Teacher Preparation Research Articles

Exploring a practice‐based approach to elementary preservice science teacher preparation

AbstractThe science methods course model presented here, called an immersed methods course (IMC), engaged preservice elementary teachers in reform‐based science instructional approaches within authentic classroom settings and with elementary students in a guided format. Questions guiding the study were: (1) Did participation in the IMC model impact preservice teachers (PTs') science teaching self‐efficacy? (2) Which science methods course model activities/experiences did PTs identify as the most impactful on their science teaching? (3) How did participation in the IMC model impact PTs' understandings of science teaching? Participants were 138 elementary PTs from a Southeastern United States university. Data were collected from seven course sections over 3 years and included pre/post science teaching self‐efficacy survey data, post written responses, and interviews. Member checking approaches were also used to refine and establish the validity of findings. Researchers completed qualitative data analysis, which was complimented by quantitative statistical analysis. Findings across data sources suggest participation positively influenced PTs' science teaching self‐efficacy and beliefs about the effectiveness of the instructional approaches. Participation also helped PTs apply theories to practice and develop competency using the practices. Findings highlight how the IMC model mitigates constraints associated with current science teacher preparation approaches.

Probabilistic literacy and reasoning of prospective secondary school teachers when interpreting media news

AbstractEducating students to apply probability literacy and reasoning in out-of-school contexts requires the previous preparation of teachers, which should include the assessment of their mathematical and didactic knowledge. Consequently, we investigated three research questions concerning the probabilistic reasoning and literacy of 66 prospective secondary school teachers when solving probability questions related to a report taken from the media news, their ability to identify the fundamental stochastic ideas needed to solve the task, and their capacity to predict their students’ potential difficulties. The participants needed to compute the probability of a complementary event, several conditional probabilities, and perform critical reading of the information in the report. Despite the participants’ good mathematical knowledge, a high percentage showed reasoning biases, such as the fallacy of the transposed conditional, confusion between conditioning and causation, and few identified the information missing to solve a question. There was a poor capacity to determine the stochastic ideas needed to solve the questions, beyond probability, sample space, conditional probability, and sampling. The participants quoted a few potential errors of their students, mainly conceptual mistakes with scarce recognition of interpretation errors. These results reveal the need to reinforce teachers’ probabilistic literacy, reasoning, and related didactic knowledge.

TEACHER EDUCATORS’ EXPERIENCES OF USING THE MURSION® SIMULATION PROGRAMME: A CASE OF A SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY

This article explores the experiences of teacher educators at a South African university regarding their use of the Mursion® simulation program during pre-service teacher training. The study aimed to investigate these teacher educators’ experiences and perceptions of using the Mursion® simulation software by means of semi-structured interviews, and subsequent thematic analyses. Three themes were predominantly discussed during the interviews, namely, initial impressions of the Mursion® software, favourable aspects associated with the software, and less-favourable aspects associated with the software. The respondents’ initial impressions revealed a mixture of satisfaction, excitement, and uncertainty. The favourable aspects included the realism of the virtual classroom environment and experience, the opportunity for practice and skill development, and the potential for increased pre-service teacher preparedness. The less-favourable aspects highlighted were some anxiety and intimidation related to the technical nature of the software and the initial learning curve. The findings suggest that the software has the potential to enhance teacher education by providing a realistic and immersive classroom experience for pre-service teachers. The importance of technological support and training for educators to fully utilize such programs is also highlighted.

