Swedish Teacher Education at the Crossroads

This paper discusses recent moves to modernise teacher education in Sweden. It first considers reasons why teacher education has received increased attention in different countries in recent years, and then goes on to explore what implications this has had for Sweden The approach taken in Sweden to the so-called crisis of schooling in Beck's risk society has been to attempt to raise the status of teacher educators by proposing increased research possibilities and a new discipline utbildningsvetenskap . The paper discusses the likely response of teacher educators to these new conditions and their overall implications for the Swedish state.     

IX Social Power and the Limitations of Church Education

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this column is to keep religious educators abreast of the relevant significant research in the general field of psychology. Its implications for methods and materials in religious education are clear. Religious educators may well take advantage of every new finding in scientific research.

Each abstract or group is preceded by an ?evaluation and interpretative comment which aims to guide the reader in understanding the research reported.

All of these abstracts are from PSYCHOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS, and are used by permission of that periodical. The abstract number is Volume 30, Number 2, April 1956.     

Using effective teaching practices in the special education classroom

Abstract

Research on effective schooling has led to conclusions regarding classroom practices. This research has implications for special educators, who need to become familiar with it. The implications which are discussed in this article are related to the need for planning, high expectations of student performance, monitoring student progress and providing feedback, establishing classrom routines, grouping, academic learning time, personal relationships and the use of incentives and rewards. These conclusions regarding effective teaching can be used diagnostically by teachers to evaluate and improve their own performance in the classroom. In this article some conclusions based on a review of effective teaching research will be outlined and implications for the special education classroom will be discussed.     

Understanding teachers’ motivation for and commitment to teaching: profiles of Chinese early career,early childhood teachers

ABSTRACT

To better understand the reasons underlying attrition and the teacher shortage, and to develop ways to attract and retain high-quality teachers in early childhood education, it is necessary to explore teacher motivation and commitment to teaching. Although previous research has investigated various aspects of teacher motivation and commitment to teaching, little attention has been paid to this in the context of early childhood teachers, especially early career teachers. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 12 early career, early childhood teachers in mainland China, this study aims to examine early career early childhood teachers’ motivation to teach and commitment to teaching in the Chinese context. Four distinct types of early career, early childhood educators were identified: committed passionate, committed compromiser, undecided, and uncommitted. Each of these had unique motives for teaching and different levels of commitment to kindergarten teaching in mainland China. The four types of early career early childhood teachers identified in this study demonstrate the diversity and complexity of teaching motivation and commitment to teaching in the field of early childhood education. The findings from this study can provide implications for policy-makers and teacher educators to enhance novice teachers’ motivation and commitment to teaching in the early childhood context.     

Environmental education in transition: A critical review of recent research on climate change and energy education

Abstract

The transition from centralized energy systems based on fossil fuels to renewable-based systems is a macro-level societal shift necessitated by climate change. This review of recent environmental education (EE) research identifies gaps and opportunities for promoting environmental action in this new context. We found that environmental educators and researchers are currently focused on researching and promoting energy conservation behavior with an emphasis on children and youth. We also found an emerging research focus on energy transitions at the regional and national levels. We recommend that environmental educators and researchers adopt a vision and strategy for climate change and energy education that more explicitly addresses the role of collective action, multiactor networks, and sociotechnical innovation in shaping energy transition processes.     

Examining some aspects of the worldview of students in Australian Catholic schools: some implications for religious education

Abstract

Religious education always takes place within a cultural context. In recent decades, this context has changed significantly and Catholic schools now engage with a world that is very different from the immediate post-Vatican 2 era. This changed cultural context shapes the views, beliefs and practices of students in Catholic schools. One way of exploring this contextualisation is to describe the worldviews of young people and to discuss some of the major features of these. This paper reports on an ongoing study of students in Catholic schools. It records how they see themselves, their involvement in Church and their religious expression. Results indicate nuanced responses that invite sophisticated analysis of young people and worldview. One clear trend to emerge is the changing perception of students as they progress through the school system. This finding is in accord with a view that describes religious engagement of young people reaching a plateau at a relatively early age. Some of the implications of this study for religious educators in Catholic schools will be drawn out and discussed with a number of recommendation made for practitioners.     

In Their Own Words: Teachers' Reflections on Adaptability

Current research explores adaptability by gathering teachers' reflections on their adaptations. However, the field knows little of what the term adaptability means to teachers who currently teach in today's educational context. In this article, adaptability is discussed from the perspectives of 3 practicing classroom educators, teaching in various contexts (geographic region and grade level). Teachers' voices of adaptability are examined and a definition of adaptability is discussed. Obstacles are presented in these teachers' efforts to adapt their instruction in their respective contexts. Teachers then discussed the ways in which they navigated these obstacles to modify their instruction to fit a variety of learners and experiences despite these constraints.     

