Sustaining and retaining beginning special educators: It takes a village

The need to support and retain beginning teachers has become critical given: (1) the shortage of teachers in certain disciplines, and (2) the current emphasis on teacher qualifications and student achievement. In this study, five first year special education teachers in the southwestern section of the United States provided information on the persons and activities that supplied them with much needed and valued support. The results indicate that having a strong network of support and a variety of resources positively influenced these teachers’ ability to focus on student learning and on their intent to remain in their positions.     

EFL teachers’ perceptions of English language policy at the elementary level in Taiwan

Due in large part to the trends towards economic globalization, English has become the most widely disseminated and ubiquitous international language. The purpose of the study was to investigate what Taiwan’s EFL teachers at the elementary level believe about the policy of English as a compulsory subject and how they perceive the benefits and obstacles of the policy’s implementation. Ten elementary English teachers in Tainan City and its suburban areas participated in this study. Data were collected through teachers’ interviews, classroom observation and document analysis. Results found that all ten teachers agreed with the policy for English as a compulsory subject at the elementary level. They observed both positive and negative sides of this top‐down policy. Classroom observation and interview data revealed that EFL teachers had to plan their English classes with the constraints on a large class of students with mixed levels of proficiency, limited teaching hours and resources. Parents’ expectations of and attitudes towards English learning also became an obstacle.     

Australian teacher education: inside-out,outside-in,backwards and forwards?

Abstract

Teacher Education in Australia seems to be in a dynamic and constant cycle of review and change. Policy governing teacher education has also been eminently changeable and dynamic. To some extent this stems from three year terms for governments where a short term and expedient political view is taken. There has also been ongoing centre-periphery tension between the Commonwealth government and the State governments regarding regulation and accreditation of teacher education programmes with there now being regulatory bodies at both national (Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership – AITSL) and state levels. Despite all of this, teacher education is still the butt of ongoing criticism and investigation and is now more highly regulated than ever. Since teacher education occurs within a university context, with the exception of that which is offered through some private providers or some Technical and Further Education (TAFE) providers, it is also at the whim of government funding policies impacting universities generally.     

基于合作的教师专业发展模式——美国专业发展学校(PDS)合作模式探究

美国专业发展学校(PDS)是上个世纪80年代兴起的一种基于合作的、新型的教师教育模式,它以其独特的组织形式和良好的效果引起了人们的关注,现已成为美国教师教育改革的主流趋势．本文旨在对PDS的产生背景、基本合作模式及其存在的问题进行分析与探究,以期能为我国的教师专业发展学校以及教师教育改革提供一些启示和参考。     

Regarding uncertainty in teachers and teaching

The literature on teacher uncertainty suggests that it is a significant and perhaps inherent feature of teaching. Yet there is disagreement about the effects of these uncertainties on teachers as well as about the ways that teachers should regard them. Recognition of uncertainties can be viewed alternatively as a liability or an asset to effective teaching. Findings from the literature on uncertainties in teaching are summarized and analyzed, including explanations in the research about what accounts for and contributes to uncertainties. Recommendations for research and professional development are provided.     

教师教学生活研究引论

关注教师教学生活是改善教师生存状况的迫切需要,也是基础教育课程改革的必然要求,还是教师专业发展的内在逻辑。教师教学生活研究有着特定的内容和范畴,在研究过程中应遵循理论研究与实证研究相统一原则、主位研究与客位研究相结合原则、本土化原则、多样化原则。     

Teacher evaluation policy as perceived by school principals: the case of Flanders (Belgium)

In Flanders (Belgium), a new teacher evaluation policy was issued which placed a lot of autonomy with school principals to develop and implement a new teacher evaluation system. In this study, we explore how Flemish principals perceive the new teacher evaluation policy and what influences their perception. Results demonstrate that principals perceive the policy as clear, but they are rather negative about the need, practicality, and complexity of the summative teacher evaluation. This perception is influenced by policy, context, and individual factors as is demonstrated in our qualitative analyses.     

从教师看影响河南省高校体育课程改革实施的因素

通过对河南省高校体育教师的调查发现:体育教师的课程意识,教师对课程实施的态度,教师的知识、技能,教师的学生观,教师的科研水平是影响高校体育课程改革实施的因素.     

网络教学平台使用的师资培动——香港理工大学的经验

面授和网上教学有机结合的整合式教学越来越成为高校教育和培训的主要模式。本文旨在介绍和分析香港理工大学教学发展中心（简称EDC）如何通过网上教学平台的功能,与面授教学结合起来,发挥面授教学和网上教学的各自优势,使教师培训更加有效。EDC的实践表明,在大学教师培训课程中,发挥网上教学的优势,能帮助学员弥补由于有限的面授教学产生的师生之间、学员和学员之间互动的不足。在网上学习中,通过互相的学习观摩和观念碰撞,能激发学员的学习兴趣,有效地促进学员之间进行探究性学习,同时,这种集体学习的方法,能促进在职教师之间的友好交往和学术交流。     

The historical context of science and education at the American Museum of Natural History

In this article I critically examine the historical context of science education in a natural history museum and its relevance to using museum resources to teach science today. I begin with a discussion of the historical display of race and its relevance to my practice of using the Museum’s resources to teach science. I continue with a critical review of the history of the education department in a natural history museum to demonstrate the historical constitution of current practices of the education department. Using sociocultural constructs around identity formation and transformation, I move to the present with a case study of a teacher who transforms the structure of science education in her classroom and school as a result of her identity transformation and association with a museum-based professional education program.