US Teachers Research Articles

Looking back to move forward: re-examining “alternative” certification as a site for teacher learning

ABSTRACT Alternative teacher certification programs (ATCPs) are popular policy responses to the growing US teacher shortage problem, yet debates around these programs often fail to recognise the unique experiences of beginning teachers in this licensure pathway. In this essay, I draw on Dewey’s (1904) essay ‘The Relation of Theory to Practice in Education’ to clarify the meaning and implications of so-called ‘alternative’ programs. I argue that by analysing the time, placement, and methods of practice work reveals how ATCP teachers are both under-supported and closely surveilled. I conclude with a call for ATCP designs to intentionally prepare teachers for this reality.

US teacher opposition to so-called critical race theory bans

Several states in the United States, including Tennessee, have enacted laws prohibiting so-called critical race theory in public schools. Positioning teachers as policy actors, this study examines how future and current teachers understand and plan to navigate Tennessee's legislation. In focus groups, participants disapproved of the legislation. They expressed active opposition, reluctant compliance, and intentional disregard. We theorize these responses as reflecting teachers' calculations regarding power in their contexts. Findings illustrate that teachers are not merely passive subjects enacting mandates, but instead intentionally and strategically interpret policy. The study has implications for global contexts in which teachers navigate censorship policies.

Digital social support among educators in social media: An international comparative study of tweets and replies in #teachertwitter and #twlz

Asking questions on social media acts as a stimulus for professional learning among educators, while the answers can offer them valuable resources. Framed by the concept of digital social support and using a cross-cultural comparative approach, we investigate what type of digital social support educators seek when using educational social media spaces, and what they receive from other users who answer their questions. Analyzing 2,274 tweets and 2,020 replies from two hashtags popular among German and US teachers, #twlz and #teachertwitter, we find that educators mainly seek instrumental support (e.g. materials). Yet what is being sought influences the likelihood of getting the desired response, not the user's characteristics. Differences emerge between the two hashtags in the kinds of support educators seek and the way educators respond to requests. The findings highlight the need for educators to possess digital competencies to fully utilize social media spaces.

The use of popular music in the education of children aged 4–6 years from the perspective of Polish and American early childhood education teachers1

The aim of this study was to examine Polish and US teachers’ popular music education practices with children 4–6 years old. Focus groups and individual interviews involved eighteen Polish and eighteen American teachers. The data were analysed using MAXQDA software in a coding process based on sociocultural theory. The results demonstrate that Polish and US teachers use similar popular music in similar contexts. However, the author found specific differences. When asked about their plans for future inclusion of popular music education, American teachers stressed that they planned to intensify its use by designing and implementing more activities. On the other hand, Polish teachers equated their plans with their own professional and self-development. This study sheds light on the role of popular music in educating young children as reported by Polish and US teachers and highlights the importance of continued research in this area.

Addressing imperial evasion: toward an anti-imperialist pedagogy in teacher education

ABSTRACT Despite the pervasive impact of US imperialism, it is often ignored in US schools and teacher preparation programs. This paper introduces the concept of imperial evasion, which refers to the process of ignoring and denying imperialism and its effects. The authors argue that it is imperative that educators work to interrogate imperialist ideologies through curricula, and prepare future educators to disrupt such ideologies, policies, and practices in schools. Using a collaborative scholarly personal narrative approach, the authors discuss their experiences and approach to designing and teaching a course on migration and education at a US university. Ultimately, this paper responds to calls to disrupt imperial ideologies in education by (1) providing a framework for identifying and naming imperial evasion and how it operates through schooling; and (2) describing and reflecting on curricular and pedagogical approaches to disrupting such evasions in a teacher education course.

Low assessment literacy in an assessment-obsessed field: What teacher candidates learn about assessment during teacher education

Over the past two decades, US teachers have witnessed the growth of high-stakes assessments. However, this trend in K-12 schools has not necessarily contributed to increased time spent preparing prospective teachers to assess student learning. In this study, we aimed to better understand teacher candidates’ (TCs) conceptions of assessment. Our findings indicate that TCs have a disjointed conception of assessment at the end of teacher education that could contribute to a lack of agency in designing, implementing, and challenging assessment practices in the K-12 classroom. We draw on our findings to offer implications for teacher educators to better prepare assessment literate teachers.