Barriers to the implementation of specialized reading instruction in secondary co-taught classrooms: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT

This exploratory research underscores Bandura’s social learning theory on collective agency to investigate co-teaching partners’ collaboration regarding reading instruction for students with disabilities. Students whose Individualized Education Programs stipulate reading are dependent on special educators to deliver such instruction. In the current research, we investigate barriers to implementation of specialized reading instruction in co-taught classes. One hundred seven secondary special education co-teachers across the United States, who primarily teach students with learning disabilities, responded to a questionnaire about their co-teaching experiences and delivery of specialized reading instruction. Emphasizing the impact that co-planning has on barriers to the implementation of reading, our results indicate the moderating role of special educators’ perceived co-teaching benefits. Empirical findings are discussed, and implications for research and practice are offered.     

Uncertain identities of non-higher-education-based EFL teacher educators: a third space theory perspective

ABSTRACT

Although research on teacher educators’ identities has received increasing attention in recent years, non-higher-education-based teacher educators’ professional identities are still under-researched. Informed by the third space theory perspective, this paper presents a study that investigated 139 non-higher-education-based English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher educators’ identities through the lens of metaphors. An analysis of the metaphors revealed four types of identities, namely, the willing communicators, the discontented jack-of-all-trades and master of none, the struggling professional leaders, as well as the caring supporters. These terms capture the participants’ self-images and specify their obligations and responsibilities as teacher educators. The paper concludes with some implications for teacher educators’ preparation and continuing development.     

Research practice partnerships: a strategy for promoting evidence-based decision-making in education

Abstract

Background: In the United States, an emphasis on evidence-based decision-making in education has received renewed interest with the recent passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. However, how best, in practice, to support the use of evidence in educational decision-making remains unclear. Research Practice Partnerships (RPPs) are a popular strategy for cultivating evidence-based decision-making among educators, but understanding the ways in which partnerships can influence educators’ use of research evidence in their decision-making is limited.

Purpose: This paper explores the influence that Research Practice Partnerships can have on educators’ evidence-based decision-making.

Sources of evidence: A framework is offered for examining the impact of Research Practice Partnerships on behaviours such as educators’ evidence-based decision-making, in the context of school and district improvement efforts. The framework suggests a host of intermediary and long-term outputs: for example, the ‘mindsets’ of researchers and practitioners which are most conducive to enabling evidence-based decision-making among those engaged in Research Practice Partnerships. We explore this framework through short illustrations of the experiences of three Research Practice Partnerships, contextualising the ideas within the literature, and presenting the process of our design and pilot of a survey instrument used to examine the perceived impact of Research Practice Partnerships.

Main argument: We argue that participants’ self-reported behaviours and perceptions are important elements in examining the influence of Research Practice Partnerships on educators’ evidence-based decision-making. Additionally, this paper examines the potential benefits and challenges of attempting to measure the outputs and outcomes of a Research Practice Partnership using a survey measure.

Conclusions: The process of developing the pilot survey suggests that certain conditions in Research Practice Partnerships may be more conducive to the development among educators of behaviours, mindsets and perceptions associated with evidence-based decision-making.     

Building Bridges: A Cross-Disciplinary Peer-Coaching Self-Study

ABSTRACT

Cross-disciplinary self-studies and peer coaching have separately been shown to offer teacher educators meaningful professional development opportunities. However, the teacher educator literature has said little about combining cross-disciplinary self-studies with peer coaching. In this article, the authors report a two-year cross-disciplinary peer-coaching self-study by experienced teacher educators, one from English Language Arts and one from Mathematics Education. The purpose of the self-study was to examine the connections that bridge the two disciplines and the differences between disciplines that offer new perspectives. Results revealed important process connections involving standards for practice and academic vocabulary. The self-study also illuminated meaningful new perspectives about what questions are asked during whole-class discussion and how data is generated during student collaboration. This study demonstrates the benefits of combining cross-disciplinary teacher educator collaboration with peer coaching and has implications for individual teacher educators and teacher education programs.     

The Speed Factor in Mental Measurements

Abstract

The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the major professional association for educational researchers. The research involvement and productivity of AERA members was analyzed using data from two major surveys. Depending on the operational definition for "research" that is applied, estimates of the proportion of AERA members who are researchers varies from 23 to 60 percent. The proportion of AERA members who publish research at some point in their career was found to compare very favorably with educators in general and with PhD’s in other fields.     

Teacher educators’ professional journeys: pedagogical and systemic issues affecting role perceptions

ABSTRACT

Teacher educators in many countries share similar concerns as they aspire to improve education for learners and stimulate interest in further study and careers. The roles and professional development of school teachers have been researched, but little attention has been given to teacher educators. Using a small-scale, illuminative study in England and South Africa, this paper examines pedagogical implications of progression from classroom teacher to teacher educator-tutor. Systemic issues include attitudes to personal scholarship in moving to high stakes academic environments requiring research. In both countries, there were issues of student teachers’ subject knowledge and their capacity to translate knowledge for learners. South African teacher educators were concerned about student teachers’ lack of appreciation of the integrity of conceptual understanding and sequencing of topic content. Implications for the professional development of teacher educators and their role identities are considered.     

