Professional Development Of Pre-service Teachers Research Articles

Campus caring from the lens of preservice teachers

ABSTRACT Caring is an important disposition of effective teachers and studies on care at the primary level have been abundantly researched. However, studies from preservice teachers’ points of view relating to lecturers’ caring behaviour are limited. This mixed-method study aims to determine the level of care exhibited by the lecturers and to inquire how lecturers display care from the lens of the preservice teachers. In this sequential explanatory design, data were collected in two phases. In phase one, a survey instrument which was adopted from Garza and Van Overschelde’s Faculty Caring Survey was administered to 250 preservice teachers of an institution of teacher education. In phase two, a focus group discussion was carried out to discover the lecturers’ caring behaviour. The outcome of the survey displayed that the overall mean of care was high, with a Cronbach Alpha of 0.94. The study also revealed that ‘emotional caring’ and ‘academic caring’ emerged as central themes from the focus group discussion. Findings also suggested that caring should be one of the disposition traits of lecturers as it would make an impact on the professional development of preservice teachers as future educators.

예비보건교사가 학교현장실습에서 겪는 어려움에 대한 질적 탐색

The purpose of this study was to explore the difficulties and challenges student teachers of health education in the process of their teaching practicum for one month. The author interviewed nine student teachers of health education in which they practicum in the middle school and high school. The main results were as follows: First, the prospective health education teachers felt gaps between what they learned in the university and teaching practice in their practicum schools; Second, the prospective health education teachers felt limitations in their role as student teachers, both in conducting lessons of health education and providing student guidance; Third, the participants faced challenges in reconciling different educational philosophies between teachers at their practicum schools and fellow prospective health education teachers; Last, while conducting classes at the practicum schools, the participants were engaged in ongoing reflection and inquiry into the issues that teachers inevitably dealt with. The findings suggested several implications to improve school practicum for the professional development of pre-service teachers of health education.

EFL Teachers’ Perceptions of the Challenges of Technology-Based Professional Development

Pre-service teacher professional development could assume an urgent part in raising teaching quality and learning outcomes. Evolving technologies allow for new and different forms of professional development. However, teacher professional development opportunities are limited and outcomes are controversial. In this study, to capture the challenges of a technology-based professional development, the researchers examined teachers’ perceptions of the barriers to technology integration and instructional practices. Three hundred participants were recruited through an online survey- Technology-Based Professional Development Questionnaire. Through employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the researchers analysed the data. The results of the study indicated that the gap between information and the use of technology-based apparatuses was viewed as related with the difficulties confronting teachers with technology-based directions. Technology-literate teachers knew how to integrate their insight into their commonsense instructing and had higher students’ commitment and inspiration. In any case, technology-illiterate teachers had mechanical troubles that reduced their education. A few ramifications can be drawn from the review, for example, the requirement for teacher instruction projects to further develop teacher consciousness of new educational innovative learning strategies, and the significance of giving chances to get computerized proficiency. Our findings have both theoretical and practical implications for pre-and in-service teacher training programs. Based on these discoveries, suggestions for the plan of online professional development and gaps for future examinations are discussed.

Evaluation of teacher professional development program: A review of pre-service English teacher professionalism

The growing need for proficient educators has driven the government to establish extensive Pre-service Teacher Professional Development Programs. This research examined the implementation of the English Language Pre-service Teacher Professional Development Program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang. Employing a field research approach, this qualitative study utilized the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, and Product) model to analyze the program's effectiveness. The study yielded descriptive data, shedding light on the program's impact on participants' professionalism. The findings revealed a significant enhancement in the participants' professional competencies. This improvement is evident in their expanded knowledge of pedagogical content, as well as their heightened skills in preparing all facets related to the English language teaching (ELT) process. This encompasses the creation of ELT materials, instructional media, the utilization of diverse teaching, and school administrative management. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to the ongoing discourse on teacher professional development in the context of English language education. The study's insights could inform educational policymakers, curriculum designers, and teacher training institutions about the strengths and areas of improvement within the program. This research aimed to enrich the quality of English language education and foster the growth of proficient and dedicated educators.

