Exploring the educational beliefs of primary education student teachers in the Chinese context

Teacher educational beliefs may be largely shaped by culturally shared learning experiences and social values. The main purpose of this study is to explore educational beliefs of Chinese student teachers. An adapted version of the Teacher Beliefs Scale (TBS)??developed in a Western context (Woolley et al. in Educational and Psychological Measurement, 64: 319?C331, 2004)??was validated in this study, and the profiles of student teacher educational beliefs were analyzed. The research participants consisted of 727 Chinese student teachers from four different teacher education universities. A factor analysis of the Chinese version of the TBS supported the dimensions of the original instrument, but some items had to be discarded to less consistent factor loading. The ANOVA results showed that there were significant differences in constructivist teaching beliefs with respect to gender, study year, and majoring subjects. But no significant differences in the adherence to traditional teaching beliefs were observed. The results also show that the first year student teachers hold stronger constructivist beliefs as compared to senior student teachers. This can be linked to the latter larger teaching and learning experiences in real classroom settings. Implications are drawn for further research in teacher education contexts.     

Validation of Preschool Teachers’ Recall of Children’s Behavior

A multiple-choice behavioral observation scale designed to be used by preschool teachers (N = 424) was factor analyzed to obtain factor coefficients. The four factors obtained were cognitive skills, self-control, relationship with achievement model, and dependency. The factor coefficients were then applied to the ratings of 153 preschool disadvantaged children by 33 teachers and 64 teacher aides. Three multi-trait, multi-rater matrices were analyzed using Campbell and Fiske’s convergent discriminant validation procedures. The analyses supported convergent and discriminant validity of three of the four traits.     

Do teachers differ in the level of expectations or in the extent to which they differentiate in expectations? Relations between teacher-level expectations,teacher background and beliefs,and subsequent student performance

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have indicated that, although some teachers have substantial expectation effects on student outcomes, the effects for most teachers are only small. Furthermore, teacher expectations are associated with key pedagogical differences related to teacher beliefs about providing instruction and support for learning. The aim of this study was to explore (a) teacher-level differences in the level and differentiation of expectations, (b) associations between teacher differences in expectations and teacher background and beliefs, and (c) relationships with subsequent student performance. Secondary analyses were performed on data for 42 teachers and their students in New Zealand. The results were supportive of the notion that some teachers were differentiating more between students in their expectations than others. Teachers who differentiated more perceived students generally as more competent, but felt less related to the school team, and perceived more classroom stress. Differentiation in expectations was negatively related to end-of-year mathematics scores.     

The Effect of Written Examinations on Learning and on the Retention of Learning

Approximately equal numbers of Canadian and American education students rated each of four teacher types in terms of 24 characteristics. The ratings were factor-analyzed and the teacher types were arrayed along the four resultant principal components. A stepwise discriminant analysis was performed. Dissonance theory suggests that findings have implications not only for teaching pedagogy but for persons seeking student feedback on teachers as well.     

Breaking down buy-in: Can lessons from social psychology increase teacher use of proactive behavior management?

Disruptive student behavior poses significant challenges for teachers and is associated with negative student outcomes. Research shows that teacher use of empirically-based proactive behavior management (PBM) can improve student outcomes; however, research also indicates that teacher use of PBM is low. One prominent factor in teacher use of PBM is “buy-in,” or personal interest, agreement, and investment in the implementation of a practice. When teachers buy in to an intervention, they may be more likely to implement and maintain the intervention with fidelity. Yet, there is little empirically-based understanding of buy-in or strategies known to increase the buy-in of school staff. The purpose of this paper is to describe research from social psychology that may be useful in developing a theoretical framework for buy-in, as well as approaches to increasing teacher buy-in and use of PBM. Implications for incorporating strategies from social psychology into teacher professional development to increase buy-in and use of PBM are discussed.     

