Provide Teacher Candidates Research Articles

Storytelling as a teaching strategy for reinforcing the pedagogical value of play

ABSTRACT Early childhood preservice teachers often graduate with an incomplete understanding of the interplay between play and learning (Zhulamanova 2019; Zhulamanova and Raisor 2020). This mixed-methods pilot study aims to enhance early childhood teacher education by providing teacher candidates with playful, imaginative experiences through storytelling. It examines the impact of storytelling method (Abrahamson 1998) on content retention, engagement, and reflective learning. Over two semesters, pilot data were collected from six undergraduate students in a Growth and Development in Early Childhood class. The study employed qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative data included in-class group activities and individual homework assignments where students used storytelling to apply developmental concepts. Quantitative data were gathered through a Likert scale survey assessing the effects of storytelling and play on task focus, information retention, and real-life application of concepts. Results indicate that students found storytelling beneficial for staying on topic, retaining information, and understanding course concepts. Storytelling also allowed students to experience the playfulness and imagination that young children naturally engage in during their early years. Qualitative analysis revealed that collaborative assignments were more complex and demonstrated better grasp of material compared to individual tasks. Despite promising results, limitations due to low participant numbers necessitate further research.

Perceived Self-Efficacy Levels of Prospective Teachers Regarding Some Factors in the Framework of Web Pedagogical Content Knowledge

The goal of this research is to investigate self-efficacy degrees of prospective teachers from different disciplines in terms of five sub-dimension of Web Pedagogical Content Knowledge (W-PACK) and whether different factors (gender, grade, or department) significantly affect prospective teachers’ perceived self-efficacy levels or not. The study employed the survey method, a quantitative non-experimental research technique. The students, who were in second, third, and fourth grades, successfully finished the two-period first-year information technology obligatory courses. The study's findings demonstrated that pre-service teachers were quite confident in their ability to use the web and understand its general, communication, content, pedagogical, and attitudinal elements. The findings also revealed that there were no statistically significant variations in the responses with respect to gender across all of the sub-scales. Moreover, the findings demonstrated that there were no appreciable variations in any of the sub-scales of the W-PACK regarding departments. With the exception of attitude toward web-based education, there were no statistically significant variations between participant grades in the five dimensions or the perceived self-efficacy degrees of prospective teachers across all the sub-dimensions. The results of this study, however, revealed that attitudes toward web-based instruction varied considerably across the junior and senior groups. In light of the findings, technology and web-based teaching methods should be coordinated with the existing teaching curricula to provide teacher candidates with the application of content-pedagogical-technology components in an integrated manner.

“Double-Sided Learning”: A Qualitative Study of Teacher Candidate Experiences in a Virtual Reading Intervention Clinical Experience

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the ways that teacher educators could provide teacher candidates (TCs) with clinically-rich opportunities to build TCs’ skills and self-efficacy related to teaching reading. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the experiences of 19 TCs who participated in a semester-long virtual reading tutoring program during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted semi-structured interviews, then analyzed data through inductive and deductive coding. Four themes emerged, centering (a) the impact of the pandemic on typical clinical experiences, (b) the application of coursework within this virtual clinical experience, (c) TCs’ perceptions of program elements that supported their implementation, and (d) TCs’ perceived benefit of the program for their own development as a teacher and for the reading outcomes of the children with whom they worked. We discuss implications for future work related to enhanced clinical experiences related to TCs’ implementation of reading interventions for striving readers.

Preparing teacher candidates to address anti-blackness and see the assets of black students in clinical practice

