Specific Teaching Context Research Articles

Saudi female students’ perceptions of the Community of Inquiry in online learning environments

Distance Education in Saudi Arabia is experiencing a steady increase in female student enrollments due to a number of factors including increased E-learning modalities. E-learning provides more equal learning opportunities than traditional gender-segregated face-to-face classes because online learning environments have fewer gender restrictions. This allows women to participate more equally in higher education and benefit from the expertize of male instructors. This study examines Saudi female students’ perceptions of online learning in university courses taught by male instructors. It documents the supports and challenges female students encountered when they took these courses and considers cognitive, social, and teaching presence. Recommendations include providing faculty training and professional development programs to build online teaching confidence and equip faculty members with teaching skills in culturally specific teaching contexts.

Getting critical with compelling questions: Shifts in elementary teacher candidates’ curriculum planning from inquiry to critical inquiry

ABSTRACT While recognized as a foundational practice, social studies educators struggle with enacting inquiry-based instruction. With critical inquiries that examine sociopolitical and other injustices, developing aligned compelling questions represents a challenge, particularly for elementary teachers. Informed by four lenses of criticality from social studies scholarship, this design-based mixed methods research follows 28 elementary teacher candidates from two universities and regions as they formulated compelling questions for critical inquiry units together. Data sources included audio transcriptions of group discussions, course assignments, curriculum planning documents, and reflections. Qualitative and quantitative findings show that candidates created more critical questions with the intervention scaffold, suggesting a new criterion for determining open questions: identifying ongoing issues of empirical injustice. Most still struggled with identifying implicated social groups and clarifying relationships of interdependence. Group members’ positional awareness of sociopolitical identities appeared to support more critical collective question design trajectories through understandings of structure, agency, and place relative to the content. Results suggest the importance of scaffolding critical inquiry question development—with special care to support teacher candidates’ sociopolitical consciousness, and consider their and K-12 students’ implicated identities in power systems, situated in specific teaching contexts.

“Coursebook or No Coursebook”? A False Dilemma

The outdated debate over whether an EFL coursebook is necessary or not seems as relevant as ever since it is by no means a self-evident truth to every EFL educator. This paper argues that among the range of factors affecting the assessment of a given textbook is the teacher’s promptness to promote closer collaboration with students through appropriate means. More specifically, a pre-use textbook evaluation through the compilation of an appropriate checklist was put to the test with the aim of checking the serviceability of the new coursebook for the first grade of Greek General Lyceum. The case of an EFL teacher who tried to predict the impact of a textbook on her specific teaching context indicated that the expectation of student inputs to the implementation of learning activities (e.g., participation in activities using technology) was valued as a key determinant in setting priorities for in-use textbook evaluation.

“Reminds Me How Much You Ought to be Thinking About”: Advancing History Teachers’ Vetting and Adaption of Digital Curriculum Materials

The digital revolution has widened the array of curriculum materials available to history teachers. Given the variable quality of these new materials and the deeply contextual nature of teaching, educators need better tools for selecting among the vast options available. This study aimed to validate a device designed for that purpose, called the Curriculum Materials Evaluation Tool (CMET). Using a questionnaire and think-aloud interview, the study examined how four social studies teachers evaluated a novel material set for potential classroom use, and how the CMET mediated their analysis. Findings showed that the teachers preferred when materials are readily accessible and adaptable for their specific teaching context, in contrast to “one-size-fits-all” resources that dominate the Web. The CMET appeared to foster a deeper and broader analysis of the given material set, especially regarding its political and cultural orientation. The study suggests that teachers’ role in vetting and adapting digital materials be recognized and embraced. The CMET can contribute to that end through its use in district adoption committees, teacher professional development, and collaborative curriculum research.

Étudier les génocides, un outil pour comprendre et prévenir

This article reviews the main features and aims of the teaching guide « Studying Genocides », available free online. Targeting students at the end of secondary school (aged 16-17), this tool deals with nine genocides of the 20th century and aims to develop critical thinking and democratic, pluralist citizenship. The comparative approach proposed in the different teaching paths enables an under- standing of the genocidal process, racism, the different means of prevention and the issues of justice that still arise today. The material is also developed and treated as a sensitive theme, and is presented as a support for teachers, who remain free to make the necessary adaptations to their specific teaching context.

Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage And Formal Education: Comparison of Policies Between Türkiye And Flanders (Belgium)

The 2003 UNESCO Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage introduces a set of interrelated measures among which education is an intersection point. Since education is crucial to the transmission of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), the States Parties have focused their attention on connecting their activities to the education sector in recent years, with formal education making up the greater part of the efforts. Belgium and Türkiye both ratified the Convention in 2006 and education ministries in both countries or parts in it seem to have concentrated on secondary education (12-18 years old) to raise awareness of the meaning and importance of safeguarding ICH. The purpose of this paper is to compare and evaluate the Flemish and Turkish formal education systems at the secondary education level regarding the implementation of the Convention. Therefore, this qualitative research is based on the investigation of the policy texts and curriculum (mainly in Dutch and Turkish) that are explicitly or implicitly connected to the presence of ICH in the education systems of both cases. From this perspective, it takes the ratification of the Convention by both countries as its point of departure and presents three levels of discussion. First, in order to comprehend the present context wherein potential connections between ICH and education are established, the overall policy of Flanders and Türkiye is briefly outlined. Second, the discussion is directed to the implications these policy choices might raise. In the final section, the frame of discussion is further narrowed to the level of curricular choices. It can be stated that the analysis of the documents revolved around the implications of centrality (Türkiye) and relative autonomy (Flanders) to mobilize ICH in education. While in Türkiye, the course Folk Culture in secondary education was initiated on the national level as a direct response to the Convention, in Flanders, this safeguarding perspective did not seem to have permeated educational policy processes. However, the Flemish Government has tolerated an open curriculum framework that seems beneficial for the inclusion of relevant content on a regional or local level. Considering achieving connections with its specific teaching context, in both cases, attention has to be drawn to the role of teacher agency. It can be stated that teachers are in need of a balance between sufficient support (capacity building, instruction manuals, didactic suggestions, explicit references to ICH) and the autonomy to execute (open curricula, professional freedom).

“Learning in the Dark” Simulation to Teach about Accessibility

The purpose of this instructor-led lesson is to raise preservice teachers’ awareness of the significance of accessibility in PK-12 education. In the lesson, students develop empathy to understand the experiences of learners with vision-related disabilities through a simulation activity and competencies to achieve accessibility in their specific teaching contexts. Multimedia and open educational resources are utilized to introduce accessibility, inclusive education, Universal Design for Learning, assistive technology, and accessibility evaluation. Students participate in several learning activities, such as a collaborative document to identify effective technologies to address accessibility issues faced by learners with disabilities and an e-portfolio assessment to evaluate the accessibility of e-learning tools in PK-12 classrooms.

Examining Science Education in ChatGPT: An Exploratory Study of Generative Artificial Intelligence

The advent of generative artificial intelligence (AI) offers transformative potential in the field of education. The study explores three main areas: (1) How did ChatGPT answer questions related to science education? (2) What are some ways educators could utilise ChatGPT in their science pedagogy? and (3) How has ChatGPT been utilised in this study, and what are my reflections about its use as a research tool? This exploratory research applies a self-study methodology to investigate the technology. Impressively, ChatGPT’s output often aligned with key themes in the research. However, as it currently stands, ChatGPT runs the risk of positioning itself as the ultimate epistemic authority, where a single truth is assumed without a proper grounding in evidence or presented with sufficient qualifications. Key ethical concerns associated with AI include its potential environmental impact, issues related to content moderation, and the risk of copyright infringement. It is important for educators to model responsible use of ChatGPT, prioritise critical thinking, and be clear about expectations. ChatGPT is likely to be a useful tool for educators designing science units, rubrics, and quizzes. Educators should critically evaluate any AI-generated resource and adapt it to their specific teaching contexts. ChatGPT was used as a research tool for assistance with editing and to experiment with making the research narrative clearer. The intention of the paper is to act as a catalyst for a broader conversation about the use of generative AI in science education.

Would you use them? A qualitative study on teachers' assessments of open educational resources in higher education

The quality of open educational resources (OER) has been a continuous topic of interest over the past two decades, because it is intertwined with the adoption of these resources. In previous research the quality of OER has been defined on the basis of quantitative or usage data, but few qualitative insights are available. In this study we analysed how teachers collaboratively assessed ‘big’ OERs, and whether changes occurred in teachers' perceptions of OER by means of collaborative dialogue about the quality of these resources. Five core themes were elicited: (1) content, (2) design, (3) usability, (4) engagement, and (5) readability. Changes we discerned in teachers' perceptions relate to their awareness, attitude and practical issues in relation to OER. Higher education institutes aiming to increase the use of OER should encourage conversation on OER in teacher teams during curriculum reforms, and provide support for the adaptation of resources to teachers' instructional needs and their specific teaching contexts.

