Secondary Teachers Research Articles

The times, they are a-changing: Australian secondary classroom music teachers reflect on their early career 40 years on

The times, they are a-changing: Australian secondary classroom music teachers reflect on their early career 40 years on

Uncovering relationships between formal and informal learning: unveiling the mediating role of basic need satisfaction and challenge-seeking behavior

Purpose Most of the current literature investigates workplace-based formal and informal learning separately; thus, the relationship between these two types of learning remains unclear. This study aims to fill this research gap, drawing on self-determination theory to bridge teachers’ formal and informal learning and uncover the relationship between the two. Design/methodology/approach The participants of the study are 1,886 primary and secondary in-service teachers in China. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping are used to test the proposed model. Findings The study reveals complicated influencing mechanisms of formal learning on different types of informal learning among in-service teachers. Teachers’ basic psychological needs, satisfaction and challenge-seeking behavior are found to play crucial mediating roles in this process. Practical implications First, this study suggests that different configurations of intervention strategies should be formulated depending on the foci for improving teachers’ learning. Second, this study indicates that only highlighting the importance of reflection, which is the approach currently used, is not sufficient to improve teachers’ daily reflective practice. Third, there is an urgent need to design training programs to improve teachers’ abilities to purposefully expand their job boundaries, which could not only benefit teachers’ performance but also contribute to school improvement. For policymakers and school principals, we suggest that more attention be given to the satisfaction of teachers’ basic needs. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on workplace learning by connecting formal and informal learning and elucidating how teachers’ reported formal learning influences their informal learning activities via varied paths. The findings have implications for continuous professional development policy and training programs in the workplace.

Ancient history education through project-based learning

Abstract The effectiveness of teaching strategies and resources that promote meaningful content learning is most pronounced when active methods such as project-based learning (PBL) are used to teach Ancient History (Molina, 2020, 53). Therefore, this study focuses on a comprehensive assessment of the methodological and historical competences acquired by students enrolled in the secondary education teacher training programme at the University of Cordoba (Spain). The research, which is non-experimental and quantitative, uses a Likert-type scale and involves the participation of 201 Masters students who have completed the course ‘Learning and Teaching Social Sciences’. The results of the statistical analysis show a positive evaluation of PBL in terms of historical understanding and its effectiveness in improving historical awareness. It is crucial to emphasise the advantages of active and collaborative learning inherent in PBL. However, it is also imperative to acknowledge the challenges that students face in applying their methodological knowledge to the secondary school setting. The transition from theoretical understanding to practical implementation is a significant hurdle for many students aspiring to a career in education. These findings underline the importance of promoting the seamless integration of innovative pedagogical approaches into teacher training programmes in order to effectively address the specific challenges of teaching antiquity in an educational context. Finally, this research was made possible by the Ministry of Science and Innovation's ‘Prueba de Concepto’ project, funded by the European Union under grant number PDC2022-133123-I00, and also by the CLIOGEN project (GINDO-UB/187) on Ancient History.

Linguistically responsive teacher identity construction through reflections on sociocultural pedagogical practices: Collaborating with secondary content area teachers of emergent bilinguals

AbstractThis article shares findings from the implementation of an ongoing National Professional Development (NPD) project that advances second language literacy and biliteracy in secondary content areas. The project is part of a research–practice partnership between a large public university and two school districts in south Texas that engages in‐service secondary school teachers seeking additional certification in English as a Second Language or Bilingual Education. Project activities adapt linguistically responsive theoretical and research perspectives to impact secondary teachers' knowledge, dispositions/beliefs, and practices. Analysis examines how secondary in‐service content‐area teachers reflect, narrate, and enact their professional identities as linguistically responsive teachers of emergent bilinguals (EBs) through professional learning activities. Findings describe how participants negotiated their identities as teachers of linguistically responsive instruction for EBs, as demonstrated through their engagement of reflective practices, digital language stories, and enactments of sociocultural pedagogical practices.

