Preservice elementary teachers' views of their students' prior knowledge of science

Pre‐service teachers face many challenges as they learn to teach in ways that are different from their own educational experiences. Pre‐service teachers often enter teacher education courses with pre‐conceptions about teaching and learning that may or may not be consistent with contemporary learning theory. To build on preservice teachers' prior knowledge, we need to identify the types of views they have when entering teacher education courses and the views they develop throughout these courses. The study reported here focuses specifically on preservice teachers' views of their own students' prior knowledge and the implications these views have on their understanding of the formative assessment process. Sixty‐one preservice teachers were studied from three sections of a science methods course. Results indicate that preservice teachers exhibited a limited number of views about students' prior knowledge. These views tended to privilege either academic or experience‐based concepts for different aspects of formative assessment, in contrast to contemporary perspectives on teaching for understanding. Rather than considering these views as misconceptions, it is argued that it is more useful to consider them as resources for further development of a more flexible concept of formative assessment. Four common views are discussed in detail and applied to science teacher education. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 497–523, 2008     

From rigid dichotomy to measured contingency. Hong Kong preservice teachers' discursive construction of identity

This article reports on a qualitative study into the discursive construction of teacher identities amongst six preservice English language teachers in Hong Kong. While teacher identity construction has been conceptualized as an evolving process of becoming a teacher, some preservice teachers regard their professional identities as rigid, resulting in criticism of teacher education programs that promote a unitary image of ‘good’ teachers and teaching. The results of this study suggest that the participants did hold rigid conceptions about mutually exclusive types of teachers and teaching approaches. These conceptions were challenged as participants reflected on their own enactment of teacher identities.     

Conceptions and misconceptions about neuroscience in preschool teachers: a study from Argentina

Background: Teachers’ conceptions and misconceptions about neuroscience are crucial in establishing a proper dialogue between neuroscience and education. In recent years, studies in different countries have examined primary and secondary school teachers’ conceptions. However, although preschool education has proved its importance to later academic outcomes, there is limited investigation of neuroscience conceptions focused exclusively on preschool teachers.

Purpose: The present study sought to explore preschool teachers’ conceptions and misconceptions about neuroscience in an Argentine setting.

Sample, design and methods: We used quantitative and qualitative approaches to explore concepts about neuroscience, including specific neuromyths. Data were collected using a 24-statement questionnaire and 5 in-depth interviews. The survey was administered to 204 teachers of children between the ages of 0–5-years in Argentina.

Results and conclusions: Results from this exploratory study suggested a relatively high level of general knowledge of neuroscience amongst the preschool teachers in the study. However, three particular issues seemed unclear for teachers: memory, plasticity and the myth that ‘we only use 10% of the brain’. Specifically, ‘memory’ was understood as ‘learning by heart’; neural underpinnings of memory and plasticity processes were unknown; and the myth that we only use 10% of the brain was used to explain individual differences in intelligence in a straightforward way. In addition, anecdotal evidence was used by teachers to justify their conceptions about neuroscience. Finally, the wider implications of these results for bridging neuroscience and education are discussed.     

Vocational teachers' gendered reflections on education,teaching and care

In this article, we discuss teachers' reflections on the relation between teaching and care in the two most gender-segregated sectors of vocational upper secondary education in Finland, namely Health and Social services and Transport and Technology. We first discuss the concepts around education, teaching, taking care for and caring about students, using theoretisations of care and feminist pedagogies. Using teacher interviews and field notes, we then analyse teachers' ambivalence about care work in the context of teaching, placing special emphasis on care as a gendered task, and then discuss the ‘moral panic’ or ‘worry speech’ about young people in vocational education from the perspective of caring about. The findings are reflected through earlier studies in lower secondary schools. We argue that even if teachers in vocational education, especially male teachers, tend to feel awkward about caring work, they cannot avoid it, and they do care about their students and regard care as a general responsibility.     

Assessment policy and practice effects on New Zealand and Queensland teachers' conceptions of teaching

Teachers' thinking about four conceptions of teaching (i.e., apprenticeship‐developmental, nurturing, social reform, and transmission) were captured using the Teaching Perspectives Inventory (TPI). New Zealand and Queensland have very similar teaching‐related policies and practices but differences around assessment policies and practices are expected to influence teachers' conceptions of teaching. Results from two surveys (New Zealand primary (n = 241) and Queensland primary (n = 784) and secondary (n = 614) teachers) found acceptably fitting models. TPI models were not invariant between primary and secondary teachers in Queensland while the models for primary teachers in Queensland and New Zealand were partially invariant. There were only small differences in mean perspectives scores, except for transmission, which elicited large differences.     

