Supporting Student Teachers Research Articles

Exploring a Synchronous Hybrid Observation Approach for Supporting Student Teachers during School Placements

This article presents findings from an international study examining a synchronous hybrid approach for observing and supporting student teachers on their school placement. This novel approach emerged from previous studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and involves university tutors synchronously supervising student teachers from two locations: one tutor face-to-face in a school-based classroom and another virtually, from a remote setting such as a university campus. The qualitative case study adopts a focus group method to explore the views of participating school placement tutors from universities in Ireland and Australia about the benefits and challenges of this approach. Findings suggest that this new approach enhances supervisors’ observation and feedback practices and enables enriched collaboration and professional dialogue between student teachers and their tutors. Future research directions are also shared to advance the field.

Our Café Nero sessions: Supporting student teachers to develop their understanding of inclusive practice through problem‐based learning

AbstractThis article, co‐authored with a group of undergraduate secondary music student teachers, shares their experiences as they learned about additional support needs and inclusive practice through a series of 10 problem‐based learning (PBL) sessions. Drawing from their reflections on the weekly sessions, the paper explores the students' learning experiences through the themes of motivation, self‐directed learning, critical skill development and collaboration. The students' accounts indicate a deep engagement with the process of PBL and recognition of growth in their understanding and knowledge relating to inclusive practice and additional support needs. The process has supported their development in ways that may help them to navigate the complexities of inclusive education and support their own professional practice as they embark on their careers.

Supporting student teachers’ enactment of relational mathematics in the classroom: an Action Research study

ABSTRACT The problem of enactment describes a teacher’s inability to translate effective theories of teaching into practice. This is common for student-teachers, and invariably results in instructional practices that are ineffective and inconsistent with their beliefs. The motivation for this study was based on the observation that student-teachers move away from practices linked to relational understanding of mathematics and regularly fail to enact their mathematical knowledge in the classroom, despite having proven competence in the area. Therefore, the objective was to understand the reasons for this failure and make subsequent changes in the designated module to address the problem of enactment. Action Research was chosen as the research design considering the changes into one’s practice and subsequently evaluating those changes. The current study represents Cycle 1 of a larger two-cycle Action Research study. Qualitative data were gathered from student-teachers using focus groups and classroom observations and analysed using Braun & Clarkes (2006) thematic analysis and the Mathematical Quality of Instruction framework, respectively. The findings indicated that the intervention was effective in addressing the problem of enactment, but further changes needed to be made in Cycle 2 to ensure it meets the needs of student-teachers and the pupils they teach.

Supporting student teachers’ reflection through assessment: The case of reflective podcasts

Reflection is a key learning objective of teacher education, yet little is known about the ways in which it could be supported through assessment. In this case study (N = 14), we examine the potential of a novel assessment task—reflective podcasting—in supporting first-year student teachers’ reflection. We analyzed student group podcasts and corresponding student reflections and found that the task engendered reflection. Three theory-driven dimensions were constructed to emphasize the unique nature of podcasts for student reflection: experientiality, authenticity, and communality. We encourage factoring these dimensions into assessment designs that seek to foster student reflection.

School Leadership and Management Role in Supporting ODL Student Teachers in the Secondary School-Based Post Graduate Diploma in Education Program

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) student teachers, like all student teachers of the century, during their teacher preparation course, do engage in direct practice in the schools. This exercise is done under the tutelage of the university, school leadership and qualified teachers. It is during this direct practice that student teachers need support services, not only from their university, but from the school community. The study sought to establish prevention, intervention, transition and follow up support services offered by secondary school administrators to students on a Post Graduate Diploma in Education program during teaching practice. This was necessitated by the realization that as student teachers sought to get professionalized through improved pedagogical skills and personal growth during teaching practice, they needed relevant and effectively executed support services from their school administrators. Mixed research methodology was used, and purposive sampling was employed to identify the study participants. The perceptions of both heads and student teachers were gathered through questionnaires and interviews. The findings of the study revealed that effective and relevant student support services could only be achieved through nurturing of positive relationships between the student teacher and the head; a difficult concept to achieve when the head’s concentration was more on administrative tasks than on curricular and instructional tasks.

From PCK to TPACK - Supporting student teachers’ reflections and use of digital technologies in science teaching

ABSTRACT Background This paper builds on the growing focus on learning about teaching science with digital technologies, and the relationship between different elements that constitute teacher knowledge and how these are captured and understood during teacher education program. Purpose The aim of the paper is to capture and understand how student teachers integrate digital technologies into their science teaching. In the paper, research on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) is used to inform the discussion of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) the integration of technology into the teaching of a particular science content. Content Representation (CoRe) as a reflective tool is modified to a Technological Content Representation (T-CoRe) to stimulate 24 primary student teachers´ reflections on how to integrate digital technologies into science teaching. Design and methods After completing the T-CoRes, the student teachers participated in group discussions that aimed to stimulate a deeper reflection on how and why they integrate digital technologies into their science teaching. The data consist of student teachers´ completed T-CoRes (n = 12) and audio recorded group discussions (n = 6) to provide examples where the student teachers reflected on knowledge components of TPACK, both separately and integrated. A qualitative content analysis was performed to identify examples of participants’ understanding of how to use digital tools when teaching a specific science topic. Results The results demonstrate that the T-CoRe helped student teachers to reflect on their teaching of science with the use of digital technologies and made explicit the ways in which technology, content and purpose are closely linked in teaching. Conclusion The practices and processes highlighted in this paper will help to inform the involvement of student teachers in capturing and developing a knowledge base for using digital technologies in their science teaching.

