WorldWideScience

Sample records for helping teachers teach

  1. Peer group reflection helps clinical teachers to critically reflect on their teaching.

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    Boerboom, Tobias B B; Jaarsma, Debbie; Dolmans, Diana H J M; Scherpbier, Albert J J A; Mastenbroek, Nicole J J M; Van Beukelen, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Student evaluations can help clinical teachers to reflect on their teaching skills and find ways to improve their teaching. Studies have shown that the mere presentation of student evaluations is not a sufficient incentive for teachers to critically reflect on their teaching. We evaluated and compared the effectiveness of two feedback facilitation strategies that were identical except for a peer reflection meeting. In this study, 54 clinical teachers were randomly assigned to two feedback strategies. In one strategy, a peer reflection was added as an additional step. All teachers completed a questionnaire evaluating the strategy that they had experienced. We analysed the reflection reports and the evaluation questionnaire. Both strategies stimulated teachers to reflect on feedback and formulate alternative actions for their teaching practice. The teachers who had participated in the peer reflection meeting showed deeper critical reflection and more concrete plans to change their teaching. All feedback strategies were considered effective by the majority of the teachers. Strategies with student feedback and self-assessment stimulated reflection on teaching and helped clinical teachers to formulate plans for improvement. A peer reflection meeting seemed to enhance reflection quality. Further research should establish whether it can have lasting effects on teaching quality.

  2. Teaching Abroad: Why Teachers Prefer Teaching Overseas

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    Mustafa Serbes

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Teaching overseas has always been a great opprotunity for academic and social development. Teachers who have international experiences stand a better chance of not only developing their teaching skills, communication skills and classroom management but also learning new languages and about other cultures. Teaching abroad can help teachers promote their skills for efficiency and effectiveness. It is important to stress that teachers with international experience can teach effectively and can contribute to the achievement of their students more. This paper focuses on five reasons why teachers prefer teaching overseas.

  3. Caring Enough to Teach Science. Helping Pre-service Teachers View Science Instruction as an Ethical Responsibility

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    Grinell, Smith; Rabin, Colette

    2017-11-01

    The goal of this project was to motivate pre-service elementary teachers to commit to spending significant instructional time on science in their future classrooms despite their self-assessed lack of confidence about teaching science and other impediments (e.g., high-stakes testing practices that value other subjects over science). Pre-service teachers in science methods courses explored connections between science and ethics, specifically around issues of ecological sustainability, and grappled with their ethical responsibilities as teachers to provide science instruction. Survey responses, student "quick-writes," interview transcripts, and field notes were analyzed. Findings suggest that helping pre-service teachers see these connections may shape their beliefs and dispositions in ways that may motivate them to embark on the long road toward improving their science pedagogical content knowledge and ultimately to teach science to their students more often and better than they otherwise might. The approach may also offer a way for teachers to attend to the moral work of teaching.

  4. Perceptions of Helpfulness of Teachers in Didactic Courses

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    Moate, Randall M.; Cox, Jane A.; Brown, Steven R.; West, Erin M.

    2017-01-01

    Thirty-five novice counselors completed a Q sort that assessed their perceptions of what was most helpful about teachers of didactic classes in their master's degree program. Participants perceived teachers who used a contextual teaching pedagogy and had an authentic, empathic, and compassionate way of being as helpful to their learning.

  5. Who Wants to Become a Teacher? Typology of Student-Teachers' Commitment to Teaching

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    Moses, Ikupa; Berry, Amanda; Saab, Nadira; Admiraal, Wilfried

    2017-01-01

    Understanding student-teachers' decisions to enter and stay in the teaching profession after graduation could help teacher educators to find appropriate procedures to enhance commitment to teaching. This study classified student-teachers based on their levels of commitment to teaching, and described these types based on student-teachers'…

  6. Planning for What Kind of Teaching? Supporting Cooperating Teachers as Teachers of Planning

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    Norman, Patricia J.

    2011-01-01

    Planning is a central task of teaching and a central focus in learning to teach. But what does planning entail, and how is planning best learned? What challenges do experienced teachers serving as school-based teacher educators face in becoming teachers of planning? What role can university teacher educators play in helping mentor teachers learn…

  7. Minority Preservice Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching Science: Sources of Science Teaching Strategies

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    Subramaniam, Karthigeyan

    2013-01-01

    This study explores five minority preservice teachers' conceptions of teaching science and identifies the sources of their strategies for helping students learn science. Perspectives from the literature on conceptions of teaching science and on the role constructs used to describe and distinguish minority preservice teachers from their mainstream…

  8. Teaching Primary Science: How Research Helps

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    Harlen, Wynne

    2010-01-01

    The very first edition of "Primary Science Review" included an article entitled "Teaching primary science--how research can help" (Harlen, 1986), which announced that a section of the journal would be for reports of research and particularly for teachers reporting their classroom research. The intervening 24 years have seen…

  9. Elementary Teacher's Conceptions of Inquiry Teaching: Messages for Teacher Development

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    Ireland, Joseph E.; Watters, James J.; Brownlee, Jo; Lupton, Mandy

    2012-02-01

    This study explored practicing elementary school teacher's conceptions of teaching in ways that foster inquiry-based learning in the science curriculum (inquiry teaching). The advocacy for inquiry-based learning in contemporary curricula assumes the principle that students learn in their own way by drawing on direct experience fostered by the teacher. That students should be able to discover answers themselves through active engagement with new experiences was central to the thinking of eminent educators such as Pestalozzi, Dewey and Montessori. However, even after many years of research and practice, inquiry learning as a referent for teaching still struggles to find expression in the average teachers' pedagogy. This study drew on interview data from 20 elementary teachers. A phenomenographic analysis revealed three conceptions of teaching for inquiry learning in science in the elementary years of schooling: (a) The Experience-centered conception where teachers focused on providing interesting sensory experiences to students; (b) The Problem-centered conception where teachers focused on engaging students with challenging problems; and (c) The Question-centered conception where teachers focused on helping students to ask and answer their own questions. Understanding teachers' conceptions has implications for both the enactment of inquiry teaching in the classroom as well as the uptake of new teaching behaviors during professional development, with enhanced outcomes for engaging students in Science.

  10. Jordanian Preservice Primary Teachers' Perceptions of Mentoring in Science Teaching

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    Abed, Osama H.; Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad

    2015-03-01

    Quality mentoring is fundamental to preservice teacher education because of its potential to help student and novice teachers develop the academic and pedagogical knowledge and skills germane to successful induction into the profession. This study focused on Jordanian preservice primary teachers' perceptions of their mentoring experiences as these pertain to science teaching. The Mentoring for Effective Primary Science Teaching instrument was administered to 147 senior preservice primary teachers in a university in Jordan. The results indicated that the greater majority of participants did not experience effective mentoring toward creating a supportive and reflexive environment that would bolster their confidence in teaching science; further their understanding of primary science curriculum, and associated aims and school policies; help with developing their pedagogical knowledge; and/or furnish them with specific and targeted feedback and guidance to help improve their science teaching. Substantially more participants indicated that their mentors modeled what they perceived to be effective science teaching. The study argues for the need for science-specific mentoring for preservice primary teachers, and suggests a possible pathway for achieving such a model starting with those in-service primary teachers-much like those identified by participants in the present study-who are already effective in their science teaching.

  11. Exploring Teacher Beliefs in Teaching EAP at Low Proficiency Levels

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    Alexander, Olwyn

    2012-01-01

    Teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) requires teachers experienced in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) to acquire additional skills, abilities and approaches. Beliefs about CLT teaching may not be appropriate for teaching EAP, especially to low level learners. Making teachers aware of their beliefs is the first step in helping them to…

  12. Institutional traditions in teachers' manners of teaching

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    Lundqvist, Eva; Almqvist, Jonas; Östman, Leif

    2012-03-01

    The aim of this article is to make a close case study of one teacher's teaching in relation to established traditions within science education in Sweden. The teacher's manner of teaching is analysed with the help of an epistemological move analysis. The moves made by the teacher are then compared in a context of educational philosophy and selective tradition. In the analyses the focus is to study the process of teaching and learning in action in institutionalised and socially shared practices. The empirical material consists of video recordings of four lessons with the same group of students and the same teacher. The students are all in Year 7 in a Swedish 9-year compulsory school. During these lessons the students work with a subject area called "Properties of materials". The results show that the teacher makes a number of different moves with regard to how to proceed and come to a conclusion about what the substances are. Many of these moves are special in that they indicate that the students need to be able to handle the procedural level of school science. These moves do not deal directly with the knowledge production process, but with methodological aspects. The function of the moves turns the students' attention from one source of knowledge to another. The moves are aimed at helping the students to help themselves, since it is through their own activity and their own thinking that learning takes place. This is characteristic in the teacher's manner of teaching. When compared in a context of educational philosophy, this manner of teaching has similarities with progressentialism; a mixture of essentialism and progressivism. This educational philosophy is a central aspect of what is called the academic tradition—a selective tradition common in science education in Sweden between 1960 and 1990.

  13. Approaches to Inquiry Teaching: Elementary teacher's perspectives

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    Ireland, Joseph; Watters, James J.; Lunn Brownlee, J.; Lupton, Mandy

    2014-07-01

    Learning science through the process of inquiry is advocated in curriculum documents across many jurisdictions. However, a number of studies suggest that teachers struggle to help students engage in inquiry practices. This is not surprising as many teachers of science have not engaged in scientific inquiry and possibly hold naïve ideas about what constitutes scientific inquiry. This study investigates teachers' self-reported approaches to teaching science through inquiry. Phenomenographic interviews undertaken with 20 elementary teachers revealed teachers identified six approaches to teaching for inquiry, clustered within three categories. These approaches were categorized as Free and Illustrated Inquiries as part of an Experience-centered category, Solution and Method Inquiries as part of a Problem-centered category, and Topic and Chaperoned Inquiries as part of a Question-centered category. This study contributes to our theoretical understanding of how teachers approach Inquiry Teaching and suggests fertile areas of future research into this valued and influential phenomenon broadly known as 'Inquiry Teaching'.

  14. Urban High School Teachers' Beliefs Concerning Essential Science Teaching Dispositions

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    Miranda, Rommel

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative study addresses the link between urban high school science teachers' beliefs about essential teaching dispositions and student learning outcomes. The findings suggest that in order to help students to do well in science in urban school settings, science teachers should possess essential teaching dispositions which include…

  15. Attitude of Student Teachers towards Teaching Profession

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    Bhargava, Anupama; Pathy, M. K.

    2014-01-01

    Teaching being a dynamic activity requires a favourable attitude and certain specific competencies from its practitioners. Teachers' proficiency depends on the attitude she possesses for the profession. The positive attitude helps teacher to develop a conductive learner friendly environment in the classroom. This also casts a fruitful effect on…

  16. COMMENTARY: I'M ONLY TRYING TO HELP: A ROLE FOR INTERVENTIONS IN TEACHING LISTENING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Rost

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available In my work as an author and teacher trainer, I have the opportunity to travel around the world and talk to teachers in a variety of settings. Though I meet teachers with a range of backgrounds and a wide disparity of resources, I find that a few common themes come up whenever I talk with teachers about language teaching and technology. One of the familiar refrains is that most of us claim to lack the technological resources we feel we need to teach effectively. There’s always something new on the horizon that we feel we just have to have. Another recurring theme is the lament that most of our students just don’t seem to take advantage of the extra learning opportunities we present them anyway! Teachers want to help, but often feel under appreciated for their efforts. Personally, I have relished the ongoing advances in technology over the course of my teaching career. I started out as a secondary school teacher in Togo, West Africa with chalk – sometimes yellow or pink! – and a blackboard as my only teaching technology. When teachers express a sense of being overwhelmed by new technology, I sometimes talk about my own beginnings and also remind them of a few of Donald Norman’s principles of human-centered design. According to Norman (2004, for any new technology to be effective, it must be intuitively helpful and elegantly efficient. In the case of language teaching, this means the technology must – immediately and transparently – help us teach better than we do already. If it doesn’t, we simply shouldn’t use it. In addition, Norman says, for any new technology to be widely adopted, it must appeal to the emotions as well as to reason. If people don’t enjoy using a particular technology, no matter how logically useful it may be, they will tend to shun it. Perhaps because as language teachers we tend to favor eclecticism, we will often throw any emerging technology into the mix as a "helpful resource." As Doughty and Long (2003

  17. Adoption of Mobile Technology for Teaching Preparation in Improving Teaching Quality of Teachers

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    Aliff Nawi

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to identify the readiness of teachers to use mobile phones for the purpose of teaching preparation. The study also reviewed the level of teachers’ satisfaction when using the mobile technology applications developed for the purpose of teaching and learning in the classroom. This study used the mix method to collect data. A total of 31 teachers were involved in answering the questionnaire and seven teachers were interviewed to obtain supportive data. The findings show that the use of applications on mobile phones can help teachers smoothen the lesson preparation. In addition, the use of mobile technology also gives satisfaction to the teachers in enhancing their knowledge in the field of teaching. However, the technical aspects are still a priority and influence the usability aspects of an educational application. The study also revealed that the end users’ age factor is important because it affects the frequency and usage of mobile technology in developing their skills. In conclusion, the use of mobile technology among teachers is appropriate and facilitates the teaching activities.

  18. Determining the Critical Skills Beginning Agriculture Teachers Need to Successfully Teach Welding

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    Pate, Michael L.; Warnick, Brian K.; Meyers, Tiffany

    2012-01-01

    Using the Delphi technique, agriculture teachers with significant experience teaching welding were asked to help determine the critical skills beginning agriculture teachers need to successfully teach welding. The study's objectives sought to (1) identify the knowledge and technical skill competencies that beginning agriculture teachers need to…

  19. Helping Mathematics Teachers Develop Noticing Skills: Utilizing Smartphone Technology for One-on-One Teacher/Student Interviews

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    Chao, Theodore; Murray, Eileen; Star, Jon R.

    2016-01-01

    Teaching mathematics for understanding requires listening to each student's mathematical thinking, best elicited in a one-on-one interview. Interviews are difficult to enact in a teacher's busy schedule, however. In this study, the authors utilize smartphone technology to help mathematics teachers interview a student in a virtual one-on-one…

  20. Teaching to Teach (with) Game Design: Game Design and Learning Workshops for Preservice Teachers

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    Akcaoglu, Mete; Kale, Ugur

    2016-01-01

    Engagement in game design tasks can help preservice teachers develop pedagogical and technical skills for teaching and promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Through the design process, preservice teachers not only exercise critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, but also learn about an instructional method to support their…

  1. Student Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching Biology

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    Subramaniam, Karthigeyan

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate prospective biology teachers' conceptions of teaching biology and identify how these conceptions revealed their strategies for helping their future students' learning of biology. The study utilized drawings, narratives and interviews to investigate the nature of the prospective biology…

  2. The Attitude of Math Teachers toward Cooperative Learning and Institutional Elements that May Help or Hinder its Use as a Teaching Methodology

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    Luis Gerardo Meza-Cascante

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the results of research conducted in high schools in the central region of the Cartago province, Costa Rica. The goal of the research was to determine the attitude of high school math teachers toward cooperative learning in math and identify factors in secondary education institutions that can help or hinder the implementation of cooperative learning as a strategy for teaching mathematics. The research was conducted with 39 secondary education math teachers, who participated in a workshop on cooperative learning in mathematics. The attitude toward this methodology was measured by using semantic differential. This information was triangulated with data obtained from non-participant observation. A combination of in-depth interviews and non-participant observation was used to access data that identifies institutional factors helping or hindering the implementation of math cooperative learning. Findings suggest a positive attitude from teachers toward integrating cooperative work as a teaching strategy to promote math learning and toward the role played by school principals in the adoption of educational innovations. It also reveals that high schools have adequate material conditions to implement the methodology, although the need for training is considered. This finding should be taken into account by the proponents of this methodological option.

  3. Fostering nature of science teaching in elementary pre-service teachers through developing reflection on teaching and learning

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    Pongsanon, Khemmawadee

    Although teacher educators have successfully helped K-12 teachers' develop adequate views of NOS, their views have not been transferred to their students. It is evident that K-12 students' understanding of NOS still does not align with the recommendation of the reforms document, indicating that holding an adequate view of NOS is insufficient for teaching NOS effectively. Instead, to teach NOS, teachers must develop the knowledge for translating their understanding of NOS into the forms accessible to students. The current study investigated the influence of four contexts of reflective practice on prospective elementary teachers' learning of how and intention to teach NOS. The participants were 18 pre-service teachers enrolled in a science methods course that was tied to a field experience course. To understand the development of the participants' intentions, knowledge of instructional strategies, and knowledge of assessment for teaching NOS, multiple data were collected throughout the science methods course and the field experience. Data sources included different versions of participants' lesson plans, video recordings of their teaching and teaching debriefings, online weekly teaching reflections, final semester reflection and other artifacts from the methods course. Content analysis was conducted with all data. The data revealed that the participants' knowledge of how and intentions to teach NOS were developed throughout the science methods course. Toward the conclusion of the semester, the participants showed intention to include NOS in their science instruction. With regard to strategies, participants planned to apply explicit reflective NOS instruction in the context of inquiry-based activities and stories from children's literature. They also planned to use age-appropriate language to refer to the targeted NOS aspects. In terms of assessment, by the conclusion of the semester the participants tended to use more formal assessment strategies. They reported

  4. Improving Michigan STEM Teachers and Teaching: The W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship

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    Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, 2016

    2016-01-01

    The W. K. Kellogg Foundation's Woodrow Wilson Michigan Teaching Fellowship successfully addressed the challenge of preparing and supporting effective teachers for Michigan's high-need classrooms, while helping transform teacher education across the state for the long term. This report analyzes the efforts of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation's Woodrow…

  5. A storied-identity analysis approach to teacher candidates learning to teach in an urban setting

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    Ibourk, Amal

    While many studies have investigated the relationship between teachers' identity work and their developing practices, few of these identity focused studies have honed in on teacher candidates' learning to teach in an urban setting. Drawing upon narrative inquiry methodology and a "storied identity" analytic framework, I examined how the storied identities of science learning and becoming a science teacher shape teacher candidates' developing practice. In particular, I examined the stories of three interns, Becky, David, and Ashley, and I tell about their own experiences as science learners, their transitions to science teachers, and the implications this has for the identity work they did as they navigated the challenges of learning to teach in high-needs schools. Initially, each of the interns highlighted a feeling of being an outsider, and having a difficult time becoming a fully valued member of their classroom community in their storied identities of becoming a science teacher in the beginning of their internship year. While the interns named specific challenges, such as limited lab materials and different math abilities, I present how they adapted their lesson plans to address these challenges while drawing from their storied identities of science learning. My study reveals that the storied identities of becoming a science teacher informed how they framed their initial experiences teaching in an urban context. In addition, my findings reveal that the more their storied identities of science learning and becoming a science teacher overlapped, the more they leveraged their storied identity of science learning in order to implement teaching strategies that helped them make sense of the challenges that surfaced in their classroom contexts. Both Becky and Ashley leveraged their storied identities of science learning more than David did in their lesson planning and learning to teach. David's initial storied identity of becoming a science teacher revealed how he

  6. Ways to prepare future teachers to teach science in multicultural classrooms

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    Billingsley, Berry

    2016-06-01

    Roussel De Carvalho uses the notion of superdiversity to draw attention to some of the pedagogical implications of teaching science in multicultural schools in cosmopolitan cities such as London. De Carvalho makes the case that if superdiverse classrooms exist then Science Initial Teacher Education has a role to play in helping future science teachers to become more knowledgeable and reflective about how to teach school students with a range of worldviews and religious beliefs. The aim of this paper is to take that proposition a step further by considering what the aims and content of a session in teacher education might be. The focus is on helping future teachers develop strategies to teach school students to think critically about the nature of science and what it means to have a scientific worldview. The paper draws on data gathered during an interview study with 28 students at five secondary schools in England. The data was analysed to discover students' perceptions of science and their perceptions of the way that science responds to big questions about being human. The findings are used to inform a set of three strategies that teachers could use to help young people progress in their understanding of the nature of science. These strategies together with the conceptual framework that underpins them are used to develop a perspective on what kinds of pedagogical content knowledge teacher education might usefully provide.

  7. Using Research-Based Video-Cases to Help Pre-Service Primary Teachers Conceptualize a Contemporary View of Mathematics Teaching

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    Lin, Pi-Jen

    2005-01-01

    The study inquired into the effect of research-based video-cases on pre-service teachers conceptualizing their understanding of contemporary mathematics teaching. The 43 participants enrolled in a Mathematics Method Course viewed and discussed 5 video-cases of primary teachers teaching. Journal entries, lesson plans, and microteaching observations…

  8. Teaching schools as teacher education laboratories

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    Sarah Gravett

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This study emanated from the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa. This Framework proposes that teaching schools should be established in the country to improve the teaching practicum component of pre-service teacher education. A generic qualitative study was undertaken to explore the affordances of a teaching school to enable student teacher learning for the teaching profession. The overarching finding of the study is that a teaching school holds numerous affordances for enabling meaningful student teacher learning for the teaching profession. However, the full affordances of a teaching school will not be realised if a teaching school is viewed merely as a practicum site. Foregrounding a laboratory view of practice work in a teaching school could enable true research-oriented teacher education. A teaching school as a teacher education laboratory would imply a deliberate inclusion of cognitive apprenticeship and an inquiry orientation to learning in the schoo

  9. Teaching science as argument: Prospective elementary teachers' knowledge

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    Barreto-Espino, Reizelie

    For the past two decades there has been increasing emphasis on argumentation in school science. In 2007, the National Research Council published a synthesis report that emphasizes the centrality of constructing, evaluating, and using scientific explanations. Participating in argumentation is seen as fundamental to children's science learning experiences. These new expectations increase challenges for elementary teachers since their understanding of and experiences with science are overwhelmingly inconsistent with teaching science as argument. These challenges are further amplified when dealing with prospective elementary teachers. The current study was guided by the following research questions: (1) What are the ways in which preservice elementary teachers appropriate components of "teaching science as argument" during their student teaching experience? (2) To what extent do components from prospective elementary teachers' reflections influence planning for science teaching? (3) What elements from the context influence preservice elementary teachers' attention to teaching science as argument? This study followed a multi-participant case study approach and analyses were informed by grounded theory. Three participants were selected from a larger cohort of prospective elementary teachers enrolled in an innovative Elementary Professional Development School (PDS) partnership at a large Northeast University. Cross-case analysis allowed for the development of five key assertions: (1) The presence of opportunities for interacting with phenomena and collecting first hand data helped participants increase their emphasis on evidence-based explanations. (2) Participants viewed science talks as an essential mechanism for engaging students in the construction of evidence-based explanations and as being fundamental to meaning-making. (3) Participants demonstrated attention to scientific subject matter during instruction rather than merely focusing on activities and/or inquiry

  10. A Self-reflection in Developing Teaching Performance at the Classroom for English Foreign Language (Efl) Teachers

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    Karlinawati, Esih

    2014-01-01

    This paper deals with a topic self-reflection in developing teaching performance. Self-reflection is a vital skill to reflect and evaluate teachers' teaching performance in the classroom. However, there are many teachers running monotonous classes because they do not make a self-reflection. This consideration explores teachers' strengths and weaknesses in learning process. This research will help the teachers to maintain or eliminate critical incident on learning and teaching process. This re...

  11. Assessment of the Opinions and Practices of Student Teachers on Micro-Teaching as a Teaching Strategy

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    Göçer, Ali

    2016-01-01

    Purpose of study is to ascertain the effectiveness of micro-teaching, a training technique used to help student teachers establish a strong pedagogical background. Student teachers were required to give classroom-lessons in a natural school environment, to enable them to convert their knowledge into respective skills. Accordingly, within the scope…

  12. Teaching language teachers scaffolding professional learning

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    Maggioli, Gabriel Diaz

    2012-01-01

    Teaching Language Teachers: Scaffolding Professional Learning provides an updated view of as well as a reader-friendly introduction to the field of Teaching Teachers, with special reference to language teaching. By taking a decidedly Sociocultural perspective, the book addresses the main role of the Teacher of Teachers (ToT) as that of scaffolding the professional learning of aspiring teachers.

  13. The Realities of Teaching Elementary Mathematics by Student Teachers: A Phenomenological Probe

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    Jo Ann M. Petancio

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This study probed into the lived experiences of the student-teachers as they go through teaching Elementary Mathematics. Apart from Mathematics, these student-teachers who are generalists teach the other seven subjects. This phenomenological study was conducted during the first semester, school year 2017-2018 in Cebu Normal University-Integrated Laboratory School in Cebu City, Philippines. The researchers interviewed twelve student teachers and used Colaizzi’s method of data analysis. Results revealed that the essence of teaching Math from the lens of elementary student teachers is condensed in the following themes: a Emotional mix-up; b Challenging; c Never stop learning and reach out for help; d Success is a joint venture of teacher and student; e Values count; f We are work in progress. The researchers recommend that teacher education institutions may consider revisiting their policies and practices to strengthen the support lent by the supervisor, mentors and staff to the budding teachers; providing supplemental training and coaching towards improving the student teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in Math; and providing the pre-service teachers with reflective strategies in processing one’s own experiences in teaching the subject. Moreover, since elementary student-teachers teach not only Math but the other subjects as well, the researchers also recommend that further researches may be conducted on topics related on how the teaching of the other subjects influence one’s way of teaching Mathematics.

  14. Physics Teachers' Future Teaching Plans

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    Physics Teacher, 2012

    2012-01-01

    There are two sides of the physics teacher turnover equation: teachers leaving and teachers entering. This month we will focus on teachers' future teaching plans. As seen in the figure, about 5% of the 27,000 teachers who taught physics in U.S. high schools in 2008-09 were in their first year of teaching physics (but not necessarily their first…

  15. The Relationship Between Teaching Styles and Motivation to Teach Among Physical Education Teachers

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    Hein, Vello; Ries, Francis; Pires, Francisco; Caune, Agnese; Heszteráné Ekler, Judit; Emeljanovas, Arunas; Valantiniene, Irena

    2012-01-01

    This study aims to investigate how teachers' motivation to teach is related to different teaching styles. A hundred and seventy six physical education teachers from five European countries participated in the study. Teachers' motivation was measured using an instrument developed by Roth et al., 2007 based on the Self-Determination Theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985) which was tested for suitability for use with physical education teachers. The use of teaching styles was assessed through teachers' self-reported data according to the description of teaching styles presented by Curtner-Smith et al., 2001. The revised confirmatory factor model of the teachers' motivation instrument, with three factors, met the criteria for satisfactory fit indices. The results showed that teachers were more intrinsically motivated to teach than externally. Cross-cultural comparison indicated that the Spanish teachers were more intrinsically motivated whilst Lithuanian teachers were more externally motivated than teachers from the other four countries. Teachers from all five countries reported a more frequent use of reproductive styles than productive styles. The results of the present study confirmed the hypotheses that teachers' autonomous motivation is related to the student-centered or productive teaching styles whilst non-autonomously motivated teachers adopt more teacher-centered or reproductive teaching styles. Intrinsic and introjected motivation was significantly higher among teachers who more frequently employed productive teaching styles than teachers who used them less frequently. Intrinsically motivated teachers using more productive teaching styles can contribute more to the promotion physical activity among students. Key points PE teachers were more intrinsically motivated to teach than externally. Spanish PE teachers were more intrinsically motivated, whereas Lithuanian PE teachers were more externally motivated. Teachers from all five countries reported a more frequent use of

  16. The relationship between teaching styles and motivation to teach among physical education teachers.

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    Hein, Vello; Ries, Francis; Pires, Francisco; Caune, Agnese; Heszteráné Ekler, Judit; Emeljanovas, Arunas; Valantiniene, Irena

    2012-01-01

    This study aims to investigate how teachers' motivation to teach is related to different teaching styles. A hundred and seventy six physical education teachers from five European countries participated in the study. Teachers' motivation was measured using an instrument developed by Roth et al., 2007 based on the Self-Determination Theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985) which was tested for suitability for use with physical education teachers. The use of teaching styles was assessed through teachers' self-reported data according to the description of teaching styles presented by Curtner-Smith et al., 2001. The revised confirmatory factor model of the teachers' motivation instrument, with three factors, met the criteria for satisfactory fit indices. The results showed that teachers were more intrinsically motivated to teach than externally. Cross-cultural comparison indicated that the Spanish teachers were more intrinsically motivated whilst Lithuanian teachers were more externally motivated than teachers from the other four countries. Teachers from all five countries reported a more frequent use of reproductive styles than productive styles. The results of the present study confirmed the hypotheses that teachers' autonomous motivation is related to the student-centered or productive teaching styles whilst non-autonomously motivated teachers adopt more teacher-centered or reproductive teaching styles. Intrinsic and introjected motivation was significantly higher among teachers who more frequently employed productive teaching styles than teachers who used them less frequently. Intrinsically motivated teachers using more productive teaching styles can contribute more to the promotion physical activity among students. PE teachers were more intrinsically motivated to teach than externally.Spanish PE teachers were more intrinsically motivated, whereas Lithuanian PE teachers were more externally motivated.Teachers from all five countries reported a more frequent use of reproductive

  17. Pre-Service Teachers' Views of Inquiry Teaching and Their Responses to Teacher Educators' Feedback on Teaching Practice

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    Yoon, Hye-Gyoung; Kim, Mijung; Kim, Byoung Sug; Joung, Yong Jae; Park, Young-Shin

    2013-01-01

    This study attempted to explore 15 Korean elementary pre-service teachers' views of inquiry teaching. During a science teaching methods course, pre-service teachers implemented a peer teaching lesson, had a group discussion to reflect on five teacher educators' comments on their first peer teaching practice, and revised and re-taught the lesson as…

  18. Helping Immigrants Become Teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Flynn

    2001-01-01

    Describes Newcomers Entering Teaching, a program designed by the Portland (Maine) Public Schools to prepare recent immigrants and refugees to enter local university's 9-month teacher-certification program. (PKP)

  19. The effect of electronic networking on preservice elementary teachers' science teaching self-efficacy and attitude towards science teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathew, Nishi Mary

    Preservice elementary teachers' science teaching efficacy and attitude towards science teaching are important determinants of whether and how they will teach science in their classrooms. Preservice teachers' understanding of science and science teaching experiences have an impact on their beliefs about their ability to teach science. This study had a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design (N = 60). Preservice elementary teachers in this study were networked through the Internet (using e-mail, newsgroups, listserv, world wide web access and electronic mentoring) during their science methods class and student practicum. Electronic networking provides a social context in which to learn collaboratively, share and reflect upon science teaching experiences and practices, conduct tele-research effectively, and to meet the demands of student teaching through peer support. It was hoped that the activities over the electronic networks would provide them with positive and helpful science learning and teaching experiences. Self-efficacy was measured using a 23-item Likert scale instrument, the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument, Form-B (STEBI-B). Attitude towards science teaching was measured using the Revised Science Attitude Scale (RSAS). Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data, with pretest scores as the covariate. Findings of this study revealed that prospective elementary teachers in the electronically networked group had better science teaching efficacy and personal science teaching efficacy as compared to the non-networked group of preservice elementary teachers. The science teaching outcome expectancy of prospective elementary teachers in the networked group was not greater than that of the prospective teachers in the non-networked group (at p < 0.05). Attitude towards science teaching was not significantly affected by networking. However, this is surmised to be related to the duration of the study. Information about the

  20. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEACHING STYLES AND MOTIVATION TO TEACH AMONG PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vello Hein

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to investigate how teachers' motivation to teach is related to different teaching styles. A hundred and seventy six physical education teachers from five European countries participated in the study. Teachers' motivation was measured using an instrument developed by Roth et al., 2007 based on the Self-Determination Theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985 which was tested for suitability for use with physical education teachers. The use of teaching styles was assessed through teachers' self-reported data according to the description of teaching styles presented by Curtner-Smith et al., 2001. The revised confirmatory factor model of the teachers' motivation instrument, with three factors, met the criteria for satisfactory fit indices. The results showed that teachers were more intrinsically motivated to teach than externally. Cross-cultural comparison indicated that the Spanish teachers were more intrinsically motivated whilst Lithuanian teachers were more externally motivated than teachers from the other four countries. Teachers from all five countries reported a more frequent use of reproductive styles than productive styles. The results of the present study confirmed the hypotheses that teachers' autonomous motivation is related to the student-centered or productive teaching styles whilst non-autonomously motivated teachers adopt more teacher-centered or reproductive teaching styles. Intrinsic and introjected motivation was significantly higher among teachers who more frequently employed productive teaching styles than teachers who used them less frequently. Intrinsically motivated teachers using more productive teaching styles can contribute more to the promotion physical activity among students

  1. Teachers' perceptions on primary science teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kijkuakul, Sirinapa

    2018-01-01

    This qualitative research aimed to review what primary teachers think about how to teach science in rural school contexts. Three primary schools in Thailand were purposively chosen for this study. Eleven primary science teachers of these schools were the research participants. Questionnaires, interviews, and observations were implemented to reveal the primary school teachers' educational backgrounds, science teaching context, and need for self-driven professional development. Content and discourse analysis indicated that the non-science educational background and the science teaching context implied a need for self-driven professional development. The non-science educational background teachers were generally unfamiliar with the current national science curriculum, and that they would not be comfortable when the researcher observed their science teaching practice. They also believed that experimentation was the only one strategy for teaching science, and that the priority for their teaching support was teaching media rather than their understanding of scientific concepts or teaching strategies. As implication of this research, subsequent developments on science teacher profession in rural context, therefore, need to promote teachers' understandings of nature of science and technological and pedagogical content knowledge. In addition, they should be challenged to practice on critically participatory action research for academic growth and professional learning community.

  2. Engaging Pre-Service Teachers to Teach Science Contextually with Scientific Approach Instructional Video

    Science.gov (United States)

    Susantini, E.; Kurniasari, I.; Fauziah, A. N. M.; Prastowo, T.; Kholiq, A.; Rosdiana, L.

    2018-01-01

    Contextual teaching and learning/CTL presents new concepts in real-life experiences and situations where students can find out the meaningful relationship between abstract ideas and practical applications. Implementing contextual teaching by using scientific approach will foster teachers to find the constructive ways of delivering and organizing science content. This research developed an instructional video that represented a modeling of using a scientific approach in CTL. The aim of this research are to engage pre-service teachers in learning how to teach CTL and to show how pre-service teachers’ responses about learning how to teach CTL using an instructional video. The subjects of this research were ten pre-service teachers in Department of Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia. All subjects observed the instructional video which demonstrated contextual teaching and learning combined with the scientific approach as they completed a worksheet to analyze the video content. The results showed that pre-service teachers could learn to teach contextually as well as applying the scientific approach in science classroom through a modeling in the instructional video. They also responded that the instructional video could help them to learn to teach each component contextual teaching as well as scientific approach.

  3. Preparing perservice teachers to teach elementary school science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Amy D.

    The development of scientifically literate citizens begins in the elementary school. Yet elementary school teachers are ill prepared to teach science (Trygstad, Smith, Banilower, Nelson, & Horizon Research, Inc., 2013). The research base on teacher preparation finds that programs designed to prepare elementary teachers are inadequate in providing both the content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge necessary to teach science effectively (Baumgartner, 2010; Bodzin & Beerer, 2003; Bulunuz & Jarrett 2009). This mixed methods study examined what happened when a science methods course was interactively co-taught by an expert in elementary teaching methods and a physics expert. This study also aimed to discover what aspects of the curriculum pre-service teachers (PSTs) said helped them in developing their understanding of science content and scientific reasoning, and how to implement inquiry practices to teach science. A nested case study of three PSTs provided descriptive portraits of student experiences in the class. A whole class case analysis was used to examine what PSTs learned in terms of science, scientific reasoning skills, and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) from their experiences in the course. It was found that students often conflated science content with the experiences they had in learning the content. Although PSTs felt the interactive co-teaching model effectively created a balance between theory and practice, it was their experiences doing science--conducting physical experiments, developing and discussing scientific models, and the use of inquiry-based instruction--that they credited for their learning. Even with careful curriculum planning, and a course purposely designed to bridge the theory to practice gap, this study found one semester-long methods course to be insufficient in providing the vast content knowledge and PCK elementary school science teachers need.

  4. Promoting Evidence-Based Practices: New Teaching Module for Early Childhood Teacher Educators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young Children, 2009

    2009-01-01

    Linda Halgunseth, head of NAEYC's Office of Applied Research (OAR), tells readers about Child Care and Early Education Research Connections, a Web site (www.researchconnections.org/teaching_modules) to help teacher educators integrate knowledge about evidence-based practices into teacher education programs. In addition, the article touts the…

  5. Student Teachers' Approaches to Teaching Biological Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borgerding, Lisa A.; Klein, Vanessa A.; Ghosh, Rajlakshmi; Eibel, Albert

    2015-06-01

    Evolution is fundamental to biology and scientific literacy, but teaching high school evolution is often difficult. Evolution teachers face several challenges including limited content knowledge, personal conflicts with evolution, expectations of resistance, concerns about students' conflicts with religion, and curricular constraints. Evolution teaching can be particularly challenging for student teachers who are just beginning to gain pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge related to evolution teaching and who seek approval from university supervisors and cooperating teachers. Science teacher educators need to know how to best support student teachers as they broach the sometimes daunting task of teaching evolution within student teaching placements. This multiple case study report documents how three student teachers approached evolution instruction and what influenced their approaches. Data sources included student teacher interviews, field note observations for 4-5 days of evolution instruction, and evolution instructional artifacts. Data were analyzed using grounded theory approaches to develop individual cases and a cross-case analysis. Seven influences (state exams and standards, cooperating teacher, ideas about teaching and learning, concerns about evolution controversy, personal commitment to evolution, knowledge and preparation for teaching evolution, and own evolution learning experiences) were identified and compared across cases. Implications for science teacher preparation and future research are provided.

  6. Preservice Teachers' Teacher Efficacy Beliefs and Constructivist-Based Teaching Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Temiz, Tugba; Topcu, Mustafa Sami

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between preservice teachers' (PTs) teacher efficacy beliefs and their constructivist-based teaching practices. Data were gathered through the questionnaire (Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale) and the observation protocol (Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol) administered to the…

  7. Teaching Grammar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crawford, William J.

    2013-01-01

    Grammar is a component in all language skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Teachers need to know rules of grammar (teacher knowledge) as well as techniques that help students use grammar effectively and effortlessly (teaching knowledge). Using reflective practice to help teachers become comfortable with teaching grammar, this…

  8. Teachers' approaches to teaching physics

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-01

    Benjamin Franklin said, "Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I learn." He would not be surprised to learn that research in physics pedagogy has consistently shown that the traditional lecture is the least effective teaching method for teaching physics. We asked high school physics teachers which teaching activities they used in their classrooms. While almost all teachers still lecture sometimes, two-thirds use something other than lecture most of the time. The five most often-used activities are shown in the table below. In the January issue, we will look at the 2013 Nationwide Survey of High School Physics teachers. Susan White is Research Manager in the Statistical Research Center at the American Institute of Physics; she directs the Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers. If you have any questions, please contact Susan at swhite@aip.org.

  9. Both preparing to teach and teaching positively impact learning outcomes for peer teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregory, Alexander; Walker, Ian; McLaughlin, Kevin; Peets, Adam D

    2011-01-01

    We sought to evaluate the independent effects of preparing to teach and teaching on peer teacher learning outcomes. To evaluate the independent contributions of both preparing to teach and teaching to the learning of peer teachers in medical education. In total, 17 third-year medical students prepared to teach second-year students Advanced Cardiac Life Support algorithms and electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation. Immediately prior to teaching they were randomly allocated to not teach, to teach algorithms, or to teach ECG. Peer teachers were tested on both topics prior to preparation, immediately after teaching and 60 days later. Compared to baseline, peer teachers' mean examination scores (±SD) demonstrated the greatest gains for content areas they prepared for and then taught (43.0% (13.9) vs. 66.3% (8.8), p teach but did not teach, less dramatic gains were evident (43.6% (8.3) vs. 54.7% (9.4), p teaching were greater than those for preparation (23.3% (10.9) vs. 8% (9.6), p teach and actively teaching may have independent positive effects on peer teacher learning outcomes.

  10. Florida Teachers' Attitudes about Teaching Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Samantha R.; Meisels, Gerry G.

    2010-01-01

    A survey of Florida teachers reveals many differences in comfort level with teaching evolution according to the state's science teaching standards, general attitudes and beliefs about evolution, and the extent to which teachers are criticized, censured, disparaged, or reprehended for their beliefs about the teaching of evolution.

  11. Teachers' professional judgement in real teaching situations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mikkelsen, Sidse Hølvig; Daugbjerg, Peer; Sommer, Lise

    2017-01-01

    Teachers' daily work is complex consisting of teaching, dialogue with pupils, principals, colleagues, parents besides a variety of daily supervision tasks. This entails that the teachers' workdays are loaded with judgements, evaluations, reflections and actions founded on reasonable considerations....... Teachers' capability to make sensible judgements in pedagogical situations and moments are based on their personal norms and knowledge. Norms and knowledge that makes it possible for them to make well-considered decisions regarding good teaching. Teachers' planned changes in teaching are typically well...... as well as unconscious and they are expressed bodily and verbally. The presentation will discuss methodological approach on how to investigate teachers' professional judgement. We will use video recordings of actual teaching situations to generate dialogue with the participating teachers. The dialogue...

  12. Teacher Evaluation: Organizational Maintenance Versus Stimulation of Improved Teaching Performance. The New Mexico Principalship Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Carolyn J.; Pohland, Paul A.

