Teaching Spilling by Column and Context Forms

Abstract

Two groups of undergraduate students participating in a field experience as part of the undergraduate teacher preparation program were compared on the basis of the supervisory practice of the cooperating/mentor teacher. Both groups received a traditional orientation to student teaching and supervision. In addition, the experimental group had teachers that received an in-depth training in supervision using a specific framework, Praxis III/Pathwise (Educational Testing Service, 1995). Results demonstrated statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group on 11 of the 19 variables investigated.     

Engaging the Student in the Field Instruction Relationship

Abstract

BSW and MSW students' evaluations of their field instructors and these individuals' use of various supervisory skills and assignments were assessed early in the field placement. Skills that directly enhanced students' learning in the field were most influential. Supervisory activities that introduced students to the agency and what would be expected of them were particularly helpful. Differences in first-time and second-year students' reactions suggest that students' learning needs vary, based on their prior experience with and understanding of the field. The findings also suggest the need for training to help field instructors make the transition from social work practitioner to social work educator.     

Beginnings and Endings in Social Work Supervision: The Interaction Between Attachment and Developmental Processes

This article discusses the interaction of attachment processes and stages of social work student development within the field supervisory relationship and suggests ways supervisors can modify interactions with students. Attachment theory and research provide a framework for understanding innate capacities of students and the relational dynamics of supervision. Developmental stages of learning explain how students mature and the supervisory relationship changes over time. Scenarios from the beginning and ending of the field practicum are used to illustrate how to differentiate attachment traits from developmental states in assessing student affect and behavior. Recommendations are made for training and future supervision research.     

Instructional practices in reformed undergraduate STEM learning environments: a study of instructor and student behaviors in biology courses

ABSTRACT

Theoretically, organisational culture, instructor training, and learning space design influence how faculty teach STEM courses. Previous studies have used classroom observation protocols to characterise the range of teaching practices in mostly teacher-centered, traditional STEM classrooms. In this study, we examined the classroom behaviour of 13 STEM faculty teaching biology courses in a reformed undergraduate STEM learning environment. Our findings indicate that instructors teaching in this reformed environment guided student learning (58.4?±?1.9%) almost three times more than they presented information (20.0?±?2.2%). Students worked individually or in groups and talked to the whole class (57.1?±?1.8%) 1.5 times more than they received information (35.5?±?1.9%). We found significant positive correlation between ‘instructor presenting’ and ‘students receiving’ information (r?=?0.743, p?=?1.4?×?10^?4) and ‘instructor guiding’ and ‘student working and talking’ in class (r?=?0.605, p?=?7.2?×?10^?5), suggesting that instructors can change their own classroom behaviours and expect concurrent change in their students’ behaviours. Finally, sequencing teaching practices in high active-engagement classrooms showed instructors move and guide student group work and lead whole class discussions before lecturing to students, which could lead to deeper learning of conceptual knowledge. We discuss insights from these findings that have implications for acculturating evidence-based teaching practices in STEM departments.     

Student perception of instructors: the effect of age,gender and political leaning

Abstract

Students were asked to rank instructors, who differed by age, gender and political leaning, by their expected helpfulness, and how much a student expected to learn. Students selected older instructors as those from whom they would learn the most, but chose young instructors as the most helpful. Overall, male instructors were preferred over female instructors, especially when emphasis was placed on learning. The political leaning of the instructor was a discriminating factor in humanities classes, with liberal instructors preferred over conservatives. The preferred age, gender and political leaning patterns were distinctly different for instructors who were helpful, and from those from whom students thought they would learn the most, indicating a dichotomy between perceived helpfulness and learning. The stereotypic images of instructors did not differ significantly by the students’ own gender and academic major, except for male students ranking conservative instructors higher than females. Students do have stereotypical images of instructors based on the instructor’s age, gender and political leaning.     

