The use of critical thinking and creativity in teacher education in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper examined the use of critical thinking and creativity in teacher education in Nigeria. It observed that the deficit in critical and creative thinking should be of concern to stakeholders in education. The paper examined the concepts of critical thinking and creativity, which were depicted as useful in teacher education ...

Encouraging Reflection and Critical Friendship in Preservice Teacher Education

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Branko Bognar

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Reflectivity is an important professional competence of contemporary teachers. In order to explore how to encourage students’ reflection, we conducted a two-year action research project impelling them to become mutual critical friends. For critical friendship communication and other project activities, we utilised Moodle – an online learning management system. On the basis of the analysed data that were gathered at the end of each action research cycle, we determined that the students felt comfortable in the role of critical friends and that critical friends’ reflections were particularly pleasant for them. They experienced the comments of their critical friends as friendly, encouraging, useful, specific, interesting, detailed, positive, professional and clear. The majority of students (91% think that the critical friendship discussion should be continued within the course Correlated-integrated systems in Croatian language teaching, and 85% of them suggest introducing this approach in other teachers’ education courses. We determined that the technical mode of reflective thinking prevails in the students’ correspondence. The practical or contextual level could rarely be observed while critical reflection was completely absent in 11 of 14 discussions. Reflective thinking of students (future teachers should be fostered from the beginning of their studies within various courses, particularly in the pedagogical and methodological ones. To encourage their students to be critically reflective, university teachers should embrace reflective thinking by becoming critically-reflective practitioners and conducting action research in their teaching practices.

Relationships between maternal emotional expressiveness and children's sensitivity to teacher criticism

OpenAIRE

Mizokawa, Ai

2013-01-01

Caregivers' emotional responses to children influence children's social and emotional development. This study investigated the association between maternal emotional expressiveness in the context of mother?child interactions and young children's sensitivity to teacher criticism. Sensitivity to teacher criticism was assessed among 53 Japanese preschoolers using hypothetical scenarios in which a puppet child representing the participant made a small error, and a puppet teacher pointed out the e...

Critical Thinking Dispositions of Pre-Service Teachers

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Bakir, Selda

2015-01-01

This study investigated the critical thinking dispositions of pre-service teachers in terms of various variables. The study included 1106 participants and used the survey model and the Turkish version (CCTDI-T) of the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). The reliability of the scale for this study was found to be 0.82. The…

Relationships between maternal emotional expressiveness and children's sensitivity to teacher criticism.

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Mizokawa, Ai

2013-01-01

Caregivers' emotional responses to children influence children's social and emotional development. This study investigated the association between maternal emotional expressiveness in the context of mother-child interactions and young children's sensitivity to teacher criticism. Sensitivity to teacher criticism was assessed among 53 Japanese preschoolers using hypothetical scenarios in which a puppet child representing the participant made a small error, and a puppet teacher pointed out the error. Self-report questionnaires were used to measure maternal expressiveness. The results demonstrated that negative maternal expressiveness toward one's own children was positively related to children's ratings of their own ability and negatively related to children's motivation to continue with the task after teacher criticism. Positive maternal expressiveness was not related to children's sensitivity to criticism. These findings suggest that children who have experienced more negative emotion from mothers may be more likely to hold negative beliefs about how others will respond to their behavior more generally. This may, in turn, lead to a defensively positive view of one's own abilities and a disinclination to persevere as protection from additional opportunities for teacher evaluation.

Appraisal of seven critical reading strategies employed by teachers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Appraisal of seven critical reading strategies employed by teachers in Ogun State senior secondary schools to teach reading comprehension. ... as a result of the teachers' ability to engage the students in skilful and well- framed questions.

Examining the Relationship between Pre-Service Teachers' Critical Thinking Disposition, Problem Solving Skills and Teacher Self-Efficacy

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Cansoy, Ramazan; Türkoglu, Muhammet Emin

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between the pre-service teachers' critical thinking disposition, problem-solving skills and self-efficacy beliefs. The participants of the study were 519 pre-service teachers from Afyon Kocatepe University, Education Faculty. Critical Thinking Disposition, Problem Solving Inventory, and…

Teachers' Critical Incidents: Ethical Dilemmas in Teaching Practice

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Shapira-Lishchinsky, Orly

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to explore ethical dilemmas in critical incidents and the emerged responses that these incidents elicit. Most teachers try to suppress these incidences because of the unpleasant feelings they evoke. Fifty teachers participated in the study. A three-stage coding process derived from grounded theory was utilized. A taxonomy…

Primary School Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching Art Criticism.

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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…

Literary and Personal Criticism for Preservice Teachers: A Pedagogical Imperative.

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Roberts, Sherron Killingsworth

1998-01-01

Provides a theoretical framework for designing a children's literature course that requires preservice teachers to critically analyze literature in ways that are personally meaningful. Suggests how preservice teachers can read children's literature intensively rather than extensively. (PA)

Theory of Mind and Sensitivity to Teacher and Peer Criticism among Japanese Children

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Mizokawa, Ai

2015-01-01

This study investigated sensitivity to teacher and peer criticism among 89 Japanese 6-year-olds and examined the connection between sensitivity to criticism and first-order and second-order theory of mind separately. Participants completed a common test battery that included tasks assessing sensitivity to criticism (teacher or peer condition), the…

Relationships between maternal emotional expressiveness and children’s sensitivity to teacher criticism

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Ai eMizokawa

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Caregivers’ emotional responses to children influence children’s social and emotional development. This study investigated the association between maternal emotional expressiveness in the context of mother–child interactions and young children’s sensitivity to teacher criticism. Sensitivity to teacher criticism was assessed among 53 Japanese preschoolers using hypothetical scenarios in which a puppet child representing the participant made a small error, and a puppet teacher pointed out the error. Self-report questionnaires were used to measure maternal expressiveness. The results demonstrated that negative maternal expressiveness toward one’s own children was positively related to children’s ratings of their own ability and negatively related to children’s motivation to continue with the task after teacher criticism. Positive maternal expressiveness was not related to children’s sensitivity to criticism. These findings suggest that children who have experienced more negative emotion from mothers may be more likely to hold negative beliefs about how others will respond to their behavior more generally. This may, in turn, lead to a defensively positive view of one’s own abilities and a disinclination to persevere as protection from additional opportunities for teacher evaluation.

A manifesto for critical narrative research and pedagogy for/with young children: Teacher and child as critical annalist

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O’Loughlin Michael

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this essay I pose the question of whether it might be possible to articulate a collaborative, critical narrative mode of research in which teachers and students come together using a critical and analytic epistemology to engage in adventurous pedagogy. This approach has echoes of Freire’s “teachers-as-students and students- -as-teachers,” but elaborates the Freirean metaphor to include conceptions of emotion, creativity, and incorporation of the latent historical subjectivities of teachers and students in the process. Contrary to the deadening, circumscribed epistemology of putatively “evidence-based” pedagogies, in which teachers and children are expected to check their cultural meaning-making capacities and their emotional investments at the door, this is a plea for a regenerative, engaged, local curriculum making process. As I note in the essay, “This is a strategy that cannot work in the service of utilitarian modes of education that are focused only on value (cf. Appiah, 2015. It can only work for forms of schooling that seek to foster values of receptivity, cultural respect, open-mindedness, and critical imaginaries. In these coldly utilitarian times we need to provide leadership to progressively minded teachers to allow them to develop, document, and disseminate such practices.”

Critical thinking as culture: Teaching post-Soviet teachers in Kazakhstan

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Burkhalter, Nancy; Shegebayev, Maganat R.

2012-02-01

This paper explores the question of whether critical thinking can eventually become part of the cultural fabric in Kazakhstan, a country whose Soviet educational system not only trained teachers to memorise, lecture and intimidate students but also created a culture in educational institutions fraught with many fear-based behaviours engendering competitiveness, intolerance and other hostile behaviours antithetical to critical thinking and an open, democratic society. While educational reform can have profound effects on a nation, education is but one system in a complex network of governmental and cultural systems, and change must be borne by many. This paper reviews literature and presents qualitative data gathered through interviews with Soviet-trained teachers. The authors recommend that teachers should embrace student-centred techniques and critical thinking methodologies, as well as shift from a fear-based, authoritarian, top-down system of relating to students and colleagues to one of cooperation, openness and fairness. Such a reform will take repetitive, intensive and experiential training as well as regular assessments of progress.

Encouraging Reflection and Critical Friendship in Preservice Teacher Education

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Bognar, Branko; Krumes, Irena

2017-01-01

Reflectivity is an important professional competence of contemporary teachers. In order to explore how to encourage students' reflection, we conducted a two-year action research project impelling them to become mutual critical friends. For critical friendship communication and other project activities, we utilised Moodle--an online learning…

The impact of inquiry-based learning on the critical thinking dispositions of pre-service science teachers

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Arsal, Zeki

2017-07-01

In the study, the impact of inquiry-based learning on pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions was investigated. The sample of the study comprised of 56 pre-service teachers in the science education teacher education programme at the public university in the north of Turkey. In the study, quasi-experimental design with an experimental and a control group were applied to find out the impact of inquiry-based learning on the critical thinking dispositions of the pre-service teachers in the teacher education programme. The results showed that the pre-service teachers in the experimental group did not show statistically significant greater progress in terms of critical thinking dispositions than those in the control group. Teacher educators who are responsible for pedagogical courses in the teacher education programme should consider that the inquiry-based learning could not be effective method to improve pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions. The results are discussed in relation to potential impact on science teacher education and implications for future research.

An Evaluation of the Relative Efficiency for Various Relevant Labor Markets: An Empirical Approach for Establishing Teacher Salaries

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Young, I. Phillip; Delli, Dane A.; Miller-Smith, Kimberly; Buster, Amy

2004-01-01

Costs associated with teacher salaries are relative in that these costs are referenced to a relevant labor market rather than based on the absolute value of the services provided by teachers. Because the selection of a relevant labor market can substantially influence the costs associated with teacher salaries, a field study was conducted to…

Unpacking In-Service EFL Teachers' Critical Incidents: The Case of Iran

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Atai, Mahmood Reza; Nejadghanbar, Hassan

2016-01-01

Despite the importance of reflection on critical incidents (CIs), there are only a few studies in ELT literature addressing English language teachers' CIs (Farrell, 2008). Accordingly, this study was conducted to explore and discuss how six in-service EFL teachers reflected on and reported their CIs. In so doing, the participant teachers reflected…

The Relationship between Values and Critical Thinking Dispositions of Pre-Service Teachers

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Mustafa Volkan Coskun

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to reveal the relationship between personality values and critical thinking disposition of pre-service teachers studying in a Faculty of Education. The study was designed using the survey model. The population of this study consisted of pre-service teachers studying at the Faculty of Education at Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Turkey, during the 2015-2016 academic year. The sample of the study consisted of 570 pre-service teachers who were selected by using disproportionate cluster sampling technique. The data of the study were obtained through the administration of the Florida Critical Disposition Scale (UF/EMI and University Students Values Scale (USVS. USVS was developed within the scope of the present study. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and multivariate regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The study revealed that the pre-service teachers attributed highest value to sensitivity. These values were identified to be followed with respect to diversity, trustability, and responsibility. In addition, the level of students’ critical thinking dispositions was found to be at the average level. Furthermore, the values of students explained approximately one-third of the critical-thinking dispositions. The values of sensitivity, responsibility and respect for diversity were determined to be the significant predictors of students’ critical-thinking dispositions.

Critical Pedagogy: EFL Teachers' Views, Experience and Academic Degrees

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Mahmoodarabi, Mahsa; Khodabakhsh, Mohammad Reza

2015-01-01

Although critical pedagogy has brought about positive changes in the field of education by shifting from traditional pedagogy to emancipatory pedagogy, not much attention has been paid to the factors affecting teachers' beliefs of critical pedagogy and only few studies have been conducted to design reliable and valid instruments to study EFL…

Critical-Inquiry-Based-Learning: Model of Learning to Promote Critical Thinking Ability of Pre-service Teachers

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Prayogi, S.; Yuanita, L.; Wasis

2018-01-01

This study aimed to develop Critical-Inquiry-Based-Learning (CIBL) learning model to promote critical thinking (CT) ability of preservice teachers. The CIBL learning model was developed by meeting the criteria of validity, practicality, and effectiveness. Validation of the model involves 4 expert validators through the mechanism of the focus group discussion (FGD). CIBL learning model declared valid to promote CT ability, with the validity level (Va) of 4.20 and reliability (r) of 90,1% (very reliable). The practicality of the model was evaluated when it was implemented that involving 17 of preservice teachers. The CIBL learning model had been declared practice, its measuring from learning feasibility (LF) with very good criteria (LF-score = 4.75). The effectiveness of the model was evaluated from the improvement CT ability after the implementation of the model. CT ability were evaluated using the scoring technique adapted from Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test. The average score of CT ability on pretest is - 1.53 (uncritical criteria), whereas on posttest is 8.76 (critical criteria), with N-gain score of 0.76 (high criteria). Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that developed CIBL learning model is feasible to promote CT ability of preservice teachers.

Storying Teacher Education Policy: Critical Counternarratives of Curricular, Pedagogical, and Activist Responses to State-Mandated Teacher Performance Assessments

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Henning, Nick; Dover, Alison; Dotson, Erica K.; Agarwal-Rangath, Ruchi

2018-01-01

The rise of high-stakes, standardized, teacher performance assessments (TPAs) is central to the industry being created out of the regulation, policing, and evaluation of university-based teacher education In addition to reinforcing a narrow and counter-critical framework, TPAs can shift responsibility for the evaluation of teacher candidates from…

Fostering Skills to Enhance Critical Educators: A Pedagogical Proposal for Pre-service Teachers

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Jahir Aguirre Morales

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This article aims to share with teacher-educators a pedagogical proposal which we have applied in the past year. This investigation analyzes issues linked to critical pedagogy using movies connected to educational themes and readings based on critical pedagogy. We have used this study to generate class discussions in order to analyze educational topics from a critical point of view. This experience has guided us to help pre-service teachers acquire skills to eventually become critical educators of the future.

Prospective Teachers' Educational Beliefs and Their Views about the Principles of Critical Pedagogy

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Kaya, Çaglar; Kaya, Sinem

2017-01-01

The main idea behind this research is to determine prospective teachers' educational beliefs and their views about critical pedagogy. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to analyze the relationship between prospective teachers' educational beliefs and their views about critical pedagogy. In this study, "Educational Beliefs Scale"…

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…

Teachers pattern of instruction and location on pupils critical thinking ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper seeks to ascertain the influence of teachers' pattern of instruction and location on pupils' critical thinking in science achievement in Imo State. To achieve this objective, two hypotheses were formulated. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A total of ninety (90) teachers and one thousand ...

The Relationship between Student Teachers' Citizenship Skills and Critical

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İsmail Acun

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research is to investigate the relationship between student teachers’ citizenship skills and their critical thinking skills. The New Turkish Primary Curriculum aims at educating pupils with pre-requisite skills and knowledge that are necessary for operating efficiently in a knowledge based society. There is a strong emphasis on improving generic skills of students. The skills of critical thinking, reflective thinking, inquiry and working in groups are thought to be necessary skills for effective teaching and learning. When it comes to citizenship education those skills, especially critical thinking skills, become even more important.There has been a shift in policy with the curriculum both in terms of its structure and its philosophy from ‘creating good citizens’ to ‘empowerment’. The teachers will be the agents for the proposed shift to occur in schools and in pupils’ hearts and minds. That is why it is important that teachers themselves should be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge. In order to predict whether those aims will be realized or not, it is important to know whether teachers have those knowledge and skills. Thus, the question of whether there is relationship with citizenship qualifications and critical thinking skills will be investigated through student teachers.This study employs a survey research method. In order to collect data two different research tools are used. The data on student teachers’ citizenship skills were gathered through a ‘Citizenship Qualifications Scale’ developed by Yucel, Acun, Demirhan and Goz. The scale has to parts. First part contains questions on demographic information about teachers and teachers’ professional practice. Second part of the scale includes question/statements to determine teachers’ level of knowledge on citizenship themes, level of their behaviors and level of their importance attribution on the same themes. Those themes are categorized as

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

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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.

Effects of Critical Thinking Intervention for Early Childhood Teacher Candidates

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Han, Heejeong Sophia; Brown, E. Todd

2013-01-01

This study is based on an intervention designed to enhance early childhood teacher candidates' critical thinking abilities. The concept, elements, standards, and traits of critical thinking were integrated into the main course contents, and the effects of the intervention were examined. The results indicated that early childhood teacher…

The Effect of Information Literacy on Teachers' Critical Thinking Disposition

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Saglam, Aycan Çiçek; Çankaya, Ibrahim; Üçer, Hakan; Çetin, Muhammet

2017-01-01

The concepts of information literacy and critical thinking are two important concepts of today's information and technology age closely related to each other and sometimes used interchangeably. The purpose of the current study is to explore the relationship between the secondary school teachers' critical thinking disposition and information…

Using Critical Cosmopolitanism to Globally Situate Multicultural Education in Teacher Preparation Courses

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Erik Jon Byker

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Globally-minded teachers often beget globally-minded students. The same relationship seems to hold true for multiculturalism; teachers who are committed to multiculturalism often nudge students toward the same commitment. Global citizenship and multicultural education share a strong bond. Yet, in the field of social studies teacher preparation, the bond between global competencies and multiculturalism often seems permeable and quite fragile. In the context of multicultural education in the United States, teachers engage with issues of privilege, power, and oppression but with a heavy US-centric focus. The article contends that the predominant United States’ focus of multiculturalism limits the opportunities to engage the global: global competencies, global voices, and global citizenship. The article seeks to wed multiculturalism and global education. It does so by introducing and explaining Critical Cosmopolitan Theory (Byker, 2013, which is a theoretical framework to guide the preparation of globally competent and culturally responsive teacher candidates. Utilizing findings from an artifact analysis study of teacher candidates (n=51, the article discusses ways to assist teacher candidates in their development of becoming Critically Cosmopolitan citizens who embrace social justice by being informed by the global and multicultural.

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.

Critiquing Un/Critical Pedagogies to Move toward a Pedagogy of Responsibility in Teacher Education

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Berchini, Christina N.

2017-01-01

Transformative work with teacher candidates relies on a critique of the tenets of Critical Pedagogy and subsequent Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS). I employ analyses of extant scholarship to argue that these specific domains, as popularly framed, might be responsible for uncritical examinations of the White teacher education students who…

Preservice Teachers' Critical Thinking Dispositions and Web 2.0 Competencies

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Sendag, Serkan; Erol, Osman; Sezgin, Sezan; Dulkadir, Nihal

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between preservice teachers' Web 2.0 competencies and their critical thinking disposition (CTD). The study employed an associational research design using California Critical Thinking Disposition-Inventory (CCTD-I) and a Web 2.0 competency questionnaire including items related to Web 2.0…

Challenges of Critical Colleagueship: Examining and Reflecting on Mathematics Teacher Study Group Interactions

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Males, Lorraine M.; Otten, Samuel; Herbel-Eisenmann, Beth A.

2010-01-01

This article examines mathematics teacher collegiality by focusing on both the ways in which teachers interacted as critical colleagues in a long-term professional development project and the evolving role of the teacher-educator-researcher as the facilitator of this project. The professional development collaboration comprised two phases: one…

The Role of Relevance in Future Teachers' Utility Value and Interest toward Technology

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Kale, Ugur; Akcaoglu, Mete

2018-01-01

Seeing the relevance of tasks for future use is important for developing value and interest in them. We employed a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design using a mixed-methods approach to examine if reflecting on the relevance of technology to future teaching practices influences elementary and secondary preservice teachers' utility value…

TEACHER EDUCATION IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY: PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES FOR HOLISTIC QUALITY AND RELEVANT TEACHER EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY

OpenAIRE

Harriet Wambui Njui

2017-01-01

This paper reviews literature on selected pedagogical practices with a view to making recommendations on how teacher training colleges in Kenya could employ collaborative pedagogies in instruction in order to nurture teacher trainees with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that prepare them to effectively facilitate learning in schools after pre-service training. Collaborative pedagogies have the advantage of developing learners with 21st century skills such as creativity, critical think...

In-service Teacher Educators and the Developing of Critical Teaching: Cultural Plurality – ‘Race’ and Ethnicity in ELT Education in Brazil

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Aparecida de Jesus Ferreira

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Contextualization The main goal of this research is to develop a systematic investigation arising from some questions and concerns that confronted me as an EFL teacher and teacher educator. My main intention is to find out what EFL teachers in Brazil understand by “being critical” and whether they use “critical pedagogy” when teaching. These matters articulated themselves to me in a way that forced me to consider the need to discover the place of “critical teaching” in elementary education. There is not much new research concerning teaching EFL in Brazil, since the introduction of new National Curriculum Parameters (NCP in 1998. The NCP identified several themes that should permeate all teaching in Brazil and I will concentrate on one particularly relevant to the curriculum of EFL that is Cultural Plurality. Inside this theme one the concept of ‘race’ and ethnicity and it is these I shall concentrate on in particular. My choice of research is related to my own ‘race’/ethnicity African-Brazilian.

Measuring Teacher Dispositions: Identifying Workplace Personality Traits Most Relevant to Teaching Professionals

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Yao, Yuankun; Pagnani, Alexander; Thomas, Matt; Abellan-Pagnani, Luisa; Brown, Terrell; Buchanan, Dawna Lisa

2017-01-01

What personality traits represent dispositions most relevant to teaching professionals? Could an instrument reflecting work personality traits for a wide variety of professions provide a valid assessment of dispositions for teacher candidates? This study analyzed the internal structure of a state mandated dispositions assessment that was adapted…

Contributions of Teachers' Thinking Styles to Critical Thinking Dispositions (Istanbul-Fatih Sample)

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Emir, Serap

2013-01-01

The main purpose of the research was to determine the contributions of the teachers' thinking styles to critical thinking dispositions. Hence, it is aimed to determine whether thinking styles are related to critical thinking dispositions and thinking styles measure critical thinking dispositions or not. The research was designed in relational…

The Effects of Online Communities of Practice on Pre-Service Teachers' Critical Thinking Dispositions

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Ekici, Didem Inel

2017-01-01

This empirical study attempted to investigate the effect of using online communities of practice in teacher education on pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions. California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and the comments posted to the online community of practice were used as the data collection tools. Results showed that…

They Have "Verve": Preservice Teachers' Perceptions about Culturally Relevant/Responsive Pedagogy

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Nash, Kindel

2018-01-01

Based on concerns about the permanence of racism in our society and its impact on opportunities for children's equitable education, this empirical study used narrative inquiry to explore four preservice teachers' developing dispositions as they studied and implemented culturally relevant/responsive pedagogy (CR/RP) in an early literacy education…

Critical and Scientific Thinking Assessment in Preservice Teachers at a Chilean University

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Carlos Ossa-Cornejo

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a research project focused on identifying student-teachers’ critical thinking performance levels in scientific reasoning and, secondly, on analyzing the reliability level of the Critical Thinking Tasks test (CTT. As part of the methodology, a non-probabilistic sample of 129 teacher education students from different majors at Bio-Bio University was considered, and the Critical Thinking Task test was applied to collect data. The data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, reliability measures and mean score differences. The data showed that the instrument is reliable (α=0,79; there is also a relatively low performance in the global test and its dimensions; and there are differences between the different teacher education programs. It is concluded that the instrument is reliable, and findings support the idea that knowledge-based areas influence critical thinking. Finally, it is necessary to strengthen specific sub-skills to enhance critical thinking as a contribution for scientific reasoning.

Is refeeding syndrome relevant for critically ill patients?

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Koekkoek, Wilhelmina A C; Van Zanten, Arthur R H

2018-03-01

To summarize recent relevant studies regarding refeeding syndrome (RFS) in critically ill patients and provide recommendations for clinical practice. Recent knowledge regarding epidemiology of refeeding syndrome among critically ill patients, how to identify ICU patients at risk, and strategies to reduce the potential negative impact on outcome are discussed. RFS is a potentially fatal acute metabolic derangement that ultimately can result in marked morbidity and even mortality. These metabolic derangements in ICU patients differ from otherwise healthy patients with RFS, as there is lack of anabolism. This is because of external stressors inducing a hypercatabolic response among other reasons also reflected by persistent high glucagon despite initiation of feeding. Lack of a proper uniform definition complicates diagnosis and research of RFS. However, refeeding hypophosphatemia is commonly encountered during critical illness. The correlations between risk factors proposed by international guidelines and the occurrence of RFS in ICU patients remains unclear. Therefore, regular phosphate monitoring is recommended. Based on recent trials among critically ill patients, only treatment with supplementation of electrolytes and vitamins seems not sufficient. In addition, caloric restriction for several days and gradual increase of caloric intake over days is recommendable.