    Teacher evaluation procedures appear to focus on organizational maintenance aspects more heavily than on helping teachers improve their teaching performance. This conclusion was reached after a content analysis of teacher evaluation instruments used in New Mexico schools. Items focusing on the instructional role constituted only 28% of the items…

  13. Learner-Centered Micro Teaching in Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilic, Abdurrahman

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Learner-Centered Micro Teaching (LCMT) on the development of teacher candidates' teaching competencies. To achieve this goal, teacher candidates' teaching behaviors on subject area, planning, teaching process, classroom management, communication, and evaluation have been pre- and…

  14. In Search of Teaching Quality of EFL Student Teachers through Teaching Practicum: Lessons from a Teacher Education Program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siti Nurul Azkiyah

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This study was intended to investigate the teaching quality of student teachers when they conducted their teaching practicum. Teaching quality is conceptualised based on eight classroom factors (orientation, structuring, modelling, application, questioning, building classroom as a learning environment, assessment, and time management of the dynamic model, which have previously been found to affect student outcomes. The study used a mixed-methods design: a survey on students’ perceptions of the teaching quality of their teacher (student teachers and classroom observation. The study was conducted in Tangerang Selatan, Indonesia, involving English as a Foreign Language (EFL student teachers in the English Education Program, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Indonesia and 199 students of three different schools. The findings revealed that the student teachers did not yet practice the classroom factors of the dynamic model. Some recommendations include incorporating the classroom factors of the dynamic model in the curriculum or syllabus related to pedagogical skills to better prepare teachers in the future. It is also beneficial to study the possibility of sending student teachers to school earlier not only for the teaching practicum but also for other relevant purposes.

  15. Teaching science as inquiry in US and in Japan: A cross-cultural comparison of science teachers' understanding of, and attitudes toward inquiry-based teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tosa, Sachiko

    Since the publication of the National Science Education Standards in 1996, learning science through inquiry has been regarded as the heart of science education. However, the TIMSS 1999 Video Study showed that inquiry-based teaching has been taking place less in the United States than in Japan. This study examined similarities and differences in how Japanese and American middle-school science teachers think and feel about inquiry-based teaching. Teachers' attitudes toward the use of inquiry in science teaching were measured through a survey instrument (N=191). Teachers' understanding of inquiry-based teaching was examined through interviews and classroom observations in the United States (N=9) and Japan (N=15). The results show that in spite of the variations in teachers' definitions of inquiry-based teaching, teachers in both countries strongly agree with the idea of inquiry-based teaching. However, little inquiry-based teaching was observed in either of the countries for different reasons. The data indicate that Japanese teachers did not generally help students construct their own understanding of scientific concepts in spite of well-planned lesson structures and activity set-ups. On the other hand, the observational data indicate that American teachers often lacked meaningful science content in spite of their high level of pedagogical knowledge. The need for addressing the importance of scientific concepts in teacher preparation programs in higher education institutions in the US is advocated. To the Japanese science education community, the need for teachers' acquisition of instructional strategies for inquiry-based teaching is strongly addressed.

  16. Teaching Teachers to Play and Teach Games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Steven; McNeill, Michael; Fry, Joan; Wang, John

    2005-01-01

    This study was designed to determine the extent to which a technical and a tactical approach to teaching a basketball unit to physical education teacher education (PETE) students would each affect their games playing abilities, perceived ability to teach, and approach preference for teaching the game. Pre- and post-unit data were collected through…

  17. Reflection on the Teaching-Learning Process in the Initial Training of Teachers. Characterization of the Issues on Which Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers Reflect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamoso, J. M.; Caceres, M. J.; Azcarate, P.

    2012-01-01

    Our aim was to highlight the issues of the reflections of pre-service mathematics teachers in their learning portfolio about the teaching-learning process taking place in a university teacher-training classroom. Category systems were designed which, together with the analysis system used, could provide a method helpful to teacher educators,…

  18. Teacher cognition and the teaching of EFL reading in Norwegian upper primary classrooms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trine Mathiesen Gilje

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available This article is about a qualitative study of teacher cognition and the teaching of EFL reading in Norwegian upper primary classrooms. Teacher cognition, defined by Borg (2003, p.81 as ‘what teachers think, know, and believe and the relationships of these mental constructs to what teachers do in the language teaching classroom’, is a relatively new field of research, with few studies focussing on its link to the teaching of EFL reading skills in state schools or in young language learner classrooms. The study therefore aimed to explore upper primary EFL teachers’ reading-related materials and practices, what knowledge, attitudes and beliefs formed the basis of their choices, and the role of teacher education in this context. The method was semi-structured interviews with eight randomly selected 6th grade EFL-teachers. The study showed that the teachers primarily based their teaching of EFL reading on textbooks, used them in similar ways, but also used additional reading materials to varying extents. The teachers thus appeared to be heavily guided by their textbooks, in addition to intuition and routines. The impact of formal teacher education varied from teacher to teacher. Nevertheless, it was argued that pre-service and in-service teacher education will play an important role in helping future EFL teachers make and understand the choices they make about reading materials and pracices, so that they can meet the demands of increasingly diverse classrooms due to differences in linguistic, social and national backgrounds between pupils.

  19. Improving Early Career Science Teachers' Ability to Teach Space Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schultz, G. R.; Slater, T. F.; Wierman, T.; Erickson, J. G.; Mendez, B. J.

    2012-12-01

    The GEMS Space Science Sequence is a high quality, hands-on curriculum for elementary and middle schools, created by a national team of astronomers and science educators with NASA funding and support. The standards-aligned curriculum includes 24 class sessions for upper elementary grades targeting the scale and nature of Earth's, shape, motion and gravity, and 36 class sessions for middle school grades focusing on the interactions between our Sun and Earth and the nature of the solar system and beyond. These materials feature extensive teacher support materials which results in pre-test to post-test content gains for students averaging 22%. Despite the materials being highly successful, there has been a less than desired uptake by teachers in using these materials, largely due to a lack of professional development training. Responding to the need to improve the quantity and quality of space science education, a collaborative of space scientists and science educators - from the University of California, Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) and Center for Science Education at the Space Sciences Laboratory (CSE@SSL), the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), the University of Wyoming, and the CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education - experimented with a unique professional development model focused on helping master teachers work closely with pre-service teachers during their student teaching internship field experience. Research on the exodus of young teachers from the teaching profession clearly demonstrates that early career teachers often leave teaching because of a lack of mentoring support and classroom ready curriculum materials. The Advancing Mentor and Novice Teachers in Space Science (AMANTISS) team first identified master teachers who supervise novice, student teachers in middle school, and trained these master teachers to use the GEMS Space Science Sequence for Grades 6-8. Then, these master teachers were mentored in how to coach their

  20. Language Teachers: Research and Studies in Language(s) Education, Teaching, and Learning in "Teaching and Teacher Education," 1985-2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleinsasser, Robert C.

    2013-01-01

    The article reviews twelve of 79 articles focusing on language teachers, language(s) teacher education, teaching, and learning published in "Teaching and Teacher Education" since 1985. The twelve articles, divided into three sections, include narrative inquiry and identity, teacher education topics, and contexts. The articles provide local and…

  1. Pedagogical perspectives and implicit theories of teaching: First year science teachers emerging from a constructivist science education program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias, Michael James

    Traditional, teacher-centered pedagogies dominate current teaching practice in science education despite numerous research-based assertions that promote more progressive, student-centered teaching methods. Best-practice research emerging from science education reform efforts promotes experiential, collaborative learning environments in line with the constructivist referent. Thus there is a need to identify specific teacher education program designs that will promote the utilization of constructivist theory among new teachers. This study explored the learning-to-teach process of four first-year high school teachers, all graduates of a constructivist-based science education program known as Teacher Education Environments in Mathematics and Science (TEEMS). Pedagogical perspectives and implicit theories were explored to identify common themes and their relation to the pre-service program and the teaching context. Qualitative methods were employed to gather and analyze the data. In depth, semi-structured interviews (Seidman, 1998) formed the primary data for probing the context and details of the teachers' experience as well as the personal meaning derived from first year practice. Teacher journals and teaching artifacts were utilized to validate and challenge the primary data. Through an open-coding technique (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) codes, and themes were generated from which assertions were made. The pedagogical perspectives apparent among the participants in this study emerged as six patterns in teaching method: (1) utilization of grouping strategies, (2) utilization of techniques that allow the students to help teach, (3) similar format of daily instructional strategy, (4) utilization of techniques intended to promote engagement, (5) utilization of review strategies, (6) assessment by daily monitoring and traditional tests, (7) restructuring content knowledge. Assertions from implicit theory data include: (1) Time constraints and lack of teaching experience made

  2. The difficulties of teacher in teaching geometry for mental retardation students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shomad, Z. A.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Riyadi

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of this research is to find out the problems faced by teachers in teaching materials on mental retardation students. It focused on the difficulties faced by the teacher in teaching geometry. A qualitative method with field study approach used in this study. The subjects in this research are the teacher and mild mental retardation students. There are six teachers and six students involve as the subject which is chosen by purposive sampling. The data of this research is the observation and interview against teachers and mental retardation students. The data was analyzed qualitatively with Miles and Huberman steps. The results of this research show that mental retardation students have less attention to the materials, less special books or learning media props, difficult in the set the students, and the difficulty in choosing the material that suits the student needs and the condition of mental retardation students. There's not much pay attention to the children with special need, particularly mental retardation student. Thus, this study can help analyze the difficulties teachers so that learning math for mental retardation students more optimal.

  3. Correlation between Teaching Styles of Candidate Music Teachers and Mentor Music Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmethan, Nurtug Bariseri

    2016-01-01

    Music teacher candidates spend part of their Bachelor education in practice schools with mentor teachers before starting work. Observing music teachers in the classroom empower candidates to understand how music teaching and learning occur in classrooms, and also enlightens them on how mentor teachers teach, which then expands their awareness…

  4. Student Teachers' Emotional Teaching Experiences in Relation to Different Teaching Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timoštšuk, I.; Kikas, E.; Normak, M.

    2016-01-01

    The role of emotional experiences in teacher training is acknowledged, but the role of emotions during first experiences of classroom teaching has not been examined in large samples. This study examines the teaching methods used by student teachers in early teaching practice and the relationship between these methods and emotions experienced. We…

  5. Preservice teachers' perceived confidence in teaching school violence prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandakai, Tina L; King, Keith A

    2002-01-01

    To examine preservice teachers' perceived confidence in teaching violence prevention and the potential effect of violence-prevention training on preservice teachers' confidence in teaching violence prevention. Six Ohio universities participated in the study. More than 800 undergraduate and graduate students completed surveys. Violence-prevention training, area of certification, and location of student- teaching placement significantly influenced preservice teachers' perceived confidence in teaching violence prevention. Violence-prevention training positively influences preservice teachers' confidence in teaching violence prevention. The results suggest that such training should be considered as a requirement for teacher preparation programs.

  6. How Five Master Teachers Teach about Climate Chang

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloch, L.

    2015-12-01

    The AGU Position Statement, "Human-Induced Climate Change Requires Urgent Action," calls on scientists to "[work] with stakeholders to identify relevant information, and [to convey] understanding clearly and accurately, both to decision makers and to the general public". Everyday, K-12 teachers communicate with an important segment of the general public, and they represent important stakeholders with unique needs. The terms 'global warming', 'greenhouse effect', and 'climate change' appear nowhere in the 1996 National Science Education Standards, but under the Next Generation Science Standards, millions of teachers- most of whom have little to no experience teaching about climate change- will be required to cover the topic. This presentation discusses research conducted with five veteran public school teachers, each of whom has been teaching about climate change for many years. The group comprises three high school teachers, a middle school teacher, and an elementary school teacher. The study examined: 1) What these teachers teach about climate change; 2) How they teach about climate change; 3) What resources they use in teaching and learning about climate change; and 4) How they think the scientific community can support teachers in their efforts to teach about climate change. The teachers varied in their teaching practices and in their conceptions of 'climate change', but they all said that the academic community can support climate change education by developing locally relevant educational resources. Scientists working with K-12 teachers can build on the work of these master teachers, and attendees can access detailed descriptions of all of the lessons and the associated learning materials.

  7. Using a Teaching Philosophy Statement as a Professional Development Tool for Teacher Candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caukin, Nancy G.; Brinthaupt, Thomas M.

    2017-01-01

    Most new teachers are expected to develop a teaching philosophy statement (TPS). In the present paper, we describe some of the major functions of a TPS and how it can be beneficial to the professional development of teacher candidates. We then describe a case example of a Residency I program and how the features of that program help teacher…

  8. Perceptions of Linguistically Responsive Teaching in Teacher Candidates/Novice Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tandon, Madhavi; Viesca, Kara Mitchell; Hueston, Colin; Milbourn, Tamara

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study examined data from 36 teacher candidates and novice teachers to explore their perceptions and understandings of linguistic responsiveness. The findings illustrate the challenge of demonstrating linguistically responsive teaching practices in the early and initial stages of entering the teaching profession, and more research…

  9. Understanding Legitimate Teacher Authority in a Cross-Cultural Teaching Context: Pre-Service Chinese Language Teachers Undertaking Teaching Practicum in International Schools in Hong Kong

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Chun; Gu, Mingyue; Hu, Jingjing

    2015-01-01

    Legitimate teacher authority is fundamental to effective teaching, but is often a thorny issue that teachers need to grapple with when teaching in cross-cultural teaching contexts. By interviewing 18 pre-service Chinese language teachers on their understanding of legitimate teacher authority throughout teaching practicum at international schools…

  10. Preparing student teachers for constructivist teaching about society in primary grades

    OpenAIRE

    Dvořáková, Michaela

    2012-01-01

    Preparing student teachers for constructivist teaching about society in primary grades Michaela Dvořáková Abstract The content of primary social studies could be described as cultural universals - domains of human existence that form part of everybody's experience. Despite that, children do need a skilled instruction helping them to elaborate these topics. We suppose that for the constructivist teachers, deep content knowledge and pedagogic content knowledge is necessary to elaborate and conc...

  11. Science Teachers Taking their First Steps toward Teaching Socioscientific Issues through Collaborative Action Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyunju; Yang, Jung-eun

    2017-06-01

    This study presents two science teachers, Catherine and Jennifer, who took their first steps toward teaching socioscientific issues through collaborative action research. The teachers participated in the collaborative action research project because they wanted to address socioscientific issues but had limited experience in teaching them. The research questions included what kinds of challenges the teachers encountered when implementing socioscientific issues and to what extent they resolved the challenging issues as participating in collaborative action research. The primary data source consisted of audiotapes of regular group meetings containing information on the process of constructing and implementing lesson plans and reflecting on their teaching of socioscientific issues. We also collected classroom videotapes of the teachers' instruction and audiotapes of students' small group discussions and their worksheets. The findings indicated that when addressing socioscientific issues in the classes, the teachers encountered several challenging issues. We categorized them into four: (1) restructuring classroom dynamics and culture, (2) scaffolding students' engagement in socioscientific issues, (3) dealing with values, and (4) finding their niche in schools. However, this study showed that collaborative action research could be a framework for helping the teachers to overcome such challenges and have successful experiences of teaching socioscientific issues. These experiences became good motivation, to gradually develop their understanding of teaching socioscientific issues and instructional strategies for integrating the knowledge and skills that they had accumulated over the years.

  12. Challenges for Teachers in Developing their Teaching Professionalism: A Case Study of Secondary School in Makassar, Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hasan Tanang

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Identifying challenges for teachers in developing their professionalism in teaching to improve students’ learning outcomes. The focus was addressed on the development of teaching professionalism in improving knowledge and skills of Junior High School teachers in Makassar Indonesia. This study employed qualitative methods through a case study to identify the barriers of professionalism in teaching. 36 samples for open-ended questionnaire and nine of them are selected purposively to be interviewed. The data was analyzed by coding based on themes related to constraints in teaching management. The results showed four obstacles experienced by teachers in developing their professionalism, namely constraints on textbooks and student worksheets, school laboratory usage, ICT-based media, and the students themselves. The identification could encourage the community and parents support to finance the development of professionalism in teaching and to help the teachers work effectively

  13. Prospective Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Reflections on Teaching after Their First Teaching Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yazgan-Sag, Gönül; Emre-Akdogan, Elçin; Argün, Ziya

    2016-01-01

    The aim of our study was to examine prospective secondary mathematics teachers' reflections about teaching after their first teaching experience. We carried out five interviews during the two semesters with four Turkish prospective secondary mathematics teachers. The data analysis suggests that prospective secondary mathematics teachers'…

  14. A teachers' guide to teaching medical interviewing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanner, L A; Silverman, G

    1981-03-01

    Success in teaching a course in medical interviewing requires competence on the part of instructors, who also need training, and have to provide a structured approach. Problems encountered by course coordinators at the Department of Family Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida have been: (1) a shortage of skilled teachers; (2) inadequate motivation of instructors for teaching the course; (3) differences in content, teacher's style, and outcomes from small groups; and (4) ambiguities in structure or guidelines provided for teachers. The development of a teacher's guide, giving specific objectives and step-by-step methods for teaching significantly improved teacher satisfaction and commitment to the course, as well as student learning.

  15. The Use of Analogies in Language Teaching: Representing the Content of Teachers' Practical Knowledge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hulshof, Hans; Verloop, Nico

    2002-01-01

    This study sought to determine how experienced language teachers use analogies to help students comprehend a text on the course of their regular teaching routines. It is assumed that analogies constitute one important component of the content of teachers' practical knowledge in the context of reading-comprehension instruction. The framework of the…

  16. Cooperative Teaching: A Model for Teacher Collaboration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohlmann, Natalie L.

    1998-01-01

    A third grade teacher examines the effects of cooperative teaching in a two-teacher classroom. After discussing teacher roles in such classrooms, the paper describes how the advantages of such a system greatly outweigh the disadvantages. The paper presents keys to a successful teaching partnership and describes several models for lesson…

  17. Burnout Syndrome of Teachers

    OpenAIRE

    Semrádová, Michaela

    2013-01-01

    The bachelor's thesis covers burnout syndrome of teachers. Defines burnout syndrome, describes its causes and symptoms. Describes teaching as helping profession and focousing on stressful situations at school. In the last chapter described different prevention strategies burnout syndrome. Key words: burnout syndrome, teaching, teacher, helping professions, beginning teacher, stress

  18. Robert Frost: Democracy, Teaching, and Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, Jeffery M.

    2010-01-01

    The goal of this dissertation is to develop a connection between poetry and teacher education. I am motivated to undertake this project because poetry is an underappreciated resource, one that has a good deal to teach teachers. Specifically, I believe that poetry can teach teachers about how to creatively and democratically respond to problems of…

  19. How Do Teachers Teach? Insights from Teachers and Students. Teaching in Focus No. 18

    Science.gov (United States)

    OECD Publishing, 2017

    2017-01-01

    Educational quality is defined and shaped by the classroom practices implemented by teachers in our schools. The Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)-PISA link presents a unique opportunity to explore what takes place in the classroom by listening to the voices of teachers and students. Teachers, with their professional training and…

  20. Teacher Training and Pre-Service Primary Teachers' Self-Efficacy for Science Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velthuis, Chantal; Fisser, Petra; Pieters, Jules

    2014-01-01

    This study focuses on the improvement of pre-service teachers' self-efficacy for teaching science by including science courses within the teacher training program. Knowing how efficacy beliefs change over time and what factors influence the development by pre-service primary teachers of positive science teaching efficacy beliefs may be useful for…

  1. The effect of different levels of constructive teaching practices on teacher question asking behaviors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erdogan, Ibrahim

    The purposes of the study were: (1) to examine the effectiveness of the Iowa Chautauqua Professional Development Program (ICPDP) in moving elementary science teachers toward the use of more constructive teaching practices and (2) to investigate the effectiveness of different levels of teaching practices, especially in terms of a sample of teachers achieving "expert" state at the end of program compared with some attaining only with "competent" level. The variables considered were their perceptions of their own classroom practices, stated philosophy of teaching and learning, and their actual classroom practices and question asking behaviors observed via videotape recording. Structured questionnaires, focus group interviews, teacher reflections, and examination of lesson modules were used to collect data from thirty-three K-5 in-service teachers who were involved in a one-year ICPDP. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of data revealed that: (1) Teacher perceptions regarding their teaching and learning, and their actual teaching practices in classroom in terms of constructivist approaches were significantly changed after participation in the ICPDP. (2) Teacher perceptions of their classroom practices and stated philosophies of teaching and learning have a great affect on their actual practices that can be observed. (3) Teacher stated philosophies of teaching and learning significantly influence the quantity and quality of their use of questions in their classrooms. (4) The "expert" teachers accept students' alternative answers and deliberately ask high cognitive level questions that enable students to think critically and to guide them based on what the students are thinking. Alternatively, the "competent" teachers do not follow student responses and used questions which do not help students to understand their current level of understanding nor encourage students to reflect on their own thinking. (5) The role of "expert" teacher is more geared toward challenging

  2. The Opinion of Latvian Teachers About the Most Suitable Teaching Methods and Possibilities to Make Lessons Interesting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Porozovs Juris

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Student’s learning motivation and learning outcomes depend on the ability of the teacher to interest students, the chosen teaching methods and proficiency to manage the learning process. Teacher who can successfully choose teaching content, material resources and different teaching methods is able to cause interest about his subject. Teacher who is interested in teaching process himself can help students to learn a subject. The aim of the study was to find out the Latvian teachers' opinion about the disturbing factors affecting the achievement of high learning outcomes for students, the most suitable teaching methods and the possibilities to make lessons interesting. The survey of teachers of different schools in Latvia regarding their students’ learning motivation was carried out. The data from 482 teachers’ answers were analysed. The results of the research showed that the majority of surveyed teachers consider that learning motivation of Latvia students has decreased during the last few years. Teachers point out several factors, which do not allow students to reach high learning outcomes, the most important of them are: the inability of students to link career and success with learning and lack of life goals; inability of students to concentrate attention during lessons; indisposition of students to do homework. The teachers consider laboratory works, discussions, project works, group works and teacher’s presentations and narrative of new material as the most suitable teaching methods. Teachers consider that the most important personality trait of teachers and learning motivation for students to improve their skills is the teacher’s ability to teach the subject in an interesting way. Teachers believe that lessons can be made interesting if modern technologies and teaching methods are used during lessons and when the teacher is able to connect the subject with real life.

  3. In-service and Pre-service Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Attitudes and Decisions Regarding Teaching Mathematics Using Mobile Phones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wajeeh M. Daher

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Several researches examined students' mathematics learning using mobile phones, while very few researches examined mathematics teaching using this new educational tool. This research attempts to analyze in-service and pre-service teachers' attitudes and decisions regarding mathematics teaching with mobile phones using activity theory. More specifically, three case studies are analyzed in this research: One concerns an in-service teacher who used mobile phones in her class, the second case study involves a pre-service teacher who collaborated with the in-service teacher to teach mathematics lessons using mobile phones, and the third case study is about 15 pre-service teachers who were observers of the experiment but did not use mobile phones in their teaching. We held one-hour semi-structured interviews with the in-service teacher, with the leading pre-service teacher and with the group of other observer pre-service teachers. This happened three times during the academic year: at the beginning of the experiment, after three months and after it ended. The research findings indicate that different factors have an impact on the attitudes and decisions of the teacher: history of the teacher using technologies in teaching, perceptions of the teacher using technologies in teaching, community’s teacher, rules regulating the use of technologies in teaching mathematics, and division of labor. For example, questions as to who decides which technologies to use in the classroom and who should prepare the learning material for the students. Contradictions were identified in mathematics teachers' activity when utilizing mobile phones in their teaching. These contradictions hinder or slow such utilization. Community, especially its leading members, mediated and helped overcome the activity contradictions that arose throughout the experiment regarding the teaching processes in and/or out of the mathematics classroom.

  4. Teachers' Teaching Experience and Students' Learning Outcomes ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    cce

    Items 1 - 6 ... Keywords: teaching experience, students' learning outcomes, teacher incentives ... revealed that experienced teachers' perception of their teaching objectives were ... African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences Vol. .... Years. English language. Mathematics Physics. Chemistry. Biology. %.

  5. Caring Enough to Teach Science: Helping Pre-Service Teachers View Science Instruction as an Ethical Responsibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grinell, Smith; Rabin, Colette

    2017-01-01

    The goal of this project was to motivate pre-service elementary teachers to commit to spending significant instructional time on science in their future classrooms despite their self-assessed lack of confidence about teaching science and other impediments (e.g., high-stakes testing practices that value other subjects over science). Pre-service…

  6. Integrative curriculum reform, domain dependent knowing, and teachers` epistemological theories: Implications for middle-level teaching

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Powell, R.R. [Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock, TX (United States). College of Education

    1998-12-01

    Integrative curriculum as both a theoretical construct and a practical reality, and as a theme-based, problem-centered, democratic way of schooling, is becoming more widely considered as a feasible alternative to traditional middle-level curricula. Importantly for teaching and learning, domain dependence requires teachers to view one area of knowledge as fully interdependent with other areas of knowledge during the learning process. This requires teachers to adopt personal epistemological theories that reflect integrative, domain dependent knowing. This study explored what happened when teachers from highly traditional domain independent school settings encountered an ambitious college-level curriculum project that was designed to help the teachers understand the potential that integrative, domain dependent teaching holds for precollege settings. This study asked: What influence does an integrative, domain dependent curriculum project have on teachers` domain independent, epistemological theories for teaching and learning? Finding an answer to this question is essential if we, as an educational community, are to understand how integrative curriculum theory is transformed by teachers into systemic curriculum reform. The results suggest that the integrative curriculum project that teachers participated in did not explicitly alter their classroom practices in a wholesale manner. Personal epistemological theories of teachers collectively precluded teachers from making any wholesale changes in their individual classroom teaching. However, teachers became aware of integrative curriculum as an alternative, and they expressed interest in infusing integrative practices into their classrooms as opportunities arise.

  7. Teacher Evaluation: Archiving Teaching Effectiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielsen, Lance D.

    2014-01-01

    Teacher evaluation is a current hot topic within music education. This article offers strategies for K-12 music educators on how to promote their effectiveness as teachers through archival documentation in a teacher portfolio. Using the Danielson evaluation model (based on four domains of effective teaching practices), examples of music teaching…

  8. Analysing the problems of science teachers that they encounter while teaching physics education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cihat Demir

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Even though physical science is very important in our daily lives, it is insufficiently understood by students. In order for students to get a better physical education, the teachers who have given physics lesson should first eliminated the problems that they face during the teaching process. The aim of this survey is to specify the matters encountered by science teachers during the teaching of physics and to provide them with solutions. The study group consisted of 50 science teachers who worked in Diyarbakır and Batman over the period of 2014 - 2015. This research is a descriptive study carried out by content analysis. In this study, semi-structured interview have been used along with qualitative research methods. According to the research findings, the top problems that the physics teachers encountered in physics lesson while processing the topics were laboratory problems. Some solutions have been introduced for science teachers in order to help them provide a better physics education.

  9. Helping Struggling Teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, Pamela

    2001-01-01

    About 5 to 15 percent of teachers in 2.7 million public-education classrooms are marginal or incompetent. Assistance plans offer structure, purpose, and remedial help. Plans have six components: definition of the problem, statement of objectives, intervention strategies, a timeline, data-collection procedures, and final judgment. (MLH)

  10. Pre-Service Teachers Methods of Teaching Science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dr. Raquel C. Pambid

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The study described the teaching methods used by pre-service teachers in Science. It focused on the strategies, techniques, materials, innovative methods and pattern of teaching science used by the pre-service teachers as described in their lesson plans. The qualitative and quantitative design was used in the study. The books, teacher hand-outs from classroom lectures were the sources of methods, strategies and techniques. The chalkboard and self-made drawings and charts were the materials often used. Conventional methods like lecture, open class discussion and demonstration were commonly employed. The strategies included group discussion, use of motivating questions and stories to arouse the interest of students. The direct eye contact, body expressions, jokes and news/trivia were frequent techniques. Integration of values in the lesson became less as the year level increases. The pattern of teaching drawn followed the formal style: I Objectives, II Subject matter, III Learning Tasks, IV Synthesis of the lesson, V Assessment and VI Enrichment. The conventional method and pattern of teaching by the pre-service teachers of PSU suggest that students in the College of Teacher Education should be trained to be more innovative and open in trying out more advanced teaching methods. Furthermore, PSU science pre-service teachers should use methods which can develop higher order thinking skills among high school students.

  11. Ways to Prepare Future Teachers to Teach Science in Multicultural Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Billingsley, Berry

    2016-01-01

    Roussel De Carvalho uses the notion of superdiversity to draw attention to some of the pedagogical implications of teaching science in multicultural schools in cosmopolitan cities such as London. De Carvalho makes the case that if superdiverse classrooms exist then Science Initial Teacher Education has a role to play in helping future science…

  12. Teachers' Perceptions of Esri Story Maps as Effective Teaching Tools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strachan, Caitlin; Mitchell, Jerry

    2014-01-01

    The current study explores teachers' perceptions of Esri Story Maps as effective teaching tools. Story Maps are a relatively new web application created using Esri's cloud-based GIS platform, ArcGIS Online. They combine digitized, dynamic web maps with other story elements to help the creator effectively convey a message. The relative ease…

  13. Argumentation in Science Teacher Education: The simulated jury as a resource for teaching and learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drumond Vieira, Rodrigo; da Rocha Bernardo, José Roberto; Evagorou, Maria; Florentino de Melo, Viviane

    2015-05-01

    In this article, we focus on the contributions that a simulated jury-based activity might have for pre-service teachers, especially for their active participation and learning in teacher education. We observed a teacher educator using a series of simulated juries as teaching resources to help pre-service teachers develop their pedagogical knowledge and their argumentation abilities in a physics teacher methods course. For the purposes of this article, we have selected one simulated jury-based activity, comprising two opposed groups of pre-service teachers that presented aspects that hinder the teachers' development of professional knowledge (against group) and aspects that allow this development (favor group). After the groups' presentations, a group of judges was formed to evaluate the discussion. We applied a multi-level method for discourse analysis and the results showed that (1) the simulated jury afforded the pre-service teachers to position themselves as active knowledge producers; (2) the teacher acted as 'animator' of the pre-service teachers' actions, showing responsiveness to the emergence of circumstantial teaching and learning opportunities and (3) the simulated jury culminated in the judges' identification of the pattern 'concrete/obstacles-ideological/possibilities' in the groups' responses, which was elaborated by the teacher for the whole class. Implications from this study include using simulated juries for teaching and learning and for the development of the pre-service teachers' argumentative abilities. The potential of simulated juries to improve teaching and learning needs to be further explored in order to inform the uses and reflections of this resource in science education.

  14. Developing Teacher Oral Competency Framework for Secondary School Teachers: Moving Towards Meaningful Teaching of English Language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fahainis Mohd. Yusof

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The secondary school English curriculum in Malaysia advocates that English could provide greater opportunities for students to improve their knowledge and skills in cross cultural settings. Additionally, they will be able to interact with students from other countries and improve their proficiency in English. Given the increasing importance of international interactions among English users from different backgrounds and the current approaches in ELT pedagogy in literature, this paper examines the oral competency skills of a group of English teachers. Data was collected in a seminar specially carried out for a group of selected English teachers. Through micro-teachings sessions, the English teachers demonstrated their use of oral communication skills in delivering the content of the subjects. This seminar was an attempt to establish the collaboration among recognised Excellent English Teachers and their colleagues to enhance their oral communication skills in classrooms. The results indicated the potential of developing an oral competency framework that could be constructed and referred to by secondary English teachers so as to enhance their effectiveness of teaching the content knowledge to their students. This oral competency framework would provide an excellent opportunity to help realise the purpose of using English as the medium of instruction as proposed within the curriculum.

  15. Assessing Student Teaching Experiences: Teacher Candidates' Perceptions of Preparedness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Joohi; Tice, Kathleen; Collins, Denise; Brown, Amber; Smith, Cleta; Fox, Jill

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of student teaching experiences by measuring teacher candidates' perceptions of their preparedness. The participants were 130 teacher candidates who had completed their student teaching as part of a program preparing them to teach children in pre-K through grade 4. Teacher candidates…

  16. Finnish Mentor Mathematics Teachers' Views of the Teacher Knowledge Required for Teaching Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asikainen, Mervi A.; Pehkonen, Erkki; Hirvonen, Pekka E.

    2013-01-01

    Seven Finnish mentor mathematics teachers were interviewed about their views regarding the teacher knowledge required for teaching mathematics. The results of the interviews revealed not only the teachers' spontaneous views of the knowledge base needed for effective mathematics teaching but also their views of the particular types of teacher…

  17. WORD ORIGIN HELPS EXPAND LEARNERS’ VOCABULARY A VOCABULARY TEACHING APPROACH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Jing

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Word origin (motivation deals with the connection between name and sense, explaining how a word originated. With the knowledge of how words are originated, learners can grasp a word easier and thus expand their vocabulary more quickly. The introduction to word origin (motivation by teachers can also help the learners gain interest in the process of learning and learn more about the cultural and historical background of the English-speaking countries. This paper tries to clarify this method of teaching from four aspects: onomatopoeia, word formation, cultural and historical background and cognitive linguistics.

  18. Helping Elementary Teachers Understand Children and Divorce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hrymak, Marilyn J.; Smart, Laura S.

    1984-01-01

    Describes a workshop designed to help elementary teachers understand the recent literature on the effects of divorce on children and help the children through the crisis. Indicates that secondary home economics teachers may have to deal with students who have not adjusted to divorce. (JOW)

  19. Applying the framework for culturally responsive teaching to explore the adaptations that teach first beginning teachers use to meet the needs of their pupils in school

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alison Hramiak

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Previous research has shown that beginning teachers are capable of adapting their practice to the needs of ethnically diverse pupils. This paper investigates the possibility that such teachers were developing their practice into what I have termed culturally adaptive teaching. A variety of methods were used to collect qualitative data that focused on the perspectives of teachers in schools across Yorkshire and Humberside, (UK over the course of an academic year. The framework for culturally responsive teaching (CRT was used as a lens through which to analyse the data collected. It enabled findings to emerge that took the framework beyond that of CRT, to one of culturally adaptive teaching. Teachers continually adapted their practice, in terms of cultural sensitivity, to better meet the needs of their pupils. If we can apply this framework and support beginning teachers to help them understand issues of cultural diversity in the classroom, we might be able to engender a real systematic change in teaching for the benefit of pupils.

  20. Teaching and Learning Science Through Song: Exploring the experiences of students and teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Governor, Donna; Hall, Jori; Jackson, David

    2013-12-01

    This qualitative, multi-case study explored the use of science-content music for teaching and learning in six middle school science classrooms. The researcher sought to understand how teachers made use of content-rich songs for teaching science, how they impacted student engagement and learning, and what the experiences of these teachers and students suggested about using songs for middle school classroom science instruction. Data gathered included three teacher interviews, one classroom observation and a student focus-group discussion from each of six cases. The data from each unit of analysis were examined independently and then synthesized in a multi-case analysis, resulting in a number of merged findings, or assertions, about the experience. The results of this study indicated that teachers used content-rich music to enhance student understanding of concepts in science by developing content-based vocabulary, providing students with alternative examples and explanations of concepts, and as a sense-making experience to help build conceptual understanding. The use of science-content songs engaged students by providing both situational and personal interest, and provided a mnemonic device for remembering key concepts in science. The use of songs has relevance from a constructivist approach as they were used to help students build meaning; from a socio-cultural perspective in terms of student engagement; and from a cognitive viewpoint in that in these cases they helped students make connections in learning. The results of this research have implications for science teachers and the science education community in developing new instructional strategies for the middle school science classroom.

  1. Bridging the Gap from Teacher to Teacher Educator: The Role of a Teaching Portfolio

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, Miriam

    2018-01-01

    This article explores the role of a teaching portfolio in supporting the transition from teacher to teacher educator. It uses aspects of self-study to catalogue the challenges and successes during this transition. Despite well-documented acknowledgement of the differing demands of teaching when compared to teaching how to teach, little is written…

  2. Turkish Student Teachers' Concerns about Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boz, Yezdan

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the teaching concerns of Turkish student teachers and how these concerns differ among year groups within the teacher education programme. Data were collected from 339 student teachers using the Teacher Concerns Checklist. Analysis of the data, including both descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis…

  3. Does Teacher Preparation Matter? Evidence about Teacher Certification, Teach for America, and Teacher Effectiveness.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda Darling-Hammond

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Recent debates about the utility of teacher education have raised questions about whether certified teachers are, in general, more effective than those who have not met the testing and training requirements for certification, and whether some candidates with strong liberal arts backgrounds might be at least as effective as teacher education graduates. This study examines these questions with a large student-level data set from Houston, Texas that links student characteristics and achievement with data about their teachers' certification status, experience, and degree levels from 1995-2002. The data set also allows an examination of whether Teach for America (TFA candidates-recruits from selective universities who receive a few weeks of training before they begin teaching-are as effective as similarly experienced certified teachers. In a series of regression analyses looking at 4th and 5th grade student achievement gains on six different reading and mathematics tests over a six-year period, we find that certified teachers consistently produce stronger student achievement gains than do uncertified teachers. These findings hold for TFA recruits as well as others. Controlling for teacher experience, degrees, and student characteristics, uncertified TFA recruits are less effective than certified teachers, and perform about as well as other uncertified teachers. TFA recruits who become certified after 2 or 3 years do about as well as other certified teachers in supporting student achievement gains; however, nearly all of them leave within three years. Teachers' effectiveness appears strongly related to the preparation they have received for teaching.

  4. Preservice Teachers' In-the-Moment Teaching Decisions in Reading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffith, Robin

    2017-01-01

    This study examines the types of in-the-moment teaching decisions 97 preservice teachers made while teaching reading and how their growing bodies of teacher knowledge influenced their abilities to think, know, feel and act like a teacher (Feiman-Nemser, 2008). Findings indicated that the teacher educator's use of "metacognitive…

  5. Language teachers and teaching global perspectives, local initiatives

    CERN Document Server

    Ben Said, Selim

    2013-01-01

    This volume gathers contributions from a range of global experts in teacher education to address the topic of language teacher education. It shows how teacher education involves the agency of teachers, which forms part of their identity, and which they take on when integrating into the teaching community of practice. In addition, the volume explores the teachers' situated practice--the dynamic negotiation of classroom situations, socialization into the professional teaching culture, and "on the ground experimentation" with pedagogical skills/techniques.

  6. Teacher Characteristics and Students' Choice of Teaching as a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Teacher Characteristics and Students' Choice of Teaching as a Career in Osun ... the teacher characteristics that influence students' choice of teaching as a career ... The result revealed that factors such as quality of teaching, mode of dressing ...

  7. TEACHERS WHO TEACH MATHEMATICS IN ADULT EDUCATION: CONCEPTS AND TEACHING PRACTICES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andréa Thees

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available This work represents a subset of a Masters’ research, which investigated how the pedagogical and non-pedagogical professional practices of mathematics teachers who teach in adult education are developed. In this paper we present the curricular management practices, tasks and materials, communication and evaluation. Through a case study of the daily activities of three math teachers who teach young people and adults, a qualitative research was developed, whose investigative tools were field observations, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Our study indicated that curriculum management practices are determined by a straightforward exposition teaching style, based on problem solving. Regarding the proposed tasks, teachers do not resort to learning materials other than blackboard and chalk, and rarely use the textbook. Communication in the classroom is univocal, sometimes supplemented by inadequate metaphors, especially in the teaching of algebra. The practices of student evaluation are predominantly focused on the summative function.

  8. Helping Teachers Help Themselves: Professional Development That Makes a Difference

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patton, Kevin; Parker, Melissa; Tannehill, Deborah

    2015-01-01

    For school administrators to facilitate impactful teacher professional development, a shift in thinking that goes beyond the acquisition of new skills and knowledge to helping teachers rethink their practice is required. Based on review of the professional development literature and our own continued observations of professional development, this…

  9. Relational Analysis of Prospective Teachers' Emotions about Teaching, Emotional Styles, and Professional Plans about Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eren, Altay

    2014-01-01

    The present study examined the mediating roles of prospective teachers' emotional styles in the relationships between their emotions about teaching and professional plans about teaching. A total of 684 prospective teachers, majoring in computer education and instructional technology teaching, mathematics teaching, preschool teaching, special…

  10. In-Service EFL Teachers' Beliefs about Teaching Reading Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bamanger, Ebrahim M.; Gashan, Amani K.

    2014-01-01

    Recent trends in teacher education have focused on exploring teachers' beliefs. Earlier studies have shown the important influence of teachers' beliefs on teaching practices. The present study was conducted to explore the beliefs of Saudi EFL teachers about the significance of teaching English reading strategies. The study aimed also to find the…

  11. Teachers' and Students' Conceptions of Good Science Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yung, Benny Hin Wai; Zhu, Yan; Wong, Siu Ling; Cheng, Man Wai; Lo, Fei Yin

    2013-01-01

    Capitalizing on the comments made by teachers on videos of exemplary science teaching, a video-based survey instrument on the topic of "Density" was developed and used to investigate the conceptions of good science teaching held by 110 teachers and 4,024 year 7 students in Hong Kong. Six dimensions of good science teaching are identified…

  12. An Exploration of the Preparation and Organization of Teaching Practice Exercise to Prospective Science and Mathematics Teachers toward Improving Teaching Profession at Morogoro Teachers' College

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mungure, Daudi Mika

    2016-01-01

    This paper explored the preparation and organization of teaching practice exercise to prospective science and mathematics teachers in Tanzania teachers college specifically Morogoro Teachers' College toward improving teaching profession. Due to the challenges stated by different scholars on preparation and organization of teaching practice…

  13. Recognizing the needs – Student teachers´ learning to teach from teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pernilla Nilsson

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper is based on an exploration of the ways in which primary science student teachers recognize and learn about issues that shape their own professional learning. The paper discusses different perspectives of “knowledgebase needed for teaching” and Shulman’s concept of pedagogical content knowledge, and explores how elements of knowledge are to be recognized and further developed within primary teacher education. Primary science student teacher participants (n = 25 were stimulated to use portfolios as a tool to reflect upon situations within their six weeks teaching practice in pre- and primary schools in order to facilitate recognizing their knowledge needs. The results give an insight into what situations within the teaching practice that student teachers consider as important for their own learning to teach primary maths and science.