PurposeThis article shares how providing teacher candidates with experiences in a predominantly black elementary school for their clinical experiences highlighted a need to recognize, acknowledge and address anti-blackness in teacher candidates’ clinical courses. As well as, a need to emphasize the brilliance and assets of black students. Additionally, this article shares ways in which those involved in the work of school-university or professional development school (PDS) partnerships can incorporate practices that address anti-blackness in clinical practice.Design/methodology/approachConceptual paper sharing experiences addressing anti-blackness in school-university partnerships.FindingsNational Association of Professional Development Schools (NAPDS) recently revised their Nine Essentials to include this revised version of Essential 1: A comprehensive mission which calls for the advancement of equity, antiracism and social justice within and among schools, colleges/universities and their respective community and professional partners. The work that the author presents in this article around preparing teacher candidates to address anti-blackness fits into the call of Essential 1 because when anti-blackness is addressed equity, antiracism and social justice can be part of the educational experiences of black children. This article shares how providing teacher candidates experiences in a predominantly black elementary school for their clinical experiences highlighted a need to recognize, acknowledge and address anti-blackness in teacher candidates’ clinical practice. As well as, a need to emphasize the brilliance and assets of black students. Additionally, this article shares ways in which those involved in the work of school-university or PDS partnerships can incorporate practices that address anti-blackness in clinical courses.Originality/valueThe author believes that this manuscript is appropriate for publication because it addresses a necessary shift that must happen in clinical practice by recognizing, acknowledging and addressing anti-blackness, as well as making sure teacher candidates are prepared to teach black students. This manuscript has not been published and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. The author has no conflicts of interest to disclose.

The Impact of Star Teacher Characteristics on Teacher Selection and Retention in Urban High Poverty Schools: A Qualitative Analysis

A qualitative content analysis was employed to examine what factors contributed to effective teachers’ selection and retention in urban high poverty schools. First, the Star Teacher Interview was used to identify effective urban educators. Then, verbal interviews were conducted with star subjects to determine factors that contributed to their selection and decision to remain in urban high-poverty districts. An inductive analysis process revealed emerging and reoccurring themes. Four major factors were identified that influenced STAR teachers’ decision to begin their career in an urban school district and/or Title I school: Giving back to the community, diversity, location, and autonomy. Three major factors were identified that influenced STAR teachers’ decision to continue their career beyond 5 years in an urban school district and/or Title I school: Job satisfaction, effective with population, and perseverance. Implications of this study suggest that urban districts work closely with practicum and observation students from the universities who show promise in working with culturally diverse children. Providing teacher candidates with rich experiences in urban schools may positively impact their decision to work in urban settings.

Technology Infusion in Teacher Preparation

A technology-infused preparation program establishes technology integration as a program-deep and program-wide initiative to support incoming teachers to teach with technology from day one as certified teachers. PK-12 preparation programs adopt a technology-infused approach because they want to address technology integration from beginning to end of the preparation experience in a concerted effort to support candidates. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK; Koehler and Mishra, 2009; Mishra and Koehler, 2006), a theory about the knowledge domains educators need to be proficient in teaching with technology, is foundational to an infused design. Foulger (2020) and Borthwick et al. (2020) advocate that technology-infused preparation programs comprehensively incorporate four pillars in their design: (a) technology integration curriculum, (b) modeled experiences, (c) practice with reflection, and (d) technology self-efficacy. Preparation programs that characterize their design based on the interrelatedness of the pillars (Williamson, 2023) will provide teacher candidates with the experiences necessary to graduate as certified teachers who are technologically capable. Graduates with strength in technology self-efficacy will intend to use technology in their future practice (Buss, 2020).

Virtual Summer Institutes as a Method of Rural Science Teacher Development

Key Policy documents call for science teacher preparation programs to provide teacher candidates with approximations to authentic teaching experiences that occur in realistic contexts. Providing such opportunities for teacher candidates located in communities that are rural and geographically far from university settings is especially difficult. Stakeholders also point to the importance of positive coaching and mentoring relationships as key factors impacting the growth of teacher candidates. In this paper we discuss the positive potential of virtual science-related summer institutes as a vehicle to (a) provide authentic science teaching experiences for teacher candidates, and (b) promote the development of positive coaching and mentoring relationships. We also share features of a summer science institute developed as a launch to our teacher residency preparation program that incorporated teacher candidates, school-based teacher educators, and university-based supervisors to maximize the potential positive impacts. Data included quantitative and qualitative post-institute survey data from teacher candidates, school-based teacher educators, and university-based supervisors. Findings revealed that residents’ perception of their content knowledge development, pedagogical knowledge development, and overall effectiveness of the summer institute were high; additionally, school-based teacher educators and university-based supervisors indicated positive perceptions of the institute, noting their knowledge of coaching increased, helpful resources were provided, and institute structures promoted the development of positive coaching relationships. These results provide tentative evidence to support the continued use of virtual science summer institutes as a viable option for supporting both preservice and in-service teacher development.