Using Teacher Questions to Enhance EFL Students' Critical Thinking Ability

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Feng, Zhiwen

2013-01-01

In this era of information and economic globalization, developing critical thinking skills in college students has been set as a primary goal and learning outcome in higher education. Teaching critical thinking, however, is a great challenge to most EFL teachers. This article, therefore, attempts to examine the nature and teachability of critical…

Evaluation of Critical Thinking and Reflective Thinking Skills among Science Teacher Candidates

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Demir, Sibel

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate and determine the critical thinking and reflective thinking skills of science teacher candidates. The study was performed with the participation of 30 teacher candidates enrolled in the science teaching department of a university in Turkey. Scales administered during the study included the California Critical…

Critical Pedagogy and Empowering in Teacher Education in Venezuela.

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Chacon, Carmen T.; Alvarez, Luisa Cristina

This paper addresses the issue of the relationship between critical pedagogy and English as a foreign language (EFL) in Venezuela. Teacher-researchers have come to see the issues confronting nonnative educators in ELT as a more important issue than in previous years. They are particularly concerned about the current situation in Venezuela,…

Integrating Critical Pedagogy theory and practice: classroom experiences in Argentinean EFL teacher education

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Zelmira Álvarez

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Argentinean ESL teacher education presupposes an understanding of the past and present world role of English. Thus, the curriculum of the ESL Teacher Education Program at Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata includes subjects dealing with historical, cultural, and social questions concerning English-cultures worldwide. This paper explains how some of these issues are addressed in activities carried out in the sophomore course Overall Communication. They involve critical and postcolonial analysis of the film Slumdog millionaire (2008 and the story “The free radio” (Rushdie, 1994. Activities aim at making student-teachers aware of their need to critically address concepts related to race, ethnicity, class, religion, education, and language to unveil the political, economic, and social issues underlying the teaching and learning of English. The choice of materials and authors also aims at listening to English-speaking voices other than those stemming from (former imperial centers. Activities involve research and discussions of problematics such as oppression, exclusion, and illiteracy. This paper will analyze sample written productions by students working collaboratively among themselves and cooperatively with their teachers. In short, this is an experience that strives at showing how Critical Pedagogy can become a site for raising questions concerning power and EFL teaching and learning.

Writing Shapes Thinking: Investigative Study of Preservice Teachers Reading, Writing to Learn, and Critical Thinking

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Sanchez, Bernice; Lewis, Katie D.

2014-01-01

Teacher Preparation Programs must work towards not only preparing preservice teachers to have knowledge of classroom pedagogy but also must expand preservice teachers understanding of content knowledge as well as to develop higher-order thinking which includes thinking critically. This mixed methods study examined how writing shapes thinking and…

Analyzing Student Teacher Critical Thinking through Blogs in an Electronic Community of Practice

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Clark, Taylorann K.; Paulsen, Thomas H.

2016-01-01

Technology is becoming increasingly popular in higher education in the way students are asked to communicate and collaborate. The student teaching experience is an integral part of developing critical thinking skills in pre-service teachers. During this experience, it is important that student teachers practice the theory they have been taught in…

Investigating Pre-Service Science Teachers' Critical Thinking Dispositions and Problem Solving Skills in Terms of Different Variables

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Yenice, Nilgun

2011-01-01

This study was conducted to examine pre-service science teachers' critical thinking dispositions and problem solving skills based on gender, grade level and graduated high school variables. Also relationship between pre-service science teachers' critical thinking dispositions and problem solving skills was examined based on gender, grade level and…

Losing ground: a critical analysis of teachers' agency for peacebuilding education in Sri Lanka

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Lopes Cardozo, M.T.A.; Hoeks, C.C.M.Q.

2015-01-01

This paper aims to explore the agency of teachers for peacebuilding education in Sri Lanka through a critical multiscalar analysis of the interplay between context - education policies and governance - and agent - teachers as strategic political actors. It draws on two studies conducted in Sri Lanka

WHEN RELEVANCE DECENTERS CRITICALITY: THE CASE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL CRIME, VIOLENCE AND INJURY LEAD PROGRAMME

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Mohamed Seedat

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Following the formal demise of political apartheid in SouthAfrica in 1994, critical and community-centred psychologistshave tended to obtain relevance through alignment with thetenets of social justice and the larger democratic project. Thisarticle draws on the experiences of the Crime, Violence andInjury Lead Programme (CVI to illustrate how particularformulations of scientific and social relevance function tomarginalize criticality and critical scholarship. The authorsuggests that relevance without criticality produces forms ofintellectual activity that privilege empiricist traditions, perpetrate a binary between research and research translation, andreproduce the myth that intervention work is atheoretical.The review of the CVI serves as a reminder of the challengesinherent in enactments of critical psychology. Among themany issues that critical psychology oriented initiatives likeCVI have to contend with is the task of developing theoreticaland other resources to move between co-operation and critiquein the service of democratic development.

IEP Use by General and Special Education Teachers

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Kathleen Rotter

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The role of general and special educators in implementing the Individualized Education Program (IEP is critical. This study investigated the perceptions of those teachers on when they read the IEP, how they measure attainment of IEP goals and objectives, and the IEPs usefulness in instructional planning. Four hundred twenty-six teachers from suburban school districts in central New Jersey were respondents. Results indicated that the majority of general and special education teachers are reading their students’ IEPs in a fairly timely manner and that they find them moderately useful in planning instruction. Results also suggested that teachers relied heavily on grades to document attainment of IEP goals and that teachers felt that the IEPs themselves could be improved if they were shorter with student-specific, critical information that was more relevant to classroom instruction.

Do Critical Thinking Skills Lead to Success in Language Teaching? A Case of Iranian EFL Teachers Based on Their Gender and Degree of Education

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Hamid Ashraf

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The present study attempted to discover whether there is a significant relationship between EFL teachers' critical thinking ability and their teaching success.To this end, 113 Iranian male and female English teachers were required to fill out Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. Besides, their students were asked to answer the Characteristics of Successful EFL Teachers questionnaire. The statistical analysis of the data showed that there was a significant correlation between EFL teachers’ critical thinking skill and their teaching success. Besides, findings revealed that there was a significant difference between male and female teachers regarding their critical thinking skills, and that BA teachers differed from AS teachers with regard to critical thinking skills. More specifically, male BA teachers took the most advantages from critical thinking skills than others.

"Seeing the Everyday through New Lenses": Pedagogies and Practices of Literacy Teacher Educators with a Critical Stance

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Dharamshi, Pooja

2018-01-01

This article explores the practices and pedagogies of six literacy teacher educators with a critical stance. In this qualitative research study, three semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant over a three-year period. They were able to negotiate a critical stance into their teacher education courses in several ways: using an…

Critical Thinking as Culture: Teaching Post-Soviet Teachers in Kazakhstan

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Burkhalter, Nancy; Shegebayev, Maganat R.

2012-01-01

This paper explores the question of whether critical thinking can eventually become part of the cultural fabric in Kazakhstan, a country whose Soviet educational system not only trained teachers to memorise, lecture and intimidate students but also created a culture in educational institutions fraught with many fear-based behaviours engendering…

Losing Ground: A Critical Analysis of Teachers' Agency for Peacebuilding Education in Sri Lanka

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Lopes Cardozo, Mieke T. A.; Hoeks, Celine C. M. Q.

2015-01-01

This paper aims to explore the "agency" of teachers for peacebuilding education in Sri Lanka through a critical multiscalar analysis of the interplay between "context"--education policies and governance--and "agent"--teachers as strategic political actors. It draws on two studies conducted in Sri Lanka in 2006 and…

Case studies of first-year critical science teachers

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Love, Kurt A.

Brent Davis and Dennis Sumara (1997) performed a study of themselves and another professor who took a sabbatical to work in an elementary school for a year. Their intentions, as professors focused on cognition, was to create a change in teaching practices throughout the school that aligned more closely with social cognitive research. However, their experiences did not go as planned. Each found that he could not just simply bring their philosophies into their classrooms independent of the sociocultural context of the school. They found very quickly that none of them could act as fully autonomous agents. They described their experiences as being part of the sociocultural fabric of the school because each of their teaching practices changed in ways that they did not anticipate and in ways that were not philosophically aligned. However, they also found that this was a two-way relationship. They were not describing completely deterministic experiences. Davis and Sumara described observing colleagues changing their practices in ways that did incorporate some of the philosophies that they espoused during their tenure at the elementary school. They explain their experience as one where they were pushed and pulled by the sociocultural context and they also pushed and pulled on the sociocultural context. This dissertation focuses on three first-year science teachers (a 4 th grade teacher and two high school science teachers) who identified as wanting to bring critical, feminist, and ecojustice perspectives into their teaching practices. Each enacts these practices much differently in the context of the sociocultural contexts of their own schools, and often changed their teaching practices in ways that seemed to more closely align with those contexts. Each of the three dealt with external and internal hegemonic pressures that caused them to align more closely with their contexts. The philosophical foundations of their sociocultural contexts were manifested externally through

Research trends in mathematics teacher education

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Lo, Jane-Jane; Zoest, Laura RVan

2014-01-01

Research on the preparation and continued development of mathematics teachers is becoming an increasingly important subset of mathematics education research. Such research explores the attributes, knowledge, skills and beliefs of mathematics teachers as well as methods for assessing and developing these critical aspects of teachers and influences on teaching.Research Trends in Mathematics Teacher Education focuses on three major themes in current mathematics teacher education research: mathematical knowledge for teaching, teacher beliefs and identities, and tools and techniques to support teacher learning. Through careful reports of individual research studies and cross-study syntheses of the state of research in these areas, the book provides insights into teachers' learning processes and how these processes can be harnessed to develop effective teachers. Chapters investigate bedrock skills needed for working with primary and secondary learners (writing relevant problems, planning lessons, being attentive to...

Critical Pedagogy and APA: A Resonant (and Timely) Interdisciplinary Blend.

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Connolly, Maureen; Harvey, William J

2018-04-12

Critical pedagogy owes much of its emergence, development, and ongoing relevance to the work of Paulo Freire whose legacy remains relevant for a next generation of scholars who seek to explore issues of inclusion, oppression, social justice, and authentic expression. An interdisciplinary dialogue between critical pedagogy and adapted physical activity is timely, appropriate, and should focus on complex profiles of neurodiversity, mental illness, and mental health, with emphasis on pedagogic practices of practitioners in service delivery and teacher educators who prepare them for professional practice. A case-based scenario approach is used to present practitioner and teacher educator practices. Concrete examples are provided for analyzing and understanding deeper issues and challenges related to neurodiversity in a variety of embodied dimensions in educational and activity contexts. We work with Szostak's approach to interdisciplinary research and model an analysis strategy that integrates and applies the methodological features of interdisciplinarity, adapted physical activity, and critical pedagogy.

Fostering Skills to Enhance Critical Educators: A Pedagogical Proposal for Pre-Service Teachers

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Aguirre Morales, Jahir; Ramos Holguín, Bertha

2011-01-01

This article aims to share with teacher-educators a pedagogical proposal which we have applied in the past year. This investigation analyzes issues linked to critical pedagogy using movies connected to educational themes and readings based on critical pedagogy. We have used this study to generate class discussions in order to analyze educational…

Lift Every Voice and Sing: Constructing Community through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in the University of Illinois Black Chorus

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Chadwick, Sheelagh

2011-01-01

For Gloria Ladson-Billings, culturally relevant pedagogy is characterized by three criteria: academic success, cultural competence and critical consciousness. Those engaged in culturally relevant pedagogy are connected by how they see themselves as teachers and how they see their students, how they view knowledge and how they structure social…

The Relationship between Critical Thinking Disposition and Locus of Control in Pre-Service Teachers

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Oguz, Aytunga; Sariçam, Hakan

2016-01-01

The aim of the current research study was to examine the link between critical thinking dispositions and locus of control in pre-service teachers. The participants of this study were selected via easily accessible sampling technique. The participants consist of 347 pre-service teachers (203 female, 144 male) in Kütahya, Turkey. The Rotter…

Delaware Technical & Community College's response to the critical shortage of Delaware secondary science teachers

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Campbell, Nancy S.

This executive position paper examines the critical shortage of Delaware high school science teachers and Delaware Technical & Community College's possible role in addressing this shortage. A concise analysis of economic and political implications of the science teacher shortage is presented. The following topics were researched and evaluated: the specific science teacher needs for Delaware school districts; the science teacher education program offerings at Delaware universities and colleges; the Alternative Route to Teacher Certification (ARTC); and the state of Delaware's scholarship response to the need. Recommendations for Delaware Tech's role include the development and implementation of two new Associate of Arts of Teaching programs in physics secondary science education and chemistry secondary science education.

Why Are Teachers Absent? Utilising the Capability Approach and Critical Realism to Explain Teacher Performance in Tanzania

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Tao, Sharon

2013-01-01

Tanzanian teachers have been criticised for a variety of behaviours such as absenteeism, lack of preparation and rote-teaching. This paper introduces an analytical framework that attempts to provide explanations for these behaviours by locating Capability Approach concepts within a Critical Realist theory of causation. Qualitative data from three…

(Re)defining "Good Teaching": Teacher Performance Assessments and Critical Race Theory in Early Childhood Teacher Education

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Michael Luna, Sara

2016-01-01

Using three tenents of Critical Race Theory, this study examines the influence of edTPAs on diverse early childhood pre-service teachers in a graduate program. Findings suggest that (1) Color-blind admissions policy and practice were at odds with edTPA's perceived academic language demands; (2) A tension emerged between financial demands of edTPA…

Critical Considerations in Becoming Literacy Educators: Pre-Service Teachers Rehearsing Agency and Negotiating Risk

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Ticknor, Anne Swenson

2015-01-01

This article looks closely at the talk of two pre-service teachers over time to examine how they used language as a way of rehearsing their evolving agency as literacy educators. Drawing on critical sociocultural theory, I use Agency Tracing to highlight how pre-service teachers' agentic actions are not isolated phenomena but ones developed and…

Physical Education Initial Teacher Educators' Expressions of Critical Pedagogy(ies): Coherency, Complexity or Confusion?

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Philpot, Rod

2016-01-01

While an emphasis on social justice has emerged as a theme in initial teacher education (ITE) over the past decade, there is much debate about how to engage ITE students in foregrounding issues of equity and social justice in their own teaching. One strategy, the introduction of critical pedagogy in ITE, has been promoted in teacher education…

Reflective Learning and Prospective Teachers' Conceptual Understanding, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Mathematical Communication Skills

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Junsay, Merle L.

2016-01-01

This is a quasi-experimental study that explored the effects of reflective learning on prospective teachers' conceptual understanding, critical thinking, problem solving, and mathematical communication skills and the relationship of these variables. It involved 60 prospective teachers from two basic mathematics classes of an institution of higher…

The Relationship between Critical Thinking Abilities and Classroom Management Skills of High School Teachers

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Demirdag, Seyithan

2015-01-01

High school teachers experience difficulties while providing effective teaching approaches in their classrooms. Some of the difficulties are associated with the lack of classroom management skills and critical thinking abilities. This quantitative study includes non-random selection of the participants and aims to examine critical thinking…

Inculcating and encouraging the use of critical thinking skills in science student teachers in Malaysia

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Osman, Kamisah

Malaysia is a multi-racial, largely Muslim, country rapidly emerging from a colonialist past and preparing itself to compete in a global society. The Malaysian government whilst striving to retain its moral and cultural identity has recently introduced long term plans through its Vision 2020 programme, giving direction to its educational thrust at primary, secondary and tertiary levels well into the new millennium. It is envisaged that important among the skills Malaysians will need to have to take advantage of their new position in the world order is the ability to think creatively and critically and be capable of solving problems and making decisions between an awesome array of choice. The importance of education in developing such skills is explicitly recognised in Vision 2020. This thesis looks specifically at how this might be accomplished in the training of secondary school science teachers. This study uses an array of instruments, including the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory, the Cornell Critical Thinking Test, Level X, the Science Teaching Observation Schedule, and a number of instruments specifically developed for the study, all of whose reliability and validity are carefully established. The study seeks to explore the effectiveness of an intervention strategy in changing pre-service science teachers' dispositions towards critical thinking, their level of professional knowledge and understanding of critical thinking in the secondary science curriculum, and their changing behaviour in the science classroom as a result of this intervention strategy. Using a quasi-experimental research design, data is collected from some 142 science student teachers in the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The students were subdivided into a control and two experimental groups, the latter receiving two different instructional programmes. Multiple analysis of variance techniques demonstrated a correlation between intervention strategy and improved attitude

Resisting Punitive School Discipline: Perspectives and Practices of Exemplary Urban Elementary Teachers

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Hambacher, Elyse

2018-01-01

Drawing on the literature related to classroom management, and culturally relevant critical teacher care, and effective teaching for students of color, this paper uses interview and observation data to explore the perspectives and practices of two exemplary fifth-grade teachers who refuse to rely on punitive discipline with their students of…

The relevance of Vdrl as routine test in pregnant women: a critical ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aim: To critically determine the relevance of Venereal Diseases Research Laboratories (VDRL) investigation as a routine serological screening for syphilis among pregnant women who receive antenatal care at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH). Methods: A retrospective chart review of result of serological ...

Trouble on My Mind: Toward a Framework of Humanizing Critical Sociocultural Knowledge for Teaching and Teacher Education

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Brown, Keffrelyn D.

2013-01-01

Drawing from the work of philosophers Sylvia Wynter and Ian Hacking, in this conceptual article I argue why a humanizing critical approach to sociocultural knowledge is needed for teacher education, particularly in preparing teachers to work effectively with black students. In light of enduring concerns in teacher education with improving the…

Analysing the Correlations between Primary School Teachers' Teaching Styles and Their Critical Thinking Disposition

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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…

Development of reflexive critical thinking through the teaching of history in Benguela

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Âurea Augusto Luís Wafunga

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Critical and reflective thinking is a necessary characteristic of the teacher in the present context. Based on observation and experience as teachers at the Institute of Education Sciences of Benguela, University of Katyavala Buíla, we see that the teaching of history in the Degree in Teaching History contributes little to the development of critical and reflective thinking. This is a very relevant aspect if we consider the need to train good critical and reflective teachers who are able to promote critical thinking in their students in a way that questions the different social contexts. The study presented here consisted in analyzing critical-reflexive thinking through the teaching of history. Non-participant observation and a questionnaire were used for this purpose. The information gathered showed that the respondents point to a low contribution of the teaching of history to the development of critical and reflective thinking. In this way, new methodological strategies need to be adapted in order to promote skills such as: analysis, criticism, reflection, reasoning and understanding of problems in a historical setting.

Teacher beliefs about the aetiology of individual differences in cognitive ability, and the relevance of behavioural genetics to education.

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Crosswaite, Madeline; Asbury, Kathryn

2018-04-26

Despite a large body of research that has explored the influence of genetic and environmental factors on educationally relevant traits, few studies have explored teachers' beliefs about, or knowledge of, developments in behavioural genetics related to education. This study aimed to describe the beliefs and knowledge of UK teachers about behavioural genetics and its relevance to education, and to test for differences between groups of teachers based on factors including years of experience and age of children taught. Data were gathered from n = 402 teachers from a representative sample of UK schools. Teachers from primary and secondary schools, and from across the state and independent sectors, were recruited. An online questionnaire was used to gather demographic data (gender, age, years of experience, age of children taught, and state vs. independent) and also data on beliefs about the relative influence of nature and nurture on cognitive ability; knowledge of behavioural genetics; openness to genetic research in education; and mindset. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, correlations, and multiple regression. Teachers perceived genetic and environmental factors as equally important influences on cognitive ability and tended towards a growth mindset. Knowledge about behavioural genetics was low, but openness to learning more about genetics was high. Statistically significant differences were observed between groups based on age of children taught (openness higher among primary teachers) and state versus independent (more growth-minded in state sector). Although teachers have a limited knowledge of behavioural genetics, they are keen to learn more. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Culturally Relevant Teaching: Hip-Hop Pedagogy in Urban Schools. Counterpoints: Studies in the Postmodern Theory of Education. Volume 396

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Prier, Darius D.

2012-01-01

"Culturally Relevant Teaching" centers hip-hop culture as a culturally relevant form of critical pedagogy in urban pre-service teacher education programs. In this important book, Darius D. Prier explores how hip-hop artists construct a sense of democratic education and pedagogy with transformative possibilities in their schools and communities. In…

An Analysis of the Critical Reading Levels of Pre-Service Turkish and Literature Teachers

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Maltepe, Sadet

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: Critical reading refers to individuals' thinking about what they read, assessing what they have read, and using their own judgment about what they have read. In order to teach critical reading skills to students, a teacher is expected to have knowledge about text selection, use of appropriate methods, preparation of functional…

Specifying a curriculum for biopolitical critical literacy in science teacher education: exploring roles for science fiction

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Gough, Noel

2017-12-01

In this essay I suggest some ways in which science teacher educators in Western neoliberal economies might facilitate learners' development of a critical literacy concerning the social and cultural changes signified by the concept of biopolitics. I consider how such a biopolitically inflected critical literacy might find expression in a science teacher education curriculum and suggest a number of ways of materializing such a curriculum in specific literatures, media, procedures, and assessment tasks, with particular reference to the contributions of science fiction in popular media.

Beyond Ethnic Tidbits: Toward a Critical and Dialogical Model in Multicultural Social Justice Teacher Preparation

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Convertino, Christina

2016-01-01

This praxis article outlines the value of using a critical and dialogical model (CDM) to teach multicultural social justice education to preservice teachers. Based on practitioner research, the article draws on the author's own teaching experiences to highlight how key features of CDM can be used to help pre-service teachers move beyond thinking…

Teaching judging and judging teaching in teacher education

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Lund, Birthe; Lindhart, Lars

education may influence the professional judgment and influence the concrete practice. Since educating professional judgment is value-laden, and there are disagreements about the role of the school and the understanding of the ideal teacher, values and moral issues deserves serious attention. However......The concept of professional judgment and how to develop this within teacher education is the core focus in this paper. The aim of teacher education in Denmark is to qualify the students for a specific profession as teachers in the Folkeskole (the primary and lower secondary school). The teacher...... education is often criticized by students and politicians that theory and professional practice are not linked successfully and, consequently, the teacher education is often changed, recently brought about by competence-based curricula. It is therefore relevant to gain new knowledge about how teacher...

Empowering Teachers to Author Multimedia Learning Resources That Support Students' Critical Thinking

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Holley, Debbie; Boyle, Tom

2012-01-01

Students studying Marketing, Fashion, Public Relations, Advertising and similar subjects need to develop a "critical eye" in relation to images, media and digital technologies. This project aims to empower teachers to develop multimedia learning resources that would support students engaging in this essential activity. Developing such…

Supporting One Another as Beginning Teacher Educators: Forging an Online Community of Critical Inquiry into Practice

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Ramirez, Laurie A.; Allison-Roan, Valerie A.; Peterson, Sandra; Elliott-Johns, Susan E.

2012-01-01

Four novice teacher educators working at different universities in the USA and Canada used online journaling and dialoguing combined with feedback from their students to explore their practice and new roles as teacher educators in new contexts. Their priorities included modeling critical reflection and enacting democratic practices. They chronicle…

Two Sides of the Same Coin: Preservice Teachers' Dispositions towards Critical Pedagogy and Social Justice Concerns in Rural and Urban Teacher Education Contexts

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Han, Keonghee Tao; Madhuri, Marga; Scull, W. Reed

2015-01-01

This paper describes preservice teachers' (PTs) dispositions toward diversity, social justice education, and critical pedagogy (CP). PTs were enrolled in elementary Literacy Methods courses in two geographic locations, one rural and the other urban. We employed CP (Darder et al. in "Critical pedagogy: an introduction." In: Darder A,…

Policies and practices of parental involvement and parent-teacher relations in Irish primary education: a critical discourse analysis

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Bennett, Brigid

2015-01-01

This thesis presents a critical discourse analysis of policies of parental involvement in Irish education from the past decade. It explores three questions: Do discourses of parental involvement and teacher professionalism construct parent-teacher relations in Irish primary education?; What implications do these constructions have for policies and practices of parent-teacher relationships, particularly parent-teacher partnerships, in Irish primary education?; How can these constructions be ch...

Learning Critical Thinking in Saudi Arabia: Student Perceptions of Secondary Pre-Service Teacher Education Programs

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Allamnakhrah, Alhasan

2013-01-01

Saudi scholars have been agitating for education reforms to incorporate critical thinking in education programs. This paper is a qualitative case study undertaken at King Abdul Aziz University and Arab Open University and examines students' perception of learning critical thinking in secondary pre-service teacher education programs in Saudi…

Clinical Experiences and Mediational Activities in Urban Teacher Preparation: Learning and Critical Consciousness

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Craig Willey

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In a longitudinal design experiment conducted within an urban teacher preparation program, we employed ethnographic and auto-ethnographic methods to investigate the following questions: 1 In what ways do clinical experiences (CEs support prospective teachers’ (PTs development of knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for urban teaching? 2 How is it determined that adjustments need to be made to the design and facilitation of CEs, and what did these adjustments yield in terms of student learning outcomes? The program centers and leverages CEs in order for PTs to connect theory and practice, particularly an awareness of, and skills associated with, equitable teaching practices. In our two-year field-based program, CEs included community explorations, one-on-one and small group work with children, two student teaching practicums, and various school-community events. We describe the process undertaken to maximize the benefits yielded from CEs. After working with three cohorts of PTs for their entire professional training, we found that: 1 focusing attention on the intentional design and assessment of the mediational activities coupled with CEs leads to more nuanced understandings and enactments of culturally relevant teaching among PTs; and 2 CEs afford PTs abundant opportunities to shape complex identities as urban teachers. Specifically, we found that clinical experiences and corresponding mediational activities support PTs’ understanding of families of color, allow them to recognize and address problematic schooling practices, and strengthen PTs’ otherwise fragile critical consciousness. We conclude that strategic interventions can provide clarity for PTs around what has been learned, and what is left to be developed

Teachers' understandings and enactments of social and environmental justice issues in the classroom: What's "critical" in the manufacturing of road-smart squirrels?