  14. Teaching as Designing: Preparing Pre-Service Teachers for Adaptive Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Michelle E.

    2016-01-01

    This conceptual article explores teaching as design work, arguing that a critical thing teachers do is design systems that enable their students to learn. Designing occurs when teachers generate new learning activities or modify curricular programs to create coherence for themselves and their students. Nonetheless, few teacher education programs…

  15. REFLECTIONS OF SOUTH AFRICAN TEACHERS TEACHING UNDER ADVERSARIAL CONDITIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Bansilal

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Teachers often teach under difficult conditions of which they do not have oversight. In order for teacher development programmes to be responsive to teachers’ needs, it is necessary to understand the teaching contexts of their participant teachers. Accordingly the purpose of the research was to identify the problems of practice reported by 41 Mathematical Literacy teachers who teach under impoverished conditions in South Africa. The participants identified their problems of practice and focused on one problem which they tried to address during a two-week teaching intervention. They were required to generate a reflective research report based on their teaching intervention, which formed the primary data source. The findings indicate that of the 305 citations of problems, 174 were attributed to socio-economic factors, 111 to pedagogic factors and 51 to school management factors. With most of these problems being out of their locus of control, these teachers are forced to spend time dealing with the consequences of these problems, instead of focusing their energy to find ways to improve their pedagogic practice. Teacher development agencies need to consider how such teachers could be more appropriately supported.

  16. Linguistic Ethnography, Literacy Teaching and Teacher Training

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dolmer, Grete; Nielsen, Henrik Balle

    in current attempts to research-base teacher education. Lefstein, A. & J. Snell. 2014. Better than best practice. Developing teaching and learning through dialogue. London: Routledge. Keywords: literacy teaching classroom dialogue teacher feedback linguistic ethnography research-based teacher education...... material consists of field notes and video observations from the literacy classroom combined with reflective interviews with the literacy teacher and analyses of pupils’ oral and written texts. Taking a linguistic ethnographic approach, the case study investigates the interplay between teacher, pupil...... eclecticism, openness and systematicity characteristic of a linguistic ethnographic analysis (Lefstein & Snell 2014, 185-86). In the poster, we will focus on emergent data analysis. Our main points of interest are 1) the classroom dialogue between teacher and pupils and 2) the literacy teacher’s assessment...

  17. Using a Moodle-Based Professional Development Program to Train Science Teachers to Teach for Creativity and its Effectiveness on their Teaching Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Balushi, Sulaiman M.; Al-Abdali, Nasser S.

    2015-08-01

    This study describes a distance learning professional development program that we designed for the purpose of training science teachers to teach for creativity. The Moodle platform was used to host the training. To ensure that trainees would benefit from this distance learning program, we designed the instructional activities according to the Community of Inquiry framework, which consists of three main elements: cognitive presence, teaching presence and social presence. Nineteen science teachers in Oman engaged in the training, which lasted for 36 working days. To measure the effectiveness of the training program on science teachers' instructional practices related to teaching for creativity, we used a pre-post one-group quasi-experimental design. An observation form was used to assess and document participants' practices. Paired t test results showed that there was a statistically significant improvement in science teachers' practices related to teaching for creativity. During the implementation of the training program, we observed that cognitive presence and teaching presence were the two most successful elements of the program. The training program involved participants in different instructional activities which were designed to help them understand the role of creativity in science; a wide range of instructional techniques designed to nurture students' creativity was discussed. The program also provided participants with opportunities to relate their practices to teaching for creativity and to design and implement lesson plans geared toward teaching for creativity. However, the social presence element was not satisfying. Participants' virtual interactions with each other and their engagement in online discussion forums were limited. This paper provides some recommendations to overcome such pitfalls.

  18. Teachers' Coping Strategies for Teaching Science in a ``Low-Performing'' School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Felicia M.

    2007-10-01

    This study describes how teachers use their personal knowledge of a school district and their students to cope with teaching under stressful situations associated with economic, social, and institutional factors. The 3 teachers dealt with these issues in unique ways, focusing on helping students to overcome negative perceptions, value the importance of an education, and build strong relationships. A model of multicultural science professional development is proposed that complements the strengths that these teachers have. A task for science educators working with teachers and administration in schools and districts that are “critically low performing” is to support everyone in implementing pedagogical methods aimed at empowerment, social justice, and high achievement for all students.

  19. Influences of Teacher Delivery, Student Engagement, and Observation Focus on Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napoles, Jessica; MacLeod, Rebecca B.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine how teacher delivery, student engagement, and observation focus influenced preservice teachers' ratings of teaching effectiveness. Participants (N = 84 preservice teachers) viewed short teaching excerpts of orchestral and choral rehearsals wherein the teacher displayed either high or low teacher delivery,…

  20. What motivates residents to teach? The Attitudes in Clinical Teaching study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dotters-Katz, Sarah; Hargett, Charles W; Zaas, Aimee K; Criscione-Schreiber, Lisa G

    2016-07-01

    Graduate medical trainees have a critical role in the teaching of other trainees. Improving their teaching requires an understanding of their attitudes towards teaching and their motivation to teach. Both have been incompletely explored in this population. We aimed to better understand graduate medical trainees' attitudes towards teaching and motivation to teach in the clinical setting in order to inform modifications to resident-as-teacher (RAT) programmes and enhance teaching practices. We applied Q methodology, an established sorting method, to identify and quantify the factors that have an impact on trainees' engagement in teaching. We invited house officers at our institution to rank-order 47 statements regarding their attitudes to and motivation for teaching. Respondents explained their Q-sort rankings in writing and completed a demographic questionnaire. By-person factor analysis yielded groups of individuals with similar attitudes. One hundred and seven trainees completed the Q-sort. We found three primary groups of attitudes towards teaching in the clinical setting: enthusiasm, reluctance and rewarded. Enthusiastic teachers are committed and make time to teach. Teaching increases their job satisfaction. Reluctant teachers have enthusiasm but are earlier in training and feel limited by clinical workload and unprepared. Rewarded teachers feel teaching is worthwhile and derive satisfaction from the rewards and recognition they receive for teaching. This improved understanding of common attitudes shared by groups of residents will help curriculum designers create RAT programmes to further reinforce and encourage attitudes that promote teaching as well as improve trainees' motivation to teach. Designing RAT programmes that acknowledge the attitudes to and motivations for teaching should help develop effective teachers to improve educational outcomes. Directed efforts to enhance motivation for reluctant teachers and encourage more positive attitudes in rewarded

  1. Science teachers teaching socioscientific issues (SSI): Four case studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyunju

    Socioscientific issues (SSI) are a class of issues that represent the social, ethical, and moral aspects of science in society. The need for the inclusion of SSI into science curricula has been generally accepted, but relatively few science teachers have incorporated SSI into their courses. Most science teachers feel that their most important task by far is to teach the principles of science, and any substantive pedagogical changes represent a burden. However, there are some teachers who address SSI out of personal initiatives. This dissertation study investigates four high school science teachers who address SSI out of their own initiative and explores their deeper inspirations, values, philosophies, and personal ideals that lead them to teach SSI. The overall approach is based on essentialist methodology (Witz, Goodwin, Hart, & Thomas, 2001; Witz, 2006a) with its focus on "the participant as ally" and "essentialist portraiture." The primary data source is four to six in-depth interviews with individual teachers (about 40-90 minutes for each interview). The interviews are complemented by extensive classroom observations of individual teachers' teaching SSI and by document analysis (including teaching materials, rubrics, student group projects and journals, etc.). There are two major findings. First, the teachers' deeper values and ideals are a source of larger inspiration that plays a significant role in changing their teaching practice. This inspiration may involve higher aspects (e.g., deep concern for students' development, unselfishness, caring, etc.) and commitment. Their teaching represents an integration of their personal experiences, values, concerns, and worldviews, which forms a larger inspiration for teaching. Teaching SSI is a part of this larger process. Second, the current curriculum reforms (STS, SSI, and NOS) only suggest theoretical ideals and do not effectively touch teachers' deeper values and ideals. Basically, the teachers are doing what they

  2. Teacher Education Graduates' Choice (Not) to Enter the Teaching Profession: Does Teacher Education Matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rots, Isabel; Aelterman, Antonia; Devos, Geert

    2014-01-01

    In an era of recurring teacher shortages, Flanders struggles with a considerable proportion of teacher education graduates who do not enter the teaching profession. This study identifies the predictors of teacher education graduates' choice on job entry (teaching profession or not). A prospective research design with two data collection phases is…

  3. Learning to Attend to Precision: The Impact of Micro-Teaching Guided by Expert Secondary Mathematics Teachers on Pre-Service Teachers' Teaching Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Jing

    2017-01-01

    Micro-teaching at universities and student teaching in secondary schools are standard forms of practice training for pre-service mathematics teachers in Chinese university teacher education programs. The former is guided by university professors, and the latter is guided by school teachers. In recent years, a special kind of micro-teaching…

  4. The Effect of Student Teaching Experience and Teacher Beliefs on Pre-Service Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Intention to Use Technology in Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Insook; Shin, Won Sug; Ko, Yujung

    2017-01-01

    The student teaching experience has been considered important in establishing pre-service teachers' beliefs and attitudes towards their teaching. However, few studies have investigated the effect of student teaching experiences as an educational intervention for increasing technology integration--especially pre-service teachers' pedagogical…

  5. Gender and Gender Role Differences in Student-Teachers' Commitment to Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moses, Ikupa; Admiraal, Wilfried F.; Berry, Amanda K.

    2016-01-01

    Low commitment to teaching amongst teachers is a problem facing the teaching profession in many countries. Gender might be an important factor in explaining what kinds of prospective teachers are attracted to teaching. This empirical study examined the relationship between student-teachers' gender, gender roles and commitment to teaching within…

  6. The role of teaching practice in teacher education programmes ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The teaching practice exercise is the culminating point where the relationship among the three major players: university supervisor, host teacher, and aspiring teacher interface to determine the quality of experience the aspiring teaching will take away. It becomes the bedrock on which the aspiring teacher once certified and ...

  7. Learning Mathematics for Teaching Mathematics: Non-Specialist Teachers' Mathematics Teacher Identity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crisan, Cosette; Rodd, Melissa

    2017-01-01

    A non-specialist teacher of mathematics is a school teacher who qualified to teach in a subject other than mathematics yet teaches mathematics to students in secondary school. There is an emerging interest internationally in this population, a brief report of which is given in the paper. Because of concerns about the quality of non-specialists'…

  8. Teaching Young Adult Literature Today: Insights, Considerations, and Perspectives for the Classroom Teacher

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayn, Judith A., Ed.; Kaplan, Jeffrey S., Ed.

    2012-01-01

    "Teaching Young Adult Literature Today" introduces the reader to what is current and relevant in the plethora of good books available for adolescents. More importantly, literary experts illustrate how teachers everywhere can help their students become lifelong readers by simply introducing them to great reads--smart, insightful, and engaging books…

  9. Do Prospective Teachers Have Anxieties about Teaching Mathematics?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yavuz, Günes

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to analyse the level of prospective classroom and mathematics teachers' anxieties about teaching mathematics. Freshman and junior prospective teachers from educational faculties of two different universities participated in this study. "Anxieties About Teaching Mathematics Scale" which was developed by Peker…

  10. Effective Teaching Practice Supervison: A Predictor of Teacher ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The quality of teachers prepared for basic education in Africa and othercontinents of the world is a consequence of the knowledge of contentacquired and the pedagogy. Effective teaching practice supervision coulddetermine the level of teacher trainees performance in the art of teaching. The study investigated the ...

  11. Effect of Reflective Teaching Training and Teaching Aptitude on Teaching Skills among Elementary Teacher Trainees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vijaya Kumari, S. N.; Naik, Savita P.

    2016-01-01

    Teachers serve education, which is an effective instrument of man making. The teachers learn this art through Preservice teacher education programme. Teaching has been a reflective process from the beginning. Reflection is used in all sectors of teacher education, including Vocational and Adult education, for a number of years. Despite numerous…

  12. How to help teachers' voices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saatweber, Margarete

    2008-01-01

    It has been shown that teachers are at high risk of developing occupational dysphonia, and it has been widely accepted that the vocal characteristics of a speaker play an important role in determining the reactions of listeners. The functions of breathing, breathing movement, breathing tonus, voice vibrations and articulation tonus are transmitted to the listener. So we may conclude that listening to the teacher's voice at school influences children's behavior and the perception of spoken language. This paper presents the concept of Schlaffhorst-Andersen including exercises to help teachers improve their voice, breathing, movement and their posture. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  13. Ethical and Moral Matters in Teaching and Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bullough, Robert V., Jr.

    2011-01-01

    The author reviews a set of articles on ethical and moral matters in teaching and teacher education previously published by Teaching and Teacher Education. Comparisons are made and a summary of findings offered.

  14. Management of Teacher Education (2) : Focusing on student's ambition to be a teacher and evaluation of teaching competence of "Introduction to teaching profession (Kyosyoku-Nyumon)"

    OpenAIRE

    岡東, 壽隆; 熊丸, 真太郎

    2002-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to examine teaching competence of "Kyosyoku-Nyumon". It is examined by analyzing two questionnaires about student's ambition to teacher and evaluation of teaching, and one student's report on "did you wish to be a teacher by taking this lesson?" The major purpose of "Kyosyoku-Nyumon" is to teach the significance of teaching. In teacher education curriculum, "Kyosyoku-Nyumon" is the initial subject. So, it is considered that it highly impacts on student's ambition ...

  15. Exploring Teacher Strategies in Teaching Descriptive Writing in Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suriyanti, Sufatmi; Yaacob, Aizan

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This paper is the outcome of a study which examined teacher strategies in teaching descriptive writing to junior high school students in Delitua, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The study was based on two questions: 1) What are the teaching strategies used by EFL teachers in teaching descriptive writing? 2) To what extent did the descriptive…

  16. Teachers' Perceptions about Grammar Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thu, Tran Hoang

    2009-01-01

    This study investigates English as a second language (ESL) teachers' beliefs in grammar teaching. A 32-item questionnaire was administered to 11 ESL teachers in a language school in California. The results show that the participants generally believe that the formal study of grammar is essential to the eventual mastery of a foreign or second…

  17. Online Language Teaching: Teacher Perceptions of Effective Communication Tools, Required Skills and Challenges of Online Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Paepe, Liesbeth; Zhu, Chang; Depryck, Koen

    2018-01-01

    To date, teacher perceptions of online language teaching have attracted very little attention. However, these perceptions may influence decisions regarding instructional design, teaching practices and eventually the learning experience. Furthermore, teacher perceptions can contribute to the design of teacher training programs. This study provides…

  18. The Call to Teach and Teacher Hopefulness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bullough, Robert V., Jr.; Hall-Kenyon, Kendra M.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore teacher motivation and well-being. Our analysis focuses on two central concepts, the notion of a "calling to teach" and of teacher "hopefulness." Data from 205 preservice and inservice teachers were collected to determine teachers' sense of calling and level of hope. Results indicate that overwhelmingly,…

  19. From Students to Teachers: Investigating the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs and Experiences of Graduate Primary Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deehan, James; Danaia, Lena; McKinnon, David H.

    2018-03-01

    The science achievement of primary students, both in Australia and abroad, has been the subject of intensive research in recent decades. Consequently, much research has been conducted to investigate primary science education. Within this literature, there is a striking juxtaposition between tertiary science teaching preparation programs and the experiences and outcomes of both teachers and students alike. Whilst many tertiary science teaching programs covary with positive outcomes for preservice teachers, reports of science at the primary school level continue to be problematic. This paper begins to explore this apparent contradiction by investigating the science teaching efficacy beliefs and experiences of a cohort of graduate primary teachers who had recently transitioned from preservice to inservice status. An opportunity sample of 82 primary teachers responded to the science teaching efficacy belief instrument A (STEBI-A), and 10 graduate teachers provided semi-structured interview data. The results showed that participants' prior science teaching efficacy belief growth, which occurred during their tertiary science education, had remained durable after they had completed their teaching degrees and began their careers. Qualitative data showed that their undergraduate science education had had a positive influence on their science teaching experiences. The participants' school science culture, however, had mixed influences on their science teaching. The findings presented within this paper have implications for the direction of research in primary science education, the design and assessment of preservice primary science curriculum subjects and the role of school contexts in the development of primary science teachers.

  20. Helping Teachers Use Research Findings: The Consumer-Validation Process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eaker, Robert E.; Huffman, James O.

    A program stressing teacher involvement and classroom implementation of educational research findings is described. The program was designed to familiarize teachers with current findings, have them apply the findings in their classrooms, analyze their own teaching behavior, and critically evaluate the findings in terms of their applicability to…

  1. Workplaces that Support High-Performing Teaching and Learning: Insights from Generation Y Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coggshall, Jane G.; Behrstock-Sherratt, Ellen; Drill, Karen

    2011-01-01

    Generation Y public school teachers--those born between 1977 and 1995-- who have been serving students for nearly a decade now, represent an increasingly large proportion of the teaching workforce, and, with concerted support, promise to help bring needed transformation to schools that too often remain stuck in an earlier age. Members of this…

  2. Teachers' reported practices for teaching writing in England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dockrell, Julie E; Marshall, Chloë R; Wyse, Dominic

    To date there have been no systematic studies examining the ways in which teachers in England focus and adapt their teaching of writing. The current study addresses this gap by investigating the nature and frequency of teachers' approaches to the teaching of writing in a sample of English primary schools, using the 'simple view of writing' as a framework to examine the extent to which different aspects of the writing process are addressed. One hundred and eighty-eight staff from ten different schools responded to an online questionnaire. Only the data from class teachers (n = 88) who responded to all items on the questionnaire were included in the final analyses. Respondents enjoyed teaching writing and felt prepared to teach it. However, despite feeling that they were effective in identifying approaches to support students' writing, nearly half reported that supporting struggling writers was problematic for them. Overall teachers reported more work at word level, occurring several times a week, than with transcription, sentence or text levels, which were reported to occur weekly. Planning, reviewing and revising occurred least often, only monthly. For these variables no differences were found between teachers of younger (age 4-7) and older students (age 8-11). By contrast, an examination of specific aspects of each component revealed differences between the teachers of the two age groups. Teachers of younger students focused more frequently on phonic activities related to spelling, whereas teachers of older students focussed more on word roots, punctuation, word classes and the grammatical function of words, sentence-level work, and paragraph construction.

  3. Adoption of Mobile Technology for Teaching Preparation in Improving Teaching Quality of Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nawi, Aliff; Hamzah, Mohd Isa; Ren, Chua Chy; Tamuri, Ab Halim

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to identify the readiness of teachers to use mobile phones for the purpose of teaching preparation. The study also reviewed the level of teachers' satisfaction when using the mobile technology applications developed for the purpose of teaching and learning in the classroom. This study used the mix method to collect data. A total of…

  4. A Different Kind of Kid, a Different Kind of Teacher Education: Middle Grades Teachers Reflect on Their Preparation to Teach Young Adolescents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochanji, Moses K.; Chen, Rong-Ji; Daniels, Erika; Deringer, Marlene L.; McDaniel, Janet; Stowell, Laurie; Cambra-Adamson, Christina

    2016-01-01

    Good teaching at the middle grades comes out of a deep understanding of the unique cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and moral needs of young adolescents. Specialized preparation therefore is necessary to help teacher candidates understand how to operationalize the intersection of young adolescent development and the effective pedagogy that…

  5. Newly qualified teachers' visions of science learning and teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Deborah L.

    2011-12-01

    This study investigated newly qualified teachers' visions of science learning and teaching. The study also documented their preparation in an elementary science methods course. The research questions were: What educational and professional experiences influenced the instructor's visions of science learning and teaching? What visions of science learning and teaching were promoted in the participants' science methods course? What visions of science learning and teaching did these newly qualified teachers bring with them as they graduated from their teacher preparation program? How did these visions compare with those advocated by reform documents? Data sources included participants' assignments, weekly reflections, and multi-media portfolio finals. Semi-structured interviews provided the emic voice of participants, after graduation but before they had begun to teach. These data were interpreted via a combination of qualitative methodologies. Vignettes described class activities. Assertions supported by excerpts from participants' writings emerged from repeated review of their assignments. A case study of a typical participant characterized weekly reflections and final multi-media portfolio. Four strands of science proficiency articulated in a national reform document provided a framework for interpreting activities, assignments, and interview responses. Prior experiences that influenced design of the methods course included an inquiry-based undergraduate physics course, participation in a reform-based teacher preparation program, undergraduate and graduate inquiry-based science teaching methods courses, participation in a teacher research group, continued connection to the university as a beginning teacher, teaching in diverse Title 1 schools, service as the county and state elementary science specialist, participation in the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, service on a National Research Council committee, and experience teaching a

  6. Examples in the Teaching of Mathematics: Teachers' Perceptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Lay Keow; Dindyal, Jaguthsing

    2015-01-01

    As part of a study examining how teachers in Singapore select and use examples for teaching mathematics, 121 teachers from 24 secondary schools responded to three open-ended questions about the use of examples in teaching. The results show that students' abilities and the difficulty level of the examples were among the topmost considerations…

  7. Understanding Teachers' Pedagogical Knowledge In ESL Vocabulary Teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maizatulliza Muhamad

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available In communicative language teaching classrooms, one of the main emphases is on students’ ability to use the target language for real life purposes. To achieve this goal, teachers may have to ensure that students have adequate vocabulary to express their feelings and ideas. Previous research on vocabulary teaching and learning tends to be quantitative in nature focusing on testing the effectiveness of some techniques. This research study however, is an attempt to understand teachers’ pedagogical systems that influence their practice in actual classroom interactions during vocabulary teaching and learning. In-depth interviews and classroom observations with two experienced Malaysian ESL teachers were conducted. The interviews highlighted the teachers’ beliefs as well as challenges they faced with regards to vocabulary teaching and learning. The classroom observations revealed that their practice was very much a reflection of their own beliefs, based on their own experience as students as well as teachers. The results of this study showcased the fact that teachers operate within the spectrum of their pedagogical knowledge.

  8. The Impact of Collaborative Reflections on Teachers' Inquiry Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Huann-shyang; Hong, Zuway-R.; Yang, Kuay-keng; Lee, Sung-Tao

    2013-12-01

    This study investigates the impact of collaborative reflections on teachers' inquiry teaching practices and identifies supportive actions relating to their professional development. Three science teachers in the same elementary school worked as a cooperative and collaborative group. They attended workshops and worked collaboratively through observing colleagues' teaching practices and discussing with university professors about their own inquiry teaching. The pre- and post-treatment classroom observations and comparisons of their teaching reveal that the three teachers were more focussed on asking inquiry-oriented questions in the post-treatment teaching. With additional qualitative data analysis, this study identified supportive resources of professional development. Workshop training sessions and sample unit served as the initiative agent in the beginning stage. Discussions with peers and reflective observation of peer teaching acted as a facilitative agent. Finally, student responses and researchers' on-site visit comments worked as a catalytic agent for their professional development.

  9. Does clinical teacher training always improve teaching effectiveness as opposed to no teacher training? A randomized controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breckwoldt, Jan; Svensson, Jörg; Lingemann, Christian; Gruber, Hans

    2014-01-08

    Teacher training may improve teaching effectiveness, but it might also have paradoxical effects. Research on expertise development suggests that the integration of new strategies may result in a temporary deterioration of performance until higher levels of competence are reached. In this study, the impact of a clinical teacher training on teaching effectiveness was assessed in an intensive course in emergency medicine. As primary study outcome students' practical skills at the end of their course were chosen. The authors matched 18 clinical teachers according to clinical experience and teaching experience and then randomly assigned them to a two-day-teacher training, or no training. After 14 days, both groups taught within a 12-hour intensive course in emergency medicine for undergraduate students. The course followed a clearly defined curriculum. After the course students were assessed by structured clinical examination (SCE) and MCQ. The teaching quality was rated by students using a questionnaire. Data for 96 students with trained teachers, and 97 students with untrained teachers were included. Students taught by untrained teachers performed better in the SCE domains 'alarm call' (p teaching quality was rated significantly better by students of untrained teachers (p = 0.05). At the end of a structured intensive course in emergency medicine, students of trained clinical teachers performed worse in 2 of 4 practical SCE domains compared to students of untrained teachers. In addition, subjective evaluations of teaching quality were worse in the group of trained teachers. Difficulties in integrating new strategies in their teaching styles might be a possible explanation.

  10. Prospective Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Perspectives and Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karagöz-Akar, Gülseren

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between prospective secondary mathematics teachers' perspectives and their mathematical knowledge for teaching in action. Data from two prospective teachers' practice-teachings, one in geometry and one in algebra, their lesson plans and self-reflections were analyzed with Teacher Perspectives and Knowledge…

  11. The Meaning of Teaching Mathematics: Teacher Positioning's as Embedded in Algebra Teachers' Guides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suh, Heejoo

    2017-01-01

    Teacher educators have been examining the professional status of teaching, including defining central practices of teaching, comparing teaching to other professions, and understanding teachers' own perspective via interviews, surveys, and observations. The present study intends to contribute to the discussion by examining the meaning of teaching…

  12. Establishing Mathematics for Teaching within Classroom Interactions in Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryve, Andreas; Nilsson, Per; Mason, John

    2012-01-01

    Teacher educators' processes of establishing "mathematics for teaching" in teacher education programs have been recognized as an important area for further research. In this study, we examine how two teacher educators establish and make explicit features of mathematics for teaching within classroom interactions. The study shows how the…

  13. Conceptualisations of "Grammar Teaching": L1 English Teachers' Beliefs about Teaching Grammar for Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Annabel Mary

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports on an investigation of L1 English teachers' conceptual and evaluative beliefs about teaching grammar, one strand of a larger Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)-funded investigation into the impact of contextualised grammar teaching [RES-062-23-0775]. Thirty-one teachers in English secondary schools were interviewed…

  14. Reliability of Scores Obtained from Self-, Peer-, and Teacher-Assessments on Teaching Materials Prepared by Teacher Candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nalbantoglu Yilmaz, Funda

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to determine the reliability of scores obtained from self-, peer-, and teacher-assessments in terms of teaching materials prepared by teacher candidates. The study group of this research constitutes 56 teacher candidates. In the scope of research, teacher candidates were asked to develop teaching material related to their study.…

  15. Student Teachers' Team Teaching: How Do Learners in the Classroom Experience Team-Taught Lessons by Student Teachers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baeten, Marlies; Simons, Mathea

    2016-01-01

    This study focuses on student teachers' team teaching. Two team teaching models (sequential and parallel teaching) were applied by 14 student teachers in a quasi-experimental design. When implementing new teaching models, it is important to take into account the perspectives of all actors involved. Although learners are key actors in the teaching…

  16. Preparing Teachers to Teach Digital Citizenship

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Searson, Michael; Voogt, Joke; Whittier, David; Plants, Robert; Gibson, David; Sutton, Bonnie; Ochoa, Marilyn; Sutton, Vic; McBride, Ron; Searson, Michael

    2013-01-01

    A team of SITE leaders was awarded a highly competitive “Digital Citizenship Award” from Facebook to explore the role of digital citizenship in teacher education. The focus of the SITE “Preparing Teachers to Teach Digital Citizenship” project is the development of a college based course, available

  17. Swedish Technology Teachers' Attitudes to Their Subject and Its Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nordlöf, Charlotta; Höst, Gunnar E.; Hallström, Jonas

    2017-01-01

    Background: From previous research among science teachers it is known that teachers' attitudes to their subjects affect important aspects of their teaching, including their confidence and the amount of time they spend teaching the subject. In contrast, less is known about technology teachers' attitudes. Purpose: Therefore, the aim of this study is…

  18. `You Have to Give Them Some Science Facts': Primary Student Teachers' Early Negotiations of Teacher Identities in the Intersections of Discourses About Science Teaching and About Primary Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danielsson, Anna T.; Warwick, Paul

    2014-04-01

    In the broadest sense, the goal for primary science teacher education could be described as preparing these teachers to teach for scientific literacy. Our starting point is that making such science teaching accessible and desirable for future primary science teachers is dependent not only on their science knowledge and self-confidence, but also on a whole range of interrelated sociocultural factors. This paper aims to explore how intersections between different Discourses about primary teaching and about science teaching are evidenced in primary school student teachers' talk about becoming teachers. The study is founded in a conceptualisation of learning as a process of social participation. The conceptual framework is crafted around two key concepts: Discourse (Gee 2005) and identity (Paechter, Women's Studies International Forum, 26(1):69-77, 2007). Empirically, the paper utilises semi-structured interviews with 11 primary student teachers enrolled in a 1-year Postgraduate Certificate of Education course. The analysis draws on five previously identified teacher Discourses: `Teaching science through inquiry', `Traditional science teacher', `Traditional primary teacher', `Teacher as classroom authority', and `Primary teacher as a role model' (Danielsson and Warwick, International Journal of Science Education, 2013). It explores how the student teachers, at an early stage in their course, are starting to intersect these Discourses to negotiate their emerging identities as primary science teachers.

  19. Role Models and Teachers: medical students perception of teaching-learning methods in clinical settings, a qualitative study from Sri Lanka.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayasuriya-Illesinghe, Vathsala; Nazeer, Ishra; Athauda, Lathika; Perera, Jennifer

    2016-02-09

    Medical education research in general, and those focusing on clinical settings in particular, have been a low priority in South Asia. This explorative study from 3 medical schools in Sri Lanka, a South Asian country, describes undergraduate medical students' experiences during their final year clinical training with the aim of understanding the teaching-learning experiences. Using qualitative methods we conducted an exploratory study. Twenty eight graduates from 3 medical schools participated in individual interviews. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative content analysis method. Emergent themes reveled 2 types of teaching-learning experiences, role modeling, and purposive teaching. In role modelling, students were expected to observe teachers while they conduct their clinical work, however, this method failed to create positive learning experiences. The clinical teachers who predominantly used this method appeared to be 'figurative' role models and were not perceived as modelling professional behaviors. In contrast, purposeful teaching allowed dedicated time for teacher-student interactions and teachers who created these learning experiences were more likely to be seen as 'true' role models. Students' responses and reciprocations to these interactions were influenced by their perception of teachers' behaviors, attitudes, and the type of teaching-learning situations created for them. Making a distinction between role modeling and purposeful teaching is important for students in clinical training settings. Clinical teachers' awareness of their own manifest professional characterizes, attitudes, and behaviors, could help create better teaching-learning experiences. Moreover, broader systemic reforms are needed to address the prevailing culture of teaching by humiliation and subordination.

  20. What Teachers Want: Supporting Primary School Teachers in Teaching Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzgerald, Angela; Schneider, Katrin

    2013-01-01

    Impending change can provide us with the opportunity to rethink and renew the things that we do. The first phase of the Australian Curriculum implementation offers primary school teachers the chance to examine their approaches to science learning and teaching. This paper focuses on the perceptions of three primary school teachers regarding what…

  1. Correctional Education Teachers' Teaching Competence and Use of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Correctional Education Teachers' Teaching Competence Genet G. and Haftu H. 83. ORIGINAL ARTICLE. Correctional Education Teachers' ... Educational and Behavioral Sciences, Bahir Dar University. ** Assistant Professor, Teacher Education ... evaluation of available research, it is obvious that education programs in.

  2. Examining Primary Pre-Service Teachers' Difficulties of Mathematics Teaching with the Micro-Teaching Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savas Basturk; Tastepe, Mehtap

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine primary pre-service teachers' difficulties of the teaching of mathematics with micro-teaching method. The participants of the study were 15 third grade pre-service teachers from the department of primary education in the faculty of education. In this grade which includes four sections, there were…

  3. Influencing Technology Education Teachers to Accept Teaching Positions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinke, Luke Joseph; Putnam, Alvin Robert

    2008-01-01

    Technology education is facing a significant teacher shortage. The purpose of this study was to address the technology education teacher shortage by examining the factors that influence technology education teachers to accept teaching positions. The population for the study consisted of technology education teachers and administrators. A survey…

  4. Teacher Burnout: Will Talking about It Help?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossnickle, Donald R.

    1980-01-01

    Teachers are beginning to collectively voice their complaints about the stresses they face in school. While talking about the problems of low morale and poor school climate won't solve these problems, the public is being alerted that teachers need help, not further criticism. (SJL)

  5. The Teacher and the Teaching Profession - An Ecological Adaptation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zak, Itai

    This study aimed at assessing the relationships between the structures of the teaching occupation and teacher training institutions and the personality characteristics of teachers in Israel. The hypothesis considered was that recruitment by self-selection would promote an image of conservatism by bringing into teaching people with matched…

  6. Science teachers' knowledge, beliefs, values, and concerns of teaching through inquiry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assiri, Yahya Ibrahim

    This study investigated elementary science teachers' knowledge, beliefs, values, and concerns of teaching through inquiry. A mixed-methods research design was utilized to address the research questions. Since this study was designed as a mixed-methods research approach, the researcher gathered two type of data: quantitative and qualitative. The study was conducted in Mohayel School District, Saudi Arabia. The information was collected from 51 participants using a questionnaire with multiple choice questions; also, 11 participants were interviewed. After collecting the data, descriptive and comparative approaches were used. In addition, themes and codes were used to obtain the results. The results indicated that the mean of elementary science teachers' knowledge was 51.23%, which was less than 60% which was the acceptable score. Also, the qualitative results showed that science teachers had a limited background of teaching through inquiry. In addition, the elementary science teachers had a high level of belief to teach science through inquiry since the mean was 3.99 out of 5.00. These quantitative results were confirmed by the qualitative data. Moreover, the overall mean of elementary science teachers was 4.01, which indicated that they believed in the importance of teaching science through inquiry which was also confirmed by the responses of teachers in the interviews. Also, the findings indicated that elementary school science teachers had concerns about teaching science through inquiry since the overall mean was 3.53. In addition, the interviewees mentioned that they faced some obstacles when they teach by inquiry, such as time, resources, class size, and the teachers' background. Generally, the results did not show any significant differences among elementary science teachers' knowledge, beliefs, values, and concerns depending on gender, level of education, and teaching experience. However, the findings indicated there was one significant difference which was

  7. An Extra Radiator? Teachers' Views of Support Teaching and Withdrawal in Developing the English of Bilingual Pupils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williamson, John

    1989-01-01

    Explores the attitudes of British secondary school teachers toward withdrawal and mainstream support as ways of helping bilingual pupils develop competence in English. Suggests that the results allow for envisaging an ideal classroom situation for teaching bilingual pupils. (KO)

  8. Fourteen Autumns: A Reading Teacher Teaches Writing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Jo-Anne R.

    1984-01-01

    An elementary school reading teacher describes how she restructured her teaching methods by encouraging children to read and write as part of an integrated process, rather than teaching reading alone as a set of fragmented steps. (GC)

  9. Teachers\\' practical rationality of mathematics teaching and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    mathematics teaching as a practice and the way that teachers learn in such a practice. Conversations during interviews with the teachers in the sample indicate that SchoÈn\\'s notion of reflection-in-action is a key to understanding how teachers use their practical rationality as they try to understand nuanced meanings of the

  10. Does Teaching Experience Matter? The Beliefs and Practices of Beginning and Experienced Physics Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caleon, Imelda S.; Tan, Yuen Sze Michelle; Cho, Young Hoan

    2018-02-01

    This study utilized multiple data sources to examine the beliefs about learning and teaching physics and the instructional practices of five beginning teachers and seven experienced teachers from Singapore. Our study was implemented in the unique context of teachers teaching the topic of electricity to students grouped according to academic abilities. The topic of electricity is one of the most difficult physics topics for students to understand and for teachers to teach. It was found that the experienced teachers, compared to the beginning teachers, tended to have beliefs about teaching and learning physics that are closer to constructivist views. The majority of the teachers, particularly the beginning teachers, espoused beliefs about learning physics that were incongruent with their beliefs about teaching physics. Although transmission-oriented and teacher-directed practices dominated the classroom lessons of both groups of teachers, more elements of constructivist instruction were found in the classroom lessons of the experienced teachers. It was also found that the classroom practices of the teachers, especially those in their inductive years of teaching, were more aligned with their beliefs about learning physics than their beliefs about teaching physics.

  11. Teachers' understanding of the communicative language teaching ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Teachers' understanding of the communicative language teaching approach: The case of English language teachers in Thohoyandou. ... with CLT theories and practice. Keywords: communicative competence, approach versus method, Grammar translation method, direct method, first additional language, second language ...

  12. Teacher's Approaches in Teaching Literature: Observations of ESL Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mustakim, Siti Salina; Mustapha, Ramlee; Lebar, Othman

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to identify the approaches employed by teachers in teaching Contemporary Children's Literature Program to upper primary school. Using classroom observations and interview as research instruments, this paper evaluates the approaches of five ESL teachers teaching Year 5 students and examines the various challenges faced by them in…

  13. Working Overseas: An Ideal Way to Improve Teaching Profession

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamdi Serin

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Working abroad as a teacher is a great opportunity to develop teaching skills. Teachers develop new teaching strategies and transfer them to their own countries, learn how to use technological devices effectively in the classroom, learn about other people and other cultures and share their experiences with their students to create a stress free learning environment. These notions help teachers facilitate learning and make difference in teaching. Moreover, teachers with international experience can understand their students better. They can discern the needs and difficulties the students have and develop teaching strategies to help students with them. This paper explains the benefits of working abroad and writes about experiences of some teachers who worked overseas.

  14. Examination of the Teaching Skills for Reading Scientific Materials Needed by Science Teachers by Comparing In-Service and Prospective Science Teachers

    OpenAIRE

    山根, 嵩史; 中條, 和光

    2016-01-01

    We examined the teaching skills for reading scientific materials needed by science teachers. We compared the views of teaching skills for reading scientific materials of science teachers both in service and in training. The result of text mining for free description of the teaching skills of both groups showed that, whereas trainee teachers emphasized language ability as a teaching skill (for example, the ability to image the contents of a text), current teachers emphasized teaching the curri...

  15. How Preservice Teachers Use Children’s Literature to Teach Mathematical Concepts: Focus on Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer EDELMAN

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This descriptive study examines the elements of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT that elementary teacher candidates exhibit as they plan, teach, and reflect on a mathematics lesson that integrates children’s literature. Data for this study were gathered from observations and written work of preservice elementary teacher candidates enrolled in a methods of teaching mathematics course. The data were analyzed using three criteria: that of knowledge of content and students, knowledge of content and teaching, and knowledge of content and curriculum. The findings suggest a need for further development of teacher candidates’ ability to identify and locate mathematical concepts in children’s literature, as well as the need for supporting teacher candidates’ critical analysis of curricular materials and mathematical representations in children’s literature.

  16. How preservice teachers use children’s literature to teach mathematical concepts: Focus on mathematical knowledge for teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Edelman

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This descriptive study examines the elements of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT that elementary teacher candidates exhibit as they plan, teach, and reflect on a mathematics lesson that integrates children’s literature. Data for this study were gathered from observations and written work of preservice elementary teacher candidates enrolled in a methods of teaching mathematics course. The data were analyzed using three criteria: that of knowledge of content and students, knowledge of content and teaching, and knowledge of content and curriculum. The findings suggest a need for further development of teacher candidates’ ability to identify and locate mathematical concepts in children’s literature, as well as the need for supporting teacher candidates’ critical analysis of curricular materials and mathematical representations in children’s literature.

  17. Investigating Omani Science Teachers' Attitudes towards Teaching Science: The Role of Gender and Teaching Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambusaidi, Abdullah; Al-Farei, Khalid

    2017-01-01

    A 30-item questionnaire was designed to determine Omani science teachers' attitudes toward teaching science and whether or not these attitudes differ according to gender and teaching experiences of teachers. The questionnaire items were divided into 3 domains: classroom preparation, managing hands-on science, and development appropriateness. The…

  18. The Development of Interdisciplinary Teaching Approaches among Pre-service Science and Mathematics Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miranda Martins, Dominique

    This study sought to understand how a group of pre-service teachers in a combined secondary science and mathematics teaching methods course conceptualized and experienced interdisciplinary approaches to teaching. Although knowing how to plan interdisciplinary activities is an essential teaching practice in Quebec, these pre-service teachers faced many challenges during the process of learning to teach with this approach. By using two interdisciplinary frameworks (Nikitina, 2005; Boix Mansilla & Duraising, 2007), I qualitatively analyzed the development of the pre-service teachers' prior and emerging ideas about interdisciplinarity and their ability to plan interdisciplinary teaching activities. The provincial curriculum and issues related to time greatly shaped students' conceptions about interdisciplinarity in the classroom and constrained their ability to plan for and envision the enactment of interdisciplinary lessons in secondary science and mathematics classes. In addition, images of themselves as content-specialists, self-efficacy beliefs in relation to interdisciplinary teaching, and student learning as a source of teacher motivation emerged as key factors promoting or interrupting the development of interdisciplinary teaching approaches. Examination of these factors highlights the need for teacher-education programs to provide opportunities for pre-service teachers to explore how they see themselves as educators, increase their instructional self-efficacy beliefs, and motivate them to teach in an interdisciplinary fashion. Keywords: interdisciplinary teaching, student-teachers, curriculum, teacher-education program, self-efficacy, motivation.

