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23 pages, 317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beginning Teachers Navigating Identity Development Transitions: Identity Motives and Commitment to Teaching

by Lori L. Abramson and Elli P. Schachter

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 1170; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14111170 - 28 Oct 2024

Viewed by 601

Abstract

Beginning teachers (preservice and novice) must develop a resilient professional identity, yet high early attrition rates indicate the need for additional support in this process. Many attrition studies focus on external factors; few address teacher identity. According to developmental psychologists, identity commitments are [...] Read more.

Beginning teachers (preservice and novice) must develop a resilient professional identity, yet high early attrition rates indicate the need for additional support in this process. Many attrition studies focus on external factors; few address teacher identity. According to developmental psychologists, identity commitments are concretized in a stepwise process, first by tentatively making them, and then by evaluating them. Most preservice and novice teachers are in a transitional stage, as they explore whether tentative commitments fit their sense of self. Our research tests the proposition that such exploration is often focused on determining whether a teaching career will satisfy their identity motives. We interviewed and collected self-reported written stories from 154 interns and novice teachers. Participants discussed their career choice in an initial interview and in a questionnaire focusing on recent, identity-relevant significant events administered at three points in time over a year. These career choice and written, field-based significant event stories underwent content analysis for the presence of identity motives, guided by a codebook developed for this research. This paper describes two central and innovative findings. First, identity motives are, indeed, present and highly salient in teachers’ career deliberations. Secondly, we found that beginning teachers express motives differentially, vary in the salience they accord the motives, and explore motives differently according to situational context. This differentiation in focus may indicate important shifting priorities and challenges as participants navigate the transition to the field. Taken together, these findings suggest that understanding and addressing identity motives in teacher development may enable more personalized and responsive tools that support teacher retention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

15 pages, 290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Building Bridges in Teacher Education to Enhance Teachers for Students’ Diversity in Physical Education

by Paula Batista, Amândio Graça, André Moura, Elsa Ribeiro-Silva and Luisa Estriga

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 1045; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14101045 - 25 Sep 2024

Viewed by 636

Abstract

Following the UNESCO guidelines for Quality Physical Education, this participatory action research study aimed to explore the potential of a Community of Practice (CoP) to empower both schoolteacher educators and preservice teachers (PSTs) to become practitioners–researchers in order to achieve inclusive practices in [...] Read more.

Following the UNESCO guidelines for Quality Physical Education, this participatory action research study aimed to explore the potential of a Community of Practice (CoP) to empower both schoolteacher educators and preservice teachers (PSTs) to become practitioners–researchers in order to achieve inclusive practices in Physical Education (PE). This study involved a partnership between a university in North Portugal and four cooperating schools. CoP participants were six teacher educators and four cooperating teachers (CTs) who work with twelve PSTs in the schools where they developed their teaching practices. Data collection included focus groups with CoP members and PSTs, CoP meetings, and school placement meetings. A thematic inductive–deductive analysis revealed that CTs were actively engaged in the CoP, achieving mutual involvement and a shared repertoire, and making friendships beyond the CoP. Becoming practitioners–researchers made CTs more critical of their teaching and supervisory roles. Supporting PSTs to be practitioners–researchers was challenging, mostly due to PSTs’ lack of content knowledge, which made it difficult to identify the students’ problems in engaging with the proposed activities and how to solve them. Both CTs and PSTs highlighted the value of the CoP in gaining confidence and knowledge to improve their teaching to become more inclusive. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

17 pages, 882 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comfort in the Role: The Core of Positive Veteran Teachers

by Sarah Jefferson, Christina Gray and Geoffrey Lowe

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 998; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090998 - 11 Sep 2024

Viewed by 787

Abstract

Teacher career trajectory studies have identified a small group of positive veteran teachers who have maintained an ongoing enthusiasm for and commitment to teaching. Research into teacher career trajectory frameworks suggests that comfort in the role remains a core tenet in supporting their [...] Read more.