The Influence of Learning Styles on Student and Field Instructor Perceptions of Field Placement Success

This article reports on a research study of pairs of social work students and their field instructors whor ated their perceptions of each other on various dimensions of placement success, including the quality of the supervisory relationship, the amount learned in the placement, and knowledge and skill levels. The Kolb Learning Styles Inventory was used to measure similarities and differences in student and field instructor learning preferences. The study suggests that assessment of learning styles can assist field instructors and students to appreciate different contributions, to recognize diversity as strength and, ultimately, to enhance the overall quality and success of the learning experience.     

Roles and Tasks of Field Instructors as Perceived by Chinese Social Work Students

ABSTRACT

From its inception, social work education has consistently embraced the position that field learning is an essential element of professional education. It is through field work that the student has the opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the classroom and to learn the skills necessary for effective social work practice

A study conducted by Fortune et at. (1985) on student satisfaction with field placement revealed that the field instructor or supervisor was a link to student satisfaction with the field practicum. Much has been written on the concept and principles of field education, with discussions on the field instructor's functions in field instruction. However, it seems that such discussions vary greatly in their degree of specificity in spelling out the field instruction tasks. On the other hand, relatively little has been reported on how social work students perceive the roles and tasks of field instructors. It seems obvious that students, with first hand experiences in field work practice, can contribute much to the formulation of knowledge in field instruction

Hence, it is vital and essential to study what social work students actually expect of the roles and behaviors of field instructors as contrast to what is written in the theories of field instruction.

This paper attempts to identify the set of behaviours and tasks perceived by students as important to the work of a field instructor. In the process, it is also envisaged that the “anatomy of field instruction” can be better understood through a clear specification of the activities involved.     

Conducting Writing Assignments

Abstract

Inviting students to take an active role in planning writing assignments and developing grading criteria opens the lines of communication between instructors and students, leading to a nurturing collaborative learning environment. This article explores the stages of the writing assignment and offers suggestions for making each step purposeful and successful. Student feedback allows instructors to improve the course and instructor guidance allows students to improve their coursework. Although it does take time and effort, a collaborative atmosphere provides support to both groups so that common goals can be met.     

A Framework for Naming the Scope and Nature of Teacher Candidate Supervision in Clinically-Based Teacher Preparation: Tasks,High-Leverage Practices,and Pedagogical Routines of Practice

Abstract

This study introduces the scope and nature of teacher candidate (TC) supervision in an era of clinically-based teacher preparation. The findings emerged from a qualitative meta-analysis of 82 articles related to TC supervision published between 2001 and 2017. The study recognizes core supervision concepts drawn from decades of empirical literature yet moves the field substantially forward by identifying a framework that includes: (1) tasks, (2) high-leverage practices, and (3) pedagogical routines of supervisory practice. This framework defines a new understanding of how supervisors support TC learning throughout their clinical experiences. By naming the scope and nature of TC supervision, the framework of tasks, high-leverage practices, and pedagogical routines of supervisory practice can help supervisors become more conscious and more skilled about their practice to develop their professional vision of supervision. The framework can also guide the evaluation and re-design of TC supervision within clinically based teacher preparation.     

Cooperative Chemistry Tests

Abstract

In spite of the abundance of research reports in the field of instructor and course evaluation by students, the application of major theoretical psychological and sociological orientations to this field has been virtually ignored. This paper adopts the Ohio State University approach to leadership theory as an analytical tool for comprehending students’ ratings. Two main determinants of instructors’ scores are their instrumental contribution to the achievement of their classes’ goals and their success in enhancing their students’ interests. These two variables are claimed to resemble Initiating Structure and Consideration (14). The identification of leadership-bound components in faculty evaluation lends powerful theoretical integrity to the presently nontheoretical research of students’ evaluations. This paper expands such an approach which was developed at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel, and tests its applicability to another university, the University of Hawaii.     