  19. The impact of the teachers' non-verbal communication on success in teaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bambaeeroo, Fatemeh; Shokrpour, Nasrin

    2017-04-01

    Non-verbal communication skills, also called sign language or silent language, include all behaviors performed in the presence of others or perceived either consciously or unconsciously. The main aim of this review article was to determine the effect of the teachers' non-verbal communication on success in teaching using the findings of the studies conducted on the relationship between quality of teaching and the teachers' use of non-verbal communication and also its impact on success in teaching. Considering the research method, i.e. a review article, we searched for all articles in this field using key words such as success in teaching, verbal communication and non-verbal communication. In this study, we did not encode the articles. The results of this revealed that there was a strong relationship among the quality, amount and the method of using non-verbal communication by teachers while teaching. Based on the findings of the studies reviewed, it was found that the more the teachers used verbal and non-verbal communication, the more efficacious their education and the students' academic progress were. Under non-verbal communication, some other patterns were used. For example, emotive, team work, supportive, imaginative, purposive, and balanced communication using speech, body, and pictures all have been effective in students' learning and academic success. The teachers' attention to the students' non-verbal reactions and arranging the syllabus considering the students' mood and readiness have been emphasized in the studies reviewed. It was concluded that if this skill is practiced by teachers, it will have a positive and profound effect on the students' mood. Non-verbal communication is highly reliable in the communication process, so if the recipient of a message is between two contradictory verbal and nonverbal messages, logic dictates that we push him toward the non-verbal message and ask him to pay more attention to non-verbal than verbal messages because non

  20. Clinical teaching with emotional intelligence: A teaching toolbox

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Athar Omid

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Emotional intelligence (EI helps humans to perceive their own and others′ emotions. It helps to make better interpersonal communication that consequently leads to an increase in everyday performance and professional career. Teaching, particularly teaching in the clinical environment, is among the professions that need a high level of EI due to its relevance to human interactions. Materials and Methods: We adopted EI competencies with characteristics of a good clinical teacher. As a result, we extracted 12 strategies and then reviewed the literatures relevant to these strategies. Results: In the present article, 12 strategies that a clinical teacher should follow to use EI in her/his teaching were described. Conclusion: To apply EI in clinical settings, a teacher should consider all the factors that can bring about a more positive emotional environment and social interactions. These factors will increase students′ learning, improve patients′ care, and maintain her/his well-being. In addition, he/she will be able to evaluate her/his teaching to improve its effectiveness.

  1. Using Student Video Cases to Assess Pre-service Elementary Teachers' Engineering Teaching Responsiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalvi, Tejaswini; Wendell, Kristen

    2017-10-01

    Our study addresses the need for new approaches to prepare novice elementary teachers to teach both science and engineering, and for new tools to measure how well those approaches are working. This in particular would inform the teacher educators of the extent to which novice teachers are developing expertise in facilitating their students' engineering design work. One important dimension to measure is novice teachers' abilities to notice the substance of student thinking and to respond in productive ways. This teacher noticing is particularly important in science and engineering education, where students' initial, idiosyncratic ideas and practices influence the likelihood that particular instructional strategies will help them learn. This paper describes evidence of validity and reliability for the Video Case Diagnosis (VCD) task, a new instrument for measuring pre-service elementary teachers' engineering teaching responsiveness. To complete the VCD, participants view a 6-min video episode of children solving an engineering design problem, describe in writing what they notice about the students' science ideas and engineering practices, and propose how a teacher could productively respond to the students. The rubric for scoring VCD responses allowed two independent scorers to achieve inter-rater reliability. Content analysis of the video episode, systematic review of literature on science and engineering practices, and solicitation of external expert educator responses establish content validity for VCD. Field test results with three different participant groups who have different levels of engineering education experience offer evidence of construct validity.

  2. What Is "Good" Teaching? Teacher Beliefs and Practices about Their Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devine, Dympna; Fahie, Declan; McGillicuddy, Deirdre

    2013-01-01

    There has been increasing attention on teacher "quality" and effectiveness internationally. There is, however, little research documenting experienced teachers' classroom practices and their beliefs on why they teach the way they do. Drawing on a mixed methodological study of practices and beliefs across 12 primary and secondary schools,…

  3. Preservice Teachers' Perceptions about Teaching Mathematics through Music

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Song A.; Tillman, Daniel; Shaheen, Andrea; Boren, Rachel

    2014-01-01

    This study examined preservice teachers' perceptions about teaching elementary level mathematics lessons integrated with music. It also sought to determine how preservice teachers would strategize the integration of music activities when introducing elementary level mathematics lessons. The participants, 53 undergraduate preservice teachers at a…

  4. Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Reflections on Good and Bad Mathematics Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dayal, Hem Chand

    2013-01-01

    Researchers suggest that teachers' beliefs about teaching are strongly influenced by their personal experiences with mathematics. This study aimed to explore Pacific Island pre-service secondary mathematics teachers' perceptions about good and bad mathematics teachers. Thirty pre-service teachers, enrolled in a mathematics teaching methods course…

  5. Reform-based science teaching: A mixed-methods approach to explaining variation in secondary science teacher practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jetty, Lauren E.

    from phase one, the second qualitative phase selected six case study teachers based on their levels of reform-based teaching practices to highlight teachers across the range of practices from low, average, to high levels of implementation. Using multiple interview sources, phase two helped to further explain the variation in levels of reform-based practices. Themes related to teachers' backgrounds, local contexts, and state policy environments were developed as they related to teachers' socialization experiences across these contexts. The results of the qualitative analysis identified the following factors differentiating teachers who enacted reform-based instructional practices from those who did not: 1) extensive science research experiences prior to their preservice teacher preparation; 2) the structure and quality of their field placements; 3) developing and valuing a research-based understanding of teaching and learning as a result of their preservice teacher preparation experiences; 4) the professional culture of their school context where there was support for a high degree of professional autonomy and receiving support from "educational companions" with a specific focus on teacher pedagogy to support student learning; and 5) a greater sense of agency to navigate their districts' interpretation and implementation of state polices. Implications for key stakeholders as well as directions for future research are discussed.

  6. Working the Dialectic: Teaching and Learning Teacher Research in Social Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martell, Christopher C.; Sequenzia, Maria R.

    2016-01-01

    This article presents two narratives of teaching and learning teacher research in social studies. Organized around the concept of working the dialectic, two social studies educators discuss their experiences as teachers and learners of teacher research. This article highlights the power of practitioner research to transform teaching and teacher…

  7. Pre-Service Teachers Identify Connections between Teaching-Learning and Literacy Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Kimy; Robinson, Quintin; Braun-Monegan, Jenelle

    2016-01-01

    This study explores the transformation of pre-service teachers in their attainment of effective teaching skills. Pre-service teachers learn about the learning-to-read process and implementations of component skills of teaching reading within the practicum. More importantly, pre-service teachers achieve a meaningful understanding of the…

  8. The relationship between school environment, preservice science teachers' science teaching self-efficacy, and their use of instructional strategies at teachers' colleges in Saudi Arabia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alshalaan, Nasser A.

    Studies indicate that many teachers have negative beliefs about science, which translates into low teacher efficacy, resulting in avoidance of science teaching or in ineffective science teaching behaviors. Highly efficacious teachers have been found to be more likely to use inquiry and student-centered teaching strategies, while teachers with a low sense of science-teaching efficacy are more likely to use teacher-directed strategies, such as didactic lectures and reading from the textbook (Czemiak, 1990). The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice science teachers' science-teaching self-efficacy changes and their correlation to teaching environment factors during the student teaching semester. Moreover, it explains how teaching environment factors and preservice teachers' science-teaching self-efficacy beliefs may relate to their use of teaching strategies in the science classroom during their student teacher training at teachers' colleges in Saudi Arabia. The population of this study is consisted of 184 middle and elementary preservice science teachers who were doing their student teaching at nine teachers' colleges (i.e., teachers' colleges of Riyadh, Dammam, Alrras, Almadinah, Alihsa, Jeddah, Makah, Altaief, and Abha) in Saudi Arabia during the spring semester of 2005. Three instruments were used to collect data for this study: (1) to measure science teaching self-efficacy, the researcher adapted the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument form B designed specifically for preservice teachers (STEBI-B); (2) to measure the school environment, the researcher adapted the Organizational Health Inventory (OHI), developed by Hoy, Tarter & Kottkamp (1991); and (3) to measure the type and frequency of instructional strategies that preservice science teachers use in the classroom, the researcher adapted the teaching practice subscale from The Local Systemic Change through Teacher Enhancement Science K-8 Teacher Questionnaire (Horizon Research, Inc., 2000

  9. Problem solving teaching practices: Observer and teacher's view

    OpenAIRE

    Felmer , Patricio; Perdomo-Díaz , Josefa; Giaconi , Valentina; Espinoza , Carmen ,

    2015-01-01

    International audience; In this article, we report on an exploratory study on teaching practices related to problem solving of a group of 29 novel secondary mathematics teachers. For this purpose, two independent instruments were designed, the first one is based on lesson observations, and the second one is a questionnaire answered by teachers about their teaching practices while working on non-routine problem solving with their students. For each instrument, we perform a statistical analysis...

  10. When learners become teachers: a review of peer teaching in medical student education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benè, Kristen L; Bergus, George

    2014-01-01

    Peer teaching engages students as teachers and is widely used in K-12 education, many universities, and increasingly in medical schools. It draws on the social and cognitive congruence between learner and teacher and can be attractive to medical schools faced with a growing number of learners but a static faculty size. Peer teachers can give lectures on assigned topics, lead problem-based learning sessions, and provide one on one support to classmates in the form of tutoring. We undertook a narrative review of research on peer teachers in medical school, specifically investigating how medical students are impacted by being peer teachers and how having a peer teacher impacts learners. Studies have shown that peer teaching has a primarily positive impact on both the peer teacher and the learners. In the setting of problem-based learning courses or clinical skills instruction, medical students' performance on tests of knowledge or skills is similar whether they have faculty instructors or peer teachers. There is also strong evidence that being a peer teacher enhances the learning of the peer teacher relative to the content being taught. It is common for peer teachers to lack confidence in their abilities to successfully teach, and they appreciate receiving training related to their teaching role. We find evidence from several different educational settings that peer teaching benefits both the peer teachers and the learners. This suggests that peer teaching is a valuable methodology for medical schools to engage learners as teachers.

  11. What is motivating middle-school science teachers to teach climate change?

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNeal, Peggy; Petcovic, Heather; Reeves, Patricia

    2017-05-01

    Adoption of science content standards that include anthropogenic climate change has prompted widespread instruction in climate change for the first time. However, the controversial nature of the topic can be daunting and many teachers share misconceptions that lead to weak treatment of climate change in classrooms. Nevertheless, numerous teachers have embraced the topic and are providing illustrations of deliberate climate change education. In this study we investigated teacher motivation using focus groups with middle school teachers who currently teach climate change. Qualitative analysis of the collective teacher voices yielded underlying motivations. Our findings suggest that these teachers' interest in environmentalism naturally translates to climate change advocacy and motivates teaching the topic. Their knowledge and expertise gives them confidence to teach it. These teachers see themselves as scientists, therefore their views align with the scientific consensus. They practice authentic scientific research with their students, thus confirming valued characteristics of their scientist identity. Finally, our findings suggest that teaching climate change gives these teachers a sense of hope as they impact the future through their students. This study contrasts with skepticism over the state of climate change education and contributes to an understanding of how climate change education is motivated in teachers.

  12. Elments constintute teachers’ teaching skills

    OpenAIRE

    Hoa, H.; Lам, P.

    2014-01-01

    Teachers’ pedagogical activities are constituted by many skills such as teaching skills, education skills, and skills of performing varied pedagogical ac- tivities. Each skill is formed from a variety of specifi c skills. Approaching teachers’ teaching skills based on pedagogical operation base can help us establish methods and develop skills for teachers. By doing so, we can assist teachers to enhance their teaching competence contributing to teaching quality improvement in schools

  13. Measurements of Student and Teacher Perceptions of Co-Teaching Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keeley, Randa G.

    2015-01-01

    Co-teaching is an accepted teaching model for inclusive classrooms. This study measured the perceptions of both students and teachers regarding the five most commonly used co-teaching models (i.e., One Teach/One Assist, Station Teaching, Alternative Teaching, Parallel Teaching, and Team Teaching). Additionally, this study compared student…

  14. Can "Any" Teacher Teach Sexuality and HIV/AIDS? Perspectives of South African Life Orientation Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helleve, Arnfinn; Flisher, Alan J.; Onya, Hans; Mukoma, Wanjiru; Klepp, Knut-Inge

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we explore the perceived desirable characteristics of South African Life Orientation teachers for teaching sexuality and HIV/AIDS. We also investigate the extent to which these characteristics can be understood as parts of a role script for teaching HIV/AIDS and sexuality. Data were collected from teachers who taught Grade Eight and…

  15. Why Teach? A Project-Ive Life-World Approach to Understanding What Teaching Means for Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landrum, Brittany; Guilbeau, Catherine; Garza, Gilbert

    2017-01-01

    Previous literature has examined teachers' motivations to teach in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic motives, personality dimensions, and teacher burnout. These findings have been cast in the rubric of differences between teachers and non-teachers and the linear relations between these measures among teachers. Utilizing a phenomenological approach…

  16. High-Stakes Examination Preparation that Controls Teaching: Chinese Prospective Teachers' Conceptions of Excellent Teaching and Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Junjun; Brown, Gavin T. L.

    2013-01-01

    How prospective teachers conceive of teaching excellence and assessment purposes probably influences how teaching and assessment practices are implemented in the future. This study evaluated, in four "normal universities" in the People's Republic of China, 765 prospective teachers' responses to two self-report instruments regarding the…

  17. Hearing the voices of alternatively certified teachers in Texas: Narratives of teaching English language learners in urban secondary mainstream classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zannou, Yetunde Mobola

    In Texas, nearly half of all new teachers are alternatively certified (AC) whilst English language learners (ELL) are over one-third of the public school population in some districts. As this trend continues, the likelihood that AC teachers will teach ELLs increases and alters what Texas teachers must know upon entering the classroom. This research explores teacher knowledge and beliefs about teaching ELLs through constructivist and narrative lenses. Four AC science teachers in two diverse school districts participated in in-depth interviews and reflective interviews following classroom observations to answer the research questions: (1) how do AC teachers describe and interpret their acts of teaching ELLs in mainstream classrooms; and (2) how do AC teachers describe and interpret their learning to teach ELLs in mainstream classrooms. Data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic narrative methods. This study found that participants saw ELL instruction as: (1) "just good teaching" strategies, (2) consisting primarily of cultural awareness and consideration for student comfort, and (3) less necessary in science where all students must learn the language. The most experienced teacher was the only participant to reference specific linguistic knowledge in describing ELL instruction. Many of the teachers described their work with ELL students as giving them an opportunity to improve their lives, which was consistent with their overall teaching philosophy and reason for entering the profession. Participant narratives about learning to teach ELLs described personal experience and person-to-person discussions as primary resources of knowledge. District support was generally described as unhelpful or incomplete. Participants portrayed their AC program as helpful in preparing them to work with ELL students, but everyone desired more relevant information from the program and more grade-appropriate strategies from the district. Participant narratives reveal AC teachers

  18. Preservice Teachers Connecting Mathematics and Drumming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Anne Marie

    2014-01-01

    Increasingly, elementary classroom teachers are being called to teach a myriad of subjects, including visual art, dance, and music. Preservice teachers must be prepared to teach and integrate multiple subjects. To that end, preservice teachers will need experiences in their preparation that help them to see connections across content areas and…

  19. THE FREQUENT USE OF TEACHING STRATEGIES/METHODS AMONG TEACHERS ACCORDING TO THE TEACHER CANDIDATES OBSERVATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mukaddes SAKALLI

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to show the frequent use of teaching stratergies/methods amongteachers which has been observed by teacher candidates currently undergoing their own field/area teaching program.This study undertakes the general research model and the tools used to obtain the necessary data are personalinformation form and a questionaire. “Teachers frequent use of teaching methods/stratergies” to obtain necessarydata a 4 likert scale type of questionaire has been used. The scale developed on behalf of the researcher involves 35teaching methods/stratergies.The data obtained through 71 quetionaires where evaluated from 4 (always and 1(none as points and has been evaluated through the SPSS package program. In addition, the resultsof the data havebeen analysed through the following techniques: percentage (%, average (X and standard deviation (SS.According to the observations made by the teacher candidates the following teaching methods/stratergies wereundertaken by the teachers according to thier teaching field: lecturing, question-answer method were always used,homework, practice in the classroom, problem solving, showing and practicing methods were frequently used,project work, anaylsing example situations, debates, similarity, computer based education, observing privatetutorials, eduational games, cooperative learning, brainstroming, field trips and reflecting/miroring situations,group/team work, experiment, role play, micro-learning technique, statement, speech,meeting, display, drama,conference, formal debates, sempozium, seminar, panel, umbrella technique, forum and opposite panel

  20. Characteristics of High School Students' and Science Teachers' Cognitive Frame about Effective Teaching Method for High School Science Subject

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Duk Ho; Park, Kyeong-Jin; Cho, Kyu Seong

    2016-04-01

    We investigated the cognitive frame of high school students and inservice high school science teachers about effective teaching method, and we also explored how they understood about the teaching methods suggested by the 2009 revised Science Curriculum. Data were collected from 275 high school science teachers and 275 high school students. We analyzed data in terms of the words and the cognitive frame using the Semantic Network Analysis. The results were as follows. First, the teachers perceived that an activity oriented class was the effective science class that helped improve students'' problem-solving abilities and their inquiry skills. The students had the cognitive frame that their teacher had to present relevant and enough teaching materials to students, and that they should also receive assistance from teachers in science class to better prepare for college entrance exam. Second, both students and teachers retained the cognitive frame about the efficient science class that was not reflected 2009 revised Science Curriculum exactly. Especially, neither groups connected the elements of ''convergence'' as well as ''integration'' embedded across science subject areas to their cognitive frame nor cognized the fact that many science learning contents were closed related to one another. Therefore, various professional development opportunities should be offered so that teachers succinctly comprehend the essential features and the intents of the 2009 revised Science Curriculum and thereby implement it in their science lessons effectively. Keywords : semantic network analysis, cognitive frame, teaching method, science lesson

  1. Teaching in Overseas Military Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinney, Fred

    1980-01-01

    Reveals strengths and weaknesses encountered by a psychology teacher involved in the overseas graduate counseling program for Ball State University. Problems included lack of proper teaching and counseling facilities, long teaching hours, and civilian teachers' ignorance of military protocol. Advantages included helping military personnel obtain a…

  2. How Can I Teach Effectively When …: An Exploration of Factors Affecting Willingness to Teach Effectively (WTTE among EFL Teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parviz Birjandi

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available An effective teacher is defined as someone who achieves goals which either directly or indirectly focus on the learning of their students (Anderson, 1991. It goes without saying that, what can lead to a change in the behavior and learning  of the pupils is effective teaching, not a mere transmitting of knowledge. It is important to know how teachers define effective teaching and what factors they consider the most important in the course of being an efficient and successful teacher. Although many studies have investigated the issue of effective teaching in past, to the best of the researchers’ knowledge no study have investigated the factors affecting teachers’ willingness to teach effectively. This study focused on the Iranian EFL teachers’ attitude toward effectual teaching. Thirty five teachers participated in this study through filling a validated and piloted questionnaire. The results indicated that most of the teachers thought that an effective teacher tries to encourage pupil participation and gets all the students involved. The results further depicted, “Teachers’ beliefs and previous experience” was the top selected factor leading to (ineffective teaching among the subjects. The findings of this study can have important implications for teacher educators and also EFL teachers themselves.

  3. Instructional Coaching through Dialogic Interaction: Helping a Teacher to Become Agentive in Her Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haneda, Mari; Teemant, Annela; Sherman, Brandon

    2017-01-01

    We investigate the instructional coaching interactions between a kindergarten teacher and an experienced coach using the analytic lens of dialogic teaching. The data were collected in the context of a US professional development project that supports urban elementary school teachers in enacting critical sociocultural teaching practices. We…

  4. Professional development strategies for teaching urban biology teachers to use concept maps effectively

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGregor Petgrave, Dahlia M.

    Many teachers are not adequately prepared to help urban students who have trouble understanding conceptual ideas in biology because these students have little connection to the natural world. This study explored potential professional development strategies to help urban biology teachers use concept maps effectively with various topics in the biology curriculum. A grounded theory approach was used to develop a substantive professional development model for urban biology teachers. Qualitative data were collected through 16 semi-structured interviews of professional developers experienced in working with concept maps in the urban context. An anonymous online survey was used to collect quantitative data from 56 professional developers and teachers to support the qualitative data. The participants were from New York City, recruited through the NY Biology-Chemistry Professional Development Mentor Network and the NY Biology Teachers' Association. According to the participants, map construction, classroom applications, lesson planning, action research, follow-up workshops, and the creation of learning communities are the most effective professional development strategies. The interviewees also proposed English language learning strategies such as picture maps, native word maps, and content reading materials with underlined words. This study contributes to social change by providing a professional development model to use in planning workshops for urban teachers. Urban teachers improve their own conceptual understanding of biology while learning how to implement concept mapping strategies in the classroom. Students whose teachers are better prepared to teach biology in a conceptual manner have the potential of growing into more scientifically literate citizens.

  5. Teaching ePortfolios in Teacher Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Groißböck

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Especially when starting their career in the induction phase, young teachers need personal, profession-related and social support. Young teachers can get personal support with a mentoring system, profession-related support in seminars and social support with peer-learning. E-portfolios offer ways to accompany those learning processes and are a central tool for the documentation of individual student progress in the induction phase of teachers. In this article a concept of teaching e-portfolios for the induction phase is presented, showing a basic structure, essential conditions and possible risks. Additionally this article also includes practical thoughts to the use of e-portfolios in basic teacher education and further teacher training.

  6. Using Information and Communication Technology in Italian Language Learning and Teaching: from Teacher Education to Classroom Activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matteo Viale

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the in-service teacher education activities carried out by the research unit from the University of Bologna involved in the European project E-LENGUA. This project focuses on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs in teaching Italian in the multilingual classroom. The paper opens with a description of the Italian educational context, characterised by an increasing presence of non-native speakers of Italian. Taking into consideration the linguistic needs of students with different sociolinguistic backgrounds is a significant challenge for teachers. ICTs may be helpful for teachers facing such challenges, even though there are contrasting opinions about their usage in the classroom. The paper presents some case studies on the use of ICTs in the classroom, developed within in-service teacher education activities and implemented in the classroom. These studies aim to examine the use of ICTs as a teaching resource in order to elaborate generalizable guidelines for best practices in the Italian school system.

  7. Science student teacher's perceptions of good teaching | Setlalentoa ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Science student teacher's perceptions of good teaching. ... of 50 senior students enrolled in the Bachelor of Education (Further Education and Training ... and teaching strategies employed are perceived to influence what students perceived as ...

  8. Perceptions of teacher candidates concerning ethically suitable behaviours for teaching profession

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balcı Süleyman

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Identifying the perceptions of teacher candidates regarding effective teacher charactheristics and teaching is necessary for knowing their program experiences to consider the appropriateness of those perceptions in terms of professional purposes and practices. Moreover, professional ethics determined for teaching profession enable teachers to make decisions easily at any difficult situations in education. Purpose of this study is to describe perceptions of teacher candidates working for secondary schools concerning ethically suitable behaviors for teaching profession. Participants of this study includes graduates of Mathematics, Nursing, Sociology, Turkish Language Literature Departments. Of those participants (n=163, 42 are graduates of Mathematics, 35 are Nursing, 45 are Sociology, 41 are Turkish Language Literature Departments and completed preservice teacher education curriculum (pedagogical education program at Education Faculty of Kırıkkale University in 2014–2015 academic calender. According to the results of this study most of the participants are aware of ethically suitable behaviors for teaching profession.

  9. Examining Preschool Teacher Candidates’ Liking Child and Motivations for Teaching Professions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esra DERELİ İMAN

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate whether liking child of preschool teacher candidates predicts motivations for teaching professions and whether students’ liking child, motivations for teaching professions differ based on qualifications of personnel was investigated. 396 preschool teacher candidates participant attending in two different university . The Barnett Liking Child Scale and Motivation Source and Problems Candidate Teacher Occupation Questionnaire are used as data collecting tool. In this study, independent t-test, one way variance analysis, Pearson Correlation analysis and, basic linear regression analysis were used for analyzing data. In the study, it was determined that liking child and motivations for teaching professions is high of teacher candidates, except negative factors for learning motivation, There is a significant difference between the liking child, motivations for teaching professions of students and their gender, academic achievement, and income level of family. Also, liking child of students significantly predicted motivations for teaching professions.

  10. Between fact and interpretation : Teachers' beliefs and practices in intepretational history teaching

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wansink, B.G.J.

    2017-01-01

    In the last two decades, Dutch history teachers have witnessed a curriculum renewal for upper secondary education towards more emphasis on interpretational history teaching. This teaching approach means that, rather than teaching history as a factual and undisputable narrative, teachers come to

  11. Factors influencing pre-service physics teachers' skills of writing teaching materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinaga, Parlindungan

    2016-02-01

    Writing teaching materials is one of the generic pedagogical skills. Teachers and pre-service teachers should be trained to have the skills of writing teaching materials. This study examines the factors that influence the skills of writing in the disciplines among pre-service physics teachers. This study in particular aims to contribute to the development of science writing in the disciplines and to the organization of workshops on writing teaching materials for pre-service teachers. The problems of this research are formulated in the question of what are the factors that influence the skills of pre-service physics teachers in writing teaching materials. The research adopted mixed methods with embedded experimental design. The research subjects were 18 students enrolled in the school physics course. The instruments used consisted of conceptual understanding tests, learning strategy questionnaire, tests of the multiple representation skills, and one-on-one semi- structured interview. Results of data analysis show that the ability and skills of writing physics teaching materials of the pre- service physics teachers are determined by the factors of conceptual understanding of the subject matter with a contribution of 20%, the skills of making multiple representations of concepts with a contribution of 9.8% and students' self-regulation and learning strategy with a contribution of 33.5%. There are other factors that have not been investigated in this study; therefore, it is recommended that future research conduct further investigation on other factors that influence pre-service teachers' skills in writing physics teaching materials.

  12. Problems in Teaching the Topic of Redox Reactions: Actions and Conceptions of Chemistry Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jong, Onno; Acampo, Jeannine; Verdonk, Adri

    Although there is growing interest in studies of teachers' actions and conceptions, little is known about content-related teaching problems arising in science classrooms. This article presents a case study of problems which can occur when teaching the topic of redox reactions to Grade 11 students. Two chemistry teachers, a senior and a junior teacher, were involved in the study. Their reflective comments on the teaching problems were also investigated. Research data were obtained from classroom observations and audiotaped recordings of classroom practice. After the lessons, we conducted semistructured interviews with the teachers. The teaching problems are reported in terms of teaching activities causing difficulties for students in considering new conceptions to be necessary, intelligible, plausible, or fruitful. Analyses of the teachers' comments on these teaching activities clarifies a number of reasons why they acted as they did. It can be concluded that teachers' scientific expertise is an important source of difficulties when teaching redox reactions. Implications for an improvement of current chemistry classroom practice and content-related teacher training are offered.Received: 11 April 1994; Revised: 5 June 1995;

  13. Teachers'Perceptions of Teaching Grammar in Young Learners'Classroom%Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching Grammar in Young Learners' Classroom

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    余媛

    2016-01-01

    The present essay studies the role of grammar in young learners' classroom, perceived by the English teachers in China. The study gives a detailed description of what the role of grammar is like in young learners' classroom, by interviewing primary school teachers both from a city in a developed coastal city and a less developed city in central China. It highlights the differences in the perceptions of teachers on the prominence of grammar in their classes. These differences may indicate regional disparity and potential factors for teachers' teaching approaches to grammar instruction.

  14. Preparing teachers to teach English as an international language

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    Matsuda, Aya

    2017-01-01

    This book explores ways to prepare teachers to teach English as an International Language, and provides theoretically-grounded models for EIL-informed teacher education. It includes two chapters that present a theoretical approach to EIL teacher education, followed by descriptions of field-tested teacher education programs, courses and activities.

  15. Does Teaching Experience Matter? Examining Biology Teachers' Prior Knowledge for Teaching in an Alternative Certification Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedrichsen, Patricia J.; Abell, Sandra K.; Pareja, Enrique M.; Brown, Patrick L.; Lankford, Deanna M.; Volkmann, Mark J.

    2009-01-01

    Alternative certification programs (ACPs) have been proposed as a viable way to address teacher shortages, yet we know little about how teacher knowledge develops within such programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate prior knowledge for teaching among students entering an ACP, comparing individuals with teaching experience to those…

  16. Three Southern high school biology teachers' perspectives on teaching evolution: Sociocultural influences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyzer, Peggy Mckewen

    Organizations in science and science education call for students to have a thorough understanding of the theory of evolution. Yet many high school biology teachers do not teach evolution and/or include creationism in their instruction (National Academy of Science, 1998). Historically, the controversy surrounding evolution has created tension for teachers. This case study explored the sociocultural influences related to teaching evolution in three Southern 10th-grade public high school biology classrooms. It also explored the socially and culturally embedded influences on teachers' instructional goals and personal perspectives toward evolution as well as modification of instruction when evolution is taught. Theoretically framed using symbolic interactionism and sociocultural theory, data were collected between October 2003 and April 2004 and included classroom observations two to three times per week, artifacts, and in-depth interviews of the participating teachers, their science department chairpersons, their students, and a Protestant minister. The classroom teachers were unaware of the focus of the study until after evolution was taught. The analysis used in this study was an inductive, interpretative approach that allowed exploration of the sociocultural influences that affect how teachers teach evolution. The sociocultural influences and the lived experiences of each teacher created a continuum for teaching evolution. One of the participating teachers who was heavily involved in the community and one of its fundamentalist churches elected to avoid teaching evolution. Another participating teacher at the same school integrated the theory of evolution in every unit. The third teacher who taught in another school elected to teach evolution in a superficial manner to avoid conflict. The data revealed that the participating teachers' sociocultural situatedness influenced their decisions and instruction on evolution. The influence of strong religious beliefs within

  17. Factors predicting teachers' attitudes towards the use of ICT in teaching and learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayub, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd; Bakar, Kamariah Abu; Ismail, Rohayati

    2015-10-01

    Technology has revolutionized in the field of Education. The importance of technology in schools cannot be ignored. While it is important that mathematics teachers should have positive attitudes towards adopting ICT in their teaching, various problems can arise when integrating ICT into classroom lessons. This study explored the factors that influence the attitudes of mathematic teachers in the integration of ICT in the teaching and learning process. A total of 187 mathematics teachers from the state of Selangor in Malaysia were randomly selected from a stratified cluster sample. The research examined five factors that were postulated to impact teachers' attitudes towards the integration of ICT in their lessons, viz. teachers' technology competence, school culture, access to ICT, school support, and years of classroom teaching experience. The findings showed that the teachers' attitudes towards using ICT in teaching and learning were positively correlated with the teachers' technology competence [r = .41; p ICT school culture [r = .261; p ICT resources [r = .220; p ICT in teaching and learning [r = -0.192; p ICT in the classroom was explained by the variation in teachers' technology competence, school support and school culture, with the effects of teaching experience and ICT resource access being negligible.

  18. Elementary Pre-Service Teachers' Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematics Teaching Anxiety

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haciomeroglu, Guney

    2014-01-01

    The present study examined the structure of elementary pre-service teachers' mathematics anxiety and mathematics teaching anxiety by asking whether the two systems of anxiety are related. The Turkish Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale Short Version and the Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale were administered to 260 elementary pre-service teachers.…

  19. Pre- and In-Service Preschool Teachers' Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aslan, Durmus; Tas, Isil; Ogul, Irem Gürgah

    2016-01-01

    In this study, pre- and in-service preschool teachers' science teaching efficacy beliefs were investigated. The sample included 100 pre-service (50 first grades and 50 last grades) and 73 in-service preschool teachers. As a data collection tool "Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument" was used. Findings indicated that in-service…

  20. Teaching for Creativity by Science Teachers in Grades 5-10

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Abdali, Nasser S.; Al-Balushi, Sulaiman M.

    2016-01-01

    This classroom observation study explored how science teachers (N = 22) teach for creativity in grades 5-10 in Oman. We designed an observation form with 4 main categories that targeted the instructional practices related to teaching for creativity: questioning strategy, teacher's responses to students' ideas, classroom activities to support…

  1. evaluation of teachers' use of instructional materials for teaching ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Global Journal

    The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the teachers' use of the instructional materials for teaching ... These and other benefits justify the teaching of .... The use of ICT is very effective for foreign language teaching and learning. 40. PRISCA ...

  2. Claude Bernard Distinguished Lecture. Becoming a truly helpful teacher: considerably more challenging, and potentially more fun, than merely doing business as usual.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jason, Hilliard

    2007-12-01

    Few medical faculty members are adequately prepared for their instructional responsibilities. Our educational traditions were established before we had research-based understandings of the teaching-learning process and before brain research began informing our understandings of how humans achieve lasting learning. Yet, there are several advantages you may have. If your expertise is at one of the frontiers of human biology, your teaching can be inherently fascinating to aspiring health professionals. If your work has implications for human health, you have another potential basis for engaging future clinicians. And, thanks to Claude Bernard's influence, you likely are "process oriented," a necessary mindset for being an effective teacher. There are also challenges you may face. Your medical students will mostly become clinicians. Unless you can help them see connections between your offerings and their future work, you may not capture and sustain their interest. To be effective, teachers, like clinicians, need to be interactive, make on-the-spot decisions, and be "emotional literate." If you aren't comfortable with these demands, you may have work to do toward becoming a truly helpful teacher. Program changes may be needed. Might your program need to change 1) from being adversarial and controlling to being supportive and trust based or 2) from mainly dispensing information to mainly asking and inviting questions? In conclusion, making changes toward becoming a truly helpful teacher can bring benefits to your students while increasing your sense of satisfaction and fulfillment as a teacher. If you choose to change, be gentle with yourself, as you should be when expecting your students to make important changes.

  3. How do good teachers teach? Bases and values

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Branda

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available There are certain basis in teaching that already exist before the actual teaching takes place. These bases are not the result of classroom practices or the use of methods or techniques, they are part of the necessary requirements for the act of teaching something to someone. These bases are not the components of a recipe or a set of rules that we have to use mechanically. They are the guidelines, criteria, perspectives, options, points of view that make teaching and learning meaningful. In this paper we analyze an interview carried out with a “memorable teacher” to find out the grounds, perspectives and options from those teachers who have left a deep mark in their students. Even though many teachers are seeking a list of tips, tools or methods to face their classes, we are not offering any. We are just analyzing hints, gestures or traces, what Fried (1995:47 calls “the connection between passion for teaching and quality learning”.

  4. Pre-Service Teachers' Retrospective and Prospective Evaluations: Program, Self, and Teaching Profession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulusoy, Mustafa

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate teacher candidates' retrospective and prospective evaluations about the classroom teacher education program, self, and the teaching profession. Observations, interviews, focus group interviews, and surveys were used to collect data from the 240 subjects. Teacher candidates believed that the teaching profession is…

  5. The Student Teachers Perceptions On Teaching Practice Supervision In Zimbabwe Is It A Process Of Grading Or Improvement Of Teaching Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dr Sylod Chimhenga

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Supervisors are expected to observe how student teachers prepare deliver the lesson and conduct themselves as members of teaching profession and are expected to advise the students on how to improve their teaching skills. The present study is a descriptive survey which sought to analyze student teachers perception towards teaching practice as an exercise for grading or improvement and examine student teachers perception towards student-supervisor comments during discussion after classroom assessment. The sample comprised of 50 second year Diploma in Education who had undergone teaching practice in 2016. The students were purposefully sampled. In purposeful sampling the researcher selects the participants because they possess particular characteristics or knowledge being sought. A questionnaire was used to collect data for this study. The findings indicated that majority of student teachers who participated in the teaching practice perceived that the supervisors gave grades which did not reflect the comments made about the teaching performance of the student teacher. Based on the findings recommendations were made among others that assessment should match the comments on areas needing improvement and meaningful accompanying comments should be made to guide student teachers in the desired directions during teaching practice encourage student teachers to try harder or to give credit for work done well.

  6. Self-Efficacy of Teacher Candidates for Teaching First Reading and Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gündogmus, Hatice Degirmenci

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine by different variables the self-efficacy of a teacher candidate for teaching first reading and writing in their 3rd and 4th year in the department of primary school teaching. In line with the purpose of the study, the self-efficacy levels of teacher candidates for teaching first reading and writing were…

  7. Becoming Music-Making Music Teachers: Connecting Music Making, Identity, Wellbeing, and Teaching for Four Student Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pellegrino, Kristen

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this descriptive case study was to examine the developing music teacher identity of four student music teachers by exploring the meanings of music making and the intersections of music making and teaching. Participants all had dual student teaching placements: elementary general music and secondary band. Data were generated through…

  8. Teachers' Transformation as Learning: Teaching Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong Schools with a Teacher-Artist Partnership

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, Bo Wah

    2014-01-01

    The Hong Kong Government has advocated teaching Cantonese opera in the school music curriculum to promote Chinese culture education. This longitudinal study aims to examine how and why teachers transform within 3 years in learning and teaching Cantonese opera with a teacher-artist partnership approach in schools. Five primary and two secondary…

  9. Preservice Secondary Teachers' Sense of Efficacy in Teaching Character Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waters, Stewart; Russell, William B., III

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated the personal teaching efficacy and general teaching efficacy for character education of 130 preservice secondary teachers at a large university where there were no formal courses dedicated to character education, but the topic was included in some of the content coursework. The subjects were in one teacher education program…

  10. Beginning Teachers' Perception of Their Induction into the Teaching Profession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kidd, Lynda; Brown, Natalie; Fitzallen, Noleine

    2015-01-01

    Beginning teachers' induction into the teaching profession needs to be personally and professionally fulfilling, which is often not the case. The main objective of this mixed method study was to gain a deeper understanding of beginning teachers' experiences and the perceptions of their induction into the teaching profession and the support they…

  11. Linguistic ethnography as a resource in literacy teaching and teacher training

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dolmer, Grete

    2017-01-01

    between teacher and pupils and 2) the literacy teacher’s assessment of and feedback on pupils’ written and oral texts. Based on the analyses, we will discuss how linguistic ethnography can contribute to the development of literacy teaching at intermediate level in primary and lower secondary school......Linguistic ethnography as a resource in literacy teaching and teacher training This poster presents work-in-progress from an ongoing case study of literacy teaching in a multilingual and socially complex Year 4 class in Aarhus, Denmark. The underlying assumption is that pupils’ understandings...... and highlight the potentials and benefits of linguistic ethnography as a resource in current attempts to research-base teacher education.Lefstein, A. & J. Snell. 2014. Better than best practice. Developing teaching and learning through dialogue. London: Routledge.Keywords: literacy teaching classroom dialogue...

  12. Parental Expectations of Their Adolescents' Teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tatar, Moshe; Horenczyk, Gabriel

    2000-01-01

    Examines parental expectations of their children's teachers through use of the Expectations of Teachers questionnaire. Participating parents (N=765) reported greater expectations for help and assistance, followed by teaching competence and fairness on the part of the teacher. Mothers were found to hold higher fairness, help, and assistance…

  13. Teachers' Perceptions of Effective Teaching: A Comparative Study of Elementary School Teachers from China and the USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Lingqi; Muñoz, Marco

    2016-01-01

    This international study investigated Chinese and American elementary school teachers' perceptions of effective teaching. The sample comprised Chinese (n = 108) and US (n = 110) participating teachers. The Effective Teaching Quality Survey (ETQS) was adopted for this comparative education research, an instrument that operationalized Stronge's…

  14. Student Teachers' Perceptions towards Teaching Practice Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chireshe, R.; Chireshe, E.

    2010-01-01

    The study investigated the perceptions of student teachers towards teaching practice assessment. Participants N=180:90 males, 90 females were randomly drawn from three primary school teachers' colleges in Masvingo Educational Region of Zimbabwe. A questionnaire was used to gather data from the respondents. A chi-square test was used to analyse the…

  15. Student teachers' pedagogical content knowledge for teaching systems thinking: effects of different interventions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenkränzer, Frank; Hörsch, Christian; Schuler, Stephan; Riess, Werner

    2017-09-01

    Systems' thinking has become increasingly relevant not only in education for sustainable development but also in everyday life. Even if teachers know the dynamics and complexity of living systems in biology and geography, they might not be able to effectively explain it to students. Teachers need an understanding of systems and their behaviour (content knowledge), and they also need to know how systems thinking can be fostered in students (pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)). But the effective development of teachers' professional knowledge in teaching systems thinking is empirically uncertain. From a larger study (SysThema) that investigated teaching systems thinking, this article reports the effects of the three different interventions (technical course, didactic course and mixed course) in student teachers' PCK for teaching systems thinking. The results show that student teachers' PCK for teaching systems thinking can be promoted in teacher education. The conclusion to be drawn from our findings is that a technically orientated course without didactical aspects seems to be less effective in fostering student teachers' PCK for teaching systems thinking. The results inform educators in enhancing curricula of future academic track and non-academic track teacher education.

  16. Coteaching with senior students – a way to refine teachers' PCK for teaching chemical bonding in upper secondary school

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schultze, Felix; Nilsson, Pernilla

    2018-04-01

    During the last decade there has been on-going discussions about students' declining interest and low achievement in science. One of the reasons suggested for this decline is that teachers and students have different frames of reference, whereby teachers sometimes communicate science in the classroom in a way that is not accessible to the students. There is a lack of research investigating the effects of coteaching with senior students in science in upper secondary schools. To improve teaching and to narrow the gap between teachers' and students' different frames of references, this study investigates how an experienced chemistry teacher gains and refines her pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) by cooperating with two grade 12 students (age 18) as coteachers. The teacher and the two coteachers coplanned, cotaught and coevaluated lessons in chemical bonding in a grade 10 upper secondary class. Findings indicate that the coteachers contributed with their own learning experiences to help the teacher understand how students perceive difficult concepts. In such way, the coteachers were mediating between the teacher and the students, thus bridging the gap between the teacher and the students' frames of references. The teachers' PCK was refined which in turn lead to improved teaching strategies.