Ethiopian Early Grade English Teachers’ Preparedness to Teach Basic Reading Skills

Ethiopian children in early grades were found to be significantly nonreaders after 2–3 years of schooling regardless of linguistic variation. This is mainly attributed to the way children are taught basic literacy skills, which is attributed to teacher preparation and training. This research aimed to examine Ethiopian early grade teachers’ preparedness to teach basic reading skills. Five schools were randomly selected out of 44 public primary schools in the research site. Among 40 teachers of English in the selected schools, 32 teachers were willing to take knowledge assessment test and fill in the questionnaire. Two of knowledge test papers and two pieces of questionnaire were rejected because the responses were incomplete. The data were gathered from (n = 30) randomly selected primary schools English teachers by using a questionnaire and knowledge assessment test. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 25.0). Descriptive statistics were calculated for the responses to knowledge test and questionnaire. Pearson’s correlation was calculated for the relationship among teacher preparation coursework emphasis, practicum attention, and teachers’ felt preparedness to teach basic reading after categorical data were transformed into scale. The results have shown that primary school English teacher preparation designated only certain lecture sessions of coursework and few of activities of practicum to teaching early reading. The average knowledge assessment test score of teachers was 43.4%; 21 (70%) of the teachers achieved below 50% while 9 (30%) of them achieved 50% and above. There is a statistically significant relationship among teacher preparation coursework emphasis, practicum attention, and teachers’ felt preparedness to help Ethiopian children learn to read. It can be concluded from the results that teacher preparation both in its courses and practicum activities did not place due emphasis on teaching teachers to teach basic reading skills. Participant English teachers also had knowledge gap about early reading instruction. Thus, participant English teachers were not adequately prepared to teach early grade reading. Teacher preparation coursework emphasis, practicum attention, and teachers’ felt preparedness to teach early grade reading have a strong positive relationship.

Examining the Influence of Secondary Math and Science Teacher Preparation Programs on Graduates’ Instructional Quality and Persistence in Teaching

This quantitative, non-experimental study explored the relationship between the features of math and science teachers’ preparation programs and their graduates’ instructional rigor and persistence in teaching. Five math and science teacher preparation programs from across the United States were examined. Six sets of instructional tasks were collected from forty-six recent graduates of these programs to provide insights into novices’ instructional rigor, and employment data were collected for thirty-seven of these graduates three to eight years after graduation. Regardless of the program’s features, all teachers could design and implement instruction with moderate to high rigor. However, this ability was not the norm. Mixed-effect models suggest the strongest evidence between degree types (bachelor versus post-bachelor) was related to teachers’ persistence: novices from graduate programs were more likely to persist in the work. However, no program feature was strongly associated with instructional rigor. Further research is needed to determine if the differences we found in teacher persistence are due to the nature of applicants drawn to particular programs (undergraduate versus graduate) or the program’s structure. Future research is also needed to explore the influence of instructional context (i.e., district, school, and department norms for instruction) on math and science teachers’ instructional rigor.

Using Trentham’s principle of inverse consistency to vet models of human development for use in Christian educator preparation programs

This article aims to utilize Trentham’s Inverse Consistency Protocol (ICP) to appraise human development models for use within Christian educator preparation programs. The authors propose that the ICP can be applied to any secular paradigms to discern potential areas of inconsistency with an institution’s faith tradition. To illustrate application of the ICP in this way, Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) model was provided as an example of one model of human development that is widely taught in educator preparation programs. The ZPD model was submitted through the four-step inverse consistency protocol. Findings suggest that ICP is a reflective tool for engaging with the social sciences with integrity after protocol results indicated that ZPD is an appropriate model for use by Christian educators when used responsibly. Implications for extended use of ICP are discussed.

Promoting Theory and Practice: A Year-Long Residency Program to Better Prepare Future Educators

A challenge frequently voiced in the field of teacher preparation is the divide between theory and practice. Specifically, university coursework is often viewed as “the theory,” with classroom teaching experiences in PreK-12 settings being considered “the practice.” One Teacher Preparation Program re-designed their program to address this divide and better prepare pre-service teachers (PSTs) for their futures as educators. To do this, the re-designed program included more authentic classroom experiences through the implementation of a year-long residency model and the creation of a residency-specific course. This article details how an English methods course and residency course were designed to support PSTs as they made connections to their residency experiences. In this way, PSTs majoring in secondary English Language Arts (ELA) education were immersed within middle and secondary ELA classrooms as residents, while simultaneously engaging in rigorous university coursework, which sought to promote educational theory and practice. Specific instructional approaches and assignments are shared, along with reflections on what was learned.

