Teacher Preparation Programs Research Articles

We Have Met the Enemy in Teacher Education; It Is Us—Teacher Educators and the Bad Faith of Our Niceness, Not Teachers

In this conceptual essay, the author draws on the concept of bad faith to explore its connections to Niceness and role in sustaining the historical failures of U.S. teacher education to prepare future teachers to effectively teach learners from diverse backgrounds through culturally responsive pedagogy. Bad faith is a useful, albeit underutilized, concept in considering and challenging the patterned historical inequities maintained by Niceness in teacher preparation programs. Applying a critical race theory (CRT) methodology and analysis, the author presents and interrogates three representative exemplars of a logic of racism operationalized through bad faith, then insulated by Niceness in U.S. teacher education. These exemplars serve as conceptual case studies that are constituted as composite scenarios of patterned enactments of bad faith authorized by Niceness within U.S. teacher education; these cases demonstrate how [and why] the bad faith–Niceness interplay informs the work and [good] intentions of stakeholders most often in ways that further, rather than challenge, historical failures of U.S. teacher education for culturally responsive pedagogy.

Lesson study in science teacher preparation programs: a literature review

PurposeThis article aims to identify and describe the research outcomes of studies that have employed the theoretical framework of lesson study (LS) in initial science teacher preparation programs. The focus is on the impact of LS on preservice teachers’ (PST) pedagogical and content knowledge, beliefs, routines and norms for professional learning and instructional practices.Design/methodology/approachA systematic approach was employed to compile pertinent literature by initially searching scholarly databases using specific keywords and phrases related to prospective science teacher preparation. Seventeen studies, encompassing both qualitative research and mixed-methods research, met the inclusion criteria and significantly contributed to the study’s findings. The authors independently conducted a coding process, applying a predefined code scheme based on Lewis et al.'s (2019) theoretical framework. The outcomes of the coding process were compared, and reliability tests were conducted to ensure the consistency of the coding.FindingsIn preservice science teacher (PSST) education, LS proves transformative, enriching pedagogical and content knowledge, shaping beliefs, fostering collaboration and influencing instructional practices. Its collaborative, reflective and iterative nature significantly contributes to the professional growth of preservice science teachers, preparing them for effective, student-centered teaching practices. Further investigation is warranted in the realm of LS, particularly concerning preservice science teachers and their beliefs.Originality/valueThis literature review on science PSTs is one of the pioneering efforts to employ the professional development framework crafted by Lewis et al. (2019).

Enhancing Pre-Service EFL Teachers’ Self-Efficacy through the Use of ELF in a Multilingual World

The teaching practicum, a psychologically demanding phase of professional development, yields diverse self-efficacy outcomes for pre-service teachers. While it is crucial to view the practicum as a cornerstone for shaping teaching beliefs, there exists a research gap in understanding its influence on the self-efficacy of pre-service English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) teachers in East Asia and delving into the cognitive processes during this period. This mixed-methods study (n = 18) aimed to address this gap. The quantitative results revealed an overall increase in participants’ self-efficacy, notably in classroom management. The qualitative findings uncovered challenges faced by those with lower self-efficacy, particularly when discrepancies arose with mentor teachers over teaching English through a communicative approach. Conversely, individuals with linguistically and culturally diverse pre-practicum experiences exhibited resilience while maintaining robust beliefs about their own teaching. The findings suggest the necessity for tailored teacher preparation programs aiming at nurturing a multilingual perspective through interaction in English as a lingua franca.

Engagement and identity among pre-service teachers in English learner coursework

ABSTRACT This study examines the understanding of a linguistically responsive teaching framework (LRT) among pre-service teachers (PSTs). This study employed a mixed-method approach. The quantitative data did not demonstrate statistically significant differences between bi-/multilingual and monolingual PSTs in their responses to the LRT framework. However, qualitative analysis revealed variations in how bi-/multilingual and monolingual PSTs perceived the role of language and power access. Emergent findings indicated that White male PSTs may exhibit resistance to understanding or meeting the needs of ELs. Teacher preparation programs may offer immersive learning experiences in different languages, especially for those who may lack such exposure.