Mapping Epistemic Orientation and Rigor of Classroom Instruction in Secondary Science Classrooms During Long-Term Professional Development

ABSTRACT As part of a larger effort to understand the impact of professional development (PD) on teachers’ thinking and practice, this research explores changes in epistemic orientation (and associated practices) of one cohort of secondary science teachers as they were involved in a two-year longitudinal PD focused on supporting students in argumentation. Through a mixed methods approach (including survey data, teacher interviews, and classroom observations), we sought to document shifts in science teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices. The Epistemic Orientation toward Teaching Science surveys were administered at three-time points to measure teachers’ epistemic orientation. To measure classroom practices, we recorded teachers’ enactments of activities designed during the PD. The instructional rigor of their classroom practices was described using the Instructional Quality Assessment Science Observation Rubrics (IQA-SOR) across four stages of a task: task potential, task launch, task implementation, and student discussion at the task’s close. Findings suggest that changes in epistemic orientation occurred for teachers who engaged in 2 years of PD, and these beliefs were reflected in the rigor of their instructional practices. Further, our findings suggest that 1 year of professional development was insufficient to engender such changes in teachers’ epistemic orientation or instructional practices.

Centering reciprocity: lessons learned from a university–school partnership

PurposeSchool–university partnerships are important in teacher education to ensure PK-12 preservice teachers gain teaching experience prior to becoming teachers of record. Drawing on Ball and Cohen’s (1999) concept of “practice-based teacher education,” this three-year qualitative study examines the results of an intentionally reciprocal school–university partnership centered on a practice-based learning, field-based course. The following question guided this research: Having designed and facilitated a school–university partnership centered on reciprocity, what factors contributed to and/or took away from this commitment?Design/methodology/approachThe current study examined three data sources, namely: (1) seven semi-structured focus group interviews with a teacher educator, sixth-grade teachers (n = 4) and a principal; (2) eight question/answer sessions between preservice teachers and partnering secondary teachers and (3)one focus group between the two authors. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.FindingsThis study’s findings highlight the reciprocal nature of the school–university partnership, showcasing the positive outcomes and challenges faced by stakeholders. Clear communication and ongoing dialogue were identified as key elements to establishing and maintaining a reciprocal relationship. Additionally, emphasis on shared learning experiences between partners were found valuable and important to maintaining benefit to all partners. Relationship development also remained an important and positive outcome of this partnership. Additionally, there were challenges related to time, and schedule constraints were evident in the partnership. Moreover, ongoing reflection and a willingness to adjust and change based on experiences and lessons learned ensured participants recognized the importance of ongoing iteration and calibration to address challenges and enhance the partnership.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability.Originality/valueThe paper includes implications for the development of other school–university partnerships that prioritize reciprocity, highlighting an often assumed, but not always examined, component necessary to the success of school–university partnerships.

Investigating preservice secondary mathematics teachers' skills in posing realistic mathematics tasks

Mathematics tasks situated in realistic situations play a central role in developing and applying mathematical knowledge. However, mathematics educators face difficulties in designing realistic mathematics tasks. This study was conducted to gain deeper insights into the characteristics of mathematical problems that underprepared preservice secondary mathematics teachers pose. This study examined 32 preservice secondary mathematics teachers' problem-posing skills based on three problem-posing situations: structured problem-posing, semi-structured problem-posing, and free problem-posing. As the context of the participants, they did not have learning experiences in designing realistic mathematics tasks. In evaluating the preservice teachers' works, the researchers used several evaluation criteria, namely the compatibility of the problem with the mathematical principles, plausibility and sufficiency of information, the problem text, level of context authenticity, cognitive demand, and the correctness of the solution. The results revealed that most preservice teachers posed problems with the first-order level of context use and low cognitive demand. Additionally, many of them encountered difficulties when attempting to solve the problem. The findings of this study were expected to serve as a basis for developing a curriculum for pedagogic and mathematics courses in teacher education.

