Teacher Education Research Articles

Methodological Combinations in Qualitative Research in Music Education: Autobiography and Grounded Theory

This article explores the theoretical and methodological approaches of (auto)biographical qualitative research and grounded theory, based on their historical and epistemological characteristics. This study in music education aimed to gain an understanding of the process of becoming a primary school music teacher. The Supervised Internship course in teacher education for a music degree was analyzed using the methodological and formative (auto)biographical dispositifs of the Biographical Project Workshop (Delory-Momberguer, 2006) and situational analysis (Clarke, 2005), constructed through the students’ oral, written, and musical narratives based on their experiences as music teachers in the public elementary schools. As a result of the methodological combination, it was found that the research procedure was a collaborative process between the researcher and the participants. This approach allowed for theorizing that did not decontextualize the trainees' narratives. It is recommended to consider using this combination with a postmodern perspective on grounded theory due to epistemological compatibility. Further exploration of the empirical field and reflexivity could contribute to the advancement of qualitative research methodology.

Collaborative approaches to health education: perspectives of parents and teachers on self-care and managing common health issues in UK primary schools

BackgroundHealth education in primary schools plays a critical role in equipping children with essential self-care skills, fostering health literacy, and addressing social determinants of health. This study explores the perspectives of parents and teachers on teaching self-care and managing common health issues in UK primary schools. Despite the recognized importance of health education, there is limited research on how self-care education is perceived and implemented in the primary school setting.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 18 participants, including 9 generalist primary teachers and 9 parents from diverse educational and socioeconomic contexts in the West Midlands, East Midlands, Northwest, and London of England. Participants were recruited via social media and professional networks, and interviews were conducted via video conferencing platforms. Data were thematically analysed using NVivo 12 to identify recurring themes related to the delivery and impact of self-care education in primary schools.ResultsTeachers and parents highlighted key self-care topics, including hygiene, managing common illnesses like colds and cuts, and mental well-being. There was a consensus on the importance of self-care education, but views diverged on whether the responsibility should lie primarily with schools, parents, or a collaborative approach. Teachers expressed concerns about their preparedness to teach sensitive topics, citing a lack of training and resources. Socioeconomic and religious contexts further influenced perceptions, with participants emphasising further importance of school-led self-care education for children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Strengths were identified in current self-care education efforts, particularly in practical lessons that empower children with age-appropriate skills.ConclusionsThis study highlights the critical need for comprehensive and collaborative health education in primary schools to promote health literacy and reduce health disparities. Enhancing teacher training, integrating self-care topics into the primary curriculum, and fostering stronger partnerships between schools and families are essential to improving the quality and consistency of self-care education. Policymakers should consider implementing mandatory health education training in teacher education programs and providing ongoing professional development to support teachers. By addressing these gaps, schools can play a pivotal role in preparing children for lifelong health management, reducing the burden on healthcare services, and supporting public health objectives.

Addressing Opportunity Gaps in Higher Education in Prison Programs

ABSTRACT In this article, we draw from our collaboration across a diverse cadre of colleagues who have focused on different aspects of teaching, higher education, and carcerality. In particular, our research team, known as STEM-OPS (STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings), studied higher education in prison with a specific focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and incarceration. We present interrelated findings from interviews across four people who are formerly incarcerated. Most Higher Education in Prison (HEP) programs are taught by university professors who are experts in content areas (such as science, chemistry, and math) and not pedagogy. As such, we believe teacher educators have an opportunity and an obligation to build professional learning opportunities related to pedagogy to support these instructors’ practices.

The teacher’s role in teaching reading comprehension skills to Grade 9 English Home Language learners

Background: The high number of poor-performing learners in reading comprehension in South African schools is a concerning factor that calls for studies to mitigate this problem. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) of 2021 indicates that about 81% of South African Grade 4 learners who participated, failed to reach the required benchmark in the test. Research indicates that teachers are not conversant with theory and explicit teaching of reading comprehension strategies.Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the role played by teachers in developing Grade 9 learners’ reading comprehension skills in English Home Language and establishing which reading comprehension skills and strategies are taught to learners.Method: This study used a qualitative approach. Four data sets were utilised to collect data including a document analysis, a questionnaire for learners, interviews with teachers of English and lesson observations.Results: The findings of the study show that there is little guidance on how to teach reading comprehension skills. It also emerged that instead of teaching reading comprehension skills, teachers merely ‘test’ learners’ answering skills.Conclusion: This study suggests that there is a need for re-training and assisting teachers in explicitly teaching reading comprehension skills to learners. Learners may benefit from the enhanced expertise of teachers and become more proficient in reading comprehension.Contribution: The study has provided invaluable insights into the current teaching practice of comprehension skills with actionable insights for teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers to support learners’ academic success and bridge the gap between praxis and theory.