  17. Teaching the teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zavalkoff, Anne

    2002-10-01

    SUMMARY This paper presents a conceptual tool designed to help teacher education students think critically about the roots and consequences of personal, parental, community, and institutional resistance to diverse sexual identities and behaviours. To explore the roots of sexualized and gendered prejudice and ground the conceptual tool theoretically, it begins with a careful examination of Judith Butler's work on performativity. The paper then describes and illustrates the conceptual tool. The Continuum of (Subversive) Drag Performance helps stimulate critical thinking about the power implications of people's sexed and gendered performances through its six ranges: Radical, Stealth, Commercial, Passing, Mainstream, and Privileged. Because these ranges are independent of common considerations of "normalcy," they offer teacher education students a relatively unthreatening framework for analyzing conceptions of sexuality and gender that, left unexamined, can contribute to sexism, heterosexism, and homophobia.

  18. Framing Teacher Education: Conceptions of Teaching, Teacher Education, and Justice in Chilean National Policies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández, M. Beatriz

    2018-01-01

    Chile shows high inequity and socioeconomic stratification in both K-12 education and teacher preparation. Drawing on the notion of frames, this critical policy analysis examines how teaching, teacher education, and justice were conceptualized in Chile's teacher preparation policies between 2008-2015. It also analyzes the narrative stories…

  19. Construction of teacher knowledge in context: Preparing elementary teachers to teach mathematics and science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowery, Maye Norene Vail

    1998-12-01

    The purposes of this study were to further the understanding of how preservice teacher construct teacher knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge of elementary mathematics and science and to determine the extent of that knowledge in a school-based setting. Preservice teachers, university instructors, inservice teachers, and other school personnel were involved in this context-specific study. Evidence of the preservice teachers' knowledge construction (its acquisition, its dimensions, and the social context) was collected through the use of a qualitative methodology. Collected data included individual and group interviews, course documents, artifacts, and preservice teaching portfolios. Innovative aspects of this integrated mathematics and science elementary methods course included standards-based instruction with immediate access to field experiences. Grade-level teams of preservice and inservice teachers planned and implemented lessons in mathematics and science for elementary students. An on-site, portable classroom building served as a mathematics and science teaching and learning laboratory. A four-stage analysis was performed, revealing significant patterns of learning. An ecosystem of learning within a constructivist learning environment was identified to contain three systems: the university system; the school system; and the cohort of learners system. A mega system for the construction of teacher knowledge was revealed in the final analysis. Learning venues were discovered to be the conduits of learning in a situated learning context. Analysis and synthesis of data revealed an extensive acquisition of teacher knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge through identified learning components. Patience, flexibility, and communication were identified as necessities for successful teaching. Learning components included: collaboration with inservice teachers; implementation of discovery learning and hands-on/minds-on learning; small groupwork; lesson planning

  20. Chinese EFL teachers' knowledge of basic language constructs and their self-perceived teaching abilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Jing; Joshi, R Malatesha; Dixon, L Quentin; Huang, Liyan

    2016-04-01

    The present study examined the knowledge and skills of basic language constructs among elementary school teachers who were teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in China. Six hundred and thirty in-service teachers completed the adapted Reading Teacher Knowledge Survey. Survey results showed that English teachers' self-perceived ability to teach vocabulary was the highest and self-perceived ability to teach reading to struggling readers was the lowest. Morphological knowledge was positively correlated with teachers' self-perceived teaching abilities, and it contributed unique variance even after controlling for the effects of ultimate educational attainment and years of teaching. Findings suggest that elementary school EFL teachers in China, on average, were able to display implicit skills related to certain basic language constructs, but less able to demonstrate explicit knowledge of other skills, especially sub-lexical units (e.g., phonemic awareness and morphemes). The high self-perceived ability of teaching vocabulary and high scores on syllable counting reflected the focus on larger units in the English reading curriculum.

  1. Other Teachers' Teaching: Understanding the Roles of Peer Group Collaboration in Teacher Reflection and Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danielowich, Robert M.

    2012-01-01

    Although most innovative professional development encourages reflective dialogue among teachers, we still know very little about how such dialogue enables teacher learning. This study describes how teachers make sense of the conflicts among their intended goals and actual practices by responding to their peers' teaching. Four teachers in a large…

  2. Examination of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge of Teaching Function Concept

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tasdan, Berna Tataroglu; Koyunkaya, Melike Yigit

    2017-01-01

    Teaching of mathematics could be improved with teachers who have a strong mathematical knowledge and have an ability to reflect this knowledge on their teaching. Therefore, it is important to develop mathematics teachers' theoretical and pedagogical knowledge. This study was designed to examine pre-service secondary mathematics teachers' (PSMT)…

  3. Confronting Barriers to Teaching Elementary Science: After-School Science Teaching Experiences for Preservice Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cartwright, Tina; Smith, Suzanne; Hallar, Brittan

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study examines the transition of eight elementary preservice teachers into student teaching after participating in a science methods course that included a significant amount of teaching after-school science to elementary grade students. These eight participants had a chance to practice teaching inquiry-based science and to reform…

  4. Teacher identity construction and plurilingual competence: a longitudinal study about language teaching in multilingual contexts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juli Palou Sangrà

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This article is part of a thesis dissertation focused on cognition and belief systems about prior language learning experience, teacher education and classroom practice. This document examines teacher identity construction in relation to plurilingual competence. We want to study a dynamic identity, which is constructed in the here and now. We use the European Council contents for language teaching. The central purpose is analyzing belief systems in relation to the teaching of languages in plurilingual contexts. We focus our analysis on teacher understandings of their new social challenges and how they respond in and to these situations. The interactional data was gathered from five focus groups of ten teachers from different educational stages. Prior to this, we collected recurrent questions which had emerged in reflective narrative and individual interviews. Data was analysed using a qualitative approach. Activity theory is the conceptual framework to identify which tensions appear when we identify not only the theoretical discourse, but also the everyday practical classroom reality. For this reason, we distinguish between dilemmas, conflicts, critical conflicts and double binds. The impact of this proposal can be summarized in relation to the following results: urgent necessity for teacher training, sharing experiences to help developing professional identity and transferring positive experiences in schools.

  5. The study of the relationship between teachers' teaching styles and TPACK education competencies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    rkan Efilti

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was determining teacher candidates' TPACK education competencies and qualifications and the status of different teaching styles so the relationship between TPACK education competencies and teaching styles could be shown. For this purpose, two different measuring tools of quantitative methods were applied to teacher candidates. To determine teacher candidates’ teaching styles "Teaching Style Inventory" developed by Grasha , and adapted by Uredi to Turkish was applied. Moreover, "TPACK-Deep - Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Scale" developed by Kabakçı-Yurdakul, Odabaşı, Kılıçer, Çoklar, Birinci and Kurt was used. The participants of the study consisted of 342 senior students who were teacher candidates studying at the University of Necmettin Erbakan during the academic year of 2012-2013. As a result of the research it was seen that teacher candidates' teaching style scores were respectively listed as, facilitator, delegator, personal model, expert and authority. In terms of TPACK education competencies, teachers found themselves at a highly advanced level. On the other hand, the type of teaching style, as well as TPACK competencies didn’t show any statistically significant gender differences. Finally, between all the teaching styles and TPACK competencies, there was an intermediate and a positive correlation.

  6. A Research on the Burnout and the Teaching Profession Attitudes of Teacher Candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadi, Aysegül; Beytekin, Osman Ferda; Arslan, Hasan

    2015-01-01

    Purpose of this study is to examine burnout and teaching profession attitudes of teacher candidates. Research was conducted with 287 teacher candidates. By the findings; burnout and teaching profession attitudes of teacher candidates don't differ according to their gender. Burnout of teacher candidates differs according to their graduation status…

  7. Workshop Results: Teaching Geoscience to K-12 Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nahm, A.; Villalobos, J. I.; White, J.; Smith-Konter, B. R.

    2012-12-01

    A workshop for high school and middle school Earth and Space Science (ESS) teachers was held this summer (2012) as part of an ongoing collaboration between the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and El Paso Community College (EPCC) Departments of Geological Sciences. This collaborative effort aims to build local Earth science literacy and educational support for the geosciences. Sixteen teachers from three school districts from El Paso and southern New Mexico area participated in the workshop, consisting of middle school, high school, early college high school, and dual credit faculty. The majority of the teachers had little to no experience teaching geoscience, thus this workshop provided an introduction to basic geologic concepts to teachers with broad backgrounds, which will result in the introduction of geoscience to many new students each year. The workshop's goal was to provide hands-on activities illustrating basic geologic and scientific concepts currently used in introductory geology labs/lectures at both EPCC and UTEP to help engage pre-college students. Activities chosen for the workshop were an introduction to Google Earth for use in the classroom, relative age dating and stratigraphy using volcanoes, plate tectonics utilizing the jigsaw pedagogy, and the scientific method as a think-pair-share activity. All activities where designed to be low cost and materials were provided for instructors to take back to their institutions. A list of online resources for teaching materials was also distributed. Before each activity, a short pre-test was given to the participants to gauge their level of knowledge on the subjects. At the end of the workshop, participants were given a post-test, which tested the knowledge gain made by participating in the workshop. In all cases, more correct answers were chosen in the post-test than the individual activity pre-tests, indicating that knowledge of the subjects was gained. The participants enjoyed participating in these

  8. Emotional Experience of Caam(2) in Teaching: Power and Interpretation of Teachers' Work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsang, Kwok K; Kwong, Tsun L

    2016-01-01

    The study explores the social psychological process of teachers' emotional experiences. Twenty-one secondary schoolteachers in Hong Kong were interviewed. The findings show that the teachers generally felt caam(2) (a Cantonese adjective that covers a range of meanings like gloomy, dreadful, tragic, pitiful, pathetic, and miserable) in teaching. The social psychological process of the emotional experience of caam(2) involves how teachers interpret the significance of their actual work in attaining the teaching goal of making a difference. If they interpret their work as incapable of fulfilling the goal, they will experience negative emotions in teaching. The findings also suggest that the interpretation is affected by teachers' power which is unequally distributed according to teachers' teaching experience and managerial roles.

  9. Situating teacher learning in the practice of mathematics and science teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartman, Monica Louise

    Education reforms propose new content and pedagogy for students. Making such reforms possible in schools depends on creating new content and pedagogy for teachers' learning. This study investigated an approach to support teachers' learning which has been rapidly growing in popularity. Specifically, the study was designed to learn how a collaborative professional development experience, situated in teachers' own practice, might help elementary teachers develop knowledge for teaching. Eleven fourth and fifth grade teachers from two public schools participated in this professional development which was modeled after Japanese Lesson Study. A qualitative research methodology of critical inquiry was used to analyze the data. The researcher was both designer and participant. This intervention gave these teachers opportunities to learn content, pedagogy, and skills for collaborative inquiry, but not all the teachers continued their involvement. Challenges of time, talk and individualism were problems for all and were among the main reasons teachers in one group gave for leaving the program. Three characteristics of the teachers who completed the project included: (a) dissatisfaction with the learning outcomes of their students; (b) participation with colleagues in social activities throughout the school year; (c) an existing trusting relationship with the program facilitator. The features of this new pedagogy of professional development require teachers to break from typical orientations to practice. This produces a paradox. On one hand, many American teachers do not have the skills needed to be expert at this, for the professional culture does not support such work. On the other hand, if teachers are not given opportunities to collaborate in meaningful ways, the skills they need cannot develop. Although, these teachers were not yet experts in this collaborative inquiry process, the skills required began to develop in the course of engaging in this professional development

  10. Learning How to Teach Chemistry with Technology: Pre-Service Teachers' Experiences with Integrating Technology into Their Learning and Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chittleborough, Gail

    2014-06-01

    The Australian Government initiative, Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF), was a targeted response to improve the preparation of future teachers with integrating technology into their practice. This paper reports on TTF research involving 28 preservice teachers undertaking a chemistry curriculum studies unit that adopted a technological focus. For chemistry teaching the results showed that technological knowledge augmented the fundamental pedagogical knowledge necessary for teaching chemistry content. All the pre-service teachers demonstrated an understanding of the role of technology in teaching and learning and reported an increased skill level in a variety of technologies, many they had not used previously. Some students were sceptical about this learning when schools did not have technological resources available. This paper argues that teacher education courses should include technological skills that match those available in schools, as well as introduce new technologies to support a change in the culture of using technology in schools.

  11. Teacher students' dilemmas when teaching science through inquiry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krämer, Philipp; Nessler, Stefan H.; Schlüter, Kirsten

    2015-09-01

    Background: Inquiry-based science education (IBSE) is suitable to teach scientific contents as well as to foster scientific skills. Similar conclusions are drawn by studies with respect to scientific literacy, motivational aspects, vocabulary knowledge, conceptual understandings, critical thinking, and attitudes toward science. Nevertheless, IBSE is rarely adopted in schools. Often barriers for teachers account for this lack, with the result that even good teachers struggle to teach science as inquiry. More importantly, studies indicate that several barriers and constraints could be ascribed to problems teacher students have at the university stage. Purpose: The purpose of this explorative investigation is to examine the problems teacher students have when teaching science through inquiry. In order to draw a holistic picture of these problems, we identified problems from three different points of view leading to the research question: What problems regarding IBSE do teacher students have from an objective, a subjective, and a self-reflective perspective? Design & method: Using video analysis and observation tools as well as qualitative content analysis and open questionnaires we identified problems from each perspective. Results: The objectively stated problems comprise the lack of essential features of IBSE especially concerning 'Supporting pupils' own investigations' and 'Guiding analysis and conclusions.' The subjectively perceived problems comprise concerns about 'Teachers' abilities' and 'Pupils' abilities,' 'Differentiated instruction' and institutional frame 'Conditions' while the self-reflectively noticed problems mainly comprise concerns about 'Allowing inquiry,' 'Instructional Aspects,' and 'Pupils' behavior.' Conclusions: Each of the three different perspectives provides plenty of problems, partially overlapping, partially complementing one another, and partially revealing completely new problems. Consequently, teacher educators have to consider these

  12. Effects of Pre-Service Teacher Learning and Student Teaching on Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    AlAjmi, Maadi M.; Al-Dhafiri, Mohammed D.; Al-Shammari, Zaid N.

    2016-01-01

    The purposes of this research were to investigate and examine the effects of pre-service teacher learning and student teaching on teacher education.Three hundred and ten out of 349 intentionally selected participants responded to a two-dimensional survey. The gender, nationality, marital status, age, and academic year had no significant effects,…

  13. Developing an Instrument for Teacher Feedback: Using the Rasch Model to Explore Teachers' Development of Effective Teaching Strategies and Behaviors

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Lans, Rikkert M.; van de Grift, Wim J. C. M.; van Veen, K.

    2018-01-01

    This study connects descriptions of effective teaching with descriptions of teacher development to advance an initial understanding of how effective teaching may develop. The study's main premise is that descriptions of effective teaching develop cumulatively where more basic teaching strategies and behaviors are required before teachers may…

  14. Investigation of Pre-Service Teachers Views of Teaching as Profession

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Akarsu

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The teaching profession has been transformed in the last century in terms of its approaches and structures, such as its instructional methods and learning settings. Such transformations affect the motivations that promote choosing it as a career. Recent studies conducted on the reasons for choosing the teaching profession have been carried out with pre- and in-service teachers’ perspectives. The current study explores similar issues within broader views in terms of prospective teachers’ personal views about two essential facets: “Prevailing views that teacher candidates hold about the profession”; “If any correlation exists between reasons for choosing teaching as a career and their disciplines”. Participants were asked to identify their teaching philosophies and reasons for determining this career path in college. The data collection process took place between 2012 and 2014. A total of 253 pre-service teachers enrolled in teacher preparation programs agreed to participate in the study. The results of data analysis indicated that teacher candidates in different disciplines hold similar viewpoints on both research questions. In addition, they stated that they chose the teaching profession because ‘It is a sacred job; the country needs better education; it is an ideal job for females’. Some correlation according to gender emerged for both of the research questions.

  15. Teachers' confidence in teaching HIV/AIDS and sexuality in South African and Tanzanian schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helleve, Arnfinn; Flisher, Alan J; Onya, Hans; Kaaya, Sylvia; Mukoma, Wanjiru; Swai, Caroline; Klepp, Knut-Inge

    2009-06-01

    This study aimed to investigate how confident and comfortable teachers at Tanzanian and South African urban and rural schools are in teaching HIV/AIDS and sexuality. It also aimed at identifying factors associated with teacher confidence and investigated how reported confidence was associated with the implementation of educational programmes on HIV/AIDS and sexuality. A survey was conducted among South African grade 8 and 9 Life Orientation teachers, and among science teachers for grade 5 to 7 in public primary schools in Tanzania. Teachers' confidence levels were measured on a four-item scale (0-3). A total number of 266 teachers participated in a survey in 86 schools in South Africa and Tanzania. Overall, teachers report to be rather confident in teaching HIV/AIDS and sexuality. Tanzanian teachers reported higher levels of confidence then did their South Africa colleagues (2.1 vs. 1.8; p teaching was significantly associated with the numbers of years teaching HIV/AIDS and sexuality, formal training in these subjects, experience in discussing the topics with others, school policy and priority given to teaching HIV/AIDS and sexuality at school. Finally, confidence in teaching remained positively associated with self-reported successful implementation of school-based programmes after adjusting for gender, age, religion and numbers of years teaching HIV/AIDS and sexuality. Across urban and rural sites in South Africa and Tanzania teachers reported to be fairly confident in teaching HIV/AIDS and sexuality. Further strengthening of their confidence levels could, however, be an important measure for improving the implementation of such programmes.

  16. The Teacher-Scholar Project: how to help faculty groups develop scholarly skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinrich, Kathleen T; Hurst, Helen; Leigh, Gwen; Oberleitner, Melinda Granger; Poirrier, Gail P

    2009-01-01

    Nursing education's challenge in the new millennium is to prepare all nurses as scholars. With many nurse educators feeling like impostors when it comes to scholarship, this is no small task. Turning the millenial challenge into an opportunity, this article describes how a collaborative faculty development initiative is turning a National League for Nursing Center of Excellence school's "scholar-impostors" into teacher-scholars. This Teacher-Scholar Project will interest those in teaching intensive schools of nursing or in teaching tracks in research-intensive institutions.

  17. Twelve tips for teaching in a provincially distributed medical education program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Roger Y; Chen, Luke; Dhadwal, Gurbir; Fok, Mark C; Harder, Ken; Huynh, Hanh; Lunge, Ryan; Mackenzie, Mark; Mckinney, James; Ovalle, William; Rauniyar, Pooja; Tse, Luke; Villanyi, Diane

    2012-01-01

    As distributed undergraduate and postgraduate medical education becomes more common, the challenges with the teaching and learning process also increase. To collaboratively engage front line teachers in improving teaching in a distributed medical program. We recently conducted a contest on teaching tips in a provincially distributed medical education program and received entries from faculty and resident teachers. Tips that are helpful for teaching around clinical cases at distributed teaching sites include: ask "what if" questions to maximize clinical teaching opportunities, try the 5-min short snapper, multitask to allow direct observation, create dedicated time for feedback, there are really no stupid questions, and work with heterogeneous group of learners. Tips that are helpful for multi-site classroom teaching include: promote teacher-learner connectivity, optimize the long distance working relationship, use the reality television show model to maximize retention and captivate learners, include less teaching content if possible, tell learners what you are teaching and make it relevant and turn on the technology tap to fill the knowledge gap. Overall, the above-mentioned tips offered by front line teachers can be helpful in distributed medical education.

  18. Reasons for Choosing the Teaching Profession and Beliefs about Teaching: A Study with Elementary School Teacher Candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dündar, Sahin

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to examine elementary school teacher candidates' motivations for choosing the teaching profession, beliefs about teaching, and satisfaction with the choice. Data were collected from 176 freshman elementary school teacher candidates at two public universities in Turkey. Results showed that the decision to choose…

  19. Teaching Music in Our Time: Student Music Teachers' Reflections on Music Education, Teacher Education and Becoming a Teacher

    Science.gov (United States)

    Georgii-Hemming, E.; Westvall, M.

    2010-01-01

    This article concerns students of music education in Sweden. It investigates the student teachers' perceptions of their ongoing music teacher education, with a particular focus on the task of teaching music today. It considers whether they believe their teacher education prepares them for this undertaking, and in that case, how. Their various…

  20. Designing a Reflective Teacher Education Course and Its Contribution to ELT Teachers' Reflectivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tajik, Leila; Pakzad, Kazem

    2016-01-01

    Researchers in the present study planned a reflective teacher education course and documented the contribution of such a course to improving teachers' reflectivity. Five English teachers took part in the reflective teacher education course designed by the researchers. To record how the course could help improve reflective teaching, researchers…

  1. A Survey on Weifang Teachers' Attitudes toward Teaching Chinese Folk Music

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Ruochen; Leung, Bo Wah

    2017-01-01

    In mainland China, the implementation of the junior secondary school's music curriculum is highly dependent on music teachers' attitudes towards music and music education. This study investigated the possible relationship between teachers' attitudes towards teaching Chinese folk music and their music teaching practice in junior secondary schools…

  2. Biology Teachers' Professional Development Needs for Teaching Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedrichsen, Patricia J.; Linke, Nicholas; Barnett, Ellen

    2016-01-01

    The social controversy surrounding the teaching of evolution puts pressure on secondary biology teachers to deemphasize or omit evolution from their curriculum. In this growing pressure, professional development can offer support to biology teachers. In this study, we surveyed secondary biology teachers in Missouri and report the data from…

  3. Examining Preservice Teachers' Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy Doubts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siwatu, Kamau Oginga; Chesnut, Steven Randall; Alejandro, Angela Ybarra; Young, Haeni Alecia

    2016-01-01

    This study was designed to add to the research on teachers' self-efficacy beliefs by examining preservice teachers' culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy doubts. We examined the tasks that preservice teachers felt least efficacious to successfully execute and explored the reasoning behind these self-efficacy doubts. Consequently, we were…

  4. Influence of Teachers' Teaching Experience on Students' Learning ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    cce

    Items 1 - 6 ... should encourage experienced teachers to stay on the job through the provision of incentives .... sampling technique. The instrument used to collect data was an inventory titled 'secondary schools teachers' teaching experience and students' learning .... Source: Statistics Division, Ministry of Education, Akure.

  5. The Teacher as Co-Musician: Exploring Practices in Music Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espeland, Åsmund; Stige, Brynjulf

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, co-musicking in teaching is discussed on the basis of findings from a study on pop band and piano teaching. We understand co-musicking as collaboration between music-makers, including pupils. For this study, we chose to focus on the actions that teachers and student teachers take during pupils' performance of a piece of music in a…

  6. Use of the "Tree" Analogy in Evolution Teaching by Biology Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcelos, Maria Fátima; Nagem, Ronaldo Luiz

    2012-04-01

    This work discusses the use of Darwin's `Tree of Life' as a didactic analogy and metaphor in teaching evolution. It investigates whether biology teachers of pupils from 17 to 18 years old know Darwin's text `Tree of Life'. In addition, it examines whether those teachers systematically employ either the analogies present in that text or other analogies between the tree and evolution, and whether they adopt a specific methodology for teaching with analogies and metaphors (A&M). The academic training of teachers regarding use of A&M is review briefly. A diagnostic study was carried out with biology teachers in a public school in the town of Contagem in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. The data were obtained through direct observation, questionnaires and a focus group. The teachers pointed out in the questionnaires that some details of Darwin's analogy are utilized as a resource. However, analysis of the data indicates that the `Tree of Life' text is not known or utilized in class. At the same time, the teachers state that they use aspects of the tree as a didactic resource to teach evolution and that its use facilitates the learning of content. The teachers have little knowledge of specific methodologies of teaching with analogies and metaphors, revealing that their training is incomplete in this area.

  7. The Perception of Tertiary Institutions Prospective Teachers on the Benefits of Teaching Practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Olusola

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This study assessed the perception of two tertiary institutions prospective teachers’ on the Benefits of Teaching Practice in Ogun State. Survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample of four hundred students was randomly selected for the study. Prospective Teachers Perception on Teaching practice Benefits Questionnaire (PTPTPBQ with the reliability coefficient of 0.80 was administered on the respondents. Data collected was analyzed using Mean Score, Charts, Percentages and t-test of significance. The study reveals that prospective teachers have low perception on the benefits of teaching practice also, finance and housing were the two major challenges faced by prospective teachers.. It is evident from the findings that there is need for concerted effort by school to orientate prospective teachers on the benefits of teaching practice. Also the major challenges faced by prospective teachers should also be addressed to allow them have good grasp from the benefits of teaching practice.

  8. "You Have to Give Them Some Science Facts": Primary Student Teachers' Early Negotiations of Teacher Identities in the Intersections of Discourses about Science Teaching and about Primary Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danielsson, Anna T.; Warwick, Paul

    2014-01-01

    In the broadest sense, the goal for primary science teacher education could be described as preparing these teachers to teach for scientific literacy. Our starting point is that making such science teaching accessible and desirable for future primary science teachers is dependent not only on their science knowledge and self-confidence, but also on…

  9. The Art of Teaching the Arts: A Workshop for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annenberg Media, 2005

    2005-01-01

    "The Art of Teaching the Arts: A Workshop for High School Teachers" is an eight-part professional development workshop for use by high school dance, music, theatre, and visual art teachers. The workshop examines how principles of good teaching are carried out in teaching the arts at the high school level. In the eight one-hour video programs,…

  10. Factors Influencing Elementary Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs in Reform-Based Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawyer, Amanda Gantt

    2017-01-01

    I investigated a reform based teachers' beliefs about the nature of mathematics, teaching mathematics, and learning mathematics, and the factors leading to their formation. I interviewed and observed a reform-based elementary mathematics teacher with 13 years' experience teaching first grade. She held a Platonist/problem solver view of…

  11. Choosing the Teaching Profession: Teachers' Perceptions and Factors Influencing Their Choice to Join Teaching as Profession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avgousti, Charalambos

    2017-01-01

    The study discovered why teachers around the world choose the Teaching profession and the factors affecting their choices. The study is meaningful to teacher education curriculum developers and teacher recruiters, for revealing the effects of teachers' perceptions on their career planning and professional growth. The findings from inferential…

  12. Unpacking Personal Identities for Teaching Mathematics within the Context of Prospective Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodges, Thomas E.; Hodge, Lynn Liao

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the personal identities of two prospective elementary teachers as they progressed from mathematics methods coursework into their capstone student teaching semester. Results indicate that both prospective teachers perceived contrasting obligations of effective mathematics teaching in the teacher education and student teaching…

  13. Exploring Science Teaching Efficacy of CASE Curriculum Teachers: A Post-Then-Pre Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulmer, Jonathan D.; Velez, Jonathan J.; Lambert, Misty D.; Thompson, Greg W.; Burris, Scott; Witt, Phillip A.

    2013-01-01

    This descriptive-correlational study sought to investigate teachers' levels of Personal Science Teaching Efficacy (PSTE) and Science Teaching Outcome Expectancy (STOE) using the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI). The population included all teachers completing a CASE Institute training session during summer 2010. Assessments…

  14. Case study of science teaching in an elementary school: Characteristics of an exemplary science teacher

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kao, Huey-Lien

    Improving the quality of science teaching is one of the greatest concerns in recent science education reform efforts. Many science educators suggest that case studies of exemplary science teachers may provide guidance for these reform efforts. For this reason, the characteristics of exemplary science teaching practices have been identified in recent years. However, the literature lacks research exploring exemplary teacher beliefs about the nature of science and science pedagogy, the relationships between their beliefs and practices, or how outstanding teachers overcome difficulties in order to facilitate their students' science learning. In this study, Sam-Yu, an identified exemplary science teacher who teaches in an elementary school in Pintung, Taiwan, was the subject. An interpretative research design (Erickson, 1986) based on principles of naturalistic inquiry (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) was used. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed in this case study. The qualitative method involved conducting interviews with the teacher and students, observing classroom activities and analyzing the structure of the learning materials. The quantitative methods involved using the Learning Climate Inventory (LCI) (Lin, 1997) instrument to assess the learning environment of the exemplary science classroom. This study found that Sam-Yu had a blend of views on the nature of science and a varied knowledge about science pedagogy. Personal preferences, past experiences, and the national science curriculum all played important roles in the development and refinement of Sam-Yu's beliefs about science and pedagogy. Regarding his teaching practices, Sam-Yu provided the best learning experiences, as evidenced in both classroom observations and the survey results, for his students by using a variety of strategies. In addition, his classroom behaviors were highly associated with his beliefs about science and pedagogy. However, due to school-based and socio-cultural constraints

  15. Preparing Elementary Prospective Teachers to Teach Early Algebra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hohensee, Charles

    2017-01-01

    Researchers have argued that integrating early algebra into elementary grades will better prepare students for algebra. However, currently little research exists to guide teacher preparation programs on how to prepare prospective elementary teachers to teach early algebra. This study examines the insights and challenges that prospective teachers…

  16. Pre-service teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching basic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study measured pre-service teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) basic school mathematics. MKT multiple-choice test was administered to 100 pre-service teachers from two colleges of education (located at Mampong in the Ashanti Region of Ghana) to assess their mathematical knowledge for ...

  17. Student teachers can be as good as associate professors in teaching clinical skills

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tolsgaard, Martin G; Gustafsson, Amandus; Rasmussen, Maria B

    2007-01-01

    AIM: The aim of this study is to compare student teachers and clinical associate professors regarding the quality of procedural skills teaching in terms of participants' technical skills, knowledge and satisfaction with the teaching. METHODS: This is an experimental, randomized, controlled study....... CONCLUSION: Trained student teachers can be as good as associate professors in teaching clinical skills. Udgivelsesdato: 2007-Sep...... comparing the teaching of student teachers and associate professors regarding participants' learning outcome and satisfaction with the teaching. Two skills are chosen for the experiment, i.v.-access and bladder catheterization. Learning outcome is assessed by a pre- and post testing of the participants...

  18. Exploring teachers' practices in teaching Mathematics and Statistics ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Teaching approaches and assessment practices are key factors that contribute to the improvement of learner outcomes. The study on which this article is based, explored the methods used by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) teachers in teaching and assessing mathematics and statistics. An instrument containing closed and ...

  19. Effective Mathematics Teaching in Finnish and Swedish Teacher Education Discourses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemmi, Kirsti; Ryve, Andreas

    2015-01-01

    This article explores effective mathematics teaching as constructed in Finnish and Swedish teacher educators' discourses. Based on interview data from teacher educators as well as data from feedback discussions between teacher educators and prospective teachers in Sweden and Finland, the analysis shows that several aspects of the recent…

  20. TALIS 2013 Technical Report: Teaching and Learning International Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    OECD Publishing, 2013

    2013-01-01

    Effective teaching and teachers are key to producing high-performing students worldwide. So how can countries prepare teachers to face the diverse challenges in today's schools? The Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) helps answer this question. TALIS asks teachers and schools about their working conditions and the learning…

  1. Teaching English Language Skills for School Teachers: CTE Programme of IGNOU

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asha Khare

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available India is a multilingual country. English is the second most important language in the country after the national language Hindi since it is taught as a compulsory subject in all the Indian schools. In the educational system of a multilingual country, it becomes imperative to improve the English Language teaching skills of the school teachers who come from various linguistic backgrounds. The school teacher plays a vital role in the development of linguistic skills of the students. What children learn can affect their later success or failure in school, work, and their personal lives. As such, the school teachers need to improve their own English language skills if they are teaching without any previous English language training. This paper throws light on the communicative approach of English language teaching. It introduces the Certificate in Teaching of English (CTE programme of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU and outlines the syllabus and the methods used by the university to impart English Language Teaching skills to the elementary/secondary school teachers through this programme with the objective to enhance teacher’s understanding of  the learners and their learning process.

  2. Preschool Teachers' Perspectives on Teaching as a Profession and Pedagogical Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maskit, Ditza; Firstater, Esther

    2016-01-01

    This study examines the associations between preschool teachers' (PTs) perceptions of teaching as a profession and attitudes toward pedagogical changes, in relation to their seniority and their work setting--public sector or private sector. Participants were 105 preschool teachers, who filled out three measures: (1) PTs' perceptions of teaching as…

  3. Relationships between Mathematics Teacher Preparation and Graduates' Analyses of Classroom Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiebert, James; Berk, Dawn; Miller, Emily

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate the relationships between mathematics teacher preparation and graduates' analyses of classroom teaching. Fifty-three graduates from an elementary teacher preparation program completed 4 video-based, analysis-of-teaching tasks in the semester before graduation and then in each of the 3…

  4. Novice Teachers Reflect on Their Instructional Practices While Teaching Adults Math

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ginsburg, Lynda

    2016-01-01

    Over three years, eighty-two teachers in their first or second year of teaching participated in orientation programs for new adult educators. During the programs, they reflected on their own instructional practices when teaching mathematics to adults. The teachers identified the practice they were likely to overemphasize and explained why they…

  5. Teaching (Un)Connected Mathematics: Two Teachers' Enactment of the Pizza Problem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Heather C.; Charalambous, Charalambos Y.

    2012-01-01

    This paper documents the ways mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) and curriculum materials appear to contribute to the enactment of a 7th grade "Connected Mathematics Project" lesson on comparing ratios. Two teachers with widely differing MKT scores are compared teaching this lesson. The comparison of the teachers' lesson enactments suggests…

  6. Teachers' Beliefs Concerning Teaching about Testicular Cancer and Testicular Self-Examination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wohl, Royal E.; Kane, William M.

    1997-01-01

    This study compared secondary health teachers' beliefs concerning teaching about testicular cancer (TC) and self-examination (TSE) to actual instruction. TC and TSE education levels were low. Perceived barriers to teaching about TSE was the main predictor of TSE instruction. Teachers with previous preparation in TC and TSE provided the most…

  7. What the Teaching Perspectives of Cooperating Teachers Tell US about Their Advisory Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, A.; Jarvis-Selinger, S.

    2005-01-01

    This study drew upon the recently developed Teaching Perspectives Inventory (TPI) to compare and contrast the teaching perspectives of cooperating teachers against a range of demographic data specific to cooperating teachers. The outcomes indicate, among other things, that a high percentage of cooperating teachers base their pedagogical…

  8. Saudi Science Teachers' Views and Teaching Strategies of Socioscientific Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alamri, Aziz S.

    Scientific developments such as cloning and nuclear energy have generated many controversial issues pertain to many political, social, environmental, ethical and cultural values in different societies around the globe. These controversies delimited and encircled the potential of including and teaching some important aspects of science in schools and therefore caused less consideration to the influence of these issues on enhancing the scientific literacy of people in general. The purpose of this study was to investigate how Saudi science teachers in the city of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia view and teach SSI in Saudi Arabia. This study employed semi-structured interviews with Saudi science teachers. Methodologically, this study used a constructivist grounded theory as a method for analysis to generate in-depth descriptive data about Saudi science teachers' views and teaching strategies of socio-scientific issues. Some direct and indirect benefits pertain to teaching science, understanding the relationship between science, religion, and society and some other topics are discussed in this study.

  9. When Teachers Speak of Teaching, What Do They Say? A Portrait of Teaching from the Voices of the StoryCorps National Teachers Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liefshitz, Irene Anastasia

    2015-01-01

    There is a significant lack of educational research in which teachers' talk about teaching is not mediated by researchers. In the public sphere, teachers' voices rarely reach us unfiltered by the media, union and school district representatives, education reformers, and policymakers. What if we could listen to teachers talk about teaching…

  10. Teaching Thinking Skills in Context-Based Learning: Teachers' Challenges and Assessment Knowledge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avargil, Shirly; Herscovitz, Orit; Dori, Yehudit Judy

    2012-04-01

    For an educational reform to succeed, teachers need to adjust their perceptions to the reform's new curricula and strategies and cope with new content, as well as new teaching and assessment strategies. Developing students' scientific literacy through context-based chemistry and higher order thinking skills was the framework for establishing a new chemistry curriculum for Israeli high school students. As part of this endeavor, we developed the Taste of Chemistry module, which focuses on context-based chemistry, chemical understanding, and higher order thinking skills. Our research objectives were (a) to identify the challenges and difficulties chemistry teachers faced, as well as the advantages they found, while teaching and assessing the Taste of Chemistry module; and (b) to investigate how they coped with teaching and assessing thinking skills that include analyzing data from graphs and tables, transferring between multiple representations and, transferring between chemistry understanding levels. Research participants included eight teachers who taught the module. Research tools included interviews, classroom observations, teachers-designed students' assignments, and developers-designed students' assignments. We documented different challenges teachers had faced while teaching the module and found that the teachers developed different ways of coping with these challenges. Developing teachers' assessment knowledge (AK) was found to be the highest stage in teachers' professional growth, building on teachers' content knowledge (CK), pedagogy knowledge (PK), and pedagogical-content knowledge (PCK). We propose the use of assignments designed by teachers as an instrument for determining their professional growth.

  11. Teaching and nature: Middle school science teachers' relationship with nature in personal and classroom contexts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ball, Nadine Butcher

    2000-10-01

    This qualitative study describes three middle-school science teachers' relationship-with-nature in personal and classroom contexts. Participating teachers had more than 7 years experience and were deemed exemplary practitioners by others. Interview data about personal context focused on photographs the teacher took representing her/his relationship-with-nature in daily life. Interview data for classroom context explored classroom events during three or more researcher observations. Transcripts were analyzed using a multiple-readings approach to data reduction (Gilligan, Brown & Rogers, 1990; Miles & Huberman, 1994, p. 14, 141). Readings generated categorical information focused on portrayals of: nature; self; and relationship-with-nature. Categorical data were synthesized into personal and teaching case portraits for each teacher, and cross case themes identified. Participants indicated the portraits accurately represented who they saw themselves to be. Additional readings identified sub-stories by plot and theme. Narrative data were clustered to highlight elements of practice with implications for the relationship-with-nature lived in the classroom. These individual-scale moments were compared with cultural-scale distinctions between anthropocentric and ecological world views. Cross case themes included dimensions of exemplary middle-school science teaching important to teacher education and development, including an expanded conception of knowing and skillful use of student experience. Categorical analysis revealed each teacher had a unique organizing theme influencing their interpretation of personal and classroom events, and that nature is experienced differently in personal as opposed to teaching contexts. Narrative analysis highlights teachers' stories of classroom pets, dissection, and student dissent, illustrating an interplay between conceptual distinctions and personal dimensions during moments of teacher decision making. Results suggest teachers

  12. Rethinking Difficulties of Teaching Inquiry-Based Practical Work: Stories from elementary pre-service teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Mijung; Tan, Aik-Ling

    2011-03-01

    To alleviate teachers' reluctance toward practical work, there has been much discussion on teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, teaching materials, and failsafe strategies for practical work. Despite these efforts, practical work is still regarded as a challenging task for many elementary science teachers. To understand the complexity of teachers' conflicts in practical work, this study examines teachers' ideas about teaching and learning that influence teachers' decision-making and action on teaching practical work. More important than knowing technical-rational aspects of practical work is to understand the internal contradictions that teachers have to resolve within themselves regarding their capabilities and beliefs about science teaching and practical work. Using stories and experiences of 38 third-year university students in a science method course in Korea, we seek to understand the conflicts and negotiations that they experience as they make decisions regarding practical work throughout their course. Reflective writings and group discussions on their lived experiences and concerns were used to probe participants' ideas on teaching using practical work. From written and verbal data, themes were saturated in terms of the aspects which could (dis)encourage their practice. Results suggest that there are multifactorial challenges in pre-service teachers' understandings and concerns in practical work. Besides time, materials, and curriculum, pedagogical assumptions and values also compositely challenge the minds of teachers. As the pre-service elementary teachers negotiated within themselves the importance of science in classroom and social levels, the question is raised about their identities as pre-service elementary teachers to appreciate the balance between science teaching and practical work.

  13. Design and Realization of Network Teaching System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji Shan Shan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Since 21 century, with the wide spread in family and public, network has been applied in many new fields, and the application in classes is of no exception. In traditional education, teachers give lessons to students face to face. Hence, the teaching quality depends largely on the quality and initiative of the individual teacher. However, the serious disadvantages of this mode are that teachers completely dominate the classroom and may ignore the subjective cognition role of the students, which may be bad for the growth of creativity and the innovative thinking ability. Obviously, traditional education mode cannot meet the requirements of the this new era which leads to the booming developing tendency of the network. As a new teaching measure, scientifically combining modern information technology and teaching practice, network teaching not only changes the traditional education by the means and form, but even also gives new meanings to teaching concept, process, method as well as teacher-student role and other deep levels. With the help of network teaching system, on-line classroom learning, relevant information systematization, standardization and automation, this system provides students with an efficient online learning method with high quality. This also helps to solve the disadvantages of the traditional teaching mode and promote the teaching methods to a new stage. It improves the network teaching platform, enriches the network teaching resources, and establishes a network teaching system, so as to improve information quality of teachers and students and assist in improving teaching quality of schools.

