Measuring Primary Teachers' Attitudes Toward Teaching Science: Development of the Dimensions of Attitude Toward Science (DAS) Instrument

In this article, we present a valid and reliable instrument which measures the attitude of in-service and pre-service primary teachers toward teaching science, called the Dimensions of Attitude Toward Science (DAS) Instrument. Attention to the attitudes of primary teachers toward teaching science is of fundamental importance to the professionalization of these teachers in the field of primary science education. With the development of this instrument, we sought to fulfill the need for a statistically and theoretically valid and reliable instrument to measure pre-service and in-service teachers' attitudes. The DAS Instrument is based on a comprehensive theoretical framework for attitude toward (teaching) science. After pilot testing, the DAS was revised and subsequently validated using a large group of respondents (pre-service and in-service primary teachers) (N = 556). The theoretical underpinning of the DAS combined with the statistical data indicate that the DAS possesses good construct validity and that it proves to be a promising instrument that can be utilized for research purposes, and also as a teacher training and coaching tool. This instrument can therefore make a valuable contribution to progress within the field of science education.     

Elementary Teachers’ Preferences for Pre-Service and In-Service Training in the Teaching of Reading

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to discover guidelines for improving the pre-service and in-service training of elementary teachers to teach reading. Three hundred and eight elementary teachers were queried regarding (1) their attitudes toward their pre-service education, (2) their educational needs, and (3) their preferences for in- service program formats. Responses were analyzed according to grade levels taught and years of service. The main conclusion was that elementary teachers of different grades and with different terms of service express different attitudes, needs and preferences regarding their training to teach reading. Implications for pre-service and in-service training programs are discussed.     

An exploratory study examining the influence of the number of reading methods courses on pre-service and in-service teacher perceptions of ability to teach reading

Teacher education programmes (TEPs) are left with limited research on how the coursework they provide influences the perceptions teachers have about their ability to teach young children how to read – especially over the long term. The purpose of this study was to compare how teacher candidates rate their ability to teach reading at the conclusion of their TEP, and then again after a year of teaching. The matched participants (N = 126) were elementary education teachers representing five TEPs in one US state. Results revealed that the number of reading methods courses provided does influence the perceptions of pre-service and in-service teachers. Teachers who had two reading methods courses compared with teachers who had only one reading methods course reported statistically significant higher scores at the pre-service stage and were able to maintain higher scores at the in-service stage. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Online searching behaviours of preschool teachers: a comparison of pre-service and in-service teachers’ evaluation standards and searching strategies

The aim of this study was to explore preschool teachers’ evaluation standards and searching strategies during their online searching process, focusing on the difference between pre-service and in-service teachers. A total of 408 pre-service and in-service preschool teachers in Taiwan participated in the survey research. The validity and reliability of the instruments were confirmed through factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha. The results showed that the in-service teachers adopted Deep Strategiesand all four kinds of evaluation standards (Multiple, Authority, Content, and Technical) more often than the pre-service teachers did.The results also showed that Internet experience may affect both pre-service and in-service teachers’ use of searching strategies. The findings of this study suggest that more education on online searching strategies as well as evaluation standards should be provided for both in-service and pre-service teachers.     

The Mathematics of Estimation: Possibilities for Interdisciplinary Pedagogy and Social Consciousness

The purpose of this article is to report on the importance of providing pre-service and in-service teachers with experience and specific training in critical thinking skills. The essential concepts in elementary mathematics curricula can be augmented to include and cultivate critical thinking skills that have tremendous ramifications for future leaders and for those who move on to more technical training. A sample problem, along with pre-service teacher responses, is used here to show the necessity and importance of this kind of training as the responses show clear evidence of a certain naivete on the part of these college level students. The responses do show evidence of budding social conscience in the students, but the level of expertise in critical thinking is not at all sophisticated. We discuss and explore the implications of our approach.     