Teacher career trajectory studies have identified a small group of positive veteran teachers who have maintained an ongoing enthusiasm for and commitment to teaching. Research into teacher career trajectory frameworks suggests that comfort in the role remains a core tenet in supporting their sense of professional identity. While studies have identified this, there is little research into the subtleties of this tenet and how this helps these positive veteran teachers remain committed to teaching. This article reports on the qualitative findings about comfort in the role in sustaining positive veteran teachers’ commitment to teaching. Further, the article points to key support measures accessed by these teachers to maintain this commitment. The ability to identify what comprises comfort in the role may encourage curriculum organisations and executive school leadership to retain and capitalise on the skills of their positive veteran teachers. This research seeks to examine an important teacher education perspective that provides valuable examples for beginning and early career teachers of practical mechanisms for positive coping mechanisms and maintaining comfort in the role in the longer term in a dynamic and demanding profession. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

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15 pages, 268 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Professionalism of Teacher Educators in Relation to Sustainability: Developing the Teacher Education and Sustainability Scale (TESS)

by Ann-Kathrin Dittrich, Irma Eloff, Wietske Boon, Lucas Weinberg, Maryam Rabani Nia, Kgadi Clarrie Mathabathe and Evi Agostini

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 1000; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14091000 - 11 Sep 2024

Viewed by 852

Abstract

This study focuses on the design and implementation of the Teacher Education and Sustainability Scale (TESS), an instrument to assess the professionalism of teacher educators in relation to sustainability in the context of Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite [...] Read more.

This study focuses on the design and implementation of the Teacher Education and Sustainability Scale (TESS), an instrument to assess the professionalism of teacher educators in relation to sustainability in the context of Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the importance of the SDGs, there is very little research on the identity of teacher educators in relation to sustainability. The Teach4Reach 2.0 project, an international collaboration between the University of Pretoria, the University of Vienna and the University of Innsbruck, aims to fill the research gap in the quantitative measurement of this key area by examining the professionalism of teacher educators in relation to sustainability in order to strengthen their identity. The TESS questionnaire was developed in a structured four-stage process that initially included AI-generated items and was followed by expert refinement and a testing phase with participants from Austria and South Africa. The findings discuss the process of developing the TESS questionnaire and include a critical reflection on AI and on the need for targeted professional development for teacher educators in the field of sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

14 pages, 308 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Empowering Educators: The Impact of Reverse Mentoring on Developing Scientific Mindset and Research Skills

by Julia Raberger, Konstantinos Gkaravelas and Dominik E. Froehlich

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090993 - 10 Sep 2024

Viewed by 1218

Abstract

The integration of educational research into teaching practice is an important component in fostering the professional development of educators. Recognizing mentoring activities as an effective method for fostering such research-driven teaching practice, this study set out to explore the effectiveness of reverse mentoring [...] Read more.

The integration of educational research into teaching practice is an important component in fostering the professional development of educators. Recognizing mentoring activities as an effective method for fostering such research-driven teaching practice, this study set out to explore the effectiveness of reverse mentoring in cultivating a scientific mindset and enhancing research skills among school-based teacher educators. The defining feature of reverse mentoring is the reversal of the mentor and mentee roles, with student teachers mentoring school-based teacher educators. These school-based teacher educators here represent in-service teachers who teach in schools on a daily basis while simultaneously supporting the training of future teachers. Through a semi-structured interview study, nine reverse mentoring projects implemented in Austria and Greece were analyzed. The findings highlight the importance of the thematic focus of the reverse mentoring projects, motivations for participation, insights into collaboration dynamics, learning outcomes, and suggestions for process improvement. Learning outcomes are reported in new teaching methods, content knowledge, and improved collaboration capabilities. A framework categorizing reverse mentoring collaboration into basic, guided, and deep levels is discussed. Suggestions for further research are provided to validate and expand upon the findings of this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

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19 pages, 600 KiB

Open AccessArticle

‘If You Do Not Write, You Dry Up’: Tensions in Teacher Educator Research and Academic Writing

by Nikki Aharonian and Orna Schatz Oppenheimer

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 972; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090972 - 3 Sep 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 868

Abstract

Teacher educators struggle to balance heavy teaching loads, research, writing, and institutional service. This qualitative study uses institutional ethnography to question how college leadership understand the significance of academic scholarship in the professional lives of college-based teacher educators in Israel. Data from interviews [...] Read more.

