The role of environmental factors in beginning teachers’ professional learning related to differentiated instruction

Little research has investigated factors that facilitate beginning teachers’ participation in professional learning activities related to differentiated instruction (DI). This study examines environmental factors for DI learning activities in a sample of 272 beginning teachers from 72 primary schools. Multilevel analyses show that teacher education, reflective dialogue, deprivatized practice, educational type, and diversity in student population are related to beginning teachers’ use of DI learning activities (i.e., learning in interaction and changes in practice). As such, the findings revealed that beginning teachers’ participation in such activities may depend on a multitude of factors. Several suggestions regarding these factors are made. First, teacher education can provide foundational knowledge of DI applications. Second, schools can enable teachers to have in-depth conversations with colleagues and provide opportunities to observe good teaching practices. Lastly, alternative schools and schools with diverse student populations can inspire other schools to enhance participation in DI learning activities.     

Getting our best teachers into disadvantaged schools: differences in the professional and personal factors attracting more effective and less effective teachers to a school

Of the school-level factors that have an impact on student learning, one of the most powerful appears to be the effectiveness of the individual teacher. The most effective teachers are, therefore, one of the most important tools schools and systems have at their disposal to lift the achievement of socio-economically disadvantaged students and improve equity, and policy must be designed in such a way as to draw more of them to the most disadvantaged educational settings. To do this, systems and schools need to be aware of differences in the priorities more and less effective teachers hold in deciding where to teach. This study highlighted such differences in a large sample of Australian teachers. The most effective teachers placed considerably more importance on professional factors in determining whether to transfer into a school. Implications for staffing policy are discussed.     

清末日本教习补遗与式微因由考析

日本教习是近代中国教育体系建构过程中应时出现的特殊群体,自1902年开始正式受聘清国,至辛亥革命爆发、满清覆灭历经十余载,渡清人数达至千人以上。他们在中国尚处萌芽期的蒙养院,各类初、中、高等学堂从事教育活动,教授多门近代科目,不过在日本教习与学堂间催生的各类龃龉、赴日留学生渐次归国、西方教育势力涉入及明治政府态度漠然等诸重背景的交糅下,日本教习最终由盛至衰退出中国教坛,成为影响中国教育近代化发展的历史群体之一。     

Contesting educational assessment policies in Australia

ABSTRACT

Assessment is a major component of education, significant in directing what is identified as valued student learning. This paper is framed within an understanding of imperative and exhortative policy. Two paradigmatically different, and potentially contesting, assessment policy directions in Australian education – educational accountability to monitor school and teacher performance, and teacher assessment practices to improve learning (assessment for learning [AfL] or formative assessment) – are examined for their impact on teacher professionalism. Both approaches have official endorsement in Australian policy. Mandated participation in national tests is indicative of educational accountability assessments under national direction. While also endorsed nationally, AfL implementation is reliant on state and territory direction. Our examination reveals tensions in the alignment of both policies. This is evident in the impact of accountability assessment on AfL implementation, in particular, teachers’ understandings of valued assessment evidence. We conclude that a paradigmatic shift to support student learning in Australian schools is a policy imperative that includes the need for professional development and learning support for teachers.     

国外农村小规模学校的研究主题与启示——基于SSCI期刊论文关键词的可视化分析(1982—2018)

农村小规模的发展是我国振兴乡村教育,实现公平而有质量教育追求的关键环节。借助关键词共词聚类分析法和社会网络分析法,对国外已发表的一百余篇SSCI期刊文献的共词分析发现,相比我国,国外农村小规模学校的发展较早,研究主题丰富,涵盖了高质量复式教学研究、政策视角下农村小规模学校的存续研究、农村小规模学校的社区文化功能研究、校长角色研究、师资建设研究以及学生身心健康发展研究六个主题,为我国农村小规模学校的发展提供了以下启示:从关注政策绩效转向关注教学实效;从单一的资源依赖转向多元的资源互通;形成“知其所需”的师资建设思路;重视学生的身心健康。     