The Impact of CALL Teacher Preparation Program on EFL Teachers' Integration of Technology

This research examines how Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) instructors are currently using technology in language instruction, the difficulties they encounter, how Computer Assisted Language Learning Teacher Preparation Program (CALLTPP) affects English Language Teachers (ELTs) professional development and technology integration and the implications of CALLTIT for teacher education programs. During a six-month blended learning program called CALLTPP, five CALL teachers engaged in online sessions and asynchronous communication to improve their comprehension and use of CALL in the classroom. Convenience sampling was used to choose the participants, who then submitted narratives summarizing their experiences. The narratives' thematic analysis showed that CALLTPPs had a favorable impact on ELTs' capacity for incorporating technology and professional development. Participants stated that they felt more competent and confident when incorporating technology, which increased learning outcomes and pupil engagement. On the other hand, difficulties including perceived complexity and a lack of formal CALL education were noted. In addition to highlighting the necessity of continuing support and training for CALL teachers, the study underscores the significance of digital literacy and pedagogical understanding for successful CALL integration.

Teacher SEL Space: Addressing Beginning Teachers’ Social Emotional Learning in a Support Group Structure

There is evidence that ongoing social emotional learning (SEL) needs among teachers negatively impact teacher retention and student learning. At the same time, teachers’ SEL has been insufficiently addressed in teacher preparation. As a consequence, preservice and early-career teachers often lack the tools, perspective, and support to address their own SEL needs. The article describes a pilot project where current candidates and recent graduates in a teacher preparation program came together in an ongoing support group structure to share struggles, successes, and initiatives, support and advise each other, and reflect on their ongoing journey. After a review of the literature on teachers’ SEL needs, gaps and models in teacher preparation, and the potential benefits of support groups, data from the pilot “SEL Space” meetings are presented and discussed, with an emphasis on thematic patterns, evolution over time, and participants’ reflection on the process. Implications for practice and research are presented.

Pipeline Disruption: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Next Generation of Teachers

This qualitative study aims to provide insight into why teacher candidates, interested in pursuing K-12 teaching, made the decision to leave their traditional teacher preparation programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers utilized sociocultural theory as the framework to ground the research. The study finds the educational disruption caused by the pandemic added a layer of complexity to candidates’ experiences, including missed opportunities, limited clinical experience, and a general sense of uncertainty, which altered teacher candidates’ outlook on the teaching profession, impacted their education journeys, and ultimately shifted their immediate career trajectories. The results from this study indicate that clinical experiences are an important predictor of whether teacher candidates remain in their preparation programs. With this research study, we hope to support the development of a more robust teacher pipeline.

An Evaluative Study of English as a Foreign Language Teacher Preparation Program Taught in the Department of English, College of Education, Al-Nadirah, Ibb University

An Evaluative Study of English as a Foreign Language Teacher Preparation Program Taught in the Department of English, College of Education, Al-Nadirah, Ibb University

How to help students learn: An investigation of how in- and pre-service physics teachers respond to students’ explanations

Research carried out through the last 20 years gave us undeniable evidence that to learn anything we need to be active participants, not passive observers. One of the important aspects of learning physics is constructing explanations of physical phenomena. To support and guide students toward constructing their explanations, teachers need to be attentive and responsive to students’ explanations. To learn how physics teachers interpret and respond to students’ explanations we investigated pre- and in-service physics teachers’ responses to students’ written explanations of their answers to a complex physics problem. The survey administered to the participants included the problem statement and four authentic student explanations. The participants were asked to identify each student’s strengths and weaknesses and to provide a response to that student. We found that while the participants were successful in identifying productive and problematic aspects of student reasoning, they rarely built on student reasoning when responding to the students, mostly focusing on addressing problematic aspects. The paper discusses why this finding is important for physics teacher preparation programs and professional development programs. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