  14. Preservice Teachers' Developing Conceptions of Teaching English Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Laura Beth

    2018-01-01

    In this study, 12 preservice teachers in a community college English as a second language (ESL) K-12 teacher education program drew pictures and wrote descriptions of teachers teaching English language learners (ELLs) at the beginning and end of an ESL methods course. Using content analysis, the researcher analyzed the drawings and descriptions…

  15. Understanding primary school science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge: The case of teaching global warming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chordnork, Boonliang; Yuenyong, Chokchai

    2018-01-01

    This aim of this research was to investigate primary school science teachers understanding and teaching practice as well as the influence on teaching and learning a topic like global warming. The participants were four primary science teachers, who were not graduated in science education. Methodology was the case study method, which was under the qualitative research regarded from interpretive paradigm. Data were collected by openended questionnaire, semi-structure interview, and document colleting. The questionnaire examined teachers' background, teachers' understanding of problems and threats of science teaching, desiring of development their PCK, sharing the teaching approaches, and their ideas of strength and weakness. a semi-structured interview was conducted based on the approach for capturing PCK of Loughran [23] content representation (CoRe). And, the document was collected to clarify what evidence which was invented to effect on students' learning. These document included lesson plan, students' task, and painting about global warming, science projects, the picture of activities of science learning, the exercise and test. Data analysis employed multiple approach of evidence looking an issue from each primary science teachers and used triangulation method to analyze the data with aiming to make meaning of teachers' representation of teaching practice. These included descriptive statistics, CoRe interpretation, and document analysis. The results show that teachers had misunderstanding of science teaching practice and they has articulated the pedagogical content knowledge in terms of assessment, goal of teaching and linking to the context of socio cultural. In contrast, knowledge and belief of curriculum, students' understanding of content global warming, and strategies of teaching were articulated indistinct by non-graduate science teacher. Constructing opportunities for personal development, the curiosity of the student learning center, and linking context

  16. Examining Primary Pre-Service Teachers' Perspectives on Teaching Practice Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basturk, Savas

    2016-01-01

    The courses "school experience" and "teaching practice" are undoubtedly among the central courses to be received by pre-service teachers who will be future teachers. Through them, pre-service teachers obtain the realistic information about their profession. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine pre-service teachers'…

  17. Reforming teacher reform : teaching as bounded rational design

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, F.J.J.M.; Westbroek, H.B.; Doyle, W

    2017-01-01

    Educational innovations had and still have little impact on teaching practice. A common view held by teacher researchers is that teachers do not implement innovative change proposals because they lack the necessary knowledge, skills and beliefs to do so (Grossman et al, 2009; Borko et al, 2010). In

  18. Primary School Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching Art Criticism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McSorely, Julie

    1996-01-01

    Utilizes a phenomenographic (study of the world as it is conceptualized) qualitative study to ascertain art teachers' attitudes towards teaching art criticism. Categorizes six conceptions of teaching art criticism and includes a description and interpretation of each. Discusses the limitations of these approaches and the implications for teacher…

  19. The Effect of a Collaborative Mentoring Program on Beginning Science Teachers' Inquiry-based Teaching Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nam, Jeonghee; Seung, Eulsun; Go, MunSuk

    2013-03-01

    This study investigated how a collaborative mentoring program influenced beginning science teachers' inquiry-based teaching and their reflection on practice. The one-year program consisted of five one-on-one mentoring meetings, weekly science education seminars, weekly mentoring group discussions, and self-evaluation activities. The participants were three beginning science teachers and three mentors at the middle school level (7-9th grades) in an urban area of South Korea. For each beginning teacher, five lessons were evaluated in terms of lesson design/implementation, procedural knowledge, and classroom culture by using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol. Five aspects of the beginning teachers' reflections were identified. This study showed that a collaborative mentoring program focusing on inquiry-based science teaching encouraged the beginning teachers to reflect on their own perceptions and teaching practice in terms of inquiry-based science teaching, which led to changes in their teaching practice. This study also highlighted the importance of collaborative interactions between the mentors and the beginning teachers during the mentoring process.

  20. Conceptions of Teaching Science Held by Novice Teachers in an Alternative Certification Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koballa, Thomas R.; Glynn, Shawn M.; Upson, Leslie

    2005-01-01

    Case studies to investigate the conceptions of teaching science held by three novice teachers participating in an alternative secondary science teacher certification program were conducted, along with the relationships between their conceptions of science teaching and their science teaching practice. Data used to build the cases included the…

  1. Early Childhood Teachers' Views about Teaching Physical Education: Challenges and Recommendations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsangaridou, Niki

    2017-01-01

    Background: Educational scholars emphasize that in order to gain a better understanding of the complexity of teaching, greater attention needs to be paid to teachers' views and perceptions of the challenges and barriers of teaching. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe preschool teachers' views and perceptions of the main challenges…

  2. Exploring grade 3 teachers' resistance to `take up' progressive mathematics teaching roles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westaway, Lise; Graven, Mellony

    2018-03-01

    This article addresses the question: Why teachers of mathematics have yet to `take up' progressive roles? Drawing on the philosophy of critical realism and its methodological equivalent, social realism, we analyse interview and observation data of four grade 3 teachers, with the view to identifying the mechanisms conditioning the expression of teachers' identities. In so doing, we show how post-apartheid changes in systemic roles of teachers create contradictory tensions for teachers as these bring their own mathematical learning and teaching experiences into contradiction with the new post-apartheid roles they are mandated to enact. We examine how this contradiction, together with beliefs about mathematics, pedagogy and learners, is expressed in the teaching of grade 3 mathematics. We maintain that the complementarity between teachers' beliefs and old systemic roles provides an explanation for why teachers of grade 3 mathematics have yet to `take-up' progressive roles. The implications point to the need for teacher development that creates enablers that lead to changes in classroom practices that align with policy-designated, progressive roles in teaching mathematics.

  3. Teaching Writing to EFL Learners: An Investigation of Challenges Confronted by Indonesian Teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuni Hikmah Hidayati

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Teaching English writing skill which involves developing linguistic and communicative competence of learners is considered a challenging task. When teaching writing, therefore, EFL teachers in general and Indonesian teachers in particular encounter many challenges (i.e. difficulties. This study aims to find out Indonesian teachers’ challenges in teaching English writing skill and discuss possible solutions to remove, or at least, minimize, the problems. The data was collected by interviewing 10 English teachers who come from different part of East Java, Indonesia and teach English in either private or public Junior and Senior High Schools. The instrument used was structured interview. The data collected from the interview was, then, analyzed descriptively. The findings show that there are internal and external factors contribute to the challenges that the teachers confront. The internal factors include linguistic competence, native language interference, motivation and reading habits of the learners, while the external ones include the class condition, aids available for teaching writing and the availability of time. The research findings would facilitate the teachers and the concerning authorities to improve the ELT especially in teaching writing.

  4. The Teaching Processes of Prospective Science Teachers with Different Levels of Science-Teaching Self-Efficacy Belief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saka, Mehpare; Bayram, Hale; Kabapinar, Filiz

    2016-01-01

    The concept of self-efficacy, which is an important variable in the teaching process, and how it reflects on teaching have recently been the focus of attention. Therefore, this study deals with the relationship between the science-teaching self-efficacy beliefs of prospective science teachers and their teaching practices. It was conducted with…

  5. Korean and American Teachers' Praising Styles and Teaching Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bang, Hyeyoung; Kim, Jungsub

    2016-01-01

    Praising is a crucial part of teaching performance that greatly impacts student performance and self-esteem. South Korean teachers are traditionally known to possess authoritarian attributes, whereas U.S. teachers have contradictory beliefs in terms of why and how to use praise. We used Q methodology among 16 American and 22 Korean teachers to…

  6. Teaching Wellness Concepts Using Mosston's Spectrum of Teaching Styles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkinson, Carol; Pennington, Todd; Zanandrea, Maria

    2011-01-01

    Teaching wellness principles in secondary physical education classes has become an important aspect of physical education as teachers work to help their students develop lifelong healthy lifestyle habits. Many schools now have a required wellness/fitness component as part of their state core requirements. Having developed their teaching skills by…

  7. Student Teachers' Experiences of Relation Building in Teaching Practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Anne Maj; Laursen, Per Fibæk

    The study explores how 22 student teachers in a Danish college of education experience and interpret their own becoming a teacher and the implied attitudes to pupils. The student teachers attending mainstream teacher education and a course in mindful awareness and relational competencies have...... – to a larger extend than the mainstream educated student teachers - learned a reflexive attitude to their state of being in teaching practice and to their relational interaction with children in class....

  8. Profile of South African Secondary-School Teachers' Teaching Quality: Evaluation of Teaching Practices Using an Observation Instrument

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jager, Thelma; Coetzee, Mattheus Jacobus; Maulana, Ridwan; Helms-Lorenz, Michelle; van de Grift, Wim

    2017-01-01

    The need for quality teaching is reflected in the poor performance of students in international tests. Teachers' practices and contextual factors could contribute to substandard quality of teaching in South Africa. Several studies indicate that successful learning is largely dependent on the teachers' practices in class. The focus of the present…

  9. THE CASE APPROACH TO PREPARING FOR TEACHING.

    Science.gov (United States)

    AMIDON, EDMUND; HUNTER, ELIZABETH

    TO HELP PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS DEVELOP TEACHING SKILLS, PAIRS OF CASES (RECORDS OF REAL TEACHING SITUATIONS) WHICH DEPICT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT APPROACHES TAKEN BY TEACHERS WITH A SIMILAR CLASSROOM PROBLEM ARE VERBALLY DESCRIBED. EACH PAIR OF CASES IS ANALYZED USING THE CATEGORIES OF THE VERBAL INTERACTION CATEGORY SYSTEM (VICS) WHICH MEASURES…

  10. T2QM (Teaching and Total Quality Management) for Medical Teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bing-You, R. G.

    1997-01-01

    Explores the potential relationship of teaching and total quality management (TQM) and the subsequent benefits for individual medical teachers. Addresses issues such as defining teaching processes and quality teaching, responding to customers' needs, assessing current teaching practices, and improving one's own teaching. Contains 18 references.…

  11. The Impact of the Student Teaching Experience on the Development of Teacher Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabachnick, B. Robert; And Others

    Research findings on teachers' perspectives on teaching tend to indicate that institutional pressures are not strong enough to control what teachers think and how they act within their classrooms. While teachers will conform to organizational demands, their basic teaching styles are likely to remain unchanged. This study explored the socializing…

  12. Developing HALM Teaching Competencies in PETE Teacher Candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkinson, Carol; Prusak, Keven; Zanandrea, Maria

    2018-01-01

    The lifetime activities approach, which grew out of the lifetime physical activity model, has informed the practice of one physical education teacher education (PETE) program as it prepares teacher candidates to teach K-12 students about the importance of health, health-related fitness, and physical activity. Health-enhancing behaviors such as…

  13. Elementary-school teachers' motivation for changes in the teaching process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šefer Jasmina

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The teacher's motivation is the first condition for a successful introduction and maintenance of changes in the teaching process. The paper is aimed at presenting the results of a research on teachers' motivation for changes which were introduced during one academic year project named 'Trefoil' in one elementary school in Belgrade. The aim of the experiment was to examine whether the practice of using plays, research, dialogues, problem solving, group work, and work on projects stimulate incentive, cooperation and creative work of students and which problems may arise during such activities. We used summative and formative evaluation of qualitative and quantitative type and, within it, interviews by which the data about the teachers' motivation to use the mentioned teaching methods were gathered by teachers, school psychologists and pedagogues. The results fluctuate, slightly grow, and show that average motivation is relatively high. Motivation is aided by facilitators, too, as well as by the experience of reflexive practice at teachers' meetings. The problems that hinder teachers' motivation are: fear from the unknown, lack of external stimuli, technical conditions and time; insufficient coordination of novelties with curricular contents, students' age and curricula which are oriented to reproduction. What is nededed is better initial teacher training, more teaching materials, practical presentations and visiting classes of other colleagues, improving curricula and the status of teachers, reduction of administration and papirology. The changes should be implemented gradually and maintained after the experiment.

  14. Teaching planetary sciences to elementary school teachers: Programs that work

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lebofsky, Larry A.; Lebofsky, Nancy R.

    1993-01-01

    Planetary sciences can be used to introduce students to the natural world which is a part of their lives. Even children in an urban environment are aware of such phenomena as day and night, shadows, and the seasons. It is a science that transcends cultures, has been prominent in the news in recent years, and can generate excitement in young minds as no other science can. Planetary sciences also provides a useful tool for understanding other sciences and mathematics, and for developing problem solving skills which are important in our technological world. However, only 15 percent of elementary school teachers feel very well qualified to teach earth/space science, while better than 80 percent feel well qualified to teach reading; many teachers avoid teaching science; very little time is actually spent teaching science in the elementary school: 19 minutes per day in K-3 and 38 minutes per day in 4-6. While very little science is taught in elementary and middle school, earth/space science is taught at the elementary level in less than half of the states. It was pointed out that science is not generally given high priority by either teachers or school districts, and is certainly not considered on a par with language arts and mathematics. Therefore, in order to teach science to our youth, we must empower our teachers, making them familiar and comfortable with existing materials. In our earlier workshops, several of our teachers taught in classrooms where the majority of the students were Hispanic (over 90 percent). However, few space sciences materials existed in Spanish. Therefore, most of our materials could not be used effectively in the classroom. To address this issue, NASA materials were translated into Spanish and a series of workshops for bilingual classroom teachers from Tucson and surrounding cities was conducted. Our space sciences workshops and our bilingual classroom workshops and how they address the needs of elementary school teachers in Arizona are

  15. Teachers' Attitudes towards Teaching English Grammar: A Scale Development Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polat, Murat

    2017-01-01

    In most ELT classes, the importance of grammar, how it should be taught or how much it should be integrated into language teaching are still matters of discussion. Considering this fact, learning teachers' attitudes towards teaching grammar is significantly valuable for researchers. This study thus aimed to design a scale that identifies teachers'…

  16. Secondary Science Teachers Making Sense of Model-Based Classroom Instruction: Understanding the Learning and Learning Pathways Teachers Describe as Supporting Changes in Teaching Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hvidsten, Connie J.

    experiences to a larger literature base and rationale helped them negotiate the dissonance occurring as they tried new practices in their own classroom. Teachers associated these elements with learning about both science content and effective instructional pedagogy and producing a level of dissatisfaction with current understanding that motivated their persistence when met with obstacles or struggles. The second of the three papers analyzes what teachers said they learned in the ISIM program. Teachers' reported learning about scientific models, both how they are used in both the scientific community and how they can support students' classroom learning. Additionally, teachers mentioned learning more about the science they taught through interacting with models during the PD and learned more about effective teaching strategies. Teachers also reported learning about themselves as teachers and learners, as well as about the school and classroom contexts that shape their ability to implement new instructional practices. Finally, the third paper draws from interviews occurring a year or more after the program ended to identify how teachers reported changes in their classroom instruction resulting from their ISIM participation. Four of the teachers reported little or no change in classroom practice. Eight teachers described changes to their teaching to incorporate elements of the professional development, but who fell short of adopting model-based reasoning as a core feature of their classroom instruction. Nine teachers expressed a strong understanding of modeling instruction, and its ongoing influence on their classroom instruction.

  17. Technological pedagogical content knowledge of junior high school mathematics teachers in teaching linear equation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wati, S.; Fitriana, L.; Mardiyana

    2018-04-01

    Linear equation is one of the topics in mathematics that are considered difficult. Student difficulties of understanding linear equation can be caused by lack of understanding this concept and the way of teachers teach. TPACK is a way to understand the complex relationships between teaching and content taught through the use of specific teaching approaches and supported by the right technology tools. This study aims to identify TPACK of junior high school mathematics teachers in teaching linear equation. The method used in the study was descriptive. In the first phase, a survey using a questionnaire was carried out on 45 junior high school mathematics teachers in teaching linear equation. While in the second phase, the interview involved three teachers. The analysis of data used were quantitative and qualitative technique. The result PCK revealed teachers emphasized developing procedural and conceptual knowledge through reliance on traditional in teaching linear equation. The result of TPK revealed teachers’ lower capacity to deal with the general information and communications technologies goals across the curriculum in teaching linear equation. The result indicated that PowerPoint constitutes TCK modal technological capability in teaching linear equation. The result of TPACK seems to suggest a low standard in teachers’ technological skills across a variety of mathematics education goals in teaching linear equation. This means that the ability of teachers’ TPACK in teaching linear equation still needs to be improved.

  18. Preparing teachers for ambitious and culturally responsive science teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seiler, Gale

    2013-03-01

    Communities, schools and classrooms across North America are becoming more ethnically, racially, and linguistically diverse, particularly in urban areas. Against this backdrop, underrepresentation of certain groups in science continues. Much attention has been devoted to multicultural education and the preparation of teachers for student diversity. In science education, much research has focused on classrooms as cultural spaces and the need for teachers to value and build upon students' everyday science knowledge and ways of sense-making. However it remains unclear how best to prepare science teachers for this kind of culturally responsive teaching. In attempting to envision how to prepare science teachers with cross-cultural competency, we can draw from a parallel line of research on preparing teachers for ambitious science instruction. In ambitious science instruction, students solve authentic problems and generate evidence and models to develop explanations of scientific phenomenon, an approach that necessitates great attention to students' thinking and sense-making, thus making it applicable to cultural relevance aims. In addition, this line of research on teacher preparation has developed specific tools and engages teachers in cycles of reflection and rehearsal as they develop instructional skills. While not addressing cross-cultural teaching specifically, this research provides insights into specific ways through which to prepare teachers for culturally responsive practices. In my presentation, I will report on efforts to join these two areas of research, that is, to combine ideas about multicultural science teacher preparation with what has been learned about how to develop ambitious science instruction. This research suggests a new model for urban science teacher preparation--one that focuses on developing specific teaching practices that elicit and build on student thinking, and doing so through cycles of individual and collective planning, rehearsal

  19. Turkish Geography Student Teachers' Concerns towards the Teaching Profession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sezer, Adem

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the levels of concern of Turkish geography student teachers towards the teaching profession. The study was conducted with 293 geography student teachers who are enrolled in the last class of the Geography Student Teachers Program of the Faculties of Education and enrolled in a Non-Thesis Master's Degree…

  20. Teacher Educators' Practice and Vision of Good Teaching in Teacher Education Reform Context in Ghana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akyeampong, Kwame

    2017-01-01

    Teacher education in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) has been criticized for the lack of attention to learning to teach in real classrooms, which limits the opportunity for pre-service teachers to successfully introduce learner-centered pedagogy in African primary school classrooms. To address this problem, Ghana has implemented a teacher education reform…

  1. Reflective Teaching via a Problem Exploration--Teaching Adaptations--Resolution Cycle: A Mixed Methods Study of Preservice Teachers' Reflective Notes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayden, H. Emily; Chiu, Ming Ming

    2015-01-01

    We explore development of elementary preservice teachers' reflective practices as they solved problems encountered while teaching in a reading clinic. Written reflections (N = 175) were collected across 8 weeks from 23 preservice teachers and analyzed to investigate relationships among problem exploration, teaching adaptations, and problem…

  2. Primary School Teacher Perceived Self-Efficacy to Teach Fundamental Motor Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callea, Micarle B.; Spittle, Michael; O'Meara, James; Casey, Meghan

    2008-01-01

    Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) are a part of the school curricula, yet many Australian primary-age children are not mastering FMS. One reason may be a lack of perceived self-efficacy of primary teachers to teach FMS. This study investigated the level of perceived self-efficacy of primary school teachers to teach FMS in Victoria, Australia. A…

  3. The extent to which Latina/o preservice teachers demonstrate culturally responsive teaching practices during science and mathematics instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernandez, Cecilia M.

    2011-12-01

    Complex social, racial, economic, and political issues involved in the practice of teaching today require beginning teachers to be informed, skilled, and culturally responsive when entering the classroom. Teacher educators must educate future teachers in ways that will help them teach all children regardless of language, cultural background, or prior knowledge. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) novice teachers described and demonstrated culturally responsive teaching strategies using their students' cultural and academic profiles to inform practice in science and mathematics instruction. This qualitative exploratory case study considered the culturally responsive teaching practices of 12, non-traditional, Latina/o students as they progressed through a distance-based collaborative teacher education program. Qualitative techniques used throughout this exploratory case study investigated cultural responsiveness of these student teachers as they demonstrated their abilities to: a) integrate content and facilitate knowledge construction; b) illustrate social justice and prejudice reduction; and c) develop students academically. In conclusion, student teachers participating in this study demonstrated their ability to integrate content by: (1) including content from other cultures, (2) building positive teacher-student relationships, and (3) holding high expectations for all students. They also demonstrated their ability to facilitate knowledge construction by building on what students knew. Since there is not sufficient data to support the student teachers' abilities to assist students in learning to be critical, independent thinkers who are open to other ways of knowing, no conclusions regarding this subcategory could be drawn. Student teachers in this study illustrated prejudice reduction by: (1) using native language support to assist students in learning and understanding science and math content

  4. Pre-Service Teachers' Cultural and Teaching Experiences Abroad

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ateskan, Armagan

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates Turkish pre-service teachers' experiences related to a two-month international teaching and cultural experience in the United States of America. In total, 289 graduate students from Turkey participated in a collaborative project from 2001 to 2010. The experience included an orientation week, six weeks of student teaching in…

  5. Geography Teachers' Views on Effective Geography Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kocalar, Ali Osman; Demirkaya, Hilmi

    2017-01-01

    Geography teaching is fulfilled within the frame of a specific curriculum and in order to achieve some acquirements in Turkey. Though there are course books prepared in accordance with the curriculum and activities in order to achieve the acquirements in geography teaching, they are geography teachers who will coordinate and fulfill the curriculum…

  6. Teacher Identity in Language Teaching: Integrating Personal, Contextual, and Professional Factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pennington, Martha C.; Richards, Jack C.

    2016-01-01

    This article reviews notions of identity and teacher identity, how these relate to the specific characteristics of language teaching, and how teacher identity can evolve or be developed through experience and teacher education. The notion of teacher identity highlights the individual characteristics of the teacher and how these are integrated with…

  7. Prospective High School Physics Teachers' Beliefs about Teaching Practices: From Traditionalist to Constructivist

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirci, Neset

    2015-01-01

    The main aim of this study was to determine the teaching practices of prospective high school physics teachers with respect to their preference for teaching as a traditionalist or as a constructivist. To study the beliefs of prospective high school physics teachers on this subject, firstly, the Teacher Belief Survey was administered to 135…

  8. Danish geography teachers' perceptions of their own teaching professionalism according to climate change

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, Søren Witzel

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports from research examining eight Geography teachers’ own perceptions of their teaching professionalism, understood as Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), in relation to the topic of climate change. Apparently, Geography teachers with a strong academic profile in Physical Geography...... and natural science are more familiar to teach the sub-subject of weather formation in connection to climatic change, than Geography teachers with a strong academic profile in Human Geography and social science. The teachers orientated against Human Geography put emphasis on the more problem......-oriented/discursive aspects of teaching climate change, some of them neglecting parts of the curriculum focused on weather formation. Most of the interviewed Geography teachers emphasize the collegial cooperation with science colleagues e.g. during professional development activities, when reflecting on their own teaching...

  9. The Evaluation of Micro Teaching Method Used in the Training of Primary School Teachers in Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musa, Taskaya Serdarhan

    2014-01-01

    Micro teaching, one of the most frequently used methods in the pre-service education of teachers, is used in many lectures for the training of teachers in the faculties of education in Turkey. Micro teaching is a teaching method which is especially used in the pre-service training of teachers and it aims to train prospective teachers by making…

  10. Investigation of the Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Teaching Science and Attitudes towards Teaching Profession of the Candidate Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uyanik, Gökhan

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate the attitudes of the primary school teacher candidates towards teaching profession and self-efficacy beliefs in teaching science. The research was conducted with a survey model. The sample of the study consisted of 182 teacher candidates who were studying at the 2015-2016 spring term from Kastamonu…

  11. Technological pedagogical content knowledge and teaching practice of mathematics trainee teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tajudin, Nor'ain Mohd.; Kadir, Noor Zarinawaty Abd.

    2014-07-01

    This study aims to identify the level of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) of mathematics trainee teachers at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and explore their teaching practices during practical training at school. The study was conducted in two phases using a mix-method research. In the first phase, a survey method using a questionnaire was carried out on 156 trainee teachers of Bachelor of Mathematics Education (AT14) and Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) with Education (AT48). The instrument used was a questionnaire that measures the level of content knowledge, pedagogy, technology and TPCK of mathematics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, namely the mean. While in the second phase, the interview method involved four trainee teachers were performed. The instrument used was the semi-structured interview protocol to assess the trainee teacher's TPCK integration in their teaching practice. Data were analyzed using the content analysis. The findings showed that the level of knowledge of TPCK among trainee teachers was moderate with overall mean score of 3.60. This level did not show significant differences between the two programs with mean scores of 3.601 for the AT14 group and 3.603 for the AT48 group. However, there was a difference for gender classification such that the female trainees had mean score of 3.58 and male trainees with mean score of 3.72. Although students' TPCK level was moderate, the level of content knowledge (CK), technological knowledge (TK) and pedagogical knowledge (PK), showed a higher level with overall mean scores of 3.75, 3.87 and 3.84 respectively. The findings also showed that in terms of content knowledge, trainee teacher's learning mathematics background was good, but the knowledge of mathematics was limited in the curriculum, philosophy and application aspect. In terms of pedagogical content knowledge, all respondents tend to use lecture and discussion methods in teaching Trigonometry topic

  12. Factors which deter potential science/math teachers from teaching; changes necessary to ameliorate their concerns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Robert H.

    In light of the perceived national need for more science and math teachers, this study was conceived to:1.Identify teaching oriented students among freshmen at a mid-western engineering school, who have chosen NOT to become teachers;2.Find out what reasons these potential science and math teachers have for deciding not to pursue teaching careers;3.Determine what amelioration of these problems would be necessary for them to no longer be factors which would inhibit students from becoming teachers.Of a random sample of 110 students drawn from a freshman class, 98 participated fully in the study. Each participant took Holland's Self-Directed Search to determine teaching orientation and author-constructed instruments to assess their concerns about teaching.Results showed teaching oriented students avoided teaching due to low starting salaries, lack of job security, low maximum salaries, not wanting to do the work teacher's do, poor job availability and discouragement by family and friends. Starting salaries of 21,693 and salaries of 32,600 for a teacher with a B.A. and 10 years experience were among the changes deemed necessary to make teaching attractive.

  13. Korean EFL Teachers' Perceptions of the Impact of EFL Teacher Education upon Their Classroom Teaching Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yook, Cheongmin; Lee, Yong-hun

    2016-01-01

    This study employed qualitative data collection and analysis methods to investigate the influence of English as a foreign language teacher education programme on Korean teachers' classroom teaching practices. Six in-service secondary-school teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was applied to the data collected…

  14. Preparing Preservice Teachers to Incorporate Geospatial Technologies in Geography Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harte, Wendy

    2017-01-01

    This study evaluated the efficacy of geospatial technology (GT) learning experiences in two geography curriculum courses to determine their effectiveness for developing preservice teacher confidence and preparing preservice teachers to incorporate GT in their teaching practices. Surveys were used to collect data from preservice teachers at three…

  15. Linking the Organizational Forms Teachers and Teaching Methods in a Class Instructional Methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Graciela Nápoles-Quiñones

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available A descriptive study was conducted to show the link between the organizational forms teachers and teaching methods, to expose the pedagogical theory, to deepen the teaching-learning process through methodological class. The main content of the work of teachers is the preparation and level rise; which requires the selection and use of working methods, ways and procedures in accordance with the real and objective conditions of staff who have received the action and conducive to teaching work. Teachers should be aware that you need to master the content they teach, be aware of the level of development of its students, the specific characteristics of the group and of each student, and competent to reciprocate the content they teach with reality.

  16. High School Physics Teacher Preparation: Results from the 2012-13 Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers. Focus On

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Susan; Tyler, John

    2015-01-01

    This report examines teachers' self-assessed preparedness to teach physics, their membership in professional organizations, and where they turn for help when they have questions. Almost every teacher reports feeling at least adequately prepared to teach basic physics knowledge and the application of physics to everyday experience. The smallest…

  17. Difficulties in Learning and Teaching Statistics: Teacher Views

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koparan, Timur

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to define teacher views about the difficulties in learning and teaching middle school statistics subjects. To serve this aim, a number of interviews were conducted with 10 middle school maths teachers in 2011-2012 school year in the province of Trabzon. Of the qualitative descriptive research methods, the…

  18. Pre-Service Teachers' Opinions on Teaching Thinking Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akinoglu, Orhan; Karsantik, Yasemin

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the present study is to determine pre-service teachers' opinions on teaching thinking skills. 134 senior pre-service pre-school, English and mathematics teachers studying at a state university in Istanbul participated in the study which is designed based on survey model. A questionnaire which was developed by the researchers was…

  19. Self-Efficacy for Science Teaching Scale Development: Construct Validation with Elementary School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yangin, Selami; Sidekli, Sabri

    2016-01-01

    The measurement of teacher self-efficacy has a history of more than 30 years. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the development and validation of a new scale to measure the science teaching self-efficacy of elementary school teachers. Therefore, a scale has been created to measure elementary teachers' science teaching self-efficacy and…

  20. Evaluating clinical teachers with the Maastricht clinical teaching questionnaire: how much 'teacher' is in student ratings?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boerboom, Tobias B B; Mainhard, Tim; Dolmans, Diana H J M; Scherpbier, Albert J J A; Van Beukelen, Peter; Jaarsma, A D C

    2012-01-01

    Students are a popular source of data to evaluate the performance of clinical teachers. Instruments to obtain student evaluations must have proven validity. One aspect of validity that often remains underexposed is the possibility of effects of between-student differences and teacher and student characteristics not directly related to teaching performance. The authors examined the occurrence of such effects, using multilevel analysis to analyse data from the Maastricht clinical teaching questionnaire (MCTQ), a validated evaluation instrument, in a veterinary curriculum. The 15-item MCTQ covers five domains. The authors used multilevel analysis to divide the variance in the domain scores in components related to, respectively, teachers and students. They estimated subsequent models to explore how the MCTQ scores are dependent on teacher and student characteristics. Significant amounts of variance in student ratings were due to between-teacher differences, particularly for learning climate, modelling and coaching. The effects of teacher and student characteristics were mostly non-significant or small. Large portions of variance in MCTQ scores were due to differences between teachers, while the contribution of student and teacher characteristics was negligible. The results support the validity of student ratings obtained with the MCTQ for evaluating teacher performance.

  1. The Potential of Teaching Schools in Enabling Student Teacher Learning for the Teaching Profession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramsaroop, Sarita; Gravett, Sarah

    2017-01-01

    In 2011 the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa was promulgated. This framework proposes the establishment of teaching schools to strengthen pre-service teacher education. This study arises from this initiative. A generic qualitative study was undertaken to explore the views of research…

  2. SCIENTIFIC APPROACH OF 2013 CURRICULUM: TEACHERS IMPLEMENTATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sri Ratnaningsih

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The research is aimed at investigating the teachers implementation of scientific approach in English Language Teaching in one state junior high school in Bandung Regency. In addition, this research discusses the conformation of the Scientific Approach implementation and the lesson plans based on the 2013 curriculum. This research employs a case study qualitative research design. The data were obtained from classroom observation and teachers lesson plan analysis and interview. The findings showed that the teachers implemented the scientific stages in English Language Teaching. They conducted observing, questioning, experimenting, associating and communicating in the sequence activities. Besides, the teachers can demonstrate the student-centered learning strengthened by collaborative, cooperative, active and meaningful learning. However, concerning the conformation of the implementation with lesson plans, based on the indicators, learning objectives, learning materials, learning media, scientific stages and Scientific Approach model (discovery learning, inquiry leaning, problem based learning and project based learning, the teachers still have to underline and mention the Scientific Approach model and state learning objectives. Furthermore, the other components have been presented well in both teaching and lesson plans.

  3. Preschool Teachers' Perceived Math Anxiety and Self-Efficacy for Teaching Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Carolyn D.

    2017-01-01

    This study explored the relationship between math anxiety and perceived self-efficacy for teaching mathematics in preschool teachers. Perceptions of and attributions for the teachers' perceived math anxiety and perceived self-efficacy for teaching mathematics were also explored. The study employed a mixed-method design consisting of both…

  4. Learning to Teach a Blended Course in a Teacher Preparation Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Jung Jin

    2014-01-01

    Teacher preparation programs have provided blended courses (a combination of online and face-to-face learning) for their students because of their availability and their convenience. Researchers need to understand how teacher educators perceive blended courses when they teach teacher candidates, because teacher preparation programs have different…

  5. Probing Language Teacher Accountability in Utilizing Self-developed Language Teaching Resources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marjan Vosoughi

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This study was aimed at recognizing constraints on the way of some Iranian language teachers' utilization of self-developed, localized, English language teaching resources. To this aim, three sets of teacher variables on pedagogical and personal accounts were examined including Language teachers' experience (novice/experienced, their educational level (BA/MA/PhD and their gender. Data were collected in two phases. In the first phase, through stratified sampling, some eighty-three volunteering, English language teachers (Male and Female, who were indulged in the Iranian Ministry of Education (MoE, university settings (public and private and language institutes were randomly selected.  Teachers’ responses to a validated researcher-made questionnaire on language teacher curriculum autonomy revealed an overall significant Multiple R with F (3, 80 =.88, (0.04 but each individual above-cited predictors could not significantly predict teacher curriculum autonomy score. In the second phase for triangulation aims, three above-cited teacher variables were mapped over the insights gained through written interview sessions with some fourteen English language teachers.  Language teachers' self-reported 'challenges' and 'opportunities' for using self-developed language teaching resources for class use were content analyzed. It became evident that teaching experience was mystified in some respects in terms of its influence over interviewed teachers since diverse intentions on the part of the language teachers in this research might have deterred them not to use their full potential over using their own materials in class. Possible reasons for this situation have been fully discussed in the end.

  6. Primary School Teachers' Understanding of Science Process Skills in Relation to Their Teaching Qualifications and Teaching Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahali, Edy H. M.; Halim, Lilia; Treagust, David F.; Won, Mihye; Chandrasegaran, A. L.

    2017-04-01

    This study investigated the understanding of science process skills (SPS) of 329 science teachers from 52 primary schools selected by random sampling. The understanding of SPS was measured in terms of conceptual and operational aspects of SPS using an instrument called the Science Process Skills Questionnaire (SPSQ) with a Cronbach's alpha reliability of 0.88. The findings showed that the teachers' conceptual understanding of SPS was much weaker than their practical application of SPS. The teachers' understanding of SPS differed by their teaching qualifications but not so much by their teaching experience. Emphasis needs to be given to both conceptual and operational understanding of SPS during pre-service and in-service teacher education to enable science teachers to use the skills and implement inquiry-based lessons in schools.

  7. Investigating Chinese Preschool Teachers' Beliefs in Mathematics Teaching from a Cross-Cultural Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xia; Liu, Song; DeBey, Mary; McFadden, Karen; Pan, Yue-Juan

    2018-01-01

    In China, preschool curriculum has undergone reform and profound changes. Much remains unknown, however, regarding preschool teachers' teaching beliefs after 30 years of curriculum reform and adaptation. This study aimed to address the issue and investigate teachers' beliefs concerning teaching mathematics. Twelve preschool teachers in China…

  8. From learning science to teaching science: What transfers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harlow, Danielle Boyd

    As educational researchers and teacher educators, we have the responsibility to help teachers gain the skills and knowledge necessary to provide meaningful learning activities for their students. For elementary school science, this means helping teachers create situations in which children can participate in the practices associated with scientific inquiry. Through the framework of transfer I investigated how a professional development course based on an inquiry-based physics curriculum influenced five elementary teachers teaching practices and identified the factors that led to or hindered this transfer. In this study, evidence of transfer consisted of episodes where the teachers used the ideas learned in the physics course to solve new problems such as transforming activities to be appropriate for their students and responding to unexpected students' ideas. The findings of this study highlight the many different ways that teachers use what they learn in content courses to teach science to elementary children. While some teachers transferred pedagogical practices along with the content, others transformed the content to be useful in already existing pedagogical frameworks, and still others show little or no evidence of transfer. What the teachers transferred depended upon their existing teaching context as well as their prior ideas about teaching science and physics content. Specifically, the findings of this study suggest that the teachers transferred only what they sought from the course. One implication of this study is that the sort of science training we provide teachers can affect far more than just the teachers' conceptual understanding of science and performance on written conceptual exams. Science courses have the potential to impact the sort of science education that K-5 children receive in elementary classrooms in terms of the topics taught but the way that science is represented. An additional implication is that teaching science to teachers in ways

  9. Student teacher anxieties related to practice teaching | Ngidi | South ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... interaction effects of student teachers' biographical variables (gender, age and grade placement) on practice-teaching related factors such as evaluation and an unsuccessful lesson. The findings are discussed and improvement on practice teaching suggested. (South African Journal of Education: 2003 23 (1): 18-22) ...

  10. Grief: Helping Young Children Cope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Frances B.

    2008-01-01

    In their role as caregivers supporting the children they teach, it is important for teachers to understand the grieving process and recognize symptoms of grief. The author explains Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's five stages of grief and offers 10 classroom strategies to help young children cope with their feelings.

  11. Reaching the Future Teachers in Your Classroom: New Directions in Pre-Service Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grier, Jennifer A.; Ruberg, L.

    2006-09-01

    We will present results and progress from initiatives seeking to improve the experiences of future teachers in college level science classes. A future teacher (pre-service teacher) is inspired to teach science based on personal experiences with college science classes. The most critical opportunity to make a real difference in science education in schools comes when the teachers themselves are first being educated. Given the difficulties in identifying future teachers and the wide variations in their needs, how can we best help future teachers in training? What critical thinking skills are most important for them to absorb from their exposure to science as undergraduates and graduate students? What teaching and learning experiences can we offer that will help science teachers in training confidently assess the relationship between evidence and explanations and then bring that understanding and experience effectively into their own classroom? Recent initiatives in pre-service education have identified several key strategies for improving teacher preparation at the post-secondary level: - Using a constructivist approach to teach physical science concepts and guided inquiry - Knowing common misconceptions about key scientific concepts that students bring to college-level science classrooms - Applying documented strategies for identifying and addressing student misconceptions; and - Knowing how to select and adapt curriculum materials based on common preconceptions held by students. The challenge of reaching these outcomes is complex and cannot be addressed with simple solutions. Teaching strategies that help prepare future teachers include modeling effective teaching of science, understanding the relationship between student/teacher misconceptions, designing and implementing evaluation and assessment, appropriate use of technology tools, and tapping into the existing community of learners to provide ongoing education opportunities and support as the pre

  12. Competence of primary school teachers to teach students with dislexia

    OpenAIRE

    Kogovšek, Darja

    2012-01-01

    The teacher is an expert in the provision of educational work, that should be qualified to teach also students with dyslexia. Teacher's knowledge of the causes and forms of dyslexia and ways of educating students with dyslexia is important to effectively adapt teaching methods. Therefore a major part of this thesis work is devoted to those aspects. There are also other factors exposed (family, school environment, collaboration with parents), which significantly contribute to providing the bes...

  13. Reflection after teaching a lesson: Experiences of secondary school science teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halstead, Melissa A.

    Secondary science teachers spend most of their time planning, collaborating, and teaching, but spend little time reflecting after teaching a single lesson. The theoretical framework of the adult learning theory and the transformative learning theory was the basis of this study. This qualitative research study was conducted to understand the reflective experiences of secondary science educators after teaching a single or several lessons. The collection of data consisted of interviews from a group of purposefully selected secondary science teachers who met the criteria set forth by the researcher. Through a qualitative analysis of interviews and field notes, the researcher determined that the secondary science teachers in this study shared similar as well as different experiences regarding collaborative and individual reflection after teaching a single or several lessons. The findings from this study also suggested that secondary science educators prefer to collaboratively reflect and then reflect alone to allow for further thought. Additionally, a supportive school culture increases the secondary science teacher’s desire to engage in collaborative as well as individual reflection. The information from this study could be used to close the gaps that exist in the teacher professional development programs.

  14. Sources of Science Teaching Self-Efficacy for Preservice Elementary Teachers in Science Content Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menon, Deepika; Sadler, Troy D.

    2018-01-01

    Self-efficacy beliefs play a major role in determining teachers' science teaching practices and have been a topic of great interest in the area of preservice science teacher education. This qualitative study investigated factors that influenced preservice elementary teachers' science teaching self-efficacy beliefs in a physical science content…

  15. Graduate Teaching Assistants' Enactment of Reasoning-and-Proving Tasks in a Content Course for Elementary Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Kimberly Cervello; Steele, Michael D.

    2016-01-01

    Graduate teaching assistants serve as instructors of record for numerous undergraduate courses every semester, including serving as teachers for mathematics content courses for elementary preservice teachers. In this study, we examine 6 teaching assistants' teaching practices in the context of a geometry content course for preservice teachers by…

  16. The Effects of Working Abroad on the Development of Teaching Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bünyamin Çelik

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Teaching overseas has always been a great opportunity for academic and social development. Teachers who have international experiences stand a better chance of not only developing their teaching skills, communication skills and classroom management but also learning new languages and about other cultures. Teaching abroad can help teachers promote their skills for efficiency and effectiveness. It is important to stress that teachers with international experience can teach effectively and contribute to the achievement of their students more. This paper focuses on the effects of working abroad as a teacher on the development of teaching skills.

  17. Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching Science to Improve Student Content Knowledge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephenson, Robert L.

    The majority of Grade 5 students demonstrate limited science knowledge on state assessments. This trend has been documented since 2010 with no evidence of improvement. Because state accountability formulas include proficiency scores and carry sanctions against districts that fail to meet proficiency thresholds, improved student performance in science is an important issue to school districts. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary teachers' perceptions about their students' science knowledge, the strategies used to teach science, the barriers affecting science teaching, and the self-efficacy beliefs teachers maintain for teaching science. This study, guided by Vygotsky's social constructivist theory and Bandura's concept of self-efficacy, was a bounded instrumental case study in which 15 participants, required to be teaching K-5 elementary science in the county, were interviewed. An analytic technique was used to review the qualitative interview data through open coding, clustering, and analytical coding resulting in identified categorical themes that addressed the research questions. Key findings reflect students' limited content knowledge in earth and physical science. Teachers identified barriers including limited science instructional time, poor curricular resources, few professional learning opportunities, concern about new state standards, and a lack of teaching confidence. To improve student content knowledge, teachers identified the need for professional development. The project is a professional development series provided by a regional education service agency for K-5 teachers to experience science and engineering 3-dimensional learning. Area students will demonstrate deeper science content knowledge and benefit from improved science instructional practice and learning opportunities to become science problem solvers and innovative contributors to society.