A bibliometric exploration of infographics as tools for visual literacy in education

The purpose of this paper is to examine how infographics are used in the dynamics of designing or creating in the teaching and learning process. Utilising a bibliometric approach and content analysis, we examined a sample of 760 documents from the Web of Science and Scopus databases with no lower time limit until November 2023. The analyses aimed to identify trends, including main topics, authors, sources, most cited articles, institutional affiliations, and countries in the literature. This bibliometric approach allows for the observation of trends in the educational application of promoting visual literacy through students’ design or creation of infographics in formal and informal learning settings. Initial publications emerged in 2007, gaining momentum from 2014 to the present. The most prolific fields were medical science, chemistry, and computer science. This investigation shows that educational institutions could employ infographics beyond present boundaries to prepare students—particularly Generation Alpha, digital natives—for a data-driven society. Institutions should expand their use of infographics to improve visual literacy and address the changing educational requirements of students in a dynamic learning environment. Overall, this paper provides insights into the readiness of educators and institutions to engage Generation Alpha, the digital natives, through visual literacy and infographics.

Uncovering how in-service teachers are learning about technology in language teaching and learning

As emerging technologies rapidly evolve, language teachers in the 21st century face an increasing challenge in determining how to integrate them in their language classrooms. A crucial element for successful technology integration is for teachers to hold sufficient proficiency in technology and adopt active attitudes towards their own professional learning. While an abundance of learning resources is currently available, much still remains unknown about what language teachers are doing to enhance their knowledge and skills in technology. The current study therefore examined how in-service language teachers are learning about technology for instructional purposes and their reasoning behind using specific learning methods. Data were collected through an initial wide-scale questionnaire (n=179), in-depth interviews (n=19), and a post-interview questionnaire (n=19). The findings suggest that the language teachers were relying on a wide variety of online materials and tools—searching the web, reading mailing lists, connecting with teachers via social media, and watching videos, among others. Due to reasons related to finances, geographical locations, time, prevailing social situations, and attitudes, they appeared to be choosing to use informal and self-directed modes of learning over formal teacher training courses. Based on the findings, the current challenges facing language teachers who are learning about technology were identified, and implications for future technology preparation in language teacher education are suggested.

An investigation of teacher candidates’ ideologies towards emergent bilingual students

ABSTRACT This study examined how teacher candidates’ beliefs about language and ideologies towards emergent bilinguals (EBs’) are influenced by the number of bilingual and English as a second language methods (BEM) courses they complete, and if their perspectives further evolve as they spend time in field placements. A total of 293 pre-service teachers completed Fitzsimmons-Doolan’s 2011 language ideology dimensions survey at the beginning of an academic semester. At the end of the term candidates responded to three open-ended questions, and responses were analysed and categorised into three themes: what candidates need to know, what EBs’ academic needs are, and what a culturally relevant teacher preparation curriculum must offer. Findings suggest participants’ visions of schooling seemed to change after completing two or more BEM courses, and after reaching a 21–30 clinical hour scaffold working in an instructional capacity with EBs in K-12 schools.

Mapping of school teachers’ digital competency in the context of digital infrastructure: a systematic review and empirical study of India