A content analysis of SBAE preservice teacher disposition assessments

Effective teaching is complex as it encapsulates professional, interpersonal, and intrapersonal knowledge. Professionalism is often tied to dispositions, although ambiguous definitions and cultural sensitivity make it a difficult task. Therefore, this study aimed to establish a comprehensive list of dispositions associated with SBAE teacher preparation. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of dispositions assessments in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teacher preparation programs in the North-Central Region of the American Association for Agricultural Education by conducting a content analysis. The sample frame included 22 dispositions, and all of them appeared in the assessments at least once, resulting in 554 dispositions across the documents. This study contributes to our understanding of teacher dispositions, an important facet of teacher education preparation programs. However, we are left with additional questions relating to practice, research, and theory. According to prior research, students bring their dispositions into their learning experiences, but those learning experiences and other factors influence changes concerning the decision to teach as a career.

Positioning Field Supervisors at the Hub of Clinically Focused Teacher Preparation

ABSTRACT Clinical supervisors serve an essential role in the field of teacher preparation. Despite acknowledgment of the complexity of this work, supervisors are often marginalized, provided inadequate support in their roles, and seen as evaluators for individual student teachers as opposed to part of a larger program. Instead of positioning clinical supervisors at the fringes of our teacher preparation program, we reorganized our teaching internship to center supervisors as the hub connecting interns, collaborating mentor teachers, districts, and faculty. In this manuscript we share benefits of this relational model coupled with ongoing challenges. In the field of teacher preparation, there is a longstanding call for coherent preparation models that focus on, among other factors, the dynamic integration of clinical practice, the rigorous selection of clinical educators and coaches from both higher education and the PK-12 sector, and the designation of specific sites to support ongoing clinical preparation (AACTE, 2018; Darling-Hammond, 2014; Hands & Rong, 2014; McDonald et al. 2013, 2014; National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, 2010). Essential to implementing these models are those who serve as clinical supervisors.

“Y Todavía, We Are Still Being Tested”: Educational Testimonios and Counter-Storytelling of Two Bilingual Pre-Service Teachers in a Multicultural Education Course

This article utilizes the testimonios of two bilingual pre-service teachers to discuss their experiences with educational assessments in a multicultural assessment course. Utilizing educational testimonios and counter-storytelling methodology, I share the personal accounts of my participants’ P-16 experiences, discuss how they navigated barriers related to testing and assessment, and describe how these experiences impacted their educational trajectories. I explore how testimono methodology can provide a necessary tool for constructing counter-stories for pre-service teacher educators within their teacher preparation programs. My findings demonstrate how, through critical reflection, pre-service teachers are able to draw and heal from their own experiences with assessments and how this process has better prepared them to enter the field as future bilingual educators.

Co-teaching in Teacher Preparation: Programmatic Priorities, Promising Practices, and Potential Pitfalls

Co-teaching is recognized as a best practice that is increasingly being utilized to meet the needs of diverse learners in the classroom. All teachers need to be prepared to meet the needs of diverse learners, including students with disabilities. However, few teacher preparation programs lead to dual certification in general and special education, and even fewer include the use of co-teaching in teacher preparation programs. Like in P-12 education, organizational systems and collegial dynamics can pose barriers to implementing the use of co-teaching in higher education. This article addresses the benefits and challenges of co-teaching in a teacher preparation program. Specifically included is a discussion about how engaging in the co-teaching process can be valuable to pre-service teachers and faculty members, as well as barriers to consider when navigating institutional procedures and policies. University faculty share their experiences proposing, developing, and implementing co-taught courses in an undergraduate dual certification (elementary and special education) inclusive education program. Strategies that can be used to address known barriers and successfully implement co-taught courses in a teacher preparation program are provided.