  18. Medical teachers and teaching qualification. | Onwudiegwu ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Worldwide, high quality training and education of physicians is increasingly being recognised as critical to global health and emphasis is being made that the ... Teacher evaluation though alien to the Nigerian medical schools system, is an integral aspect of pedagogy and should be undertaken to ensure that teaching ...

  19. What Core Competencies Are Related to Teachers' Innovative Teaching?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Chang; Wang, Di; Cai, Yonghong; Engels, Nadine

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' core competencies in relation to their innovative teaching performance. Based on the literature and previous studies in this field, four competencies (learning competency, educational competency, social competency and technological competency) are theorised as core competencies for teachers'…

  20. Effect of Teacher Variables on the Teaching of Initial Reading to ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    There was no significant difference between Basic 1 and Basic 2 teachers' teaching methods: t (58) = -0.381, p = .146 with Basic one (x̅= 12.54, S.D= 2.487) to Basic two (x̅= 12.75, S.D= 1.741) with the effect size of (r = 0.093) very small; no significant difference in the challenges teachers face in teaching initial reading: t ...

  1. Teaching Reaction Stoichiometry: Exploring and Acknowledging Nigerian Chemistry Teachers Pedagogical Content Knowledge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayoade Ejiwale Okanlawon

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Although there is a growing interest in studies of students’ problem-solving strategies and difficulties, and misconceptionsregarding stoichiometry, little is known about the way teachers understand and teach reaction stoichiometry. This articlepresents a case study of pedagogical content knowledge put into actions by chemistry teachers when teaching the topic ofstoichiometry to second year senior secondary school students. Fourteen chemistry teachers with teaching experience rangingfrom 5 to 20 years were involved in this study. Research data were obtained from classroom observations and videotapedrecordings of classroom practice. Analyses of the teachers’ teaching activities revealed their skillfulness, resourcefulness, andweaknesses in terms of pedagogical content knowledge displayed when teaching stoichiometry. The results of this exploratorystudy offer insight into the knowledge systems that need to be expanded, enriched, and elaborated for teaching stoichiometry.To better understand the findings of this study, the results obtained were presented under two separate sections: (1 resultsconcerning introducing reaction stoichiometry to students and (2 results concerning leading students to identify limitingreagents. Implications for instruction and teachers’ professional development are offered.

  2. Physics Teachers' Challenges in Using History and Philosophy of Science in Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henke, Andreas; Höttecke, Dietmar

    2015-01-01

    The inclusion of the history and philosophy of science (HPS) in science teaching is widely accepted, but the actual state of implementation in schools is still poor. This article investigates possible reasons for this discrepancy. The demands science teachers associate with HPS-based teaching play an important role, since these determine teachers'…

  3. Beliefs about Teaching and Learning in University Teachers: Revision of Some Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solis, Carmen A.

    2015-01-01

    Research shows that the belief the teachers have about teaching, learning, and their students affect their planning, instructing and evaluation processes in the classroom, and also that they have a repercussion on the student's learning and performance in the classroom. In the case of university teachers, the beliefs about the teaching-learning…

  4. Uncovering Paths to Teaching: Teacher Identity and the Cultural Arts of Memory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florio-Ruane, Susan; Williams, Linda G.

    2008-01-01

    This article reports the authors' collaborative research on teacher identity as revealed by examining paths to teaching. When individuals enter the teaching profession, they appear to be making a personal career choice. Beginning educators look ahead, envisioning the teachers they hope to become. At this time it is rare to look backward, to…

  5. Teachers' Perception of Team Teaching Middle School Mathematics in Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serrano, Vanessa

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' perceptions of team teaching middle school mathematics in urban schools. The research questions focused on student academic performance and the impact that team teaching may have from the perspective of teachers. The theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bruner formed the theoretical foundation…

  6. Upper Primary School Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Functional Thinking in Algebra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkie, Karina J.

    2014-01-01

    This article is based on a project that investigated teachers' knowledge in teaching an important aspect of algebra in the middle years of schooling--functions, relations and joint variation. As part of the project, 105 upper primary teachers were surveyed during their participation in Contemporary Teaching and Learning of Mathematics, a research…

  7. Relationship between critical thinking disposition and teaching efficacy among special education integration program teachers in Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulaiman, Tajularipin; a/l Kuppusamy, Suresh Kumar; Ayub, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd; Rahim, Suzieleez Syrene Abdul

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to assess the level of critical thinking disposition and teaching efficacy among the Special Education Integration Programme (SEIP) teachers in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The level of critical thinking dispositions and teaching efficacy in the SEIP were compared based on teaching experience and gender. The study also examined the relationship between critical thinking disposition and teaching efficacy at SEIP. The research adopted a quantitative survey approach. A total of 190 primary school teachers from the SEIP in Negeri Sembilan were selected using proportional sampling method. The instrument used in this study comprised of three sections; demography, critical thinking disposition and teaching efficacy. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the analysis. Analysis shows that the respondents have a moderate level of critical thinking disposition (M = 2.99, S.D = 0.160) and teaching efficacy (M = 3.01 S.D. = 0.128) was at a high level. For teaching experience, the analysis showed that thinking disposition of novice teachers (mean = 2.52, SD = .503) are significantly higher than experienced teachers (mean = 2.35, SD = .481, t = 2.244, p critical thinking disposition and teaching efficacy. Findings also indicated that there is a significant positive moderate relationship (r = .477) between critical thinking disposition and teaching efficacy among SEIP teachers. This study suggests that critical thinking disposition and teaching efficacy play an important role to enhance the performance of SEIP teachers.

  8. Applying and Developing Patterns in Teaching

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bennedsen, Jens; Eriksen, Ole

    2003-01-01

    A community of teachers and researchers within computer science has adopted the idea of patterns and developed a set of pedagogical patterns. These patterns capture best practices in teaching. From our research and teaching practice we have observed that pedagogical patterns are useful...... enriches the notion of pedagogical patterns. Inspired by conditions for learning we identify three values in teaching in the field of engineering-related educations. Further we present a value-based template for guidelines in teaching, causing a better understanding of the patterns and help teachers...

  9. Does Teaching Experience Matter? The Beliefs and Practices of Beginning and Experienced Physics Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caleon, Imelda S.; Tan, Yuen Sze Michelle; Cho, Young Hoan

    2018-01-01

    This study utilized multiple data sources to examine the beliefs about learning and teaching physics and the instructional practices of five beginning teachers and seven experienced teachers from Singapore. Our study was implemented in the unique context of teachers teaching the topic of electricity to students grouped according to academic…

  10. The Impact of Facebook in Teaching Practicum: Teacher Trainees' Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goktalay, Sehnaz Baltaci

    2015-01-01

    Prompt feedback is one of the critical components of teacher education programs. To reap the greatest benefit from the teaching practicum process, the quality of feedback as well as its implementation by stakeholders, supervisors, cooperating teachers, and teacher trainees, takes on great importance. The purpose of this study is to examine how Web…

  11. Enhancement of Pre-Service Teachers' Teaching Interventions with the Aid of Historical Examples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spiliotopoulou-Papantoniou, Vasiliki; Agelopoulos, Konstantinos

    2009-09-01

    This paper focuses on the attempt to include a historical perspective in a pre-service teacher education course. It is based on the design research approach and the main aim is the development of a product, a module for student-teachers’ actual involvement in the historic teaching design process. Student-teachers were presented and familiarized with the reasons for including a historical component in teaching, and with the meaning and teaching function of three historical examples. They were asked to search for historical materials on the basis of which they had to design teaching interventions justifying their choices. Total of 74 teaching interventions have been analyzed and a systemic network has been produced with the identified categories of their characteristics. Two case studies of students’ interventions with their historical materials are also discussed. Findings show that the group of student-teachers studied was able to develop a range of interesting materials. Traditional models of teaching that are held by student-teachers are obstacles for substantiating the historical perspective. Only a few student-teachers succeed in stating meaningful epistemic goals, while some others lack awareness of the potential of their own material for communicating aspects of the nature of science to students. Results appear that can lead to a future module’s revision, and further research steps.

  12. Frank McCourt’s Teacher Man: A Novel Approach to Teacher Learning and Professional Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renate Schulz

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to investigate how stories can be a learning tool to help teachers make sense of and learn from their own stories of teaching. The participants in this study were teachers enrolled in a graduate level course.  Frank McCourt’s novel, Teacher Man acted as a stimulus, springboard and guide for class discussions and for teachers writing their own story of teaching. My mode of inquiry included collecting the teachers’ written responses to class readings, noting their oral responses during class discussions, asking them to complete a short questionnaire, and following up with a taped focus group three months after the completion of the course. By reading, hearing and discussing the stories of others, teachers came to recognize the power of stories.  Writing their own stories helped them to understand their own practice better.

  13. Elementary teachers' knowledge and practices in teaching science to English language learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santau, Alexandra O.

    Efforts to improve education---more concretely science education---by creating fundamental shifts in standards for students and teachers have been launched by educators and policy makers in recent years. The new standards for science instruction address improvements in student learning, program development, assessment, and professional development for teachers, with the goal to prepare US students for the academic demands of the 21st century. The study examined teachers' knowledge and practices in science instruction with English language learning (ELL) students. It also examined relationships among key domains of science instruction with ELL students, as well as profiles of teaching practices. The four domains included: (1) teachers' knowledge of science content, (2) teaching practices to promote scientific understanding, (3) teaching practices to promote scientific inquiry, and (4) teaching practices to support English language development during science instruction. The study was part of a larger 5-year research and development intervention aimed at promoting science and literacy achievement of ELL students in urban elementary schools. The study involved 32 third grade, 21 fourth grade, and 17 fifth grade teachers participating in the first-year implementation of the intervention. Based on teachers' questionnaire responses, classroom observation ratings, and post-observation interviews, results indicated that (1) teachers' knowledge and practices were within the bounds of the intervention, but short of reform-oriented practices and (2) relationships among the four domains existed, especially at grade 5. These findings can provide insights for professional development and future research, along with accountability policies.

  14. An Economic Course for Elementary School Teachers. Second Revised Edition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lovell, Hugh; Harter, Charlotte

    This handbook is intended to help economic educators develop teacher training courses for demonstrating to classroom teachers how to teach economics to children, grades 1-9. Teachers enrolled in the course carry out their own pupil activities which teach economic ideas. These activities include problem solving, case studies, skits, making posters,…

  15. Mathematics, Language, and Learning: A Longitudinal Study of Elementary Teachers and Their Mathematics Teaching Practices

    OpenAIRE

    Yeh, Cathery

    2016-01-01

    Elementary school mathematics has gained increased attention in the last few decades. A growing field of research has studied the programmatic design and development of elementary mathematics teaching in teacher education, however, few studies have examined longitudinally the mathematics teaching of novice elementary teachers. Existing longitudinal studies on elementary mathematics teaching have generally focused on the effects of teacher preparation on their beginning practices and have exam...

  16. A Portrait of a Teacher's Life: Learning to Teach, Curriculum-Making, and Teaching about Islam in a Public School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aown, Najwa

    2012-01-01

    Despite the importance and the inclusion of teaching about religion in most national and state curriculum standards, especially in social studies curriculum, many public school teachers are not adequately prepared to how, and what, to teach about religion, in particular Islam. As a result, many teachers are left alone to sink and swim in their…

  17. Paradigm Shift in Language Teaching and Language Teacher Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaine Ferreira do Vale Borges

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available In this article, I intend to conduct a short literature review and discussion about paradigm shift in language teaching and language teacher education from Cartesian to the complexity paradigm. For that, I use the Kuhnian notion of scientific revolution to present a short compilation of works related to paradigm shift in different sciences, including psychology, linguistics and, more emphatically, applied linguistics. The main proposal is to show the evolutions of paradigm shift in language and social sciences and its impact on the emergence of the complexity paradigm in language teaching and language teacher education fields.

  18. Developing medical students as teachers: an anatomy-based student-as-teacher program with emphasis on core teaching competencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrew Jay, Erie; Starkman, Sidney J; Pawlina, Wojciech; Lachman, Nirusha

    2013-01-01

    Teaching is an increasingly recognized responsibility of the resident physician. Residents, however, often assume teaching responsibilities without adequate preparation. Consequently, many medical schools have implemented student-as-teacher (SAT) programs that provide near-peer teaching opportunities to senior medical students. Near-peer teaching is widely regarded as an effective teaching modality; however, whether near-peer teaching experiences in medical school prepare students for the teaching demands of residency is less understood. We explored whether the anatomy-based SAT program through the Human Structure didactic block at Mayo Medical School addressed the core teaching competencies of a medical educator and prepared its participants for further teaching roles in their medical careers. A web-based survey was sent to all teaching assistants in the anatomy-based SAT program over the past five years (2007-2011). Survey questions were constructed based on previously published competencies in seven teaching domains--course development, course organization, teaching execution, student coaching, student assessment, teacher evaluation, and scholarship. Results of the survey indicate that participants in the anatomy-based SAT program achieved core competencies of a medical educator and felt prepared for the teaching demands of residency. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.

  19. Primary Student Teachers' Ideas about Teaching a Physics Topic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahtee, Maija; Johnston, Jane

    2006-01-01

    This study examines Finnish and English primary student teachers' ideas when planning to teach a physics topic during their science education studies. Many primary student teachers lack sufficient subject knowledge, which prevents them from constructing the scientific pedagogical content knowledge that enables them to concentrate on pupils'…

  20. Teacher qualification and teaching techniques in nursery schools in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The scarcity of qualified teachers in Early Childhood Education in Rwanda in general, and in Kicukiro District in particular, raised interest and curiosity to conduct this study. Its main purpose was to examine the relationship between the qualification of teachers and their teaching techniques in preschools in Kicukiro District.

  1. Preparing Teachers for Technology Based Teaching-Learning Using TPACK

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padmavathi, M.

    2017-01-01

    Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a conceptual framework for teachers to teach effectively using technology. This framework originates from the opinion that use of technology in educational context would be effective only if content, pedagogy and technology are aligned carefully. It implies that for teachers to use technology…

  2. Non-Music Specialist Trainee Primary School Teachers' Confidence in Teaching Music in the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seddon, Frederick; Biasutti, Michele

    2008-01-01

    Prior research has revealed that non-music specialist trainee primary school teachers lack confidence in teaching music in spite of changes to teacher training and the introduction of music in the National Curriculum in England. The current study investigated the effects on non-music specialist trainee primary teachers' confidence to teach music…

  3. Preparing prospective physics teachers to teach integrated science in junior high school

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiyanto; Hartono; Nugroho, S. E.

    2018-03-01

    The physics education study program especially prepares its students to teach physics in senior high school, however in reality many its graduates have become science teachers in junior high school. Therefore introducing integrated science to prospective physics teachers is important, because based on the curriculum, science in the junior high school should be taught integratedly. This study analyzed integrated science teaching materials that developed by prospective physics teachers. Results from this study showed that majority of the integration materials that developed by the prospective physics teachers focused on topic with an overlapping concept or theme as connecting between two or three subjects.

  4. Pre-Service Music Teachers' Metaphorical Perceptions of the Concept of a Music Teaching Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiliç, Deniz Beste Çevik

    2017-01-01

    This study was intended to reveal pre-service music teachers' perceptions of the concept of a "music teaching program" with the use of metaphors. Its sample included 130 pre-service music teachers in the Music Teaching Program of Fine Arts Teaching Department in Balikesir University's Education Faculty. The study data were collected by…

  5. South Dakota Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching Competencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bleecker, Heather A.

    2017-01-01

    This quantitative research study investigates South Dakota middle school (grades 5-8) mathematics teachers' perceptions of teaching competencies including general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) and mathematical pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK). The study also considered how teacher characteristics relate to teacher competencies. The study…

  6. Relationship Domain of Form Six Teachers Thinking in Teaching with External Factors of Form Six Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    bin Pet, Mokhtar; Sihes, Ahmad Johari Hj

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to examine the external factors of form six teachers who can influence thinking domain form six teachers in their teaching. This study was conducted using a quantitative approach using questionnaires. A total of 300 form six teacher schools in Johor were chosen as respondents. The findings were obtained as student background…

  7. Perspectives on Teaching from Alternative Certification Teachers from Diverse Backgrounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Brian R.

    2014-01-01

    This article presents an interview with five teachers in an alternative certification program at a university in New York. All of the teachers were from the New York City Teaching Fellows (NYCTF) program, which is an alternative certification program in New York designed to quickly place teachers in high need schools throughout the city. The…

  8. Teachers' Perception Regarding Facial Expressions as an Effective Teaching Tool

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butt, Muhammad Naeem; Iqbal, Mohammad

    2011-01-01

    The major objective of the study was to explore teachers' perceptions about the importance of facial expression in the teaching-learning process. All the teachers of government secondary schools constituted the population of the study. A sample of 40 teachers, both male and female, in rural and urban areas of district Peshawar, were selected…

  9. Mathematical knowledge for teaching: Making the tacit more explicit in mathematics teacher education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Mohd Faizal Nizam Lee; Vimalanandan, Lena

    2017-05-01

    Teaching practice during school based experiences, afford an opportunity for pre service teachers to put into practice their knowledge for teaching mathematics. Like all knowledge, Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) is held in both tacit and explicit form, making it especially difficult to study and map during instruction. This study investigates the tacit and explicit nature of MKT held by pre service teachers in a Malaysian Teacher Education Program and how it impacts the Mathematical Quality of their instruction (MQI). This study of three mathematics pre-service teachers (PSTs), utilised videos of mathematics lessons, reflective debriefs and interviews. The findings suggest that factors such as reflecting, peer-sharing, conferencing with mentors and observing support in making tacit knowledge more explicit during planning and instruction. Implications for preparation of mathematics teachers capable of high Mathematical Quality of Instruction are also discussed.

  10. Against the Grain: Teaching Historical Complexity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neumann, Dave

    2013-01-01

    Many teachers and scholars have written about the importance of inquiry in effective history instruction. At its core, inquiry involves student investigation of a significant historical problem. Experienced teachers, however, often reveal their skill in purposely teaching against the grain. Skilled teachers help students appreciate historical…

  11. Using Torey Hayden's Teacher Stories to Teach Relationship Skills in Special Education Teacher Preparation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, Elin Meyers; Marlowe, Michael J.; Scharf, Kate Hoffman; Disney, Gayle H.; Macer, Alison; Poling, Daniel; Queen, Amber

    2015-01-01

    Torey Hayden's teacher stories are first-person accounts of being a teacher in classrooms for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Hayden's books offer readers a real-world look at the joys and challenges of teaching children whose lives are marked by emotional and behavioral disorders, child abuse and trauma, anger and defeat.…

  12. The Essence of Good Teaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherman, Robert R.

    1986-01-01

    Compares and contrasts views of what constitutes good teaching in four recent books: "My Harvard, My Yale: Memoirs of College Life by Some Notable Americans" (Dubois, 1982); "Twenty Teachers" (Macrorie, 1984); "Artistry in Teaching" (Rubin, 1985); and "The Essence of Good Teaching: Helping Students Learn and Remember What They Learn" (Eriksen,…

  13. Reactions of teachers versus non-teachers toward people who stutter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jian; Arnold, Hayley S

    2015-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to assess whether kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers differ from people in non-teaching occupations in their reactions to people who stutter (PWS). Taking differences in age and education into account, we compared reactions to PWS between 263 teachers and 1336 non-teachers in the United States based on their responses on the Public Opinion Survey on Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S, St. Louis, 2012). Findings indicated that teachers use a greater number and variety of information sources about PWS than the general public and that male teachers do so even more than female teachers. With regard to the other POSHA-S components, accommodating/helping, knowledge/experience, and sympathy/social distancing of PWS, teachers' responses were not significantly different from their non-teaching counterparts. Regardless of occupation, women reported reactions to PWS that are considered more accommodating and helpful to PWS than the reported reactions of men. Readers should be able to: (1) identify the challenges that students who stutter encounter in the K-12 school setting, (2) identify recommended ways teachers can react to their students who stutter, (3) summarize findings regarding teachers' reactions to people who stutter (PWS), and (4) identify key variables that are associated with reactions to PWS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. The Influences on Teaching Perspectives of Australian Physical Education Teacher Education Students: The First-Year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyndman, Brendon P.; Pill, Shane

    2016-01-01

    There has been a paucity of literature investigating the teaching beliefs and intentions of Australian physical education teacher education (PETE) students that enter teacher training. The First-year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) study explores the teaching perspectives of first year PETE students; including teaching…

  15. Unveiling Pre-Service Teachers' Attitudes toward Teaching: The Role of Pedagogical Practicums

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales Cortés, Yimer Andrés

    2016-01-01

    This article reports a research developed at Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia with a group of pre-service teachers that was immersed in an English teaching practicum. The main purpose of this inquiry was to find out the role that practicum exerted on novice teachers' attitudes towards teaching. Data were collected through…

  16. Teaching HIV/AIDS through a Child-to-Child Approach: A Teacher's Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mwebi, Bosire Monari

    2012-01-01

    This paper draws from a larger study conducted in Kenya, which was a narrative inquiry into a teacher's experiences of teaching the HIV/AIDS curriculum using a child-to-child approach. The two major research questions of this study were: 1) What are the experiences of a teacher teaching the HIV/AIDS curriculum using a child-to-child curriculum…

  17. Allowing the Voices of Parents To Help Shape Teaching and Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicholson, Karen; Evans, Judith F.; Tellier-Robinson, Dora; Aviles, Leticia

    2001-01-01

    Three teachers describe how parents of deaf, severely disabled, and bilingual children participated in their children's learning. Qualitative research methods were used to help parents share their knowledge with teachers. (SK)

  18. High school teachers' perspectives on effective approaches for teaching biology to students with special needs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kos, Agnieszka

    The demands of national educational reforms require high school biology teachers to provide high quality instruction to students with and without special needs. The reforms, however, do not provide teachers with adequate teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students in the same context. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand high school biology teachers' perspectives, practices, and challenges in relation to teaching students with special needs. This approach was used to develop a substantive model for high school biology teachers who are challenged with teaching students with and without special needs. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 15 high school teachers in a Midwestern school district. The data were analyzed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding procedures in accordance with the grounded theory approach. Essential model components included skills and training for teachers, classroom management strategies, teaching strategies, and student skills. The emergent substantive theory indicated that that teacher preparation and acquired skills greatly influence the effectiveness of inclusion implementation. Key findings also indicated the importance of using of a variety of instructional strategies and classroom management strategies that address students' special needs and their learning styles. This study contributes to social change by providing a model for teaching students and effectively implementing inclusion in regular science classrooms. Following further study, this model may be used to support teacher professional development and improve teaching practices that in turn may improve science literacy supported by the national educational reforms.

  19. The Nature and Influence of Teacher Beliefs and Knowledge on the Science Teaching Practice of Three Generalist New Zealand Primary Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Dayle

    2015-06-01

    Students' negative experiences of science in the primary sector have commonly been blamed on poor teacher content knowledge. Yet, teacher beliefs have long been identified as strong influences on classroom practice. Understanding the nature of teacher beliefs and their influence on primary science teaching practice could usefully inform teacher development initiatives. In science education, teacher beliefs about teaching and learning have been proposed as key influences in the development of pedagogical content knowledge for science teaching. This paper uses a multiple qualitative case study design to examine the nature and influence of beliefs on the practice and knowledge development of three generalist primary teachers during the implementation of a unit of work in science. Data for each case study included observations and transcripts of recordings of the lessons forming each science unit, together with multiple interviews with the teacher throughout its implementation. Findings support those of other researchers suggesting that beliefs about purposes of science education, the nature of science, and science teaching and learning strongly influence teacher practice and knowledge. Beliefs about the purposes of science education were found to be a particularly strong influence on practice in the observed cases. However, beliefs about students and the teachers' aims for education generally, as well as teachers' notions concerning vertical science curriculum, were also crucially influential on the type of science learning opportunities that were promoted. Beliefs were found to additionally influence the nature of both subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge for science developed by the teachers.

  20. An Investigation on EFL Teachers' Attitude toward Teaching Profession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agcam, Reyhan; Babanoglu, Muzaffer Pinar

    2016-01-01

    Teaching is described as a demanding job that requires in-depth knowledge of subject content, age-specific pedagogy, and many varied skills such as patience, leadership, and creativity. Teaching a foreign language constitutes another challenge for the teachers who are already attached the primary liability in raising generations for contributing…

  1. Science and Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs of Pre-School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aydogdu, Bülent; Peker, Murat

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this research was to examine science and mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-school teachers in terms of some variables. The sample of the study was comprised of 191 pre-school teachers working in a city in Aegean Region of Turkey. Since it attempted to define self-efficacy beliefs of pre-school teachers toward science and…

  2. Determinants of Teachers' Intentions To Teach Physically Active Physical Education Classes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Jeffrey J.; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges; Eklund, Robert C.; Reed, Brett

    2001-01-01

    Investigated elementary and secondary teachers' intentions to teach physically active physical education classes, examining a model hypothesizing that teachers' intentions were determined by subjective norm, attitude, perceived behavioral control, and self-efficacy. Teacher surveys supported the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior.…

  3. Teachers' Perceptions of the Learning Environment and Their Knowledge Base in a Training Program for Novice University Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johannes, Christine; Fendler, Jan; Seidel, Tina

    2013-01-01

    Despite the complexity of teaching, learning to teach in universities is often "learning by doing". To provide novice university teachers with pedagogic teaching knowledge and to help them develop specific teaching objectives, we created a structured, video-based, one-year training program. In focusing on the core features of…

  4. A Comparison of Student Teachers' Beliefs from Four Different Science Teaching Domains Using a Mixed Methods Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markic, Silvija; Eilks, Ingo

    2012-03-01

    The study presented in this paper integrates data from four combined research studies, which are both qualitative and quantitative in nature. The studies describe freshman science student teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning. These freshmen intend to become teachers in Germany in one of four science teaching domains (secondary biology, chemistry, and physics, respectively, as well as primary school science). The qualitative data from the first study are based on student teachers' drawings of themselves in teaching situations. It was formulated using Grounded Theory to test three scales: Beliefs about Classroom Organisation, Beliefs about Teaching Objectives, and Epistemological Beliefs. Three further quantitative studies give insight into student teachers' curricular beliefs, their beliefs about the nature of science itself, and about the student- and/or teacher-centredness of science teaching. This paper describes a design to integrate all these data within a mixed methods framework. The aim of the current study is to describe a broad, triangulated picture of freshman science student teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning within their respective science teaching domain. The study reveals clear tendencies between the sub-groups. The results suggest that freshman chemistry and-even more pronouncedly-freshman physics student teachers profess quite traditional beliefs about science teaching and learning. Biology and primary school student teachers express beliefs about their subjects which are more in line with modern educational theory. The mixed methods approach towards the student teachers' beliefs is reflected upon and implications for science education and science teacher education are discussed.

  5. The Effectiveness of "Teach for America" and Other Under-certified Teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ildiko Laczko-Kerr

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available The academic achievements of students taught by under-certified primary school teachers were compared to the academic achievements of students taught by regularly certified primary school teachers.  This sample of under-certified teachers included three types of under-qualified personnel: emergency, temporary and provisionally certified teachers.  One subset of these under-certified teachers was from the national program "Teach For America (TFA."  Recent college graduates are placed by TFA where other under-qualified under-certified teachers are often called upon to work, namely, low-income urban and rural school districts. Certified teachers in this study were from accredited universities and all met state requirements for receiving the regular initial certificate to teach.  Recently hired under-certified and certified teachers (N=293 from five low-income school districts were matched on a number of variables, resulting in 109 pairs of teachers whose students all took the mandated state achievement test. Results indicate 1 that students of TFA teachers did not perform significantly different from students of other under-certified teachers, and 2 that students of certified teachers out-performed students of teachers who were under-certified.  This was true on all three subtests of the SAT 9—reading, mathematics and language arts.  Effect sizes favoring the students of certified teachers were substantial.  In reading, mathematics, and language, the students of certified teachers outperformed students of under-certified teachers, including the students of the TFA teachers, by about 2 months on a grade equivalent scale.  Students of under-certified teachers make about 20% less academic growth per year than do students of teachers with regular certification.  Traditional programs of teacher preparation apparently result in positive effects on the academic achievement of low-income primary school children.  Present

  6. Developing Turkish Preservice Preschool Teachers' Attitudes and Understanding about Teaching Science through Play

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulunuz, Mizrap

    2012-01-01

    This research studied the development of preservice teachers' understandings and attitudes about teaching science through playful experiences. Subjects were 94 senior preservice teachers in two sections of a science methods class on teaching preschool children. Data sources were semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaire at the…

  7. Beliefs of Teachers Who Teach Intensive One-to-One Intervention about Links to Classroom Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Thi L.; Wright, Robert J.

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports teachers' beliefs about the extent to which expertise in one-to-one teaching can be transferred to classroom teaching. The study involved 21 mathematics intervention specialists. Data collection involved a structured questionnaire with six openended questions. Participants were found to be very positive towards transferring…

  8. Different habitus: different strategies in teaching physics? Relationships between teachers' social, economic and cultural capital and strategies in teaching physics in upper secondary school

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engström, Susanne; Carlhed, Carina

    2014-09-01

    With environmental awareness in the societies of today, political steering documents emphasize that all education should include sustainable development. But it seems to be others competing ideals for teaching physics, or why do the physics teachers teach as they do? Physics teachers in secondary school in Sweden have generally, been focused on facts and a strong link with scientific theories and concepts. In general, the curriculum sway the teaching, a standard text book in physics is used, the teaching is organized according to the book and the teacher deals with and demonstrates typical tasks on the whiteboard and group work is common for special issues related to tasks from the textbook or elaborating. The aim with this study is to analyze why physics teachers in upper secondary school choose to teach energy as they do. Data emerging from a questionnaire focused on indicators of the teachers' cultural and economic assets, or capital, according to the work of Pierre Bourdieu's sociology. Especially his concept on life styles and habitus provide a tool for analysis. We focus on physics teachers' positions in the social space, dispositions and standpoints towards the ideal way to teach physics in upper secondary school (n = 268). Our response rate is 29 % and due to the low response rate a non response bias analysis was made. In our analysis we primarily sought for groups, with a cluster analysis based on the teaching practice, revealed common features for both what and how they teach and three different teaching types emerged. Then we reconstructed the group habitus of the teachers by analyzing dispositions and standpoints and related those to the specific polarization of sacred values, that is struggles about the natural order (doxa) in the social space of science education, which is a part of and has boundaries to dominating fields like the natural sciences and the political fields (curriculum etc.). Three teacher-groups' habituses are described and analyzed

  9. The influence of an inquiry professional development program on secondary science teachers' conceptions and use of inquiry teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lotter, Christine

    2005-11-01

    This research investigated nine secondary science teachers' conceptions and use of inquiry teaching throughout a year-long professional development program. The professional development program consisted of a two-week summer inquiry institute and research experience in university scientists' laboratories, as well as three academic year workshops. Teachers' conceptions of inquiry teaching were established through both qualitative interviews and a quantitative instrument given before and after the summer institute and again at the end of the academic year. Videotapes of all nine teachers presenting inquiry lessons in their own classrooms were evaluated using an observation protocol that measured the teachers' degree of reform teaching. Three of the teachers were chosen for an in-depth case study of their classroom teaching practices. Data collected from each of the case study teachers included videotapes from classroom observations, responses to an inquiry survey, and transcripts from two additional qualitative interviews. Students' responses to their teachers' use of inquiry teaching were also investigated in the case study classrooms. Through their participation in the professional development experience, the teachers gained a deeper understanding of how to implement inquiry practices in their classrooms. The teachers gained confidence and practice with inquiry methods through developing and presenting their institute-developed inquiry lessons, through observing other teachers' lessons, and participating as students in the workshop inquiry activities. Data analysis revealed that the teachers' knowledge of inquiry was necessary but not sufficient for their implementation of inquiry teaching practices. The teachers' conceptions of science, their students, effective teaching practices, and the purpose of education were found to have a direct effect on the type and amount of inquiry instruction performed in the high school classrooms. The research findings suggest that

  10. Adjusted State Teacher Salaries and the Decision to Teach

    OpenAIRE

    Rickman, Dan S.; Wang, Hongbo; Winters, John V.

    2015-01-01

    Using the 3-year sample of the American Community Survey (ACS) for 2009 to 2011, we compute public school teacher salaries for comparison across U.S. states. Teacher salaries are adjusted for state differences in teacher characteristics, cost of living, household amenity attractiveness and federal tax rates. Salaries of non-teaching college graduates, defined as those with occupations outside of education, are used to adjust for state household amenity attractiveness. We then find that state ...

  11. Teacher Candidates' Attitudes towards the Teaching Profession in Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tok, Turkay Nuri

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the attitudes of teacher candidates in Turkey towards the teaching profession. Descriptive surveys were used and the research data was obtained from Pamukkale University Classroom Teaching students. During data analysis, the arithmetic means and standard deviations of the groups were calculated and a t-test and One-Way ANOVA…

  12. Construct validation of teacher portfolio assessment : Procedures for improving teacher competence assessment illustrated by teaching students research skills

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schaaf, M.F. van der

    2005-01-01

    The study aims to design and test procedures for teacher portfolio assessments. What are suitable procedures to assess teachers' competencies in developing students' research skills? We first searched into the tasks teachers have in teaching students research skills and the competencies needed to

  13. Teaching Philosophy Statements: In-Service ESL Teachers' Practices and Beliefs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Payant, Caroline

    2017-01-01

    In North American higher education settings, faculty are increasingly required to write teaching philosophy statements. In the field of English language teaching, there is a very narrow understanding of language teachers' practices of writing teaching philosophy statements and their potential benefits to individuals and to the professionalization…

  14. Developing Medical Students as Teachers: An Anatomy-Based Student-as-Teacher Program with Emphasis on Core Teaching Competencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jay, Erie Andrew; Starkman, Sidney J.; Pawlina, Wojciech; Lachman, Nirusha

    2013-01-01

    Teaching is an increasingly recognized responsibility of the resident physician. Residents, however, often assume teaching responsibilities without adequate preparation. Consequently, many medical schools have implemented student-as-teacher (SAT) programs that provide near-peer teaching opportunities to senior medical students. Near-peer teaching…

  15. Improving Teachers' Teaching with Communication Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Li-Ling

    2012-01-01

    With the growing needs to address the challenges that new teachers face and the popularity of social networking technology, this study explores how to increase the effectives of teaching through the use of such technology, and how the technology may serve to promote collaboration and open new resources of support in public education. In this…

  16. [Application of mind map in teaching of medical parasitology].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Hong-Chang; Shao, Sheng-Wen; Xu, Bo-Ying

    2012-12-30

    To improve the teaching quality of medical parasitology, mind map, a simple and effective learning method, was introduced. The mind map of each chapter was drawn by teacher and distributed to students before the class. It was helpful for teacher to straighten out the teaching idea, and for students to grasp the important learning points, perfect the class notes and improve learning efficiency. The divergent characteristics of mind map can also help to develop the students' innovation ability.

  17. Student Teachers' Approaches to Teaching Biological Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borgerding, Lisa A.; Klein, Vanessa A.; Ghosh, Rajlakshmi; Eibel, Albert

    2015-01-01

    Evolution is fundamental to biology and scientific literacy, but teaching high school evolution is often difficult. Evolution teachers face several challenges including limited content knowledge, personal conflicts with evolution, expectations of resistance, concerns about students' conflicts with religion, and curricular constraints. Evolution…

  18. Experienced teachers' informal learning from classroom teaching

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoekstra, A.; Beijaard, D.; Brekelmans, M.; Korthagen, F.

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore how experienced teachers learn informally, and more specifically, how they learn through the activities they undertake when teaching classes. Regarding these activities we studied four aspects: behaviour, cognition, motivation and emotion. During one year,

  19. An overview of EFL teacher candidates’ teaching models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio Heraldo Díaz Larenas

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper identifies the EFL teaching and learning models underlying a group of ten student-teachers’ discourse who are doing their teaching internship in different schools in Concepción, Chile. These students are about to obtain their degree as High School teachers of English. They were given a Likert-like survey that contained forty statements related to the didactic components of the English teaching and learning process. Student-teachers’ responses allowed the identification of the teaching and learning models underlying the respondents’ discourse. All respondents showed a strong communicative teaching orientation that favors the development of communication and the negotiation of meaning over the study of language structures.

  20. An Examination of Teachers' Perceptions and Practice when Teaching Large and Reduced-Size Classes: Do Teachers Really Teach Them in the Same Way?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harfitt, Gary James

    2012-01-01

    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…

  1. Perceived Helpfulness of Teachers in Clinical Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moate, Randall M.; Holm, Jessica M.; West, Erin M.

    2017-01-01

    Clinical courses are important in the development of students pursuing a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling (CMHC). Despite the importance of clinical courses, little is known about what CMHC students perceive as being helpful about their teachers of clinical courses. To investigate this, we sought the viewpoints of beginning…

  2. Effects of Gender on Teachers' Perceptions of School Environment, Teaching Efficacy, Stress and Job Satisfaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Van Dat

    2015-01-01

    This study investigates how teachers' perceptions of school environment factors, teaching efficacy, teacher stress and job satisfaction, and to determine whether gender was a differentiating factor. A total of 387 Vietnamese junior high school teachers completed one questionnaire for four sections about school-level environment, teaching efficacy,…

  3. Investigating Coherence among Turkish Elementary Science Teachers' Teaching Belief Systems, Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahcivan, Eralp; Cobern, William W.

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated comprehensive science teaching belief systems and their relation to science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge and teaching practices. Rokeach's (1968) belief system was used as a framework for representing the hierarchy among in-service teachers' teaching beliefs. This study employed a multiple case study design with…

  4. EPIC: Helping School Life and Family Support Each Other.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montgomery, David

    1992-01-01

    Born out of a 1981 murder, Buffalo (New York) Public Schools' EPIC (Effective Parenting Information for Children) program successfully combines parenting, effective teaching, and community programs to help family and school life support each other. Under EPIC, teachers are advised to help students acquire 23 skills involving self-esteem, rules,…

  5. Teacher of Special Education and teaching- learning process of students with autism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andréa R. dos S. Boettger Giardinetto

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper has as subject autism, and sought to verify how the process of teaching and learning of students with autism occurs in a special education school. The Infantile Autism is today sorted as one of the “Global Developmental Disorders (PDD” and is characterized by a severe and global impairment in several areas of development, such as reciprocal social interaction skills, communication skills and presence of stereotypic behavior, interests and activities. This study aimed to identify the teaching methodology used with adolescents with autism in special education and see in what ways this methodology assists in the teaching and learning of these students. To this end, participated in this study a teacher, expert in this issue, and three students with autism in a Special Education School located within the State of São Paulo. For data collection, 19 observations of activities performed by students with autism in the classroom were conducted and a semi-structured interview with the specialized teacher was applied. The results revealed that the teacher mentioned above does not use any specific teaching methodology to assist in the teaching and learning of these students, although there are some specific methodologies for individuals with autism, which are used in special education schools. Thus, there is a gap in the teaching process on the part of the teacher and an uncertainty about the learning process of these students with autism in this institution.

  6. Helping Preservice Teachers (PSTs) Understand the Realities of Poverty: Innovative Curriculum Modules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Moon-Heum; Convertino, Christina; Khourey-Bowers, Claudia

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop an innovative addition to the curriculum to help preservice teachers cultivate an understanding of poverty. Using technology, an interdisciplinary team created two online learning modules entitled Teacher as Learning Facilitator and Teacher as Anthropologist. Preservice teachers valued the newly developed…

  7. An Investigation of Elementary Preservice Teachers' Self-Efficacy for Teaching Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giles, Rebecca McMahon; Byrd, Kelly O.; Bendolph, Angelia

    2016-01-01

    Research has consistently shown that teacher efficacy is related to a variety of desirable student outcomes, thus, making teacher efficacy an important factor in high quality mathematics instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine elementary preservice teachers' self-efficacy beliefs related to teaching mathematics. Forty-one…

  8. Declarative knowledge and professional vision in teacher education: effect of courses in teaching and learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stürmer, Kathleen; Könings, Karen D; Seidel, Tina

    2013-09-01

    Teachers' professional vision includes the ability to apply general pedagogical knowledge about components of effective teaching and learning to reason about significant features of classroom practice. It requires teachers to (a) describe, (b) explain, and (c) predict classroom situations. Although the acquisition of underling knowledge can be considered as a key element of university-based teacher education programmes, to date, there has been little empirical research on teacher candidates' development of professional vision. This study aims to improve understanding of how different university-based courses in teaching and learning impact the development of professional vision. Participants were teacher candidates (N= 53) attending the same teacher education programme at a German university. They were enrolled in one of three different compulsory courses in teaching and learning, lasting one semester. In a pre-test-post-test design, participants' declarative knowledge about teaching and learning was measured with a test, professional vision with the online tool Observer. Analysis of covariance and multivariate analysis of variance were conducted. Teacher candidates in all three courses showed significant gains both in declarative knowledge and professional vision. Patterns of results differed depending on the course attended. A video-based course with a focus on effective teaching resulted in highest gains in prediction of the consequences of observed events for student learning processes, which is the highest level of knowledge transfer. The development of professional vision is a strongly knowledge-guided process. In line with their content and aims, university-based courses can enhance teaching-relevant knowledge for teacher candidates. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

  9. PCK in Action: Examining One Chemistry Teacher's Practice through the Lens of Her Orientation toward Science Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boesdorfer, Sarah; Lorsbach, Anthony

    2014-01-01

    A teacher's orientation toward science teaching has been proposed as very influential to a teacher's pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and teaching practice. Experienced teachers' orientation toward science teaching and its connections to their practice has not been well explored. Focusing on a unit about the periodic table, this study provides…

  10. What Mathematics Teachers Say about the Teaching Strategies in the Implementation of Tasks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enríquez, Jakeline Amparo Villota; de Oliveira, Andréia María Pereira; Valencia, Heriberto González

    2018-01-01

    In this article we will discuss, through the explanations given by teachers who teach Mathematics, the importance of using teaching strategies in the implementation of tasks. Teachers who participated in it belong to the group "Observatory Mathematics Education" (OME-Bahia). This study was framed in a qualitative approach and data were…

  11. More Light: An Argument for Complexity in Studies of Teaching and Teacher Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florio-Ruane, Susan

    2002-01-01

    Discusses the complexities of teaching and teacher education, examining circumstances that change the ways in which researchers view teaching and teacher education. The article also presents cautionary thoughts about the tendency to narrow the scope of research to focus only on the spaces immediately relevant to a pressing problem framed by…

  12. Strategies Used to Teach Mathematics to Special Education Students from the Teachers' Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Desline A.