Preservice elementary teachers' perceptions of their science laboratory instructors in a phenomena-based laboratory and how it impacts their conceptual development

Phenomena-based approaches have become popular for elementary school teachers to engage children's innate curiosity in the natural world. However, integrating such phenomena-based approaches in existing science courses within teacher education programs present potential challenges for both preservice elementary teachers (PSETs) and for laboratory instructors, both of whom may have had limited opportunities to learn or teach science within the student and instructor roles inherent within these approaches. This study uses a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach to investigate PSETs' perceptions of their laboratory instructor's role within a Physical Science phenomena-based laboratory curriculum and how it impacts their conceptual development (2 instructors/121 students). We also examine how the two laboratory instructors' discursive moves within the laboratory align with their's and PSETs' perceptions of the instructor role. Qualitative data includes triangulation between a student questionnaire, an instructor questionnaire, and video classroom observations, while quantitative data includes a nine-item open response pre-/post-semester conceptual test. Guided by Mortimer's and Scott's analytic framework, our findings show that students primarily perceive their instructors as a guide/facilitator or an authoritarian/evaluator. Using Linn's knowledge integration framework, analysis of pre-/post-tests indicates that student outcomes align with students' perceptions of their instructors, with students who perceive their instructor as a guide/facilitator having significantly better pre-/post-outcomes. Additional analysis of scientific discourse from the classroom observations illustrates how one instructor primarily supports PSETs' perspectives on authentic science learning through dialogic–interactive talk moves whereas the other instructor epistemologically stifles personally relevant investigations with authoritative–interactive or authoritative–noninteractive discourse moves. Overall, this study concludes by discussing challenges facing laboratory instructors that need careful consideration for phenomena-based approaches.     

Infusing Content About Discharging Legal Responsibilities into Social Work Practice Classes

ABSTRACT

In social work education, legal content may be best conveyed through infusion, rather than specialized law/social work courses. Infusion will occur differently in each social work education sequence (practice, human behavior, policy, and research). When infusing content about discharge of legal responsibilities into a practice class, the instructor should choose a common legal topic, and teach the relevant knowledge and skills. As the instructor generalizes from the topic presented, students learn that most legal topics affect practice in a complex manner. The example of legally mandated child maltreatment reporting is used to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and teaching methods. Implications are presented for social work literature, and for contact between social work faculty and field instructors.     

A reflexive model for teaching instructional design

Although there are numerous models to practive instructional design (ID), few instructional models to teach instructional design have been documented. This article documents a five-year study of two instructors who collaborated on formally studying their teaching of a master's level instructional design course. A reflexive instructional approach was used, in which the teachers examined their teaching while students were being prompted to reflect on their learning of instructional design through a course-long ID project. In this article we summarize our views on learning, teaching, and instructional design. A design and development framework from developmental research (Richey & Nelson, 1996) was used to describe our teaching in terms of the design decisions, model implementation, and model evaluation across six deliveries of the ID course from 1994–1998.     

Challenges Faced by Canadian Social Work Field Instructors in Baccalaureate Field Supervision

ABSTRACT

This article examines the challenges faced by social work field instructors in two Canadian provinces. The results are based on the responses from 239 field instructors to a questionnaire survey. Findings highlight student difficulties, administrative issues with the social work schools, and practicum setting challenges. These demands hinder the optimal implementation of social work field education, reveal the concerning gatekeeping role of schools of social work, and discourage some social workers from taking on (or continuing) as field instructors. Implications for social work student placements, supervision of students, academic programs, and directions for future research are presented.     

In your Facebook: Examining Facebook usage as misbehavior on perceived teacher credibility

Teachers sometimes do things that negatively impact their own credibility in classroom settings. One way instructors maintain credibility among students is by keeping a veil between their personal and professional personas. The advent of Facebook presents new challenges for instructors seeking to keep their personal lives private in order to maintain credibility among students. In educational settings, Facebook communications can blur the personal and professional boundaries that students and professors are accustomed to. As such, instructors in higher education sometimes struggle with the implications of ‘friending’ students in the context of social networking. The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not educator usage of Facebook had any impact on student perceptions of instructor credibility. Facebook presence was examined in the context of teacher ‘misbehaviors’ (that is, actions by educators that negatively impact their credibility). A modified version of Teven and McCroskey’s (1997) Source Credibility Instrument was given to a sample of college students (N?=?187) to compare instructors that use Facebook with those who do not. While students appear to be generally accepting of instructor usage of the social tool, some findings suggest that there are probably ways to abuse it in a manner that could lead to negative perceptions of credibility. Ultimately, results from this study indicated that there were no significant differences among student perceptions of instructor credibility based on whether or not an educator used Facebook.     