Prospective teachers' initial conceptions about pupils' understanding of science and mathematics

Earlier reports have shown that prospective teachers' conceptions about teaching science to a high degree are resistant and do not change substantially during the teacher‐training programme. In our investigation we elucidate the prospective teachers' initial conceptions about pupils' understanding of science and mathematics. We applied ‘The Lesson Preparation Method' and used a phenomenographic approach in order to reveal the range of conceptions that the prospective teachers hold. A third of the prospective teachers did not consider pupils' conceptions when planning lessons. The rest of the 32 participants expressed awareness; some of the prospective teachers even referred to subject‐specific teaching experience. Also regarding the prospective teachers' conceptions about pupils' knowledge and beliefs, as well as about pupils' difficulties, there was a significant diversity. By raising these issues about pedagogical content knowledge the prospective teachers' conceptions can be extended and developed during the education.     

Characteristics of teachers' conversations about teaching mean,median, and mode

The study analyzed a conversation among a group of teachers responsible for teaching the concepts of mean, median, and mode. After reading an article describing some specific student difficulties in learning the concepts, teachers were asked to discuss how the teaching of the concepts could be improved. Several claims pertinent to improving teaching practice were offered. Claims focused on the appropriate age at which to introduce statistical concepts, the influence of the state-prescribed curriculum on teaching practice, content-specific teaching strategies, and content-independent teaching strategies. Teachers' claims were discussed in terms of points of departure and agreement with existing empirical research.     

Secondary school physics teachers' conceptions of scientific evidence: An exploratory case study

This article describes an exploratory case study of secondary school physics teachers' conceptions of scientific evidence. The nature of teachers' conceptions of evidence was derived from an analysis of data collected from 1 preservice and 2 in‐service teachers. Each teacher responded to a series of research prompts in multiple interviews and handwritten tasks. In these research prompts, the teachers thought aloud while designing experiments and critically evaluating student‐collected data as presented in hypothetical classroom scenarios. Spoken and written data were recorded. The data set was coded and analyzed using standard qualitative analysis techniques. Data from this study suggest that, while contemplating the reliability and validity of hypothetical student‐generated scientific evidence, the teachers frequently intertwined conceptions of evidence with subject matter concepts centrally relevant to the hypothetical investigation. Data also indicate that the relationship between subject matter knowledge and conceptions of evidence was more pronounced for some conceptions of evidence than for others. Results suggest that a fuller study is warranted. Suggestions for future research include exploring such relationships in other physics content areas as well as other scientific disciplines. Implications for science teacher education suggest that science and science methods courses should encourage preservice teachers to engage in original scientific research, as well as participate in peer review and critique. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 40: 721–736, 2003     

Patterns of development in second-career teachers' conceptions of learning and teaching

This study was aimed at deepening our understanding of second-career teachers' conceptions of teaching and learning. Initial conceptions held by 207 candidates entering an alternative teacher education programme were explored using a semi-structured questionnaire covering background characteristics and four themes concerning teaching and learning. A limited number of distinct conceptions could be identified and related to respondents' background characteristics. After the first semester of the programme, three patterns of development were found in a subset of 70 participants: growth, consolidation and regression. Pedagogical implications for fostering growth in second-career teachers are discussed.     

Patterns of development in second-career teachers' conceptions of teaching and learning

This study was aimed at deepening our understanding of second-career teachers' conceptions of teaching and learning. Initial conceptions held by 207 candidates entering an alternative teacher education programme were explored using a semi-structured questionnaire covering background characteristics and four themes concerning teaching and learning. A limited number of distinct conceptions could be identified and related to respondents' background characteristics. After the first semester of the programme, three patterns of development were found in a subset of 69 participants: growth, consolidation and regression. Pedagogical implications for fostering growth in second-career teachers are discussed.     

教育Blog对教师专业的影响

教育Blog作为信息化发展的一个重要技术,其在教育界得到了广泛应用,为教师专业的发展起到了很好的促进作用,并且受到了教师专业的欢迎。本文首先对教师专业发展面临的挑战进行分析,并且提出了教育Blog的普遍应用,最后主要对教育Blog对教师专业的影响进行探析。     

Solving Physics Problems: The Conceptions and Practice of an Experienced Teacher and an Inexperienced Teacher

The results are described of two case studies on the conceptions and classroom practice of two Portuguese physics and chemistry teachers on the role of problem solving in the teaching/learning of science. One of these teachers was a novice and the other had about 20 years of teaching experience. The data were obtained from a questionnaire, a semi-structured interview, classroom observation, personal documents, and stimulated recall. The analysis was carried out with instruments organised into categories and specific indicators. The results showed there to be major differences between the intention behind the new curricula, the teachers' conceptions, and their practice. Some suggestions are put forward on the basis of these results for the initial and ongoing education of secondary education teachers of physics and chemistry in Portugal.     

