Social interaction interventions in an inclusive era: Attitudes of teachers in early childhood self‐contained and inclusive settings

This study investigated the perceptions and attitudes of teachers in early childhood settings toward social interaction interventions appropriate for young children with disabilities. Participants were 137 teachers working in either self‐contained classroom settings (SC) or inclusive classroom settings (INC). Variables that might interfere with perceived acceptability, feasibility, and current use of interventions were explored. These included theoretical orientation, attitude toward inclusion, experience working with children with disabilities, and teacher efficacy. Results indicated that SC and INC teachers are strikingly similar in their perceptions of interventions despite literature‐based indications that philosophical and theoretical differences between the two groups might influence attitudes. Implications for consultation practices by school psychologists and related professionals are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 53–63, 2005.     

Questionnaires as interventions: can taking a survey increase teachers’ openness to student feedback surveys?

Administrators often struggle in getting teachers to trust their school’s evaluation practices – a necessity if teachers are to learn from the feedback they receive. We attempted to bolster teachers’ support for receiving evaluative feedback from a particularly controversial source: student-perception surveys. For our intervention, we took one of two approaches to asking 309 teachers how they felt about students evaluating their teaching practice. Control participants responded only to core questions regarding their attitudes towards student-perception surveys. Meanwhile, treatment participants were first asked whether teachers should evaluate administrators in performance reviews and were then asked the core items about student-perception surveys. Congruent with cognitive dissonance theory, this juxtaposition of questions bolstered treatment teachers’ support for using student surveys in teacher evaluations relative to the control group. We discuss the implications of these findings with respect to increasing teacher openness to alternative evaluation approaches, and consider whether surveys show promise as a vehicle for delivering interventions.     

Teachers and content area reading: Attitudes,beliefs and change

“Sometimes the teacher will say, ‘Read to the bottom of the page,’ and I try but I fall behind. Then she asks questions and a whole bunch of kids can answer the questions but I can’t. I try to keep up with everything but it's really hard. Sarah; 6th grade social studies student”.

This paper presents the results of a review of the research into content area teachers’ attitudes and beliefs about the teaching of reading within their subject area(s). As exemplified in the quote above, the ability to read and learn from text written to provide information can be difficult and frustrating for students who lack the skills. Content area teachers have been encouraged for decades to incorporate reading into their area of instruction, but have often chosen not to do this for a variety of reasons. In addition, teacher educators have attempted to work with content area teachers to help them consider how to incorporate reading instruction into their classroom.This paper takes a closer look at the reasons that motivate pre- and in-service content area teachers in grades 6–12 to either teach or not teach reading. It also examines the ways in which teacher educators have worked to help content area teachers learn how to teach reading and the degree to which these interventions have been successful. In doing so I argue that (a) our approaches to working with content area teachers on this topic have been limited and (b) simply creating positive attitudes towards teaching reading is not necessarily enough.This paper begins with a brief discussion of what it means to teach reading in the content areas. Next I present a general introduction to teacher beliefs and how they may influence the instructional decisions teachers make. Then I discuss the methodology for my review. This is followed by the results of my review with implications for how teacher educators might consider addressing this issue in the future.     

Enactivism and teacher instructional game building: an inquiry of theory adoption and design consideration

In this study, teachers are giving an opportunity to design and develop their own educational games. The following three questions guide the research: (1) What are the characteristics of teacher designed and developed games? (2) What theories do teachers use when they make games for educational purposes? (3) What are the design considerations when teachers engage in game authoring experiences? Framed in a qualitative, naturalistic case study perspective, this paper explores 83 teachers’ experience and thinking grounded in enactivism. Participating teachers are enrolled in a graduate course focusing on game based learning. Data sources include: teacher written assignments, teacher created digital artifacts, instructor’s reflective journal, and learner feedback after class. The analysis of the data show that teachers tend to create quiz games using the software they are familiar with, prefer collaborative design process, and math is a popular subject for games. They like to author games that are customized, with detailed storylines, and are appropriate for the local contexts. Implication and recommendations are also discussed.     

