An exploration of the relationships between elementary school teachers’ humor styles and their emotional labor

Teaching requires emotional labor. Humor is a promising but under-explored means of coping with such labor. A questionnaire was administered to 302 primary teachers to assess three kinds of emotional labor (surface, deep, and genuine acting) and four humor styles: two adaptive (affiliative and self-enhancing) and two maladaptive (aggressive and self-defeating). Affiliative and self-enhancing humor were positively correlated with emotional labor, whereas aggressive and self-defeating humor were negatively correlated with such labor. These results can help raise awareness of teaching’s emotional demands, and encourage teacher-training and professional-development programs to showcase appropriate ways, including humor, of coping with workplace emotions.     

What makes them the best English teachers? An analysis of the motivational strategy use based on ARCS model

Educational Research for Policy and Practice - A good English teacher can be defined as a motivator in learning English. The present study investigated how often and in what ways the best English...     

An examination of teachers’ perceptions and practice when teaching large and reduced-size classes: Do teachers really teach them in the same way?

Class size research suggests that teachers do not vary their teaching strategies when moving from large to smaller classes. This study draws on interviews and classroom observations of three experienced English language teachers working with large and reduced-size classes in Hong Kong secondary schools. Findings from the study point to subtle differences between teachers’ perceptions and their subsequent classroom practice. Implications for professional practice and development are presented.     

Practices influenced by policy? An exploration of newly hired science teachers at sites in South Africa and the United States

In many parts of the world, newly hired science teachers’ practices are developing in a complex policy environment. However, little is known about how newly hired science teachers’ practices are enacted throughout a cycle of instruction and how these practices can be influenced by macro-, meso-, and micro-policies. Knowing how policies impact practice can result in better policies or better support for certain policies in order to enhance the instruction of newly hired teachers. This comparative study investigated how 12 newly hired science teachers at sites in South Africa (SA) and the United States (US) progressed through an instructional cycle of planning, teaching, and reflection. The qualitative data were analysed through beginning teacher competency frameworks, the cycle of instruction, and institutional theory. Data analysis revealed prevailing areas of practice and connections to levels of policy within the instructional cycle phases. There were some differences between the SA and US teachers and among first-, second-, and third-year teachers. More importantly, this study indicates that newly hired teachers are susceptible to micro-policies and are progressively developing their practice. It also shows the importance of meso-level connectors. It suggests that teacher educators and policy makers must consider how to prepare and support newly hired science teachers to achieve the shared global visions of science teaching.     

An exploration of student teachers’ perspectives at the start of a post-graduate master's programme on inclusive and special education

In this article we explore the perspectives of a group of teaching professionals starting a post-graduate master's programme on inclusive and special education. Set in the current context of growing interest over the preparation of teachers for inclusive education worldwide, this exploration is part of research that looks more broadly at the impact of the programme on students. In this paper we set the context of the study and present results focusing on students’ pre-understanding of the concepts ‘inclusive’ and ‘special education’, as well as their reasons for choosing the programme and expected learning outcomes. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected with a questionnaire administered to students at the beginning of the programme. Findings reveal that students saw the programme as a factor contributing to their ability to implement inclusive education in practice. However, it emerged that they had somewhat different understandings of what ‘inclusive education’ actually means. Implications for providers of inclusive education programmes for teachers are discussed.     

An inclusive higher education? Gay and bisexual male teachers and the cultural politics of sexuality

Both the Dearing Report and the UK government's recent Green Paper on lifelong learning—The Learning Age—have made explicit references to an inclusive system of higher education and its contribution to a more inclusive society. This paper begins by examining the understandings of inclusivity displayed in The Learning Age and discusses the limitations of discourses that restrict the inclusion debate to matters of access. It argues that inclusivity rests on not only access but also the experience of higher education and it points to the need for both structural and cultural change. The paper then presents acase study of gay and bisexual male higher education teachers that draws on in-depth interview-based material from a UK study. It explores how inclusive higher education is with respect to gay and bisexual men and considers structural inequalities that remain, for example, in relation to equal opportunity policies and pension entitlements. The paper also considers the cultural practices of the gay and bisexual male teachers, for example, their engagement in cultural production through teaching and research and their attempts to wrestle control over identity construction in day-to-day interactions. The paper concludes by considering how a relational understanding of difference might offer possibilities for the diverse ‘voices’ of different groups to be reconciled with a collective view of what constitutes the ‘higher education community’ as a whole.     

Do they learn differently? An investigation of the pre-service teachers from US and China

Based on the hypothesis that learning preferences tend to vary over cultures, this study compared and contrasted the learning approaches and learning styles between Chinese and American pre-service teachers in an attempt to know more about the learning/teaching landscapes in these two countries as “teachers teach the way they learned” [Dunn, R., & Dunn, K. (1979). Learning styles/teaching styles: Should they...can they...be matched? Educational Leadership, 36, 243, 238–244]. The results showed significant differences between the two groups in deep and surface-learning approaches as well as kinesthetic and visual learning styles. The underlying cultural backgrounds and social–economic factors accounting for the differences were discussed and the implications for teaching and learning enhancement in teacher education were explored.     

