School-university Partnerships Research Articles

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

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

Editorial: Exceptional research for school-university partnerships

Editorial: Exceptional research for school-university partnerships

Building agency in school–university partnerships: lessons from collaborative research during the pandemic

PurposeThe literature highlights the disconnection between university-based teacher education and field experiences as a significant barrier to student teacher preparation. To address this gap, the Research Teams (RTs) programme promotes a Networked Learning System (NLS), focusing on boundary-crossing work, inquiry and critical reflection to generate knowledge. This paper examines the emergence of relational and collective agency within this collaboration, linking school and university knowledge to enhance professional learning and drive teaching innovation.Design/methodology/approachEmploying an exploratory qualitative design, data collection includes advising team notes, reflective session materials, interviews and focus groups. Qualitative content and discourse analysis were utilised.FindingsFindings reveal how RTs promote relational agency among university tutors, school staff and preservice teachers and collective agency in the context of collaborative research. The pandemic presents both social interaction opportunities and challenges.Originality/valueThe relevance of this study lies in the necessity to advance knowledge regarding the development of collaborative learning systems that encourage cross-institutional relationships, allowing for the creation and flow of knowledge. It highlights the role and development of collective and relational agency in fostering the development of a NLS. It also raises questions about the challenges and investments needed to sustain and scale collaborative research models that cross professional and institutional values and beliefs within schools and universities.

Career change teachers: solving the teacher shortage?

ABSTRACT Teacher shortages are a global problem. One solution to this problem, offered in Australian policy, is the notion of the career change teacher (CCT). This study analyses the responses from 23 teacher educators who were asked what they themselves thought might enable and/or constrain this cohort entering teaching as well as those they saw for the pre-service teachers and the systems of both the university and the school. Data were analysed inductively and then deductively using Margaret Archer’s emergent properties as a robust theoretical frame. Findings highlight the range of programmes, models, and strategies that higher education providers are adopting to support these career-change pre-service teachers. Data suggests that schools are neither able to provide workplace flexibility and support that career change teachers are looking for nor the recognition of their prior skills, expertise, and experience. New approaches for school–university partnerships are suggested to better address some of these issues.

The school–university partnership process: research on the views and experiences of the school–university partnership stakeholders

ABSTRACT School–university partnerships (SUPs) have maintained their significance and relevance in the literature and policy documents over an extended period. Nonetheless, within the Turkish context, the exploration of SUPs is limited, particularly concerning the dynamics of the implementation process. This study explored the experiences and views of the SUP stakeholders regarding the SUP process. This study used a phenomenological research approach to clarify the process of a SUP in Istanbul, Turkey. Study participants were 60 individuals and categorized into six groups – teachers, preservice teachers, academics, administrators, students, and parents – to afford a comprehensive exploration of the SUP. As a result of the in-depth analysis, five essential features of the SUP process were reached: collaboration, mutual contribution, professional learning and development, workload, and social responsibility. These five crucial partnership process features could guide practitioners and policymakers while they create and implement SUPs as a successful model for teachers’ professional learning.

Leveraging co-teaching in pre-service teacher education to enhance classroom management skills of pre-service teachers in China: effects and implications

PurposeThis study examines the impact of a novel co-teaching approach, involving collaboration between university instructors and school teachers, on pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) understanding of classroom management skills, addressing the practical challenges that often exceed the university classroom’s scope.Design/methodology/approachUsing a pooled cross-sectional dataset of 513 students from a Chinese teacher training university, the study employed descriptive statistics, factor analysis and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis. Focus group interviews were also conducted to explore the mechanisms underlying the co-teaching impact.FindingsThe co-teaching team effectively integrates theory with practice, enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes. Most students appreciated the co-teaching format, which positively correlated with their recognition of classroom management and the teaching profession. The success of co-teaching was linked to the authenticity brought by school teachers, including exposure to real-life cases that encouraged PSTs to actively solve educational problems.Practical implicationsPre-service teacher education benefits from university-school collaboration. Inviting experienced school teachers to co-teach in university classrooms offers an efficient instructional approach, improving students’ learning experiences with less time and effort.Originality/valueThis study empirically demonstrates the utility of co-teaching in pre-service teacher education, particularly within China, enriching the literature on school-university partnerships.