Teacher educators struggle to balance heavy teaching loads, research, writing, and institutional service. This qualitative study uses institutional ethnography to question how college leadership understand the significance of academic scholarship in the professional lives of college-based teacher educators in Israel. Data from interviews with eight college position holders shed light on the working lives of college-based teacher educators and how they are positioned as researcher-writers in an institution where scholarship expectations are blurry. Findings reveal three themes: the importance of academic activity for institutional prosperity, the difficulties in academic scholarship experienced by teacher educators, and the support the institution provides to encourage and maintain academic activity. The discussion contemplates the tensions between institutional and individual teacher educator advancement. The complexity of the institutional structure deserves attention to achieve institutional aims and attend to individual faculty’s professional needs and desires. The implications of this study are significant for leadership in teacher education and higher education around the world, prompting leaders to rethink ways of supporting faculty involved in research and writing alongside teaching and additional roles. Balancing conflicting roles, providing clear expectations, and maintaining an ongoing dialogue between teacher educators and leadership regarding professional development needs can lead to institutional prosperity alongside individual professional advancement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

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12 pages, 224 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of COVID-19 on a Short-Term Teacher-Education Program: The Israeli Case

by Yael Fisher, Orna Shatz-Oppenheimer and Rinat Arviv Elyashiv

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 958; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090958 - 30 Aug 2024

Viewed by 646

Abstract

Given the unemployment wave caused by COVID-19, the Israeli Ministry of Education and other organizations initiated a unique alternative short-term retraining program to offer unemployed college and university graduates the opportunity to earn teaching certificates. This study aimed to examine the alternative short-term [...] Read more.

Given the unemployment wave caused by COVID-19, the Israeli Ministry of Education and other organizations initiated a unique alternative short-term retraining program to offer unemployed college and university graduates the opportunity to earn teaching certificates. This study aimed to examine the alternative short-term program from the coordinators’ perspectives. We assess the personal and organizational impact of the program and its contribution to teacher-education initiatives. The present study had two main goals: to learn about the structure of the program and its implementation from the professional and personal points of view of the program’s coordinators as they experienced it and to examine the contribution of the new short-term program to the participants—the teacher trainees—and the Israeli education system in general. Analyzing semi-structured interviews with program coordinators revealed insights regarding the program’s various phases in five categories: recruitment of the coordinator; establishing the program; clinical experience; the students of the program; and future initiatives for teacher education. Although the effectiveness of the online format for practical clinical training was questioned, the conclusion suggests that this alternative short-term teacher-education program may have broader relevance in routine times. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

13 pages, 211 KiB

Open AccessArticle

STEM Cooperating Teachers’ Professional Growth: The Positive Impacts of a Year-Long Clinical Residency Collaboration

by Kimberly M. Baker, Katherine W. Stickney and Deborah D. Sachs

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(8), 899; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14080899 - 18 Aug 2024

Viewed by 712

Abstract

Teacher residency programs integrate coursework with clinical practice in a year-long residency in which pre-service teachers work under the guidance of a cooperating teacher who has demonstrated excellence in teaching and mentoring. The purpose of this study was to examine the reasons for [...] Read more.

Teacher residency programs integrate coursework with clinical practice in a year-long residency in which pre-service teachers work under the guidance of a cooperating teacher who has demonstrated excellence in teaching and mentoring. The purpose of this study was to examine the reasons for serving as a cooperating teacher and investigate how clinical residency pre-service teachers promote growth in the professional practice of cooperating teachers as teachers and teacher leaders. In this longitudinal qualitative study, we gathered data through semi-structured interviews and responses to survey questions over a five-year period. Ten STEM cooperating teachers (six female and four male) with 7 to 18 years of full-time teaching experience in biology, chemistry, or mathematics participated. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview transcripts and survey responses. The primary motivation for serving as a cooperating teacher was the desire to share experiences and support new teachers. Cooperating teachers described the following benefits: increased self-reflection and continuing reflective practice; meaningful collaboration with pre-service teachers; learned new teaching strategies to enrich their own teaching practice; improved communication skills; and the impetus to become teacher leaders. These findings support that clinical residency teaching programs are beneficial for STEM cooperating teachers and promote their professional growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

16 pages, 303 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparing Pre-Service Teachers for Family Engagement: Insights from the Initial Teacher Education Syllabus

by Sónia Cabral, Lourdes Mata and Francisco Peixoto

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 674; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060674 - 20 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1227

Abstract

Family involvement and participation in education (FIPE) profoundly impacts the quality of students’ academic and social development. Initial teacher education contribution in fostering attitudes, skills, and strategies for effective FIPE is therefore unquestionable. We aimed to find out to what extent Portuguese pre-service [...] Read more.