美国农村幼儿教师质量保障机制及其启示

20世纪90年代以来,美国开始关注教师质量问题,制定了一系列的专业标准,并通过职前培养、入职聘用和在职培训三个相互联系的环节有效保障了农村幼儿教师质量。我国学前教育事业发展正面临着前所未有的机遇和挑战,美国农村幼儿教师质量保障机制可以为我国农村幼儿教师队伍建设提供一定的启示。     

实践性:美国PDS的导向

专业发展学校是美国目前流行的大学与中小学合作办学以促进教师专业发展的一种模式。实践性是专业发展学校的主要导向,在此着重从中小学职前教师、在职教师、大学教师三个角度来分析,并且总结了在实践方面取得的成就,以期能对我国教师教育改革有所启示。     

新疆南疆地区中小学音乐教师教育现状调查及思考

新疆南疆地区中小学音乐教师教育存在着师资配置不合理、学历重心偏低、对《新课程标准》和教师专业化发展认识不足以及学历教育阶段课程设置不合理、入职教育体制不健全、对继续教育认识不到位、职前教育与职后培养脱节等诸多问题。南疆地区中小学音乐教师教育应该从加大政策扶持力度、加强《新课程标准》培圳力度、加大学历补偿教育力度、加快各学历教育机构课程改革、规范入职教育、建立合理的教师继续教育机制等方面来加以解决。     

国外高校青年教师教学能力培养模式管窥——以美、英、澳、印为例

高校青年教师教学能力直接关乎高等教育质量。目前,英、美、澳和印度等国,逐步形成了职前培养、导师制、校本培养和在职培养等模式,呈现出完善相关的法律、法规,密切与学校发展联系,培养方式、内容多样化与现代化,全方位的、开放性的培养网络体系建立,建立了相应的激励机制与监督机制等特点。     

Measuring twenty-first century skills: development and validation of a scale for in-service and pre-service teachers

A self-report scale that measures teachers’ confidence in teaching students about twenty-first century skills was developed and validated with pre-service and in-service teachers. First, 16 items were created to measure teaching confidence in six areas: information literacy, collaboration, communication, innovation and creativity, problem solving, and responsible citizenship. Then, the items were tested in two groups of pre-service teachers and two groups of in-service teachers respectively. Exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to examine the scale’s validity and reliability. The analyses identified a three-construct scale including innovation and problem solving, collaboration, and utility of technology for pre-service teachers and a one-dimension scale, cross-functional skills, for in-service teachers. This study suggests that different scales should be used to measure in-service teachers’ and pre-service teachers’ confidence in teaching twenty-first century skills.     

呼唤现代教师教育学的学科建设

教师教育学是以对基础教育包括中小学和幼儿园教师职前职后一体化的教育为对象,以荟萃其认识成果、揭示其发展规律、指导其实践活动为目标,进而融科研、教学、育人于一体的专门化、应用性知识体系。应在教育学一级学科门下增设教师教育学二级学科,促进教师教育的理论研究,加强对教师教育实践的科学指导。应注重教师教育学科的组织、队伍、专业、课程与教材建设,运用历史和逻辑相结合的研究思维及形而上和形而下、思辨和经验、实证和实地等多种研究方法,对教师教育由低到高、由独立封闭到开放多元的运演轨迹及其主体与客体、目的与手段等要素进行全景式的考察,以建设科学与教学相统一的现代教师教育学科。     

Exploring profiles of ideal high school mathematical teaching behaviours: perceptions of in-service and pre-service teachers in Taiwan

This study explored and compared the perspectives of Taiwanese in-service and pre-service high school mathematics teachers regarding ideal teaching behaviours; the perspectives of a nationwide sample of students were taken as the baseline. Fourteen factors contributing to ideal teaching behaviours were identified through exploratory factor analyses. Nine factors, including idea explanation and speedy lecture, were rooted in traditional Chinese culture; five factors, including concrete representation and student activities, were influenced by Western cultures. Three teacher profiles were identified through k-means clustering analysis. The perspectives of in-service teachers were dominated by a painless meaning-emphasised profile; these teachers emphasised meaningful learning for students and avoided the fast pace and demanding requirements that can cause distress in students, whereas pre-service teachers were dominated by an all-round profile, revealing their openness to all factors. Compared with pre-service teachers, in-service teachers’ perspectives were more similar to those of students.     

Japanese in-service teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education and self-efficacy for inclusive practices

Using a sample of 359 in-service teachers, this study examines Japanese teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education and their self-efficacy for inclusive practices. The results indicate that although teachers’ sentiments toward disabilities were generally positive, the teachers had some concerns about implementing inclusive education in their classroom. The overall level of self-efficacy was relatively low in the Japanese sample compared to that of other countries, particularly in relation to managing problematic student behavior. Self-efficacy regarding managing behavior and collaboration was related to overall attitudes toward inclusive education. The findings can enable useful insights in developing pre-service and in-service teacher education.     