INNOVATIVE HIGH SCHOOL IN MARANHÃO: NEW CHALLENGES FOR TEACHERS

This article is part of the research “Innovative High School Program in Maranhão: training needs of teachers and innovative pedagogical practices in public schools in São Luís”, which is currently being developed at the doctoral level. It deals with the implementation, assumptions and propositions of this Program in the State of Maranhão and its impacts on the continuing education of teachers who work in the aforementioned program. Its objective is to analyze the implementation of the Program in question based on official data and documents, having as a guiding axis the multiple determinations of the socioeconomic context of contemporary society, which has required complex educational demands on schools that have been impacting the continuing education of teachers through educational policies and programs implemented by government spheres. Thus, the educational reality of Brazilian and Maranhão high school is discussed, taking as a reference for analysis mainly the results of the Basic Education Development Index – IDEB and the official documents that establish educational policies and programs as a mechanism for improving the quality of education, which require reflection and redirection of the policies for continuing education of teachers, specifically in high school. It is concluded that even with the implementation of this Program in more than 100 municipalities in Maranhão, it was still not possible to achieve better results as in IDEB and the continued training of teachers for this level of education remains under discussion due to its complexity.

Differences in Swedish and Norwegian pre-service teachers’ explanations of solutions of linear equations

Solving linear equations is a cornerstone in the learning of algebra. There are two main strategies for solving a linear equation, ‘swap sides swap signs’ (SSSS) and ‘do the same to both sides’ (DSBS). While SSSS can often be more efficient for solving equations, DSBS has been shown to better promote the learning of algebra. Thus, the preference of SSSS or DSBS might depend on the purpose of solving equations. Since both approaches are common, mathematics teachers, and thus also pre-service teachers (PSTs), must be familiar with both SSSS and DSBS. This study draws on data from 161 Swedish and 146 Norwegian PSTs. They were given a correct but short and unannotated solution to the linear equation x + 5 = 4x − 1. The PSTs were invited to explain the provided solution for a fictive friend. Of the Norwegian PSTs, 2/3 explained the additive steps in the solution by SSSS, while only 1/3 of the Swedish PSTs applied SSSS. Consequently, DSBS was more frequent among the Swedish PSTs regarding the additive steps. However, in the final, multiplicative step, 3/4 of the Norwegian PSTs invoked DSBS. On the contrary, among the Swedish PSTs, the proportion applying DSBS for the multiplicative step decreased, and it was common to provide an incomplete explanation of the final operation. We also analysed how mathematics textbooks for secondary school presented how to solve linear equations. In Sweden, all textbooks utilised DSBS through the whole solution for all years in secondary school. This also applied for Norwegian textbooks for the first two years of lower secondary school. However, in last year of lower secondary school, they changed their approach and promoted an SSSS strategy in additive steps, while DSBS was still suggested for multiplicative steps. This might explain the differences between the two countries regarding the PSTs’ preferences of solution strategies. We suggest that these results can be useful for teacher education, since increased awareness of PSTs’ pre-knowledge is beneficial to support their development of teaching linear equations.

Māori leadership and early childhood educational leadership in Aotearoa: A critical literature review

Abstract Five early childhood teacher educators in Aotearoa New Zealand explored a range of literature to respond to the question: What does literature tell us about Māori leadership and how are our findings relevant to leadership in early childhood education (ECE) in Aotearoa? The process of finding and reviewing literature sources about Māori leadership led us to think critically about how Māori values, concepts, and customs have been diminished or sustained in fields such as education and business. ECE in Aotearoa is shaped by the bicultural curriculum Te Whāriki and underpinned by obligations to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Although education and leadership structures and processes in Aotearoa are overwhelmingly produced within Westernised perspectives, ECE curriculum and practice foregrounds Māori ways of knowing, being, and doing. Through the literature review process, we shared insights and critical discussions that enriched our perceptions of leadership by and for Māori, and of relevance to ECE leadership through shared values. The literature reviewed provided examples from education and business settings where Māori leadership grounded in values of whanaungatanga/reciprocal relationality originating in Māori traditional beliefs and societal structures has been sustained, remembered, and reclaimed through processes of navigating and negotiating present-day colonised contexts. Literature also provided examples of official programmes and policies that seek to acknowledge and enhance Māori leadership in education.