Family involvement and participation in education (FIPE) profoundly impacts the quality of students’ academic and social development. Initial teacher education contribution in fostering attitudes, skills, and strategies for effective FIPE is therefore unquestionable. We aimed to find out to what extent Portuguese pre-service teachers are prepared to engage families. A document analysis was conducted to establish explicit information regarding FIPE within initial teacher education syllabi. Out of 621 syllabi across 36 master’s courses from 25 institutions, only 98 included some information on FIPE. A mere 12 syllabi, from seven institutions, exclusively addressed family–school relationships. Our study covered over 87% of the master’s courses and syllabi, exposing inconsistencies in their educational aims, content, and recommended literature. These findings highlight discrepancies within the initial teacher education syllabi and underscore the need for the enhanced training of pre-service teachers in FIPE. It is crucial to promote more in-depth and explicit syllabi to promote effective family engagement and enrich initial teacher education programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

16 pages, 1659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bridging Theory and Practice: Using Goal Systems to Spark Professional Dialogue and Develop Personal Theories

by Hanna Westbroek, Bregje de Vries, Anna Kaal and Michelle McDonnell

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 458; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14050458 - 25 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1547

Abstract

School-based mentors play a key role in the learning processes of student teachers. Ideally, they facilitate student teachers to scrutinize their approaches and underlying assumptions, and link these to theoretical notions. In this study we investigated how three mentors used a goal-system representation [...] Read more.

School-based mentors play a key role in the learning processes of student teachers. Ideally, they facilitate student teachers to scrutinize their approaches and underlying assumptions, and link these to theoretical notions. In this study we investigated how three mentors used a goal-system representation (GSR) tool in their mentoring conversations. The GSR tool is essentially a visual reflection of the student teacher’s personal theory regarding classroom practice. It was developed at our teacher training institute to help our students see the personal relevance of research literature and theory and apply it to their lesson plans, to bridge the gap between educational theory, their vision of good teaching and their educational practice. In three explorative case studies, we show how mentors use the GSR tool and to what extent they support three levels of personal theory development: sharing, investigating and transforming. In all cases, student teachers could relate their practices to theoretical notions, giving access to their mentors for further questioning of their sense-making of the situation. Mentors successfully use these opportunities for personal theory development in various ways. We conclude that the GSR tool functions as a boundary object between theory and practice and between institute-based and school-based teacher education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

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16 pages, 407 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs about Children’s Participation and Possibilities for Their Transformation during Initial Teacher Education

by Sofia Avgitidou, Maria Kampeza, Konstantinos Karadimitriou and Christina Sidiropoulou

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 236; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14030236 - 25 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1165

Abstract

Pedagogy emphasises children’s participation in education as a child’s right and a prerequisite for learning and democratic education. However, studies show that participatory practices are not dominant in early childhood education (ECE). This calls for focused interventions during initial teacher education (ITE) to [...] Read more.

Pedagogy emphasises children’s participation in education as a child’s right and a prerequisite for learning and democratic education. However, studies show that participatory practices are not dominant in early childhood education (ECE). This calls for focused interventions during initial teacher education (ITE) to rectify this shortfall. This study examined pre-service teachers’ beliefs about children’s participation, exploring the effects of a targeted intervention during ITE in transforming pre-service teachers’ beliefs about a participatory paradigm in ECE. Pre-service teachers from three universities completed an open-ended questionnaire, both prior to and following the intervention, as well as a self-rating scale with open- and closed-ended questions post-intervention. The results displayed the variety of pre-service teachers’ beliefs, revealing the possibilities for their transformation after the intervention. The shifts observed in the pre-service teachers’ thinking after the intervention showed a shift in terms of the meaning of participation, their recognition of children’s abilities and rights, their ability to criticise the controlling role of the teacher, and their awareness of strategies to enhance co-decision-making processes in ECE. This study provides teacher educators with an understanding of the content of and ways to design interventions to foster participatory pedagogies in ECE during ITE. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

19 pages, 2015 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conceptual Change of ‘Teaching’ among Experienced Teachers after Studying Attentive Teaching

by Yaron Schur and Ainat Guberman

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14030231 - 23 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1186

Abstract

One of the obstacles preventing change of teaching methods in schools is teachers’ traditional conceptualizations of ‘teaching’ as transmissive and teacher-centered. The aim of this study was to track changes in experienced teachers’ concept of ‘teaching’, following their exposure to attentive teaching. This [...] Read more.