International cooperation in radiology training: A multipronged approach

IntroductionMedical imaging has undergone significant technical advancements in recent years, posing a considerable challenge for radiologists to stay up-to-date with emerging modalities and their applications in daily practice. This challenge is even more daunting in developing countries with limited resources compared to the US and other developed nations with greater economic assets. The collaboration between the United States and other advanced nations with radiological institutions in Latin America has been a significant achievement in the pursuit of new opportunities for continuous medical education. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of international collaborations among Spanish-speaking Latin American institutions and radiologists through a survey. Materials and MethodsA group of radiologists and institutions from various countries, including the USA, Spain, and Argentina, who have been working together for several years to improve Radiology education across Latin America, were selected. An online survey was conducted. The survey included questions about interest in the activities, participation, and impact of radiologic education during these educational efforts. ResultsThe survey received responses from 166 participants, all of whom reported knowledge of at least one type of educational activity. The most well-known activity was ALAT Webinars. The primary motivators for participation were the quality of the content and the opportunity to learn new information. Additionally, improving local education in radiology and receiving expert advice on radiology issues were identified as priorities for participation in international collaborations. The Cronbach alpha coefficient was calculated for individual and global Likert questions, resulting in a global score of 0.96. ConclusionThe study confirms the significance of a multifaceted approach to address gaps in radiology education. While traditional models have relied on hosting international visitors or sending US teachers abroad, the results suggest that using a variety of methods will have a greater impact than relying on a single technique for those who benefit most from collaborative efforts.

What makes a difference in teacher innovativeness? Evidence from the TALIS 2018 US teacher data

PurposeThis study looked into the factors that could make a difference in teachers’ individual innovativeness and team innovativeness. We investigated five categories of factors: (1) innovation-related teacher preparedness, (2) innovation-related teacher professional development, (3) teacher professional practices, (4) teacher empowerment and (5) innovation-related teacher self-efficacy.Design/methodology/approachThe data source is the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) US data. The samples include about 165 schools and 2,560 teachers. We applied the structural equation model to analyze the data and the unit of analysis is set at the individual teacher-level.FindingsWe found that all factors matter except professional development and that they matter differently for different innovativeness outcomes.Originality/valueThis study is significant in several aspects: first, it is among the first that examined the factors that could make a difference in teacher innovativeness. Second, we differentiated between individual and team teacher innovativeness. Third, the findings highlight the importance of several factors including teacher preparation, teacher collaboration, teacher participation in school decisions and teacher self-efficacy.

Primary Teachers’ Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes Regarding Teaching Early Literacy Skills Incorporating the Science of Reading (SoR)

Reading instruction in primary schools has been at the center of attention for decades. Teachers are expected to be qualified and capable literacy teachers in order to produce proficient readers who are able to identify letters, understand the relationship between letters and sounds, decode the words on the page with automaticity and fluently read the text while simultaneously comprehending. In order for students to be successful, proficient and confident readers, teachers must understand the science of teaching beginning reading. The science of reading (SoR) is a collection of objective and reliable evidence about how humans learn to read, and ultimately, includes evidence-based instructional approaches that provide learning opportunities for all readers. The purpose of this research was to explore primary grade US teachers’ perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge regarding early literacy skills incorporating the Science of Reading (SoR). The researchers employed a QUAN descriptive design and analyzed the data using SPSS. A sample of 126 kindergarten through second grade teachers’ teaching self-efficacy and early literacy knowledge were analyzed with descriptive statistics and revealed that the majority of participants believed in their ability to teach reading effectively, yet possessed low early literacy knowledge (M=60%) but had average self-efficacy beliefs. Of significance, respondents may believe they can teach reading effectively yet do not have the knowledge to do so.

“We’re in Crisis response”: Challenges US Teachers, Counselors, and Principals Experienced Returning to School in Person During the Pandemic

ABSTRACT Through focus groups, 27 principals, teachers, and school counselors shared the challenges they faced in their first year returning to school in-person during the pandemic. Though teachers faced numerous instruction-related challenges, they were met with increased pressures from their districts to demonstrate students’ academic progress on state tests. All educators described drastic increases in students’ behavioral issues and mental health crises. In addition, they explained how their overwhelming workloads contributed to their feelings of burnout. Educators shared that they had limited ways to address these challenges because the challenges were beyond their control. We provided research-based recommendations for practice.

Understanding Midwestern US Teacher Socialization during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had both short- and long-term impacts on the institution of schooling, as well as on teachers and students who experienced it. While much has been learned about the impact of the pandemic, including in physical education, less is known about how physical education teachers navigated the sociopolitical realities of their work as they were socialized through the pandemic. Adopting occupational socialization theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of Midwestern US physical educators during the COVID-19 pandemic and the lasting implications for their careers. Participants were 30 in-service physical education teachers (20 female and 10 male) from one state in the US Midwest who each participated in a semi-structured interview. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed using a multiphase collaborative qualitative analysis method grounded in analytic induction and deduction and focused on thematic development. Data analysis resulted in four themes: (a) changing instructional modalities was challenging but prompted creativity and growth; (b) resources were scarce, and marginalization was intensified through the pandemic; (c) recognizing and responding to changes in teacher and student health; and (d) stressors associated with COVID-19 may influence teachers’ career trajectories. This study not only adds to the literature related to COVID-19 but also is important for understanding how the schools’ culture changes through times of crisis. It is likely that other local, regional, national, or international events will cause disruptions in teachers’ work and the nature of student learning in the future.

