Teacher Training Institutions Research Articles

Relationship between Student-Teachers’ Academic Interaction and Academic Self-Esteem in Public Secondary Schools in Nakuru County, Kenya

The learners’ academic self-esteem and academic interaction shape the learning environment of students. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ academic interaction and academic self-esteem relationships in public secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. Correlational research design and both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were used in the study. The population of the study comprised 23,309 that is 11,938 boys and 11,371 girls form three students from 294 public secondary schools in Nakuru County. A total of 29 public secondary schools and 378 form three students were selected using stratified random sampling. The study used purposive sampling to sample 29 class teachers from the selected public secondary schools in Nakuru County. The total sample size for this study was therefore 407 respondents. The study used closed-ended questionnaires to collect data from students and interview schedule to collect data from class teachers. To ensure content validity of the research instruments, the researcher developed questionnaires and an interview schedule in line with the objectives of the study in consultation with experts on counseling and educational foundations. To test the reliability of the questionnaire, a pilot study was done on one secondary school that was not part of the actual study. Cronbach’s Alpha test of internal consistency was established whereby the items had reliability coefficients of 0.871 (for the student-teacher academic interactions tool) and 0.873 (for student academic self-esteem tool) which were considered acceptable. Quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 while qualitative data was analyzed using NVivo version 12. The study established that there was a statistically significant relationship between student-teachers’ academic interaction and academic self-esteem in public secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. The study recommends Kenyan teachers training institutions to advance teaching methods that seeks to improve student-teachers’ academic interaction and academic self-esteem for better academic achievement.

Implementation of Service Learning in Malaysian Higher-Educational Institutions: A Literature Review

Service Learning activities are increasing in Malaysia and have been implemented by many parties. Many higher education institutions (HEI) contribute to the communities by organizing service-learning programmes. The service learning activities measure students' personalities who do community voluntary work with total commitment without demanding rewards. The implementation of service learning needs to comply with the elements of service learning: personal growth, civic learning and academic enhancement. In Malaysia, higher education institutions include universities, colleges, and teacher training institutes. There are various methods of implementing service learning, such as community services, volunteer activities, and charity programmes that involve students during their studies. Service Learning frameworks are guidelines for planning and doing the Services Learning activities. This study will clarify the implementation of Service Learning by higher-educational institutions in Malaysia involving universities and Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG).

Agricultural science preservice teachers implementation of practical activities through video-based observations

Practical activities are essential for promoting experiential learning and preparing future teachers to effectively convey complex concepts, particularly in agricultural science education. Teacher training institutions strive to equip prospective teachers with the requisite knowledge and skills necessary to successfully implement the curriculum in their future teaching endeavors. This study aimed to evaluate preservice agricultural science teachers in their ability to integrate practical activities into their classrooms using easily accessible and locally available resources to teach agricultural science content that requires hands-on engagement from learners. This qualitative study involved six preservice agricultural science teachers in their third year of the Bachelor of Education in secondary education honors program at the International University of Management in Namibia. Preservice teachers were asked to record a 10-15-minute videos of them enacting agricultural science during their four weeks school-based studies (also known as teaching practicum). Video observations revealed that teachers effectively utilized readily available materials to explain concepts in agricultural science in the topic of soil in which they were primarily asked to concentrate on in any grade of their choice. Additionally, the teachers engaged with syllabus-based content appropriately, demonstrated enthusiasm in presenting the material, and exhibited a strong command of the language used as the medium of instruction.