ESPcourse evaluation purposes and methodology: Tertiary teachers’ perspective and policy implications

Course evaluation has held a prominent position in higher education in the past few decades, yet there exist certain deficiencies pertaining to its design and implementation in some contexts, such as tertiary English for specific purposes (ESP) programs in Serbia and Slovenia. This study focused on ESP course evaluation at universities in these two countries. It examined teachers' evaluation practices, concerns, and suggestions so as to gain insight into their acquaintance with evaluation purposes and methodology, and identify challenges they encounter. The sample comprised 58 ESP teachers who completed a questionnaire, the results of which were analyzed by the authors for both quantitative and qualitative data. Findings reveal that respondents were aware of the importance of conducting course evaluation but also point to the need for promoting their acquaintance with its various methodological aspects (e.g., data collection, evaluation of participants) in order to be able to perform the procedure in a manner that suits their specific teaching context. The findings have important policy implications in terms of providing education and training so as to build teachers' evaluation capacity. Although the study included data from only two European countries, it sheds light on evaluation issues that are of general concern to all teachers of English.

A Semantic Approach to Ranking Techniques: Improving Web Page Searches for Educational Purposes

The Web offers an unprecedented number of resources and has become the most popular source of information for students shaping their understanding of a new topic, and for instructors selecting relevant material for learning and teaching activities. Even though search engines are the most widely used tools for searching for educational content, the realities of the learning and teaching processes make the retrieval and evaluation of educational resources more complex than they are for other goods or services. The lack of recourse to educational metadata in web pages, as well as the size of the Web itself, call for specific techniques to be adopted for a more effective ranking of educational content. In this study, we propose an innovative approach based on semantic technologies. The <i>SemanticSearch</i> approach described in this paper leverages knowledge graph representation of teaching contexts and proposes a new ranking method for rating educational web content. In the literature we find an Educational Ranking Principle that ranks web pages for a specific teaching context. In this study, we integrate the Educational Ranking Principle with semantic data to extend the experimentation and analyse performance further. We undertake an evaluation involving university teachers, considering more than 70 queries to measure the <i>SemanticSearch</i> performance against the Educational Ranking Principle in addition to two state-of-the-art methodologies: Tf-Idf and BM25F. Paired t-tests of four accuracy measures provide statistical evidence for improvements made by using <i>SemanticSearch</i> method when compared to the three baselines.

Reflection on action: peer micro-teaching process of prospective EFL teachers and class teachers focusing on mother tongue teaching

Teaching experience plays a productive role in teacher professional development, so it is necessary to examine such experience systematically, either as reflection on action or reflection in action. In a sense, reflection has the power to help the teacher connect experience and theoretical knowledge and to use each area of expertise more efficiently (Knezevic and Scholl 1996). Therefore, reflection is an important ‘tool’ to articulate how we know what we do when we teach (ibid.). For this reason, micro-teaching is an opportunity to link theory and practice, critically evaluate one’s teaching skills and to discuss alternative approaches and solutions for the specific teaching context with peer colleagues. This paper will focus, firstly, on the micro-teaching process by explaining the background of this procedure and then by giving the detailed description of the two micro-teaching sessions conducted in January and February 2020 at the Faculty of Education in Jagodina, University of Kragujevac, Serbia. Secondly, it will consider giving feedback to others, in person and online, using video records, self-evaluation and reflection in peer-teaching process. Finally, the paper will evaluate two peer micro-teaching sessions with a focus on student-student, interaction in university teaching context and advantages and disadvantages in teaching English as a foreign language on one side, and Serbian as the mother tongue on the other.

Social justice teaching beliefs and practices of South Korean novice teachers: complexity theory perspectives

ABSTRACT This study examined the social justice teaching beliefs and practices of three novice teachers from the perspectives of complexity theory. A qualitative multi-case study methodology was used to collect data that included interviews, classroom observations, and simulated recalls. The findings describe the lived experiences of the participants including various contradictions within their explicit professed beliefs, implicit or inferred beliefs, and actual practices within their specific teaching contexts. The discussion notes that contradictions novice teachers encounter while working in paradoxical in-between circumstances are inherent and important features of social justice teaching. The discussion concludes with some policy implications for the professional development of prospective and novice teachers.

Towards a comprehensive conceptualisation of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs

ABSTRACT This article addresses a perceived need for a more comprehensive model of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, that is, teachers’ beliefs about their personal abilities to perform specific tasks related to teaching and learning within specific teaching contexts. It starts with an analysis of current representations, and how they encourage further explorations in the field. Next, it draws on Dewey’s theory of inquiry, insights from research on self-efficacy beliefs and doubts, and teacher cognition to propose a new conceptual model of the dynamics of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in relation to the development of teacher knowledge. The article concludes with implications for research and teacher education.

