Pre-service English teachers’ perceptions and practice of field experience and professional learning from expert teachers’ mentoring

Though it is well known that pre-service teachers’ field experiences are recognized as key to enhancing teaching practice, Taiwanese pre-service teachers who take ‘Teaching Methods and Materials’ in elementary school’s seven areas often complain that they lack field experience. They do not have the opportunity to experience teaching demonstrations among real elementary school students. This case study discusses 35 pre-service English teachers’ professional learning and the field experience they acquired from expert teachers in the Teaching Methods and Materials of English in the Elementary School course in Taiwan. Data in this study include: (1) observation notes, (2) lesson plans, worksheets, and teaching materials, (3) videos on teaching demonstrations, (4) conversation notes on lesson planning, (5) the class syllabus, (6) semi-structured interviews with expert teachers, and (7) participants’ reflections on their mentoring experience. Participants held positive attitudes toward the mentoring experience and their expert teachers. Because it helped them combine their knowledge of the classroom context, lesson plan content, instructional pedagogy, and their students, these 35 participants regarded teaching practice as more beneficial than observing expert teachers’ instructions and having conversation with expert teachers after teaching practice. In addition to mentored field experience, online discussions and seminars on topics are suggested for inclusion in mentoring activities.     

Pre-service teachers’ questions about the profession during mentoring group conversations

The use of mentoring group conversations as a tool to support pre-service teachers’ professional development has become more common. However, there is still a lack of research that shows how conversations are used to develop knowledge. The present paper is based on ethnographical observations of mentoring group conversations, and describes how pre-service teachers who participate in an obligatory mentoring model use their conversations as an arena in their search for professional knowledge. Three areas were focused upon during the conversations: the teachers’ role and teaching practice, conditions for professional development and conditions related to the profession. The pre-service teachers mainly used conversations to question, discuss, share and reflect over pedagogical and didactical dilemmas related to teaching activities in the classroom and to their own as well as other teachers’ behaviour and attitudes in different situations. The paper provides an insight into how a mentoring model can contribute to professional preparation.     

Pre-service teachers’ use of tools to systematically analyze teaching and learning

Learning to systematically analyze the relationship between teaching and student learning is an important but difficult skill to engender in teachers. In this study, we examine how pre-service teachers who were introduced to a framework for analyzing teaching in a video-based teacher education course drew on this tool to analyze their own practice after the conclusion of the course. We conceptualize the framework as a conceptual tool that scaffolds pre-service teachers to learn to attend to particular dimensions of teaching and learning and to analyze how their teaching influences student learning. Using the Portfolio Assessment for California Teachers-Teaching Event of 14 English language arts pre-service teachers, we conducted a qualitative analysis to examine the extent to which they applied this framework to analyze their own practice after the conclusion of the course, as well as different strategies they adopted as they analyzed their teaching practice. Findings suggest that pre-service teachers made progress in using the framework to study their teaching, but development of sub-skills for all four facets are needed to develop more productive analyses of teaching and student learning. This study has important implications for the design of teacher education that intends to support pre-service teachers in developing tools for learning to learn from their teaching practice.     

Pre-service teachers’ acceptance of mobile-technology-supported learning activities

The purpose of this study was to develop a mobile learning acceptance model for pre-service teachers and to examine the relationships among technology acceptance factors. The literature on mobile learning acceptance lacks studies on pre-service teachers and studies that include concrete mobile learning scenarios. To overcome these problems, we have developed and implemented a mobile-technology-enabled information technology course. The data collection and analysis were conducted in two separate studies. First, we developed a mobile learning acceptance scale and applied confirmatory factor analysis with 408 participants. The final instrument included 28 items measuring eight technology acceptance factors, namely behavioral intention, attitude towards use, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influence, facilitating conditions, self-efficacy, and anxiety. After this, we collected a new set of data from 316 participants to examine the relationships among the factors using structural equation modeling. In both studies, we investigated the respective models’ invariance across gender and discipline groups, and both models fulfilled invariance requirements. The results indicated that perceived ease of use and social influence have direct effects on behavioral intention, whereas self-efficacy has an indirect effect. Depending on the group, the explained variance of behavioral intention ranged between 18.1% and 60.6%.