PurposeThis research paper investigates the theoretical frameworks encompassing a nuanced analysis of the digital divide in the Indian educational context, recognising that it is not merely a matter of technology access but also the ability to effectively use the resource for enhancing learning outcomes. This research provides valuable insights for fostering a more equitable and digitally inclusive learning environment by integrating conceptual insights with empirical evidence. The New Education Policy (NEP), India 2020 firmly emphasises the appropriate integration of technology into the teaching-learning process to develop relevant competencies. The pertinent question is, for India to conquer the second digital divide challenge, is the pace of technology accessibility and skill development sufficient?Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a desk research, using secondary data from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+), the Indian Government database of schools. A structured dataset has been created for all years, where states are grouped in descending ranking order of availability of infrastructure and teachers trained. A colour key segregates the States into three zones demonstrating their different levels of performance – high (green), moderate (blue) and low (yellow). The purpose is to identify state/s that have moved from one zone to another and, thereafter, analyse the reasons behind the movement.FindingsAlmost all states remained in the same digital resource availability zone for the four years studied, except for a limited few. Despite government interventions through higher budget allocation and targeted policies, growth rates of teacher training in computer usage slowed down post-COVID-19. A high positive correlation between Teachers' training in computer usage and the availability of computer and Internet facilities in schools indicates that an increase in digital infrastructure in schools is highly linked to teachers' training in computer usage and would ultimately translate into better use of digital resources to impart equitable education opportunities.Research limitations/implicationsPrimary data collection through interviews might have added to the critical findings. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further on a case-by-case basis for any state under consideration.Practical implicationsEnhancing digital infrastructure in schools and building digital competence in teachers must be understood in the context of the learning organisation and the beneficiaries' attitudes at the meso-level to expand stakeholder motivation towards digital internalisation. This requires continuous engagement with education institutions as professional learning organisations, which will thereby help develop a decentralised context for teacher competency building. Collaboration, continuous monitoring of the outcomes of professional development programs, and sharing best practices are crucial in improving teacher readiness for digital education.Social implicationsAccess to tangible resources, such as computers, Internet connectivity and educational software, and developing intangible resources, such as teacher digital competencies, will play a pivotal role in shaping students' learning experiences. By studying the discrepancies in digital resource accessibility and teacher technology adoption, this research endeavours to add to the efforts towards enhancing the educational landscape.Originality/valueThis paper seeks to address a critical issue in the Indian education system and contribute to the ongoing effort to prevent the widening of the second and third digital divide in schools, and help achieve UN SDG Goals 4 and 10.

Awareness of Pediatric Nurses Regarding Drug Preparation and Administration in Gaafer bin auf Children Hospital, Sudan

Background: This study aimed to assess the awareness of nurses who care for pediatric patients related with drug preparation and administration conducted in Gaffer Bin Auf children hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November to December 2015, in Gaffer Bin Auf children hospital, largest pediatric hospital in Khartoum state. The total sample size was 92 participants. The self-administered questionnaire was constructed with a total of 26 questions. For data analysis, we performed nonprobability descriptive study design. Results: The results imply that Majority of respondents aged between 20-30 years (56.5%). Approximately half of the nurses held a bachelor’s degree (52.2%), while the remainder held a diploma (47.8%). A significant proportion of nurses (83.7%) reported no prior training in drug preparation and administration. Most nurses (46.7%) had 2-5 years of clinical experience, and 69.6% worked afternoon and night shifts. Regarding drug preparation and administration, varying levels of knowledge were observed among nurses. Notable percentages of nurses demonstrated awareness in areas such as double-checking during preparation (56.5%) and using distilled water or normal saline for non-contraindicated suspension drugs (56.5%), nurse answered can avoid a mistake during Preparation by prepare medication for one individual at a time with (90.2%), most of nurses have good level of knowledge regarding to drug preparation & administration practice with (65.6%). bachelor's degrees are more likely to demonstrate proficient drug preparation and administration practices compared to those with diplomas, with a significant difference of 94% (p=0.047, AOR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.03, 1.1). This research indicating that bachelor's degree nurse graduates generally exhibit better educational preparedness for quality and safety. Additionally, participants working morning shifts are 3.4 times more likely to exhibit good drug preparation and administration practices compared to those on night shifts (p=0.011, AOR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.3, 8.1), and 4.6 times more likely compared to those on afternoon shifts (p=0.015, AOR: 4.6, 95% CI: 1.8, 9.2). Participants with good knowledge of drug preparation and administration practices are 2.614 times more likely to exhibit proficiency compared to those with poor knowledge (p<0.001, AOR: 2.614, 95% CI: 1.78, 3.90). Conclusion: The study revealed significant insights into the demographic characteristics, educational backgrounds, and practices related to drug preparation and administration among nurses. Despite a substantial portion reporting no prior training, varying levels of knowledge were evident, with most nurses demonstrating awareness in key areas such as double-checking during preparation and using appropriate solutions for suspension drugs. While there are areas for improvement, the findings suggest a solid foundation of knowledge among nurses regarding medication safety, highlighting the importance of ongoing education and fostering a culture of continuous learning within healthcare ..............