对高师院校小学教育专业师资建设的思考

专科以上学历小学教师培养工作是我国教师教育的新领域，对高师院校小学教育专业教师提出了新挑战。教师教育的专业化、一体化和开放性特征以及我国小学教育专业教师队伍的现状，要求我们在师资队伍建设上必须转变教育观念，调整优化教师队伍，构建自主学习、持续发展的机制，建立激励机制、完善考核制度，提高专业教师科研水平，以适应我国教师教育改革的需要。     

Does Teacher Education Matter? An Analysis of Relations to Knowledge among Norwegian and Finnish Novice Teachers

This article examines relations to knowledge among novice teachers educated in a research-based program in Finland and a general professional program in Norway. The curricula of the 2 programs differ in distinct ways with regard to selection and organization of knowledge. We ask whether such differences also play out in the relations to knowledge of the 2 groups of teachers. Bernstein's concepts of knowledge discourses, classification, and framing are employed to analyze in-depth interviews with 12 teachers. The analysis revealed many similarities on the surface, but a closer examination of the teachers' use of professional language revealed significant differences. The Finnish teachers used more specialized language to frame their conceptions, and their knowledge relations reflected a stronger classification and framing than those of the Norwegian teachers. We discuss how these differences may be related to their educational programs, and the possible implications for the teachers' professional identities.     

Changing conceptions of teaching: a four-year learning journey for student teachers

Understanding student teachers’ development of conceptions of teaching and learning is critical for teacher educators. Drawing from the findings of a four-year longitudinal study in Hong Kong, this paper examines the trajectories of the student teachers’ changing conceptions of teaching and learning approaches throughout their undergraduate programme. Three types of trajectories: guided touring, experiential detouring and self-guided touring, as the changes in both conceptions of teaching and learning approaches, are presented. The results suggest that three factors: faculty, learners’ attitudes towards learning and ability to integrate different learning resources, influenced the development of the student teachers’ trajectories. This study adds to the international body of knowledge on the interconnected development of conceptions of teaching and learning approaches. The paper concludes with the implications for teacher education.     

An examination of pre-service teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of development education into Irish post-primary schools

As part of an undergraduate concurrent initial teacher education programme pre-service teachers participate in an education module consisting of a number of workshops relating to the integration of development education active learning methodologies into their teaching. Following completion of the module, pre-service teachers participate in a 12-week teaching practice placement. This study, based on questionnaires and focus group data, was conducted following their return from teaching practice and examines their attitudes towards development education, the extent to which they included development education issues in their teaching while on teaching practice and their attitudes towards including such issues in the future. Results indicate that while pre-service teachers were positive towards integrating development education into post-primary schools and indicated their hope to include such issues in the future, they face a number of barriers that prevent them from doing so. As they begin their teaching career, the integration of development education is not viewed as a major priority for these pre-service teachers.     

A study of early childhood teachers’ conceptions of creativity in Hong Kong

The study aimed to uncover the conceptions of creativity among early childhood teachers in Hong Kong. The sample comprised 563 early childhood teachers. Factor analysis supported the multidimensional hypothesis of teachers’ conceptions of creativity. Five dimensions were found: novelty, product, problem solving, cognitive processes and personal attributes. Early childhood teachers in Hong Kong ascribed high importance to these dimensions as defining characteristics of creativity, with a person’s cognitive processes and personal attributes being ascribed relatively more important while product as relatively less importance. In particular, imagination, multiple perspectives and curiosity were perceived as very important concepts of creativity. Teachers with different teaching backgrounds shared very similar conceptions of creativity. Significant results were found with regard to product only. The findings have implications for early childhood teacher education programmes and professional development in Hong Kong.     

从教师教育专业化看教师教育学院院长素质

教师职业具有专业化的一切特征,教师专业化呼唤教师教育专业化.教师专业化已经成为一种强劲的思潮,极大地推动了许多发达国家教师教育新理念和新制度的建立.国际教师教育专业化潮流在催生我国教师教育学院的同时,也迫使其依据教师教育专业化要求实施改革与转型.在教师教育改革方面,担任主要角色的教师教育学院院长已经面临来自内外部的压力,为了应对这些变化,院长必须在教师教育的规划、实施和教育服务方面承担起主要的领导责任,以迎接教师教育专业化的挑战.