How do Mentor Teachers Implement Mathematical Tasks?: The Perspective of Preservice Mathematics Teachers

This study aims to investigate mentor teachers’ task implementation and instructional dispositions from the perspective of preservice mathematics teachers. Twelve preservice mathematics teachers examined four mentor teachers' task selection and implementation in terms of cognitive demand and instructional dispositions that affect their cognitive demand. The data were gathered from detailed observation notes and focus group interviews of preservice teachers. The results indicated that only one teacher selected most of the tasks at a high level and maintained them without declining their cognitive demand. His instructional dispositions showed us that he displayed an approach that allowed students to explore the tasks, reason, and discuss ideas. Launching fewer problems per lesson, he enabled students to examine the tasks in depth. He discussed student-invented strategies and sometimes focused on multiple solutions and misconceptions. Instead of algorithmic solutions, he emphasized underlying concepts, multiple representations, and daily life situations. On the other hand, other teachers mostly implemented tasks at low-level, however, they had different instructional dispositions towards student explorations, classroom discussions, and utilizing multiple representations. Based on these results, this study highlights the importance of mentor teachers for the professional development of preservice teachers.

Pre-service Teachers’ Reflections on Prior Experiences of Learning Social Studies

Reflection on prior learning experience is important for the professional development of pre-service teachers. Yet, little attention has been paid to how prior learning experiences influence pre-service teachers’ instructional practices. The purpose of this study was to examine pre-service teachers’ prior learning experiences of social studies and how they influence their instructional practices. This study involved a sample of 108 pre-service teachers in one teacher education institution in Oman. Qualitative data were gathered through online open-ended surveys and unstructured interviews. The findings indicated that pre-service teachers had been subject to a wide range of positive and negative experiences relating to their teachers, teaching and learning, and the subject. Given some issues in participants’ statements on memorization, overloaded content, and limited outdoor activities, it appeared that textbook-centered instruction dominated social studies classrooms. The findings from the interviews revealed that prior learning experiences influenced pre-service teachers’ instructional practices in three ways, encouraging them to: implement student-centered approaches, care about student engagement, and develop student interest in the subject. The study showed evidence that although participants associated their teachers with both positive and negative learning experiences, the teacher played a key role in shaping their prior learning experience and instructional practices.

Teaching 21st Century Skills: Understanding the Depth and Width of the Challenges to Shape Proactive Teacher Education Programmes

21st-century skills are key words which have been most searched in recent past. Yet, there seems to be amiss on how teachers should be prepared to teach 21st-century skills. Limited research insights imply lack of actionable inputs for design of teacher education programmes. Thus, this study supports the call by reviewing 55 relevant studies, using the systematic literature review (SLR) approach. This study employed a stringent search protocol to confine search to two popular databases—Scopus and Web of Science (WOS). The authors identified two emerging themes and six sub-themes. The three sub-themes under the first theme upskilling and reskilling of in-service teachers in 21st-century skills are: (1). training initiatives, (2). teachers’ experiences in teaching 21st-century skills, and (3). teachers’ perceptions and skill assessment. The other three sub-themes under the second theme professional development of pre-service teachers and 21st-century skills are: (1). pedagogical approaches, (2). technology-based teaching-learning of 21st-century skills, and (3). experience, competence and proficiency in 21st-century skills. Findings suggest the need to focus on targeted interventions, pedagogical tools and resources and peer-based learning, and recommend expanding the list of keywords searched under this study by including specific 21st century skills such as creativity to add a new dimension to their review.

A Study on The Professional Development of Pre-service Teachers through Collaborative Mentorship in Educational Practicum Courses