교원양성기관의 생활지도 영역 교육과정 개선에 관한 합의적 질적연구

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the experiences and perceptions of in-service teachers and pre-service teachers regarding the Life Guidance Curriculum in teacher training institutions, in order to obtain insights for improving the related curriculum at these institutions. Methods: This study used a consensual qualitative research method targeting a total of thirty people from February to July 2024. Individual interviews were conducted with twenty-one current and prospective teachers, and focus group interviews were conducted with nine educational experts. Relevant research reports and policy documents were also referenced in this study. Results: As a result of analyzing the collected data, each area, category, and subcategory were derived with a total of four topics. The category of the research participants' experiences and perceptions was first, 'difficulties experienced in teaching life guidance ', second, 'life guidance competency that pre-service teachers need to qualify', and third, 'experience of taking lectures related to life guidance at teacher training institutions', and finally, 'proposal for improvement of lectures related to life guidance at teacher training institutions'. Conclusion: This study revealed a change in the field where the term of 'life guidance' was being transitioned by the concept of 'life education', and it was possible to examine the necessity of developing teachers' community leadership competencies, and the importance of life guidance linked to the subject. Through this, we propose the necessity of changing the guidance-related courses, currently categorized as elective courses in teacher training institutions, to required courses. We urge academia and teacher training institutions to pay close attention to ensuring that future guidance-related courses in teacher training programs are improved to adequately reflect the relevance and applicability to school settings.

Perception of Technological Integrations as a Catalist for Steam Teacher Education

STEAM Education connotes the addition of Arts to STEM education. The fourth industrial revolution as a buildup from the first three revolutions is rapidly changing the education landscape. This study examined students’ perception of technology integration for enhancing STEAM teacher training programmes in VUCA times while investigating influencing factors and impending challenges for a holistic assessment. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study. The population for the study was students for tertiary institutions while the target population was university teacher trainees offering STEAM-related subjects. The data was collected using a researcher designed and validated questionnaire with an overall Cronbach alpha reliability index of 0.81. The collected data was analysed descriptively (using frequency, percentages, percentile ranking) and inferentially (using a multi-level Factorial ANOVA) tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings from this study revealed that students had a positive perception of technology integration for enhancing STEAM teacher training programmes. However, the highest-ranking influencing factor for technology integration was the availability of adequate infrastructure while the inadequate access to technology infrastructure was observed as the highest-ranked impediment. The findings of this study informed the conclusion drawn which shows how important technological integration is in pedagogy. As such, teacher training institutions must have the latest resources and use them to advance student growth, including soft skills while upholding STEAM education’s emphasis on creativity and innovation as hallmarks of discoveries.

An Assessment of the Administration of Teaching Practice in a Teacher Training Institution of Zimbabwe

This study sought to assess the administration of teaching practice in a primary education teacher training institution in Zimbabwe. The chosen population consisted of lecturers, school mentors and student teachers. Convenience sampling was used to select primary schools in Gwanda town. These were four in total. From these, purposive sampling was used to select heads of schools, teachers who were student-teacher mentors and student teachers who were in teaching practice. There were twelve teachers in total, and there were twelve student teachers. Purposive sampling was also applied to select lecturers who manned the chosen institution's teaching practice department. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the heads of schools and lecturers, while focus group discussion guides were used to gather data from teachers and student teachers, respectively. As one of the core findings, it unveiled that some students went for teaching practice inadequately prepared to meet associated demands. Furthermore, some mentors seemed burdened by constantly supervising the student teachers while at the same time executing other school duties done by other teachers who were not mentors. Based on these, the study recommends intensification of the assessment of the readiness of student teachers to engage in the teaching practice exercise before the institution releases them to schools. In addition, teachers who are assigned the role of student-teacher mentorship should be relieved of other school duties as this might enhance their commitment to student-teacher development.

Extent of Use of Virtual Field Trips in Instruction of History and Government Among Secondary Schools in Murang’a County, Kenya

The use of field trips for instruction has been limited by the cost of trips, logistical planning, time taken in traveling, and learners’ safety concerns. This has led to the adoption of Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) that offer opportunities for learners to virtually visit historical sites for learning. However, the utilization of VFTs in teaching and learning History and Government in secondary schools has not been sufficiently researched and documented in Kenya thus the essence of the study. The study was guided by Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge Theory (TPACK) and adopted a Quasi-Experimental Design targeting thirty-five public sub-county secondary schools. Schools and teachers were purposively sampled while learners were randomly selected. A sample size of 372 respondents took part in the study. Learners’ questionnaires, interview schedules for teachers, and classroom observation schedules were used to collect data. The study found that majority of teachers and learners were not aware of the use of VFTs for teaching and learning. Further, even after training, teachers were not able to effectively use VFTs in instruction. Against these findings, this study recommended that the Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission should team up and organize training for teachers to equip them with ICT skills for preparation and use of VFTs for teaching and learning. Also, teacher training institutions should endeavor to equip teacher trainees with ICT skills to exploit VFTs in their specific teaching-learning areas.

