities in English/language Arts (ELA) than in math, science, or social studies classes (all p < .001) and a significantly greater number of writing-to-learn activities in science compared to math (p < .01). The most commonly reported writing-to-learn activities involved little writing and little critical thinking or analysis. We further found that increases in teachers’ grade level and educational level were associated with increased use of writing-to-learn activities in all subject areas. Teachers’ beliefs about the use of writing to support learning in different subject areas was a significant predictor (p < .01) of their use of writing-to-learn activities in math and social studies, while their perceptions of having the skills and resources to use writing-to-learn predicted their increased use of writing activities in ELA and math (p < .05). Finally, we found that teachers commonly used best practices to directly teach their students to use writing-to-learn strategies. We discuss implications of our findings for both pre-service and in-service teacher preparation as well as classroom practice.

Teaching Foreign Languages Inclusively: Standards for Teacher Competence

Introduction. The adequate professional and psychological-methodology training of teachers is of major importance in teaching a foreign language to learners who have health impairment. In spite of the numeral works published in Russia and abroad which cover various aspects of this problem the given article is the first to do the detailed analysis of teachers’ survey in order to reveal the knowledge, competences and skills necessary for their effective work in inclusive classes. The aim of the article is to develop a teacher training/retraining programme, which is based on the state professional educator standard and able to make teachers ready to work with learners who have health impairment. Materials and Methods. Methodology of the research represented is a combination of critical overview of works by Russian and foreign authors, other relative materials and detailed analysis of the results obtained through query of university and school teachers which was necessary for working out a relative teacher training programme that will make them ready to work in inclusive classes. 30 teachers took part in the survey. Results. As a final product of the research done on the basis of accurate analysis of theoretical resources and results of the survey a conceptual framework of teacher’s knowledge and skills necessary for effective work in inclusive class was developed by the authors. They also produced a teacher training programme, criteria and forms for assessing teacher’s acquisition of the programme being included. Discussion and Conclusion. The teacher training course developed by the authors is the relative contribution to the development of Psychology and Pedagogy of teaching foreign languages. It is essential that the programme is a model that can be adapted according to the interests of a potential target audience of educators. The course should help reshape the general competences as defined by the existing standard of teacher training so as to build up specific skills pertaining to teaching SEN learners inclusively. It should be an integral part of contemporary teacher pre-service preparation.

Preparing Pre-Service Teachers to Use Visual Representations as Strategy to Solve Mathematics Problems: What Did They Learn?

Recognizing the multiple interacting layers of pedagogical content knowledge, in this article, we present the findings from a study that examined the extent to which participation in case-based instruction about self-generated visual representations (VRs) supported special education pre-service teachers ( N = 25) in enhancing their (a) knowledge of VRs, specifically what and how to teach, as a strategy for solving mathematics problems, and (b) applied instructional practices, specifically analysis of student knowledge and instructional planning, about VRs for students with disabilities (SWDs) to solve mathematics problems. The data revealed that case-based instruction about VRs in a special education mathematics methods course enriched pre-service teachers personal understanding about VRs and their ability to target SWDs learning needs regarding VRs. Implications for pre-service teacher preparation and research are provided.

Working in Solidarity: An Intersectional Self-Study Methodology as a Means to Inform Social Justice Teacher Education

ABSTRACT In this article, we critically analyze our experiences in preparing pre-service teachers (PSTs) to teach for social justice. We utilized an intersectional lens to identify and validate our different positionalities and pedagogies. It is this interplay of validating our differences and commonalities that enabled us to form a sense of solidarity in our efforts to nurture our students’ critical consciousness. Through our collective engagement with intersectionality and self-study methodology, we co-constructed a common ground of what social justice teaching meant to us and how we navigated the highly personal, messy, and often contradictory experiences of engaging in this work with students. From this process, we uncovered three themes from our self-study: 1) curriculum is a living entity; 2) teaching is personal and vulnerable, and 3) co-teaching and collaboration invigorates us to keep practicing our social justice orientation.

Teacher education and inclusive education in Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to analyse the factors enabling or inhibiting the preparation of pre-service teachers for the practice of inclusive education in schools by Kazakhstani pedagogical/teacher training universities/colleges. A generic qualitative research study was conducted during which data were collected through one-on-one interviews with teacher educators and focus group interviews with pre-service teachers. Documentary analysis of participating pedagogical universities/colleges was done to corroborate data collected during interviews. Data were collected in five pre-service teacher training institutions of Kazakhstan situated in Nur-sultan, Pavlodar and Almaty cities. Three pedagogical universities and two colleges participated in the study. In each university/college, five teacher educators were interviewed, and a focus group of five students who were enrolled in a teacher training program. Data were analysed using inductive thematic content analysis. Among the main findings was that Kazakhstani pedagogical universities do not have a coherent and well-articulated strategy for pre-service teacher preparation for inclusion, i.e. development of inclusive programs, courses and curricula. The pre-service teacher practicum will require exposing pre-service teachers to dealing with an inclusive classroom setting. It is therefore recommended that teacher training institutions prioritise the training of teacher educators and develop specialised courses on inclusive education.