Language teachers’ conceptions of assessment: an Egyptian perspective

The current study investigates the assessment conceptions of both pre-service and in-service English teachers within a high-stakes, test-driven context in Egypt. For this purpose, 170 Egyptian pre-service and in-service teachers completed an assessment conceptions questionnaire. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis were employed to answer the research questions. The results of the study showed in-service teachers preferring a combination of formative and summative assessment practices while pre-service teachers favored a relatively summative paradigm. With regard to functions of assessment, in-service teachers endorsed the improvement function of assessment more than the pre-service group. Both groups had negative perceptions about the effectiveness of teacher training programs. The study provides a number of implications for language teachers, teacher educators, and policy-makers.     

Attributional patterns towards students with and without learning disabilities: a comparison of pre- and in-service teachers in China

This study aims to investigate the differences of attributional responses to students with and without learning disabilities (LD) between pre- and in-service teachers in mainland China. A total of 204 teachers (101 pre-service and 103 in-service teachers) were surveyed using vignettes and Likert scale questions to ascertain their responses to students with and without LD. Drawing from Weiner’s attributional theory, teachers’ feedback, frustration, sympathy and expectation were measured. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was executed to compare pre-service and in-service teacher responses regarding students with and without LD. The findings showed that pre-service teachers experienced significantly lower frustration than in-service teachers to students with and without LD. Moreover, the teachers gave more positive feedback but felt less sympathy to students with LD who exerted high effort. These findings implied that pre-service tended to foster a more positive attribution style. Implications and recommendations for research and practice are also presented.     

Using Smart Boards and Manipulatives in the Elementary Science Classroom

This study summarizes the results of a survey administered to 48 elementary schools in the largest school district in a southeastern U.S. state, conducted by university faculty to evaluate the use of SMART Boards and handson experiences, the objectives of which were to identify preparedness of elementary classroom teachers in teaching elementary Science, in using SMART Boards and in using manipulatives for teaching in the elementary Science classroom, as well as to identify frequency with which elementary classroom teachers use SMART Boards and/or manipulatives and reasons for using or not using SMART Boards and/ or manipulatives in the elementary Science classroom. Results of the survey will be used to address areas of needed improvement among pre-service teachers, to identify areas in which early career teachers need additional training or information and how best to improve the quality and training of the Elementary Science component of the education degree.     

教师教育改革的理论、模式与实践

实现教师教育的专业化、职前职后的一体化是国际教师教育的发展趋势,进行教师教育改革既是建设创新型国家、实施人才强国战略的必然要求,也是教师教育市场开放态势下市场竞争和高等师范院校间综合实力竞技以及基础教育和学生就业双刃剑作用下的必然结果。从各师范大学的改革实践来看,教师教育的培养模式正趋于多样化。通过教师教育改革,可以实现教师教育与学科教育的相对独立,使教师教育与学科教育专业化;实现教师职前培养与职后培训一体化,使教师教育体系更加完整;实现教师教育资源的整合与共享,使教师教育资源发挥更大的效力;实现教育科学研究与服务社会的有机统一,使理论与实践的结合更加紧密;实现高等教育质量与基础教育质量的共同提高,使教师教育与基础教育形成联动关系;实现与国际教师教育高等院校合作,使教师教育办学形式国际化。     

Access,use and perceptions of teachers and students towards mobile phones as a tool for teaching and learning in Tanzania

This study explored the access, use and perceptions of teachers and students towards mobile phones as a tool for facilitating teaching and learning beyond the classroom walls. A total of 29 pre-service teachers and four college instructors from Dar es salaam University College of Education (DUCE) as well as 12 in-service teachers and 40 students from Kibasila secondary school in Tanzania, participated in the study. Data were collected by using pre-service teachers’ questionnaire, students’ questionnaire, and the instructors’, and in-service teachers’ interviews. Findings showed that all in-service teachers, college instructors and pre-service teachers had mobile phones. Also 60 % of school students owned mobile phones, or had access to mobile phones. Students, pre-service teachers and college instructors were in favour of the use of mobile phones for learning, but the majority of in-service teachers were against it. Since mobile phones are the most available technological tools in schools, this study, recommend a professional development programme for in-service teachers to help them develop a positive attitude towards mobile phones use in teaching and learning.