Back-to-Back Teaching: A Practice-Based Approach for Preparing Early Childhood Teacher Candidates

ABSTRACT In response to the need for explicitly linking field-based experiences with theoretical knowledge of pedagogy to effectively prepare teacher candidates, teacher educators are increasingly rethinking the opportunities they provide in their teacher education programs. In this action research article, we describe our efforts as teacher educators to connect pedagogical theories and strategies with practical experiences through a back-to-back integrated teaching approach. We explore how this experience provided early childhood teacher candidates with opportunities to engage with culturally appropriate practices in an authentic classroom setting. During this experience, teacher candidates were responsible for planning, teaching, and assessing children over a series of consecutive days. Using community of practice theory rooted in sociocultural perspectives, we provide a discussion of the themes that emerged as 13 early childhood teacher candidates navigated the organizational structures of this assignment. We focus on lessons we learned as well as teacher candidates’ strengths that developed because of this assignment. The findings reveal the importance of providing teacher candidates with opportunities to learn how to build relationships with their students, preparing them to become culturally and linguistically responsive teachers, and providing opportunities for teacher candidates to learn about various assessments. Finally, we share the assignment protocol, reflection questions, and outcomes.

Physical Educators' Qualifications and Instructional Practices Toward Students With Disabilities.

The purposes of this study were (a)to investigate the prevalence of physical educators who report delivering high-quality instructional practices to students with disabilities and (b)to examine the relationships between teachers' qualifications and the delivery of high-quality instructional practices. A secondary analysis using data from the School Health Policy and Practice Study 2014 data set was employed. The analytic sample included 256 physical educators who taught students with disabilities. Prevalence estimates of physical educators who reported using high-quality instructional practices were calculated. Two separate binary logistic regressions using weighted data were conducted to evaluate the relative contribution of (a)teacher qualifications and (b)educational degrees in accounting for differences in the use of high-quality instructional practices. Less than half of the sample reported using high-quality instructional practices. Considering the increasing prevalence of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, teacher education programs should prioritize providing teacher candidates with coursework that aligns with the expectations of physical educators who teach students with disabilities.

Promising Practice for Building Community through Mixed-Reality Simulation in Teacher Preparation

Abstract: It is critical that pre-service teachers have exposure to practice in order to be successful in their future classrooms. This article describes a step-by-step process of implementing mixed-reality simulation in teacher preparation courses in order to provide teacher candidates with an almost-real classroom experience. Through using this mixed-reality simulation platform, teacher candidates teach student avatars who are being controlled by a live, behind-the-scenes person, trained to facilitate classroom scenarios. Following an overview of the implementation of this mixed-reality technological tool into their classes, authors share successes and challenges, highlighting some key takeaways for those considering integrating this into their future classes.
 

EdTPA During Student Teaching: PETE Teacher Candidates’ Experiences and Future Support

Many physical education teacher education programs require teacher candidates to successfully complete edTPA during student teaching. Considering that research remains sparse regarding best practices in edTPA, the purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of teacher candidates completing edTPA during student teaching and of university supervisors supervising teacher candidates during the process. Twenty-four teacher candidates and 11 university supervisors participated in a focus group discussion for approximately 1 hr. Data were analyzed and categorized as (1) negative experiences, (2) positive experiences, and (3) future support. Overall, the teacher candidates felt that completing edTPA diminished their student teaching experience, as it was tedious and time-consuming pertaining to technological difficulties in videotaping, video processing, and video uploading. Nonetheless, the participants felt that completing edTPA was valuable in providing teacher candidates with detailed feedback to improve on their pedagogical skills. Future support for teacher candidates includes integrating edTPA early in their curriculum of study to better prepare them to successfully complete edTPA during student teaching. The university supervisors felt that with more in-depth training in edTPA and experience supervising teacher candidates on edTPA, they would be more competent in the future. Subscribe to TPE

Teacher Candidates Peer-Oriented Triads: Transforming Practice through Peer Assessment During Field Experience

In 2018 a teacher education program at a small research university implemented three initiatives to improve the practicum experience for teacher candidates. This program evaluation focusses on one of three initiatives, specifically, peer-oriented triads during practicum. The faculty members used the Spiral of Inquiry (Kaser & Halbert, 2017) as a framework to guide the implementation and assess the viability of triads during practicum, and to assess their worthwhileness. Teacher candidates tended to feel isolated and judged after a practicum experience. The implementation and intention of triads was to provide teacher candidates with ongoing feedback, support, and learning opportunities with peers from their cohort during practicum. Triads, or groups of three, were an ideal group size for sense-making, problem-solving, and collaborating. The feedback provided at the end of the program during the Celebration of Learning was that triads were valued and were considered a safe place to learn.