Unlocking the Power of Play: Exploring Key Influences of Digital Game-Based Learning Adoption Among South African Mathematics Teachers

Integrating digital game-based learning (DGBL) into mathematics teaching has gained significant attention for its potential to improve learning outcomes. However, adopting DGBL in mathematics remains challenging, particularly in resource-constrained contexts such as South Africa. Consequently, this study used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate mathematics teachers’ adoption of DGBL in their classrooms. We interviewed twenty-four primary and secondary school mathematics teachers in the Northern Cape province about their use of DGBL. Inductive thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that external variables such as language barriers, teachers’ technophobia, parental influence, and students’ limited reading skills negatively influenced teachers’ perceived usefulness of digital games. We also found that the teachers’ attitudes toward DGBL, which were influenced by their positive perception of it, influenced their intention to use digital games for mathematics purposes. The study recommends targeted policy interventions, including the development of multilingual digital tools and comprehensive professional development programs, to enhance the adoption of DGBL among South African mathematics teachers.

Secondary school EFL teachers' awareness for formative assessment for effective learning

The aim of this study was to examine the extent to which English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in secondary schools were aware of formative assessment for effective learning, and whether this awareness level differed based on their teaching experience. The study used a survey design, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data from 167 participants, and analyzed the data using various statistical and analytical techniques. The results of the study indicated that EFL teachers had limited knowledge of formative assessment and that their practical understanding of the topic had not been addressed in teacher education curriculums or training programs. The study recommends that educational authorities, such as the Ministry of Education (MOE), teacher education institutions, and universities, take steps to promote the practicality of formative assessment in teacher education programs and on-the-job learning initiatives. The findings of this study can also serve as a reference point for further research and interventions to improve the effectiveness of EFL teacher education in different contexts.

Рефлексивные компетенции педагогов СПО как фактор успешной цифровой трансформации

Введение. Рефлексия является важным фактором успешности в различных видах профессиональной деятельности. В рамках педагогики большинство исследований проявлений рефлексии сконцентрировано на высших психологических функциях человека или на формировании рефлексивной компетенции у школьников и студентов. Остается открытым вопрос о сформированности рефлексии в системе общепрофессиональных компетенций у педагогов, в том числе педагогов профессионального образования. Цель. Обоснование значимости рефлексивной компетенции в структуре компетенций педагога. Методы. Библиографический и контент-анализ научных публикаций, посвященных проблемам педагогической рефлексии, систематизация полученных выводов. Результаты. Предложен подход к изучению профессиональной рефлексии педагога как особого комплекса компетенций, приобретающих особую значимость в условиях цифровой трансформации образования. Практическая значимость. Результаты исследования могут быть использованы для дальнейшей разработки проблематики профессиональной рефлексии как инструмента совершенствования педагогической деятельности. Introduction. Reflection is an important factor in achieving success across various types of professional activities. In pedagogy, most studies focus on the higher psychological functions of individuals or on the development of reflective competencies in schoolchildren and students. The issue of the formation of reflective competencies within the general professional skills of teachers, particularly in the field of secondary vocational education (SVE), remains unresolved. The aim of the article is to substantiate the significance of reflective competence within the structure of a teacher’s competencies. Methods. The study employed bibliographic and content analysis of scientific publications dedicated to issues of pedagogical reflection, along with the systematisation of the findings. Results. An approach to studying professional reflection as a distinct set of teacher competencies, which becomes especially crucial in the context of the digital transformation of education, was proposed. Practical Significance. The results of the study can be used to further explore professional reflection as a tool for improving pedagogical practices.

Secondary teachers’ guided reinvention of the definitions of reducible and irreducible elements

Informed by Realistic Mathematics Education, we designed a hypothetical learning trajectory on graduate students’ guided reinvention of reducible and irreducible elements in rings. We created experientially real context problems for use in a teaching experiment, in which secondary in-service and pre-service teachers used algebra tiles as an emergent model of factoring integers and quadratics in Zx. In their mathematical activity, this became the teachers’ model for abstracting the shared structure of (ir)reducible elements in Z and Z[x], which they used to formally define (ir)reducible elements. In this paper, we discuss the progression of the teachers’ reasoning and defining activities that were evident as they reinvented the definitions of reducible and irreducible elements of integral domains.