A Needs Analysis Questionnaire: Designing and Evaluation

This paper explores the reasons for the existence of a needs analysis questionnaire and attempts to define the needs of the learners in a specific teaching context. The aim is to clearly state the theory lying behind the particular field, explain the design of the questionnaire and demonstrate the findings. Needs analysis is a matter of great importance as it can greatly assist both teachers and learners, as well. The former could better apprehend their students needs and requirements and therefore provide them with the best standards of education. The latter could significantly benefit from the adjusted lessons targeted to their particular needs and consequently, acquire knowledge through a pleasant and less stressful procedure.

Teaching French in Bilingual Schools Through Intercomprehension Analysis of the Experience of Teacher Training in the Balkans

This contribution proposes a reflection on a plural approach as intercomprehension to bi-multilingual education. To do this, I propose to take advantage of reflections from training French teachers in bilingual schools and university professors in the Balkan region. In my analysis, I will compare the results obtained with the skills descriptors of the Intercomprehension Framework for Multilingual Communication Skills (REFIC) in order to identify the descriptors showing the learning objectives adapted to such a specific teaching context.

General informatics teaching with B-Learning teaching model

Blended learning (B-learning), a combination of face-to-face teaching and E-learning-supported-teaching in an online course, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools have been studied in recent years. In addition, the use of this teaching model is effective in teaching and learning conditions in which some certain subjects are appropriate for the specific teaching context. As it has been a matter of concern of the universities in Vietnam today, deep studies related to this topic is crucial to be conducted. In this article, the process of developing online courses and organizing teaching for the General Informatics subject for first-year students at the Hue University of Education with B-learning teaching model will be presented. The combination of 60% face-to-face and 40% online learning.

Teaching and personal educational knowledge – conceptual considerations for research on knowledge transformation

Teacher knowledge is currently explored in three major research paradigms. This paper reviews how teaching and personal educational knowledge are related in these three paradigms, namely: the evidence paradigm, the life history paradigm and the practice theory paradigm. The paradigms can be linked through their demand to elaborate knowledge transformation conceptually. This paper introduces some perspectives for conceptual elaboration of knowledge transformation: a post-critical epistemology is used to distinguish two modes of knowledge: practical educational knowledge which provides orientations for teaching, and personal educational knowledge which provides orientations for reflection on teaching. These two modes of knowledge are consequently linked through the concept of technologies of the self as introduced in the epistemology of Foucault, which provides perspectives to relate practical with personal educational knowledge and comprehend how teachers transform their knowledge to adapt and develop their teaching with respect to specific teaching contexts.

Wobbling With Writing

We explore three primary paradigms that continue to dominate writing instruction in secondary schools. By illustrating these paradigms, exploring their underlying assumptions with two classes of preservice teachers (PSTs) enrolled in a required course on teaching writing and identifying theoretical and pedagogical alternatives, we examine how models of teacher preparation can invite teacher educators and PSTs to “wobble” with and, consequently critique, their deeply held beliefs about writing instruction. We analyze data collected in two major course projects completed at the beginning and end of the course to demonstrate how supporting PSTs in critiquing and exploring alternative approaches to teaching writing can enable them to challenge the “methods du jour” that emerge as a result of problematic models of school assessment and policy. Ultimately, this study illustrates promising interventions for helping PSTs do more than simply teach writing in formulaic ways at the expense of addressing students’ needs in their specific teaching contexts.

The teacher in me

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe a study of identity development in the context of a preservice teacher education program that used a variety of approaches to support development of understanding of cultural diversity. Design/methodology/approach – Fifty preservice teachers in a graduate program in elementary education participated in the study. Of the 50 participants, 47 were Caucasian, two were African American and one was originally from India, but was a US citizen. The analyses were qualitative. A phenomenological approach to data analysis was taken, viewing the drawings and written explanations created by the participants as independently occurring phenomenon (as compared with data that might be considered for grounded theory or constant comparison) (Hycner, 1985; Moustakas, 1994). Findings – Overall, the low number of drawings and writings that included representations of cultural, linguistic, special needs and gender diversity suggests of a lack of understanding about the significant roles of these student characteristics in the lives of elementary teachers dedicated to meeting student needs. Given the strong focus on diversity education in this preservice teacher education program, this was an unexpected finding. One explanation is that preservice and beginning teachers are highly involved in identifying their own beliefs and values about teaching and exploring how their personal characteristics can be reconciled and applied in their specific teaching contexts. Originality/value – It is imperative that teacher education programs effectively address diversity in the classroom for the population typically entering the teaching profession. While many programs spend considerable time and effort “teaching” multicultural concepts, few, if any, have asked students to look inward in the way we did on this study.