Increasing Educational Learning Outcomes Civic Education (PKn) Through Learning Models Cooperative Type Numbered Heads Together (NHT) at Class V MIS Ikhwanul Muslimin Tembung

The low achievement of the Civics curriculum test for fifth grade students at SD No. 2 Great Ruins. This is because students are not interested in learning, do not feel compelled to ask questions or respond to their teacher's questions, and do not interact much with each other or their teacher. The purpose of this research is to improve students' academic achievement. this research is a group-based research known US Participatory Action Research (PAR), which combines elements of planning, observation, and reflection. Data collection techniques includes administering tests (before and after the facts), making in-depth observations, and keeping detailed records. On the other hand, both qualitative and quantitative approaches to data analysis are used. Information was collected qualitatively through classroom observations (such US observation notepad, teacher activities, and students' participation in class exercises) and quantitative information through tests of the material being studied. The results of this study showed that student learning outcomes increased, with an average value of 70.9% and an average percentage of 70% for student learning outcomes in Cycle I and an average value of 77.4% and an average percentage of 70% for student. learning outcomes in Cycle II respectively.

Teachers’ online preparedness in times of crises: trends from Norway and US

The closing of schools world-wide in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a rapid and unexpected shift from predominantly in-person teaching to online teaching practices. As teacher educators in the field of educational technology, we wondered about the preparedness of teachers for making the transition to fully online environments. Through an internationally distributed survey consisting of predominantly open-ended questions, we captured teachers’ perceptions of this transition. We aimed to inform our practice and that of other teacher educators about the strengths and weaknesses of professional development designed to develop teachers’ digital competence. In this paper, we present data from Norwegian (n = 574) and US (n = 239) teachers related to their elaborations on readiness. We qualitatively examined data for evidence of extent of preparedness and alignment to the pedagogical, ethical, attitudinal, and technical dimensions of digital competence. Findings indicated themes related to extent of preparedness, trends in preparation, focus on digital tools, teacher agency without autonomy, collaboration/networks, and challenges for work and learning lives. Findings informed implications and recommendations for the professional development of teachers’ digital competence at the teacher education, K-12 schools, and school policy/leadership levels.

Together and apart: co-teaching in the time of COVID-19

ABSTRACT In this instrumental-comparative case study, we analysed how seven US teachers reported co-teaching experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting remote instruction. We sought to understand how co-teaching during the pandemic affected teachers’ psychological needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Data collection included: an initial questionnaire, weekly reflections, and semi-structured interviews. We found that special education co-teachers (SE-CTs) reported diminished feelings of competence and autonomy due to scheduling complications and demands associated with meeting the needs of students with disabilities. General education co-teachers (GE-CTs) experienced similar challenges, yet reported experiences of competence and autonomy associated with increased flexibility. SE-CTs with longstanding, trusting relationships with GE-CTs reported feelings of relatedness, which seemed to mitigate some of the threats to competence that we saw otherwise. Although our findings come from a time of crisis across the world, by providing a unique perspective on co-teaching experiences these findings may inform future education research, theory, and practice in K-12 settings considering remote instruction.

New teachers' risk for stress: associations with mentoring supports

PurposeAlthough mentoring is increasingly hailed as one of the most critical components of US teacher induction programs, the corresponding research base has failed to provide conclusive support for the effectiveness of teacher mentoring.Design/methodology/approachCross-sectional data from the 2015 to 2016 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) was used to empirically evaluate the relationship between school-based mentoring programs and US first-year teachers' occupational stress risk. NTPS items assessing teachers' workplace demands, resources and mentoring experiences were used to examine associations between stress risk and mentoring supports received. Multiple regression analysis and chi-square tests of independence were conducted to answer the study's three research questions.FindingsMentor status and study covariates statistically significantly predicted teacher stress risk, with mentor assignment being associated with decreased stress risk. Findings also revealed teachers who were not assigned a mentor were significantly more likely to experience greater stress risk and when assigned mentors, teachers with greater stress risk reported significantly different mentoring experiences than did teachers with less stress risk.Originality/valueThe current study addresses common limitations found in research on teacher mentoring and occupational stress, including the use of local, small samples and the absence of a comparison group and control variables. The associations between first-year teacher mentoring experiences and stress risk have not been firmly established and the current study provides needed evidence to support that mentored first-year teachers are more likely to report lower stress risk than their unmentored colleagues.