自我导向学习:农村教师专业发展的有效途径

国外教师专业发展理论的日益成熟和我国教师教育实践的日趋完善以及基础教育新课程改革的不断深入,将我国百万教师的专业发展问题提到了前所未有的高度,新农村建设则把农村教师的专业成长问题摆上了议事日程。如何针对农村教师专业发展现状,探寻一种经费省、效果佳的适合农村学校特点和农村教师个性化需要的专业发展范式,成为全体教育工作者急待探索的课题。自我导向学习强调学习者的主动性、独立性和责任感,可资成为有效促进农村教师专业发展的首选途径。     

Closing achievement gaps and beyond: teachers’ reactions to the remedial education policy in Taiwan

Educators have increasingly implemented remedial education in elementary and secondary schools throughout Taiwan as a systemic approach toward closing achievement gaps. However, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those in remote areas have shown little improvement in academic achievement. This issue raises the question of how educators are providing needed learning support to disadvantaged students in school and classroom settings. Thus, this study applies grounded theory to investigate teachers’ reactions to the remedial education policy in Taiwan, to have a reflective assessment on the policy, and to provide suggestions for policy implementation. The findings suggest that teachers’ responses to this government-imposed, centralized approach—classified as “cosmetic compliance,” “professional commitment,” and “try-out participation”—vary widely based on whether their ideological underpinnings are consistent with the government’s policy intent to close achievement gaps, and on whether they are equipped with professional knowledge and practical strategies to support the effective implementation of remedial education. Based on the findings, this study develops an interactive systemic model for more effectively implementing the remedial education policy, which illustrates a conceptualization that educational practitioners can hold professional autonomy while improving teaching and learning for low-achieving students.     

Implications of social network sites for teaching and learning. Where we are and where we want to go

This conceptual paper deals with some of the implications that the use of social network sites, though not originally developed and conceived for learning purposes, have for schools and academic activities when they are used as tools able to modify and innovate teaching/learning practices and academic culture. Beside the differences that characterize the two contexts, the attention that social network tools are progressively gaining in schools and higher education practices and pedagogies requires adjustments in learning and teaching that should be constantly considered by educators and policy makers. These environments are also presenting new and crucial opportunities for teacher training and teachers’ professional development. The purpose of the study is to reflect on some significant challenges and opportunities offered by social network sites, and how to exploit the latter, in relation to a number of themes. These themes have been identified as those that deserve better comprehension and further research investigation: communication between students and teachers and appropriate professional behaviours; pedagogical and technological challenges related to incorporating social networking practices into teaching and academic practices; how social networking can be exploited for teachers’ professional training and development. The study also provides some implications for policy and practice.     

美国教师专业发展学校的特点与借鉴

美国教师专业发展学校的创建既是应对教育实践问题提出的要求,也是教师教育理论研究的必然结果。大学教育学院和中小学之间的联合本质上是教育理论与实践的联系,也是教授与中小学教师发挥各自优势培养实习教师的良好平台。面对共同的教育实践问题,专业发展学校有助于促进中小学在职教师的专业发展,也有利于改进教育专业的整个教育活动效果,可为我国教师教育与中小学教育走向良性互动提供有益借鉴。     

Professional standards for teachers: a case study of professional learning

This paper analyses the current Australian policy and research context in relation to developing quality teachers. Like other countries, many educational authorities in Australia are developing professional standards for teachers and the evaluation of teachers against those standards as a mechanism for ensuring and extending the quality of teaching in schools. A key policy consideration involves the use of professional standards as tools for extending professional learning and/or for credentialing and appraisal. This paper considers these uses of standards by drawing on an evaluation of Education Queensland's Professional Standards for Teachers pilot. The pilot focused on using a set of standards as a framework for professional learning. Teachers' perspectives on the standards and their intended use, their engagement with the standards during the pilot and the nature of professional learning associated with that engagement are discussed in light of current policy debates about professional standards.     