Preservice teachers' coping styles and their responses to bullying

The literature suggests that teacher responses to bullying are a function of the type of aggression (overt vs. relational), the gender of the children involved, and characteristics of the teacher. We extended the literature by examining teachers' dispositional coping styles as a predictor of their responses to bullying. Preservice teachers (N = 97) completed a measure of coping styles and then responded to eight vignettes showing overt or relational aggression occurring among boys or girls. Overt aggression was viewed as a bigger problem than relational aggression, and teacher interventions were deemed more necessary for overt than relational aggression. Preservice teachers who typically use more active coping, less denial coping, and less self‐blame responded more actively to bullying, especially in response to relational aggression among boys. These findings point to the need to consider teacher coping styles when working with them to intervene effectively in responding to bullying. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Teachers’ and school administrators’ attitudes and beliefs of teacher evaluation: a preliminary investigation of high poverty school districts

This study examined attitudes and beliefs regarding teacher evaluation of teachers and their school administrators in the state of New Jersey, USA. The sample included 33 school administrators and 583 Pre-K through 12th grade teachers from four high-poverty urban school districts (22 schools). Participant attitudes and beliefs were assessed using the Teacher Evaluation Experience Scale (TEES; Reddy et al. in Educational Assessment, 21(2), 120–134, 2016). TEES is a multi-informant assessment designed to measure teachers’ and school administrators’ experiences with teacher evaluation through five scales (i.e., total and subscales of system, feedback, process, and motivation to change) and six open-ended questions. Based on the qualitative analyses, teachers identified collaborative communication and evaluation feedback as the most helpful aspects of their evaluation process. Based on the quantitative analyses, however, their average ratings did not exceed neutral on any of the four subscales. Overall findings suggest that school administrators’ experiences with teacher evaluation are more favorable than teachers’ experiences. Moderate correlations are found between participant characteristics and TEES scales. Implications for teacher evaluation are presented.     

Student Authoritarianism and Teacher Authoritarianism as Factors in the Determination of Student Performance and Attitudes

Recent investigations designed to elucidate the teacher behaviors which are facilitative of positive student attitudes and increased student performance have presented inconsistent results. It is hypothesized that the inconsistency between studies may be due to an interaction between teacher characteristics and student characteristics in the determination of the dependent variables involved. To test this hypothesis, teachers and students in a West Coast high school were administered a revised version of the California F-Scale (a measure of authoritarianism). High- and Low-F groups of both teachers and students were selected, and students’ grades and attitudes toward their teachers were observed. It was found that High-F students exposed to Low-F teachers showed particularly low attitudes toward their teachers and particularly low grades. Data for other combinations of student and teacher characteristics were essentially equivalent.     

Evaluation of a model science teacher education program

This study assessed the effectiveness of one science teacher education program designed to be a model program. The study provided evidence that preservice science teacher education can have a very positive effect on the development of preservice science teachers into effective practicing teachers. Thirty program graduates completed a pilot version of the 1985 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education providing information on course objectives, teaching strategies, equipment use, time allocation, and textbook use. The responses of program graduates were compared to the responses of a select national sample of teachers. All teachers in the comparison group were from programs in the Search for Excellence in Science Education, Presidential Award winners, recognized as outstanding state science teachers, employed as department chairs, or actively involved in the development of science curriculum. Analysis of the responses indicated that both program graduates and comparison group teachers had similar course objectives and teaching strategies, used materials and equipment a similar amount of time, and allocated class time in similar ways. In another component of the study, students of 37 program graduates completed a questionnaire that assessed their attitudes toward science teachers, science classes, and the study of science. Analysis of attitudinal data from their 2871 students indicated that students of program graduates generally had positive attitudes. For instance, 89% of the students perceived their science teacher as asking questions and 80% perceived their science teacher as letting them ask questions. In general, the data are in stark contrast to the images obtained from National Assessment efforts.     

Student,teacher, and instructional characteristics related to students' gains in flexibility

Flexibility in problem solving has been widely recognized as an important skill for students' mastery of mathematics. Here we utilize the Opportunity-Propensity framework to investigate student characteristics, teacher characteristics, and teacher instructional practices that may be associated with students' gains in flexibility in algebra. Teacher and student data were collected from 8th and 9th grade Algebra I teachers in Massachusetts as part of a larger study on the impact of a researcher-developed year-long supplementary curriculum that focused on improving students' flexibility. We explore student demographics, teacher background characteristics and teacher instructional practices as predictors of student gains in flexibility. We further investigate instructional practices associated with flexibility gains through an analysis of teacher questioning in the classroom for teachers whose students achieved the greatest gains in flexibility and those whose students achieved the least gains. Our results indicate that prior knowledge is a reliable predictor of flexibility gains and that gender is an important student background characteristic associated with the development of flexibility. In addition, although high and low gain teachers did not differ in their implementation fidelity, high flexibility gain teachers asked more open-ended questions that prompted students to verbalize the main ideas of the lesson.     