Scaffolded cooperative problem-based approach in entrepreneurship education for vocational preservice teacher

PurposeThis study aims to comprehend vocational preservice teachers' recalled experiences with the Cooperative Problem-based Learning (CPBL) pedagogical approach in an entrepreneurship course and to reveal how these experiences will impact their future teaching practice. The course under study intends to improve preservice teachers' entrepreneurial attitudes while equipping them with the skills necessary to create a comparable teaching strategy at school after graduation.Design/methodology/approachThis study used the semi-structured interview data to triangulate the qualitative data collected from the students' reflection journals. The data were thematically analyzed whereas the codes with comparable elements were combined, resulting in themes that describe the relevance of scaffolding used with each component of the MUSIC motivational model.FindingsThe results revealed that the student teachers who took part in the research stated in their comments how the scaffolds used in the CPBL sessions impacted their learning. Additionally, they could articulate the experiences that strengthened their perceptions regarding entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship education.Practical implicationsBy implementing scaffolded CPBL in entrepreneurship course during the teacher preparation program, the preservice teachers would be able to put a similar approach into the practice of their future teaching profession in guiding students to accomplish instructional outcomes.Originality/valueThis study highlights the importance of providing more innovative practices for entrepreneurship education across teacher preparation curricula to help develop the skills necessary for entering the future profession. The findings also emphasize the value of scaffolding in PBL, including expert, peer and activity design scaffolding. It also completes the body of research indicating that PBL-based entrepreneur education instruction can help students develop their entrepreneurial skills and attitudes while also providing a great chance to improve their teaching abilities.

TEACHERS’ SENTIMENTS, ATTITUDES AND CONCERNS ABOUT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND SELF-EFFICACY FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICES

The present study explores Greek teachers' attitudes and sentiments about inclusive education and their overall self-efficacy in instructing students with disabilities. Further aims of the study are: (i) to determine the degree to which teachers' sentiments, attitudes, and concerns towards inclusion can be a predictive factor for teaching self-efficacy and (ii) to investigate the extent to which demographic variables and occupational profile are related to attitudes, perceptions, and concerns of inclusion and teachers' self-efficacy. 165 Greek teachers responded to (1) The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale Revised [SACIE-R]) (Forlin et al., 2011), (b) Teaching Students with Disability Efficacy Scale - TSDES (Dawson & Scott, 2013). The findings showed a positive correlation between teachers' self-efficacy for implementing inclusive practices and their attitudes, sentiments, and concerns regarding inclusive education. Greek educators are in favour of inclusive education, feeling positive about it and acting like positive role models. Self-efficacy is predicted by their attitudes, perceptions, and concerns which are influenced by demographic factors. The regression analysis indicated that self-efficacy in the effective adoption of inclusion is correlated with teachers' attitudes and perceptions. Results may help shape the curriculum for teacher preparation programs to further support inclusive education.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu/0538/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Creating a New Border Culture in the Midst of the Climate Crisis: Activism and Pedagogy Strategies for Teacher Preparation

This paper documents the efforts of an activist group that came to teach about activist efforts, climate change/climate justice/climate crisis issues, and to create leaders in one border community. The leaders of this three-day workshop are a part of an activist organization named SOMOS Sunrise, the Latine constituency of the Sunrise movement. In this paper, I will analyze the climate change workshop training days and components of the workshops. Secondly, this paper will document a climate cohort education group conducted with undergraduate students and pre-service teachers the following summer. This climate cohort helped articulate art activism and public speaking opportunities to advocate for change with the city council. The implications for teacher preparation programs and strategies to situate situate climate activism as a tool to reimagine border culture within the climate change/climate crisis will be discussed.

<b>Evaluation of the Arabic Language Teacher Preparation Program in the Faculty of Education at Ibb University in Light of Comprehensive Quality Standards: A Comparative Study and Proposed Framework</b>