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Sammel, Alison J.

How do five new teachers understand and enact counter-hegemonic pedagogies in their own classes? This study developed from this question. The question arose as I taught critical environmental education, a counter-hegemonic pedagogy, to preservice science teachers. I encouraged the exploration of social and environmental injustices and how they function to reproduce dominant economic agendas. To understand how five teachers, in the second year of their practice and my former students, made sense of the critical environmental education I taught them, I used Gadamer's hermeneutic phenomenology as my research frame. Gadamer argues that meaning develops through dialogue, so data collection occurred mainly through lively research conversations over leisurely dinners. As practicing teachers, the six of us jointly explored taken-for-granted meanings and actions in our everyday pedagogical experiences. In these conversations we made meaning (the hermeneutic aspect) of the lived experiences (phenomenological aspect) of incorporating critical environmental education into our practices. This led me to a deeper understanding and increased awareness of how science education reform agendas have influenced and shaped our individual science pedagogies. The analytic lens of critical education showed that these teachers were strongly influenced by the dominant science reform agenda. Regardless of the science curriculum, or the strong social and environmental beliefs some of these teachers held, they did not perceive the teaching of the social and environmental justice issues to be 'critical' or 'their job.' They demonstrated a belief that it was 'critical' to teach well-defined, "hard science" facts. Student success, hence teacher success, involved playing the academic game well and gaining long-term financial security. Re/viewing the data stories through the additional analytic lens of feminist poststructuralism, I saw how dominant discourse constructs the identity of teachers

Conceptual and Critical Development in Student Teachers: First Steps towards an Integrated Comprehension of Osmosis

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Viennot, Laurence; Décamp, Nicolas

2016-01-01

This investigation is focused on possible links between the development of critical attitude and conceptual understanding. We conducted a fine grained analysis of five student teachers' critical and conceptual development during a one hour and a half interaction with an expert. This investigation completes a series of three previous studies…

Casting a Critical Eye on the Positioning of the Western Expatriate Teacher

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Burke, Lydia E. Carol-Ann

2017-01-01

This article contributes to the body of research addressing the challenges of expatriate teaching appointments. It is written in the form of a critical incident analysis. Rather than focus the lens of concern on the preparedness, adaptability, and potential culture shock of the teacher who travels into an unfamiliar work context, postcolonial…

Schooling the Mean Girl: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Teacher Resource Materials

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Bethune, Jennifer; Gonick, Marnina

2017-01-01

This paper is a critical discourse analysis of teacher resource materials about girl bullying. The "mean girl" phenomenon has been widely taken up as one of the current key narratives about schools and school girls. This paper argues for the importance of understanding the origins of this discourse within behavioural psychology, which…

Making Earth Science Relevant in the K-8 Classroom. The Development of an Instructional Soils Module for Pre-Service Elementary Teachers Using the Next Generation Science Standards

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Baldwin, K. A.; Hauge, R.; Dechaine, J. M.; Varrella, G.; Egger, A. E.

2013-12-01

The development and adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) raises a challenge in teacher preparation: few current teacher preparation programs prepare students to teach science the way it is presented in the NGSS, which emphasize systems thinking, interdisciplinary science, and deep engagement in the scientific process. In addition, the NGSS include more geoscience concepts and methods than previous standards, yet this is a topic area in which most college students are traditionally underprepared. Although nationwide, programmatic reform is needed, there are a few targets where relatively small, course-level changes can have a large effect. One of these targets is the 'science methods' course for pre-service elementary teachers, a requirement in virtually all teacher preparation programs. Since many elementary schools, both locally and across the country, have adopted a kit based science curriculum, examining kits is often a part of a science methods course. Unfortunately, solely relying on a kit based curriculum may leave gaps in science content curriculum as one prepares teachers to meet the NGSS. Moreover, kits developed at the national level often fall short in connecting geoscientific content to the locally relevant societal issues that engage students. This highlights the need to train pre-service elementary teachers to supplement kit curriculum with inquiry based geoscience investigations that consider relevant societal issues, promote systems thinking and incorporate connections between earth, life, and physical systems. We are developing a module that teaches geoscience concepts in the context of locally relevant societal issues while modeling effective pedagogy for pre-service elementary teachers. Specifically, we focus on soils, an interdisciplinary topic relevant to multiple geoscience-related societal grand challenges (e.g., water, food) that is difficult to engage students in. Module development is funded through InTeGrate, NSF

Critical Chemistry Education in a Private, Suburban High School

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Ashby, Patrick; Mensah, Felicia Moore

2018-01-01

This critical ethnography documents how a group of 25 students and their teacher/researcher in a suburban, private school setting, the vast majority from the dominant cultural background, engaged with and enacted a critical chemistry education together. Critical chemistry education contextualizes chemistry in socially relevant issues and problematizes participants' conceptual frameworks for understanding the intersections between chemistry and our capitalist society by identifying the shortcomings of traditional scientific language to sufficiently interrogate privilege and oppression. Qualitative data from teacher/researcher field notes and journal, classroom video transcripts, questionnaires, focus group interviews, and student artifacts document that while it is difficult for the teacher/researcher and the students of this setting to reflect upon their own positions of privilege, together they interpreted and made meaning of their experience by (1) developing the ability to critically analyze the products of science for the potential of oppression, (2) developing an understanding of inequity in science, and (3) evaluating and respecting diverse knowledge bases. Based on the findings, we suggest students should be encouraged to problematize socially situated science issues related to settings close to their own communities, students should participate in structured and purposeful journaling to improve their metacognition and critical reflexivity, and critical pedagogues must be explicit with students in their Marxist-based interpretation of the global capitalist super structure.

"We Have to Be Really Careful with What We Say": Critical Discourses across Difference in Pre-Service Teacher Education

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Marom, Lilach

2017-01-01

In this article the author expresses a concern that teacher educators are sending teacher candidates ill-prepared into their classrooms to navigate diversity and to open controversial issues in their own classes. The author calls for the increased inclusion of critical theories in teacher education as an important move, especially when neoliberal…

Specifying a Curriculum for Biopolitical Critical Literacy in Science Teacher Education: Exploring Roles for Science Fiction

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Gough, Noel

2017-01-01

In this essay I suggest some ways in which science teacher educators in Western neoliberal economies might facilitate learners' development of a critical literacy concerning the social and cultural changes signified by the concept of "biopolitics." I consider how such a biopolitically inflected critical literacy might find expression in…

New challenges to rethink the training of ecuadorian teachers

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María Sol Villagómez

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Training ecuadorian teachers has traditionally been linked to public policy and national curricula that have defined the task of teaching, classroom work, and what basic teacher training institutions should prioritize on when it comes to training teachers. Recent years have seen major changes in the educational sector, as well as a revaluation of the teaching trade. New training challenges arise, not only from the teacher's perspective as executor of the curricula, but as a key player in the educational process. We need to rethink the training of teachers to and from a critical reflection and research point-of-view, in order to reflect on the curricula, their own experience, and their relevance in relation to the framework in wich they develop.

Clinical Experiences and Mediational Activities in Urban Teacher Preparation: Learning and Critical Consciousness

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Craig Willey

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In a longitudinal design experiment conducted within an urban teacher preparation program, we employed ethnographic and auto-ethnographic methods to investigate the following research questions: 1 In what ways do clinical experiences (CEs support prospective teachers’ (PTs development of knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for urban teaching? 2 How is it determined that adjustments need to be made to the design and facilitation of CEs, and what did these adjustments yield in terms of student learning outcomes? The program centers and leverages CEs in order for PTs to connect theory and practice, particularly an awareness of, and skills associated with, equitable teaching practices. In our two-year field-based program, CEs include community explorations, one-on-one and small group work with children, two student teaching practicums, and various school-community events. We describe the iterative design process undertaken to maximize the benefits yielded from CEs. After working with three cohorts of PTs for their entire professional training, we found that: 1 focusing attention on the intentional design and assessment of the mediational activities coupled with CEs leads to more nuanced understandings and enactments of culturally relevant teaching among PTs; and 2 CEs afford PTs abundant opportunities to shape complex identities as urban teachers. Specifically, we found that clinical experiences and corresponding mediational activities support PTs’ understanding of families of color, allow them to recognize and address problematic schooling practices, and strengthen PTs’ otherwise fragile critical consciousness. We conclude that strategic interventions can provide clarity for PTs around what has, indeed, been learned at particular intervals in the program, and what is left to be developed in the final practicum and beyond.

Do Critical Thinking Skills Lead to Success in Language Teaching? A Case of Iranian EFL Teachers Based on Their Gender and Degree of Education

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Hamid Ashraf; Hanieh Garmabi; Mehri Bakhtiari Fayendari

2017-01-01

The present study attempted to discover whether there is a significant relationship between EFL teachers' critical thinking ability and their teaching success.To this end, 113 Iranian male and female English teachers were required to fill out Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. Besides, their students were asked to answer the Characteristics of Successful EFL Teachers questionnaire. The statistical analysis of the data showed that there was a significant correlation between EFL teacher...

Professional Development of Novice Special Education Teachers

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Silmara de Oliveira Gomes Papi

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The professional development of novice teachers in the profession and in special education is poorly understood, despite its relevance to the improvement of teaching. This study analyzes the challenges faced by such teachers with a view to understanding their professional development. The participants in the research were teachers of classrooms equipped with multifunctional resources (SRM in state schools. The research follows a critical-dialectic approach and a qualitative focus. The results indicate deficiencies in the professional development of novices, who experience difficulties related to teaching and bureaucracy, despite having specific training in the area. They also feel alienated in the schools and seek alternatives to fill existing gaps related to their professional practice.

Predictors of Teachers' Use of ICT in School--The Relevance of School Characteristics, Teachers' Attitudes and Teacher Collaboration

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Drossel, Kerstin; Eickelmann, Birgit; Gerick, Julia

2017-01-01

This paper is based on the research question of what predictors (school characteristics, teachers' attitudes, teacher collaboration and background characteristics) determine secondary school teachers' frequency of computer use in class. The use of new technologies by secondary school teachers for educational purposes is an important factor…

Islamic Teachers' Perceptions of Improving Critical Thinking Skills in Saudi Arabian Elementary Schools

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Alwadai, Mesfer Ahmad

2014-01-01

The intent of this explanatory sequential mixed-method study is to examine Islamic teachers' thoughts on improving critical thinking skills in elementary schools in the Southwestern province of Saudi Arabia. This study involves the collection of quantitative data and an explanation of the quantitative results with qualitative data. In the first…

Transesophageal NOTES--a critical analysis of relevant problems.

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Grund, Karl E; Lehmann, Thorsten G

2010-10-01

The transesophageal access route has not become a principal topic in the discussion about NOTES up to now. Analyzing the problems in this new field of surgery, however, the transesophageal route shows high relevance. Here, all possibilities, limitations, and problems of NOTES become obvious. This paper contains a critical analysis of the literature published to date (nine full papers, five abstracts). Nearly all publications represent experimental studies in living pigs. In most cases a submucosal tunnel technique is performed as access route to mediastinum, pleural cavity, and heart. Interventions and operations include simple mediastinoscopies as well as epicardial operations after exposition of the heart. For access and manipulation, conventional flexible endoscopes and instruments are used. Clips, T-bars, or a combination of both achieve the closure. Some studies rely on spontaneous closure of the incision without any suturing or approximation. In such experimental settings, the following results are presented: Access is achieved in 90% of cases, the aim of the operation is met in 92%, technical success in closure is achieved in 90%, healing of incision assessed as good in two of five studies, satisfactory in three of five studies. Mortality, ranging from 6 to 25%, and complication rates were (surprisingly) high. It has to be stressed that analyzing these papers published to date, no adequate attention is paid to basic facts and problems of general and thoracic surgery (e.g. different forms, prevention, diagnosis and therapy of pneumothorax or differentiated forms of ventilation). Relevant differences in the anatomy and physiology of the esophagus and mediastinum between humans and pigs should additionally be taken into account to choose optimal experimental parameters when transferring results to human settings. Moreover, requirements regarding sterility and hygiene in a structure like the mediastinum, which is at high risk from the point of view of infection

Constructing Israeli and Palestinian Identity: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis of World History Textbooks and Teacher Discourse

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Osborn, Daniel

2017-01-01

This research critically evaluates the depiction of Israelis and Palestinians in World History textbooks and World History teachers' instructional discourse. Employing a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis methodology, this study offers a comparison between written narratives and spoken discourse in order to analyze the portrayals found in…

CRITICAL THINKING TENDENCY LEVELS OF CANDITATE TEACHER OF VISUAL ARTS IN TERMS OF GENDER FACTOR

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Asuman Aypek Arslan

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Critical thinking is an organized process aiming at obtaining knowledge in an original way, comparing, using and evaluating it. Critical thinking is a power triggering the knowledge production process and is the energy of knowledge. Science cannot be improved with the verification and repetition of what is known. It is only improved through questioning, emerging new information and new views. One of the high level needs of man in Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy is the realization of oneself. Individuals being able to realize themselves can decide what is true, what is wrong with their free wills. The most important task of education and the education of visual arts is to train creative and productive individuals being able to think all-round, learn how to learn, solve problems, respectful to humans, tolerant, having improved communication skills. It is of great importance to improve critical thinking skills at students in making them attain it. In making them attain these behaviours, it is of vital importance to improve critical thinking skills at students. In the current study, it was aimed to determine critical thinking levels of the candidates of visual arts and to determine whether the tendency of critical thinking differed in terms of gender. The data of the study was gathered through California Critical Thinking Tendency Scale. At the end of the study, it was found that candidate teachers of visual arts had tendency at medium level in general critical thinking. It was also found that the critical thinking tendencies of the candidate teachers of visual arts did not differ in terms of gender.

A Layered Approach to Critical Friendship as a Means to Support Pedagogical Innovation in Pre-Service Teacher Education

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Fletcher, Tim; Ní Chróinín, Déirdre; O'Sullivan, Mary

2016-01-01

In this article we describe and interpret how two distinct layers of critical friendship were used to support a pedagogical innovation in pre-service teacher education. The innovation, "Learning about Meaningful Physical Education" (LAMPE), focuses on ways to teach future teachers to foster meaningful experiences for learners in physical…

Critical relationships between teachers and learners of school mathematics

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Wright, P.

2017-01-01

This article draws on critical theories and perspectives on mathematics education to explain the tendency of mathematics teaching worldwide to remain focused on developing procedural understanding, despite repeated calls from the mathematics education community for a more relevant and engaging curriculum. It highlights how conventional approaches to teaching mathematics contribute towards alienating a high proportion of learners and reproducing inequities within society. The article reports o...

Exploring Factors of a Web-Based Seminar that Influence Hispanic Preservice Teachers' Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

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Garcia, Criselda G.; Hooper, H. H., Jr.

2011-01-01

The purpose of the qualitative study using a phenomenological approach was to gain insight of preservice teachers' experiences with a WebCT seminar designed to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a Hispanic-Serving Institution's teacher education program. By applying a "holistic approach" to analyze data, NVivo software was…

Exposing the impact of opp(reg)ressive policies on teacher development and on student learning

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Rodriguez, Alberto J.

2010-12-01

This case study draws attention to Pedro's story, a Grade 6 Latino teacher who, along with other grade 4-6 teachers, participated in a three-year professional development research project. By using data analyzed from multiple ethnographic interviews with teachers and students, and by drawing from the quantitative analyzes of concept map unit tests, we illustrate how Pedro's significant professional growth and his students' learning were truncated by top-down school district policies. These policies were implemented because of the punitive nature of the No Child Left Behind Act. Simply put, this case study exposes the impact of opp(reg)ressive policies on learning, that is, policies simultaneously oppressive and regressive. The critical perspective of the project, and its emphasis on assisting teachers to make their pedagogy and curriculum more culturally and socially relevant, was informed by sociotransformative constructivism (sTc). This is a theoretical framework that affords equal importance to cross-cultural education (learning about and acting on socially/culturally relevant issues) and social constructivism (learning to critically produce and consume knowledge). We hope that this case study will provide additional insights into the slow progress we continue to make in science teacher professional development and in closing the achievement gap.

From Racial Stereotyping and Deficit Discourse toward a Critical Race Theory in Teacher Education.

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Solorzano, Daniel G.; Yosso, Tara J.

2001-01-01

Examines connections between critical race theory (CRT) and its application to the concepts of race, racial bias, and racial stereotyping in teacher education. Defines CRT, then discusses racism and stereotyping, racial stereotypes in the media, and racial stereotypes in professional environments, noting the effects on minority students. Presents…

Critical Professional Issues in Labour Force Development for Teachers with Children up to Two Years of Age: A New Zealand Perspective

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Rockel, Jean

2014-01-01

This paper critically examines current concerns regarding professional issues in labour force development for teachers with children up to two years of age (UtoT). The concerns in New Zealand (NZ) relate to whether initial teacher-education (ITE) qualifications prepare teachers to work with children UtoT, involving synergy between ITE and the…

Critical Service-Learning: Promoting Values Orientation and Enterprise Skills in Pre-Service Teacher Programmes

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Iyer, Radha; Carrington, Suzanne; Mercer, Louise; Selva, Gitta

2018-01-01

Experiential learning pathways within education programmes such as Service-learning are a means to enrich the learning of pre-service teachers. As a pathway, Service-learning provides value-oriented learning focused on inclusion, diversity, and difference. This paper adopts critical social theory to examine how, along with these values, critical…

An Analysis of Mathematics Teacher Candidates' Critical Thinking Dispositions and Their Logical Thinking Skills

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Incikabi, Lutfi; Tuna, Abdulkadir; Biber, Abdullah Cagri

2013-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the existence of the relationship between mathematics teacher candidates' critical thinking skills and their logical thinking dispositions in terms of the variables of grade level in college, high school type, and gender. The current study utilized relational survey model and included a total of 99 mathematics…

Critical reading and critical thinking Critical reading and critical thinking

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Loni Kreis Taglieber

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to provide, for L1 and L2 reading and writing teachers, a brief overview of the literature about critical reading and higher level thinking skills. The teaching of these skills is still neglected in some language classes in Brazil, be it in L1 or in L2 classes. Thus, this paper may also serve as a resource guide for L1 and/or L2 reading and writing teachers who want to incorporate critical reading and thinking into their classes. In modern society, even in everyday life people frequently need to deal with complicated public and political issues, make decisions, and solve problems. In order to do this efficiently and effectively, citizens must be able to evaluate critically what they see, hear, and read. Also, with the huge amount of printed material available in all areas in this age of “information explosion” it is easy to feel overwhelmed. But often the information piled up on people’s desks and in their minds is of no use due to the enormous amount of it. The purpose of this paper is to provide, for L1 and L2 reading and writing teachers, a brief overview of the literature about critical reading and higher level thinking skills. The teaching of these skills is still neglected in some language classes in Brazil, be it in L1 or in L2 classes. Thus, this paper may also serve as a resource guide for L1 and/or L2 reading and writing teachers who want to incorporate critical reading and thinking into their classes. In modern society, even in everyday life people frequently need to deal with complicated public and political issues, make decisions, and solve problems. In order to do this efficiently and effectively, citizens must be able to evaluate critically what they see, hear, and read. Also, with the huge amount of printed material available in all areas in this age of “information explosion” it is easy to feel overwhelmed. But often the information piled up on people’s desks and in their minds is of

Using Superheroes to Visually and Critically Analyze Comics, Stereotypes, and Society

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Cook, Mike P.; Frey, Ryle

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide teachers and students useful methods for utilizing the power of comic books as literacy sponsors in ELA classrooms. Given the continued boom in the popularity of comics in popular culture, this provides a relevant way to introduce students to visual and critical analysis. Engaging in meaningful analysis of…

School physics teacher class management, laboratory practice, student engagement, critical thinking, cooperative learning and use of simulations effects on student performance

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Riaz, Muhammad

The purpose of this study was to examine how simulations in physics class, class management, laboratory practice, student engagement, critical thinking, cooperative learning, and use of simulations predicted the percentage of students achieving a grade point average of B or higher and their academic performance as reported by teachers in secondary school physics classes. The target population consisted of secondary school physics teachers who were members of Science Technology, Engineeering and,Mathematics Teachers of New York City (STEMteachersNYC) and American Modeling Teachers Association (AMTA). They used simulations in their physics classes in the 2013 and 2014 school years. Subjects for this study were volunteers. A survey was constructed based on a literature review. Eighty-two physics teachers completed the survey about instructional practice in physics. All respondents were anonymous. Classroom management was the only predictor of the percent of students achieving a grade point average of B or higher in high school physics class. Cooperative learning, use of simulations, and student engagement were predictors of teacher's views of student academic performance in high school physics class. All other variables -- class management, laboratory practice, critical thinking, and teacher self-efficacy -- were not predictors of teacher's views of student academic performance in high school physics class. The implications of these findings were discussed and recommendations for physics teachers to improve student learning were presented.

Critical Perspectives of World Englishes on EFL Teachers' Identity and Employment in Korea: An Autoethnography

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Jee, Youngeun

2016-01-01

Drawing upon Kubota's perspectives on critical multiculturalism and second language education, and by adapting Canagarajah's autoethnography for research methods, this article describes an EFL teacher candidate's biased views on "world English" in her first exposure to English varieties in the United States, and the prevalent favorable…

THE RELEVANCE OF THE VISUAL ARTS CURRICULUM IN THE PREPARATION OF PRE-SERVICE VISUAL ARTS TEACHERS IN UGANDA

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Julius Ssegantebuka

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The research examined the relevance of the visual arts curriculum content with the view of assessing the extent to which it equips pre-service visual arts teachers with the knowledge and skills required for effective teaching. The study adopted a descriptive case study design. Data were collected from three purposively selected National Teacher Colleges (NTCs, six tutors and 90 final year pre-service visual arts teachers participated in this study. The research findings showed that teacher education institutions are inadequately preparing pre-service visual arts teachers because of the gaps in the Visual Arts Curriculum (VAC used in NTCs. Some of these gaps are attributed to the structure of the visual arts curriculum tutors use in NTCs. The visual arts curriculum lacks explicit visual arts assessment strategies; it has wide and combined visual arts content to be covered within a short period of two years and the limited knowledge of the available art materials, tools and equipment. The research recommended the restructuring of the VAC to accommodate more practical; and the introduction of specialized knowledge in the visual arts education (VAE to enable tutors decipher practical knowledge from the theory studied so as to adopt an integrated approach in VAE curriculum.

Analysis of changes in teachers concerning constructivist perceptions, philosophies, and practices resulting from the year-long Iowa Chautauqua Professional Development Project

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Abd Hamid, Nor Hashidah

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which teachers were able to make changes needed to move toward the use of more constructivist behaviors after being involved in the year long Iowa Chautauqua Professional Development Program (ICPDP). Constructivist behaviors were investigated from four perspectives; namely, actual classroom performances as viewed from videotapes, teachers and student perceptions of teacher use of constructivist teaching practices, teacher philosophy as revealed from the open-ended Philosophy of Teaching and Learning Instrument (PTL), and teacher reflections about their inquiry classrooms and uses of questioning strategies. Twenty-seven teacher participants and 321 of their students volunteered to participant in this study. Four types of data were collected to answer the research questions, namely (a) Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), (b) Philosophies of Teaching and Learning (PTL), (c) Videotapes evaluated with the Expert Science Teaching Evaluation Model (ESTEEM), and (d) Teacher Reflections regarding teaching strategies and questioning. Major findings include the following: (1) Teachers in the project showed significant growth concerning constructivist perceptions over time and for all six sub-scales of TCLES, namely personal relevance, scientific uncertainty, critical voice, shared control, student negotiation, and attitude toward science. (2) Teachers in the project indicated significant growth concerning philosophy of teaching and learning as measured by the PTL. (3) Teachers in the project indicated significant growth concerning constructivist teaching practices as evaluated by videotapes (using the ESTEEM instrument); significant differences were found for all four sub-scales of the ESTEEM. (4) Students in the project indicated significant growth concerning their constructivist perceptions over time for the total SCLES score and on the sub-scales of scientific uncertainty, shared control, and student

Teacher Prep 3.0: A Vision for Teacher Education to Impact Social Transformation

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Kretchmar, Kerry; Zeichner, Ken

2016-01-01

Teacher education in the USA is composed of both defenders and critics of the current system of teacher preparation. Some critics of college and university-based teacher education who describe themselves as "reformers" have referred to the non-university programmes as "teacher preparation 2.0" in order to emphasise the…

The Relationship between Multimodal Literacy of Pre-Service Teachers and Their Perception of Self-Efficacy in Critical Reading

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Ulu, Hacer; Avsar-Tuncay, Aysegül; Bas, Özlem

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the multimodal literacy of pre-service teachers and their perception of self-efficacy in critical reading. At the same time, it is to what extent their multimodal literacy levels predict their perception of self-efficacy in critical reading. 337 students were chosen via convenience…

Reading and Reflecting: Elementary Preservice Teachers' Conceptions about Teaching Mathematics for Equity

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Jackson, Christa; Jong, Cindy

2017-01-01

Teaching mathematics for equity is critical because it provides opportunities for all students, especially those who have been traditionally marginalised, to learn mathematics that is rigorous and relevant to their lives. This article reports on our work, as mathematics teacher educators, on exposing and engaging 60 elementary preservice teachers…

Cognitive Processing about Classroom-Relevant Contexts: Teachers' Attention to and Utilization of Girls' Body Size, Ethnicity, Attractiveness, and Facial Affect

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Wang, Shirley S.; Treat, Teresa A.; Brownell, Kelly D.