Opportunities and challenges in the development of teachers’ knowledge: the development of narrative authority through knowledge communities

This work examines generative approaches to teacher professional development that pay attention to how personal, interpersonal, contextual and situational factors influence teacher knowledge developments over time. Using examples from our research programs, we show how critical it is to intentionally account for how teachers filter their professional development experiences through their personal practical knowledge expressed in community. By featuring Pat (the pre-service case) and Liz (the in-service case), we illustrate how teachers develop their narrative authority in knowledge communities and show why knowledge communities are critical to the sustained development of narrative authority. We argue that attending to these critical matters creates opportunities for understanding that can lead to confirmation of, refinement in, or transformation of present practices.     

Tomorrow’s teachers—selecting the best: An exploration of the quality rationale behind academic and experiential selection criteria for initial teacher education programmes

Using Ireland as an example, this paper explores the rationale behind various selection criteria currently used to select suitable candidates for initial teacher education courses. It investigates and discusses patterns of association between second-level student teachers’ background characteristics on entry to their teacher education programme Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) and their achievement in terms of their final academic and teaching practice grades. It draws on a longitudinal analysis of application and examination data collected from eight student teacher cohorts (2000–2007, N?=?1,023) who completed their second-level initial teacher education at one Irish university. Special attention will be paid to the predictive value of entrants’ prior academic performance and teaching experience for their success in the academic as well as practical components of their teacher education course. The quality rationale behind academic selection criteria is contested on the basis of findings from this study. The positive impact of prior teaching experience on teaching practice performance and the differences in achievement observed between students from different academic fields are discussed.     

Highly committed teachers: what makes them tick? A study of sustained commitment

This article focuses on teacher commitment, and particularly on teachers displaying sustained high levels of commitment throughout their teaching careers (over 15 years). Graduates from one Teacher Education programme responded to an open-ended questionnaire conducted on 10 occasions concerning their work as teachers, from graduation in 1993 to 2013. Out of the 72 who responded on all nine occasions, eight teachers stating high levels of commitment throughout their careers were selected for additional interviews. A framework containing four commitment factors was used as the point of departure. Content analyses of the interview and selected questionnaire data then resulted in a revised framework of five factors: personal, teaching, school context, system context and professional development. Accounts from eight teachers with sustained high commitment illustrate the framework. The article offers an extended framework for understanding and categorising the factors that contribute to teacher commitment.     

An exploration of undergraduate students’ views on the effectiveness of academic and pastoral support

Background: Academic and pastoral support is fundamental to the achievement of a high-quality student learning experience.

Aim: This study reports on full-time undergraduate students’ views on the effectiveness of academic and pastoral support in one higher education institution. The intent of the study was to explore how academic and pastoral support is provided and gain an appreciation of the value placed on each method of support used.

Method: 935 students from a range of subject disciplines responded to a Bristol-on-Line Survey questionnaire.

Findings: Analysis of quantitative data revealed that a wide range of support strategies are used and valued by students.

Conclusions: Of significance was the emphasis placed on peer support and the skills required by staff providing support. Implications for policy and practice to enhance the student learning experience are discussed.     

Mentors assessing mentees? An overview and analyses of the mentorship role concerning newly qualified teachers

Sweden has no tradition of mentors participating in the formal summative assessment of newly qualified teachers. However, an Inquiry Committee Report proposed that mentors should have some involvement in this process. This article reports on the results of an examination of 108 official responses to the Inquiry Report submitted to the Ministry of Education and provides a research overview. The results show that only 23 of the 108 responses mention assessment, and none of these are positive to the proposed expansion of the mentor’s duties. Only four responses include an explicit discussion of the relationship between mentors and mentees. These results are discussed in the light of research into relations between mentors and mentees and whether or not mentors should participate in the assessment of their mentees. One conclusion is that answers to this question need to relate to the prerequisites, values and objectives of the educational context.     

Poles Apart? An exploration of single-sex and mixed-sex educational environments in Australia and England

This paper contributes to debates on the benefits of single-sex and co-educational school environments by considering both single-sex versus co-educational schools and single-sex versus co-educational classes in co-educational schools. Two research studies provide the empirical basis for this discussion. One study was a 10-year-long investigation of two Australian secondary schools which had been single-sex schools and became co-educational secondary schools over a two-year period. The second study involved a two-year investigation in an English co-educational secondary school where single-sex mathematics classes were introduced for one cohort of pupils for five school terms, after which mixed-sex classes were reintroduced. Evidence relating to academic self-concept, pupil, parent and staff perceptions and academic achievement are discussed. Overall, the evidence suggests that co-educational environments create possible social/interaction disadvantages for girls, but that academic self-concept is not adversely affected by transferring from single-sex environments into mixed-sex ones.     