Effect of utilization of VFTs on teaching and learning History and Government in Murang’a County in Kenya

The adoption of Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) as a teaching method has provided opportunities for learners to virtually visit historical sites for learning. However, the effects of utilization of VFTs in instruction on students' performance in History and Government had not been sufficiently researched and documented in Kenya. Therefore, the essence the study was to establish how use of VFTs in teaching and learning affects learners' academic performance in History and Government in Murang’a County in Kenya. The study was guided by Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge Theory and adopted a Quasi-Experimental Design targeting 35 public sub-county secondary schools with a target population of 3,329 respondents. Schools and teachers were purposively sampled while learners were randomly selected. A sample size of 372 respondents made up of teachers and form one learners of History and Government took part in the study. Research instruments used were learners’ questionnaires, interview schedules for teachers, History and Government Assessment Tests, and classroom observation schedules. Piloting was done on all research instruments and reliability accepted r=0.657. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data for descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found that use of VFTs significantly affected learners' academic performance at t (365) = 15.50, p=0.00. The study recommended teacher training institutions to equip teacher trainees with skills to exploit VFTs in teaching. A VFT teaching guideline was developed to assist teachers in preparation and use of VFTs for instructional purposes to improve teaching and learning for better academic performance.

What Digital Competency Tells Us About E‐Learning Satisfaction of Pre‐Service Teachers

ABSTRACTIt is imperative that pre‐service teachers gain digital competency (DC) as a result of their education where e‐learning is a central component. In this study, we aimed to describe pre‐service teachers' perceived DC and e‐learning satisfaction (ELS) levels, to examine how their perceived DC and ELS change in terms of related variables and to investigate how perceived DC predicts ELS. To inform their policy decisions, teacher training institutions and more generally HEIs must have a clear understanding of this relationship as it will allow them to decide whether to invest in e‐learning platforms or in enhancing pre‐service teachers' perceptions of DC. Utilising a quantitative research understanding, we collected data from 402 students in various teaching programs at a Faculty of Education. Findings indicated that pre‐service teachers report a high level of perceived DC and moderate level of ELS while we ascertained a low level of predictive relationship between the two variables. We suggest that policymakers prioritise investing resources in improving DC of pre‐service teachers in order to have them higher levels of ELS to increase the quality of their education.

Using an Exploratory Factor Approach to Determine Strategies for Effective Implementation of Teaching Practicum in Schools

Teaching practicum is a vital component of pre-service teaching courses. However, researchers have shown concern about the quality of implementation of these courses. Resultantly, students show low-profile abilities in teaching and learning when they join professional service as teachers. The primary purpose of this study was to develop a scale for exploring strategies for effective practicum implementation and, secondly, to ascertain teachers’ perceptions about the effect of these strategies on the effective implementation of teaching practicum in schools. A survey questionnaire was developed and used for data collection. The questionnaire was developed based on a review of the literature and expert judgment. A total of 77 students participated in the study from a private college of teacher education in Peshawar. The students were selected based on a convenient sampling technique. The dimensionality of the scale was checked through exploratory factor analysis. The principal component analysis revealed a 4-factor structure as an essential strategy for the effective implementation of teaching practicum for pre-service teachers. These strategies were clear communication, showing respect, professional behavior and motivation. It is concluded that the scale can be used for measuring the effectiveness of teaching practicum in other contexts. The results of this study may be used for improving the curriculum implementation of teaching practicum in teacher training institutes. This study is significant as it provides firsthand knowledge to the management and administration of teacher education institutions about the essential strategies that can be used to enrich further teaching practicum, a pivotal element of teacher education.