<p>「教學實習課程協同師徒制」課程是將「協同教學」及「師徒制」兩概念結合於教學實習課程，由實習教學教授及實習教學教師協同教學，而實習教學教師與師資生則為師徒關係，以師徒制進行此課程。本研究以參與此課程之41位師資生、6位實習教學教師及2位實習教學教授為研究對象，使用半結構式訪談法及文件分析法，歸納「教學實習課程協同師徒制」之運作模式，以及探究師資生在該課程中之專業成長。結果顯示：一、實習課程包含「課室內」及「課室外」課程，課室內課程包含基礎觀念建立、教學準備、省思與檢討；課室外課程包含三循環教學和集中實習。二、師資生在教學技巧之專業成長為：瞭解教學活動必須呼應教學目標及結合學生生活經驗，並能妥善運用引導討論、合作學習、溝通表達及教學媒體等教學技巧，最終以多元評量分析學生學習成果；師資生在班級經營之專業成長為：師資生能制定合宜的班級規範及獎勵制度、習得建立良善的親師生關係之技巧，並以適性輔導化解突發狀況。因此，「教學實習課程協同師徒制」確能有助於師資生在教學技巧及班級經營上之專業成長。</p> <p> </p><p>The “Co-mentorship in the Educational Practicum” Course is a course which combines the concepts of team teaching and mentoring into the teaching practice. The teaching practice courses are jointly taught by the practicum course professors and the practicum course teachers. The teachers and the pre-service teachers form a mentoring relationship and, conduct this course on a mentoring basis. In this study, 41 pre-service teachers, six practicum course teachers, and two practicum course professors participated in the Co-mentorship in the Educational Practicum Course. This study summarized the operation model of the “Co-mentorship in the Educational Practicum” Course through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. It also investigated the professional growth of the pre-service teachers in this course. The results show that: 1. He internship course consists of two parts, in-classroom and out-of-classroom. The former establishes the basic concept, teaching preparation, reflection and review; while the latter offers three-cycle teaching and intensive practice. 2. The professional growth results of pre-service teachers in teaching skills are as follows. They understood that the teaching activities should map the teaching objectives and integrate students’ living experiences. In these activities, they were able to properly use various teaching skills, such as guided discussions, cooperative learning, communication, and teaching media, and then, analyze student learning outcomes through multi-evaluations. In terms of the professional growth of pre-service teachers in class management competency, they established appropriate class policies and set up reward systems. In addition, they learned the skills required to build good teacher-student relationship and to deal with emergencies through adaptive counseling. Therefore, the “Co-mentorship in the Educational Practicum” Course can indeed promote the professional development of pre-service teachers in both teaching skills and class management.</p> <p> </p>

It is time to restructure initial teacher education in Turkey due to the covid-19 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the roadmap of Turkey for universities and teacher education programs at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate the rapid online learning experiences and preferences of preservice teachers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants of this case study were preservice teachers who enrolled in various departments in the faculty of education in different regions of Turkey. The data were collected via an online self-reflection form. The participants reported a preference for face-to-face learning. They also reflected that online learning is more effective than video and presentation. The majority of the pre-service teachers suggested revision in the curriculum regarding blended learning. The findings of this study can be used either to improve preservice teacher professional development or restructure the programs around the world for the future.

Contribution of Academia Colleague as a Clinical Model to the Professional Development of Pre-Service Teachers

The current study aimed to investigate the contribution of Academia Colleague as a clinical model to the professional development of pre-service teachers. An interview consisting of 8 questions, a questionnaire consisting of 24 paragraphs, as well as a measurement of teaching tendencies, which consisted of 4 domains and 35 paragraphs, were the major instruments used in the study. The qualitative research method was employed to address, analyze, and interpret the concerned phenomenon (domain of the research) within its natural context. This was done in tandem with the descriptive analytical approach of a sample of 13 pre-service teachers who constituted the study community. Results of the study showed that the incorporation of the proposed clinical model contributed to the professional development of the participants and promoted numerous positive aspects, including active participation, collaborative learning, personal and collective responsibility, procedural research (applied research), clinical-critical thinking, and socio-emotional learning (SEL). The program also promoted positive tendencies towards the teaching profession at large. The results also showed no statistically significant relationship between the teaching tendencies and the participants’ grade point average (GPA).

Teaching practicum: an interplay between ideal and real in pre-service teacher's training

Teaching practicum has an essential contribution to the professional development of pre-service teachers. This study aimed to identify how the students enrolled in the Pedagogy of Preschool and Primary Education experienced the role of teaching practicum from the perspective of the theory learned during the courses and the reality in the educational institutions where they carried out the teaching practicum. Qualitative methodology was the choice to fit the purpose of the study with an embedded single case study research design, thus type 2 of a case study. The case was the teaching practicum, consisting of three groups of students in the PPPE academic program, second and third years, thus employing multiple units of analysis. The participants were 12 pre-service teachers chosen through purposive sampling from 53 students registered in the second and third academic years. Data collection methods comprised three FGDs and document analysis (16 pedagogical practice notebooks). Thematic coding was the option for data analysis after data was transcribed verbatim, conducted member checking, coded, grouped the codes into categories, and organized under themes. The themes revealed an interplay between theory and practice, ideal and real, regarding teaching practices.