THE STUDENT–TEACHER RELATIONSHIP QUALITY OF ABUSED CHILDREN

Considering the association between children's quality of relationships with teachers and their academic adjustment, information pertaining to how abused children are functioning in their relationships with teachers could be useful in promoting their academic success—yet there has been limited research in this area. The purpose of this study was to use cluster analyses to explore within‐group differences in relational schemas and quality of student–teacher relationships for 70 abused children. Two clusters of abused children emerged, and as hypothesized, there were significant differences in student–teacher relationships for the two clusters. The cluster with more positive relational schemas had less conflict and less dependency reported by their teachers compared to the cluster with negative relational schemas. However, there were no differences between the clusters in terms of closeness with teachers. Implications for practice in schools are discussed.     

Investigating Teachers’ Skills in Interpreting Evidence of Student Learning

This study measured and explored the relationships among elementary mathematics teachers’ skill in (a) determining what an item measures, (b) analyzing student work, (c) providing targeted feedback, and (d) determining next instructional steps. Twenty-three elementary mathematics teachers were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: analyzing items and student responses without rubrics, analyzing items and student responses with rubrics, or analyzing items and student responses with rubrics after watching a professional development program on providing feedback to students. Findings show there is a moderate to strong relationship between teachers’ abilities to analyze student responses to infer what a student knows and can do and their abilities to take action based on that information through either providing the student feedback or making appropriate instructional adaptations. Findings show it was relatively more difficult for teachers to provide feedback that was likely to move students forward in their learning than it was for them to analyze a student's response or to determine next instructional steps. No teacher skill differences associated with the different treatment conditions were found.     

Teachers’ self-concept and valuing of learning: relations with teaching approaches and beliefs about students

One’s self-concept and value perceptions can significantly influence one’s behaviours and beliefs. Australian teachers from urban and rural areas of the state of New South Wales were asked to respond to survey items on two predictors (teacher self-concept, valuing of learning) and three outcomes. Confirmatory factor analysis established the five latent factors. Structural equation modelling found significant paths from teacher self-concept to both student-centred and teacher-centred approaches but not beliefs about student ability. The positive path from valuing of learning to student-centred teaching was statistically significant but the path to teacher-centred teaching was not. The significant path from valuing of learning to beliefs about student ability was negative indicating that teachers who value student learning were less likely to believe in ability constraints. Therefore, teacher preparation programmes should enhance self-concept simultaneously with teaching skills and values and facilitate an advocacy for students’ learning.     

Student Perceptions of Teachers—A Factor Analytic Study

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the number and nature of factors which account for student perceptions of teacher effectiveness. The technique consisted of factor analyzing the popular Teacher Image Questionnaire used by the Educator Feedback Center at Western Michigan University. The sample consisted of 1,427 classes yielding 42,810 student responses from teachers representing all academic fields in grades 7-12 from Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. A single factor accounted for an average of 61.5 percent of the variance in test items. The remaining 40 percent of the variance to be accounted for was evenly distributed among five other factors. The results of this study should help educators to recognize the limitations, strengths, and meaning of student reactions to teachers.     

Age and intergroup differences in attitudes toward the teaching profession: How do teachers and students view themselves and each other?

Differences in attitudes toward the profession were determined among samples of teachers varying in CA and between teachers and students enrolled in teacher education programs. The students rated items reflecting “altruistic” and “pragmatic” needs met by teaching in terms of their importance in selecting teaching as a career and in terms of the way they perceived experienced teachers would rate them. The teachers rated the items in terms of their importance in their present teaching career and as they thought current students would rate them. The results indicated the absence of age differences in attitudes among the teacher samples. However both objective (self) and perceived intergroup differences in attitudes were found between the student and teacher samples. These results provide strong support for Neugarten's hypothesis that differences in the behavior and attitudes of adults reflect changes in social states rather than developmental differences and that the hypothesis can be generalized both to self and perceived intergroup differences in attitudes.     

Pedagogical influence of interaction with cooperating teachers on the efficacy beliefs of student teachers

Abstract

Cooperating teachers are often identified as some of the most important figures in the preparation of new teachers, and the reasons are not difficult to understand. Surprisingly, however, very little research has been conducted to quantify the effects of cooperating teachers on student teachers. This study examines the impact of student teachers' perceived interactions with their cooperating teachers and the influence that interaction has on student teachers' self‐efficacy for teaching. Results indicate a moderate correlation between perceptions of teaching efficacy and cooperating teacher‐student teacher interactions. Differences were found in the frequency of interaction based on the certification level of the student teacher, with elementary level student teachers perceiving a greater amount of interaction with their cooperating teachers. However, no differences based on certification level were detected in perceived efficacy. Student teachers' perceptions of the level of guidance offered by their cooperating teachers provided the most reliable predictor for their efficacy belief.     

