Changes in learning process caused by the implementation of ICT in education in Estonian in-service and pre-service teachers perceptions

The current paper reports on a qualitative study examining in-service and pre-service teachers perceptions about changes in the learning process caused by the involvement of ICT （Information and Communication Technology） in Estonian schools. Based on five in-service and five pre-service teachers＇ interviews, findings indicate some positive, some negative and some in-between （considered by teachers as positive from one side and as negative from the other side） changes in the student＇s and teacher＇s roles in the learning process and teaching process. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Content analysis was used as the data analysis method. The paper discusses estimated changes by both groups in the Estonian educational system. A comparison of in-service and pre-service teachers＇ opinions has been provided.     

中学教师职业素质存在的问题与高师教育目标的调整

面对社会和基础教育发展的形势，中学教师在政治信仰、专业思想、教育理念以及科研意识和科研能力等方面存在着一些与当前形势不相应的问题。要解决这些问题，就要有针对性地及时调整和完善高等师范教育目标。     

Students' perfectionistic profiles: Stability,change, and associations with achievement goal orientations

In this study, we examined what kind of perfectionistic profiles (i.e., different patterns of perfectionistic strivings and concerns) can be identified among general upper‐secondary school students, how stable those profiles are over the school year, and how they are connected with students' motivation (i.e., achievement goal orientations). Four distinct profiles were identified. Students with high strivings and low concerns had their focus mainly on mastery, while students with an opposite profile emphasized performance‐avoidance and work‐avoidance orientations. Students with high strivings and concerns favored both performance‐ and mastery‐related goals, whereas students characterized by low strivings and low concerns did not display a dominant tendency toward any orientation. Perfectionistic profiles were relatively stable over time, with the majority of students reporting similar tendencies across the measurements, and with no extreme changes observed. Some indications of more students displaying less adaptive perfectionistic tendencies by the end of the school year were nevertheless found. Our findings demonstrate not only stability in perfectionistic tendencies, but also their motivational relevance in the academic context where students' goals and performance concerns play an important role.     

Predicting the academic achievement of first-year,pre-service teachers: the role of engagement,motivation, ATAR,and emotional intelligence

Australian universities are enrolling a larger and more diverse undergraduate student population. Counter to this trend, several states have developed plans to restrict entrance into the teaching profession. This study investigates the role of engagement, motivation, Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), and emotional intelligence in the academic achievement of first-year, pre-service teachers. Eighty-three regionally enrolled pre-service teachers agreed to complete self-report questionnaires that assessed engagement with learning and emotional intelligence. The questionnaire data were supplemented with findings from a series of focus groups. Although ATAR scores were found to be a significant predictor of academic achievement, scores on the Motivation and Engagement Scale emerged as a much stronger predictor of first-year grade point average. Measures of emotional intelligence did not add to the model. The results support the need to consider pre-service teachers’ motivation and engagement with learning, especially given the high stakes nature of proposed reforms to initial teacher education programmes.     

Teaching knowledge and teacher competencies: a case study of Turkish preservice English teachers

This article outlines criteria of acceptability for teacher assessments (credibility, dependability, fairness), the major dimensions of teacher assessment (attributes, behaviours, knowledge), details the methods used by the United States National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and places a major emphasis on assessment schemes based on teacher effects on the students (value-added models, achievement, quality of learning, and normative reference points). Given that the majority of teachers are acceptably proficient, the major argument for teacher assessment should be to identify and promote excellence, to guide professional development programmes, and to demonstrate to the education/school communities that excellence is present, fostered, and esteemed.     

Supporting teacher professional development through online video case study discussions: An assemblage of preservice and inservice teachers and the case teacher

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential value of online video case discussions among preservice and inservice teachers, and the video case teacher as a tool for the professional development of teachers. Participants included a total of 26 preservice and inservice mathematics teachers and a veteran teacher who appeared on the video case. Using content analysis techniques, we provided a thematic analysis of the teacher discourse and demonstrated the exchanges between the participating teachers and video case teacher. We also assessed the overall effectiveness of our online forum set up for the professional development of teachers. Results indicated that participant teachers were able to make theory–practice connections by articulating specific frameworks that guided our study. The inclusion of the video case teacher was beneficial for the other teachers in several ways. We contend that online forum discussions of video cases in which collective engagement of preservice and inservice teachers, and the case teacher have a great potential to support teacher professional development.     

Associations of student temperament and educational competence with academic achievement: The role of teacher age and teacher and student gender

We examined associations of teacher-perceived student temperament and educational competence with school achievement, and how these associations were modified by students’ gender and teachers’ gender and age. Participants were 1063 Finnish ninth-graders (534 boys) and their 29 Mother Language teachers (all female) and 43 Mathematics teachers (17 male) from a population-based sample. All temperament and educational competence traits were associated with both grades, but more clearly with Mathematics. Boys received systematically lower Mother Language grades but higher Mathematics grades than girls. Teacher gender had no effect on school grades, while teacher age had an effect only on Mother Language.     