هدفت الدراسة إلى تقويم برنامج إعداد معلم اللغة العربية بكليتي التربية جامعة إب في ضوء معايير الجودة الشاملة, من وجهة نظر أعضاء هيئة التدريس, وطلبة المستوى الرابع, وبناء تصور مقترح لتطوير البرنامج في ضوء معايير الجودة الشاملة. تم بناء الأداة (استبانتين) إحداهما خاصة بأعضاء هيئة التدريس وتكونت من (182) فقرة, والأخرى خاصة بطلبة قسم اللغة العربية, وتكونت من ( 140) فقرة, تم التطبيق على عينة عددهم (49) عضوًا, (51) طالبًا وطالبة من طلبة المستوى الرابع في كليتي التربية جامعة إب, توصلت النتائج إلى قائمة محكمة بمعايير الجودة الشاملة لتقويم برنامج إعداد معلم اللغة العربية, وحصل البرنامج على تقدير متوسط, كما وجدت فروق ذات دلالة احصائية عند مستوى دلالة (00,5) بين أفراد عينة الدراسة (الأعضاء) في الكليتين تعزى لمتغير (البيئة التعليمية ) لصالح أعضاء هيئة التدريس كلية التربية إب, وتم بناء تصور مقترح لتطوير البرنامج. كما أوصت الدراسة بوضع معايير سياسة القبول في البرنامج وزيادة مدة التربية العملية لمدة عام.

Mathematical practices are everywhere: The intersections of pre‐service teacher claims, non‐mathematics‐education faculty claims, and observable actions

AbstractMathematics traditionally has been taught in a way that reifies the cultural belief that it is discrete in nature and, therefore, irrelevant to other content areas and the real world. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, inclusive of mathematics teacher educators, views this belief as unproductive to learning and has stressed the need for students to make connections between mathematical content areas, to other disciplines, and to the real world. Unfortunately, many teacher‐preparation programs (TPPs) structurally are organized with overt divisions between content areas, which likely perpetuates the belief that mathematics is disconnected and irrelevant. Nonetheless, this project was motivated by the hope that at the individual classroom level within such TPPs, non‐mathematics teacher educators (TEs) were integrating mathematical practices and, thus, assisting in changing this unproductive belief. An analysis was completed of a three‐part, data‐collection process of (a) 180 pre‐service teachers' assignments requiring that they align activities from non‐mathematics education courses with mathematical practices; (b) 16 TEs' questionnaire data on how they use mathematical practices in their instruction; and (c) 11 full‐class, video‐taped observations of TEs teaching. Findings revealed that TEs do implement mathematical practices but do not claim always that this is what they are doing.

Identifying Elements of Inclusion: Interviews With Elementary Music Teachers About Their Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Each year, increasingly more children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are being served in schools. Many children with ASD are included in elementary music classrooms, but little is known about the experiences of these students and their teachers. For this study, we purposefully selected two elementary music teachers from participants in a survey about students with ASD. Semi-structured interviews with these teachers allowed us to identify elements necessary for creating a culture of inclusion and implementing the inclusion of students with ASD. Follow-up, in-class observations with one teacher confirmed interview findings. Overall, results from the teachers’ interviews suggested elements that could impede or facilitate elementary music teachers in their efforts to create a classroom culture of inclusion and implement inclusion using best practices from music education and special education. Findings also provide important implications for music teacher preparation programs and school policies and procedures.

Unveiling pre-service English teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction

Implementing differentiated instruction (DI) has become imperative, particularly with its integration into the Kurikulum Merdeka in Indonesia. It is an approach that customizes instruction to cater to students' needs. This study aimed to unveil the general perceptions of pre-service English teachers regarding DI, explore their understanding and practices within the framework of DI, and identify challenges in its implementation. This study applied a quantitative approach with a survey research design with EFL pre-service teachers as the participants. The research employed a structured questionnaire as the primary instrument and substantiated each item through validation procedures, including Cronbach's alpha analysis. The findings showed a comprehensive overview of pre-service English teachers' general perspectives on DI that influence their practical application of related techniques. These insights contributed to a deeper understanding of the efficacy of DI and informed pedagogical practices, teacher preparation programs, and curriculum development. This research divulged the crucial role of pre-service English teachers' perceptions in implementing DI in teaching and learning contexts. Additionally, the study highlighted challenges pre-service teachers face, such as time constraints, limited resources, and large class sizes, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to address these challenges. The outcomes of this study were expected to inform related parties about the significance of tailored instruction in fostering effective and inclusive instruction environments to reach educational goals.