A comparative study of teaching internship practices: Insights from Can Tho University and Quirino State University

This study compares the implementation of teaching internship (TI) guidelines and practices at the School of Education, Can Tho University (CTU), Viet Nam, and the College of Teacher Education, Quirino State University (QSU), the Philippines. Using a qualitative research approach, the study applied Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis with Delve Software for coding. Data was collected through document analysis. Findings reveal that while both universities share certain aspects in the implementation of guidelines and practices, notable differences were also observed. These distinctions present valuable opportunities for both institutions to improve and enhance their teaching internship programs.

INVESTIGATION OF PLAY TEACHING SELF-EFFICACY OF TEACHERS WORKING IN PRESCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

This study aims to understand the level of teacher's play teaching self-efficacy and the relationship between the level of self-efficacy and demographic characteristics. In the descriptive type, research is organised using the relational screening model. 100 teachers in preschool special education facilities connected to Istanbul's Ministry of National Education participated in the study. The "Personal Information Form" and the "Preschool Play Teaching Self-Efficacy Questionnaire" are used to gather research data. The data was analysed using statistical analysis. Based on the survey results, it was determined that play teaching self-efficacy is highly valued among preschool special education instructors working in institutions.

Secondary School Students’ Enacted Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in a Computer-Based Writing Task–Insights from Digital Trace Data and Interviews

AbstractStudying in digital learning environments highlights the skills needed to regulate one’s own learning. In youth, students are acquiring and developing these skills, but for many students, effectively self-regulating their learning is challenging. To design support in this regard, an in depth understanding of how and why their self-regulated learning (SRL) is enacted is needed. This study focuses on secondary school students’ enacted SRL strategies in a computer-based, multi-source writing task to detect and explain differences between high- and low-performing students. To address this aim, the students’ SRL processes during the task were captured using digital trace data (N = 50, navigational log, mouse, and keyboard data) and supplemented with stimulated recall interviews (n = 17). Raw trace data were parsed by implementing an existing theory-based process library that automatically detects the SRL processes. The durations and network properties of and transitions between the SRL processes of students in the highest and lowest essay score tertiles were investigated, involving the novel application of network metrics, and a qualitative content analysis for the stimulated recall data was performed. The results show that successful students differed from less successful ones regarding the time they allotted for the SRL processes, the number of distinct transitions between them, as well as transition probabilities. The successful students expressed a larger proportion of and different cyclical patterns of SRL processes during the task. The student interviews contextualise these findings and complement them by revealing qualitative differences in students’ monitoring of learning. This study provides novel insights into SRL among young students in computer-based writing task and suggests approaches for designing effective, personalised support for students’ adaptive learning strategies, which can be useful in developing educational technology and teacher education.

Empowering Future Bilingual Educators: Integrating Trauma-Informed Approaches in Bilingual Teacher Education

The impact of trauma on children's social, emotional, and academic growth is profound, yet teacher preparation programs, particularly in bilingual and multicultural contexts, often lack comprehensive training in trauma-informed practices. This qualitative study investigates the integration of trauma-informed approaches into a bilingual teacher education course at a university in West Texas. The study included 59 undergraduate pre-service teachers enrolled in a course on bilingual and multicultural education. Data were collected through preliminary and concluding written interviews, alongside ongoing instructional interventions, including discussions, case analyses, and trauma-informed strategies. Initially, participants demonstrated a limited understanding of trauma, associating it primarily with extreme events such as accidents or death. Post-course assessments, however, revealed a broadened understanding, recognizing everyday traumas like poverty, bullying, and family instability. Findings suggest that integrating trauma-informed approaches significantly enhances pre-service teachers' ability to identify and apply practical strategies to support trauma-affected students. The study introduces the Trauma-Informed Bilingual Teacher Preparation Model, focusing on key components such as foundational trauma knowledge, recognizing trauma symptoms, culturally responsive teaching, creating supportive environments, and fostering teacher resilience. By embedding trauma-informed practices in teacher education, this model prepares future educators to cultivate compassionate, inclusive classrooms, particularly in bilingual and multicultural settings. The study emphasizes the importance of curriculum reform to equip teachers with the necessary skills to support both students' emotional well-being and academic success.

