Exploring the role of gratitude in the professional experience of pre-service teachers

The burgeoning body of empirical research in the area of positive psychology points to the beneficial effect of gratitude on factors that could be relevant to some of the challenges faced by pre-service teachers. Although the topic of gratitude has also long been discussed in other fields, there has been a noticeable absence of mention in teacher education research, and in education more broadly. The present article presents a theoretical framework for considering gratitude in the context of pre-service teachers’ professional experience. It then outlines a small qualitative pilot study of outcomes reported by six pre-service teachers when they consciously applied gratitude in their second practicum. The practicum was undertaken in a variety of primary- and secondary-school settings. Each participant reported positive effects in the areas of improved relationships, enhanced wellbeing, and improved teaching outcomes. Although this was a small exploratory study, the findings align closely with wider empirical work on gratitude. We propose that the outcomes reported by participants in this small study point to the value of further research on the role of gratitude in educational contexts and of considering practices of gratitude in teacher education pedagogy.     

Knocking on the Ivory Tower's Door: The Experience of Ex‐Convicts Applying for Tenure‐Track University Positions

Courses dealing with crime and the criminal justice system go under various names, Criminology, Criminal Justice, Justice Studies, and Justice Administration being among the most popular. Presumably, those who name these courses see subtle differences between these names and select a title that is seen to best reflect the particular focus of their course. For example, in Australia Justice Administration has been generally used for courses that have an explicit vocational mission. This paper, however, is not about what these various courses contain, but what people think they contain. The paper reports on a study that examined the perceptions of various course names by prospective and current students in the field. It is argued that the name of a course has significant implications for the attractiveness of that course to prospective students and the way that students in a course define their studies. Moreover, the meanings that students attach to course names seem to impact upon their sense of occupational identity.     

Student teachers as creative writers: does an understanding of creative pedagogies matter?

Teaching creative writing in primary schools requires an understanding of creative pedagogies that value autonomy and for educators to draw on their own experiences of the creative writing process to support the development of their pupils. This article draws on evidence from 58 undergraduate primary student teachers to further understand how their appreciation of creative pedagogies, combined with their experiences of creative writing, impacts on their approach to the teaching of writing in primary schools. Evidence from questionnaires and interviews reveals that factors such as freedom, choice and focusing on the personal aspects of writing are valued but often because they make writing fun for children, rather than because they develop children's creative behaviours and creative writing. Student teachers' own personal experiences of these factors affect whether they are likely to integrate them into their future practice in school. It is argued that if students experience creative writing that is underpinned by a creative pedagogy within their initial teacher education, they will be better equipped to teach creative writing and prepare children for being writers.     

Heterogeneity in children at risk of math learning difficulties

This study recruited 428 Singaporean children at risk of math learning difficulties (MLD; M_age = 83.9 months, SD_age = 4.35 months; 41% female). Using a factor mixture model that considered both quantitative and qualitative differences in math ability, two qualitatively different groups were identified: one with generalized difficulties across different math skills and the other with more focal difficulties in arithmetic fluency. Reading, working memory capacity, and numeracy (number line estimation skills and numerical discrimination) uniquely explained group membership. Children within each group differed in the extent of difficulties they exhibited, with numeracy variables differentially contributing to math ability in each group. Findings speak against a dimensional view of MLD and underscore the conceptual limitations of using basic numeracy performance to profile learning difficulties.     

Evaluation of Short-Term Impact of a High School Summer Science Program on Students' Perceived Knowledge and Skills

Summer science programs held in university research facilities provide ideal opportunities for pre-college students to master new skills and renew, refresh, and enrich their interest in science. These types of programs have a positive impact on a student's understanding of the nature of science and scientific inquiry and can open a youngster's eyes to the many possible career opportunities in science. This paper describes a study of high school students enrolled in the Summer Science Academy program at the University of Rochester that investigates the program's impact on students' knowledge of laboratory skills, as well as the impact on student interest in pursuing a career in science. Students' exposure to advanced laboratory techniques and their interaction with professional scientists provided them with a very positive hands-on experience. Students who attended the program felt more confident in their ability to use sophisticated laboratory skills and that the Summer Science Academy program provided a positive influence on their performance in advanced science courses, as well as their desire to pursue a career in science.     

The role of gratitude in enhancing the relationship between doctoral research students and their supervisors

While increasing attention is being placed on the crucial importance of a positive supervisor–student relationship, few studies have investigated how to enhance this. Our paper investigates the effect of gratitude practices, proposing it brings both focus and intentionality to the student–supervisor relationship resulting in better research outcomes and, by implication, a positive impact on attrition rates. Recent research has demonstrated that increased attention to gratitude can enhance relational well-being, but only a few studies investigate the role of gratitude in the higher education context. This qualitative case study explores the impact of gratitude as an intervention, following eight Ph.D. students and their two supervisors, in the schools of physical sciences, and medicine over a six-week period of focused attention on practices of gratitude. Findings revealed that all participants noted a positive impact in the areas of communication, social and emotional well-being, as well as on the research process itself.