Overarching professional identity themes in student teacher workplace learning

ABSTRACT

This study reports on how student teachers learn in the workplace. Data from 10 student teachers were collected by means of digital logs and in-depth interviews. By reconstructing data into stories and unravelling these stories, it became clear that the learning process of each student teacher was dominated by one specific theme, such as student-centred teaching or creating a positive learning climate. These themes could be typified as professional identity themes, because all appeared to be both personal and professional. Five student teachers experienced their workplace learning process as continuous: they integrated their teaching experiences relatively easily into their personal conceptual framework. The other five experienced their workplace learning process as discontinuous: they experienced tensions caused by frictions between personal and professional aspects of becoming a teacher. Both types of learning can stimulate and hinder student teachers’ professional development. The findings indicate that reconstructing data into stories and unravelling these stories is a useful technique for understanding student teacher workplace learning as a result of the interaction between personal and professional aspects of becoming a teacher.     

Student teachers’ discipline strategies: relations with self-images,anticipated student responses and control orientation

Teacher discipline strategies are well documented when it comes to its effects on students and the working climate in the classroom. Although it is commonly acknowledged that for student teachers classroom management is a major concern, student teachers’ use of discipline strategies is largely unknown. In this paper, we examine student teachers’ beliefs in relation to their discipline strategies. Three clusters of discipline strategies are distinguished: sensitive, directive and aggressive discipline strategies. Beliefs that were taken into account are self-images on control and affiliation, control orientation and anticipated student responses on control and affiliation. All participants were student teachers of a one-year teacher education programme for secondary education in the Netherlands. Student questionnaires were used to measure discipline strategies (n?=?2506). Student teachers’ (n?=?104) self-images, control orientation and anticipated student responses were measured with student teacher questionnaires. Results of the multiple regression analyses showed that student teachers’ sensitive and directive discipline strategies are explained best by self-images on control; aggressive discipline strategies are explained best by self-images on affiliation and by control orientation. Apart from the possible academic interest in these particular findings, results are believed to be useful in a practical sense, in particular for teacher education programmes.     

Between a hard place and a hard place: A study of ethical dilemmas experienced by student teachers while on practicum

Assisting student teachers to understand the ethical nature of their work and developing the moral vocabulary to deal with ethical dilemmas of practice are vital components of initial teacher education. The study explores ethical dilemmas experienced by 100 student teachers in their final year of their teaching degrees while on practicum. The data examined were written reflective statements of each of the 100 students’ ethical dilemmas. The study found that, while some types of ethical dilemmas seem universal, a more situated theory of initial teacher education ethics is required to understand the particular sociocultural factors that inform the nature of teacher practice in context-specific environments. Our study highlights the need for preservice teacher education focusing on student teachers finding their own authentic ethical voice, through the examination of ethical dilemmas via critical thinking and the wider examination of the political, historical and social contexts that led to the dilemma. The dilemmas faced by the students were likely to be, in part, identifiable with fellow student teachers in other countries, but we argue that dilemmas are strongly contextualised. Our study is useful for educators working with student teachers in the practicum environment to instil confidence in student teachers to follow their own moral compass.     

Evaluating an Integrated Science Learning Environment Using the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey

This article reports the validity and use of a new form of the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES). As part of a larger study, a comparative student version (CLES-CS) was developed to evaluate the impact of an innovative teacher development program (based on the Integrated Science Learning Environment, ISLE, model) in school classrooms. Two separate response blocks for 30 items comprising five scales are presented in side-by-side columns to measure students’ perceptions on a five-point frequency response scale of the extent to which certain psychosocial factors are prevalent in the science class taught by a teacher who had attended the ISLE program (THIS), as well as their perceptions of other science and non-science classes taught by other teachers in the same school (OTHER). The five scales of the CLES are called Personal Relevance, Uncertainty of Science, Shared Control, Critical Voice, and Student Negotiation. Using data collected from 1079 students in 59 classes in north Texas, principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization confirmed the a priori structure of the CLES-CS. The factor structure, internal consistency reliability, discriminant validity, and the ability to distinguish between different classes and groups were supported for the CLES-CS. Students whose science teachers had attended the ISLE program (THIS) perceived higher levels of Personal Relevance and Uncertainty of Science in their classrooms relative to the classrooms of other science and non-science teachers in the same schools (OTHER). Similar results were found when comparing the classroom environment perceptions of students whose science teachers had attended the ISLE program with the perceptions of students whose science teacher had attended alternative field trip programs (non-ISLE).     

The foreign student as a student teacher

Cultural differences appeared to establish a communications barrier between this teacher and her student teacher. Perhaps Mrs. Bloom's experiences will be helpful to other supervisors who work with foreign student teachers.     

Interested instructors: A composite portrait of individual differences and effectiveness

The present study is a multi-phased, mixed methodological investigation of teacher interest. In Phase 1, 12th grade students nominated and quantitatively evaluated teachers who were perceived as helping them learn and become interested in a high school core subject. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that student perceptions of teacher interest were represented by items related to both teacher effectiveness and individual differences. In Phase 2, the top three nominees and a stratified random sample of their current students were examined using qualitative research methods. Findings indicate that teacher interest is a complex construct comprised of cognitive, affective, motivational, and volitional dimensions.     

Regional differences in sexuality education on a state level: the case of Florida

Introduction In Florida, a state that consistently leads the nation in adverse sexual health outcomes among adolescents, numerous demographic and socio‐cultural differences exist across the North, Central, and South regions. However, little is known about regional differences in sexuality education and beliefs among teachers.

Methodology Using a mail‐based survey of 462 teachers, we examined regional differences in parental consent requirements, abstinence instruction, student language barriers, availability of Spanish curricula, teacher beliefs regarding the dissemination of accurate safer sex information, and missing data. t‐tests and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted.

Results North Floridian teachers taught more abstinence than those in Central and South Florida. Additionally, they had fewer students with language barriers, offered less Spanish curricula, and, in general, possessed less favorable attitudes toward presenting accurate safer sex information. However, South Floridian teachers were most likely to report parental consent requirements in their schools. These findings largely remained in multivariate analyses.

Conclusions The present study identified several noteworthy regional differences in sexuality education in Florida. Recommendations are given for developing and implementing programs that account for these differences within the state.     

Empowering Beginning Student Teachers: challenges for teacher educators

In recent years, the model of imparted learning underlying many traditional preservice—teacher programmes has given way to an emphasis on constructed learning, in which student teachers are encouraged to develop their own understanding of what it means to be a teacher. Underlying this trend is an assumption that student teachers are becoming more empowered as learners. This paper investigates that assumption. It reports on a study which used Belenky et al.’s (1986) conceptual framework to explore the epistemological perspectives of a group of first‐year early‐childhood student teachers. Although the student teachers were enrolled in a preservice programme which seeks to foster reflective practices, few could be considered empowered learners. The paper suggests that, if student teachers are to become more empowered, teacher educators may need to undertake considerable soul‐searching concerning their practice.     

From the Editors: Math Achievement and Early Childhood Teacher Preparation

The researchers conducting this study investigated the relationship between early childhood teachers' educational levels and their beliefs about appropriate and inappropriate practices by examining the differences between lead teachers and teacher assistants in publicly funded prekindergarten classrooms. For this purpose, the researchers analyzed self-reported teachers' beliefs using analysis of variance and examined 26 individual items. Findings of this study suggest that lead teachers endorsed developmentally appropriate practices more strongly than did teacher assistants. Teacher assistants were more likely than lead teachers to agree with developmentally inappropriate practices. Despite the significant differences between the two groups of teachers, it is important to note that there was a general tendency for both lead teachers and teacher assistants to endorse developmentally appropriate practices. Thus, although there appears to be a link between teachers' educational levels and teacher beliefs, teachers' educational levels alone may not be sufficient for understanding their beliefs and practices in the classroom. Implications for practice and future research in teacher education are also discussed.