2008-01-01

This study examines 2 aspects of cognitive processing in person perception--attention and decision making--in classroom-relevant contexts. Teachers completed 2 implicit, performance-based tasks that characterized attention to and utilization of 4 student characteristics of interest: ethnicity, facial affect, body size, and attractiveness. Stimuli…

National critical incident reporting systems relevant to anaesthesia: a European survey.

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Reed, S; Arnal, D; Frank, O; Gomez-Arnau, J I; Hansen, J; Lester, O; Mikkelsen, K L; Rhaiem, T; Rosenberg, P H; St Pierre, M; Schleppers, A; Staender, S; Smith, A F

2014-03-01

Critical incident reporting is a key tool in the promotion of patient safety in anaesthesia. We surveyed representatives of national incident reporting systems in six European countries, inviting information on scope and organization, and intelligence on factors determining success and failure. Some systems are government-run and nationally conceived; others started out as small, specialty-focused initiatives, which have since acquired a national reach. However, both national co-ordination and specialty enthusiasts seem to be necessary for an optimally functioning system. The role of reporting culture, definitional issues, and dissemination is discussed. We make recommendations for others intending to start new systems and speculate on the prospects for sharing patient safety lessons relevant to anaesthesia at European level.

TASK RELEVANCE IN THE DESIGN OF ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS OF ELLs: A Q Methodology Study

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Linda J. COLLINS

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Online professional development (oPD for teachers should focus on designing web-based learning opportunities that help practicing educators solve the tough problems of practice when working in their schools. Technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge can be integrated in the design of online professional development modules to enhance task relevance for maximum learning and transformation. The purpose of this study was to learn which tasks in an online professional development module were ranked by in-service educators as relevant to their work with English language learners (ELLs. Using Q methodology, the researcher asked participants to rank the relevancy of 36 online tasks from an online professional development module designed and developed at an American university. Participants used a -5 to 5 forced distribution to rank online activities from “Least relevant to my work with ELLs” to “Most relevant to my work with ELLs” followed by a semi-structured interview to explain their decisions. After data analysis, two factors emerged, indicating that participants’ perceptions on task relevance differed by professional roles and educational settings. The participants also favored didactic online tasks over interactive tasks. The findings from the oPD participants’ responses have the potential to serve as the basis for future online professional development design and for planning other relevant activities to be applied to the e-learning environment.

Critical analysis of the pedagogical practice of the teachers trainnees

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Mónica Ruiz Quiroga

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This article reports the results of a research project supported by the Research Center of the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional, whose purpose was the redefinition of the training process of the students, in the frame of the pedagogical practice, in one of the research lines for the Degree in Elementary Education with emphasis on Social Sciences. On a theoretical level, analysis and discussion were developed from critical pedagogy, particularly the concepts of pedagogical practice, training and systematization of experiences. Methodologically the project was developed from the Educational Action Research. It was found that students and teachers conceive pedagogical practice in a critical way, related to their reflective and transformative personalities, something that breaks, in some way, with the traditional outlook that defines it as the confirmation of the theory in the field. This way of conceiving is the result of both the training process and the life history of each other, as well as the staging and the discussion of the significance of the practice within the social sciences framework.

Examining the Practice of Critical Reflection for Developing Pre-Service Teachers' Multicultural Competencies: Findings from a Study Abroad Program in Honduras

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Sharma, Suniti; Phillion, JoAnn; Malewski, Erik

2011-01-01

In response to a critical need in teacher preparation, study abroad programs aimed at developing multicultural competencies in pre-service teachers have proliferated across the United States. Multicultural competencies constitute the ability to challenge misconceptions that lead to discrimination based on cultural difference, reflect on one's…

A phenomenological case study concerning science teacher educators' beliefs and teaching practices about culturally relevant pedagogy and preparing K-12 science teachers to engage African American students in K-12 science

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Underwood, Janice Bell

Due to the rising diversity in today's schools, science teacher educators (STEs) suggest that K-12 teachers must be uniquely prepared to engage these students in science classrooms. Yet, in light of the increasing white-black science achievement gap, it is unclear how STEs prepare preservice teachers to engage diverse students, and African Americans in particular. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to find out how STEs prepare preservice teachers to engage African American students in K-12 science. Thus, using the culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) framework, this phenomenological case study explored beliefs about culturally relevant science teaching and the influence of reported beliefs and experiences related to race on STEs' teaching practices. In the first phase, STE's in a mid-Atlantic state were invited to participate in an electronic survey. In the second phase, four participants, who were identified as exemplars, were selected from the survey to participate in three semi-structured interviews. The data revealed that STEs were more familiar with culturally responsive pedagogy (CResP) in the context of their post-secondary classrooms as opposed to CRP. Further, most of the participants in part one and two described modeling conventional ways they prepare their preservice teachers to engage K-12 students, who represent all types of diversity, without singling out any specific race. Lastly, many of the STEs' in this study reported formative experiences related to race and beliefs in various manifestations of racism have impacted their teaching beliefs and practices. The findings of this study suggest STEs do not have a genuine understanding of the differences between CRP and CResP and by in large embrace CResP principles. Secondly, in regards to preparing preservice teachers to engage African American students in science, the participants in this study seemed to articulate the need for ideological change, but were unable to demonstrate pedagogical changes

The Implementation of Proposition 227 in California Schools: A Critical Analysis of the Effect on Teacher Beliefs and Classroom Practices.

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Revilla, Anita Tijerina; Asato, Jolynn

2002-01-01

Explored the relationship between race and language as related to bilingual students' educational experiences. Used Latino/a critical theory, Asian American legal scholarship, and critical race theory as frameworks to examine the aftermath of California's Proposition 227. Data from teachers and administrators highlighted significant variance in…

The Effects of Problem-Based Learning on Pre-Service Teachers' Critical Thinking Dispositions and Perceptions of Problem-Solving Ability

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Temel, Senar

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was two-fold. The first aim was to determine the levels of critical thinking disposition and perception of problem-solving ability of pre-service teachers. The second aim was to compare the effects of problem-based learning and traditional teaching methods on the critical thinking dispositions and perceptions of…

The First Summer--Critical for Vo-Ag Teachers.

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Vaughn, Paul R.; Vaughn, Roscoe C.

1979-01-01

To aid beginning New Mexico vocational agriculture teachers, the New Mexico State Department of Vocational Education initiated two activities: developing a first-year handbook to provide direction and guidance and making a visit to beginning teachers before the start of school. Beginning teachers indicated that both activities have been helpful.…

Glimmers for Cultural Relevance: The Pedagogical Knowledge of an Indigenous Cabécar Teacher

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Marielos Vargas Morales

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Indigenous education is becoming a priority to be dealt with in Higher Education. Therefore, efforts are oriented towards newly nourishing inclusive proposals for education; for them to take cultural diversity on and generate quality learning processes while also promoting the vindication of the right towards a culturally-relevant education for indigenous populations. Hence, the article sets forth an analysis of the pedagogical practice by an indigenous cabécar teacher, which unveils elements and cultural aspects that constitute valuable input to be considered in teacher education proposals. This research took place in the educative community of Sharabata, which is part of the High Chirripó Cábecar Indigenous Territory, which in turn is located in the province of Cartago in the Central American country of Costa Rica. The current research was conducted as a case study. Obtained results now create curricular content that responds to socio-cultural, linguistic and natural needs and characteristics of the cabécar culture. The present research recovers oral communication and the value of words, of learning by imitation, cosmovision as cultural heritage and the importance of recognizing mother languages in originary populations. It is forewarned that, though handled under the discourse of cultural displacement, practical and ritualistic practices still persist, all of which must be acknowledged and valued in school by young people in order for culture as ancestral heritage to be prolonged. It is given the mentioned situations where education must be made present; as a fight towards respect, inclusion and the strengthening of originary cultures. In that sense and in order to achieve cultural relevance, the process of the construction of knowledge with children must be inserted in its historical, social and cultural context, for which knowledge, experience and the practice of cabécar cosmovision is transcendental. As part of cultural relevance

Collective pedagogical teacher culture, teacher-student ethno-racial mismatch, and teacher job satisfaction.

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Stearns, Elizabeth; Banerjee, Neena; Mickelson, Roslyn; Moller, Stephanie

2014-05-01

Teacher job satisfaction is critical to schools' successful functioning. Using a representative sample of kindergarten teachers from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, we investigate the association among professional learning community and teacher collaboration, teacher ethno-racial group, teacher-student ethno-racial mismatch, and teacher job satisfaction. We find that White teachers are significantly less satisfied than African-American and Latino teachers, especially when they teach in majority non-White classrooms. However, the existence of a professional community moderates the negative influence of teacher-student ethno-racial mismatch on White teachers' job satisfaction. In effect, strong professional communities serve as a cushion to bolster teacher job satisfaction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pre-Service Teachers' Conceptions of Effective Teacher Talk: Their Critical Reflections on a Sample Teacher-Student Dialogue

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Lee, Ji-Eun; Kim, Kyoung-Tae

2016-01-01

This study aimed to explore pre-service elementary teachers' (PSTs') conceptions of effective teacher talk in mathematics instruction, which were interpreted primarily based on the concept of communicative approach. This was accomplished through a task that involves analyzing and evaluating a sample teacher-student dialogue. This study…

Science Teacher Beliefs and Classroom Practice Related to Constructivism in Different School Settings

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Savasci, Funda; Berlin, Donna F.

2012-02-01

Science teacher beliefs and classroom practice related to constructivism and factors that may influence classroom practice were examined in this cross-case study. Data from four science teachers in two schools included interviews, demographic questionnaire, Classroom Learning Environment Survey (preferred/perceived), and classroom observations and documents. Using an inductive analytic approach, results suggested that the teachers embraced constructivism, but classroom observations did not confirm implementation of these beliefs for three of the four teachers. The most preferred constructivist components were personal relevance and student negotiation; the most perceived component was critical voice. Shared control was the least preferred, least perceived, and least observed constructivist component. School type, grade, student behavior/ability, curriculum/standardized testing, and parental involvement may influence classroom practice.

Pre-Service Teachers Critically Evaluate Scientific Information on the World-Wide Web: What Makes Information Believable?

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Iding, Marie; Klemm, E. Barbara

2005-01-01

The present study addresses the need for teachers to critically evaluate the credibility, validity, and cognitive load associated with scientific information on Web sites, in order to effectively teach students to evaluate scientific information on the World Wide Web. A line of prior research investigating high school and university students'…

Critical Issues in Assessing Teacher Compensation. Backgrounder. No. 2638

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Richwine, Jason; Biggs, Andrew G.

2012-01-01

A November 2011 Heritage Foundation report--"Assessing the Compensation of Public-School Teachers"--presented data on teacher salaries and benefits in order to inform debates about teacher compensation reform. The report concluded that public-school teacher compensation is far ahead of what comparable private-sector workers enjoy, and that…

Analysis of Design and Delivery of Critical Incident Workshops for Elementary School English as a Foreign Language Teachers in Community of Practice

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Chien, Chin-Wen

2018-01-01

Language teachers can uncover new understanding of the teaching and learning process through reflecting on critical incidents [Richard, J.C., and T.S.C. Farrell. 2005. "Professional Development for Language Teachers." New York, NY: Cambridge University Press]. Based on the data analysis of workshop handouts, observation notes, and…

Lived Experience: Perceptions of Competency of Novice Teachers

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Pauline Swee Choo Goh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study bridges the gap of an outsider-insider perspective of competency and captures the essence of what constitutes competency among 18 novice teachers in their own actions performed in real classrooms. In this study, relevant aspects of the novice teachers’ ‘lived-experience’ in their schools make up their conceptions of competency. Novice teachers’ talk about achieving their aims of competency in strategically different ways and in each of these ways, the novice teachers’ strategies are critical to their understanding of the novice teacher-student roles. Five identified conceptions are: controls in the classroom and behaviour of students, methodical preparation, uses of sound in pedagogical knowledge and skills, understanding and empowering their students to take charge of their own learning, and an awareness of themselves as teachers. The conceptions of competency are represented diagrammatically and are discussed with respect to levels of complexity. Variation exists in the way novice teachers conceive of their competency. Teacher educators should be cognizant of the diversity in practices of teachers and not limit that to say that there is just one acceptable conception of competency.

Relationship between Critical Thinking Levels and Attitudes towards Reading Habits among Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers

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Bulgurcuoglu, Ahmet Nusret

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present research is to define the critical thinking levels and reading habits of students studying at the department of physical education and sports teaching and analysing the relationship between these. The participants of the present research are 136 pre-service physical education teachers studying at Mugla Sitki Kocman…

The Interplay between Teacher-Centredness and Self-Critical Tendency among Malaysian ESL Learners: New Insights for the Asian Context

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Siew Ming Thang

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Over the last decade, issues regarding attributions for success and failure in the learning of English have garnered much interest among Asian researchers. Of particular interest is the tendency of Asian learners to be self-critical when it comes to attributions for failure in the learning of English. This tendency has commonly been linked to the influence of the socio-cultural context in which the learners have grown up and has been described as a prevalent trait among collectivist societies such as those that exist in many Asian countries. More recently, it has been suggested that a contributory factor for this behaviour is the students’ high respect for teachers. The present study was an attempt to investigate to what extent that claim is true. The researchers examined whether or not there is a relationship between self-critical tendency and teacher-centeredness between students of different proficiency levels in the learning of English in a Malaysian context. A mixed-method design comprising questionnaires and individual group interviews was employed. The findings revealed that in general learners who displayed teacher-centred tendency were likely to be self-critical by attributing failure to personal factors. However, difference in proficiency levels did account for some variation in results. Although both tendencies should be seen in a positive light, recommendations with regard to educational implications are outlined

You Can’t Criticize What You Don’t Understand: Teachers as Social Change Agents in Neo-Liberal Times

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Michael O’Sullivan

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Despite the existence of success stories of individual teachers and even school-wide groups of teachers successfully teaching from a global perspective, this paper raises a basic question: to what extent can the average teacher be an agent of change in the tradition of Dewey, Freire, and Giroux? The questioning of this role arises from the observation that many teachers are high achieving graduates of the very school system to which they have returned; and, as a result of spending their formative years in largely untroubled middle-class circumstances, are steeped in the dominant neoliberal ideology and consumer-orientation of the global market society. The author implicitly raises the issue, especially given his concerns about the power of the dominant ideology, as to just how critical and how transformative the actual classroom practice of global education and global citizenship education is or has the potential of being.

Flipped ESL Teacher Professional Development: Embracing Change to Remain Relevant

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Razak, Rafiza Abdul; Kaur, Dalwinder; Halili, Siti Hajar; Ramlan, Zahri

2016-01-01

Many traditional professional development programs that are initiated to equip ESL teachers with knowledge and skills have been futile for numerous reasons. This paper addresses a gap in the recent research of ESL teachers' professional development. Literature has revealed many shortcomings of the traditional and online professional development…

Secondary Preservice Teachers' Perspectives on Teacher Self-Disclosure as Citizenship Curriculum

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Zhang, Shaoan

2010-01-01

This article explores secondary preservice teachers' attitudes toward the use of teacher self-disclosure as a tool for citizenship education. Based on the notion that teacher self-disclosure may function as citizenship curriculum, this study addressed critical issues of teachers' sharing their knowledge about religions (including their own) and…

TEACHERS NEEDED

CERN Multimedia

2001-01-01

The English Language Programme of the Lycée International de Ferney-Voltaire has two teaching posts available for la rentrée 2001. 1. Part-time teacher of Primary-level English Candidates for the post need to be mother-tongue English speakers. They should have a relevant degree and teaching qualification. The post involves teaching the English curriculum to pupils who are within the French educational system. Classes take place on Tuesday afternoons at the Lycée. Team spirit necessary as teachers work as a team. Induction & training are offered. 2. Part-time teacher of Secondary-level history-geography Candididates for the post need to be mother-tongue English speakers. They should have a relevant degree in history or geography and also a strong interest in the other subject. They should have a relevant teaching qualification and be confident classroom practioners. For more information on either of these posts please contact the school office on 04.50.40.82...

The Relationship Between Teachers' Mathematical Content and Pedagogical Knowledge, Teachers' Perceptions, and Student Achievement

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Campbell, Patricia F.; Nishio, Masako; Smith, Toni M.; Clark, Lawrence M.; Conant, Darcy L.; Rust, Amber H.; DePiper, Jill Neumayer; Frank, Toya Jones; Griffin, Matthew J.; Choi, Youyoung

2014-01-01

This study of early-career teachers identified a significant relationship between upper-elementary teachers' mathematical content knowledge and their students' mathematics achievement, after controlling for student- and teacher-level characteristics. Findings provide evidence of the relevance of teacher knowledge and perceptions for teacher…

The Tools Used by Science Teachers and Their Relevance to Objectives

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Ulaş KUBAT

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to reveal the views of science teachers on the use of tools in the learning-teaching process. Well-designed tools provide a rich learning environment. In this research qualitative research method was used. Semi-structured interview form was used as data collection tool. The working group consisted of 16 science teachers. According to the findings of the research, teachers use the most experimental materials as tools and teaching materials and 4 + 4 + 4 system creates problems for tools and materials. In addition, teachers have emphasized the problem of lack of material development. They indicated that well designed tools contribute to the achievement of objectives

Professional development and poststructural analysis: Stories of African-American science teachers

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Moore, Felicia Michelle

2003-10-01

professionally. The three teachers had different and similar experiences based upon race/ethnicity, gender, class, and age. Taking differences and similarities into consideration, recommendations were offered to balance relations of power in science teaching, learning, and teacher professional development through multicultural education, culturally relevant pedagogy, and feminist pedagogy for their particular teaching contexts. Feminist poststructuralism offers an alternative and critical perspective for science education research.

We Look More, Listen More, Notice More: Impact of Sustained Professional Development on Head Start Teachers' Inquiry-Based and Culturally-Relevant Science Teaching Practices

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Roehrig, Gillian H.; Dubosarsky, Mia; Mason, Annie; Carlson, Stephan; Murphy, Barbara

2011-10-01

Despite many scholars' recommendations, science is often avoided during early childhood education. Among the reasons provided by early childhood teachers for the exclusion of science from their daily routines included science anxiety, low self-efficacy with respect to teaching science, lack of experience participating in science activities as students, or the notion that literacy and language are more important during the early years. In minority populations the problem is even greater due to identification of science with the `culture of. This article presents results from Ah Neen Dush, a sustained and transformative professional development program for Head Start teachers on an American Indian Reservation. The goal of the program is to support early childhood teachers in developing inquiry-based and culturally-relevant teaching practices. Through analysis of teachers' classroom practices, surveys and interviews, we explore changes in teachers' attitudes toward science and inquiry-based practices. Classroom observations were conducted using CLASS (Classroom assessment Scoring System), a tool used to evaluate the quality of classroom interactions. After 1 year of professional development teachers' attitudes were found to improve and after 2 years teachers classroom practices were more inquiry-based with statistically significant increases in CLASS observation scores.

Fresh Faces, New Places: Moving beyond Teacher-Researcher Perspectives in Hip-Hop-Based Education Research

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Irby, Decoteau J.; Hall, H. Bernard

2011-01-01

Grounded in critical and culturally relevant theory, hip-hop-based education (HHBE) research documents the use of hip-hop in educational settings. Despite the richness of the emerging field, overreliance on teacher-researcher perspectives leaves much to be desired. Little is known of the extent and ways HHBE is used by nonresearching K-12…

How Rural Schoolchildren and Teachers Read TV Dramas: A Case Study on Critical Media Literacy in Turkey

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Akar-Vural, Ruken

2010-01-01

This qualitative study attempts to determine favorite TV dramas of children from two rural schools and analyze children's discourse about messages and values of TV dramas. As parallel to children's views, teacher perceptions on critical media literacy were investigated in the study. This study aims to explore the content--messages/values--of…

Formative research on a teacher accompaniment model to promote youth mental health in Haiti: Relevance to mental health task-sharing in low-resource school settings.

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Eustache, Eddy; Gerbasi, Margaret E; Severe, Jennifer; Fils-Aimé, J Reginald; Smith Fawzi, Mary C; Raviola, Giuseppe J; Darghouth, Sarah; Boyd, Kate; Thérosmé, Tatiana; Legha, Rupinder; Pierre, Ermaze L; Affricot, Emmeline; Alcindor, Yoldie; Grelotti, David J; Becker, Anne E

2017-06-01

Task-sharing with teachers to promote youth mental health is a promising but underdeveloped strategy in improving care access in low-income countries. To assess feasibility, acceptability and utility of the teacher accompaniment phase of a school-based Teacher- Accompagnateur Pilot Study (TAPS) in Haiti. We assigned student participants, aged 18-22 years ( n = 120), to teacher participants ( n = 22) within four Haitian schools; we instructed participants to arrange meetings with their assigned counterparts to discuss mental health treatment, academic skills, and/or well-being. We measured student and teacher perceived feasibility, acceptability and utility of meetings with self-report Likert-style questions. We examined overall program feasibility by the percentage of students with a documented meeting, acceptability by a composite measure of student satisfaction and utility by the percentage with identified mental health need who discussed treatment with a teacher. Favorable ratings support feasibility, acceptability and utility of teacher- accompagnateur meetings with students. The majority of students (54%) met with a teacher. Among students with an identified mental disorder, 43.2% discussed treatment during a meeting. This accompaniment approach to mental health task-sharing with teachers provided a school-based opportunity for students with mental health need to discuss treatment and has potential relevance to other low-income settings.

The Alternative Certification of Teachers. Teacher Education Monograph No. 14.

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Hawley, Willis D., Ed.

Criticisms of teacher education, the low economic and political costs of trying to reform schools by reforming teacher education, along with the difficulty of filling some teaching positions with persons certified in traditional ways, have fueled a movement to create alternative routes to teacher certification in the vast majority of states. This…

Teacher Learning by Script

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Reeves, Jenelle

2010-01-01

Scripted instruction (SI) programs, which direct teachers to teach, even to talk, from a standardized written script, are roundly criticized for inhibiting teacher creativity and teacher learning. In fact, such programs utilize scripting for exactly that reason: to reduce teacher interference with (and presumed weakening of) the prescribed…

Why Teachers Fail

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Bass, Ronald E.

1973-01-01

Peer and subordinate criticism directed at the beginning industrial arts teacher ultimately leads to teacher failure. Skinner's theory of operant conditioning is used as an analogy to explain how the beginning teacher is conditioned to the norms of teaching, resulting in the loss of his enthusiam and idealism. (DS)

Engaging Preservice Teachers in Critical Dialogues on Race

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Joanna E. Durham-Barnes

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Rarely do White, middle-class Americans, the population from which most teachers are drawn, have the opportunity to consider themselves as racialized beings. Although personal experience is usually the best teacher, our increasingly homogeneous teaching population oftentimes lacks experience with diversity, and schools of education often struggle to find appropriate and meaningful diverse field experiences for their teacher candidates. This study uses a documentary in an attempt to provoke thoughtful conversations about race and racism in the United States among the mostly White teacher candidates. The study identifies racial themes that emerge from the conversations, explores the ways the groups’ racial diversity alters conversations on race, and explores how the race of the group’s facilitator may affect the conversations. The study suggested that racially diverse groups are more likely to explore greater numbers of racial themes and engage each other more deeply through polite disagreement. Although racial diversity of any kind seemed to promote deeper conversations, participants reported greater satisfaction from the conversations when the students themselves were racially diverse rather than with the facilitator alone.