Bringing academic disciplines together to focus on literacy: a secondary school case study

PurposeThe purpose of this qualitative study was to bring together teachers from different academic disciplines to engage them in lesson study (LS) cycles with a focus on literacy.Design/methodology/approachThis research employed a qualitative case study and occurred in one secondary school along the Texas (USA) and Mexico border. Ten teachers representing six academic disciplines participated in eight LS cycles to reflect on their knowledge of literacy, including when, if at all, they integrated literacy when planning and teaching lessons. About 20 students shared their impressions, feelings and thoughts about the lessons.FindingsTeachers learned that literacy standards exist in each academic discipline and that integrating reading and writing during lessons allowed for more increased dialogue between/among teachers and students. The principal learned that teachers from all academic disciplines need differentiated, sustained professional learning opportunities on how to teach literacy skills.Originality/valueTeachers often work alone or within their respective academic departments, whereas this project focused on secondary teachers from six academic disciplines taking part in LS cycles with a common focus on literacy. Sustained opportunities for teachers to study their standards and curriculum materials, plan and teach lessons and share perspectives from classroom observations resulted in new knowledge about ways to include literacy in any academic discipline. A schoolwide professional learning community focused on literacy could act as a catalyst for instructional change.

Configuration and expansion of secondary level and teacher training (higher level) in Tierra del Fuego AeIAS (1991-2006). A comparative analysis of two investigations

Configuration and expansion of secondary level and teacher training (higher level) in Tierra del Fuego AeIAS (1991-2006). A comparative analysis of two investigations

Exploring strategies to sustain teacher agency in the context of ‘hyper-accountability’: Reflections from ten experienced chemistry school teachers in Chile

We explored teacher agency in a policy context of hyper-accountability drawing on interviews with ten experienced secondary school chemistry teachers in Chile. Constraints included successive reforms of the national curriculum, a resource-poor and high-surveillance education culture, and a low-priority culture of professional learning. Strategies enacted to sustain teacher agency included identifying ‘pockets of possibility’ to realise authentic chemistry education for all, developing trusting relationships with students and proactively nurturing their own professional development. These strategies have the potential to enhance the practice of teachers and teacher educators, and to inform a reorientation of policy away from high-stakes accountability.

Peer Coaching as a Strategy for Teachers’ Professional Development

This study explores the English language teachers’ practices of peer coaching as a strategy for their professional development. Peer coaching is a strategy where one or more teachers from a partnership with one another for the purpose of collaboration and it also provides professional development. For this study, a sample of forty secondary and lower-secondary level teachers of English were selected from twenty schools in the Okhaldhunga district using purposive sampling procedures. Two English teachers from twenty schools were selected. A questionnaire was used that also included open-ended questions. Fifteen closed - ended and six open – ended questionnaires were used to collect required data. Teachers strongly agreed that peer coaching reduces the sense of isolation. They viewed that peer coaching is a procedure in which two teachers collaborate to help one or both to improve English language problems.

Teachers matter: linking teachers and students’ self-regulated learning

ABSTRACT Teachers play an essential role in supporting students to become self-regulated learners. It is assumed that teachers’ professional competence in self-regulated learning (SRL) influences their promotion of SRL, which in turn influences students’ acquisition of SRL skills. However, the links between teachers’ SRL competences, SRL promotion, and students’ SRL have not yet been the subject of extensive research. In a multilevel analysis with 167 lower secondary teachers and their 2,785 students, we examined the relationships between teachers’ professional competences (own SRL skills, mindsets, pedagogical content knowledge about SRL, self-efficacy, and attainment values), teachers’ self-reported and students’ perceived SRL promotion, and students’ SRL skills (metacognitive, motivational, and cognitive strategies, and metacognitive strategy knowledge). The results highlight the importance of teachers’ self-efficacy for their self-reported SRL promotion. Furthermore, SRL promotion was positively related to students’ metacognitive, motivational, and cognitive strategies but not to their metacognitive strategy knowledge. The analyses of indirect effects showed that teachers’ own SRL as self-regulated learners and their self-efficacy as agents of SRL were indirectly related to students’ SRL through the promotion of SRL. Focusing on teachers’ SRL competences as both learners and agents could help to understand better why teachers do or do not promote SRL, thereby explaining the development of students’ SRL.