One of the obstacles preventing change of teaching methods in schools is teachers’ traditional conceptualizations of ‘teaching’ as transmissive and teacher-centered. The aim of this study was to track changes in experienced teachers’ concept of ‘teaching’, following their exposure to attentive teaching. This is a dialogical method in which the learners represent their concepts in drawings and written explanations, and discuss them with their teacher and peers. Method: This was a multiple-case study. The participants were three teachers who attended an attentive teaching professional development course. They drew ‘teaching’ in the first, sixth, and the last, fifteenth, session, and provided explanations of their drawings. Findings: At the start of the course, they described teaching as a unidirectional process of transmitting knowledge. In the middle, they became more aware of the students as individuals who should be listened to. By the end of the course, teaching was portrayed as multi-directional (and enjoyable), so that all the participants, including the teacher, teach and learn from each other. Conclusions: This study shows that by studying, experiencing, and implementing attentive teaching, it is possible to change experienced teachers’ traditional beliefs without directly challenging them, and that drawings can track the changes’ trajectory. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

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14 pages, 229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

University Teaching as a Site for Professional Learning of Teacher Educators: The Role of Collaborative Inquiry and Reflection within a Professional Learning Community

by Sofia Avgitidou, Konstantinos Karadimitriou, Maria Ampartzaki, Christina Sidiropoulou and Maria Kampeza

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14020207 - 18 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1892

Abstract

While initial teacher education (ITE) has been acknowledged as an important process for improving the quality of education by preparing future teachers, less attention has been paid to the support of the continuous professional learning of teacher educators (TEs). This study reports on [...] Read more.

While initial teacher education (ITE) has been acknowledged as an important process for improving the quality of education by preparing future teachers, less attention has been paid to the support of the continuous professional learning of teacher educators (TEs). This study reports on the supporting processes and tools for a collaborative inquiry-based systematic reflection of five TEs and the effects of their use in constructing professional knowledge about ITE. The reflective written reports and reflective discussions of the TEs are thematically analysed to show the focus of inquiry, the links among inquiry, reflection, and action, as well as the contributing role of collaboration within a professional learning community (PLC). The results show that the TE inquiry was a continuous process of exploring the beliefs, understandings, and participation of pre-service teachers (PSTs) during teaching; the impact of the teaching context on TE actions and decisions; and the ways in which their collaboration enhanced professional learning. The inquiry results informed the reflections and practice design of TEs. Guiding questions, sustained interactions among the PLC members, and support from a facilitator created opportunities for the collaborative construction of the professional learning of TEs. This article provides TEs or/and facilitators of PLCs in teacher education with a methodology for supporting professional knowledge through collaborative inquiry and reflection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

Review

Jump to: Research

23 pages, 791 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review of Research on Mathematics Teacher Educator Knowledge: Mapping the Terrain

by Alison Castro Superfine, Dana Olanoff, Rachael M. Welder and Priya V. Prasad

Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(8), 810; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14080810 - 25 Jul 2024

Viewed by 1033

Abstract

Over the past two decades, the landscape of research on mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) has grown considerably. One particular area of interest has focused on MTE knowledge and the ways in which it is developed and used in teaching practice. However, studies have [...] Read more.

Over the past two decades, the landscape of research on mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) has grown considerably. One particular area of interest has focused on MTE knowledge and the ways in which it is developed and used in teaching practice. However, studies have conceptualized MTE knowledge in different ways and have employed considerably different methodologies and approaches to its study. In an effort to understand this varied landscape, we conducted an extensive review of research on the nature and development of MTE knowledge. This review provides a broad descriptive analysis of the existing theoretical and empirical research on MTEs’ knowledge, explores the theoretical underpinnings of the existing frameworks for and studies on MTE knowledge, and considers implications for future research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Teachers and Teaching in Teacher Education)

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