PRODUCING KNOWLEDGE IN A TIME OF SLEEPER TRANSITIONS (OPENING PANEL PRESENTATION GIVEN AT APRRE, 2003)

The purpose of this column is to keep religious educators abreast of the relevant significant research in the general field of psychology. Its implications for methods and materials in religious education are clear. Religious educators may well take advantage of every new finding in scientific research.

Each abstract or group is preceded by an evaluation and interpretive comment, which aims to guide the reader in understanding the research reported.

All of these abstracts are from PSYCHOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS, and are used by permission of that periodical. The abstract number is Volume 30, Number 3, June 1956.     

Integrative Public Health-Aligned Physical Education and Implications for the Professional Preparation of Future Teachers and Teacher Educators/Researchers in the Field

ABSTRACT

This article has two purposes: (a) to consider existing platforms and future possibilities in the United States for what the authors refer to as Integrative Public Health-Aligned Physical Education (IPHPE), which integrates standards-based K–12 physical education with a public health agenda focusing on promoting increased physical activity and fitness, and (b) to consider the implications of IPHPE for the preparation of future physical education teachers and teacher educators/researchers. First, the historical context that has nurtured the development of ideologies that inform IPHPE is summarized. Second, examples of these ideologies in terms of their current and prospective contributions to IPHPE perspectives are discussed. Third, building from existing public health-aligned recommendations for pre-service physical education teacher education (PETE) programs, IPHPE-based professional preparation requirements for future physical education teachers are considered. Finally, the focus shifts to doctoral PETE (D-PETE) programming and professional preparation requirements for future physical education teacher educators/researchers from an IPHPE perspective. The overall intention of this article is to propose a way forward for physical education which bridges educational priorities of the profession to contemporary and relevant public health needs.     

ATTITUDE OF THE JEWS TOWARD WEEK‐DAY RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION

The purpose of this column is to keep religious educators abreast of the relevant significant research in the general field of psychology. Its implications for methods and materials in religious education are clear. Religious educators may well take advantage of every new finding in scientific research.

Each abstract or group is preceded by an evaluation and interpretive comment, which aims to guide the reader in understanding the research reported.

All of these abstracts are from PSYCHOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS and used by permission of that periodical. The abstract number is Volume 30, Number 5, October 1956.     

Seminars of Christians and Jews

The purpose of this column is to keep religious educators abreast of the relevant significant research in the general field of psychology. Its implications for methods and materials in religious education are clear. Religious educators may well take advantage of every new finding in scientific research.

Each abstract or group is preceded by an evaluation and interpretative comment, which aims to guide the reader in understanding the research reported.

All of these abstracts are from PSYCHOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS, and used by permission of that periodical. The abstract number is Volume 30, Number 6, December 1956.     

Shifting paradigms: Emerging issues for educational policy and practice

Abstract

Within the current national context of educational reform, educators are generating a new paradigm about teaching and learning. This shift is occurring as a consequence of rethinking nearly all aspects of schooling. The new paradigm is competing with, an older one. Time will tell whether or not the new one will replace the old one, but clearly they cannot coexist because they are so fundamentally different. The new paradigm is based on the latest research on cognitive developmental and constructivist theory, and the old paradigm is based on reductionist principles and behavioral theory.

This article creates a framework for understanding the paradigm shift, describes how the shift applies to instructional practices, synthesizes several principles and indicators that can guide the observation of teaching, and discusses issues yet to be resolved.     

Building bridges between global concepts and local contexts: implications for inclusive education in Nepal,Sri Lanka,and Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on the implications of participation in an Australian Award Short Course Awards programme for inclusive educators from South Asia. Seventeen educators from Nepal, three from Bangladesh, and one from Sri Lanka participated in the short course in Brisbane, Australia with a follow up component in Kathmandu, Nepal. The aim of the short course was to provide a platform for sharing knowledge of inclusive education as a global concept, and how such knowledge could then be implemented in the local context. While in Brisbane, participants completed a Return to Work Plan (RWP) indicating how they anticipated applying their new knowledge in their respective workplaces. Data were collected both pre- and post-programme with follow-up individual interviews and focus groups once they returned to their home countries. Findings revealed that participants gained a broader understanding of inclusive education and ‘diversity’ that counter the perception of inclusion as restricted to only a specific area of ‘special education’. For many participants, work habits changed as they applied their learning to include a greater range of diversity in their home countries. While the initial impact appeared localised, there were positive indications for longer-term sustainability. This research may assist other educators from developing countries to maximise the benefit of participation in similar short course programmes.