Supporting student teachers to integrate theory, research, and practice: developing the Adaptive Subject Pedagogy Model

ABSTRACT Background Student teachers can find it difficult to inform their classroom practice with knowledge gained from education theory and research. Working with Design and Technology teacher education students, the authors have developed a model to support integration of knowledge-based thinking in lesson design for classroom practice. Purpose This study explores the use of the Adaptive Subject Pedagogy Model to scaffold knowledge integration across the elements of an undergraduate technology education programme. Sample Twenty-four Design and Technology students from three year-groups took part in the study. Design and methods The study used focus groups to explore student perceptions of using the model, and analysis of student assignments to explore evidence of knowledge integration. Focus group transcripts were analysed inductively using thematic network analysis. Assignments were analysed using a deductive coding framework. Results Students who understood the model as supporting planning for teaching in a broad sense were more likely to find the model helpful than those who saw the model as a lesson planning tool. Students valued the research element of the model for informing practice. Assignments gave mixed evidence of knowledge integration: some assignments showed convincing evidence of this, while others evidenced more partial integration. Conclusion The study indicates that the model can support evidential integration, but that this is a challenging area for student teachers. This may be due to the different forms of knowledge students encounter across the academic and practicum elements of the programme, and/or to programme design if the practicum is not integrated effectively with other programme elements.

“From Her Eyes”: On the Affordances of Video Resources in Supporting Teacher Reflection

The contribution presents data and findings from a teacher education intervention, which aimed at supporting (student) teachers’ professional vision in order to improve their (dialogic) reflective practices. In order to facilitate meaningful dialogue, video-recorded English lessons were used as bases of discussion. The 19 participants were early career teachers (with about two to four years teaching experience) from diverse geographical and educational backgrounds. Overall, interactions amounting to 349 minutes were recorded. Data show interesting interactions between participants describing and noticing specific teaching events on the video material, the challenges of suspending evaluation and the crucial role of dialogue in deepening the reflective process. Findings also show the affordances of video materials on fostering professional vision, such as the means of re-watching episodes and of several participants having seen the same teaching event. Although the participants had teaching experience, the facilitators were crucial in guiding towards both specific moments in the teaching events observed and to theory-based knowledge available to the participants. This raises implication for both pre- and in-service teaching aimed at reflective practice.

Supporting student teachers for a participatory pedagogy through Shier’s model of participation in Grade R (Reception Year) South Africa

ABSTRACT Providing support to student teachers to implement participatory pedagogies is vital for understanding the importance of listening to children’s voices and involving them in decision making. At a local university in the Western Cape, South Africa, ten final year Foundation Phase student teachers studying toward the Bachelor in Education who enrolled in the Reception Year module participated in a project during work integrated learning using Harry Shier’s Pathways to Participation model in support of a participatory pedagogy. After the first session of work integrated learning, student teachers participated in focus group interviews guided by open-ended questions on their experiences using Shier’s model. Findings reveal that whilst student teachers were open to listening to children’s voices, they did not have the necessary opportunities in their training to listen to children. Students were restricted to the confines of a Grade R class dominated by mentor teachers who adopted a transmissive pedagogy. Student teachers also noted that children were not accustomed to having their voices heard and making decisions.

Supporting student-teachers in the multicultural classroom

ABSTRACT The linguistic and cultural diversity which increasingly characterises European schools raises questions for both teachers and teacher educators. Can the diversity present in the learning environment be used constructively in building positive attitudes towards diversity in wider society? This study, based on a corpus of interviews with student primary school teachers engaged in a two-year programme of initial teacher education in France, investigates their readiness to meet the challenges of the multicultural classroom. Their attitudes towards the cultural and linguistic diversity of their classrooms, and their capacity to go beyond simply ‘managing’ the situation are analysed. The results suggest that without major changes in approach at the levels of teacher education, schools administration and within schools themselves; the rich possibilities to develop positive attitudes to inclusion and interculturality offered by the presence of plurilingual and pluricultural children in primary school classrooms will continue to be overlooked.