Pedagogical Guidelines for School Religious Education in the Context of Rural Education

This work presents pedagogical guidelines for School Religious Education (SRE) in rural contexts. The need to evolve from more traditional teaching practices and to move toward a more pluralistic approach that considers the socio-cultural particularities of students is explored. The aim of this article is to reveal experiences that are considered successful for teaching based on interfaith and intercultural dialogue. The method of the study is qualitative, and the design is Grounded Theory. The participants are teachers from rural schools in the La Araucanía Region in Chile. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were applied to religion teachers. The results fall into four dimensions/categories: an intercultural interfaith approach, active-reflective methodologies, experiential pedagogical relationships, and significant contents. The findings reveal that it is necessary to establish links between SRE and the educational community through active methodologies to promote interfaith dialogue and mutual understanding. This article proposes that SRE teacher training institutions should design study programs based on the religious and cultural diversity present in today’s society.

Enhancing Physics Education in Ugandan Teacher Training Institutions: Technology Integration and Gender-Inclusive Teaching Strategies

Purpose: This article investigates strategies to enhance physics education in Ugandan Teacher Training Institutes (TTIs) by utilizing the TPACK framework. It focuses on technology integration, professional development for educators, and innovative teaching approaches to improve the quality of physics education. Methodology: Employing a mixed-method design, this study examined ICT and gender integration in physics teaching across three Teacher Training Institutions in Eastern Uganda. The research utilized case study and survey designs, gathering data from 14 Physics Lecturers and 14 TTI administrators through surveys, interviews, observations, and document analysis. Purposive sampling was used to select participants with relevant expertise. Data were analyzed using content analysis and quantitative methods in Excel, adhering to ethical protocols that included obtaining permissions and ensuring confidentiality. Findings: The study highlights that while physics lecturers possess strong subject matter and pedagogical knowledge, there is a notable deficiency in updated ICT skills and gender-inclusive practices. Key strategies for enhancing ICT competencies include implementing professional development programs, adopting blended learning models, and conducting ICT integration workshops. The research identifies that demographic factors and digital literacy significantly influence ICT integration, emphasizing the need for targeted training and resource allocation to create inclusive, technology-enhanced educational environments aligned with TPACK, DOI, and sociocultural theories. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice, and Policy: This study underscores the critical need for comprehensive training in ICT and gender inclusivity within TTIs. It emphasizes the importance of institutional support and policy development to modernize physics education, enhance pedagogical practices, and promote gender equity.

Some Problems on Teaching Profession Developing in Singapore, Malaysia and Lessons for Vietnam

The quality of education and the quality of a country's human resources depend greatly on its teachers. Therefore, training and fostering teachers plays an important role in the development of the country. The article addresses some issues of two countries, Singapore and Malaysia, in teacher professional development. These are the issues: Enrollment and training; recruitment and training; Reward, encourage and honor teachers. This article analyzes the strengths of these two countries in teacher training and development. In the context of fundamental and comprehensive reform of education in Vietnam, the reform of teacher training programs in the direction of professional development is being researched by teacher training institutions to find appropriate directions. The 21st century teacher training model of Malaysia and Singapore is a valuable lesson for us to learn and apply in building and developing teacher careers in Vietnam.