Brokering school improvement through a school–university partnership: a longitudinal social network analysis of middle leadership development

Brokering school improvement through a school–university partnership: a longitudinal social network analysis of middle leadership development

Promoting faculty collaboration to support school-university partnerships and increase coaching self-efficacy

PurposeThis manuscript examines how university coaches can use the Classroom Check-Up (CCU; Reinke et al., 2008) to support continuous school improvement efforts around teacher practice within a PDS model and how collaboration between university faculty can increase their coaching self-efficacy.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is conceptual in that it presents an innovative idea to stimulate discussion, generate new ideas, and advance thinking about supporting educator coaching efficacy in school-university partnerships.FindingsThe paper provides insights and ideas for using a collaborative faculty coaching model based on the CCU (Reinke et al., 2008). Each coach provides insight about adapting the model to fit teacher, school, and district needs. Moreover, coaches report on how collaborating impacted their coaching self-efficacy.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills an identified need to support continuous school improvement efforts amid a teaching shortage using a collaborative faculty coaching model. Moreover, the authors explore “coaching self-efficacy” as a rare but valuable construct that is impacted by peer feedback.

Centering reciprocity: lessons learned from a university–school partnership

Centering reciprocity: lessons learned from a university–school partnership

‘It didn’t feel like something extra we had to do; it was something we all looked forward to’ - how school-based professional learning communities can reimagine teacher professional learning for inclusive practice

ABSTRACT The development of inclusive education has become a policy priority across the world, yet the reality of enactment is inconsistent. While many barriers contribute to creating inclusive classrooms, effective teacher professional learning (PL) presents a significant challenge. Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been identified as potentially transformative models of PL but despite the growing research base on PLCs, there is limited research on their role in the context of inclusive education. We address this knowledge gap and build upon previous research that demonstrated the positive impact of a PLC on sustained PL for inclusive practice. Situated in the Republic of Ireland, PLCs for inclusive practice were developed in four schools, supported by a school-university partnership, comprising one academic and four teacher leaders. Focus group interviews with the PLC participants (n = 33) and observation of practice in two schools indicated teacher change. Of note, PLCs that transform PL for inclusive practice can be internally led when teachers are empowered through a school-university partnership. This paper strengthens the research on the potential of PLCs as transformative models of PL for inclusive practice and offers a framework that includes design principles for school-university partnerships to support the PLCs for inclusion across diverse school contexts.

A School–University Partnership That Facilitates Adult-Specific Training: Perceptions of Life Sciences Teachers

This study examined the effectiveness of professional development (PD) strategies employed by the University of South Africa (UNISA) to empower teachers (as adult learners) to enhance learner performance in the life sciences (LS). The context of this study is the partnership between the Department of Education and institutions of higher learning. Based on the idea that well-planned PD fosters teacher participation, this study explored the factors that encourage (or discourage) teacher compliance with new initiatives. A qualitative research design with 10 purposefully selected samples was used. Data were collected through 10 individual interviews and a single focus group discussion. Data were analyzed using Creswell's method of coding. The findings indicate that the UNISA project emphasizes “care” and “learner-centeredness” and has a “bottom-up” approach, which strategically led to a conducive environment for teachers’ PD. It is recommended to normalize the retraining of teachers through partnerships using this strategy.

Problems and countermeasures: a phenomenological study of Chinese EFL supervisors’ perspectives about the practicum / Problemas y contramedidas: un estudio fenomenológico de las perspectivas de los supervisores de ILE en China sobre el programa de prácticas

Informed by the cultural-historical approach, this phenomenological study examined a group of Chinese EFL (English as a foreign language) teacher educators’ views about the practicum. Longitudinal observations, individual formal interviews and informal conversations were employed to understand the supervisors’ perceptions about the problems arising from the practicum and strategies to enhance it. The results reveal three key problems, including supervisors’ limited involvement, limited support from the university and practicum schools, and interns’ weaknesses. The countermeasures involve the initiative of student teachers and a stable collaborative platform. Implications are drawn from the study about strategies of constructing a coherent activity system with shared objects for university–school partnerships.