Research Experiences for Undergraduates Through Extracurricular Practitioner Inquiry: Exploring the Experiences of Preservice Elementary Teachers

ABSTRACT Bridging the theory-practice gap remains a challenge in preparing preservice elementary teachers for science teaching. Research experiences for undergraduates (REU) offer a potential way to help preservice elementary teachers (PSTs) come to value and implement research-based science teaching. REUs come in many forms but often take the form of either extracurricular research with a practicing scientist. Alternatively, practitioner inquiries are often used as part of a teacher preparation course or practicum but often are limited in time and scope. In this study, we report on a novel approach to an REU that combined the features of a traditional REU and practitioner inquiry, which we refer to as Extracurricular Practitioner Inquiry (EPI). PSTs collaboratively developed, tested, and prepared curricular units for publication as part of an extracurricular, funded project. A mixed-methods approach, including nonrandom matched pairs and semi-structured interviews, was used to investigate the impact of the EPI experience on PSTs’ knowledge and beliefs about science teaching. As a result of their participation in the novel EPI, when compared with a control group, the PST participants developed beliefs more consistent with research-based science teaching. Support from collaborators, shifts in self-perception, and improved understanding of the research-practice relationship seem to have mediated changes in the PSTs’ knowledge and beliefs about science teaching.

Readiness of Indonesian pre-service science teachers for society 5.0

This research aimed to assess the readiness of Indonesian pre-service science teachers by examining their perceptions of impending challenges, desired competencies, and anticipated instructional methodologies in preparing for the challenges of Society 5.0. Using a quantitative survey research methodology, 884 pre-service science teachers from 16 universities were surveyed. The research instrument's validity and reliability were assessed utilizing the Rasch model. Inferential statistics were employed to assess the readiness of pre-service science teachers for future challenges, taking into account their backgrounds. The test outcomes showed the Cronbach's Alpha coefficient reached 0.92, is deemed "excellent", affirming the instrument's high reliability. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of teachers share a consistent perception of future challenges and recognize the importance of mastering 21st-century skills, particularly critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, and collaboration. However, respondents believe that the current learning process does not adequately train these skills. They expressed a desire for an alternative learning method that can enhance their skills while accommodating their diverse backgrounds, including place of residence, economic background, and technological proficiency. Further research is needed to identify alternative teaching methods that can effectively foster these abilities in diverse backgrounds.

Evaluating teaching readiness using the TPACK model: factor, reliability and validity analyses for Indonesian economics teacher candidates

Introduction. The preparedness of future economics teachers matters as it affects the quality of education, student results, workforce training, critical thinking abilities, global mindset, college prep, and adjustment to shifting economies. The future generation needs educated people to act as members of society and the world economy; hence, it requires a cadre of trained economists and teachers and is significantly shaped by intrinsic factors such as technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK). This study refines and validates a measurement instrument to reliably and validity assess the essential competencies of these teachers, tailored to meet the evolving standards of economics education. Materials and Methods. The study used an online questionnaire with a purposive sample of 100 pre-service economics educators from Indonesia for Explanatory Factor Analysis (EFA) and 389 samples for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), all of whom had completed their teaching practicums. Then, statistical analysis was conducted using EFA in SPSS and CFA in AMOS. The EFA was employed to determine how well the instrument’s items capture the components of the TPACK framework and their relevance to the prospective teachers’ readiness for professional practice post-graduation. The CFA is Performed to guarantee that each variable analyzed has the validity of the configuration and the reliability of the construct as needed and is used to establish the extent to which the measured variable may represent the construct or variable that has previously been considered. Results. This study first developed seven factors, namely Technological Knowledge (TK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), and Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK), consisting of 39 items. However, four items were removed because their factor loading was below 0.50. As a result, 35 items were retained as the factor loading was significantly greater than .50. The Cronbach's alpha value for each item of the TPACK construct was > .60 and met all the criteria of goodness of fit index, which means that it meets the requirements and can measure the TPACK construct in measuring job readiness of prospective teachers in Indonesia. As this study fulfills the requirements of validity and reliability of the constructs that lead to TPACK, the results of this study will help prospective teachers prepare themselves to become professional economics teachers. Conclusion. The teaching readiness of prospective teachers can be assessed using valid and reliable tools such as EFA in pilot testing and CFA in large-scale analysis assessments of the TPACK construct with 35 question items.

Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Preparation: Building on the Momentum Created by the EI/ECSE Standards

Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Preparation: Building on the Momentum Created by the EI/ECSE Standards

Is better readiness the key to deeper learning in distance education? A cross-sectional online study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has required teachers and students to suddenly transition from face-to-face formats to distance education (DE). The uniqueness of nursing discipline is that it requires both theoretical and skills-based learning. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the influencing factors and effectiveness of DE in nursing education. This exploration can guide teaching practice and provide a basis for the future application of DE in nursing education. AimsTo describe the current distance education readiness and depth of learning among undergraduate nursing students and explore possible influencing factors. To determine the relationship between students’ distance education readiness and the depth of learning. DesignThis is a descriptive and cross-sectional online study. SettingsSchool of Nursing in a traditional Chinese medicine university, Beijing, China. ParticipantsA total of 222 undergraduate nursing students from a traditional Chinese medicine university were recruited. MethodsA questionnaire, which is composed of information form, the Online Learning Readiness Scale, and the Scale of Students Making Deep Learning, was used for data collection. Frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlations were used in the analysis of the data. ResultUndergraduate nursing students have lower averages in distance education readiness and higher averages in the depth of learning. Significant differences in distance education readiness and depth of learning between different grade groups. A positive correlation was found between distance education readiness and depth of learning (r = 0.894, p < 0.001). ConclusionDistance education is a feasible approach to learning today. Undergraduate nursing students have exhibited poor readiness for distance education but demonstrated deeper learning conditions. Upper grades may lead to better learning outcomes. Better distance education readiness can lead to deeper learning. These conclusions prompt teachers and students to be prepared before participating in distance education to obtain better academic performance.

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Preparation Improving Use of Evidence-Based Practices in EI/ECSE

Innovative Approaches to Teacher Preparation Improving Use of Evidence-Based Practices in EI/ECSE

Preparing Early Elementary Preservice Teachers to Positively Support Students with Challenging Behavior

Preparing Early Elementary Preservice Teachers to Positively Support Students with Challenging Behavior

Addressing Students’ Beliefs to Enhance Family-Professional Collaboration in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Preparation

Preservice educators’ attitudes and beliefs towards families can have a profound impact on family-centered practices (FCPs) and family-professional partnerships (FPPs); unfortunately, negative beliefs about families can surface during preservice early childhood preparation and can be a challenge for faculty in higher education to address. This article shares promising instructional practices (e.g., projects, assignments, teaching methods) that have been shown to reshape preservice educators’ existing beliefs about families. In addition, these instructional practices aim to cultivate positive perspectives in preservice educators by aligning with the recent joint policy statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S Department of Education on inclusive early learning programs (2023) regarding engaging families as full partners. The purposes of this article are to: (a) briefly summarize the literature on relational FCPs and FPPs, (b) describe the connection between beliefs about families and their contribution to strengthen or hinder relational FCPs and FPPs, and (c) present instructional practices that faculty can use to support preservice EI/ECSE students’ constructive beliefs about families. Examples of instructional practices are organized and presented as: in class activities with families (e.g., guest speakers); in class activities without families (e.g., role playing); and out of class activities with families (e.g., attending an Individualized Education Program [IEP] meeting). By integrating these instructional practices, faculty can equip preservice educators with necessary skills and attitudes to build authentic connections with families, which can lead to improved outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families.