‘It was natural and real-life’: book clubs as professional development for preservice teachers

ABSTRACT Decades of research indicate teacher dissatisfaction with traditional professional development (PD), while a growing body of research literature indicates the value of heutagogical and andragogical learning in PD. This case study examines the experiences of 43 preservice teachers as they took part in professional development book clubs as part of regular coursework in their educator preparation program. The participants’ communities of practice were established across varied platforms: face-to-face meetings, social media groups, and the university learning management system. Participants also collaborated with novel peers from heterogeneous cohorts. Survey data was collected and analyzed to better understand participants’ perceptions of the usefulness of the book club PD. Findings include preservice teachers’ evaluation of the both the value and format of book clubs as a professional development tool. Implications include suggestions for meaningful collaboration in virtual settings.

Improving the quality of teacher education for sustainable development of Taiwan's education system: A systematic review on the research issues of teacher education after the implementation of 12-year national basic education

In this study, the researchers analyzed the issues in teacher education research after the implementation of the 12-Year Basic Education policy and developed suggestions to improve the quality of teacher education in Taiwan. The researchers used Taiwan's Database of Journal Citations in Science Education to collect studies on teacher education published from 2015 to 2019 and analyzed the issues described therein. Fifteen categories of issues described therein. Regarding our suggestions for future research on teacher education, this study recommends strengthening the body of literature on the following themes: (1) the professional development of preservice teachers, (2) teacher education for special education, (3) quality assurance for teacher education, (4) the career development of preservice teachers, (5) teacher education for experimental education and rural schools, (6) the sociology of teacher education, and (7) the operation of teacher education centers. Our findings may serve as a reference in efforts to improve the quality of teacher education, and promoting the sustainable development of Taiwan's education system.Systematic review registrationhttp://w1.dorise.info/JCSE/.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Pre-Service Teachers’ Teaching Practice

Teaching practice, which has a significant impact on the professional development of pre-service teachers, has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic process, pre-service teachers have conducted teaching practice through distance education. The aim of this study is to determine whether the pre-service teachers have acquired the learning outcomes determined within the framework of the objectives of the teaching practice with distance education, which is a new format for teaching practice. To collect data, we used an open-ended questionnaires formatted on a Google-form responded by 246 pre-service teachers. The results of the study show that most of pre-service teachers could not acquire the learning outcomes determined within the framework of the objectives of teaching practice with teaching practice through distance education. Pre-service teachers attribute this to the lack of actual classroom environment and lack of communication and interaction with students. The findings of the study also indicate that teaching practice through distance education enabled pre-service teachers to gain knowledge about distance education tools and experience on how to use them.

Perceptions of Early Childhood Preservice Teachers on Early Childhood Education Undergraduate Program Courses

The purpose of the study was to find out the contribution of general culture (GC), pedagogical knowledge (PK), and content knowledge (CK) courses to the professional development of preservice teachers in early childhood education programs. As a part of a mix-method research study, this survey uses a rank-order judgment methodology. Using a two-stage-cluster and random sampling - 432 students from 35 universities participated in the study during the 2018-2019 academic year. Data were gathered using an “Early Childhood Education Undergraduate Program Course Evaluation Form” and analyzed using pairwise comparison. With reference to the results, “Effective Communication” was chosen as the most beneficial one among the GC courses, and “Statistics” was selected as the least beneficial course. In addition, among the PK courses, “Teaching Practice I” was the most beneficial one, and “Assessment and Evaluation” was the least helpful course related to student perceptions. While the “Introduction to Early Childhood Education” course was the most beneficial course among the CK, “Research Project II” was listed as the least beneficial course. It was found that students’ opinions about courses did not change concerning their gender, academic achievement, and the type of high school they had attended.