Philosophy of Education in a New Key: exploring new ways of teaching and doing ethics in education in the 21st century

Within the rough ground that is the field of education there is a complex web of ethical obligations: to prepare our students for their future work; to be ethical as educators in our conduct and teaching; to the ethical principles embedded in the contexts in which we work; and given the Southern context of this work, the ethical obligations we have to this land and its First Peoples. We put out a call to colleagues whose work has been concerned with the pedagogies of professional ethics, the ethical burdens of institutional injustice, and the application of ethical theory to education’s applied fields. In the responses we received it can be seen that ethical concerns in education are broad ranging, covering terrain varying from the preparation of preservice teachers, ethics in higher education, early childhood and care, educational leadership, relational and communicative ethics. Perhaps it could also be argued that this paper demonstrates Gibbon’s observation that ‘Assumptions about the particularity of this time as new and ripe with opportunity to make a difference through philosophy of education are not new and there’s much to learn from the persistence of wanting to imagine that they are’ (in Peters et al., 2020, p. 17). However, while the field of ethics is perennially concerned with human relations and pedagogical interventions to improve these, the responses collected here show that educational ethics is far from static. Educational ethics is a field that continues to develop in response to changing contexts.

IN-SERVICE TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR PRE-SERVICE ART EDUCATION PROGRAM IN UGANDA

This research aimed to determine IVATs’ perceptions of the effectiveness of their pre-service visual arts program in equipping them with the professional skills needed in VA teaching. Prompted by the persistent complaints about the teachers’ lack of competencies that they should have acquired during their pre-service art teacher preparation, it specifically examined the VAC focusing on content, teaching methods, resources and assessment in VA and their relationship to the content gap IVATs are observing in VA teaching at the secondary school level. A qualitative approach was used to solicit participants’ views about the effectiveness of their pre-service teacher education. The research was supported by the constructivist and interpretive philosophies which offer IVATs as well as tutors with the opportunity to construct their knowledge through social interaction, communication, and inquiry learning. The research was carried out at Makerere University-School of Education, which was conveniently selected because all the IVATs who participated in this research were students in this University. The researchers used a probabilistic sampling technique which uses a simple random sampling. A lottery method was used to select the desired number of 30 out of the 42 IVATs in total. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 5 focus groups of second and third year IVATs. Findings revealed that there was inadequate content coverage, less use of active teaching methods, and concentration on summative assessment. The researchers recommended that the M.o.E.S together with NTCs restructure the VAC to allow adequate content coverage, use of active teaching methods and use of formative assessment for they equip the learners with knowledge and skills required in VA teaching. Keywords: in-service visual arts teachers, constructivism, qualitative research, visual arts education

Supporting Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Professional Judgment Around Digital Technology Use

The pervasiveness of digital technology creates an imperative for mathematics teacher educators to prepare preservice teachers (PSTs) to select technology to support students’ mathematical development. We report on research conducted on an assignment created for and implemented in secondary mathematics methods courses requiring PSTs to select and evaluate digital mathematics tools. We found that PSTs primarily focused on pedagogical fidelity (ease of use), did not consider mathematical fidelity (accuracy), and at times superficially attended to cognitive fidelity (how well the tool reflects students’ mathematical thinking processes) operationalized as the CCSS for Mathematical Practice and Five Strands of Mathematical Proficiency. We discuss implications for implementing the assignment and suggestions for addressing PSTs’ challenges with identifying the mathematical practices and five strands.

A Qualitative Exploration of Preservice Teachers’ Preparation to Use Assistive Technology in Saudi Arabia

Preparing future teachers for assistive technology (AT) usage is essential for effective and appropriate teaching of students with disabilities. Teacher preparation to use AT in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is still not thorough and has been linked to teachers’ lack of AT use with students. Thus, in this study, a qualitative approach was employed to explore preservice teacher preparation to use AT. Utilizing a qualitative survey questionnaire, data were collected from 32 participants from two Saudi universities. Three major themes from the data were obtained for this study: (a) teacher preparation, (b) learning experiences, and (c) perceived needs. The findings revealed a significant paucity of learning experiences regarding AT usage, AT courses, and AT practices, with the participants indicating a pressing need for prior practicum training.

FORMATION OF THE SKILLS OF EDUCATION SELF-ORGANIZATION OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS OF CHOREOGRAPHIC COURSE OF STUDY: PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES AND CONDITIONS

The article deals with the issue of improving the preparation of pre-service teachers of choreographic course of study for the independent arrangement of their educational activities in the process of professional education. The author defines that the ability to self-organization is one of the key competencies of pre-service teachers, which is based on the skills of educational self-organization. With these skills, students gain the opportunity to effectively plan, diagnose, monitor, adjust and evaluate their learning and its effectiveness. The paper substantiates the essence of the concept of «skills of educational self-organization» and discloses its content, taking into account the specifics of special disciplines and the nature of educational (scientific-theoretical, methodological, creative-interpretive, pedagogical, ballet-master, artistic and performing) activities of pre-service teachers-choreographers. Focusing on the current trends in the increase in the number of academic hours planned for independent work, and the gradual transition in the training of specialists to distance and mixed forms of education, the article emphasizes the importance of developing and applying special pedagogical principles and conditions for organizing vocational education of students-choreographers based on educational self-organization and self-education. It has been determined that scientific principles underlie the study of pedagogical theories, processes and phenomena and guide the strategy of their development. In the context of the formation of the skills of educational self-organization of pre-service teacher of choreographic course of study, expedient pedagogical principles are determined: the principle of personal-semantic coordination, the principle of professional self-presentation, the principle of personalization of training. It is indicated that the developed special pedagogical conditions can create favorable circumstances in the educational process for achieving the set goal. Effective pedagogical conditions for the successful formation of the skills of educational self-organization of pre-service teacher of choreographic course of study are: activation of students’ motivation for independent activity, support for the initiative of self-education of future specialists, ensuring the development of the volitional sphere of students.