     

New teachers’ perspectives of informal mentoring: quality of mentoring and contributors

As an individual socialization initiative, informal mentoring has often been lauded as an effective tool to provide spontaneous and immediate social–emotional and career-related assistance to new teachers. Little is known about how informal mentoring is perpetuated in workplace. Through the conceptual lens of dynamic process theory of mentoring, we seek to illuminate the interactional patterns of informal mentoring as manifested through its contributors and quality. The findings of our study reveal that social interaction, time, organizational contexts, and individual characteristics mediate the process of informal mentoring. Further, informal mentoring is limited primarily to seeking information and is low in frequency of interaction and follow-up activities. Finally, we discuss a number of practical and theoretical implications related to informal mentoring, including the advantage of a hybrid model of mentoring and the addition of social interactions as a mediating factor of the dynamic process theory of mentoring.     

Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of middle school students

This report shares a study that explored the perceptions pre-service teachers have of middle school students. Participants were asked to complete the Adjective Checklist (ACL) by endorsing the words they considered most characteristic of a typical middle school student. Items most frequently endorsed indicated a predominantly negative perception (e.g. “awkward”, “confused” and “emotional”). Implications for pre-service teacher training are discussed.     

Pre-service secondary teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge for the teaching of mathematical modelling

Educational Studies in Mathematics - The article deals with the pedagogical content knowledge of mathematical modelling as part of the professional competence of pre-service teachers. With the help...     

Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of self as inclusive educators

Teacher education institutions play a key role in preparing pre-service teachers to graduate as competent and confident inclusive educators. Seeking to understand pre-service teachers’ current perceptions of diversity and inclusion, and how they perceived themselves as future inclusive educators, this qualitative study employed inductive analysis to explore pre-service teachers’ self-perceptions as inclusive teachers, utilising the theory of possible selves. Forty-six (n?=?46) of 292 pre-service teachers enrolled in an inclusive education subject in a graduate entry teacher education programme in eastern Australia participated in this study. Findings revealed that pre-service teachers had developed good theoretical understanding of inclusive education through their coursework. However, their development of possible selves as inclusive educators was less well-defined in that they had difficulty extending their understandings of who they might be as inclusive teachers beyond their coursework samples. This difficulty in identifying their cultural selves beyond a stereotypical norm of who a ‘classroom teacher’ is indicates a need for more and extensive time for pre-service teachers to develop their professional identities as inclusive educators.     

Pre-service primary teachers’ conceptions of creativity in mathematics

Teachers in the UK and elsewhere are now expected to foster creativity in young children (NACCCE, 1999; Ofsted, 2003; DfES, 2003; DfES/DCMS, 2006). Creativity, however, is more often associated with the arts than with mathematics. The aim of the study was to explore and document pre-service (in the UK, pre-service teachers are referred to as ‘trainee’ teachers) primary teachers’ conceptions of creativity in mathematics teaching in the UK. A questionnaire probed their conceptions early in their course, and these were supplemented with data from semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the responses indicated that pre-service teachers’ conceptions were narrow, predominantly associated with the use of resources and technology and bound up with the idea of ‘teaching creatively’ rather than ‘teaching for creativity’. Conceptions became less narrow as pre-service teachers were preparing to enter schools as newly qualified, but they still had difficulty in identifying ways of encouraging and assessing creativity in the classroom. This difficulty suggests that conceptions of creativity need to be addressed and developed directly during pre-service education if teachers are to meet the expectations of government as set out in the above documents.     

Understanding teachers’ ‘levels of use’ of learnscapes

All eight teachers and their principal, at an Australian regional primary school in New South Wales (NSW) accredited for its ongoing ‘learnscape’ developments, were interviewed. This was to ascertain their perceptions about the role of learnscapes and their self‐reported use of such outdoor areas to assist in the achievement of their State’s syllabus and environmental education learning outcomes. Teachers at the school (6) and their principal were (re)interviewed a year later to determine if changes in perceptions and practice had occurred and why. This paper interprets narratives derived from the combined interviews of these latter teachers and their principal from an educational change perspective in order to gain insight into their level of use of learnscapes. Teachers’ learnscape and environmental education content and pedagogical knowledge, their focus on the consequences of learnscape use for student learning, and awareness of multiple learning outcomes, including social learning, when using learnscapes, were among interdependent change factors identified which may assist in understanding why teachers embraced learnscapes to different degrees. Consequent avenues for increasing the future use of learnscapes for syllabus and environmental purposes are suggested.     