"The Soccer Field, It Has Dirt": A Critical Analysis of Teacher Learners in Contact with Emergent Multilingual Students

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Catalano, Theresa; Reeves, Jenelle R.; Wessels, Stephanie

2018-01-01

In today's globalized world, superdiversity and global migration have led to an increased focus on emergent multilingual students and how schools can best serve them. The authors explore how teacher learners in an undergraduate course on emergent multilinguals in a mid-sized university in the Midwest critically reflect on their learning in a…

Formative research on a teacher accompaniment model to promote youth mental health in Haiti: Relevance to mental health task-sharing in low-resource school settings

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Eustache, Eddy; Gerbasi, Margaret E.; Severe, Jennifer; Fils-Aimé, J. Reginald; Smith Fawzi, Mary C.; Raviola, Giuseppe J.; Darghouth, Sarah; Boyd, Kate; Thérosmé, Tatiana; Legha, Rupinder; Pierre, Ermaze L.; Affricot, Emmeline; Alcindor, Yoldie; Grelotti, David J.; Becker, Anne E.

2017-01-01

Background Task-sharing with teachers to promote youth mental health is a promising but underdeveloped strategy in improving care access in low-income countries. Aims To assess feasibility, acceptability, and utility of the teacher accompaniment phase of a school-based teacher accompagnateur pilot study (TAPS) in Haiti. Methods We assigned student participants, ages 18–22 (n=120) to a teacher participant (n=22) within four Haitian schools; we instructed participants to arrange meetings with their assigned counterparts to discuss mental health treatment, academic skills, and/or well-being. We measured student and teacher perceived feasibility, acceptability, and utility of meetings with self-report Likert-style questions. We examined overall program feasibility by the percentage of students with a documented meeting, acceptability by a composite measure of student satisfaction, and utility by the percentage with identified mental health need who discussed treatment with a teacher. Results Favorable ratings support feasibility, acceptability, and utility of teacher-accompagnateur meetings with students. The majority of students (54%) met with a teacher. Among students with an identified mental disorder, 43.2% discussed treatment during a meeting. Conclusions This accompaniment approach to mental health task-sharing with teachers provided a school-based opportunity for students with mental health need to discuss treatment and has potential relevance to other low-income settings. PMID:28367718

Relevance of collagen piezoelectricity to "Wolff's Law": a critical review.

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Ahn, Andrew C; Grodzinsky, Alan J

2009-09-01

According to "Wolff's Law", bone is deposited and reinforced at areas of greatest stress. From a clinical perspective, this "law" is supported by the strong association between bone density and physical activity. From a mechanistic standpoint, however, the law presents a challenge to scientists seeking to understand how osteocytes and osteoblasts sense the mechanical load. In the 1960s, collagen piezoelectricity was invoked as a potential mechanism by which osteocytes could detect areas of greater stress but piezoelectricity diminished in importance as more compelling mechanisms, such as streaming potential, were identified. In addition, accumulating evidence for the role of fluid-related shear stress in osteocyte's mechanosensory function has made piezoelectricity seemingly more obsolete in bone physiology. This review critically evaluates the role of collagen piezoelectricity (if any) in Wolff's Law--specifically, the evidence regarding its involvement in strain-generated potentials, existing alternate mechanisms, the present understanding of bone mechanosensation, and whether piezoelectricity serves an influential role within the context of this newly proposed mechanism. In addition to reviewing the literature, this review generates several hypotheses and proposes future research to fully address the relevance of piezoelectricity in bone physiology.

A study of the effectiveness of a four semester preservice Secondary Science Teacher Education program regarding changes in teacher perceptions and practices

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Yakar, Zeha

The purpose of this study was to investigate the development and change in constructivist behaviors of preservice science teachers of the Iowa-Secondary Science Teacher Education Program (SSTEP) over the four semester sequence. Constructivist behaviors were investigated from four perspectives; including actual classroom performances as viewed from videotapes, teacher perceptions of teacher use of constructivist teaching practices, and teacher beliefs as gained from open-ended questions, and written artifacts. The participants of the study included a total of 41 secondary science preservice teachers in four different semesters of their teacher preparation program. Three instruments were used to generate the main data to answer the research questions. The three instruments were: (1) Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), (2) Philosophy of Teaching and Learning (PTL), and (3) videotape portfolio evaluated with the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP). Major findings include the following: (1) Preservice teachers' perceptions regarding constructivist approaches become significantly and increasingly more student-centered in terms of Personal Relevance, Critical Voice, Shared Control, and Student Negotiation as they prepare through the four semester sequence. (2) Preservice teachers' conceptions concerning teaching and learning become significantly and increasingly more student-centered in terms of what students need to do to improve their understanding of science concepts. (3) Preservice teachers conceptions and their perceptions about actual classroom practices rarely align with observed teaching practices in their classrooms. Although preservice teachers hold student-centered beliefs and perceptions, their actual classroom teaching practices were "transitional constructivist". (4) Preservice teachers' constructivist practices of teaching and learning began to decline in the third semester with preservice teachers moving towards more teacher

Undergraduate Teacher Education that Cultivates Political Knowledge and Action in Future Teachers

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Chavez-Reyes, Christina

2011-01-01

Teacher education is charged with the goal of training teachers who will prepare the next generation of citizens. Since Horace Mann's common schools, teachers have been the purveyors of political education, often through teaching patriotic songs and celebrated historical events and individuals. Through liberal education and critical pedagogy,…

Self-knowledge of health teachers: A qualitative exploratory study.

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Canever, Bruna Pedroso; do Prado, Marta Lenise; Gomes, Diana Coelho; Backes, Vânia Marli Schubert; de Jesus, Bruna Helena

2018-06-01

Specific pedagogical training for teaching in the area of health emerges with the goal of creating critical and reflective professionals and as a necessary challenge to university teaching, where there is reflection on self-awareness, consciousness, and the incompleteness of being. This study aims to understand how Freire's critical consciousness is expressed in the pedagogical practice of health teachers. This study is a qualitative study that is descriptive, exploratory, and analytical. Twenty-one teachers from a public university in southern Brazil participated. Data were collected using open-ended, in-person interviews held from May to December 2013. Data systematization was based on Minayo's operative proposal. The analysis yielded 2 main categories, including the naïve critical consciousness of health teachers, i.e., education as a practice of oppression, and the epistemological critical consciousness of health teachers, i.e., education as a practice of freedom. The results revealed the teachers' self-knowledge, including the reasoning and motivations that made them become teachers, the characteristics considered necessary to be a teacher, the teachers' feelings in their teaching practice, and the teaching preparation required for being in the classroom from the perspective of naïve and epistemological critical consciousness. The study shows that the self-knowledge that emerged from the teachers' reports encourages new perspectives in the construction of the teacher, raising the challenge of development and transformation from naïve consciousness to epistemological consciousness, and thus contributing to a breakthrough with respect to critical and creative teacher training. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancing Cultural Humility through Critical Service-Learning in Teacher Preparation

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Tinkler, Alan S.; Tinkler, Barri

2016-01-01

To provide opportunities for preservice teachers to move beyond the limitations of their life experiences, the teacher preparation program at the University of Vermont has worked to advance service-learning experiences that push preservice teachers to examine their own identities and biases by providing them with opportunities to interact with…

Competence of matric physical science teachers in some basic problem-solving strategies

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Mailoo Selvaratnam

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The National Curriculum Statement for matric physical science places strong emphasis on the development of critical thinking and reasoning abilities of pupils. The successful implementation of this curriculum therefore requires teachers who are competent in the cognitive (intellectual skills and strategies needed for learning science effectively. Testing of teachers’ competence in this aspect is therefore important. I therefore analysed teachers’ answers to questions that were carefully designed to test competence in some basic intellectual strategies that are important for problem solving in physical science courses. A total of 73 matric physical science teachers, from about 50 Dinaledi schools in the North West and KwaZulu-Natal provinces in South Africa, were tested in five intellectual strategies: clear representation of problems, identifying and focusing on the goal, identification and use of relevant principles, use of equations for deductions and proceeding step-by-step with the solution. The teachers’ competence was poor in all the intellectual strategies tested. About 60% (the average performance in all 13 questions used for testing of teachers tested were unable to solve the questions correctly. An important objective of the curriculum is the development of critical thinking, scientific reasoning and strategies of pupils. This study shows that the achievement of this objective will be seriously handicapped because of the lack of competence of many teachers in intellectual strategies. There is therefore a need to train teachers in order to increase their competence in this aspect.

Creating a Model of Acceptance: Preservice Teachers Interact with Non-English-Speaking Latino Parents Using Culturally Relevant Mathematics and Science Activities at Family Learning Events

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Ramirez, Olga; McCollough, Cherie A.; Diaz, Zulmaris

2016-01-01

The following describes a culturally relevant mathematics and science content program implemented by preservice teachers (PSTs) at Family Math/Science Learning Events (FM/SLEs) conducted through two different university programs in south Texas. These experiences are required course activities designed to inform PSTs of the importance of…

Boundedness beyond reification: cosmopolitan teacher education as critique

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Claudia Schumann

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Certain strands of cosmopolitanism have been criticized on various occasions for merely mirroring the mental framework of a global elite that stresses positive attitudes to mobility, flexibility, and disinterested objective detachment to the detriment of ‘rooted’, local and national values. In this way, it is argued, it presents a one-sided opportunistic or naively affirmative picture of processes of globalization rather than taking seriously the challenges posed by the inherently normative dimension of cosmopolitan thought and practice. The present paper will argue for a return to the critical core of the cosmopolitan idea and proposes that the critique of reification, which recently received renewed interest by philosophers of the so-called third generation Frankfurt School, can serve as a vital tool for re-imagining cosmopolitan teacher education as critique. In particular, the discussion around the recent turn towards a standards and competencies oriented teacher education in Germany will be critically examined in this regard. Rather than presenting a mere factual description of our thinking, judgments and actions, a cosmopolitan orientation should be concerned with reminding us of the importance of a continuous critical challenge of their validity. Firstly, the concept of reification will be shown to provide the conceptual resources to describe and select relevant characteristics of contemporary social pathologies that cannot be adequately captured within liberal social philosophies. A closer analysis of reification as a deficient relation to oneself, to others, or to the world will then lead to the second question of how to conceive of non-reifying forms of relatedness, commitment and boundedness as enabling new forms of expressive freedom. Instead of one-sided, narrow and hasty reactions towards a perceived ‘global challenge’—either fetishizing borders or their transgression, an critical educational cosmopolitanism should bring

[Participatory education and the development of critical reading in teachers theoretical texts. Multicenter study].

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Leyva-González, Félix Arturo; Leo-Amador, Guillermo Enrique; Viniegra-Velázquez, Leonardo; Degollado-Bardales, Lilia; Zavala-Arenas, Jesús Arturo; González-Cobos, Roberto Palemón; Valencia-Sánchez, Jesús Salvador; Leyva-Salas, César Arturo; Angulo-Bernal, Sonia Elizabeth; Gómez-Arteaga, Gress Marissell

2010-01-01

Determine what the relationship between participation in classroom of students attending courses at the Educational Research and Teacher Education (CIEFD's) and the development of proficiency in critical reading of theoretical texts in education. Intervention study, multicenter students (medical specialist) level Diploma in teaching methodology (DMDN) 1 and 2 (n=46 n=29) of the six CIEFD's (DF Siglo XXI, Mexico City La Raza, Nuevo Leon, Sonora, Puebla and Veracruz), period: March to August 2007 and a Masters in education (n=9, generation 2007-2008). Two instruments were constructed that evaluated the participation variables and critical reading of theoretical texts in education, conceptual validity; content and reliability were assessed by experts in education research. The educational intervention was in the form of seminars (three times a week in DMDN 1 and twice weekly in DMDN 2 and Masters). Participation was assessed halfway through the course and on completion, critical reading at the beginning as well as the end. Statistically significant associations were observed in DMDN 1 (four Centers) and the Masters, but not DMDN 2. In this investigation some of the theoretical proposals of the participatory education were recreated, starting from the analysis of our results. In some centers and in the masters, strengthening participation in this educational intervention is related to the development of critical reading of theoretical texts in education.

Teacher Educators as Cultural Workers: Problematizing Teacher Education Pedagogies

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de los Ríos, Cati; Souto-Manning, Mariana

2015-01-01

From a Latina/o Critical Race Theory perspective, in this article we engage in a process of testimonio co-creation to trace Freire's notion of critical pedagogy in our lives as former schoolteachers and current teacher educators. Through the critical analysis of our lived experiences, we unveil the powerful affordances we have gained by employing…

Teacher educators' competences in fostering student teachers' proficiency in teaching and learning with technology : An overview of relevant research literature

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Dana Uerz; Monique Volman; Marijke Kral

2018-01-01

Teacher educators play an important role in preparing student teachers to integrate technology into their classrooms. This article presents an overview of research literature on teacher educators' competences in preparing their students to teach with technology. A literature search yielded 26

An approach critical in mathematics education: Opportunities and interaction theory-practice-through critical mathematics education

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Itamar Miranda da Silva

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the possibilities of articulation of theory-and-practice in the teaching, by means of critical mathematics education as a proposal for the teacher facing the challenges of daily life in the classroom. The discussion is based on the literature through which was estudied and analyzed several books, articles and dissertations on the subject, as well as our experiences and reflections resulting from the process of teacher education we experienced. From the readings and analysis was possible to construct a teaching proposal that suggests to address critical mathematics education as an alternative link between theory and practice and to assign to the teaching of mathematics a greater dynamism, with the prospect of developing knowledge and pedagogical practices that contribute to a broader training, which prepares for citizenship and for being critical students and teachers in the training process. Conjectures were raised about possible contributions of critical mathematics education as a differentiated alternative as opposed to reproductivist teaching. We believe therefore that this article could help with the reflections on the importance of mathematics education in teacher education which enables the realization that beyond disciplinary knowledge (content, are necessary pedagogical knowledge, curriculum and experiential to address the problems that relate to the teaching of mathematics

Moving towards Effective Physical Education Teacher Education for Generalist Primary Teachers: A View from Cyprus

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Tsangaridou, Niki

2016-01-01

The preparation of effective teachers continues to be a critical issue in the literature since what teachers know and are able do is the most significant influence on what students learn. Teacher education programmes are considered to be the best places for teacher candidates to learn the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to educate…

Learning about Teachers through Film.

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Raimo, Angela; Devlin-Scherer, Roberta; Zinicola, Debra

2002-01-01

Analysis of films featuring teachers reveals a variety of roles portrayed: teacher as culture guardian, iconoclast/subverter, alien culture-bearer, change agent, learner, compassionate mentor, student advocate, maverick, and incompetent. Examination of these portrayals can prompt critical thinking about teacher responses to different social and…

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

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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…

Questioning Strategies of Literature Teachers among Grade 8 Filipino Students

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Magdalena M. Ocbian

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Questioning is a useful and relevant tool to facilitate classroom discussion in a literature class. This study identified the levels of questions teachers use in their literature class, determined the different question strategies they utilized and proposed activities to enhance the questioning strategies of literature teachers. Video analysis was the main instrument used. These videos were provided during the conduct of class observations by the researchers. There were eight respondents in the study selected through total enumeration. They are teachers from Gubat Cluster of secondary schools of Sorsogon Province. To identify the levels of questions and questioning strategies, question tally form and percentage were used. Results revealed that knowledge was the most used level of questions followed by comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. The most used question technique is the participation, followed by proving, sequencing, wait time, balance and student questions. It was recommended that literature teachers vary their level of questions when discussing literary pieces. They may utilize different question techniques to develop critical thinking skills of their students. The use of the proposed activities may enhance the questioning strategies of literature teachers. Likewise, school heads and program supervisors may utilize video analysis technique as a mode for classroom observation.

Researching Critical Literacy: A Critical Study of Analysis of Classroom Discourse

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Van Sluys, Katie; Lewison, Mitzi; Flint, Amy Seely

2006-01-01

Studying critical literacies includes examining how research practices influence what is learned about classroom activity and the world. This article highlights the processes and practices used in studying 1 classroom conversation. The data, drawn from an elementary school classroom of a Critical Literacy in Action teacher-researcher group member,…

Critical thinking in physics education

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Sadidi, Farahnaz

2016-07-01

We agree that training the next generation of leaders of the society, who have the ability to think critically and form a better judgment is an important goal. It is a long-standing concern of Educators and a long-term desire of teachers to establish a method in order to teach to think critically. To this end, many questions arise on three central aspects: the definition, the evaluation and the design of the course: What is Critical Thinking? How can we define Critical Thinking? How can we evaluate Critical Thinking? Therefore, we want to implement Critical Thinking in physics education. How can we teach for Critical Thinking in physics? What should the course syllabus and materials be? We present examples from classical physics and give perspectives for astro-particle physics. The main aim of this paper is to answer the questions and provide teachers with the opportunity to change their classroom to an active one, in which students are encouraged to ask questions and learn to reach a good judgment. Key words: Critical Thinking, evaluation, judgment, design of the course.

Is Teacher Knowledge Associated with Performance? On the Relationship between Teachers' General Pedagogical Knowledge and Instructional Quality

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König, Johannes; Pflanzl, Barbara

2016-01-01

Researchers have identified general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) as a relevant category of teacher knowledge. However, hardly any study has examined the relationship between GPK of teachers and the instructional quality delivered to their students. This article therefore investigates the relationship between teachers' GPK assessed via a…

[Critical reading of reports of educational research in teachers of IMSS. Multicenter study].

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Leyva-González, Félix Arturo; Cacho-Salazar, Julio M; Degollado-Bardales, Lilia; Zavala-Arenas, Jesús Arturo; Angulo-Bernal, Sonia Elizabeth; Leyva-Salas, César Arturo; Orozco-Bisson, Gisele Victorine

2011-01-01

To determine the effect of an educational strategy promoting participation in the development of critical reading of educational research reports on professors of Educational Research and Teacher Education (CIEFD's). We performed an intervention study, multicenter professors (medical specialists) who enrolled in the courses: Diploma in teaching methodological level 1 and 2 (n = 46, n = 29, respectively) in the six CIEFD's (D.F. Siglo XXI, DF. La Raza, Nuevo León, Sonora, Puebla and Jalisco), in the period March to August 2007. A tool was built that assessed the variables critical appraisal of educational research reports, the construct validity, content and reliability was assessed by experts in education research. The educational strategy developed in the form of seminars, which were held three times a week in the Certification in teaching methodological level 1 and twice per week in the Certification Level 2 in teaching methodology duration per session: 6 h. The instrument was applied at the beginning and end of the course. In the two Graduates it was observed in the total group, an advance in the three indicators of critical reading, which was expressed with statistically significant differences; in the global score of the Diploma level 1 (final vs. initial measurement) the following mediums were observed: 36-67 (p = 0.0001); in the Diploma level 2, it was observed in its overall rating: 42-78 (p = 0.0001). This inquiry from the results observed some of theoretical approaches to mainstreaming participatory. An educational strategy promoting participation produced a breakthrough in the three indicators (to interpret, to judge and to formulate proposals) for critical reading of educational research reports.

Critical incident analysis through narrative reflective practice: A case study

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Thomas S. C. Farrell

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Teachers can reflect on their practices by articulating and exploring incidents they consider critical to themselves or others. By talking about these critical incidents, teachers can make better sense of seemingly random experiences that occur in their teaching because they hold the real inside knowledge, especially personal intuitive knowledge, expertise and experience that is based on their accumulated years as language educators teaching in schools and classrooms. This paper is about one such critical incident analysis that an ESL teacher in Canada revealed to her critical friend and how both used McCabe’s (2002 narrative framework for analyzing an important critical incident that occurred in the teacher’s class.

Teacher training in Chile: perceptions of teachers in the school system and university teachers

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Claudio H. Díaz Larenas

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This article presents the results of research on perceptions of teacher training. The study design is transactional and descriptive, for which an ad hoc survey of two groups was developed: the school sysrtem teachers and academics in the region of Bio Bio in Chile. Its aim is to analyze the perception of these groups on six themes: evaluation, learning, innovation, research, development and relationship university / school / community. The main results show a high evaluation of assessment practices, introducing innovations in the classroom and refinement. The reasearch is carried out by both teachers and university profressors in the school system, although at different frequencies. The university / school / community relations are considered relevant but are not consolidarted. Finally some thoughts arise that link the themes discussed in terms of improving teacher education.

Perspective Consciousness and Cultural Relevancy: Partnership Considerations for the Re-Conceptualization of Music Teacher Preparation

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Burton, Suzanne L.

2011-01-01

Strong school-university partnerships yield effective music teachers. However, music teacher preparation curriculum has undergone little reform over the years, resulting in a homogeneous P-12 curriculum. Encouraging preservice music teachers to consider cultural and pedagogical differences holds promise for changing music teacher preparation and…

Teachers' Responses to Bullying Incidents: Effects of Teacher Characteristics and Contexts

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Yoon, Jina; Sulkowski, Michael L.; Bauman, Sheri A.

2016-01-01

School is a critical context of bullying. This study investigated teacher responses to bullying incidents and the effects of individual and contextual variables on these responses. Participating teachers (N = 236) viewed streaming video vignettes depicting physical, verbal, and relational bullying and reported how they would respond to bullies and…

Journeys across Difference: Pre-Service Teacher Education ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Understanding and managing diverse classrooms is an important competency for teachers in South Africa today. Critics of the dominant approach to teaching on and with difference in pre-service teacher education argue that it mostly promotes de-contextualised celebrations of diverse cultures without addressing critical ...

Introspective Inquiry: Self-Study and Its Relevance in Teacher Education

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Neil Croy

2012-01-01

Full Text Available As teachers inevitably model their teaching on their ownexperiences, those who educate teachers must remainconscious of their own actions in the classroom, lestunwelcome behaviors or ineffective methods resurfacein their students’ future teaching. Therefore, self-studyof one’s professional practice is an invaluable tool forevaluating efficacy in the classroom. This study evaluatedthe teaching practices of Professor Melanie Shoffner(English education in ENGL 49200, an undergraduatemethods course. The study examined the specificmethods, strategies, and interactions Shoffner uses in herteaching in order to consider how her instruction does—or does not—support the development of her students.Data for the study consisted of my observational notesfrom multiple classes and my review of literature on selfstudyand relational teaching. During each observation, Iused an observational framework of my own design thatrecorded students’ participation and determined the levelof their engagement in classroom discussion, in additionto noting specific interactions between student andinstructor. By analyzing repetitions and common themesfrom my observations, spanning an entire semester, Iconcluded that student engagement in the classroom wasdependent on a variety of classroom activities, such asdiscussion, group work, and lectures. In addition, I foundthat students’ willingness to participate hinged on theprofessor’s use of positive reinforcement, communicatedthrough facial and verbal interaction. These findingssuggest that professors must be conscious of theirchoices in the classroom: seemingly insignificant acts ofinstruction and interaction can greatly influence students’development as future teachers.

School Physics Teacher Class Management, Laboratory Practice, Student Engagement, Critical Thinking, Cooperative Learning and Use of Simulations Effects on Student Performance

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Riaz, Muhammad

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how simulations in physics class, class management, laboratory practice, student engagement, critical thinking, cooperative learning, and use of simulations predicted the percentage of students achieving a grade point average of B or higher and their academic performance as reported by teachers in secondary…

Revisiting the Tenets of Critical Pedagogy in Postmethod Pedagogy to Highlight the Concept of Intellectualism

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Siavash Zokaeieh

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Postmethod pedagogy and critical pedagogy have influential roles in education and language teaching. A number of practitioners may claim to instruct based on the tenets of postmethod pedagogy, however, they may not be entirely aware of the oppositional intention and dynamicity of this model. This article aims at revisiting the tenets and constructing elements of critical pedagogy and Freire’s point of view vis-a-vis postmethod pedagogy and Kumaravadivelu’s developed model to enlighten the open-mindedness and dynamic perceptions of these interwoven approaches. Furthermore, some criticisms towards critical pedagogy and postmethod pedagogy are brought into consideration for better understanding of the relevance and the weaknesses. It is hoped that by bringing these two notions, teachers especially those who wish to use postmethod pedagogy in their setting become more aware of the intellectual priorities of critical pedagogy and postmethod pedagogy such as moving from banking model of education, absence of bias and deviation from predetermined and fixed frameworks in the classrooms.

What Teachers Think about Self-Regulated Learning: Investigating Teacher Beliefs and Teacher Behavior of Enhancing Students’ Self-Regulation

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Charlotte Dignath-van Ewijk

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In order to foster self-regulated learning (SRL, teachers should provide students with learning strategies, as well as with constructivist learning environments that allow them to self-regulate their learning. These two components complement each other. When investigating teachers’ promotion of SRL, not only teacher behavior, but also teachers’ beliefs as well as their knowledge about SRL are relevant aspects to consider. Therefore, this study seeks to examine teachers’ knowledge and beliefs on promoting SRL, as well as their predictive value on teachers’ promotion of SRL in the classroom. Forty-seven primary school teachers completed questionnaires on knowledge and beliefs towards both components of the promotion of SRL: strategy instruction and a constructivist learning environment. In addition, teachers had to answer open-ended questions on their understanding of SRL, as well as their implementation of SRL in their classroom. The results show that teachers are more positive towards constructivist than towards SRL (teacher beliefs, and most teachers mentioned characteristics of constructivist learning environments, while only few teachers addressed strategy instruction when being asked about their understanding of SRL (teacher knowledge. Moreover, teacher beliefs are the only predictor for teacher behavior. The results indicate how teacher education could support teachers to learn how to promote SRL effectively.