The affordances of teacher professional learning communities: A case study of a Chinese secondary school

This study investigates the learning experiences and the trajectories of EFL teachers' professional development in Chinese secondary schools under a socio-cultural framework. The findings indicate that social and individual affordances are both essential to individual teachers’ professional development, and to the sustainable growth of the teacher learning community (TLC). The former is prerequisite to the latter, whereas the latter determines the route and pace of development. This paper also demonstrates the usefulness of activity theory in analysing the affordances of TLC, and advocates that all parties involved should understand, identify and create positive affordances for teacher professional development.     

How schools train principals to use new teacher evaluation systems: A comparative case study of charter school and traditional public school principals

Over the past decade U.S. policymakers, practitioners, and researchers have sought to examine if changing teacher evaluation policies and systems have resulted in changes in identifying quality teachers and/or increased student achievement. This research generally shows most states have experienced little change in how teachers are rated. Researchers are now exploring why, in many cases, teacher evaluation reforms have failed to produce the desired systematic changes of better identifying quality teachers and better distinguishing teacher performance. Embedded within this line of inquiry is how principals (and other evaluators) are trained to use new teacher evaluation systems. This comparative case study observed six principals (three charter school principals and three traditional public school principals) in the U.S. state of Michigan as they learned and enacted a new teacher evaluation system. Additionally, all principals were interviewed three times throughout the school year, in an effort to examine how their initial teacher evaluation training impacted their evaluation of teachers. The research questions that guided this work were: (1) how are principals initially trained when their school adopts a new teacher evaluation system?; (2) in what ways does the training received by charter school principals compare to that of traditional public school principals?; and (3) how does initial training impact how principals evaluate teachers? Results indicate principals are trained to navigate the logistics of new teacher evaluation systems, but are not trained to evaluate teacher performance. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.     

Differential prospective relationships of social-oriented and individual-oriented achievement motivations with achievement goals and affective wellbeing: A 1-year follow-up study

This study aimed to investigate the differential prospective relationships of social-oriented achievement motivation (SOAM) and individual-oriented achievement motivation (IOAM) with student's adoption of specific achievement goals and their affective wellbeing (AWB). A total of 332 Chinese university students (M_age = 19.139; Female = 75%) voluntarily participated in the baseline and the 1-year follow-up surveys of this study. The factor score path analysis results showed statistically significant positive paths from SOAM and IOAM at baseline to performance goals and mastery goals, respectively, at follow-up. Moreover, a statistically significant positive path was found from SOAM at baseline to negative affective experiences, at follow-up, and no association was found between IOAM and AWB, after controlling for achievement goals. The findings suggest the usefulness of raising educators' and parents' awareness regarding the double-edged sword of utilizing socially valued motives to promote performance approach goals in individuals because such values potentially lowering their psychological wellbeing.     

Relationship between teaching motivation and teaching behaviour of secondary education teachers in Indonesia (Relación entre la motivación docente y el comportamiento docente en profesores de educación secundaria en Indonesia)

ABSTRACT

Research on teacher motivation is increasing substantially. Several studies have demonstrated the relationship between the motivation and teaching behaviour of teachers. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the perceived motivation of teachers and their actual teaching behaviour in the context of secondary education. A survey on teacher motivation yielded responses from 315 teachers from 28 schools across 13 provinces in Indonesia. These teachers were observed in their classrooms by trained observers using a validated observation scheme. Results of a multilevel analysis indicate that: (1) perceived controlled motivation does not predict actual teaching behaviour; (2) perceived autonomous motivation is a positive predictor of at least some domains of actual teaching behaviour. Higher levels of perceived autonomous motivation are associated with higher scores on classroom management and clarity of instruction. There is also a slight tendency (p < .10) for autonomous motivation to explain differences in other domains of teaching behaviour, with the exception of activating teaching. This study highlights the importance of autonomous motivation in relation to teaching quality.     

Cascading the use of Web 2.0 technology in secondary schools in the United Kingdom: identifying the barriers beyond pre-service training

This paper reports on research that took place at two universities in the United Kingdom, over two years. The research focuses on the use of Web 2.0 technology, specifically blogs, with pre-service teachers, both during their university programme and the first year of teaching as full-time newly qualified teachers (NQTs). The purpose of this research was to add to a developing body of knowledge by identifying whether technology used by pre-service teachers during their training course can be cascaded into their practice once qualified. Key findings identify a number of enablers and barriers to cascading technology in the classroom; these include curriculum time, pupil skills and support. The research concludes that early professional support and development should continue during the early years of teaching and assumptions about new teachers as champions of cascading innovative use of Web 2.0 technologies into their practice as NQTs may be over-optimistic.     

