A study of alternative English teacher certification practices in Turkey

For several years the number of teachers trained in several subject areas through regular teacher education programs in Turkey has been insufficient to meet the demands in the country. As a result, to combat teacher shortages in many subjects alternative routes to teacher certification have been sought. Here we examine teacher candidates' perspectives of some of these practices. The participants in this examination comprised 140 senior undergraduate students in the English teaching program in a Faculty of Education in Ankara. Almost all participants believed that the teacher candidates who go through alternative routes to become teachers of English do so because they seek employment and this is the last resort. The study highlights the fact that it is critical to pursue educational planning if we are to improve quality in education.     

Equality of educational opportunity at racially isolated schools: Balancing the need for teacher certification with teacher shortage

Providing for equality of educational opportunity at racially isolated schools continues to be an important area of concern for educational policy makers. Quality teachers to staff instruction programs at these schools is essential to promoting equal opportunity for minority groups. Unfortunately, these schools continue to suffer chronic teacher shortages. Recently, California implemented a teacher certification examination (CBEST) designed specifically to improve the quality of teachers entering the profession. An unintended consequence of the certification movement was the exacerbation of the teacher shortage problem at racially isolated schools. The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of teachers who passed and failed the CBEST. The study finds that failure rates are highest among minority teachers that are presently employed. The study also finds that the mathematics knowledge subscale scores best discriminate those passing from those failing the CBEST. An analytical approach for determining optimal cutoff scores on the CBEST which balances the need for certification with the problem of teacher shortage is proposed.     

高职院校双师素质教师标准及其培训模式探讨

双师素质师资队伍建设是高职院校生存和发展的基础，事关高职院校发展的前途和命运。文章对高职院校双师素质教师内涵进行了梳理，并就此概念给出了自己的理解，初步探讨了高职双师教师培训的几种模式。     

Internationally educated female teachers in the neoliberal context: Their labour market and teacher certification experiences in Canada

In this paper, we consider the difficulties that a group of internationally educated female teachers (female IETs) encountered in the process of seeking certification in the Canadian Maritimes. We read their experiences in the context of neoliberalism, in particular how they are positioned in the labour force and also the teaching profession. We consider the material effects of differences such as gender, race, ethnicity, and regional location for the female IETs. Further, we underscore implications for teacher education.     

Comparative education in primary teacher education in Ireland and South Africa

Comparative Education as a subject or course on teacher education curricula mainly continues to be taught in Ireland, some African and East European countries and a few colleges in Ireland, the UK and several universities in the USA, Canada, Western Europe, Latin America and Australia. This research compares Irish and South African students' experiences of their Comparative Education courses. The article commences with a survey of literature on the position of Comparative Education in teacher education, a portrayal of the contextual background of South Africa and of Ireland, and a brief synopsis of the pre-course survey of students' expectations, upon which this study builds. Subsequently the research method is explained and the results presented. Three findings emerged from this study. The first is the valuable role of Comparative Education in teacher education. The second is the role of contextual factors in determining the significance of Comparative Education in teacher education. Thirdly, the centrality of clients (i.e. students) is critical to the future of Comparative Education in teacher education.     

师范专业认证视阈下师范生教学能力的审视与提升

师范专业认证主要对全国师范类专业准入、质量评价和教师资格认定等进行专业标准的结果评判,而师范生教学能力是师范专业发展的基本内容和要求,在明确师范专业认证关于师范生教学能力训练标准的基础上,应科学合理定位师范生教学能力训练的基本方向,积极探究有效的改革策略,强化师范生教学能力训练的坚定意志,推动师范生教学理论与教学实践前后衔接。     

Teachers Working for Change: Gender equity and the politics of teacher activism in South Korea

This paper examines the controversies over the Women's Committee of the Korean Teachers Union (KTU) or Chunkyojo—in particular, the implementation of the quota policy which requires that 50% of the union's representative body be composed of women. Initially, this policy led to concerns that the KTU's militancy may be weakened. However, the increase of women in the local leadership has gradually led to positive changes in the union's work patterns as well. Despite these achievements, the Women's Committee continues to deal with the prevalent “family ideology”, which is reinforced by the structural constraints upon female teachers. This paper suggests that constructing viable gender-sensitive agendas in the progressive teachers' union is not only important for the empowerment of women teachers, but also for constructing a more substantial basis for gender equality education.     