Professional development during simulation-based learning: experiences and insights of preservice teachers

ABSTRACT In this study, we examined the professional development of preservice teachers (PTs) in the framework of simulation-based learning (SBL) during pedagogical courses. The study’s goal was to examine the reflective discourse patterns by focusing mainly on the linguistic behaviour of the SBL’s participants, to describe their experiences that tended to contribute to the professional development. To this end, two SBL workshops were studied using three data collection tools: (a) workshop transcripts, which were analysed using positioning theory and the systemic functional linguistic method; (b) interviews conducted with the main SBL participant in each workshop; and (c) observations collected by two simulation instructors who viewed the videotaped simulation of the two workshop scenarios. Thus, we obtained a broad picture of PTs’ perceptions of the SBL experiences. The data analysis revealed distinctive patterns of behaviour during the participants’ discursive interactions, pointing at three directions of PTs’ learning process. The findings show that SBL, as perceived by PTs, is a unique and novel tool that contributes to the enrichment of their professional training as well as benefits their professional development. The study contributes to the field by suggesting the connection between SBL experiences of the participants and the professional development process they undergo.

Portfolio as a Tool for Self- Reflection and Professional Development for Pre-Service Teachers

Self-reflections, especially those done through the usage of portfolios, are an essential component of teaching. Portfolio reflections allow pre-service teachers to set professional goals. This research was conducted using qualitative methodology, and all semi-structured interviews were organised with students and graduates from the Early Childhood Department-Faculty of Education, University of Prishtina. The research results show that a portfolio provides future teachers with the opportunity to organise their work better while enabling cooperation between pre-service teachers, which ergo, directly affects their professional competencies. Owing to its benefits, portfolio should be integrated by the Faculty of Education of the University of Prishtina as an integral part of its work with students.

Situating presence within extended reality for teacher training: Validation of the extended Reality Presence Scale (XRPS) in preservice teacher use of immersive 360 video

AbstractThe use of video is commonplace for professional preparation in education and other fields. Research has provided evidence that the use of video in these contexts can lead to increased noticing and reflection. However, educators now have access to evolving forms of video such as 360 video. The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate an instrument for assessing immersive 360 video use in an undergraduate preservice teacher university training program. Data provided evidence of the validity of the Extended Reality Presence Scale (XRPS) for 360 video research in preservice teacher professional development. Moreover, evidence from the study suggests that those with higher feelings of presence are less likely to jump around (or twitch) while watching 360 videos. The main implications are that: a) the XRPS is a validated and reliable instrument and b) more research is needed to examine the presence and practices for in‐service and preservice teachers while watching 360 video. Practitioners notesWhat is already known about this topic? Instructional videos are widely used in preservice teacher training. 360 videos show promise for improving preservice teacher professional development in terms of immersion and presence. What this paper adds? An instrument for assessing 360 video teacher presence is presented (XRPS), targeting a current gap in the literature. Data provided evidence of the validity of the tool for future 360 video research and integration. Implications for practice and/or policy Practitioners can use XRPS for assessing preservice teachers’ experiences in immersive environments and evaluating 360 videos. Higher feelings of presence are associated with more focused viewpoints. Therefore, practitioners should support and facilitate this watching behavior. Higher scores of presence are associated with a perceived sense of agency and emotional attachment. Therefore, 360 videos should include design elements promoting these feelings.

Promoting Pre-service STEM Education Teachers’ Metacognitive Awareness: Professional Development Designed to Improve Teacher Metacognitive Awareness

This quantitative portion of a convergent complementarity, mixed-methods, exploratory study describes the design and implementation of a 5-week preservice teacher professional development (PD) experience and the associated Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) measures before and after the experience. The PD experience was designed to explicitly address participants’ domain-general and domain-specific knowledge and regulation of cognition through a highly integrated academic and clinical preparation regimen centered on a cognitive coaching model. The study participants comprised preservice STEM education teachers (N = 11) enrolled in a dual teaching certification and Master’s in Education program. The findings showed an increase in participants’ regulation of cognition based on all utilized factor structures of metacognitive awareness, but not all factor structures indicated a change in participants’ knowledge of cognition over the study period.

Collaborative Professional Learning: An Exploration of Empathy in Early Childhood Teacher Education

ABSTRACT Three early childhood teacher educators from different institutions engaged in a collaborative self-study to explore the role of empathy in preservice teacher professional development. The two-fold purpose of the study was to: 1) develop and refine their practices to build teacher candidates’ empathy in their interactions with children, families, and colleagues and 2) reclaim accountability in teacher education by examining their practices in complex ways. They postulate that high-stakes testing, technology, and neoliberal education reforms influence their teacher candidates’ abilities and willingness to apply empathy in the classroom. A deeper understanding of how teacher candidates understand and apply empathy provides avenues for teacher educators to navigate the tensions in school reform impacted contexts.