Development and evaluation of a screening instrument for cooperating teachers

Abstract

In order to recruit, retain, and train quality cooperating teachers, a 35‐item instrument was devised to screen for attitudes toward systematic supervisory behavior, perceptions of factors that impact supervision, and beliefs about preferences for and styles of supervision. After pilot testing, the instrument was completed by 76 physical education cooperating teachers who supervised various field‐practicum students for a large southwestern university. Employing MANOVA followed by ANOVA, differences between groups of cooperating teachers were noted for one subscale: cooperating teachers who coached, taught at the high school level, or did not possess a postgraduate degree had less favorable attitudes toward systematic supervisory behavior. Gender and experience supervising did not differentiate subscale responses. Explanations for noted differences are presented as functions of teacher/coach role conflict, exposure to supervisory training, and the status of secondary physical education. Suggestions for refining the measurement instrument and using it to screen potential cooperating teachers are offered.     

Sources of variance in end-of-course student evaluations

Abstract

Evaluation of college instructors often centers on course ratings; however, there is little evidence that these ratings only reflect teaching. The purpose of this study was to assess the relative importance of three facets of course ratings: instructor, course and occasion. We sampled 2,459 fully-crossed dyads from a large university where two instructors taught the same two courses at least twice in a 3-year period. Generalizability theory was used to estimate unconfounded variance components for instructor, course and occasion, as well as their interactions. Meta-analysis was used to summarize those estimates. Results indicated that a three-way interaction between instructor, course and occasion that includes measurement error accounted for the most variance in student ratings (24%), with instructor accounting for the second largest amount (22%). While instructor - and presumably teaching - accounted for substantial variance in student course ratings, factors other than instructor quality had a larger influence on student ratings.     

Academic support model for post-secondary school students with learning disabilities: student and instructor perceptions

ABSTRACT

While post-secondary school students with learning difficulties confront many challenges, there is little research on methods of support. In the current study, the ‘adapted course’ model was qualitatively examined from the perspective of both students and instructors. The main goal was to explore how students and instructors perceived the instruction in adapted courses. Five pre-service students with learning disabilities (LD) and/or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and three instructors were interviewed. Responses were analysed using subjective analysis, with central content categories identified based on student and instructor statements. Six main themes emerged: (1) small class size; (2) emotional support; (3) adjusted teaching methods; (4) independent practice exercises; (5) instruction by modelling; and (6) instructor characteristics. The current study can inform pedagogical principles on which a support model for post-secondary students with LD can be based. It provides analyses of the effectiveness of one support model and presents the perceptions of both faculty and students. Moreover, the study provides an opportunity to learn about potential components of effective teaching-learning, not only in the specific context of adapted courses, but in any supportive learning situation (e.g. tutoring) or course.     

Students' evaluation and instructors' self-evaluation of university instruction

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between students' evaluations of university instruction and self-ratings of instructors. The sample consisted of 52 instructors, from the School of Education at Tel-Aviv University, who taught 93 classes. The instructors, as well as their students, responded to a 20-item instructional-practices questionnaire. Instructor self-ratings had only a modest relationship with the ratings given by students (a median correlation of .28). Discrepancies between instructor ratings and ratings given by the students were further analyzed for (1) varying training in teaching - no difference was found; and (2) number of years of teaching experience - differences were noted; the self-ratings of less experienced instructors were closer to student ratings.     

Balancing Institutional Demands with Effective Practice: A Lesson in Curricular and Professional Development

ABSTRACT

Online writing courses have developed in importance to meet student learning and institutional expectations; over time, a controversy about training online instructors and building sustainable programs has emerged. This article relates training demands within the University of Arizona’s Writing Program and development of an online professional & technical writing certificate. The article proposes training instructors with master courses and building a sustained program through a participatory design to create a professional and integrated environment.