Affordances of teacher professional learning in secondary schools

It is commonly understood that teachers in secondary school should develop throughout their career in order to stay as an essential factor in student learning. Schools can offer opportunities to link teachers’ professional learning to their school practice with a positive impact on teachers’ motivation to learn and the effectiveness of their learning. In this field study, teachers, school leaders, policy-makers, educational consultants and educational scholars were asked for their perceptions of conditions for teacher learning in school and of interventions in school to enhance teacher professional learning. These conditions and interventions were understood as affordances in schools that enable and support teacher professional learning. The main affordance in school these stakeholders mentioned was an open, but critical way in which teachers share their practices, collaborate and reflect upon their teaching practice. Collaborative practices seem to stimulate many interventions of teacher professional learning in school. Two implications of this finding are discussed. First, we suggest that the maximum teaching time should be reduced, team teaching should be more implemented or classes should be scheduled in such a way that teachers can meet. Second, distributed leadership approaches match with our findings about the role of school leaders in teacher professional learning.     

盲校教师实现专业成长路径探索

自1980年以来,国家加强对特殊教育的重视并出台更多指导特殊教育发展的法律、法规。盲校是满足视障学生需求并开展特殊教育活动的专门场所。盲校教师作为特殊教育教师,不仅需要具备普通教师的技能,还需加强对特殊教育和特殊教育学生的理解。加深对盲校课程设置的原则和策略认知从而确定教学原则和教学方法,依据专业发展途径实现教师的专业成长。     

教师专业学习的理念价值与校本策略

原有的教师专业发展理念遵循一种"缺陷"模式,将教师视为"有缺陷的"、需要"被"发展的对象,这已不能完全覆盖教师成长的内涵。因此,教师专业学习作为教师专业发展的替代性概念应运而生。教师专业学习的理念认为:教师具有主动学习的意愿。教师不应只是单纯地接受知识,而是要在教育教学中不断建构知识。教师在学习过程中是"完整人"而不单纯是"职业人"。教师专业学习作为提升教师专业素质的重要路径,可以通过校本学习的方式来实现。学校作为教师教育实践的主要场所,应该为教师的专业学习提供环境支持,如建立规范化、制度化的校本学习机制,为教师专业学习提供多种合作平台,指导和引领教师的反思性实践等。     

聋校教师的专业素质研究

本研究采用问卷法对全国6所聋校90名教师的专业素质进行了调查,结果发现：（1）聋校教师的学历基本合格,但明显缺乏特殊教育或学科教育（数学、语文）的职前专业培训,同时继续学历教育未能紧密结合聋校教学实践的现实需要;（2）聋校教师的学科素养不理想,表现为50.0%的数学教师不清楚算术应用题的基本类型,32.4%的数学老师不了解聋生解答算术应用题的特点,28.5%的语文教师不了解辅助阅读的四种手段,38.1%的语文教师不了解聋生使用辅助阅读手段的特点。     

Does principal leadership make a difference in teacher professional learning? A comparative study China and Thailand

This research explored the relationship of principal leadership and teacher professional learning in China and Thailand. The authors tested a conceptual model in which teacher trust and agency were proposed as mediators of the effects of the principal’s learning-centered leadership on teacher professional learning. Common survey measures had been used to collect data from 1259 teachers in 38 schools in mainland China and 1071 teachers in 60 schools in Thailand. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, multi-group structural equation modelling, and bootstrapping were employed to compare the proposed leadership and teacher learning processes in Chinese and Thai schools. The results confirmed a similar model of strong, statistically significant, ‘mediated effects’ of principal leadership on the professional learning of teachers in the two societies. These findings contribute to our understanding of leadership effects across societies and offer insight into how policymakers and practitioners can support school leadership, teacher development, and educational change.     