Preschool Teachers’ Professional Background,Process Quality,and Job Attitudes: A Person-Centered Approach

Research Findings: This exploratory study identified preschool teacher quality profiles in early childhood education settings using 9 indicators across teachers’ professional background, observed process quality, and job attitudes toward teaching (e.g., job-related stress, satisfaction, and intention to leave the job). The sample consisted of 96 teachers from 48 child care programs in a midwestern U.S. state. A latent profile analysis revealed 3 profiles: (a) less experienced, lower quality, and more positive attitudes; (b) less experienced, average quality, and less positive attitudes; and (c) more experienced, better quality, and mixed attitudes. Multiple program- and teacher-level covariates were incorporated into the latent profile model to examine the associations between program and teacher characteristics and profile membership. Practice or Policy: Results of this study provide important information for use in early child care interventions and suggest a new approach toward more integrated professional development programs that cover both teachers’ practices and job attitudes. This study also suggests the need for new coaching systems that can be individualized based on each teacher’s strengths and challenges.     

The interactive whiteboard in primary school science and interaction

The findings of the research literature about the necessity and contribution of Interactive Whiteboards (IWB) are not unequivocal and are sometimes contradictory. The study aimed to examine the interactive attributes in lessons with an IWB and the students’ attitudes. Methodical structured observations of 26 science lessons were conducted in elementary schools in Israel. The results showed that the teachers frequently used the diverse IWB tools, but most of the learning took place in frontal, whole class learning. Most of the interaction was under the teacher’s control and the dialogic interaction was limited. The attitudes of 62 pupils showed that despite already studying with an IWB for five years, their enthusiasm did not wane. They even claimed, in contrast to the observation findings, that the IWB contributed to active learning and interaction in the class. The research findings raise fundamental questions regarding the place of the IWB in promoting interaction in the class and on the necessity to promote the teacher’s pedagogic concept in order to increase class interaction.     

Secondary Teachers and English Language Learners (ELLs): Attitudes,Preparation and Implications

The education of language-minority students is a constitutional right. Throughout this article, the authors synthesize recent literature addressing two main questions: (1) What are secondary teachers’ attitudes toward English language learners (ELLs)? and (2) To what extent are secondary teachers being prepared to teach content effectively to this student population? Secondary teachers’ attitudes about ELLs vary, but are generally positive. The lack of teacher preparation—especially at the secondary level—to teach ELLs effectively is widespread. Thus, it is not surprising that secondary teachers feel ill-prepared to scaffold or differentiate instruction to meet these students’ language and academic needs. Since attitudes, preparation, and practice are interrelated, the authors also provide numerous implications for future practice at various levels: teacher-preparation programs, school district support, and classroom teaching.     

DEVELOPMENT OF DRAMATIC PLAY IN YOUNG CHILDREN AND ITS EFFECTS ON SELF‐REGULATION: THE VYGOTSKIAN APPROACH

The necessity for parents and teachers to work together collaboratively to optimize children’s learning and development in early childhood education is well recognized. Yet, ways in which initial teacher education programs might prepare teachers for professional relationships with parents are rare in the literature. This paper reports on the use of field experience in family homes that occurred in the 1^st year of a teacher education program. A case study of two student teachers is discussed to illustrate the potential of such an approach to this aspect of teacher preparation. These student teachers experienced the realities of the daily lives of families with young children. Six months later, their experiences appeared likely to have had a positive influence on their understanding of parenting and their attitudes towards establishing and maintaining effective partnerships with parents in their future professional role.     