Principals And 21st Century Leadership Challenges: A Phenemenological Study

This purpose of this paper is to share the findings of a study which was conducted to figure out the views of principals of Teacher Training Institutions (TTIs) about existing leadership practices that are aligned with the needs and demands of 21st century requirements. The study also explored challenges that Principals encounter in making their institutes according to the vision of 21st century. The study was qualitative in nature and within this paradigm a phenomenological approached was used to collect data from the principals of public sector Teacher Training Institutions (TTIs). At present 27 TTIs are working in different cities of Sindh. Ten Principals of TTIs, 5 males and 5 females were selected using purposive sampling techniques. For data collection individual interviews were conducted. Thematic approach was used for data analyses. The themes emerged were personal challenges and institutional challenges. The findings of the study suggested that principals encounter personal and institutional challenges that are hurdle for them to meet the requirements of 21st century. These challenges included lack of facilities and resources such as internet facility, frequent break downs of electricity, absence of working computers and Science labs. Other challenges included teacher educators’ poor English language skills, low capacity in using ICT tools and low personal commitment. The study recommends to develop the capacity of principals and teacher educators in educational technology and educational research. The study also recommends to renovate computer and science labs of TTIs.

수희는 더 배울 것이 있었을까?

Purpose: This study was conducted to explore the perceptions and characteristics of in-service and prospective teachers regarding the educational ‘field’ and to identify the differences. Methods: Twenty-three current biology teachers from across the country and 21 prospective biology teachers from universities in the southern region participated in the study. The questionnaire-collected data was analyzed qualitatively, and this presented results using simple descriptive statistics. Results: While in-service teachers emphasized ‘reality’ by presenting the concept of ‘field’ acquired through experiences in the educational field, prospective teachers conceptualized an ‘ideal’ of the field that was somewhat abstract and distant from reality. The in-service teacher responded that the perception of the field that he had as a pre-service teacher changed very realistically as he experienced the actual field. Through their field experience, the teachers suggested a curriculum-related curriculum, the acquisition of experimental inquiry class operation skills, the development of administrative skills, and the expansion of school field training as measures to strengthen field experience in the teacher training curriculum. Conclusion: Through these results, this study suggested that the definition of ‘field’ should be specified first before evaluating teacher training courses and teacher training institutions, and that the opinions of current teachers should be sufficiently listened to and reflected when establishing a teacher training curriculum.

PHÁT TRIỂN NĂNG LỰC TỔ CHỨC HOẠT ĐỘNG TRẢI NGHIỆM CHO SINH VIÊN SƯ PHẠM

The 2018 General Education Curriculum identifies experience and career-oriented as compulsory educational activities carried out from grade one to grade twelve. These activities replace extracurricular activities, but with changes in name, objectives, content, methods, and regulations for testing and evaluating outcomes. This raises the question of what measures teacher training institutions need to take to develop the competency of organizing experiential activities for pre-service teachers, ensuring they meet practical requirements immediately after graduation. By examining curriculum documents and drawing on practical research results, this article proposes measures to develop the competency of organizing experiential activities for pre-service teachers during their training. The proposed measures emphasize integrating and embedding the development of this competency through the teaching of specialized subjects, pedagogical subjects, and Youth Union activities. Keywords: Experiential activities; competency in organizing experiential activities; competency development; pre-service teachers.

Exploring Science and Technology Teachers’ Experiences with Integrating Simulation-Based Learning

Science and technology require learners to engage in practical work and inquiry-based learning. In South Africa, schools still need laboratories, textbooks, and equipment for practical work. Considering the above contextual challenges, this paper calls for integrating computer simulation-based learning (SBL) into science and technology education. Very little is known about science and technology teachers’ experiences of simulation-based learning in rural settings. This interpretative study, located at a teacher training institution in South Africa, aimed to explore science and technology teachers’ experiences of integrating simulation-based learning in their teaching. The study was framed within Kolb’s experiential learning theory, which posits that learning is a process of creating knowledge through the transformation of experience. Sixteen practicing teachers enrolled for their honors degree were purposively selected. Data were generated via semi-structured interviews, online interactive discussion forums, and reflective journals. All ethical protocols were observed. NVIVO was used to create tag clouds before thematic analysis could begin. The findings illuminated participant experiences as learning, unlearning, disrupting pedagogies, revisioning best practices in a community of inquiry, and promoting conceptual understanding and spatial visualization. The findings demonstrated an authentic practice of educating and training teachers to integrate SBL into their teaching and the use of SBL in promoting the conceptual understanding and spatial ability of learners in school settings that lack laboratories and functional equipment.