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

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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…

Student-Teacher Relationships As a Protective Factor for School Adjustment during the Transition from Middle to High School.

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Longobardi, Claudio; Prino, Laura E; Marengo, Davide; Settanni, Michele

2016-01-01

A robust body of research has identified school transitions during adolescence, and in particular the transition from middle to high school, as one of the riskiest phases for school failure, being characterized by significant social, emotional and behavioral changes. This transition is critical even with respect to academic achievement: in Italy, the highest frequency of school dropout can be observed in the 9th and 10th grades, partly as a consequence of poor adjustment to the new school context. The impact of students' relationships with their teachers may be particularly relevant during critical developmental periods. Indeed, student-teacher relationships have been widely recognized as protective factors in school adjustment and, in case of negative relationships, also as a factor that increases the risk of maladjustment. Positive and affective student-teacher relationships may play an important role in students' adaptation to the school environment, favoring both academic achievement and adaptive behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the quality of teacher-student relationships, as perceived by pupils, on academic achievement, and problem and prosocial behaviors during the relevant school transition. The sample consisted of 122 students (55% female). We employed a self-report questionnaire to collect information on: demographic characteristics, quality of the relationship with teachers, problem and prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement. Students filled in the questionnaires twice: once during the 8th grade and 1 year later, during their first year of high school (9th grade). Regression analyses indicated that both average and varying levels of closeness with teachers significantly predicted changes in academic achievement: A perceived increase in closeness in 9th grade, as well as a higher mean closeness level, was associated with an increase in academic achievement. In turn, an increase in the level of perceived conflict

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEDAGOGICAL FORMATION TRAINING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS' CRITICAL THINKING ATTITUDES AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS ON PROFESSIONAL ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

OpenAIRE

Birsel Aybek; Serkan Aslan

2017-01-01

This research aims to analyze the relationship between pedagogical formation training certificate program prospective teachers’ critical thinking attitudes and their perceptions on professional ethical principles. The study used relational screening model and convenience sampling method which is one of the purposeful sampling methods. The participants consisted of 393 prospective teachers from different majors such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, health, biology, philosophy, religious cul...

An Ethic of Democratic, Curriculum-Based Teacher Leadership

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Castner, Daniel J.; Schneider, Jennifer L.; Henderson, James G.

2017-01-01

This article opens with an overview of the current policy interest in "teacher leadership" with its particular challenges and opportunities. Teacher-leader interpretations based on standardized instructional management platforms grounded in neoliberalism are critically challenged. The referent for this critical questioning is a normative…

A Qualitative Exploration of Implementation Factors in a School-Based Mindfulness and Yoga Program: Lessons Learned from Students and Teachers

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Dariotis, Jacinda K.; Mirabal-Beltran, Roxanne; Cluxton-Keller, Fallon; Gould, Laura Feagans; Greenberg, Mark T.; Mendelson, Tamar

2016-01-01

Identifying factors relevant for successful implementation of school-based interventions is essential to ensure that programs are provided in an effective and engaging manner. The perspectives of two key stakeholders critical for identifying implementation barriers and facilitators – students and their classroom teachers – merit attention in this context and have rarely been explored using qualitative methods. This study reports qualitative perspectives of fifth and sixth grade participants and their teachers of a 16-week school-based mindfulness and yoga program in three public schools serving low-income urban communities. Four themes related to program implementation barriers and facilitators emerged: program delivery factors, program buy-in, implementer communication with teachers, and instructor qualities. Feedback from students and teachers is discussed in the context of informing implementation, adaptation, and future development of school-based mindfulness and yoga programming in urban settings. PMID:28670007

A Critical Analysis of The Holmes Group's Proposals for Reforming Teacher Education.

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Hawley, Willis D.

1986-01-01

The Holmes Group proposals for reforming teacher education are evaluated by looking at the effects on teacher knowledge and competence, attraction and retention of talented teachers, organization of schools and the teaching profession, and cost effectiveness. (MT)

Who's the Teacher? Who's the Learner? Professional Growth and Development of a Novice Teacher in Hong Kong

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Ha, Yuen Lai

2014-01-01

This study highlights the importance of mentorship focused on reflective practice during preservice teacher education and early years of teaching. Thoughtful reflection about teaching practices during early years of teaching is critical in preparing teachers for a child-centered curriculum. To successfully distinguish between teacher-directed and…

Critiquing the Critical: The Casualties and Paradoxes of Critical Pedagogy in Music Education

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Hess, Juliet

2017-01-01

In the twenty-first century, many music education scholars seek to reconceptualize music education toward social justice. Critical pedagogy is at the forefront of this shift. However, as teachers aim toward equity through employing critical pedagogy, some undesired effects of using this teaching approach may arise. In this paper, I consider the…

Perspectives for understanding the relationship between the theory and the practice in teacher training

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Carmen ÁLVAREZ ÁLVAREZ

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This article reflects the main theoretical proposals about the relations between theory and practice that are have been formulated in the field of teacher training. The problem that is at the bottom of the theory-practice relationship: professional alienation of teachers in education. To overcome this mostly two responses have been: focus on the theory: convert to the teacher in an intellectual, and the proposal focus on the practice: assess the importance of the personal practical knowledge of teachers. Halfway between both perspectives it is possible to raise three current and relevant lines of research for studies to illuminate the relations between theory-practice in teacher training: (1 teacher’s thought and implicit theories, (2 the reflective teacher and (3 the formulation of principles of procedure and action research and theories experienced. This review haves the objective of reveal the complexity of linked thought, research and teaching action; but it also allows us move forward in building a comprehensive framework covering various forms of approach to a subject which lies at the base of any discussion on the teaching profession and advance in the challenge of achieving a practical domain and a critical awareness in the teaching.

RELEVANCE OF COLLAGEN PIEZOELECTRICITY TO “WOLFF’S LAW”: A CRITICAL REVIEW

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Ahn, Andrew C.; Grodzinsky, Alan J.

2009-01-01

According to “Wolff’s Law”, bone is deposited and reinforced at areas of greatest stress. From a clinical perspective, this “law” is supported by the strong association between bone density and physical activity. From a mechanistic standpoint, however, the law presents a challenge to scientists seeking to understand how osteocytes and osteoblasts sense the mechanical load. In the 1960’s, collagen piezoelectricity was invoked as a potential mechanism by which osteocytes could detect areas of greater stress but piezoelectricity diminished in importance as more compelling mechanisms, such as streaming potential, were identified. In addition, accumulating evidence for the role of fluid-related shear stress in osteocyte’s mechanosensory function has made piezoelectricity seemingly more obsolete in bone physiology. This review critically evaluates the role of collagen piezoelectricity (if any) in Wolff’s Law – specifically, the evidence regarding its involvement in strain-generated potentials, existing alternate mechanisms, the present understanding of bone mechanosensation, and whether piezoelectricity serves an influential role within the context of this newly proposed mechanism. In addition to reviewing the literature, this review generates several hypotheses and proposes future research to fully address the relevance of piezoelectricity in bone physiology. PMID:19286413

Developing a Critical Consciousness for Diversity and Equity among Preservice Music Teachers

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Robinson, Nicole R.

2017-01-01

For approximately 50 years, music education scholars have purported the need for more diversity training among preservice music teachers. This call has become increasingly urgent as contemporary preservice music teachers encounter the most ethnically and culturally diverse classrooms in public school history. Although preservice music teachers may…

What Teachers Think about Self-Regulated Learning: Investigating Teacher Beliefs and Teacher Behavior of Enhancing Students’ Self-Regulation

OpenAIRE

Dignath-van Ewijk, Charlotte; van der Werf, Greetje

2012-01-01

In order to foster self-regulated learning (SRL), teachers should provide students with learning strategies, as well as with constructivist learning environments that allow them to self-regulate their learning. These two components complement each other. When investigating teachers’ promotion of SRL, not only teacher behavior, but also teachers’ beliefs as well as their knowledge about SRL are relevant aspects to consider. Therefore, this study seeks to examine teachers’ knowledge and beliefs...

Fostering Critical Teacher Agency: The Impact of a Science Capital Pedagogical Approach

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King, Heather; Nomikou, Effrosyni

2018-01-01

Teacher agency is considered key in shaping teachers' professional identities and decision-making capabilities. We suggest that the concept of agency also constitutes a useful tool for evaluating the successful implementation of new teaching approaches. In this paper we discuss findings from a teacher professional development programme aimed at…

Using Critical Cosmopolitanism to Globally Situate Multicultural Education in Teacher Preparation Courses

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Byker, Erik Jon; Marquardt, Sheila K.

2016-01-01

Globally-minded teachers often beget globally-minded students. The same relationship seems to hold true for multiculturalism; teachers who are committed to multiculturalism often nudge students toward the same commitment. Global citizenship and multicultural education share a strong bond. Yet, in the field of social studies teacher preparation,…

The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Listening to Teachers in Rural Schools

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MetLife, Inc., 2013

2013-01-01

MetLife has sponsored and Harris Interactive has conducted the annual MetLife Survey of the American Teacher series since 1984 to share the voices of teachers with educators, policymakers and the public. The series examines significant changes and trends over time, highlights important current issues, and explores topics relevant to the future of…

Perceptions and Practices of Culturally Relevant Science Teaching in American Indian Classrooms

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Nam, Younkyeong; Roehrig, Gillian; Kern, Anne; Reynolds, Bree

2013-01-01

This study explores the perceptions of culturally relevant science teaching of 35 teachers of American Indian students. These teachers participated in professional development designed to help them better understand climate change science content and teaching climate change using both Western science and traditional and cultural knowledge. Teacher…

Wanted, A National Teacher Supply Policy for Education:The Right Way to Meet The "Highly Qualified Teacher" Challenge

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Linda Darling-Hammond

2003-09-01

Full Text Available Teacher quality is now the focus of unprecedented policy analysis. To achieve its goals, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB requires a “highly qualified teacher” in all classrooms. The concern with teacher quality has been driven by a growing recognition, fueled by accumulating research evidence, of how critical teachers are to student learning. To acquire and retain high-quality teachers in our Nation’s classrooms will require substantial policy change at many levels. There exists longstanding precedent and strong justification for Washington to create a major education manpower program. Qualified teachers are a critical national resource that requires federal investment and cross-state coordination as well as other state and local action. NCLB provides a standard for equitable access to teacher quality that is both reasonable and feasible. Achieving this goal will require a new vision of the teacher labor market and the framing of a national teacher supply policy. States and local districts have vital roles to play in ensuring a supply of highly qualified teachers; however, they must be supported by appropriate national programs. These programs should be modeled on U.S. medical manpower efforts, which have long supplied doctors to high- need communities and eased shortages in specific health fields. We argue that teacher supply policy should attract well-prepared teachers to districts that sorely need them while relieving shortages in fields like special education, math and the physical sciences. We study the mal-distribution of teachers and examine its causes. We describe examples of both states and local school districts that have fashioned successful strategies for strengthening their teaching forces. Unfortunately, highly successful state and local program to meet the demand for qualified teachers are the exception rather than the rule. They stand out amid widespread use of under-prepared teachers and untrained aides, mainly for

On Rethinking Our Classrooms: A Critical Pedagogy View

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Yolanda Samacá Bohórquez

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This paper, as its title suggests, introduces some reflections on the importance critical pedagogy as well as awareness-raising practices have in education today, especially in language teacher preparation programs, and how they provide a new opportunity for pre-service teachers to re-think their pedagogical experiences for social transformation. Critical pedagogy (CP as a philosophy of life helps teachers achieve a better understanding of what teaching really entails and raising awareness fosters reflection regarding our practices in educational settings, starting in the language classroom, exploring on the one hand, what pre-service teachers think and perceive about teaching and learning in the context they are involved in, and on the other hand, how those perceptions might influence their educational practices.

THE EFFECT OF READING CIRCLE TECHNIQUE ON THE CRITICAL READING SELFEFFICACY PERCEPTION OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS - OKUMA ÇEMBERİ TEKNİĞİNİN ÖĞRETMEN ADAYLARININ ELEŞTİREL OKUMA ÖZ YETERLİK ALGILARINA ETKİSİ

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Murat ÖZBAY

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Reading can be described as getting meaning from written symbols in the classic sense. But today, information is changing rapidly and orienting in various ways through general networking, media, printed materials and so on. Therefore it is not enough alone to make sense of text. Today, to correctly understand what individuals read, to discuss accuracy and reliability of thoughts in the book, be able to query the information given by the work, to determine the purpose of author correctly, to explain the cause and effect relationships between events and concepts, to determine conflicting statements in the work has become a much more important. In this context, especially teachers and preservice teachers need to be higly critical reading self-efficacy perception. Because teachers and preservice teachers undertake decisive role in the relationship between students and books. To be conscious about the critical reading self-efficacy perception will provide to meet with more qualified and reliable work for students. In this context, the aim of this paper is defined as to examine the impact of the collaborative reading circle effect on preservice teachers' critical reading self efficacy perception. In this paper quasi experimental stduy method was preferred and research was designed semi-experimental pretest posttest control group design. The study was conducted on 103 Turkish preservice teachers who are receiving education in Dumlupınar University Faculty of Education. Paper's datas were collected through Critical Reading Self-Efficacy Perception Scale which has developed by Karadeniz (2014. According to the findings, collaborative reading circle technique has been effective in developing preservice teachers' critical reading self efficacy perceptions.

Teachers envisioning future geography education at their schools

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beneker, Tine; Palings, Hans; Krause, Uwe

2015-01-01

One of the challenges of a geography teacher education program is preparing teachers for their leading roles in keeping geography education relevant for the young people of today. It is important to allow teachers to think about geography education and the future and to foster their

Teacher experiences of generating and interpreting drawings

African Journals Online (AJOL)

I report on a phenomenological investigation into teacher experiences of generating and interpreting drawings during their participation in the Resilient Educators (REds) intervention. All 18 teacher participants came from rural communities challenged by HIV&AIDS. I reflect critically on the ambivalence in teacher ...

Linguistics and the TEFL Teacher.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraser, Bruce

This paper asserts the "unquestionable" relevance of linguistic insights in the training of and subsequent use by teachers of English as a foreign language. Although the author agrees with Chomsky's view that linguistics has nothing to offer the teacher in the form of specific proposals for language teaching methodology, he argues that linguistics…

Technology Integration Coursework and Finding Meaning in Pre-Service Teachers' Reflective Practice

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Kimmons, Royce; Miller, Brant G.; Amador, Julie; Desjardins, Christopher David; Hall, Cassidy

2015-01-01

This study seeks to inform teacher preparation programs regarding technology integration by understanding (1) relationships between tasks with specific technologies and pre-service teachers' critical thinking about technology integration and (2) relationships between how pre-service teachers are critically thinking about technology integration and…

Becoming Reflective and Inquiring Teachers: Collaborative Action Research for In-service Chilean Teachers

OpenAIRE

Martine Pellerin; Fraño Ivo Paukner Nogués

2015-01-01

This article discusses the outcomes of a case study that engaged Chilean in-service teachers in systematic action research (AR) as a means of improving their pedagogical practice and effecting changes in their educational context. The study involved six in-service teachers from a region of Chile and two university researchers. The findings show that knowledge of systematic AR provided the teachers with the necessary means to engage in a critical reflection and inquiry process regarding their ...

Knowing We Are White: Narrative as Critical Praxis

Science.gov (United States)

Ullucci, Kerri

2012-01-01

A critical concern in preparing teachers for urban schools is helping them make sense of race, identity and racism in schools. Teacher education programs struggle with how to address these issues in classes of primarily White students. Through a document analysis, the present study highlights how teacher educators can use narrative--particularly…

Teachers Make the Critical Difference in Dropout Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Bucci, John A.; Reitzammer, Ann F.

1992-01-01

Teachers' daily interaction is a powerful influence on at-risk students. Effective dropout prevention components include positive instructional environment, enhancement of self-esteem, alternative education, absence monitoring, mentoring, parent involvement, social and health services, teen parent programs, and transition strategies. (SK)

relevance of information warfare models to critical infrastructure

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ismith

Critical infrastructure models, strategies and policies should take information ... gain an advantage over a competitor or adversary through the use of one's own .... digital communications system, where the vehicles are analogous to bits or packets, ..... performance degraded, causing an increase in traffic finding a new route.

Neuromyths among Teachers and Student Teachers

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Tardif, Eric; Doudin, Pierre-André; Meylan, Nicolas

2015-01-01

Many so-called brain-based educational approaches have been strongly criticized for their lack of empirical support and occasionally for their use of pseudoscientific concepts. As a result, several use the term neuromyths to refer to false beliefs or misinterpretations regarding neuroscientific facts. We surveyed both teachers and student teachers…

The linguistically aware teacher and the teacher-aware linguist.

Science.gov (United States)

McCartney, Elspeth; Ellis, Sue

2013-07-01

This review evaluates issues of teacher linguistic knowledge relating to their work with children with speech, language and communication difficulties (SLCD). Information is from Ellis and McCartney [(2011a). Applied linguistics and primary school teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press], a state-of-the-art text deriving from a British Association of Applied Linguistics/Cambridge University Press expert seminar series that details: linguistic research underpinning primary school curricula and pedagogy; the form of linguistic knowledge useful for teachers supporting children with SLCD in partnership with speech and language therapists; and how and when teachers acquire and learn to apply such knowledge. Critical analysis of the options presented for teacher learning indicate that policy enjoinders now include linguistic application as an expected part of teachers' professional knowledge, for all children including those with SLCD, but there is a large unmet learning need. It is concluded that there is a role for clinical linguists to disseminate useable knowledge to teachers in an accessible format. Ways of achieving this are considered.

Adaptive and maladaptive motives for becoming a teacher

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fokkens-Bruinsma, Marjon; Canrinus, Esther T.

2012-01-01

In order to counter what appears to be a problem for many OECD countries, namely the growing shortage of teachers, it will be crucial to retain pre-service teachers and keep them committed to teaching. Their motivation for becoming a teacher is believed to be relevant in this respect. This study

Critical Thinking in Physical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Humphries, Charlotte

2014-01-01

Changes in American education require that teachers are evaluated more often, and expectations increasingly include teaching to develop critical thinking skills. This article uses Bloom's taxonomy in describing ways physical educators can include critical thinking in their lessons, both to enhance their teaching and to meet expectations of…

Scrutiny of Critical Thinking Concept

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Atabaki, Ali Mohammad Siahi; Keshtiaray, Narges; Yarmohammadian, Mohammad H.

2015-01-01

Learning critical thinking skills are the goal of educational systems so the term "critical thinking" (CT) is frequently found in educational policy documents. Despite this frequency, however, precise understandings among teachers of what CT really means do not exit. The present study is designed to answer the following question. We can…

An Exploration of Teachers' Efforts to Understand Identity Work and its Relevance to Science Instruction

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Smith, M. Cecil; Darfler, Anne

2012-06-01

US educators express concern that students are turning away from the study of science and have little interest in pursuing science careers. Nationally, science achievement scores for 8th graders are unchanged since 1996, but 12th graders' scores have significantly decreased. A shortcoming of education reform efforts is lack of attention to students' developmental needs. Science study should enable students to learn about themselves—to develop and refine their skills, define their values, explore personal interests, and understand the importance of science to themselves and others. Effective secondary science instruction requires attention to students' identity development—the key developmental task of adolescence. Secondary science teachers participated in an 8-week course focused on understanding adolescent identity development and methods for addressing identity. Transcripts of the teachers' online discussions of salient issues were analyzed to determine their perceptions regarding classroom identity work. Teachers identified several assets and obstacles to identity work that were organized into two broad categories: teacher knowledge, training opportunities, and administrative support, or lack of these; and, presence of inflexible curricula, standardized testing regimes, and increased teacher accountability. Implications for student growth and science teacher professional development are discussed.

Critical Stories of Experience: Preservice Teachers Learning to Teach Immigrant Students

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Shappeck, Marco; Moss, Glenda

2012-01-01

For this creative scholarly project, preservice teachers were invited to participate with two instructors by offering their sociopolitical autobiographies and reflective-reflexive reading responses for group discussion and analysis to explore the journal's theme "Immigration and Teacher Education: The Crisis and the Opportunity." The goal was to…

Empathy Research and Teacher Preparation: Benefits and Obstacles

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Bouton, Bobette

2016-01-01

Teacher preparation is critical in cultivating good teachers, but more importantly in helping teachers learn how to meet the academic and emotional needs of preK-12 students. Teaching and training the socio-emotional trait of empathy is an important skill for pre-service teachers to develop. However, due to the multiple definitions, fields of…

“I'm Riskin' It”: Teachers Take on Consumerism

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Harste, Jerome C.; Albers, Peggy

2013-01-01

This qualitative study investigates how 90 teachers explored critical curriculum through their reading, analysis and creation of counter advertisements. Located in visual discourse analysis, we designed a study to investigate the question "To what extent can teachers engaged in a critical literacy curriculum talk back to messages of consumerism,…

Identity Development: What I Notice about Myself as a Teacher

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Ó Gallchóir, Ciarán; O'Flaherty, Joanne; Hinchion, Carmel

2018-01-01

Teacher identity has been recognised as critical to the practice and development of teachers. However, there remains a paucity of scholarship capturing the voice of pre-service teachers' meaning making of their own development as teachers during initial teacher education. This paper sets out to explore seven pre-service teachers' meaning making of…

Predictors of mental health in female teachers.

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Seibt, Reingard; Spitzer, Silvia; Druschke, Diana; Scheuch, Klaus; Hinz, Andreas

2013-12-01

Teaching profession is characterised by an above-average rate of psychosomatic and mental health impairment due to work-related stress. The aim of the study was to identify predictors of mental health in female teachers. A sample of 630 female teachers (average age 47 ± 7 years) participated in a screening diagnostic inventory. Mental health was surveyed with the General Health Questionnaire GHQ-12. The following parameters were measured: specific work conditions (teacher-specific occupational history), scales of the Effort-Reward-Imbalance (ERI) Questionnaire as well as cardiovascular risk factors, physical complaints (BFB) and personal factors such as inability to recover (FABA), sense of coherence (SOC) and health behaviour. First, mentally fit (MH(+)) and mentally impaired teachers (MH(-)) were differentiated based on the GHQ-12 sum score (MH(+): teachers showed evidence of mental impairment. There were no differences concerning work-related and cardiovascular risk factors as well as health behaviour between MH(+) and MH(-). Binary logistic regressions identified 4 predictors that showed a significant effect on mental health. The effort-reward-ratio proved to be the most relevant predictor, while physical complaints as well as inability to recover and sense of coherence were identified as advanced predictors (explanation of variance: 23%). Contrary to the expectations, classic work-related factors can hardly contribute to the explanation of mental health. Additionally, cardiovascular risk factors and health behaviour have no relevant influence. However, effort-reward-ratio, physical complaints and personal factors are of considerable influence on mental health in teachers. These relevant predictors should become a part of preventive arrangements for the conservation of teachers' health in the future.

Rethinking and Redesigning Teacher Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baltzersen, Johnny

to emphasize that I only consider my contribution to day as a humble effort to address highly complex and complicated issues and further emphasize that everyone seriously engaged in education reform, educational change and teacher education have much to do before we can embark on coherent and well......Teacher education and teachers are in most countries round the world under heavy criticism for not delivering what governments, many politicians and policy analysts and many sections of public life feel they should be delivering. And teacher education is at large on the defensive when confronted...

Neutrophil programming dynamics and its disease relevance.

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Ran, Taojing; Geng, Shuo; Li, Liwu

2017-11-01

Neutrophils are traditionally considered as first responders to infection and provide antimicrobial host defense. However, recent advances indicate that neutrophils are also critically involved in the modulation of host immune environments by dynamically adopting distinct functional states. Functionally diverse neutrophil subsets are increasingly recognized as critical components mediating host pathophysiology. Despite its emerging significance, molecular mechanisms as well as functional relevance of dynamically programmed neutrophils remain to be better defined. The increasing complexity of neutrophil functions may require integrative studies that address programming dynamics of neutrophils and their pathophysiological relevance. This review aims to provide an update on the emerging topics of neutrophil programming dynamics as well as their functional relevance in diseases.

Community Inquiry and Curriculum Development: A Relevant Education for Teachers about the Vietnam War

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Dentith, Audrey M.; McCarry, David S.

2003-01-01

In this article, the authors describe an innovative university-based project that connected graduate-level, preservice, and beginning teachers enrolled in a curriculum class for secondary and elementary teaching certification with a community-based war museum memorial and educational center. The course required these teachers to construct units on…

Gender Competence of the Modern Teacher

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Auhadeeva, Ludmila A.; Yarmakeev, Iskander E.; Aukhadeev, Aver E.