Triadic mentoring through the lens of positioning theory and frame analysis

ABSTRACT This paper explores the relational dynamics in 10 triads from one university-based teacher education programme in England. Positioning theory and frame analysis are integrated to understand how teacher educators, mentors, and student teachers make sense of the placement experience and distribute mutual rights and duties. Data were derived from observations of debriefs and in-depth interviews with all actors involved. Results reveal four different frames: the quality assurance frame, the school-university partnership frame, the socialisation frame, and the expert teacher frame, each opening up particular positions but also closing off others. This study challenges the uncritical acceptance of the benefits of triadic mentoring, while also offering a novel theoretical perspective for the study of its complexities.

Creating School–University Partnerships in Urban Schools to Address Teacher Shortages

Partnerships among professionals within collegiate teacher preparation programs and school districts are needed to address current teacher shortages, especially critical in urban, high-needs schools. This research study showcases a collaborative model of teacher recruitment, preparation, and support that envisions and co-constructs reconceptualized roles, opportunities, and responsibilities for university faculties, supervising teachers, and teacher candidates. The concept is supported through a continuum of professional learning and reflection. The enhanced partnership model (EPM) for internship requires a partnership between faculties in teacher preparation programs and school districts to develop, engage, and evaluate an EPM for urban-school teacher preparation in multiple urban school sites in the southeastern United States. The goals of this innovative EPM revolve around recruiting diverse teacher candidates, collaboratively preparing them to focus on rigorous academic coursework as well as practical, classroom-based experiences, and retaining the new teachers. Employment data were accessed via administrative sources. A chi-square test of association was used to examine the relationship between participation in the EPM and employment (n = 158). The findings highlight that pre-service teachers participating in the EPM are 4.5 times as likely to be employed in a high-needs school, and 75% of those employed are still employed three years later. The implications of these results are shared.

School–University Partnership in Vietnam From School Teachers’ Perspectives

This article investigates partnership practices between initial teacher education (ITE) institutions in Vietnam using questionnaires and focused-group interviews. The results revealed that: (a) current partnerships mostly aimed at improving the professional capacity of school teachers and quality of student learning; (b) limited activities exist in collaborative research, curriculum development, and ITE; and (c) of different aspects of a partnership, more attention need to be paid to reviewing partnership directions, involving different stakeholders in the decision-making process, and creating opportunities for staff to work in each other's organization. The results of this study carry significant implications for the development, management, and support of partnership activities. Moreover, these findings have the potential to contribute to a broader international comprehension of partnership activities, particularly in contexts where knowledge in this area is limited.

Remote teaching and learning for teacher candidates: mentor teacher perspectives

PurposeThis study offers implications for remote mentoring within school university partnerships based on a qualitative study focused on how three experienced mentor teachers within a long-standing Professional Development School (PDS) partnership adapted to remote mentoring during emergency remote teaching in the 2020–2021 school year.Design/methodology/approachData was collected through interviews with three teachers and analyzed following qualitative methods to identify themes. Data is presented in case studies describing their remote mentoring practices.FindingsFindings indicate that in the context of strong school–university partnerships, these mentor teachers were successful in adapting their mentoring of teacher candidates to a remote modality and that the benefits to collaborators within the partnership were like those documented in traditional, in-person mentorship. The challenges these teachers overcame include establishing relationships and providing adequate supervision.Research limitations/implicationsThe results offer rich insights into the experiences of mentor teachers when conditions necessitate a change in instructional modality and create implications for innovation in mentorship of teacher candidates, particularly in remote mentorship settings.Practical implicationsSchool–university partnerships should be maintained during emergencies because of the benefits to all partners, most notably to prek-5 students. We recommend that articulated agreements be revisited and modified to address potential future emergencies. The value of establishing and maintaining strong PDS partnerships should not be undervalued during times of emergency.Social implicationsTeacher preparation programs can sustain the important work of educating teachers through challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic most effectively when they work in partnership with prek-12 schools. Use of technology in innovative ways, such as remote mentoring, can support teacher preparation when in-person clinical experiences are limited.Originality/valueThis study offers initial data on remote mentoring, an innovative mentoring approach which has, to this point, been the subject of limited empirical investigation. Additionally, as remote educational opportunities for prek-5 learners increase, teacher preparation programs may choose to utilize remote mentoring in PDS programming, making this data of particular value.