Content Specific Pedagogical Knowledge and Teacher Knowledge Transfer

Pedagogical knowledge and in particular Content Specific Pedagogical Knowledge (CSPK) has been widely researched and discussed. Teacher training institutions globally have embraced knowledge bases proposed by researchers in their curriculum to prepare teachers for teaching. The transferability of CSPK has, however, received little attention. This article explores the transferability of CSPK by teachers. Using a literature review analysis method, the article raises the questions of why, and how, the need for CSPK transfer and addresses issues surrounding knowledge transfer. Focusing on a spiral curriculum, the transfer is seen more in relation to conceptual connection within a subject and across subjects, and integration of disciplines. The authors argue that teacher training should embrace aspects of knowledge transfer so that teachers are not rendered redundant when curricular changes and when some subjects which teachers have been trained are dropped from the curricular. Further research is recommended.

Investigating the motivating factors that influence the adoption of blended learning for teachers’ professional development

Blended learning (BL), a teaching method merging online and face-to-face learning, is lauded for its potential to enrich educational outcomes and tackle challenges entrenched in conventional teaching practices. In countries like Pakistan, where equitable access to quality professional development remains an obstacle, BL is a promising avenue to surmount training barriers. While BL adoption has evolved swiftly, research into its integration within teacher training remains limited. Notably, no comprehensive model exists describing the motivational factors influencing teachers' perceptions and intentions regarding the blended mode of teacher training. This study aims to identify the motivational elements that motivate schoolteachers in teacher training institutions in Pakistan to incorporate blended learning into their programs. The motivational factors identified in BL literature have been employed to craft a motivation model grounded in their causal relationship. This quantitative study examines the interplay between multiple motivational factors and their impact on BL adoption within teacher training and the BL environment. Surveying 350 schoolteachers (participants) from teacher training institutions, we employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques with Smart PLS 4.0 for data analysis. Results reveal that extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factors significantly influence teachers' motivation to adopt BL for training. Notably, "overall training quality" and "educational environment" were non-influential. Overall, the findings underscore that considering a blend of extrinsic and intrinsic factors can wield a 65 % influence on BL adoption. The study's results provide practical guidance for educational leaders, curriculum designers, and faculty members aiming to cultivate a unified blended learning environment for teacher professional development. These insights also underscore the importance of incorporating essential motivational factors into forthcoming blended learning training programs.

교원양성기관 체육 전공과목 초임 강사의 교수 경험과 지원방안 탐색

Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore my experience teaching physical education major subjects as a first-time instructor at a teacher training institution and how universities support new instructors. Methods We collected data such as personal diaries, reflection journals, mobile phone recordings and memo records, syllabus, student activity photos, student lecture evaluations, and student LMS reflections for about 10 months from January to October 2023, and analyzed them inductively. Category analysis was performed. Results My experience as a first-time instructor was categorized as “Road to Part-time Lecturer,” “standing in the pulpit,” and “giving and receiving evaluations.” The ‘Road to Part-time Lecturer’ was categorized as ‘Preparation for permission for concurrent employment’, ‘Approval of concurrent positions completed by coordination’, and ‘Preparation for educational activities’. ‘Standing in the pulpit’ was categorized as ‘striving to improve the lesson’, ‘responding to unforeseen variables’, and ‘struggling to interact with students’. ‘Giving and receiving evaluations’ was categorized into ‘I who evaluate’ and ‘I who am evaluated’. Universities should establish a systematic system to develop the teaching capabilities of beginning lecturers starting from the doctoral program and create an atmosphere of voluntary and proactive efforts to improve the teaching and increase expertise of beginning lecturers. Conclusions Universities should establish a systematic system to develop instructors' teaching capabilities starting from the doctoral program and provide support so that new instructors can collaborate with fellow new instructors or receive systematic help from experts to enhance their individual expertise.