Pre-service teachers’ conceptions of creativity in elementary school English

Widely thought to be something worth encouraging in young learners, creativity has popularly been associated more with music and art than with other areas of the curriculum. There have been many studies of creativity but few that focus explicitly on what counts as creative thinking in specific subject areas. The aim of the research reported here was to determine pre-service teachers’ conceptions of creativity within the curriculum for English. The study involved analyses of primary school trainee teachers’ responses to questionnaires and follow-up focus group discussion to identify their conceptions. A group of 48 trainees in the final year of an undergraduate degree in primary education leading to qualified teacher status in England completed the questionnaire. Of these, eight volunteered to participate in a follow-up focus group discussion to further explore ideas. Responses were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Conceptions of creativity in English were found to be limited, focused mainly on naïve views of story writing and dramatic activity. Responses indicated that they were often unable to distinguish clearly between the concept of creativity, an example of its occurrence in the classroom, and what feature of that example made it creative. Consequently, their limited constructions of creativity were confused. It is important that teachers in schools as well as those responsible for training teachers in universities are advised that trainees’ conceptions of creativity in English may be inadequate in several respects and that they may not recognise opportunities for creativity. Pre-service training programmes could well benefit from structured courses on the forms and applications of creativity.     

Pre-service teachers’ future-oriented mathematical identity work

Research on identity has been a growing domain in the contexts of teacher education and mathematics education; however, identity work has been explored to a much lesser extent, with a future orientation overlooked. In addition, earlier studies have not provided sufficient knowledge on how different elementary teacher education programs might facilitate pre-service teachers’ identity work. In this study, we compare future-oriented mathematical identity work through a narrative framework considering six pre-service teachers undergoing two different teacher education programs. All pre-service teachers reported having had negative experiences with mathematics during their school years. Based on the results we conclude that despite the striking similarities in pre-service teachers’ mathematical backgrounds, the ways in which these cases are conducting their identity work differ substantially. It seems that the main reasons for these differences are different emphases and pedagogical practices in mathematics education courses. Additionally, we further elaborate on our earlier conceptualisation of identity work.     

Examining the shaping of teachers’ pedagogical orientation for the use of technology

Teachers’ current uses of technologies still tend to replicate traditional and/ or administrative practices, with research indicating that the pedagogies required for the effective integration of educational technologies are not yet in evidence amongst the majority of teachers. In order to conceptualise what could be considered effective pedagogies for the use of technology, greater understanding of what informs teachers’ particular approaches and how teachers come to change their approaches over time is required. Succinctly, what is needed is a deep understanding of a teacher’s developmental process for their conceptualisation of the relationship between technology and pedagogy. Through an in-depth, two-year case study methodology, three teachers’ journey to use game-based technologies in their classrooms was examined. The results provide valuable insights into the relationship between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and practices about the use of technologies; trigger points in teachers’ journeys that influence change in their pedagogical orientation for the use of technology; and rich stories of innovation in teaching. This study has implications for teacher professional development and supporting effective technology integration.     

An analysis of the use of autobiographical narrative for teachers’ intercultural learning

The currency of intercultural education has risen worldwide in response to increased diversity within societies resulting from migration and global flows of populations. As intercultural education becomes a core responsibility of schooling, critical, detailed analysis of pedagogies for teachers’ own intercultural learning is largely absent in education research, in contrast to attention to developing students’ intercultural capabilities and theoretical and policy analyses. In beginning to address this limitation, this article offers a critical, reflexive analysis of our use and the efficacy of using autobiographical narrative for teachers’ intercultural learning. Framing theories include interculturality, autobiographical narratives for teachers’ professional learning, reflexivity, and the effects of silence and silencing in relation to diversity and intercultural relations in schools. Three instances of teacher autobiographical narrative elicited as part of a large-scale, longitudinal study of intercultural education in Australian schools are deconstructed to elucidate their explicit and hidden meanings and effects. The analysis reveals that while autobiographical narrative has productive potential as a strategy for stimulating teacher reflexivity about cultural identities and intercultural relations, it also contains hidden dangers and traps that caution against viewing it as a pedagogical cure-all in the development of teachers’ intercultural knowledge and skills.     