Action research communities as a whole-of-school teaching improvement initiative: a multi-method multi-informant study

AbstractProfessional learning communities (PLCs) actioned through collaborative action research (CAR) have been found in the literature to be beneficial for both teachers and students. However, previous studies mainly examined teachers’ perceived effectiveness of CAR-based PLCs, as well as identified steps and elements involved in such PLCs, either self-initiated by teachers themselves or by university researchers in a school-university partnership model. Few have focused on a whole-of-school teaching improvement initiative based entirely on PLCs through CAR. In this study, we provide preliminary evaluation of a 3-year whole-of-school teaching improvement initiative (the SETaRI), based on PLCs through CAR at a regional primary school in NSW, Australia. Analysis of students’ various assessment measures (N = 206), teachers’ survey (N = 44), observation of professional learning team meetings, and various types of student artefacts revealed that students showed general and consistent improvement in both their reading and maths performance over time following the implementation of the SETaRI model, with greater progressive learning effects for those whose initial learning outcomes were lower than their peers. The findings also highlighted data-driven decision making, teacher collaboration, and school leadership as potent elements underlying teachers’ positive attitudes toward the implementation of the model as well as student learning outcomes and improvement. This study provides useful implications for a school improvement agenda focused on action research communities.

Agency in negotiating partnerships in initial teacher education: shifting sands

ABSTRACT Despite over two decades of research, initial teacher education (ITE) partnerships remain problematic. Our study explores the development of a mandated ITE university–school partnership in Wales amidst significant educational reform. Through qualitative research, involving focus groups with 47 teacher educators from a university and 15 schools, we investigate their perceptions and experiences, focusing on shifts in professional roles and responsibilities. Our findings reveal disparities in the impact on the staff, including differences in changes to their roles and responsibilities, perceptions and experiences of agency and in the emotional effort required in the change process. We contend these findings have implications for all stakeholders involved in development of university–school ITE partnerships. In particular, the need for support for the development of individual and joint agency for all staff involved in partnership-building efforts. By shedding light on the complexities involved, we offer valuable insights for practitioners and researchers engaged in similar initiatives.

Supporting early-career teachers with external mentoring: a scoping review

ABSTRACT This article presents a scoping review addressing the pressing issue of high attrition rates among early-areer teachers (ECTs), which poses a significant challenge to the development of a robust teacher workforce and student outcomes. Focusing on the role of external mentoring programmes, our study explores their potential in retaining ECTs within the teaching profession. Through a scoping review of the literature, we identified three central themes: (a) defining the role of external mentors, (b) elucidating the benefits of external mentoring and (c) examining the impact of external mentoring on ECT identity development. Our analysis revealed a scarcity of programmes emphasising university–school partnerships. Consequently, we propose the implementation of an ECT mentoring initiative involving university mentors collaborating with ECTs in their respective school environments. This study contributes significantly to the field of teacher education by shedding light on effective strategies for ECT induction and the transformative role of mentoring in cultivating ECTs as proficient educators capable of autonomous decision-making, networking, and enhancing overall teaching quality within schools.

Teacher engagement in professional learning communities in preschool contexts

ABSTRACT Despite the valuable insights provided by previous studies on the characteristics and contributing factors of professional learning communities (PLCs) in early childhood education contexts, there remains a lack of research investigating teacher engagement within PLCs and its influence on driving transformative change. The objective of this study was to examine teacher engagement in PLCs and its effects on teaching practices within preschool settings. Ten English teachers from two preschools in Hong Kong participated in the study through university-school partnerships. Data was collected through interviews, observations, and recall commentary. The findings revealed that frontline teachers actively engaged in various dimensions within the PLCs, including cognitive, behavioural, affective, and social aspects. These four dimensions were found to be interconnected and mutually inclusive. Increased teacher engagement within the PLCs resulted in changes in teaching practices, particularly towards play-based learning. In conclusion, this study emphasises the implications of these findings for government support and teacher development in the preschool field.