Increasing teacher confidence in using universal design for learning to support students’ developmental skills through teacher education at tier 1

ABSTRACT Children’s participation and success within the school environment are dependent on developmental and school readiness skills that extend beyond academic skills, including motor, visual, visual motor integration, social, and self-regulation skills. Students enter kindergarten with a varying range of school readiness skills and developmental needs, while teachers may lack the time, support, or ability to address them. A pre-test/posttest design was used to deliver a Universal Design for Learning approach to teacher education on motor, visual, visual motor integration, social, and self-regulation skill development to 12 kindergarten and first-grade teachers using an occupational therapist-teacher collaborative teaching model. Additionally, this approach facilitated opportunities for teachers to integrate skill development within their classrooms. An author-generated survey was used to capture teachers’ self-reported confidence and knowledge of skill development. Comparing pre- and post-survey scores, using the Wilcoxon Rank Test, indicates that the method used in this study has a statistically significant effect in increasing teachers’ knowledge of developmental skills and confidence in providing classroom interventions to support student participation. These results support Universal Design for Learning’s effectiveness in supporting children’s developmental skills through occupational therapist-teacher education.

Fostering Self-efficacy for Future Physics Teachers: Recommendation of Future Direction of Teacher Education Institutions

<p>Self-efficacy in teaching is essential for pre-service teachers, and its development needs to be started as soon as possible. This research is descriptive research that aims to recommend policies that can be carried out by universities, faculties, and study programs related to the development of pre-service physics teachers' self-efficacy in teaching. The research participants were 113 pre-service physics teachers in one of the teacher education institutions in Indonesia. The research instrument used was an open-ended question questionnaire totaling eight questions, which explores self-efficacy in three aspects, namely general definitions, influencing factors, and lecture activities that can increase teaching self-efficacy. The answers of pre-service physics teachers are grouped based on the study program's authority, faculty, or university. The results show that self-efficacy in teaching is influenced mainly by 1) the mastery experiences, 2) the mastery of content knowledge, 3) social persuasion, and 4) the mastery of pedagogical knowledge. Based on these results, it is necessary to have a policy by the Universities, Faculties, and Study Programs related to the development of self-efficacy in teaching. Policies needed from universities and faculties are to increase the number and length of teaching practice for pre-service teachers. The policy required from the study program is self-efficacy integration in courses, especially courses related to teaching practice. In addition, the study program also needs to make rules or guidelines for lecturers who teach subjects related to teaching practice courses, to provide feedback and reflection, and strengthen teaching practice activities for pre-service teachers.</p>

An examination of sources fostering student teachers’ academic well-being

ABSTRACT This study examined student teachers’ perspectives on the sources of their academic well-being within the context of a four-year undergraduate teacher education programme in Qatar. A survey was developed and validated using a conceptual framework entailing cognitive, social and emotional dimensions. Statistical analyses involving 806 responses revealed five factors that contributed to participants’ academic well-being, namely: (F-1) self-regulated learning, (F-2) academic values, (F-3) social engagement, (F-4) peer learning and (F-5) emotional engagement. Comparative analyses between gender, age, reported GPA and credit hours verified the different influence of the five factors on fostering academic well-being. These results are further discussed in light of implications for using the validated instrument and devising tailored interventions.

Sustaining Teacher Education During COVID-19: Challenges with Remote Teaching and Learning Faced by Preservice Mathematics Teachers

Education institutions worldwide implemented remote teaching and learning to ensure the sustainability of their academic programmes and continuity of study. However, evidence from the literature revealed that remote teaching and learning posed challenges to teaching and learning. This study seeks to explore whether there is a relationship between remote teaching and learning and the challenges faced by preservice mathematics teachers when learning mathematics education during COVID-19. It focuses on remote teaching at four universities: two in South Africa, one in Ghana, and one in New Zealand. The study design followed a quantitative research approach, with 95 preservice mathematics teachers from the four universities randomly assigned to complete an online survey after signing informed consent forms. This study revealed two challenging factors facing preservice mathematics teachers during remote teaching and learning: data, and technological devices for learning. The findings revealed no significant difference (p < 0.000) between remote teaching and learning and the challenges faced by preservice mathematics teachers when learning during the COVID era. Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected, since p < 0.05. This study concludes that a significant relationship exists between accessibility to technological devices for learning as a challenge to preservice teachers and remote teaching and learning during COVID-19. It is recommended that appropriate technological devices are provided to assist preservice teachers to study mathematics education, thus ensuring continuing access to quality education.