    2016-01-01

    The perspectives of special education teachers on the strategies used to teach mathematics to special education students were examined in this dissertation. Three central research questions that guided the study are: (a) What were New York special education teachers' opinions about the methods they use to teach mathematics to special education…

  13. Developing the Teaching Profession: Factors Influencing Teachers’ Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamdi Serin

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Teachers always seek for possible ways to develop their teaching. There are many ways teachers can develop professionally. They can do this by generating new ideas or thinking deeply about reformulating what they do in class. Nevertheless, they cannot fully improve professional development on their own. Teachers can learn with the help of other people who have knowledge and experience in teaching and learning. They learn from in-service training programs that teach new techniques and approaches. Teacher development is a long-term process that requires systematic planning. Professional advancement in the teaching profession is based on some factors. This paper defines the characteristics of teachers’ professional development and aims to explain the factors it hinges upon.

  14. Teaching materials and the roles of EFL/ESL teachers practice and theory

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    McGrath, Ian

    2013-01-01

    Teaching Materials and the Roles of EFL/ESL Teachers is published amidst a decade long increase in academic publications and training courses concerned with the evaluation and design of English language teaching materials. It is timely to consider what effect the advice on offer has had on teachers' practice. Are teachers evaluating materials carefully, using textbooks in the ways expected by textbook writers, developing their own materials, and mediating between materials and learners in the ways advised in the professional literature? The book explores these issues from a variety of

  15. Teachers Should Not Only Inform but Also Entertain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubli, Fritz

    2007-01-01

    Teaching is, in many respects, an art. Teachers must strike the right balance between sometimes opposite demands. On the one hand, they should lead students to scientific insights; and on the other hand, their teaching should be attractive. Teachers should not only inform, but also entertain. Experiments and stories can help them to combine these…

  16. Teachers' Language on Scientific Inquiry: Methods of teaching or methods of inquiry?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gyllenpalm, Jakob; Wickman, Per-Olof; Holmgren, Sven-Olof

    2010-06-01

    With a focus on the use of language related to scientific inquiry, this paper explores how 12 secondary school science teachers describe instances of students' practical work in their science classes. The purpose of the study was to shed light on the culture and traditions of secondary school science teaching related to inquiry as expressed in the use of language. Data consisted of semi-structured interviews about actual inquiry units used by the teachers. These were used to situate the discussion of their teaching in a real context. The theoretical background is socio-cultural and pragmatist views on the role of language in science learning. The analysis focuses on two concepts of scientific inquiry: hypothesis and experiment. It is shown that the teachers tend to use these terms with a pedagogical function thus conflating methods of teaching with methods of inquiry as part of an emphasis on teaching the children the correct explanation. The teachers did not prioritise an understanding of scientific inquiry as a knowledge goal. It discusses how learners' possibilities to learn about the characteristics of scientific inquiry and the nature of science are affected by an unreflective use of everyday discourse.

  17. Developing a Teacher Evaluation Instrument to Provide Formative Feedback Using Student Ratings of Teaching Acts

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Lans, Rikkert M.; van de Grift, Wim J. C. M.; van Veen, Klaas

    2015-01-01

    This study reports on the development of a teacher evaluation instrument, based on students' observations, which exhibits cumulative ordering in terms of the complexity of teaching acts. The study integrates theory on teacher development with theory on teacher effectiveness and applies a cross-validation procedure to verify whether teaching acts…

  18. University-School Partnerships: Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers Working Together to Teach Primary Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenny, John Daniel

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on a partnership approach preparing pre-service primary teachers to teach science. Partnerships involving pre-service teachers and volunteer in-service colleagues were formed to teach science in the classroom of the colleague, with support from the science education lecturer. Each pre-service teacher collaboratively planned and…

  19. Investigating Alignment between Elementary Mathematics Teacher Education and Graduates' Teaching of Mathematics for Conceptual Understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jansen, Amanda; Berk, Dawn; Meikle, Erin

    2017-01-01

    In this article, Amanda Jansen, Dawn Berk, and Erin Meikle investigate the impact of mathematics teacher education on teaching practices. In their study they interviewed six first-year teachers who graduated from the same elementary teacher education program and who were oriented toward teaching mathematics conceptually. They observed each teacher…

  20. Analysing the Correlations between Primary School Teachers' Teaching Styles and Their Critical Thinking Disposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sen, Özgür

    2018-01-01

    This study aims to analyse the correlations between teaching styles primary school teachers prefer to use and their critical thinking disposition. The research was conducted with the participation of 380 primary school teachers teaching in schools located in Ankara. The study employs relational survey model. In this study "Teaching Styles…

  1. For what purpose do language teachers use group work in their lessons? : A study of group work in the teaching of English, and modern languages, in a Swedish school

    OpenAIRE

    Krogstad, Amanda

    2011-01-01

    The overall aim of this study is to investigate how and why teachers in the subjects of English and Modern Languages use group work in their lessons. This has been done with the help of a survey and interviews. The results indicate that all teachers in the study use at least some group work. Group work is often used to help the students practise their verbal skills as well as in teaching them to work together. The study has also shown that teachers find some parts of using group work in their...

  2. Changes in Preservice Elementary Teachers' Personal Science Teaching Efficacy and Science Teaching Outcome Expectancies: The Influence of Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hechter, Richard P.

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated contextual changes in perceptions of science teaching self-efficacy through pre-, post- and retrospective administrations of the Science Teaching Expectancy Belief Instrument (STEBI-B) among preservice elementary teachers when exposed to a science teaching methods course. Findings revealed that the number of postsecondary…

  3. Mathematics Teachers' Readiness to Integrate ICT in the Classroom: The Case of Elementary and Middle School Arab Teachers in Israel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nimer F. Baya'a

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available ICT integration in mathematics education provides mathematics teachers with integrative teaching methods that motivate students learning, support their independent learning and active participation in the discovery of mathematics concepts and topics, and, as a result, helps them have deeper understanding of the mathematical ideas. So, the integration of ICT in the teaching and learning of mathematics, as a result of ICT educational affordances, helps students have better achievement in mathematics. These potentialities of the ICT make its integration in the mathematics classroom a promising practice, but the success of this practice is dependent on various factors, among which are the following: teachers' perceptions of their ability in ICT, teachers' attitudes towards ICT contribution to the mathematics teaching, teachers' attitudes towards ICT contribution to students' mathematics learning, teachers' emotions towards the use of ICT in the mathematics classroom, teachers' feelings of self-esteem and control in the presence of ICT in the mathematics classroom, and teachers' intentions to actually integrate ICT in their teaching. The current research came to verify the readiness of Arab teachers in elementary and middle schools in Israel regarding the integration of ICT in the classroom, and hence its interest in the six above constructs. The research used a questionnaire that included statements related to each one of the above constructs. This questionnaire was administered to 475 Arab teachers in elementary and middle schools in the North, Center and Haifa regions in Israel. The research findings show that more than seventy percent of the participating teachers have positive perceptions of their competence in technology and technology integration in their teaching. Further, they have positive attitudes towards the integration of ICT in teaching and learning and of their self-esteem in the presence of technology, in addition to positive

  4. Developing an Instrument for Teacher Feedback : Using the Rasch Model to Explore Teachers' Development of Effective Teaching Strategies and Behaviors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Lans, Rikkert; van de Grift, Wim; van Veen, Klaas

    This study connects descriptions of effective teaching with descriptions of teacher development to advance an initial understanding of how effective teaching may develop. The study's main premise is that descriptions of effective teaching develop cumulatively where more basic teaching strategies and

  5. The Impact of Science Teachers' Beliefs on Teaching Science: The Case of Saudi Science Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alabdulkareem, Saleh Abdullah

    2016-01-01

    The researcher aims to investigate Saudi science teachers' beliefs about learning and teaching issues. The sample consisted of 247 middle school teachers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study conducted in the academic school year 2014/2015, and utilized a questionnaire and an interview that included 10% of the sample. The questionnaire targeted the…

  6. A Preservice Mathematics Teacher's Beliefs about Teaching Mathematics with Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belbase, Shashidhar

    2015-01-01

    This paper analyzed a preservice mathematics teacher's beliefs about teaching mathematics with technology. The researcher used five semi-structured task-based interviews in the problematic contexts of teaching fraction multiplications with JavaBars, functions and limits, and geometric transformations with Geometer's Sketchpad, and statistical data…

  7. TEACHER-STUDENTS DISCOURSE IN ENGLISH TEACHING AT HIGH SCHOOL (CLASSROOM DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alamsyah Harahap

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available English classroom's process of teaching and learning is an important aspect of successful English teaching and learning. The analysis of classroom discourse is a very important form which the classroom process research has taken place. The present study focuses on SMA (high school English classroom discourse. The microethnography of Spradley was the research method deployed. Through a detailed description and analysis of the collected data referring to Sinclair and Coulthard’s classroom discourse analysis model, the problem of patterns of the classroom discourse is made clear. On the basis of the discourse patterns' problem found, a few strategies for high school English teachers are put forward through the teacher training in order to improve English teaching and learning at high school in Indonesia. The research results showed that teacher talk highly dominated the English classroom discourse; 94% of teacher-students talk. IRF Model of Sinclair and Coulthard was not found in the English classroom (only IF pattern and no lesson achieved.

  8. Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions with Regard to Teaching-Learning Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Özdas, Faysal

    2018-01-01

    Teaching-learning process has a great important medium where pre-service teachers develop experiences and competences. Pre-service teachers are introduced to this process in a professional sense through the school experience course in teacher training. In this process, it is crucial to identify the encountered difficulties and matters. For this…

  9. Instructional, Institutional, and Sociopolitical Challenges of Teaching Multicultural Teacher Education Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorski, Paul C.

    2012-01-01

    Despite growing scholarly attention to multicultural teacher education, most scholarship focuses on teacher education students rather than those who are preparing them to teach multiculturally. This study, a grounded theory exploration of data from a survey (N = 70) of multicultural teacher educators, represents an attempt to shift some of that…

  10. Teaching and Learning Science through Song: Exploring the Experiences of Students and Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Governor, Donna; Hall, Jori; Jackson, David

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative, multi-case study explored the use of science-content music for teaching and learning in six middle school science classrooms. The researcher sought to understand how teachers made use of content-rich songs for teaching science, how they impacted student engagement and learning, and what the experiences of these teachers and…

  11. English Language Teachers' Perceptions on Knowing and Applying Contemporary Language Teaching Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sucuoglu, Esen

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of English language teachers teaching at a preparatory school in relation to their knowing and applying contemporary language teaching techniques in their lessons. An investigation was conducted of 21 English language teachers at a preparatory school in North Cyprus. The SPSS statistical…

  12. The Effects of Post-observational Feedback Modes on Teaching Beliefs : Peer vs. Teacher-Mediated Feedback

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    İlknur Yuksel

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate whether the pre-service teachers' language teaching beliefs changed as a result of two different post-observational reşective feedback modes; teacher mediated and peer feedback, during their teaching practice. For each post-observational feedback mode, two groups of eight Turkish pre-service language teachers attending to the final year at English Language Teaching Department at Anadolu University, totally 16 pre-service teachers participated in the study. The qualitative and quantitative data was collected at the beginning and end of the different feedback treatments from each group. The results indicated that the feedback modes on pre-service teachers’ teaching practice could influence their beliefs about teaching. Peer feedback had a potential to change the teachers’ beliefs through critical reşection skills that were fostered as a result of collaboration within the peer group

  13. Linking Preservice Teachers' Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Mathematics Teaching Efficacy to Their Mathematical Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bates, Alan B.; Latham, Nancy; Kim, Jin-ah

    2011-01-01

    This study examined preservice teachers' mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics teaching efficacy and compared them to their mathematical performance. Participants included 89 early childhood preservice teachers at a Midwestern university. Instruments included the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES), Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs…

  14. Developing Teachers' Capacity for Teaching Pupils' Initial Reading ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DrNneka

    that male students performed better on IRMAT than their female counterpart t- calculated 10.80 at ... Key words: Developing, Teachers' Capacity, Teaching, Initial Reading, Multisensory. Approach .... picture that its name starts with the sound.

  15. Turkish Preservice Primary School Teachers' Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs and Attitudes toward Science: The Effect of a Primary Teacher Education Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayraktar, Sule

    2011-01-01

    The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a primary teacher education program in improving science teaching efficacy beliefs (personal science teaching efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancy beliefs) of preservice primary school teachers. The study also investigated whether the program has an effect on student…

  16. The Effect of Teachers' Social Networks on Teaching Practices and Class Composition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Chong Min

    2011-01-01

    Central to this dissertation was an examination of the role teachers' social networks play in schools as living organizations through three studies. The first study investigated the impact of teachers' social networks on teaching practices. Recent evidence suggests that teachers' social networks have a significant effect on teachers' norms,…

  17. A Magnetic Set-Up to Help Teach Newton's Laws

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panijpan, Bhinyo; Sujarittham, Thanida; Arayathanitkul, Kwan; Tanamatayarat, Jintawat; Nopparatjamjomras, Suchai

    2009-01-01

    A set-up comprising a magnetic disc, a solenoid and a mechanical balance was used to teach first-year physics students Newton's third law with the help of a free body diagram. The image of a floating magnet immobilized by the solenoid's repulsive force should help dispel a common misconception of students as regards the first law: that stationary…

  18. Use of Elements of Theatre as Teaching Strategies to Increase Preservice Teacher Self-Efficacy and Proficiency in the Art, Science, and Business of Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidson, Maaike T.

    2013-01-01

    This sequential, mixed method, QUAN-QUAL study redefines the craft of teaching into the science ("what"), art ("how"), and the business of teaching to assess and prepare preservice teachers. It also measures the effectiveness of using theatrical elements as teaching strategies to effectively develop preservice teachers in the…

  19. Effects of the learning assistant experience on in-service teachers' practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Kara E.; Webb, David C.; Otero, Valerie K.

    2012-02-01

    The Colorado Learning Assistant (LA) Program serves as a content-specific supplement to standard teacher preparation programs. In addition to transforming undergraduate STEM courses, it recruits and prepares math and science majors for teaching careers by involving university STEM faculty. The research reported here compares the teaching practices of in-service teachers who participated in the LA experience as undergraduates to a comparison group of teachers who did not participate in the LA program as undergraduates but were certified to teach through the same program. We report on teachers' views of assessments and differences in their teaching practices. This analysis is based on interviews with approximately 30 teachers and observations of their classrooms throughout their induction years of teaching. This work considers how the LA program may help improve current teacher preparation models.

  20. Knowledge and willingness to teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a survey amongst 4273 teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mpotos, Nicolas; Vekeman, Eva; Monsieurs, Koenraad; Derese, Anselm; Valcke, Martin

    2013-04-01

    Schoolteachers are expected to play a role in teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to schoolchildren, but little is known about their attitudes, actual knowledge and willingness to do so. We conducted a survey about CPR knowledge, preparedness to perform and teach CPR as well as attitude towards an alternative self-learning strategy amongst Flemish teachers. A questionnaire was developed consisting of four distinct parts: (1) Demographics; (2) CPR knowledge and skills level; (3) Attitude towards training and (4) Resuscitation experience. Content experts screened the questionnaire in view of content validity. One hundred and seventy-one students in Educational Sciences were each asked to interview 25 different teachers. A total of 4273 teachers participated in the study (primary school n=856; secondary school n=2562; higher education n=855). Of all respondents, 59% (2539/4273) had received previous CPR training with the highest proportion observed in primary schoolteachers (69%) and in the age group 21-30 years (68%). Mandatory CPR training at school was supported by 41% (1751/4273) of the teachers and only 36% was aware that CPR is now formally included in the secondary education curriculum. Sixty-one percent (2621/4273) did not feel capable and was not willing to teach CPR, mainly because of a perceived lack of knowledge in 50% (2151/2621). In addition 69% (2927/4273) felt incompetent to perform correct CPR and 73% (3137/4273) wished more training. Feeling incompetent and not willing to teach was related to the absence of previous training. Primary schoolteachers and the age group 21-30 years were most willing to teach CPR. Although many teachers mentioned previous CPR training, only a minority of mostly young and primary schoolteachers felt competent in CPR and was willing to teach it to their students. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The Effectiveness of "Teach for America" and Other Under-certified Teachers

    OpenAIRE

    Ildiko Laczko-Kerr; David C. Berliner

    2002-01-01

    The academic achievements of students taught by under-certified primary school teachers were compared to the academic achievements of students taught by regularly certified primary school teachers.  This sample of under-certified teachers included three types of under-qualified personnel: emergency, temporary and provisionally certified teachers.  One subset of these under-certified teachers was from the national program "Teach For America (TFA)."  Recent college graduates are placed by TF...

  2. Relationships between Prospective Elementary Teachers' Classroom Practice and Their Conceptions of Biology and of Teaching Science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Helen; Tabachnick, B. Robert; Hewson, Peter W.; Lemberger, John; Park, Hyun-Ju

    1999-01-01

    Discusses three prospective elementary teachers' conceptions of teaching science and selected portions of their knowledge base in life science. Explores how these teachers' conceptions, along with their teaching actions, developed during the course of a teacher-education program. Contains 21 references. (Author/WRM)

  3. Teaching and Learning Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitton, Diana

    2015-01-01

    "Teaching and Learning Strategies" is a practical guide for pre-service teachers who know and understand the content of the curriculum and are looking for additional tools to teach it effectively. This book will help students to develop a comprehensive knowledge of teaching and learning strategies, which is essential in ensuring lessons…

  4. Teachers' experiences of teaching in a blended learning environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jokinen, Pirkko; Mikkonen, Irma

    2013-11-01

    This paper considers teachers' experiences of teaching undergraduate nursing students in a blended learning environment. The basic idea of the study programme was to support students to reflect on theory and practice, and provide with access to expert and professional knowledge in real-life problem-solving and decision making. Learning was organised to support learning in and about work: students worked full-time and this provided excellent opportunities for learning both in practice, online and face-to-face sessions. The aim of the study was to describe teachers' experiences of planning and implementing teaching and learning in a blended-learning-based adult nursing programme. The research method was qualitative, and the data were collected by three focus group interviews, each with four to six participants. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results show that the blended learning environment constructed by the combination of face-to-face learning and learning in practice with technology-mediated learning creates challenges that must be taken into consideration when planning and implementing blended teaching and learning. However, it provides good opportunities to enhance students' learning in and about work. This is because such programmes support student motivation through the presence of "real-life" and their relevance to the students' own places of work. Nevertheless, teachers require knowledge of different pedagogical approaches; they need professional development support in redesigning teaching and learning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Emotions in prospective secondary teachers when teaching science content, distinguishing by gender

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belén Borrachero, Ana; Brígido, María; Mellado, Lucía; Costillo, Emilio; Mellado, Vicente

    2014-05-01

    Background:Until recently, the affective components of education had long been undervalued. Today, one finds ever more studies on cognitive and affective interrelationships that are lending support to the idea that affect and cognition are best understood when viewed as independent and complementary mental functions. Purpose:The present work analyses the emotions of prospective secondary education teachers, distinguishing them by gender, in relation to the teaching of Biology, Geology, Physics and Chemistry in order to contribute to designing subsequent interventions targeted at improving science teachers' occupational health. Sample:The total sample consisted of 178 students (53 male and 125 female) of the post-graduate teaching certificate course at the University of Extremadura, all of whom were prospective secondary school teachers. We also worked with a sub-sample of 66 Science and Engineering graduates (33 male and 33 female). Design and methods:A questionnaire was prepared that includes items on each of the emotions that the prospective teacher might feel when teaching the science content of the proposed courses. The chi-squared test was used to determine whether a relationship exists between emotions and the variable gender when it came to their teaching Biology, Geology, Physics and Chemistry at the compulsory secondary education level. Results:The results showed that the male teachers more frequently report positive emotions than the female. The latter manifested an increase in negative emotions in teaching Geology, Physics and Chemistry content. And the study of the sub-sample showed positive emotions are more frequently reported than negative ones in all four subjects, with this being particularly so in Biology. Conclusions:The study of emotions is vital in the educational formation of prospective secondary teachers. These students will soon face day-to-day life in the classroom, and many of them, especially the women, declare themselves to be

  6. Teaching and Learning Sport Education: A Self-Study Exploring the Experiences of a Teacher Educator and Pre-Service Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hordvik, Mats M.; MacPhail, Ann; Ronglan, Lars T.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: In this study, we articulate and share our knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning Sport Education in physical education teacher education (PETE): (a) How did the PETE faculty member experience teaching about teaching Sport Education? and (b) How did the PSTs experience learning about teaching Sport Education? Method: One…

  7. Preservice Science Teachers' Science Teaching Orientations and Beliefs about Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kind, Vanessa

    2016-01-01

    This paper offers clarification of science teacher orientations as a potential component of pedagogical content knowledge. Science teaching orientations and beliefs about science held by 237 preservice science teachers were gathered via content-specific vignettes and questionnaire, respectively, prior to participation in a UK-based teacher…

  8. Pre-Service Teachers' Motivation, Sense of Teaching Efficacy, and Expectation of Reality Shock

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hyunjin; Cho, YoonJung

    2014-01-01

    The present study investigated how pre-service teachers' motivation and their sense of teaching efficacy influence their expectation about reality shock during the first year of professional teaching. A total of 533 pre-service teachers at a state university in the US Midwest participated in this study. The results showed that the pre-service…

  9. Teaching Science in the Primary School: Surveying Teacher Wellbeing and Planning for Survival

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Anne-Marie

    2012-01-01

    A teacher-researcher in a primary school setting surveyed the middle years' teachers of her school and those in the local science hub group, to determine their confidence and satisfaction levels in relation to teaching science. Her results confirm feelings of inadequacy and reluctance to teach Science, but also indicate ways that schools can…

  10. Teachers' Beliefs in English Language Teaching and Learning: A Review of the Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilakjani, Abbas Pourhosein; Sabouri, Narjes Banou

    2017-01-01

    Beliefs form part of the process of understanding how teachers shape their work which is significant to the comprehending of their teaching methods and their decisions in the classroom. Teachers' beliefs have been an interesting topic for researchers due to the input they provide for the improvement of English language teaching and learning.…

  11. Changing Pre-Service Teachers' Beliefs to Teach in Inclusive Classrooms in Victoria, Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Umesh

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of completing a course in inclusive education on pre-service teachers' beliefs and confidence to teach in inclusive classrooms. Twenty seven pre-service teachers completed a survey and concept maps. It was found that participants' beliefs and confidence level to teach in inclusive classrooms…

  12. Teacher beliefs about teaching science through Science-Technology-Society (STS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massenzio, Lynn

    2001-07-01

    Statement of the problem. As future citizens, students will have the enormous responsibility of making decisions that will require an understanding of the interaction of science and technology and its interface with society. Since many societal issues today are grounded in science and technology, learning science in its social context is vital to science education reform. Science-Technology-Society (STS) has been strongly identified with meeting this goal, but despite its benefits, putting theory into practice has been difficult. Research design and methodology. The purpose of this study was to explore teacher beliefs about teaching science through STS. The following broad research questions guided the study: (1) What are the participants' initial beliefs about teaching science through STS? (2) What beliefs emerge as participants reflect upon and share their STS instructional experiences with their peers? A social constructivist theoretical framework was developed to plan interactions and collect data. Within this framework, a qualitative methodology was used to interpret the data and answer the research questions. Three provisionally certified science teachers engaged in a series of qualitative tasks including a written essay, verbal STS unit explanation, reflective journal writings, and focus group interviews. After implementing their STS unit, the participants engaged in meaningful dialogue with their peers as they reflected upon, shared, and constructed their beliefs. Conclusions. The participants strongly believed in STS as a means for achieving scientific and technological literacy, developing cognition, enhancing scientific habits of mind and affective qualities, and fostering citizen responsibility. Four major assertions were drawn: (a) Participants' initial belief in teaching for citizen responsibility did not fully align with practice, (b) Educators at the administrative level should be made aware of the benefits of teaching science through STS, (c

  13. The Meaning of Reflective Teaching to National Board Certified Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carey, Sharlotte F.

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study examined how National Board certified teachers (NBCTs) perceive the meaning of reflective teaching and how their perceptions compare to the literature on reflective thinking and teaching. The study included five participants who had completed the National Board certification process. Data collection included three…

  14. Structural equation modeling assessing relationship between mathematics beliefs, teachers' attitudes and teaching practices among novice teachers in Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borhan, Noziati; Zakaria, Effandi

    2017-05-01

    This quantitative study was conducted to investigate the perception level of novice teachers about mathematics belief, teachers' attitude towards mathematics and teaching practices of mathematics in the classroom. In addition, it also aims to identify whether there is a correspondence model with the data obtained and to identify the relationship between the variables of beliefs, attitudes and practices among novice teachers in Malaysia. A total of 263 primary novice teachers throughout the country were involved in this study were selected randomly. Respondents are required to provide a response to the questionnaire of 66 items related to mathematics beliefs, attitudes and practices of the teaching mathematics. There are ten sub-factors which have been established in this instrument for three major constructs using a Likert scale rating of five points. The items of the constructs undergo the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) procedure involve of unidimensionality test, convergent validity, construct validity and discriminant validity. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the frequency, percentage, the mean and standard deviation for completing some research questions that have been expressed. As for inferential statistical analysis, the researchers used structural equation modeling (SEM) to answer the question of correspondents model and the relationship between these three variables. The results of the study were found that there exist a correspondence measurement and structural model with the data obtained. While the relationship between variable found that mathematics beliefs have a significant influence on teachers' attitudes towards mathematics as well as the relationship between the attitudes with teaching practices. Meanwhile, mathematics belief had no significant relationship with mathematics teaching practices among novice teachers in Malaysia.

  15. Why Do Student Teachers Enrol for a Teaching Degree? A Study of Teacher Recruitment in Portugal and Sweden

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flores, Maria Assunção; Niklasson, Laila

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports on findings from an exploratory study carried out in Portugal and Sweden, concerning student teacher recruitment to Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes. It addresses issues such as the motivations and expectations of the student teachers regarding the teaching profession. Drawing upon existing related literature, a…

  16. EFL Teachers' Creativity and Their Teaching's Effectiveness: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khodabakhshzadeh, Hossein; Hosseinnia, Mansooreh; Moghadam, Hossein Abedi; Ahmadi, Fatemeh

    2018-01-01

    Due to the importance of creativity in teaching and learning, this study was conducted to study teachers' creativity and its relationship with their teaching's effectiveness. Another aim of this study was to measure the creativity among men and women teachers at English institutions in Iran. A sample of 325 EFL Iranians' teachers was randomly…

  17. A Collaboration-Mediated Exploration of Nonnative L2 Teachers' Cognition of Language Teaching Methodology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tajeddin, Zia; Aryaeian, Nafeeseh

    2017-01-01

    The present study sought to investigate nonnative L2 teachers' cognition of teaching methodology based on their collaborative talks. Participants were 12 nonnative EFL teachers categorized into three collaborative discussion groups by their teaching experience. Collaborative discussions were aimed at exploring the participants' cognition of…

  18. The Potential of Systems Thinking in Teacher Reform as Theorized for the Teaching Brain Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, Vanessa

    2013-01-01

    The teaching brain is a dynamic system that is in constant interaction with the learning brain. If we fail to explore the teaching brain we will continue to design educational reform policies that ignore the most important lens in the classroom: the teachers'. Master teachers recognize their perspective and leverage their teaching brains to embody…

  19. Health status of teachers who teach physical education

    OpenAIRE

    Petan, Mateja

    2012-01-01

    The theoretical part of this thesis describes the most common health problems, defects, and injuries faced by physical education teachers in elementary schools and those who are involved in the sports education process. Presented are occupational diseases and injuries occurring among employees in the education profession. In the second, empirical part, I explored the health problems and disabilities that teachers most often face and whether these types of problems are related to the teaching ...

  20. Medical students-as-teachers: a systematic review of peer-assisted teaching during medical school

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Tzu-Chieh; Wilson, Nichola C; Singh, Primal P; Lemanu, Daniel P; Hawken, Susan J; Hill, Andrew G

    2011-01-01

    Introduction International interest in peer-teaching and peer-assisted learning (PAL) during undergraduate medical programs has grown in recent years, reflected both in literature and in practice. There, remains however, a distinct lack of objective clarity and consensus on the true effectiveness of peer-teaching and its short- and long-term impacts on learning outcomes and clinical practice. Objective To summarize and critically appraise evidence presented on peer-teaching effectiveness and its impact on objective learning outcomes of medical students. Method A literature search was conducted in four electronic databases. Titles and abstracts were screened and selection was based on strict eligibility criteria after examining full-texts. Two reviewers used a standard review and analysis framework to independently extract data from each study. Discrepancies in opinions were resolved by discussion in consultation with other reviewers. Adapted models of “Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Learning” were used to grade the impact size of study outcomes. Results From 127 potential titles, 41 were obtained as full-texts, and 19 selected after close examination and group deliberation. Fifteen studies focused on student-learner outcomes and four on student-teacher learning outcomes. Ten studies utilized randomized allocation and the majority of study participants were self-selected volunteers. Written examinations and observed clinical evaluations were common study outcome assessments. Eleven studies provided student-teachers with formal teacher training. Overall, results suggest that peer-teaching, in highly selective contexts, achieves short-term learner outcomes that are comparable with those produced by faculty-based teaching. Furthermore, peer-teaching has beneficial effects on student-teacher learning outcomes. Conclusions Peer-teaching in undergraduate medical programs is comparable to conventional teaching when utilized in selected contexts. There is evidence to suggest

  1. Jordanian Prospective and Experienced Chemistry Teachers' Beliefs about Teaching and Learning and Their Potential Role for Educational Reform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Amoush, Siham A.; Markic, Silvija; Abu-Hola, Imfadi; Eilks, Ingo

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents an exploratory study of Jordanian chemistry student teachers' and experienced teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning. Different instruments were used, focusing on different aspects of teaching and learning. The first instrument is based on teachers' and students' drawings of teaching situations. It includes open…

  2. Five male preservice elementary teachers: Their understandings, beliefs and practice regarding science teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoover, Barbara Grambo

    Many factors influence teacher choices concerning the frequency, instructional methods, and content of science teaching. Although the role of gender in science learning has been studied extensively, the gender of elementary teachers as it intersects their teaching of science has not been investigated. In this ethnographic study, I focused on five male preservice elementary teachers as they experienced their student teaching internship, aiming to understand their underlying beliefs about science and science teaching and how those beliefs influenced their practice. In an attempt to illuminate the complex interplay of personality, experience, interests, and gender in the professional lives of these men, this study emphasized the importance of context in the formation and expression of their science beliefs and pedagogy. For this reason, I collected data from a number of sources. From September, 2001 to May, 2002, I observed my participants in their science methods courses and on multiple occasions as they taught science in elementary classrooms in a suburban school district. I reviewed journal entries required for the science methods class and examined documents such as handouts, readings and teacher guides from their elementary teaching experience. I conducted semi-structured and informal interviews. I analyzed data from these sources using grounded theory methodology. Although these five men had many similarities, they differed in their love of science, their exposure to science, their avocational interests, and their views of science pedagogy. This study, however, revealed a unifying theme: each participant had his own set of personal and academic resources that he carried into the classroom and used to construct a distinctive science learning environment. Some of these resources intersect with gender. For example, several men had science-related avocational interests. There was a common emphasis on creating a relaxed, enjoyable, hands-on teaching environment as

  3. Peer Observation of Teaching: A Decoupled Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, John Martyn; D'Artrey, Meriel; Rowe, Deborah-Anne

    2011-01-01

    This article details the findings of research into the academic teaching staff experience of peer observation of their teaching practice. Peer observation is commonly used as a tool to enhance a teacher's continuing professional development. Research participants acknowledged its ability to help develop their teaching practice, but they also…

  4. Digital storytelling as a tool for teaching: Perceptions of pre-service teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chantyclaire A. Tiba

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available It has been shown that teachers are reluctant to use technology despite the South African (SA government’s huge expenditure on technological equipment. This might be the result of teachers being unable to select appropriate technology that will yield positive learning outcomes as well as being ill-equipped to integrate technology into their pedagogy. To this end, pre-service teachers at a University were trained on how to integrate digital storytelling (DST effectively into their teaching. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the potential benefits of DST for teaching and learning and to determine factors that may prevent pre-service teachers’ uptake of DST during in-service practice. This is a qualitative study in which fifty pre-service teachers were divided into five groups for focus group interviews. Data were analysed, and the results show that pre- service teachers perceived DST to be beneficial in the classroom as it has the potential to (i motivate and engage learners, (ii promote voice/self-expression, and (iii promote collaborative learning and acquisition of multiple skills. Pre-service teachers are of the opinion that a lack of resources, self-confidence and time owing to restrictive curricula may prevent uptake of DST during in-service teaching. It was recommended that school stakeholders create a balance between intrinsic and extrinsic factors that will promote the adoption and integration of DST into teaching. Also, the education institution concerned strives to balance all three strands of knowledge: technology, pedagogy and content.

  5. Digital storytelling as a tool for teaching: Perceptions of pre-service teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Tiba

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available It has been shown that teachers are reluctant to use technology despite the South African (SA government’s huge expenditure on technological equipment. This might be the result of teachers being unable to select appropriate technology that will yield positive learning outcomes as well as being ill-equipped to integrate technology into their pedagogy. To this end, pre-service teachers at a University were trained on how to integrate digital storytelling (DST effectively into their teaching. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the potential benefits of DST for teaching and learning and to determine factors that may prevent pre-service teachers’ uptake of DST during in-service practice. This is a qualitative study in which fifty pre-service teachers were divided into five groups for focus group interviews. Data were analysed, and the results show that pre- service teachers perceived DST to be beneficial in the classroom as it has the potential to (i motivate and engage learners, (ii promote voice/self-expression, and (iii promote collaborative learning and acquisition of multiple skills. Pre-service teachers are of the opinion that a lack of resources, self-confidence and time owing to restrictive curricula may prevent uptake of DST during in-service teaching. It was recommended that school stakeholders create a balance between intrinsic and extrinsic factors that will promote the adoption and integration of DST into teaching. Also, the education institution concerned strives to balance all three strands of knowledge: technology, pedagogy and content.

  6. Learning How to Be a Research-Minded Teacher: Four Instrumental Music Education Students Investigate Good Music Teaching through Case Study Methodology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sindberg, Laura K.

    2016-01-01

    Increasing evidence, both in general education and music education, points to the significance of inquiry as a part of teacher preparation. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the ways in which an introductory research project would help preservice music educators understand good "music teaching" and to discover the extent…

  7. The Influence of Teachers' Schema in Teaching Reading on Students' Understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basmalah, Putri

    2013-01-01

    This paper tells about teachers' schema in teaching reading. Based on some articles that the writer given, there are teachers who success in teaching reading and who are failed. The one of the cause why they are failed is because they did not apply the complete activities (pre-reading activities, while-reading and post-reading) in teaching…

  8. Malaysian Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs about the Nature of Teaching and Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zikre, Nuraini Mohd; Eu, Leong Kwan

    2016-01-01

    Teachers play a vital role in nurturing and shaping learners in school. Extensive researches have been conducted showing that beliefs in the nature of teaching and learning held by the teachers will affect their actual classroom practices. In Malaysia, not many studies have been done on mathematics teacher's beliefs at the national level. The…

  9. Attitudes of Mathematics Teachers toward Using Smart Board in Teaching Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhanna, Wafa; Nejem, Khamis Mousa

    2013-01-01

    This study aimed at investigating the attitudes of mathematics teachers toward using a smart board in teaching mathematics and also to determine the effect of gender, experience, and qualification of teachers on their attitudes. The sample of this study consisted of 74 mathematics teachers--35 males and 39 females--from private schools in Amman…

  10. Artist-Teachers' In-Action Mental Models While Teaching Visual Arts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russo-Zimet, Gila

    2017-01-01

    Studies have examined the assumption that teachers have previous perceptions, beliefs and knowledge about learning (Cochran-Smith & Villegas, 2015). This study presented the In-Action Mental Model of twenty leading artist-teachers while teaching Visual Arts in three Israeli art institutions of higher Education. Data was collected in two…

  11. The Role of Values in Preservice Teachers' Decision to Teach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torsney, Benjamin M.; Ponnock, Annette R.; Lombardi, Doug

    2017-01-01

    The current study explored the values preservice teachers use as motivation for pursuing a teaching career. Preservice teachers (N = 97) from a large Northeastern urban university were chosen to complete a survey measuring personal utility value, social utility value, and epistemic value. Data analysis was conducted using exploratory factor…

  12. Foreign Language Teachers' Language Proficiency and Their Language Teaching Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richards, Heather; Conway, Clare; Roskvist, Annelies; Harvey, Sharon

    2013-01-01

    Teachers' subject knowledge is recognized as an essential component of effective teaching. In the foreign language context, teachers' subject knowledge includes language proficiency. In New Zealand high schools, foreign languages (e.g. Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish) have recently been offered to learners earlier in their schooling,…

  13. Facilitating Elementary Science Teachers' Implementation of Inquiry-Based Science Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qablan, Ahmad M.; DeBaz, Theodora

    2015-01-01

    Preservice science teachers generally feel that the implementation of inquiry-based science teaching is very difficult to manage. This research project aimed at facilitating the implementation of inquiry-based science teaching through the use of several classroom strategies. The evaluation of 15 classroom strategies from 80 preservice elementary…

  14. Are Prospective Elementary School Teachers' Social Studies Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Related to Their Learning Approaches in a Social Studies Teaching Methods Course?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dündar, Sahin

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to contribute to the growing literature on learning approaches and teacher self-efficacy beliefs by examining associations between prospective elementary school teachers' learning approaches in a social studies teaching methods course and their social studies teaching efficacy beliefs. One hundred ninety-two prospective elementary…

  15. Experienced Teachers' Informal Learning from Classroom Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoekstra, Annemarieke; Beijaard, Douwe; Brekelmans, Mieke; Korthagen, Fred

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore how experienced teachers learn informally, and more specifically, how they learn through the activities they undertake when teaching classes. Regarding these activities we studied four aspects: behaviour, cognition, motivation and emotion. During one year, data were collected through observations of and…

  16. Exploring reforms while learning to teach science: Facilitating exploration of theory-practice relationships in a teacher education study group

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Jacob G.

    This dissertation inserts a new view into an old problem in teacher education. The study explores the theory-practice gap, the large distance between what preservice science teachers experience in schools, are able to enact, and are told they should hold themselves to in their practice. It does so by narrowing the focus of analysis to a secondary science study group and examining how the facilitator uses sociocultural constructivism to promote discussion. The analysis surfaces key communicative moves made by the facilitator and preservice teachers that yield fruitful discussion of theory-practice relationships. Additionally, the study's use of discourse analysis as a methodology and intertextuality as a conceptual framework opens new directions for applied sociolinguistic research and scholarship in science teacher education. Findings from the study focus on what was discussed and how explorations of theory-practice relationships were facilitated. Preservice teachers in the study group engaged in meaningful conversations about constructivist theory and its application to their students and teaching of science. They discussed many science education topics such as planning science lessons that actively engage students, assessment of content understanding, and management of content-based activities. Discussions of broader science education goals, including implementation of inquiry or development of collaborative communities, were not promoted. Examination of the facilitation illuminates a number of strategies found to be helpful in supporting these explorations. This study shows that facilitation can successfully support preservice teachers to construct understanding of social constructivist assumptions underlying the National Science Education Standards (NSES), as well as a few components of the Standards themselves. The focus on the underlying assumptions suggests that science teacher education should focus on these so that preservice teachers can build a strong

  17. Development of Socioscientific Issues-Based Teaching for Preservice Science Teachers

    OpenAIRE

    Prasart Nuangchalerm

    2009-01-01

    Problem statement: In the context of science education reform in Thailand, we need to prepare science teachers who can face science and social issues controversial; teachers can response the question socioscientific issues and let their students to meet the goal of science education. This study investigated the conception leading preservice science teachers approaching socioscientific issues-based teaching. The activities in classroom emphasized on peer discussion about science and social ref...

  18. Authoritative and Authoritarian-Inconsistent Teachers' Preferences for Teaching Methods and Instructional Goals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uibu, Krista; Kikas, Eve

    2014-01-01

    Preferences for teaching methods are influenced by several factors, including instructional goals, teacher's management style, experience and education. To discover in which ways primary school teachers with different management styles vary in their preferences for students' cognitive and social development, 128 teachers of Estonia were…

  19. Attitudes and Beliefs of Prekindergarten Teachers toward Teaching Science to Young Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pendergast, Evelaine; Lieberman-Betz, Rebecca G.; Vail, Cynthia O.

    2017-01-01

    This study explored infield prekindergarten teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward teaching science to young children. In addition, prekindergarten teachers' previous and future interests in science-related professional development were assessed. Data were collected through a self-report measure, the preschool teacher attitudes and beliefs toward…

  20. Teaching Science as Science Is Practiced: Opportunities and Limits for Enhancing Preservice Elementary Teachers' Self-Efficacy for Science and Science Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avery, Leanne M.; Meyer, Daniel Z.

    2012-01-01

    Science teaching in elementary schools, or the lack thereof, continues to be an area of concern and criticism. Preservice elementary teachers' lack of confidence in teaching science is a major part of this problem. In this mixed-methods study, we report the impacts of an inquiry-based science course on preservice elementary teachers' self-efficacy…