Early childhood mathematics teaching: challenges,difficulties and priorities of teachers of young children in primary schools in Ireland

Issues of pedagogy are critical in all aspects of early childhood education. Early childhood mathematics is no exception. There is now a great deal of guidance available to teachers in terms of high‐quality early childhood mathematics teaching. Consequently, the characteristics of high‐quality early childhood mathematics education are clearly identifiable. Issues such as building on young children’s prior‐to‐school knowledge; engaging children in general mathematical processes; and assessing and documenting children’s learning are some of the key aspects of high‐quality early childhood mathematics education. The extent to which teachers of four‐ and five‐year‐old children in primary schools in Ireland incorporate current pedagogical guidance in early childhood mathematics education was explored in 2007 in a nationally representative questionnaire survey of teachers of four‐ and five‐year‐old children attending primary schools. This paper presents some of the findings of the study in relation to teachers’ self‐reported challenges, difficulties and priorities in teaching early childhood mathematics. Implications are drawn for professional development, curriculum guidance and educational policy.     

论中小学法治教育保障机制的提升路径

法治教育融入国民教育体系使我国法治教育工作取得了长足发展,但也暴露出若干不足,如师资安排随意、教育方法单一、初高中法治教育不足等。其表象根源于社会整体的不重视,也与专业师资、实践场景资源、经费保障、实效考核等保障机制的缺乏有关。我国有必要从强化思想重视、聘用专业师资队伍、创新法治教育方式、整合法治教育资源、加大经费投入、建立实效考核评估等方面着力提升法治教育保障机制。     

强支持弱发展:乡村小规模学校发展困境及突破

中国特色社会主义新时代是中国发展新的历史方位。在乡村振兴的背景下,乡村小规模学校的发展一直是全面提升乡村教育质量的短板,即使在经济政策大力支持下的乡村小规模学校,依然存在着诸如学校规模萎缩、生源质量差、教师“留不住”等困境,出现了“强支持弱发展”现象。为了更好地推进城乡义务教育均衡,落实政策实施的有效性,文章从城镇化进程给农村带来的务工结构变化、乡村文化的失落以及教育协同等方面深层次挖掘出现这一现象的原因。顺势而为,提出科学发展乡村小规模学校,完善政策保障机制,盘活优化小规模学校教师资源配置;发挥乡村校长领导力,激发乡村教师发展力,提升小规模学校发展质量;创办农村家长学校,提升家校合作水平等改善路径。     

Three quality professional documents to guide teachers for puberty,relationships and sexuality education

Quality school-based sexuality education is important for all children and adolescents. The global trend towards students’ earlier, longer, and technologically connected pubertal experience makes the timely provision of such education particularly significant. Quality international sexuality education documents are available for teachers developing curriculum-based frameworks and pastoral care programmes, and these variously include policy and structural guidance, equity standards, comprehensive content and pedagogical strategies. This paper aims to compare three such documents for their relevance in meeting the educational needs of students, and their usefulness for teachers and educators. The results show that these three documents, produced by global organisations for multi-national application, provide highly professional and sustainable responses to the dire need for improved sexuality education for all children and adolescents, in formats accessible to any curriculum planner or teacher. Inclusive and timely provision of any of these document frameworks would help enhance sexuality teaching and learning in contemporary primary and secondary schools, and they are highly recommended for use by teachers around the world.     

Teachers for all seasons

Recent national reports stress the importance of inservice education in helping schools face a period of great change. This small study examines the relationship between inservice education and educational change in a large and successful comprehensive secondary school

Teachers outlined their involvement in inservice education and other professional activities and assessed the usefulness of each in the maintenance and development of the school's curriculum and pastoral care.

They rated inservice education courses less useful than other professional contacts and sources of information

School‐focused policies must provide facilities which give direct support to schools facing educational change in a form teachers recognize as relevant, taking account of these other professional activities.