Supporting Student Teachers’ Reflections on Teaching English in the Netherlands

Supporting Student Teachers’ Reflections on Teaching English in the Netherlands

ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ КОНЦЕПЦИИ AGILE ДЛЯ ПОДДЕРЖКИ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО САМООПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ СТУДЕНТОВ-ПЕДАГОГОВ С ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕМ ПЛАТФОРМЫ TRELLO

ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ КОНЦЕПЦИИ AGILE ДЛЯ ПОДДЕРЖКИ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО САМООПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ СТУДЕНТОВ-ПЕДАГОГОВ С ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕМ ПЛАТФОРМЫ TRELLO

Supporting student teachers’ reflection as a paradigm shift process

The aim of this study is to explore how mentors, in this case university supervisors and student teachers, make sense of their experience with the support of reflection on teaching practice during post-lesson group interviews (reflective seminars). Review of the literature suggests that there is little known specifically about how mentors and students perceive support of reflection. The perspective of seven university supervisors and eight student teachers is presented. One of the principal findings in the in-depth phenomenological analysis is that for trainees to be able to reflect during the seminars, it is necessary first to set up an alternative paradigm of teaching.

Development of Learning System for Supporting Student Teachers to Train their Language Adjustment in the Classroom

Development of Learning System for Supporting Student Teachers to Train their Language Adjustment in the Classroom

Supporting student teachers’ reflective attitude and research-oriented stance

Following a major shift in Swiss teacher education in the 1990s, teachers are now educated at the university level with a more research-oriented focus than before the reform. Furthermore, the curriculum in teacher education is not only more academically oriented, but also concurrently practice-focused. Swiss student teachers are highly involved in the clinical practical component from the outset. This approach provides more learning opportunities that help to strengthen the relationship between theory and practice. Prior to the reform, reflection on teaching was mainly incorporated into practical training. However, since the reform, reflection has been strongly embedded in the entire curriculum in order to support student teachers’ reflective competence. The aim of this article is to discuss how students can be supported in developing a reflective attitude and a research-oriented stance, which have traditionally been seen as core elements of professional development. Three learning settings are presented, ranging from a more traditional approach to conducting research, to a current video-based training programme. Finally, consequences for teacher education are discussed.

Supporting student teachers through their first attempts at teaching: Possibilities and limitations afforded by school-based and campus-based models of support

AbstractStudent teachers' first attempt at teaching a lesson is a crucial step in their professional development. This paper compares the potential pedagogical learning opportunities and limitations afforded by school-based and campus-based support programmes that are designed to support student teachers in their early attempts at teaching. We use a qualitative analysis of interviews with university lecturers and a quantitative analysis of written feedback provided to student teachers within each of these models. The analysis of our data shows that during the school-based model, students receive retrospective feedback on many diverse issues relating to their lesson, particularly their management of learners. In contrast, the campus-based model offers student teachers an explicit opportunity to work collaboratively on the management of the content knowledge for their first lesson. The campus-based model, despite its numerous limitations, offers possibilities for developing students' understanding of teachi...

Supporting student teachers in developing and applying professional knowledge with videoed events

Student teachers often struggle with handling events in the complex environment that is a classroom. This article reports on a study that investigates the potential of using video-based materials to support mathematics student teachers in developing and applying professional knowledge. Student teachers viewed videos of classroom events with possible teacher reactions to each event. This article reports on the discourse that occurred before and after the viewing of the four possible responses in terms of the content and the nature of the discussions. Results show that when the event focused on mathematics, the focus of the responses shifted from themselves as teachers to the learners. However, the converse was true when the event focused on generic classroom management issues. Additionally, the nature of both sets of responses became more evaluative and interpretive following the video clips of possible responses.

Assessment for Learning to Teach

Supporting student teachers in learning to teach is a collaborative effort by mentor teachers, teacher education supervisors, and student teachers. Each of the participants appraises effort and progress in learning to teach from different perspectives, however. This study explores how practice lessons are assessed by multiple raters. Teacher educators, mentor teachers, and student teachers (51 participants in total) were asked to appraise a practice lesson given by the mentored student. Alignment in rating was analyzed in 17 triads and compared with respect to purpose of assessment, object of appraisal, preferred methods, and focus of the appraisal as well as on the criteria used by the various assessors. Shared problems encountered during the appraisal were also gauged. Our findings indicate considerable variation in purposes and multiple perspectives in criteria among the different assessors. Differences and similarities among the stakeholders were interpreted as contributing to a multifaceted appraisal of accomplishments. Nevertheless, a shared, common ground is also needed to value the different aspects that should be included in an integrated or encompassing approach for assessment of learning to teach.

Supporting Student Teachers

This article provides practical suggestions for principals for enhancing the success of student teaching experiences in their building. Specifically, principals can develop procedures for welcoming the student teacher, communicate with university officials early and frequently, monitor the quality and variety of the student teaching experience, and provide specific feedback to the student teacher. These actions send powerful positive messages to the student teacher while supporting their successful transition into the teaching profession.

Teacher education

Teacher education