Educational Aims,Ideals, and Activities

Abstract

The effects on student performance and student attitudes of varying the instructional locus of control between students and teachers were investigated. A 2 X 2 factorial design was used that included either teacher regulation or student regulation of 1) the setting of weekly learning goals, and 2) the evaluation of weekly work. After a 4-week period, a mathematics achievement test and a student attitude survey were administered. Results indicated that although teachers set more individual learning goals for students, students who set their own learning goals attained more of them. Students tended to evaluate their work more favorably than teachers, and work evaluations from both teachers and students were higher for students who initially set their own learning goals. In addition, students who were given the opportunity to set their own learning goals reported better goal-setting ability than those for whom goals were externally imposed by the teacher. As predicted, the self-regulated goal setting and evaluation were found to be significantly related to attitudes, but not to mathematics achievement.     

Predictors of teachers’ use of ICT in school – the relevance of school characteristics,teachers’ attitudes and teacher collaboration

This paper is based on the research question of what predictors (school characteristics, teachers’ attitudes, teacher collaboration and background characteristics) determine secondary school teachers’ frequency of computer use in class. The use of new technologies by secondary school teachers for educational purposes is an important factor regarding school and teaching processes. The use of digital media in schools is, among other things, associated with the goal of supporting learning processes and improving the quality of education. This contribution identifies relevant factors by means of multiple regression analyses of the teachers’ frequency of computer use for instruction in five countries (the Netherlands, Denmark, Australia, Poland and Germany) to get an idea of how to support the frequency of the use of computers in class. The analyses and findings are based on the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) study of International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2013 (ICILS), which investigates the computer and information literacy (CIL) of secondary school students and the contexts in which students develop CIL in 21 countries. Antecedents concerning school characteristics, teachers’ attitudes and teacher collaboration on the process level and background characteristics of secondary school teachers (N = 8.920) are examined in order to gain further insight into the nature and effect of predictors for secondary school teachers’ in-class use of information and communications technology. The analyses show that there are more country-specific results than similarities between the countries selected. In all countries, antecedents concerning teachers’ attitudes are more relevant for teachers’ in-class use of computers than school characteristics or teacher collaboration on the process level.     

Stress and positive attitudes towards violent discipline are associated with school violence by Ugandan teachers

BackgroundGlobally, the use of violent discipline methods by teachers to manage child behavior is still highly prevalent despite enactment of laws that prohibit school violence. In the case of Uganda there is a dearth of accurate prevalence statistics on school violence and factors associated with the use of violence by teachers.ObjectivesTherefore, the current study examined the prevalence of and attitudes towards violence. The study also explored the association between teachers’ stress, positive attitudes towards violence and the use of violent discipline management methods.MethodsA representative sample of 291 teachers and 702 students from 12 public secondary schools in southwestern Uganda responded to anonymous self-administered questionnaires. Data were collected from April to November 2017.ResultsFindings indicated that 86.5% of the teachers reported having used violent disciplinary methods on students in the past month while 91.5% of the students reported experiencing violence by teachers. Teachers (88.3%, n = 256) endorsed positive attitudes towards violent discipline. Teachers’ stress was related to higher levels of violent discipline (β = 0.20). This relation was mediated by positive attitudes towards violence (0.06, SE: 0.01, 95%-CI: 0.035–0.092).ConclusionsOur findings indicate that teacher reported stress was associated with their use of violent behavior and positive attitudes and that positive attitudes reduced the association between teachers’ stress and violent behavior. Therefore, interventions aiming to reduce violence by teachers may need to integrate effective stress management skills, in addition to nonviolent discipline strategies, and fostering attitudinal change towards the use of violent methods.     

The Impact of Training in Mainstreaming on Teacher Attitudes,Management Techniques,and the Behaviour of Disabled Students

Of the growing number of training programs in mainstreaming competencies reported, only a few have used naturalistic observations to evaluate the impact of these interventions. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a preparation program in mainstreaming for regular teachers on attitudes, management styles and mainstreamed pupil behaviour. Thirty prospective teachers, including 15 trained in special education (the experimental group) and 15 controls were each observed interacting with a mainstreamed and matched comparison pupil. Findings revealed that (a) training was effective in modifying attitudes toward mainstreaming by experimental teachers; (b) mainstreamed pupils in control teacher classrooms displayed significantly less appropriate classroom behaviours than their comparison peers; and (c) experimental and control teachers did not differ significantly in the management techniques employed. Both groups, however, reacted differently toward mainstreamed pupils than toward their matched classmates. Implications for preparation programs for regular educators are discussed.