Teachers’ attitudes towards SDG-12: responsible consumption and production. Development and validation of a measurement scale

Although Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) were stablished in 2015, there is still a scarcity of scientific literature focused on how they are being worked on in compulsory education curricula, perhaps due to a lack of suitable assessment tools. Hence, this study aims to design and validate a scale for assessing teachers’ attitudes towards responsible consumption and production (SDG-12), and to understand how they incorporate these concepts into their classroom practices. 400 primary and secondary school teachers participated in the study. The scale showed reliable psychometric properties. Although most participants had a favourable attitude towards SDG-12, only 28% of them had received training on this topic. Responsible consumption is occasionally addressed in the classroom, generally through ICT resources or specific activities. Primary teachers showed more favourable attitudes and engagement in teaching this topic in their classrooms than secondary teachers. Therefore, the proposed scale is a simple tool to find out how SDG-12 is addressed across different educational stages. It is important to measure these questions in order to guide the educational practices aimed at promoting responsible consumption.

Perspectives of ELT Teachers in Enhancing Writing Skills through Immediate Feedback

Immediate feedback is crucial for enhancing students’ writing skills as it provides timely guidance, allowing them to identify and rectify errors promptly, thereby fostering continuous improvement and proficiency in writing. This paper investigates the perspectives of secondary level English teachers on immediate feedback and the techniques they use while giving immediate feedback. The study was conducted on sixty English language teachers who have been teaching English at secondary level institutional schools of Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan city of Banke district. The researcher used simple random sampling method to select the sample. The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed descriptively and interpreted using simple statistical tools. The majority of teachers (i.e. 86.66%) viewed that immediate feedback plays the role of scaffolding in their writing, while only a minority of teachers (i.e. 13.33%) viewed it negatively. The study revealed that almost all the teachers showed a positive reaction towards the role of immediate feedback to enhance writing proficiency. It was also found that most of the teachers used correction codes to correct student’s mistakes and errors. Thus, the English language teachers are recommended to use immediate feedback as a scaffolding tool to enhance writing students’ proficiency of secondary level students.

Unleashing creativity in STEM teacher education through scripting task pedagogy

AbstractThis paper proposes a creative pedagogical approach that aims to foster authentic STEM teacher education through incorporating scriptwriting tasks in science and mathematics courses for future secondary STEM teachers. These tasks invite teachers to create imaginary dialogues addressing specific pedagogical challenges, such as conceptual difficulties, misconceptions, or unexpected questions arising during instruction. We assert that traditional approaches to lesson planning in STEM methods courses do not provide sufficient opportunity for exploring both content and pedagogy and fostering student engagement. Hence, we propose scriptwriting‐based pedagogy as an innovative and creative way of cultivating future STEM teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. This paper showcases three examples of scriptwriting tasks implemented in secondary STEM teacher education. We elucidate the pedagogical opportunities afforded by scriptwriting and underscore its pedagogical potential for STEM teacher education.

School Heads’ Mentoring Practices And Supervisory Skills: Their Influence On Teachers’ Performance

This descriptive-correlational study investigated the relationship between school heads’ mentoring practices, supervisory skills, and teacher performance in Iloilo City, Philippines. Data from 350 randomly selected elementary and secondary teachers revealed that school heads prioritize fostering a positive attitude in teachers, while their overall supervisory skills are perceived as exceeding expectations. Interestingly, teacher performance also exceeded expectations, but no significant correlation was found between mentoring-supervisory skills and teacher performance. This suggests that other factors beyond school leadership might influence teacher effectiveness. However, mentoring practices were consistently valued by teachers, highlighting their importance in creating a supportive school environment.