Lesson study on two continents: contextual differences reflected in teachers’ pedagogy, affect and processes

Purpose The purpose of this study was to better understand how lesson study (LS) impacts the pedagogy and attitudes of teachers in varied sociocultural contexts. The authors investigated responses of teachers in Kenya and the USA who were new to LS.Design/methodology/approach Teacher interviews after LS were qualitatively and inductively analyzed with Teacher Education and Development Study: Learning to Teach Mathematics as a conceptual/analytical framework.Findings Results varied between Kenyan and US teachers. Kenyan teachers reported increases in content and pedagogical content knowledge. They suggested participating in LS was an enjoyable, productive struggle and emphasized the value of planning for lessons and the role of the outside expert. US teachers described consideration of students' needs, abilities, and learning strategies. They described LS as a positive experience, even though making time for the process was challenging. Procedurally, US teachers valued research and collaboration. Although both the process and responses differed, US and Kenyan teachers' reflections highlight affordances of LS.Research limitations/implications This study is a small-scale, comparative case study. Future research could ask similar research questions in other contexts and with greater numbers of participants.Practical implications Views of teaching and learning and typical structures for teachers' professional learning vary by context; these factors should be considered when planning and implementing LS.Originality/value The study responds to an identified need to learn more about how LS contributes to teachers’ different views of teaching and learning, which are embedded in various sociocultural settings.

The theory of school arithmetic: Fractions

In 1999, Liping Ma's study of US and Chinese elementary teachers’ mathematical knowledge presented readers with a puzzle. Why did the US teachers, all of whom had tertiary degrees and were enrolled in intensive post-graduate programs, show less knowledge of school mathematics than the Chinese teachers, who had so much less education? Why were the Chinese teachers able to connect procedural topics such as algorithms with conceptual topics such as place value and the distributive law? We believe that an important part of the explanation is that the school arithmetic in the two countries was profoundly different: Unlike the school arithmetic of their US counterparts, the solid substance of the school arithmetic learned and taught by the Chinese teachers afforded mathematical reasoning. We illustrate this claim and the meaning of “solid substance” by presenting a logical system distilled from 19th-century US and 20th-century Chinese elementary textbooks. This system extends the system described in our 2018 article “The Theory of School Arithmetic: Whole Numbers.”

US and Chinese elementary teachers’ noticing of cross-cultural mathematics videos

US and Chinese elementary teachers’ noticing of cross-cultural mathematics videos

Crisis as Opportunity to Try Something New: Student-Centered Pedagogy During the Onset of COVID-19

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Spring of 2020 forced a sudden and unexpected disruption of the usual modes of schooling around the world. In the United States, lack of federal, state and district leadership left most teachers to negotiate the chaotic early months of the pandemic on their own. This study attempted to discover to what extent some US teachers used this crisis as an opportunity to jettison traditional teaching methods in favor of more engaging, student-centered practices, and examined whether teacher self-efficacy and facility with technology were related to that decision. Analysis of survey data from PK-12 teachers (n=178) found a near-universal reduction in use of student-centered teaching methods (SCMs) during the onset of COVID-19, especially among teachers who reported higher self-efficacy before the crisis (age and experience were insulating factors). On average, greater self-confidence before COVID-19 was associated with a greater <i>decrease</i> in the use of SCMs during the crisis. While TSE during the crisis was positively correlated with use of student-centered methods, the direction of the influence between those two variables could not be determined. In our analysis, the data seem to better support the theory that use of SCMs builds a sense of efficacy, rather than the traditional understanding that it is high TSE that empowers a teacher to use innovative pedagogy, but more study is needed to strengthen that theory. Technology versatility was correlated weakly with TSE in the COVID Onset Period, but we found no evidence of any correlation between technology versatility and SCM usage. The authors recommend further exploration through surveying a wider population and adding data sources beyond teacher self-reports.

A possible review by the European ministry of education in 2050—by a reluctant manager of Europe’s path towards educational dependency

Murat Adam is head of policy and curriculum for the European ministry of education. Political pressure is rising. Media channels across the European federation are labeling the continent as the most recent member of the education periphery. In Mr Adam’s world, curricular authority transpires from the big 3, the North American Union (NAU), China, and Russia. Credibility and endorsement are educational currencies—institutional capital as Bourdieu once defined it, reigns. Mr Adam’s battle is already lost, member states of the European federation have lost their educational means of production, but he cannot afford to admit that. European teachers’ credentials increasingly force graduates into care taking jobs at digital day cares. These are a response to US teachers’ and practitioners’ revolts of the late 20s, linked to perceived multisensory impoverishment of digitally schooled children. Just like in South Asia, Africa, and South America, digital day cares merely provide the digital and social framework and setup K-12 students to listen to internationally accredited professionals teach from China, Russia, and the NAU. Day and night shifts are common. He knows that the European federation lost the contest, by the time it decided not to invest into its own internet infrastructure. The educational first world’s curricular authority would not have been possible without the three nations’ proprietary server architecture, which commodified bandwidth and connectivity. The internet of the past is nothing more than a front for the three de-facto mutually exclusive digital ecosystems, provided by China, the NAU, and Russia.