Examining the Efficacy of Fishbowl Simulation in Preparing to Teach English Learners in Secondary Schools

During the COVID-19 crisis, teacher educators grappled to provide teacher candidates meaningful field experiences to serve English learners (ELs) during campus closures. The purpose of this study was to explore teacher candidates’ (TCs) beliefs on second language acquisition (SLA) in the context of teaching ELs in secondary schools. Multiple data sources were used to evaluate fishbowl simulations’ efficacy as a viable alternative to gain meaningful field experience. Findings suggest strong connections between participants’ beliefs and their chosen instructional moves, with participants realizing the importance of meaning-making. Teacher candidates and teacher educators gain unique insight on effectively teaching and implementing SLA strategies with fishbowl simulations.

Learning about Social Justice through Literature Circles

ABSTRACT Drawing on data from 16 teacher candidates in an elementary literacy methods course, this qualitative study seeks to understand how literature circles can help candidates critically reflect on social justice and equity as well as encourage reflection on race and privilege. Upon analyzing recorded classroom discussions, written artifacts, and interviews, findings indicate literature circles in a methods class can provide candidates entrance into conversations about social justice, support candidates to better understand themselves and their students, and represent an initial step in disrupting a system. Equity-centered literature circles are an instructional practice that teacher educators can utilize to provide teacher candidates a space to engage in difficult conversations and support teacher candidates in working to disrupt a normalization of Whiteness in schools.

Exploring lesson study in postsecondary education through self-study

PurposeThe purpose of this collaborative self-study inquiry was to enhance the professional practice of faculty members through the adoption of lesson study. A seven-member faculty of education self-study group engaged in lesson study in a computer and learning resources for primary/elementary teachers’ course with teacher candidates.Design/methodology/approachThis study focused on providing teacher candidates with increased opportunities for action and expression during in-class instruction. This collaborative lesson study inquiry (Fernandez et al., 2003; Fernandez and Yoshida, 2004; Murata, 2011) involved the four-step process of planning, doing, checking and acting (PDCA) (Cheng, 2019). Several data collection methods were adopted and data sources analyzed.FindingsChallenges the group encountered during the study included ascertaining the goals of lesson study and offering critical feedback to each other. While this made decision-making more intricate and intentional, there was exceptional value in participating in the lesson study process. The results revealed three overarching themes: 1) challenges in classroom observations; 2) hesitation in providing supportive feedback to colleagues and 3) deliberations regarding what constitutes expertise within subject-specific preservice teacher education.Originality/valueWhile lesson study has been adopted fairly extensively in K-12 settings, its adoption in postsecondary education is limited (Chenault, 2017). Considering the merits of lesson study for K-12 practitioners, this research investigated the similar advantages that lesson study might have for postsecondary education faculty, students and programs.

The Reflective Account of Transitioning Teaching Practices Across Instructional Modalities

The current paper presents a reflective account of the transition of teaching practices across instructional modalities for one teacher educator in the Midwest region of the United States. The transition between modalities was deemed by college leadership as an essential means for aiding current students in adding additional educational endorsements to their degree programs. The teacher educator volunteered to transition this course across instructional modalities and decided to apply the principles found within Salomon and Perkins’ research pertaining to transfer of learning theory to reach his desired goal. The goal was to improve upon best practices already developed in the face-to-face modality when tasked with teaching the same course in the online modality. Specifically, the teacher educator introduced the concept of providing teacher candidates with assessment options that aligned with the curriculum objectives and promoted a sense of control for the teacher candidates. Three central challenges were explored through the reflective lens: communication of choices to teacher candidates specific to the asynchronous learning environment, development of manageable assessment options for a condensed online course timeframe, and the creation of communication protocols to support collaborative student engagement and provide support regarding assessment options. The qualitative nature of the study allowed for depth of analysis regarding how the teacher educator thought through and implemented revisions to the course with respect to transitioning the teaching practices to the online modality. The authors conclude the paper by providing recommendations surrounding the continued exploration of how the instructional modality plays part in the transitioning of teaching practices between modalities. Keywords: Teacher educators, modalities, higher education, reflective practice