Negotiating science and engineering: an exploratory case study of a reform-minded science teacher

Engineering has been slowly integrated into K-12 science classrooms in the United States as the result of recent science education reforms. Such changes in science teaching require that a science teacher is confident with and committed to content, practices, language, and cultures related to both science and engineering. However, from the perspective of the science teacher, this would require not only the development of knowledge and pedagogies associated with engineering, but also the construction of new identities operating within the reforms and within the context of their school. In this study, a middle school science teacher was observed and interviewed over a period of nine months to explore his experiences as he adopted new values, discourses, and practices and constructed his identity as a reform-minded science teacher. Our findings revealed that, as the teacher attempted to become a reform-minded science teacher, he constantly negotiated his professional identities – a dynamic process that created conflicts in his classroom practices. Several differences were observed between the teacher’s science and engineering instruction: hands-on activities, depth and detail of content, language use, and the way the teacher positioned himself and his students with respect to science and engineering. Implications for science teacher professional development are discussed.     

Analytical reflection on teachers' practical knowledge: A case study of exemplary teachers in an educational reform context

The present qualitative study investigates the practical knowledge of primary school exemplary teachers in an educational reform context. Data were collected through detailed classroom observations and notes, checklists, shadowing the teachers, along with semi-structured and stimulated recall interviews. The findings suggested that the participants possessed eight categories of practical knowledge: subject-matter, pedagogical, learners, classroom management, learning environment, curriculum, school environment, and self. Moreover, a conceptual model was developed couching in the content of teachers' practical knowledge in terms of content-centered versus learning-centered orientations. The findings have significant implication to link theory and practice in the teacher education and development programs.     

中学体育教师角色期望师生比较研究

采用文献资料法、访谈法、问卷调查法、数据统计法等研究方法,就中学体育教师角色期望对莆田市101位教师和962位学生进行调查,结果表明：师生时体育教师角色总体期望趋向一致,依次是职业道德、教学能力、综合素质、师生关系、个人形象.从不同的视角师生在各个具体内容的期望上存在显著性差异.     

Listening to teacher lore: The challenges and resources of Korean heritage language teachers

In this paper, we present a study on the experiences of four Korean heritage language teachers in the United States, specifically the challenges they face and the resources they draw upon for their teaching. We situate our work within the conceptual framework of teacher lore (Ayers & Schubert, 1994) that accentuates the importance of putting teachers at the center of teacher knowledge. Our findings point to the importance of positioning heritage language teachers as bearers of funds of knowledge (Mercado & Moll, 1997) and to the importance of listening to their voice.     

非洲中小学教师流动：主要特征与影响因素

随着非洲经济社会的发展,非洲教育也逐步完善。非洲基础教育发展不均衡严重影响中小学教师的职业选择,导致大量教师频繁流动。非洲中小学教师流动表现出教师选择流动地域为邻国、教师身份为男性多于女性、年龄层活跃于30至50岁等特征。自我实现的物质与精神需求、全球化浪潮、政治局面不稳定或国家教师流动政策出台等是非洲中小学教师流动的影响因素。     

Approach–avoidance motivation and metacognitive self-regulation: The role of need for achievement and fear of failure

Previous research has indicated that approach–avoidance motivation at the achievement goal level influences the quality of self-regulated learning. Additionally, research indicates that approach–avoidance motivation at the dispositional level is associated with cognitive self-regulated learning strategy use. The present investigation sought to extend this research by examining the relationship between approach–avoidance motivation at the dispositional level and metacognitive self-regulation, as well as the mediational potential of approach–avoidance achievement goals among a sample of undergraduate students (N = 145). Results indicated that need for achievement was significantly related to metacognitive self-regulation and mastery-approach goals partially mediated this relationship. Fear of failure was negatively associated with metacognitive self-regulation; however, performance-avoidance goals did not mediate this relationship. The significance of such individual differences in metacognitive self-regulation is discussed.     

A case for adapting and applying continuance theory to education: understanding the role of student feedback in motivating teachers to persist with including digital technologies in learning

In New Zealand schools, the adoption and persistent use of digital tools to aid learning is a growing but uneven, trend, often linked to the practices of early adopters and/or robust wifi infrastructure. The Technology Adoption Model is used internationally to gauge levels of uptake of technological tools, particularly in commerce and also in education. However, this model is inadequate when it is used to attribute reasons for teachers adopting technologies for learning. This article offers an alternative view to understanding why teachers continue using digital technologies for learning. It focuses on the role of student voice and teachers’ pedagogical purposes as motivators, even when teachers have technological hurdles to overcome. The article engages with continuance theory as a lens for understanding these motivations via a qualitative thematic analysis of Moodle postings made by a 2012 cohort of initial teacher education students. The intention is to signpost ideas that might better explain teachers’ continued use of digital technologies in classrooms even if conditions for use are not optimal.