Listening to teachers: teacher and student roles in the New South Wales Sustainable Schools Programme

This paper reports on an interview study of eight teachers engaged in the Sustainable Schools Programme (SSP) in New South Wales, Australia. Teacher views on key components of education for sustainability are compared with the underlying socially critical approach of the SSP and the NSW policy on environmental education. Their views on active student engagement in the SSP are also revealed. The findings, which indicate that some teachers hold a view of education for sustainability consistent with key assumptions inherent in the SSP, are encouraging. However, remarks by most of the teachers suggest that wider professional support is needed if the SSP, and indeed the NSW policy on environmental education more broadly, are to be implemented as intended.     

高师院校教师教育存在的问题与对策

教学计划是学校教育教学过程中的指导性文件,如何制定和实施教学计划直接影响人才培养的质量。针对高师院校教师教育存在的问题,应通过改革师范生的教学计划来解决。     

地方高师高层次教师教育人才培养的机遇与对策

教师教育的变革给地方师范大学发展带来了前所未有的挑战;《国家中长期教育改革和发展规划纲要》颁布及全国教育工作会议的召开,对教师教育提出了新的要求;我国研究生教育结构性调整,为地方师范大学发展提供了新的视角。笔者认为,地方师范大学将挑战与要求转化为发展动力,抓住难得发展机遇,提升教师教育人才培养层次,扩大教育硕士规模,坚持培养原则,创新培养保障措施,确保培养质量,是其充分发挥自身优势与突出办学特色,在激烈市场竞争中谋求长远发展的较佳选择。     

Disrespecting teacher: The decline in social standing of teachers in Cape Town,South Africa

This paper examines the declining levels of respect for teachers in two communities in Cape Town, South Africa. Education has been identified as a key area of reform and redress, but a critical skills shortage and under-resourced schools are hindering progress. Data from current and former teachers illustrate how the social and institutional capital of education is being replaced by a focus on economic capital, undermining the prestige of teaching as a career. These problems reflect trends elsewhere in the world and require action to prevent further shortages in education.     

Job characteristics and teacher well-being: the mediation of teacher self-monitoring and teacher self-efficacy

Teacher well-being is a critical factor affecting job performance and thus, significant for enhancing quality teaching. Based on the job demands-resources model, this study examines the mediating effects of teachers’ self-monitoring and self-efficacy on the relationships between the emotional job demands of teaching and trust in colleagues and teacher well-being. A questionnaire was administered to 1115 primary school teachers in Hong Kong. The results highlight the maladaptive role of self-monitoring as a personal demand and the adaptive role of self-efficacy as a personal resource: self-monitoring is positively related to anxiety and depression; self-efficacy is positively related to enthusiasm and contentment and negatively related to anxiety and depression. The results not only support the beneficial role of trust in colleagues, which is positively associated with teacher self-efficacy and well-being, but also reveal the rewarding side of emotional job demands in enhancing teacher self-efficacy. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.     

Understanding the complexity of teacher interaction in a teacher professional learning community

In this study, we examine a professional learning community of primary school teachers developing a joint school-based curriculum for science and technology (S&T) education. Team meetings were observed over the course of one school year and the participating teachers and school head were interviewed. An essential factor in the team’s collaboration was its ability to achieve synthesis, that is, the extent to which the teachers were able to abstract from concrete experiences in S&T education in order to formulate and develop a shared vision and curriculum. They exchanged many examples and were able to create a shared idea highlighting critical elements in their approach to teaching this school subject. However, the teachers experienced difficulties in determining the level at which a school-based curriculum should be defined. The outcomes of this team’s collaboration are discussed in terms of leadership and the aims of the S&T innovation.     

Issues in the application of a conjunctive/compensatory standard-setting model to a criterion-referenced, classroom-based teacher certification assessment system: A state case study

Wheeling Jesuit College     

Science teacher identities in the making

Cultural Studies of Science Education - This commentary explores some of the salient aspects of Lucy Avraamidou’s study, specifically those of identity and the origins of those...