Increasing the Literacy Knowledge of Teacher Candidates: Why Service-Learning Matters

Educator preparation programs seek to provide teacher candidates with authentic learning experiences that support the learning process, and one means is to engage teacher candidates in service-learning. Elementary schools are tasked with improving the literacy outcomes of struggling readers, and community-based programs focused on literacy, seek to improve the literacy achievement of its’ citizens. This work explores how an educator preparation program collaborated with a community-based organization to provide elementary, struggling readers with 1:1 literacy instruction via teacher candidates from the local university. The aim is to showcase the process, procedures, and benefits of universities partnering with local PK-12 schools and community-based organizations.

Beginning Early Childhood Teachers’ Reflections on Their Student Teaching Experiences

Student teaching experiences in teacher education programs hold a crucial part since they provide teacher candidates with practical experience before they enter the profession. This study inquires the role of split student teaching employed in early childhood teacher education program at a southwestern U.S. state universityon experiences of beginning teachers’ who graduated from this program. In this qualitative research, participants’ reflections to their field experiences in the program were gathered through two in-depth individual interviews and one focus group interview. An analysis of interview data revealed that beginning teachers’ student teaching experiences partially fulfilled their need of having adequate in-classroom experience before starting their teaching careers; yet they highlighted some suggestions for student teaching assignments to better prepare prospective teacher candidates in the program.The length and timing of student teaching has also emerged as an important result of this study.Furthermore, participants highlighted the role and importance of mentor-teachers during their student teaching.

Identities and ideologies in a language teacher candidate's autoethnography: Making meaning of storied experience

This study examines the use of autoethnography as a teacher learning activity in a graduate‐level Linguistic for Classroom Teachers course to provide teacher candidates (TCs) with a discursive and experiential space to engage in narrative identity work. Designed as a semester‐long critical autoethnographic narrative (CAN), this teacher learning activity included language ideologies as a conceptual lens to guide six teacher candidates’ analysis of their experiences learning, using, and teaching languages. This study focuses on one of six TCs, Sara, as an information‐rich case selected with intensity sampling, and examines how she approaches and analyzes language ideologies and identity positions in her CAN. It specifically addresses the following research question: How does Sara make sense of language ideologies and identity positions as she recounts and examines the stories in her autoethnography? To answer this question, the author analyzes the following CAN components as data: four installments, one‐on‐one feedback sessions, discussion board posts, concept map of CAN, pair work of rubric co‐construction, and CAN presentation. The findings demonstrate that in her CAN assignment, Sara discusses valorization and hierarchization in language ideologies, explores border patrolling and identity positioning in language ideologies, and destabilizes ideological binaries as she constructs her teacher identity through narrative.

Becoming an urban science teacher: How beginning teachers negotiate contradictory school contexts

AbstractTeacher attrition rates are high in urban schools, particularly for new science teachers. Little research has addressed how science teachers can be prepared to effectively bridge the divide between preparation and urban teaching. We utilized the theoretical frameworks of social justice, identity, and structure‐agency to investigate this transition. Specifically, we examined the Urban Science Teacher Preparation (USTP) program as a critical case of “well‐prepared” urban science teachers. Study participants included one cohort of four teachers. Data, primarily from individual interviews, a focus group, and written reflections, were collected from participants during pre‐service preparation and their first year of teaching. The USTP program nurtured the development of a professional identity aligned with teaching science for social justice, with a unique emphasis on identifying structural injustices in schools. Findings indicate all four teachers used their identities to negotiate school policies and procedures that restricted student opportunities to learn science through three processes: deconstructing the context, positioning themselves within and against the context, and enacting their identities. These findings suggest the importance of USTP programs to provide teacher candidates with political clarity for teaching for social justice and sustained induction support to resist school socialization pressures.