2015-01-01

This article discusses improvements in education and modern teacher's gender training in terms of a competence-based approach as a basic strategy of general and vocational education development in Russia. The article substantiates the relevance of teachers' gender training and the necessity to use the gender approach in their professional…

A Multicultural Fairy Tale for Teacher Educators

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Robinson, Scott

2014-01-01

The purpose of this narrative research is to examine cultural diversity among teacher candidates. A secondary purpose is to offer a pedagogical tool for teacher educators to use with their teacher candidates to help them develop a critical consciousness in their encounters with diverse students and their reflections on their own cultural…

Teachers Envisioning Future Geography Education at Their Schools

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Béneker, Tine; Palings, Hans; Krause, Uwe

2015-01-01

One of the challenges of a geography teacher education program is preparing teachers for their leading roles in keeping geography education relevant for the young people of today. It is important to allow teachers to think about geography education and the future and to foster their curriculum-making competences. In a master course at Fontys…

Pragmatics in Teacher Education for Nonnative-Speaking Teachers: A Consciousness-Raising Approach.

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Rose, Kenneth R.

1997-01-01

Reviews some of the problems relevant to the teaching of language use and discusses pragmatic consciousness raising (PCR) as one alternative in teacher education for dealing with pragmatics in the classroom. (Author/JL)

Theoretical Perspectives on Critical Thinking Teaching: Reflections from Field Experiences from a Norwegian Lower Secondary School in Comparison to Tanzanian Secondary School Teaching Practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leatitia Gabriel Mashaza

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the theoretical perspectives relevant to critical thinking as my topic of research during my teaching practice period which was conducted from 12th -28th October 2015 at Eidsvag secondary school in Bergen, Norway. As a requirement for Masters’ degree in social science education, all master students were required to engage in teaching practice in different Norwegian primary and secondary schools. Importantly, every student teacher was given a topic of concentration as a mini-research for the whole teaching practice period. My topic of research focused at exploring and gaining the theoretical and practical perspectives on critical thinking teaching by drawing some experiences from a Norwegian lower secondary school (Eidsvag skole in reflection to secondary school teaching practice experiences in Tanzania. Therefore, in this paper, my reflections with regard to the conditions favoring the possibility for critical thinking teaching and how it was enhanced by teachers at my practice school will be discussed. Further to that, I will also present the observed challenges of which, in my view, in way or another intervened the possibility for effective critical thinking teaching to take place.

Preservice Teachers' Understanding of Children of Divorced Families and Relations to Teacher Efficacy

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Atiles, Julia T.; Oliver, Mallory I.; Brosi, Matthew

2017-01-01

Teachers are well-positioned to play a critical role in fostering resiliency in children of divorce and to assist in reducing the risk for adjustment problems. The purpose of this study was to determine whether preservice early childhood teachers have the awareness of the stress responses and effects of parental divorce on their students. Early…

'You need to have some guts to teach': Teacher preparation and characteristics for the teaching of sexuality and HIV/AIDS education in South African schools.

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Francis, Dennis A; DePalma, Renée

2015-01-01

Using in-depth interviews, we asked sexuality educators in South Africa about their own professional preparation and what they believed were necessary educator characteristics for teaching Sexuality Education. Our findings show that our teachers taught Sexuality Education without any appropriate qualification or preparation, but because they had a lighter teaching load and had room to take on more teaching hours. Nevertheless, they all mention that 'not anybody can teach Sexuality Education'. Drawing on Shulman's taxonomy of knowledge and Freire's concept of critical consciousness, we attempt to make meaning of the teachers' responses and their relevance for the teaching of Sexuality Education.

"Why All of a Sudden Do We Need to Teach Fundamental British Values?" A Critical Investigation of Religious Education Student Teacher Positioning within a Policy Discourse of Discipline and Control

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Farrell, Francis

2016-01-01

This paper presents a critical investigation of a group of 11 religious education (RE) student teachers' views of the promotion of fundamental British values (FBV) undertaken in 2015. Using qualitative methods, data were collected in two semi-structured group interviews. Drawing from the perspectives of Foucauldian methodology and critical theory,…

Improving Student Teachers' Knowledge-Base in Language Education through Critical Reading

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Mulumba, Mathias Bwanika

2016-01-01

The emergence of the digital era is redefining education and the pedagogical processes in an unpredictable manner. In the midst of the increased availability of print and online resources, the twenty-first century language teacher educator expects her (or his) student teachers to be reading beings if they are to improve their knowledge-base in…

Inspiring Teachers to Reflect and Ask for Feedback: An Interplay of Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Principals' Feedback, and Servant Leadership Characteristics

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Birringer-Haig, Joan I.

2014-01-01

The goal of the study was to investigate how teachers' reflection and asking for feedback--critical aspects of teachers' professional growth--can be explained and stimulated by teachers' self-efficacy, principals' feedback, and servant leadership characteristics. A mixed-method study was conducted with data collected from surveys and interviews…

How Do Primary Education Trainee Teachers Perceive Educational Psychology?

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Alvarez, Ibis M.; Weise, Crista; Vall, Berta; González, Montserrat; Morodo, Andy

2018-01-01

Educational Psychology makes a significant contribution to the development of skills to research the effectivity of teacher practices in class. However, there is little agreement on what educational psychology concepts are most relevant for teacher training. This paper reports on trainee teachers' self-perceived mastery of, and attributed…

"Only Connect": Researchers and Teachers in Dialogue

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Paran, Amos

2017-01-01

This article responds to recent critiques of the usefulness of research findings to teaching, and the call for teachers to rely on their experiences and intuition. I discuss the fallibility of intuition and then examine the nature of research and of critical thinking and their importance for teachers and teacher education. I provide evidence of…

Redrawing the Boundaries on Theory, Research, and Practice Concerning Language Teachers' Philosophies and Language Teacher Cognition: Toward a Critical Perspective

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Crookes, Graham V.

2015-01-01

Two areas of investigation and professional practice--language teachers' philosophies and language teacher cognition--can be considered as related, perhaps overlapping, insofar as they are both the result of thought. The concept of a philosophy of teaching may hold together sets of language teacher cognitions, or guide specific investigations of…

An Examination of Secondary School Teachers' Technology Integration Recommended by ISTE's National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers and School Principal Support for Teacher Technology Efforts

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Esposito, Maria

2013-01-01

The National Educational Technology Standards for teachers (NETS-T) was adopted by New York State, and was critical to the development of students entering a global society. This study examines teachers' use of digital tools to promote student learning and reflection, promote digital citizenship, communicate and collaborate with parents and…

Special Education Teachers' Nature of Science Instructional Experiences

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Mulvey, Bridget K.; Chiu, Jennifer L.; Ghosh, Rajlakshmi; Bell, Randy L.

2016-01-01

Special education teachers provide critical science instruction to students. However, little research investigates special education teacher beliefs and practices around science in general or the nature of science and inquiry in particular. This investigation is a cross-case analysis of four elementary special education teachers' initial…

One University's Experience with Foreign-trained Teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Belinda Bustos Flores

2001-05-01

Full Text Available Texas like many states is facing a teacher shortage. The author suggests that the teacher shortage should be considered in light of the diverse school population. Across states there is a need for well-prepared teachers to work with linguistically and culturally diverse school populations. Thus, areas such as bilingual education continue to be critical shortage areas. While different attempts are currently underway to increase the number of preservice bilingual educators, another way districts have addressed this issue is to employ foreign-trained teachers as paraprofessionals or as teachers. Recently, Texas passed a regulation that would allow legally residing foreign-trained teachers to become certified Texas teachers upon passing the appropriate teacher competency exams and demonstrating English proficiency. The passing of this "fast-track" regulation appears to demonstrate that the state board is thinking out of the box by tapping into a community's resources and acknowledging that immigrants can offer the community services beyond menial tasks. However, the researcher cautions that such actions may not increase the number of teachers and may not assure teacher quality. To support this notion, the researcher offers an analysis of a university's experience with the integration of legally residing foreign-trained Mexican teachers in their bilingual education teacher preparation program. The researcher posits that increasing the number of qualified teachers does require for entities to think out of the box, such as tapping into a community's natural resources; nevertheless, any plan of action should be critically examined and deliberated.

Does a 3-week critical research appraisal course affect how students perceive their appraisal skills and the relevance of research for clinical practice? A repeated cross-sectional survey.

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Jelsness-Jørgensen, Lars-Petter

2015-01-01

Research utilisation is essential in developing evidence-based practices; although many students may be generally able to adopt such skills, there are reports of barriers related to critical appraisal skills. To explore how students perceive the relevance of research to future clinical practice and patients, and to what extent they read research (including reading pattern). Additionally, the objective was to explore whether a three-week intensive course in critical appraisal of research could affect these variables. A cross-sectional survey design, with a pre- and post-test. One large university college in Southeastern Norway. 196 multidisciplinary healthcare students at baseline and 147 after three weeks. A purposely-designed 21 item questionnaire was used to quantify students' attitudes towards using research and critical thinking. The questionnaire was based on themes emerging from prior focus group interviews with 10 nursing and social educator students as well as from the existing literature. At baseline, 6.1% and 7.1% of respondents perceived the research to be of little or very little importance for their future work and patients, respectively. Furthermore, 83.2% reported that they seldom or very seldom read scientific papers. At baseline, 40 different patterns of reading a scientific paper were identified. Additionally, 7.1% of respondents reported to read the introduction, methods and conclusion in combination. Significantly improved scores were found after completing the three-week course related to a) relevance of research for future work (pskills in critical appraisal (pstudents' practical critical appraisal skills improved their view of the relevance of research for patients, future work as well as their own critical appraisal skills. Prospective studies are warranted to explore the effects of such teaching modules in the long-term. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conceptions of Critical Thinking from University EFL Teachers

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Marin, Matias A.; de la Pava, Luisa

2017-01-01

Critical Thinking has become an educational and social ideal. English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching has not been apart from the discussion on the importance of implementing Critical Thinking into the educational process. However, research on Critical Thinking has broadly been carried out in other fields of knowledge rather than in EFL.…

Taiwan Teacher Preparation Program Evaluation: Some Critical Perspectives

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Liu, Tze-Chang

2015-01-01

This paper focuses on the influences and changes of recent Taiwan teacher preparation program evaluation (TTPPE) as one of the national evaluation projects conducted by the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan. The main concerns are what kind of ideology is transformed through the policy by means of evaluation, and what…

Novice Teachers Learning from Others: Mentoring in Shanghai Schools

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Salleh, Hairon; Tan, Charlene

2013-01-01

This paper explores critically the practice of teacher mentoring in Shanghai schools. It begins with a review of the literature on teacher mentoring, which is followed by an introduction to education and teacher mentoring in the schools. The next section critiques teacher mentoring in Shanghai and we highlight three key characteristics and…

Predictors of mental health in female teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reingard Seibt

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: Teaching profession is characterised by an above-average rate of psychosomatic and mental health impairment due to work-related stress. The aim of the study was to identify predictors of mental health in female teachers. Material and Methods: A sample of 630 female teachers (average age 47±7 years participated in a screening diagnostic inventory. Mental health was surveyed with the General Health Questionnaire GHQ-12. The following parameters were measured: specific work conditions (teacher-specific occupational history, scales of the Effort-Reward-Imbalance (ERI Questionnaire as well as cardiovascular risk factors, physical complaints (BFB and personal factors such as inability to recover (FABA, sense of coherence (SOC and health behaviour. Results: First, mentally fit (MH+ and mentally impaired teachers (MH- were differentiated based on the GHQ-12 sum score (MH+: < 5; MH-: ≥ 5; 18% of the teachers showed evidence of mental impairment. There were no differences concerning work-related and cardiovascular risk factors as well as health behaviour between MH+ and MH-. Binary logistic regressions identified 4 predictors that showed a significant effect on mental health. The effort-reward-ratio proved to be the most relevant predictor, while physical complaints as well as inability to recover and sense of coherence were identified as advanced predictors (explanation of variance: 23%. Conclusion: Contrary to the expectations, classic work-related factors can hardly contribute to the explanation of mental health. Additionally, cardiovascular risk factors and health behaviour have no relevant influence. However, effort-reward-ratio, physical complaints and personal factors are of considerable influence on mental health in teachers. These relevant predictors should become a part of preventive arrangements for the conservation of teachers' health in the future.

Thinking in nursing education. Part II. A teacher's experience.

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Ironside, P M

1999-01-01

Across academia, educators are investigating teaching strategies that facilitate students' abilities to think critically. Because may these strategies require low teacher-student ratios or sustained involvement over time, efforts to implement them are often constrained by diminishing resources for education, faculty reductions, and increasing number of part-time teachers and students. In nursing, the challenges of teaching and learning critical thinking are compounded by the demands of providing care to patients with increasingly acute and complex problems in a wide variety of settings. To meet these challenges, nurse teachers have commonly used a variety of strategies to teach critical thinking (1). For instance, they often provide students with case studies or simulated clinical situations in classroom and laboratory settings (2). At other times, students are taught a process of critical thinking and given structured clinical assignments, such as care plans or care maps, where they apply this process in anticipating the care a particular patient will require. Accompanying students onto clinical units, teachers typically evaluate critical thinking ability by reviewing a student's preparation prior to the experience and discussing it with the student during the course of the experience. The rationales students provide for particular nursing interventions are taken as evidence of their critical thinking ability. While this approach is commonly thought to be effective, the evolving health care system has placed increased emphasis on community nursing (3,4), where it is often difficult to prespecify learning experiences or to anticipate patient care needs. In addition, teachers are often not able to accompany each student to the clinical site. Thus, the traditional strategies for teaching and learning critical thinking common to hospital-based clinical courses are being challenged, transformed, and extended (5). Part II of this article describes findings that suggest

Critical thinking: Its relevance for education in a shifting society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leandro da Silva Almeida

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The amount of information and variety of situations tackled on a daily basis call for new cognitive functions, namely combining knowledge, experience and intellectual abilities. Critical thinking is valued as a higher-order type of reasoning and a skill transversal to the educational organisms. We introduce some definitions suggested in the literature, and describe the cognitive functions responsible for critical thinking used in learning and problem solving situations. We then present the most used assessment procedures, illustrating with instruments as well as programs and curricular planning implemented in the classroom to teach and develop critical thinking. Finally, we highlight the importance of further investigation, in order to reach a convergence of theoretical and practical elements needed to define critical thinking.

Do Inquiring Minds Have Positive Attitudes? The Science Education of Preservice Elementary Teachers

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Riegle-Crumb, Catherine; Morton, Karisma; Moore, Chelsea; Chimonidou, Antonia; Labrake, Cynthia; Kopp, Sacha

2016-01-01

Due to their potential impact on students' cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes, the negative attitudes towards science held by many elementary teachers are a critical issue that needs to be addressed. This study focuses on the science education of pre-service elementary teachers with the goal of improving their attitudes before they begin their professional lives as classroom teachers. Specifically, this study builds on a small body of research to examine whether exposure to inquiry-based science content courses that actively involve students in the collaborative process of learning and discovery can promote a positive change in attitudes towards science across several different dimensions. To examine this issue, surveys and administrative data were collected from over 200 students enrolled in the Hands on Science (HoS) program for pre-service teachers at the University of Texas at Austin, as well as more than 200 students in a comparison group enrolled in traditional lecture-style classes. Quantitative analyses reveal that after participating in HoS courses, pre-service teachers significantly increased their scores on scales measuring confidence, enjoyment, anxiety, and perceptions of relevance, while those in the comparison group experienced a decline in favorable attitudes to science. These patterns offer empirical support for the attitudinal benefits of inquiry-based instruction and have implications for the future learning opportunities available to students at all education levels. PMID:27667862

Importance and difficulties of cooperative learning application in class teaching from teachers' perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilić Marina Ž.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Based on previous knowledge of cooperative learning two approaches stand out in researching the importance of cooperative learning: a the first approach tries to examine the effects, conditions and mechanisms by which educational outcomes are realized in the application of cooperative learning; and b the second approach moves the focus towards attitudes and perceptions of teachers and students on the relevance of cooperative learning. By applying descriptive-analytical technique we conducted a research aimed at examining the opinions of teachers (N=305 about the importance and difficulties in application of cooperative learning in the context of class teaching. The results show that the teachers had positive attitudes towards the importance of cooperative learning for reaching various educational goals and socio-affective and cognitive development of students. It turned out that the opinions of the teachers were not determined by the level of their education or work experience. Additionally, it turned out that the teachers' opinions about the difficulties of application in class are due more to work organization and were not assessed from the aspect of knowledge, attitudes and convictions of the participants in the teaching process. The obtained results, although generally encouraging for teaching practice indicate a need for further advancement of this segment of the teacher's work in order to understand better the value of cooperative learning and consider more critically the difficulties for its application in classroom.

Advocacy as a Practice of Critical Teacher Leadership

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Bradley-Levine, Jill

2018-01-01

Teacher advocacy has been examined as a practice of activism external to the school and as a practice of educational leadership. However, researchers have not merged these ideas by framing advocacy as a practice of leadership that takes place within the classroom and across the school. This article illustrates how, through advocacy on behalf of…

Learning to Become a Teacher in the 21st Century: ICT Integration in Initial Teacher Education in Chile

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Brun, Mario; Hinostroza, J. Enrique

2014-01-01

This paper presents the most relevant results from a national study about the availability and use of ICT in 46 Initial Teacher Education institutions in Chile, implemented during 2009 as part of the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) international project "ICT in Initial Teacher Training." Main findings show an…

Formation of the Professional and Didactic Culture of the Future Teacher

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Mirzagitova, Alsu L.; Akhmetov, Linar G.

2016-01-01

Relevance: The relevance of the problem under investigation is caused by the fact that the problem of the formation of the professional and didactic culture of future teachers has not been sufficiently elaborated. The purpose of the article: The article aims to the solution of the problem of improving the content of future teachers' training with…

Florida Teachers' Attitudes about Teaching Evolution

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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.

Teachers perception of school

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

This paper is part of MA thesis in which primary school teachers' perceptions of was explored. The study was ... of relevance, management, and result in enhancement of students learning, and obstructions. ...... Professional Ethics, Counseling.

Indonesian Teacher Engagement Index (ITEI): An Emerging Concept of Teacher Engagement in Indonesia

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Sasmoko; Doringin, F.; Indrianti, Y.; Goni, A. M.; Ruliana, P.

2018-02-01

This paper presents a new concept of teacher engagement in Indonesia. The various studies in this paper examine various perspectives and even criticize the initial research on teacher engagement, so as to build the concept of different teacher engagement and in accordance with the Indonesian context so that it can be implemented and has direct impact as a guideline on improving the quality of teachers and education personnel in Indonesia. The method used in this paper is the Neuroresearch research method focused on exploratory research. The conclusion of this research is the development of Indonesian Teacher Engagement Index concept (ITEI) as a concept that describes the condition of teachers who experienced various psychological conditions positively, actively participate in building positive education, able to show good performance, have supportive competence, have national character as Characteristic of Indonesia and able to show the nationalism leadership engagement.

Teachers and nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

The aims of the seminar were: to exchange national experience in informing and assisting teachers in the nuclear field, and to determine the conditions for improving the effectiveness of these programmes; to develop an international understanding on the basic training and information requirements to assist secondary-school teachers in discussing nuclear energy in an appropriately wide and balanced context at school; to study the respective contributions of national authorities, industry and relevant institutes in this endeavour

Teacher Judgment in Assessing Students' Social Behavior within a Response-to-Intervention Framework: Using What Teachers Know

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Walker, Hill M.; Marquez, Brion; Yeaton, Pamela; Pennefather, Jordan; Forness, Steven R.; Vincent, Claudia G.

2015-01-01

This article is focused on the initial development and trial testing of a brief teacher rating tool that can be used for universal screening and tracking of instructionally relevant forms of student social behavior over time. A 12-item scale is described in which teachers make judgments about student performance on a skills-based rather than a…

Learning with Teachers; A Scientist's Perspective

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Czajkowski, K. P.

2004-12-01

Over the past six years, as an Assistant Professor and now as an Associate Professor, I have engaged in educational outreach activities with K-12 teachers and their students. In this presentation I will talk about the successes and failures that I have had as a scientist engaged in K-12 educational outreach, including teaching the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) distance learning course, teaching inquiry-based science to pre-service teachers through the NASA Opportunities for Visionary Academics (NOVA) program, GLOBE, school visits, and research projects with teachers and students. I will reflect on the potential impact this has had on my career, negative and positive. I will present ways that I have been able to engage in educational outreach while remaining a productive scientist, publishing research papers, etc. Obtaining grant funding to support a team of educational experts to assist me perform outreach has been critical to my groups success. However, reporting for small educational grants from state agencies can often be overwhelming. The bottom line is that I find working with teachers and students rewarding and believe that it is a critical part of me being a scientist. Through the process of working with teachers I have learned pedagogy that has helped me be a better teacher in the university classroom.

How Five Master Teachers Teach about Climate Chang

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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.

Teacher Leadership: More than Just a Feel-Good Factor?

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Harris, Alma

2005-01-01

This article provides a critical analysis of the teacher leadership literature. It considers teacher leadership within the context of contemporary leadership theory, focusing particularly upon distributed leadership. The article explores different interpretations and definitions of the term "teacher leadership" and considers the implications for…

Taking on Critical Literacy: The Journey of Newcomers and Novices.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewison, Mitzi; Flint, Amy Seely; Van Sluys, Katie

2002-01-01

Describes a portion of the authors' work with a group of elementary teachers during the first eight months of an ongoing study investigating critical literacy in classrooms. Examines the understandings and classroom practices of two groups of teachers: newcomers and novices. Provides insights into the concerns teachers have when they begin…

Education for Ethically Sensitive Teaching in Critical Incidents at School

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Hanhimaki, Eija; Tirri, Kirsi

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to identify and investigate critical incidents at school that require ethically sensitive teaching. This kind of knowledge is needed in teacher education to prepare future teachers for their profession. The data included narrative interviews with 12 teachers from four urban schools in Finland. Critical…

The Development of Critical Thinking Attitudes Scale

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Özelçi, Serap Yilmaz; Saracaloglu, A. Seda

2017-01-01

This research aims to develop an independent scale that measures the critical thinking attitudes of classroom teacher candidates. The research was designed in a screening model. The universe of the research was composed of 384 prospective teachers who are studying in the education faculty of a university in the western part of Turkey. In the…

Managing teacher turnover

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Erna Kinsey

- ... vacant teaching posts are not filled (Pretorius & Heard, 1999; Anon., ... it reaches critical proportions. This article therefore investigates teacher turnover as a phenome- non to be managed and suggests ways of doing so. The study is based.

Physics Teacher Quality

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Andrew; Bixler, David

2010-03-01

Physics Teacher Quality at Angelo State University (ASU) and Education Service Center Region XV is funded through a US Department of Education grant. In this program secondary science teachers from local and rural districts within Region XV learn and practice physics and principles of technology concepts emphasized in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), improve practice of 5E model of guided inquiry, and complete activity-based laboratories and field investigations. Investigations include field and laboratory safety, environmental responsibility, ethical practices, application of scientific methods to open-ended problems encountered in the physical sciences, and critical thinking and problem solving. Teachers are assessed through pre- and post- testing, lab practicum, and classroom observation over a two-year cycle. Assessment data from 2004 through 2008 indicates Physics Teacher Quality is changing teaching behavior in the secondary classroom.

Brain Knowledge and the Prevalence of Neuromyths among Prospective Teachers in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marietta Papadatou-Pastou

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Although very often teachers show a great interest in introducing findings from the field of neuroscience in their classrooms, there is growing concern about the lack of academic instruction on neuroscience on teachers' curricula because this has led to a proliferation of neuromyths. We surveyed 479 undergraduate (mean age = 19.60 years, SD = 2.29 and 94 postgraduate students (mean age = 28.52 years, SD = 7.16 enrolled in Departments of Education at the University of Thessaly and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. We used a 70-item questionnaire aiming to explore general knowledge on the brain, neuromyths, the participants' attitude toward neuroeducation as well as their reading habits. Prospective teachers were found to believe that neuroscience knowledge is useful for teachers (90.3% agreement, to be somewhat knowledgeable when it comes to the brain (47.33% of the assertions were answered correctly, but to be less well informed when it comes to neuroscientific issues related to special education (36.86% correct responses. Findings further indicate that general knowledge about the brain was found to be the best safeguard against believing in neuromyths. Based on our results we suggest that prospective teachers can benefit from academic instruction on neuroscience. We propose that such instruction takes place in undergraduate courses of Departments of Education and that emphasis is given in debunking neuromyths, enhancing critical reading skills, and dealing with topics relevant to special education.

Brain Knowledge and the Prevalence of Neuromyths among Prospective Teachers in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadatou-Pastou, Marietta; Haliou, Eleni; Vlachos, Filippos

2017-01-01

Although very often teachers show a great interest in introducing findings from the field of neuroscience in their classrooms, there is growing concern about the lack of academic instruction on neuroscience on teachers' curricula because this has led to a proliferation of neuromyths. We surveyed 479 undergraduate (mean age = 19.60 years, SD = 2.29) and 94 postgraduate students (mean age = 28.52 years, SD = 7.16) enrolled in Departments of Education at the University of Thessaly and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. We used a 70-item questionnaire aiming to explore general knowledge on the brain, neuromyths, the participants' attitude toward neuroeducation as well as their reading habits. Prospective teachers were found to believe that neuroscience knowledge is useful for teachers (90.3% agreement), to be somewhat knowledgeable when it comes to the brain (47.33% of the assertions were answered correctly), but to be less well informed when it comes to neuroscientific issues related to special education (36.86% correct responses). Findings further indicate that general knowledge about the brain was found to be the best safeguard against believing in neuromyths. Based on our results we suggest that prospective teachers can benefit from academic instruction on neuroscience. We propose that such instruction takes place in undergraduate courses of Departments of Education and that emphasis is given in debunking neuromyths, enhancing critical reading skills, and dealing with topics relevant to special education.