Promises and lies: An exploration of curriculum managers’ experiences in FE

This article examines the important but under-researched role of the curriculum manager within further education. It reviews managers’ perceptions of the role through the lens of the professional–managerial paradigm, with a particular emphasis on the conflict in values experienced by managers trying to implement processes driven by the financial imperative whilst ensuring that their focus remains student-centred. The sample selected mirrored the current curriculum management profile within further education and included seven managers (four female, three male) covering a geographical spread from the North Midlands to North London. The day-to-day reality of the role was reflected in a perceived lack of power and autonomy dominated by a sense of frustration that the initial perception of the job was not matched by the veracity of the position. Participants spoke about having to deal with a large number of obstacles that hindered their ability to make a difference; notably, organisational systems and processes, staffing problems and a perceived intransigence and lack of support from senior management resulting in the adoption of a variety of personas in order to cope with the demands of the role.     

Prospective teachers’ teaching experience: teacher learning through the use of video

Background: Future teachers need to observe, interpret and analyse teaching during the initial teacher education period. The use of videoed teaching and learning in teacher education promotes reflection, and analysing videos of teaching is helpful in learning effective classroom practices that prospective teachers mostly do not have the chance to observe during fieldwork experiences. The analysis of videos of teaching can be seen as a way to enhance the development of prospective teachers’ professional vision, which, in turn, improves instruction. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine prospective teachers’ reflections on video examples depicting their own teaching experiences. It aimed to create a professional development environment to facilitate the prospective teachers’ reflection on their own videos and those of their peers to improve their professional vision. Sample: This study was conducted with over 200 (in 31 groups) third-year prospective mathematics teachers in a university in Western Turkey. The student teachers, receiving training to teach first- to fourth-grade elementary school pupils, were taking a teaching methods course. Design and methods: In the first week of the semester, the student teachers, working in groups, were assigned mathematics topics to teach the elementary school pupils. During the semester, each group prepared by trying out their activities in front of other student teachers in other groups. At the end of the semester, one student teacher from each group presented a short lesson related to their mathematical topic to the elementary school pupils. This lesson was videotaped, then later it was watched and discussed by the student teachers. Of the student teachers who undertook the teaching in the videos, 22 volunteers agreed to be interviewed. All groups of student teachers provided written reflections on their experience. Selected videos of the class discussions about the videos of teaching were also used for triangulation. The data were analysed to identify the issues the prospective teachers reflected upon. A content analysis technique was employed. Results: The data indicated that the prospective teachers were able to reflect on several issues related to effective teaching, connect their theoretical knowledge to their practice and consider issues related to pupil learning and difficulties. Conclusion: The findings suggested that the use of video, together with discussions between the student teachers, had the potential to create promising learning opportunities for prospective teachers.     

Does higher education foster critical and creative learners? An exploration of two universities in South Korea and the USA

This paper describes two studies that explore students' beliefs about critical and creative learning at two universities, and considers the implications of those beliefs in comparison to the universities' stated education goals. One is a mixed method study of students at a top university in Korea, and the second is a comparative study between the Korean university and a United States (US) university. The first study found that both high-achievers and the general population at a top Korean university perceived their critical and creative abilities as lower than their receptive learning abilities, and that higher achievers were neither more critical nor creative than lower achievers. The second study finds that the Korean university students, compared to US students, were more likely to rate their receptive learning ability as higher than their critical and creative learning abilities. Comparisons across year of higher education (HE) suggest that Korean students' perceptions did not significantly change with respect to year in school, while US students' perceptions of critical learning abilities significantly increased across school years. Results are discussed with respect to the impact of culture, epistemological beliefs, and HE instruction on critical and creative learning.     

Working to Change the World: An Examination of One Child’s Social Activism

There is wide recognition that children’s lives are directly affected by inequitable practices in relation to aspects of identity such as gender, ethnicity, class, and citizenship. Yet, despite this acknowledgement, few scholars have explored how children are challenging inequities. This examination of the actions and stories of one-nine-year-old female addresses that silence. Data analysis illustrates the ways in which she was enacting social activist tenets. Also illuminated are the hurdles inherent to adult recognition of children’s activism. These findings underline the problematic role that deficit framings of children play in our understanding of their perspectives and capabilities.     

Seeing through the eyes of the teacher? Investigating primary school teachers’ professional noticing through a video-based research methodology

ABSTRACT

Digital video technology has been increasingly employed to investigate teacher professional noticing. While extensive research has been undertaken to explore the specialised knowledge base underlying teacher professional noticing, there is a need to more closely examine the methodological consequences of video-based approaches for understanding the nature of professional noticing. This paper draws upon a recent study that investigated primary school teachers’ professional noticing of mathematics and science classrooms to discuss issues, challenges, and opportunities that emerge with a video-based research approach. In this study, the latest video technology was employed to allow primary school teachers to take active roles in capturing, selecting and reflecting on significant classroom events on their own and with colleagues. Drawing upon examples from this study, this paper highlights the methodological potential and challenges of video-based approaches to investigating teacher noticing in classrooms, and discusses how this noticing relates to reflection stimulated by classroom videos. It further reveals the tension between the dual priorities of empowering the teacher participants in research and enabling valid interpretations by the researchers in an attempt to gain insight into the complexity of teachers’ professional noticing.