Pre-service teachers in Germany’s pluralistic scholarship system and their motivations for becoming teachers

Germany has a unique scholarship program for highly talented students. The present study identifies differences between supported and non-supported pre-service teachers in this program and focuses on their motivations. A survey of N = 703 pre-service teachers (n = 279 supported) forms the basis of the analysis. Using a non-parametric data preprocessing approach (matching individuals), differences in motivations to become a teacher were modelled in these two balanced groups. The results show significant differences between supported and unsupported pre-service teachers in terms of their motivations for becoming teachers; however, there are no differences after propensity score matching and consideration of confounding variables. The findings indicate that a closer look at the subgroups of pre-service teachers is needed, and the results are therefore relevant to research on teacher education and the support of highly talented pre-service teachers. Future research should account for longitudinal approaches and the scholarship programs’ impact.     

Trainee teachers’ use of blogs as private reflections for professional development

A collaborative research project between Sheffield Hallam University and Nottingham Trent University in the UK investigated the use of blogs with trainee teachers as an alternative to reflective paper‐based diaries. An action research case study, involving focus groups of post‐graduate (secondary) trainee teachers (one group from each University) was undertaken to determine attitudes and perceptions of blogging as an appropriate tool to support reflective professional development. The findings indicate that the use of blogs by the trainee teachers had a positive impact overall, and provide concrete evidence of their development as emerging professional teachers. Unlike traditional paper‐based systems, blogs provided ongoing opportunities for the tutor to assist the trainees in their development as reflective practitioners. This paper seeks to share the findings of this research which the authors believe could be applicable to other areas of Higher Education.     

Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of simSchool as preparation for inclusive education: a pilot study

The shift towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular schools has meant that general classroom teachers need to be skilled in educating students with a diverse range of needs and abilities. Together with theoretical study and as a supplement to practical experience, teacher educators have begun to explore virtual and simulated classrooms to help prepare pre-service teachers for the complexity of the teaching profession. In this pilot study, we examined the perspective of pre-service teachers on a classroom simulation program called “simSchool.” Two-hour-long tutorial sessions focusing on catering for student diversity and the educational needs of students with autism spectrum disorder were conducted. The pre-service teachers’ responses to an 11-item questionnaire are discussed, highlighting the potential of simSchool as well as some current limitations of this approach in the context of Australian teacher education courses.     

Pre-service primary teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education

Research has demonstrated that an important factor in the success of inclusive education is dependent upon teachers’ attitudes. Based on this evidence, the present study investigated the impact of a range of teacher variables in association with training on primary pre-service teachers’ attitudes by examining total inclusion scores, positive affect, training and perceived competence, and negative affect. Three-hundred and forty-two participants from a metropolitan Australian University studying primary school education completed the Teacher Attitudes to Inclusion Scale (adapted). Comparisons were made between participants who had received training on special education, compared with those who had not. The analyses revealed that overall, studying an elective unit on inclusive education had a positive influence over pre-service teachers’ attitudes. It was found that teaching experience had a significantly negative impact on pre-service teachers’ attitudes. The present study demonstrates the vital role that training institutions play in developing appropriate attitudes to inclusive education with significant issues around teacher training being examined. The research has important implications for training institutions, with future research being discussed.     

Pre-service teachers’ cultural and teaching experiences abroad

This study investigates Turkish pre-service teachers’ experiences related to a two-month international teaching and cultural experience in the United States of America. In total, 289 graduate students from Turkey participated in a collaborative project from 2001 to 2010. The experience included an orientation week, six weeks of student teaching in a high school, seminars and projects at Iowa State University and cultural visits. The data were collected through a pre-service teacher questionnaire and their reflective journals. The results showed that pre-service teachers perceived the international teaching experience helped them develop professionally and personally. Through cross-cultural exchanges with their mentors along with other students and their community, the pre-service teachers expanded their knowledge of a new culture and adapted to a new working environment.