Enhancing Pre-Service Teacher Education: Crafting a Technology-Responsive Curriculum for Modern Classrooms and Adaptive Learners

This study examines the incorporation of technology in pre-service teacher education, specifically emphasising creating a curriculum sensitive to the needs of contemporary classrooms and adaptable learners. The research examines the current literature using a scoping review methodology to find significant patterns, difficulties, and most effective approaches. After conducting an extensive search on various databases, a total of 345 publications were found. Of these, 54 articles that had undergone peer review and were published between 2010 and 2024 were chosen for in-depth examination. The results emphasise the crucial importance of technology in improving teaching and learning methods, underscoring the need for teacher education programmes to integrate digital tools and teaching methods properly. The review highlights several key topics, including the significance of practical training, the necessity for ongoing professional growth, and the influence of institutional support on promoting technology integration. Furthermore, the study emphasises the importance of creating versatile and responsive curricula to cater to learners' varied requirements in modern educational environments. This research offers helpful recommendations for policymakers, educators, and curriculum creators who want to provide future teachers with the necessary skills to succeed in technology-rich learning environments. These recommendations are based on a combination of empirical facts and theoretical ideas. The report asserts that a meticulously organised curriculum incorporating technology is crucial in equipping pre-service teachers with the skills to develop captivating, inclusive, and efficient learning opportunities for all students.

Contributions of an action research initiative to English language teachers’ professional wellbeing

ABSTRACT In this study, we report on how a group of teachers engaged in action research (AR) and navigated their emotions in the way of experiencing wellbeing. We collected data over one year from rounds of semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, classroom observations, and post-class discussions. Data analyses showed that the teachers experienced wellbeing in three major terms: From initial emotional tensions to subsequent emotional wellness, developing wellbeing through practicing collective care, and wellbeing and self-empowerment as learning. Collectively, the teachers moved from hedonic to eudemonic forms of wellbeing during and after the AR programme, spanning their programme, inter-individual, and intra-individual levels of empowerment. Based on the findings, we provide implications for teacher educators in how to systematise wellbeing in teacher education programmes so that teachers experience higher levels of wellbeing across their career span, especially through AR initiatives. Furthermore, the study concludes with insights into how pre-service and in-service teachers could be supported through anchoring AR into teacher education programmes in order to experience enhanced wellbeing.

EXPLORING KAZAKH EFL TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY

This study's extensive quantitative research design to investigate the professional identities of in-service EFL teachers in Kazakhstan and Turkistan makes it stand out. A comprehensive survey, unparalleled in scope and exhaustiveness, was distributed to 470 English instructors in 45 state schools, offering an extensive synopsis of how these educators see their professional identities. The survey findings provide insights into several professional identity factors, including the propensity to teach, act as role models, and establish productive learning settings. The results show that participants' professional identities were generally average, with major exceptions for knowledge-sharing and role modeling. Simultaneously, less emphasis was placed on recognizing students' original language culture and establishing a favorable classroom atmosphere. The study also looks at how different professional identities are within qualification categories, and it finds statistically significant variances that highlight how teachers' self-perception and professional growth are influenced by their educational background. These findings have implications for teacher education and professional development initiatives and a deeper knowledge of the elements influencing EFL instructors' professional identities in Kazakhstan.

Mathematics Professional Teacher Education (TPE) Participants Viewed From Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)

Teachers and prospective teachers are required to carry out learning to master and continue to develop Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) competencies, even now they are required to master technology and then PCK competencies are developed into Technology Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). A mathematics teacher must of course master mathematical skills because this is the main asset for teaching the material. This research aims to analyze the perceptions of in-service PPG participants regarding the professionalism of mathematics teachers based on the TPACK framework. This research is a qualitative research. The subjects of this research were 7 prospective mathematics teachers from 30 participants, where the sample was taken by sampling, namely by taking participants from vocational school teachers on the grounds that participants who taught vocational schools had challenges where the students' orientation was ready to work so they were less enthusiastic about mathematics lessons. The research data is in the form of findings from an analysis of prospective teachers' mathematical ability profiles. It is hoped that these findings can be used as a basis for further theory.

The impact of COVID-19 on elementary teachers’ relationships with students, parents, and other teachers

ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of COVID-19 on teachers’ relationships with students, parents, and other teachers as well as on the knowledge which they produce as their teaching and learning spaces are reconceptualised and their workplace relationships are redefined. The study adopted bricolage as a research approach and single-group case study as a research design, and used data obtained from a range of individual semi-structured interviews with elementary teachers which were supported by a series of naturally occurring data. The findings reinforce the conclusions that have been drawn in previous studies in terms of the significance of the social and relational aspects of educational settings and of the view of teachers as legitimate knowledge producers. Additionally, however, the results expand on our current understanding of teacher relationships and professional knowledge production by illustrating how participants collaboratively addressed the unprecedented challenges which the pandemic posed in order to strengthen their workplace relationships with significant others and enhance student educational experiences. The diversity of the strategies the teachers used provides evidence of growth in multiple dimensions of teacher knowledge and of different forms of agency, and has implications for teaching, teacher education, and future research in this area.