Foreign English Language Teachers' Local Pedagogy

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Eusafzai, Hamid Ali Khan

2015-01-01

ELT methods have been criticized for being limited and inadequate. Postmethod pedagogy has been offered as an alternate to these methods. The postmethod pedagogy emphasises localization of pedagogy and celebrates local culture, teachers and knowledge. Localizing pedagogy is easy for local teachers as knowledge and understanding of the local comes…

Teachers' Attitudes towards Inclusive Education: A Critical Review of Published Questionnaires

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Ewing, Donna L.; Monsen, Jeremy J.; Kielblock, Stephan

2018-01-01

Teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education affect its successful implementation within mainstream schools. This paper reviews nine questionnaires which capture primary school teachers' attitudes towards inclusion, with the aim to support researchers in selecting the most appropriate measure according to the purpose of their study. Most of the…

Problem Solution Project: Transforming Curriculum and Empowering Urban Students and Teachers

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Jarrett, Olga S.; Stenhouse, Vera

2011-01-01

This article presents findings of 6 years of implementing a Problem Solution Project, an assignment influenced by service learning, problem-based learning, critical theory, and critical pedagogy whereby teachers help children tackle real problems. Projects of 135 teachers in an urban certification/master's program were summarized by cohort year…

Reaching teachers: The first step in teaching students

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berry, G.

1991-12-31

A 1984 American Association of the Academy of Sciences study of more than 150 successful science in-service programs developed a list of their characteristics, which included: Strong academic component in mathematics, science, and communications, focused on enrichment rather than remediation; academic subjects taught by teachers who are highly competent in the subject matter and believe that students can learn the materials; heavy emphasis on the applications of science and mathematics and careers in these fields; integrative approach to teaching that incorporates all subject areas, hands-on opportunities, and computers; multiyear involvement with students; recruitment of participants from all relevant target populations; opportunities for in-school and out-of-school learning experiences; parental involvement and development of base of community support; specific attention to removing educational inequalities related to race and gender; involvement of professionals and staff who look like the target population; development of peer support systems (involvement of a critical mass of any kind of student); evaluation, long-term follow-up, and careful data collection; and, ``mainstreaming`` -- integration of program elements supportive of women and minorities into the institutional support programs. I shall illustrate these points with ongoing teacher-support programs in progress in the Chicago area.

The Teacher's Role in Facilitating a Child's Adjustment to Divorce,

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Skeen, Patsy; McKenry, Patrick C.

1980-01-01

Provides information enabling teachers to support children and families during divorce. Research and theory concerning the effects of divorce on children, parenting through divorce, and the role of the school are summarized. Practical suggestions for the teacher are presented, and relevant books for children, teachers, and parents are identified.…

The Possibilities of Being "Critical": Discourses That Limit Options for Educators of Color

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Philip, Thomas M.; Zavala, Miguel

2016-01-01

Through a close reading of the talk of a self-identified critical educator of color, we explore the contradictions, possibilities, limitations, and consequences of this identity for teachers and teacher educators. We examine how the performances of particular critical educator of color identities problematically intertwine claims of Freirian…

University Student and Teacher Perceptions of Teacher Roles in Promoting Autonomous Language Learning with Technology outside the Classroom

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Lai, Chun; Yeung, Yuk; Hu, Jingjing

2016-01-01

Helping students to become autonomous learners, who actively utilize technologies for learning outside the classroom, is important for successful language learning. Teachers, as significant social agents who shape students' intellectual and social experiences, have a critical role to play. This study examined students' and teachers' perceptions of…

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.

Perceived usefulness and culture as predictors of teachers attitudes ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sumaya Laher

2015-11-24

Nov 24, 2015 ... qualitative study on four secondary school teachers, from two schools, found a ... ceived usefulness and perceived cultural relevance predicted attitudes .... relevance, ET com- petence, ET access and personal characteristics.

Diagnostic and Prescriptive Skills of Teachers and Related Specialists.

Science.gov (United States)

Banks, Karen Vlahos; Nolen, Patricia

In light of criticisms that teacher preparation programs do not adequately prepare prospective reading teachers and specialists for actual classroom problems, a study was conducted to determine the accuracy of teacher diagnoses and planning for reading difficulties and to examine differences in coursework preparation and classroom experience.…

Hiring Quality Teachers: The Devil Is in the Details

Science.gov (United States)

Whitworth, Jerry; Deering, Thomas; Jones, Steve; Hardy, Sam

2016-01-01

Persistent and consistent criticism of our nation's educational system has increased pressure on school districts and teacher education programs to improve the quality of teachers in our public schools. While there is research regarding the characteristics of effective teachers, the difficulty is often in identifying and hiring those teacher…

QUALITY OF INITIAL TEACHER EDUCATION: REFLECTIONS ON WHAT IS BEING RESEARCHED

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josimar de Aparecido Vieira

2009-12-01

Full Text Available This work is discussed, in general, the state of knowledge on research dealing with the quality of the initial training of teachers. Presents an analytical and critical reading of the situation of the quality of the initial training of teachers from the analysis of the theoretical bases produced in the last decade. For this, initially, are presented some considerations on the development of this process, followed by an analysis on the issue of training. Following are considered some of the dilemmas or problems that have been addressed in the study area, suggesting mechanisms or alternative solutions. The main source of data used is the Bank of the CAPES Theses which is available on the home page http://servicos.capes.gov.br/capesdw/, for the period from 2004 until 2006. Was used to search by typing the words "initial teacher training" in the "subject", which in 2004 were examined 33 abstracts were selected and these 15, in 2005 were examined 42 abstracts, of which 07 were deployed in 2006 and were seen 44 abstracts of which 21 have been considered because they relate to the quality of initial teacher education. Involved in this analysis, this study points out some principles and data that can help with the process of initial teacher training, pointing to possible review some indicators of pedagogical projects of degree courses. Emphasizes that the specificity and multidimensionality of the performance of the teacher raises the formulation of a set of information relevant to the qualification of objectives and practices of the initial key step in the process of learning to teach. Key words: Quality of education, initial training, university education, state of knowledge; indicators.

Implementation of municipal health promoting projects in primary schools: teachers perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nordin, Lone Lindegard

2013-01-01

. The project is funded by the Danish Ministry of Science, University of Aarhus and Silkeborg municipality, and involves 5 primary schools, 23 teachers and 233 pupils from 7th to 9 class. The project is positioned within the critical approach to school health education and health promotion, developed......Implementation of municipally health promoting projects' in primary schools: teachers perspective Research question This paper discusses the findings from a qualitative research, that aimed to investigate how teachers in primary schools implemented municipal health promoting projects focusing...... that there is a “gap” between policy and practice according to aim, content and methods, and that teachers practice can be explained as coping mechanism. The key findings include: • Teachers practice is closer to traditional health education than critical health education. • Teachers priorities the mandatory teaching...

Teacher Burnout: Will Talking about It Help?

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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)

Re-Conceptualizing Teacher Authority: When to Exact

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Tzuo, Pei-Wen; Chen, Der-Thanq

2011-01-01

Background: This paper re-conceptualizes issues related to teacher authority by integrating the constructivist (including social constructivist) and critical perspectives. The traditional perspectives perceive that teacher authority inhibits children's autonomy of learning. This perspective has been largely challenged by two groups of studies--the…

Becoming Reflective and Inquiring Teachers: Collaborative Action Research for In-service Chilean Teachers

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Martine Pellerin

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the outcomes of a case study that engaged Chilean in-service teachers in systematic action research (AR as a means of improving their pedagogical practice and effecting changes in their educational context. The study involved six in-service teachers from a region of Chile and two university researchers. The findings show that knowledge of systematic AR provided the teachers with the necessary means to engage in a critical reflection and inquiry process regarding their own practice. The teacher participants also perceived the self-reflective spiral of reflection and action to be crucial in establishing new habits of inquiry and reflection about their own pedagogical actions. The findings support earlier studies (e.g., Price & Valli, 2005; Steven & Kitchen, 2005, 2011 concerning the necessity of including knowledge of systematic AR in teacher preparation programs in order to foster strong habits of inquiry and reflection among preservice teachers. Finally, the study suggests that participation in a systematic reflection and inquiry process contributes to empowering in-service teachers to become agents of pedagogical change through their own actions.

Von Glaserfeld`s Radical Constructivism: A Critical Review

Science.gov (United States)

Hardy, Michael D.

We explore Ernst von Glaserfelds radical constructivism, its criticisms, and our own thoughts on what it promises for the reform of science and mathematics teaching. Our investigation reveals that many criticisms of radical constructivism are unwarranted; nevertheless, in its current cognitivist form radical constructivism may be insufficient to empower teachers to overcome objectivist cultural traditions. Teachers need to be empowered with rich understandings of philosophies of science and mathematics that endorse relativist epistemologies; for without such they are unlikely to be prepared to reconstruct their pedagogical practices. More importantly, however, is a need for a powerful social epistemology to serve as a referent for regenerating the culture of science education. We recommend blending radical constructivism with Habermas theory of communicative action to provide science teachers with a moral imperative for adopting a constructivist epistemology.

Making Real Analysis Relevant to Secondary Teachers: Building up from and Stepping down to Practice

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Wasserman, Nicholas H.; Fukawa-Connelly, Timothy; Villanueva, Matthew; Mejia-Ramos, Juan Pablo; Weber, Keith

2017-01-01

Future teachers often claim that advanced undergraduate courses, even those that attempt to connect to school mathematics, are not useful for their teaching. This paper proposes a new way of designing advanced undergraduate content courses for secondary teachers. The model involves beginning with an analysis of the curriculum and practices of…

Pharmaceutical products as emerging contaminant in water: relevance for developing nations and identification of critical compounds for Indian environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chinnaiyan, Prakash; Thampi, Santosh G; Kumar, Mathava; Mini, K M

2018-04-17

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are contaminants of emerging concern and have been detected worldwide in water bodies in trace concentrations. Most of these emerging contaminants are not regulated in water quality standards except a few in the developed countries. In the case of developing countries, research in this direction is at a nascent stage. For the effective management of Pharmaceutical contaminants (PC) in developing countries, the relevance of PCs as an emerging contaminant has to be analyzed followed by regular monitoring of the environment. Considering the resource constraints, this could be accomplished by identifying the priority compounds which is again region specific and dependent on consumption behavior and pattern. In this work, relevance of pharmaceutical compound as emerging contaminant in water for a developing country like India is examined by considering the data pertaining to pharmaceutical consumption data. To identify the critical Pharmaceutical Contaminants to be monitored in the Indian environment, priority compounds from selected prioritization methods were screened with the compounds listed in National List of Essential Medicine (NLEM), India. Further, information on the number of publications on the compound as an emerging contaminant, data on monitoring studies in India and the number of brands marketing the compound in India were also analyzed. It is found that out of 195 compounds from different prioritization techniques, only 77 compounds were found relevant to India based on NLEM sorting.

Embracing a Critical Pedagogy in Art Education.

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Yokley, Shirley Hayes

1999-01-01

Describes a "critical pedagogy" that encourages reflective self-examination of attitudes, values, and beliefs within historical and cultural critique. Highlights an art lesson for preservice teachers that illustrates the use of a critical pedagogy of representation, focusing on self-portraits by Frida Kahlo and Leonora Carrington. Discusses the…

Critical Thinking in Teacher Education: Perceptions and Practices of Teacher Candidates and College Faculty

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Wagley, Spencer A.

2013-01-01

Educators at all levels are expected to provide instruction that promotes critical thinking, but faculty are hindered by time constraints, expertise, and the attitude that critical thinking is taught and learned automatically. From Socrates to Dewey to Bloom to Facione, a firm foundation has been set for critical thinking pedagogies. This study…

Teachers' voices: A comparison of two secondary science teacher preparation programs

Science.gov (United States)

Kohlhaas Labuda, Kathryn

This dissertation, using cross-case qualitative methodology, investigates the salient and latent features of two philosophically different university-based secondary science teacher preparation programs. Written documents from the two programs and from the Salish I Research project provided the salient data. New teachers' interview transcripts provided the latent data. This study provides the opportunity to hear teachers voice their perceptions of preparation programs. Three questions were investigated in this research study. First, What are the salient features of two different secondary science teacher preparation programs? Second, What are the latent features of two different secondary science teacher programs as perceived by new teachers? Third, How do new secondary science teachers from different programs perceive their preservice programs? The last question incorporates teachers' perceptions of gaps and coherence in the programs and teachers' recommendations to improve their preservice programs. Salient features of the programs revealed differences in the types of certification, and the amounts and types of required course work. Both programs certified teachers at the secondary science level, but only M program certified their teachers as elementary science specialists. Program M required more semester hours of education and science course work than Program S. Although teachers from both programs perceived little coherence between their science and education courses, S-teachers presented a more fragmented picture of their education program and perceived fewer benefits from the program. Lack of relevance and courses that focused on elementary teaching were perceived as part of the problem. M-teachers perceived some cohesion through the use of cohorts in three consecutive semesters of science methods courses that provided multiple field experiences prior to student teaching. S-teachers did not perceive an organized philosophy of their program. M-teachers

取得中學教職的關鍵因素：運用決策樹探勘師資培育歷程 Critical Factors of Becoming Secondary School Teachers: Mining the Process of Teacher Education by Decision Trees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

黃嘉莉 Jia-Li Huang

2017-06-01

Full Text Available 本研究旨在透過大量的教育數據，運用資料探勘技術中的決策樹演算法，分析師資生於現行的師資培育歷程中，取得中學教師資格與取得正式教職的關鍵因素，以作為改進師資培育的參考。本研究以一所傳統師範體系的綜合大學 2003~2010 年入學的師資生為對象，運用開源碼軟體 Weka 分類演算法中的決策樹，針對每位師資生經歷 5 年培育歷程中修課與培訓的數據，進行資料探勘，用以瞭解取得教師證書與正式教職的關鍵因素。本研究主要結果為： 一、三個主要學院（文、理、教育學院）的師資生取得教職所需年限有別（特別是理學院差異較大）；二、取得教師證書的關鍵因素是教育專業知識，而取得正式教職的關鍵因素則為專門知識與學科教學知識。此外，師資生拓展多元經驗亦有機會取得教職，且目前結果顯示教育實習成績並非是取得教師證書與教師工作的關鍵因素。本研究再以各類文獻驗證上述部分結果，提供師資培育較佳作法的參考建議。 This study aimed to identify the critical factors leading teacher students to successfully receive teacher certificates and become secondary school teachers by mining vast educational data using decision trees in order to provide actionable suggestions to improve teacher education. The five-year learning evidence of the teacher students enrolled during 2003-2010 school years from a normal university in Taiwan was collected and then analyzed with the open source data mining software Weka by use of its decision tree algorithms. The major findings include: (1 Years spent to receive a teacher job were different among the three major colleges, namely colleges of Education, Liberal Arts, and Science; (2 Education knowledge is the critical predictor to receive a teacher certificate, while pedagogical content knowledge and content knowledge

When Complexity Theory Meets Critical Realism: A Platform for Research on Initial Teacher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Cochran-Smith, Marilyn; Ell, Fiona; Grudnoff, Lexie; Ludlow, Larry; Haigh, Mavis; Hill, Mary

2014-01-01

Many scholars have concluded that teacher education research needs to take a complex view, resist simplification, and account more fully for teacher education's contexts and processes as well as its impact on teacher candidates' and school students' learning (Cochran-Smith & Zeichner, 2005; Grossman & McDonald, 2008; Opfer & Pedder,…

Taiwanese Technical Education Teachers' Professional Development: An Examination of Some Critical Factors

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Chang, Jen-Chia; Yeh, Yu-Mei; Chen, Su-Chang; Hsiao, Hsi-Chi

2011-01-01

There is a lack of research in the area of the influence that task autonomy (TA), organizational learning (OL), and group cohesiveness (GC) can have on technical education teachers' innovation of professional development (IOPD). Therefore, this study aimed to probe into the influences of TA, OL, and GC on IOPD by technical education teachers, and…

Responses to Including Parents in Teacher Evaluation Policy: A Critical Policy Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández, Erica; LeChasseur, Kimberly; Donaldson, Morgaen L.

2018-01-01

The intersection of development in family and school settings has been well established and education policies have begun to promote ways to bridge the two contexts (i.e. teacher evaluations). For this manuscript, authors focus on how teachers and principals used a state educator evaluation policy to position parents as authorities on education.…

An Examination of Teacher Acceptance of Handheld Computers

Science.gov (United States)

Adiguzel, Tufan; Capraro, Robert M.; Willson, Victor L.

2011-01-01

As states and federal legislation have invested in integration of new technologies into education, the teacher's role as the user of such technologies in the classroom becomes more prominent (Telecommunications Act of 1996). However, relevant prior research suggests that teacher resistance to new technologies remains high. This study explores…

Critical thinking and the role of the clinical ultrasound tutor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, Hazel

2006-01-01

As radiographers continue to extend their role and take on more procedures associated traditionally with radiologists, it is essential that their critical thinking abilities keep pace with the new practical skills they are learning. This is particularly important in ultrasound where student sonographers must master a number of new skills including the technical dexterity required to perform a scan, the ability to form and discard hypotheses when trying to interpret the image, and the communication of their findings as a written report. Interpreting the image and producing an accurate, appropriate report involves the higher level cognitive processes of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. In other words, the student sonographer must be able to think critically to become a successful practitioner. This paper attempts to define and discuss critical thinking, and considers a range of simple strategies that the clinical teacher of ultrasound can employ to help develop critical thinking skills in their students. These methods are appropriate for use not only by clinical teachers of ultrasound but for all teachers and mentors wishing to improve reasoning skills in their pupils

Mentoring and Retention in First-Year Teachers: A Mixed-Methods Study

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Morina, Sam F., Jr.

2010-01-01

This study collected relevant information from first-year teacher proteges about mentorship effectiveness and anticipated turnover. The primary goal of this study was to examine a first-year-teacher mentoring program to determine its perceived effectiveness for first-year-teacher proteges and to examine their perceptions of the essential…

Reflections on relevance: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics in 2004.

Science.gov (United States)

Balon, Richard

2005-01-01

Relevance of an article is a highly desirable yet hardly predictable quality at the time of its publication. Article relevance is frequently measured by the impact factor of the journal where the article is published. Furthermore, impact factor, citation index and citation analysis are used as a measure of research progress and scientific wealth of a nation. The wisdom and significance of this approach to relevance is debatable and thus discussed here. In 2004, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics published a variety of articles which, in the author's view, are clinically relevant. Several selected clinically relevant issues reviewed in this article include: the conceptualization of fibromyalgia as a stress disorder; the psychosocial impact and psychosocial interventions in cancer; the impact of alexithymia on patient care; the possible relationship between depression and nutrition (namely intake of folate and pyridoxal phosphate); the significance of hypercoagulability in panic-like anxiety; the questionable value of single isomer drugs, and the relevance and adequacy of clinimetrics versus psychometrics in clinical research. The reviewed issues seem to be relevant to clinical practice, research or both, but also to our critical thinking, and the critical review of the developments in psychiatry and psychology. Copyright 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Empowering School Teachers for Emerging Technologies: An Action Plan

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, Pradeep Kumar

2010-01-01

"Possessing openness to emerging technologies is critical for teachers in the technology-rich 21st Century as technology continues to accelerate at a rapid rate. Readiness for new technologies is a challenge associated with change. Teachers who resist change may impede and/or limit their students' learning and skills. Teachers, therefore,…

Culturally relevant science: An approach to math science education for hispanics. Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montellano, B.O. de

1996-11-14

This progress report summarizes results of a teacher workshop. A letter sent to 17 teachers who had participated in the workshop requested a report of any activities undertaken and copies of lesson plans and materials developed. Only nine responses were received, and not all of them demonstrated a satisfactory level of activity. Teachers who submitted materials showing the most promise were invited to participate in the Summer Writing Workshop. A partial first draft of a companion volume for the teacher`s manual was written which provides a rationale for culturally relevant science and presents the cultural and scientific background needed. The outline of the book is presented in Appendix 1. Appendix 2 is a sample chapter from the book.

Theory in Teacher Education: Students' Views

Science.gov (United States)

Higgs, Leonie G.

2012-01-01

This paper investigates the views of Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students' of the theoretical component in one of the modules in their teacher education programme. In this module students are exposed to the following theoretical frameworks: Empiricism, Critical Rationalism, Feminism, Critical Theory, African Philosophy and…

Applying Knowledge Management in Teacher Evaluation Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Essandoh, Albert

2013-01-01

Teacher evaluations are underused in public schools, resulting in the loss of knowledge critical to professional development. Knowledge management (KM) theory offers approaches that can lead to improvements in the effectiveness of evaluations and teacher performance. This multiple case study of 9 campuses in an exemplary school district…

Teachers as Learners: Implications of Adult Education for Professional Development

Science.gov (United States)

Beavers, Amy

2009-01-01

Effective communication with teachers is a critical element of any successful professional development. Teachers are the foundational component of any educational system. It is vital that adequate attention is focused on appropriate and effective training of these teachers. Ideally, professional development offers a means of collaborative support…

Inconvenient Truths about Teacher Learning: Towards Professional Development 3.0

Science.gov (United States)

Korthagen, Fred

2017-01-01

Based on recent findings about teacher learning, a critical analysis of traditional and new approaches to professional development is presented. To a large degree, teacher learning takes place unconsciously and involves cognitive, emotional and motivational dimensions. Moreover, teacher learning takes place at various levels. Although these…

A Bourdieuian Analysis of Teachers' Changing Dispositions towards Social Justice: The Limitations of Practicum Placements in Pre-Service Teacher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Carmen

2013-01-01

As populations in contemporary Western societies grow increasingly diverse, preparing predominantly White middle-class pre-service teachers to better understand and work with difference productively has become increasingly critical. Historically, however, teacher education programs have aimed to address diversity with add-on or piecemeal…

An invitation to critical mathematics education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovsmose, Ole

An Invitation to Critical Mathematics Education deals with a range of crucial topics. Among these are students’ foreground, landscapes of investigation, and mathematics in action. The book is intended for a broad audience: educators, students, teachers, policy makers, anybody interested...... in the further development of mathematics education. The book discusses concerns and preoccupation. This way it provides an invitation into critical mathematics education....

Preparation and Professional Development of Teacher Educators in Tanzania: Current Practices and Prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Namamba, Adam; Rao, Congman

2017-01-01

Teacher educators play a key role in teacher education and education in general. Worldwide, little is known about preparation and professional development of teacher educators. This paper critically examined teacher educators' preparation and professional development in the context of educational reforms and mushrooming of teacher education…

Long Ago and Far Away: Preservice Teachers' (Mis)conceptions Surrounding Racism

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Melissa Beth; Kumar, Tracey

2017-01-01

This study examines a large data set of preservice teachers' definitions of racism at the beginning and at the end of a teacher training program in the Southeastern United States. Using the methodology of Critical Content Analysis that is grounded in Critical Race Theory, the authors found that the majority of the definitions illustrate a removed,…

What EFL Student Teachers Think about Their Professional Preparation: Evaluation of an English Language Teacher Education Programme in Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez Agudo, Juan de Dios

2017-01-01

Given the importance of programme evaluation in the EFL teacher education, this research paper of exploratory-interpretive nature mainly focuses on both strengths and weaknesses identified through the analysis and/or critical evaluation of an EFL teacher education programme carried out in Spain. Both quantitative and qualitative research…

Building Future Directions for Teacher Learning in Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kathy; Lindsay, Simon

2016-04-01

In 2013, as part of a process to renew an overall sector vision for science education, Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) undertook a review of its existing teacher in-service professional development programs in science. This review led to some data analysis being conducted in relation to two of these programs where participant teachers were positioned as active learners undertaking critical reflection in relation to their science teaching practice. The conditions in these programs encouraged teachers to notice critical aspects of their teaching practice. The analysis illustrates that as teachers worked in this way, their understandings about effective science pedagogy began to shift, in particular, teachers recognised how their thinking not only influenced their professional practice but also ultimately shaped the quality of their students' learning. The data from these programs delivers compelling evidence of the learning experience from a teacher perspective. This article explores the impact of this experience on teacher thinking about the relationship between pedagogical choices and quality learning in science. The findings highlight that purposeful, teacher-centred in-service professional learning can significantly contribute to enabling teachers to think differently about science teaching and learning and ultimately become confident pedagogical leaders in science. The future of quality school-based science education therefore relies on a new vision for teacher professional learning, where practice explicitly recognises, values and attends to teachers as professionals and supports them to articulate and share the professional knowledge they have about effective science teaching practice.

A teacher-centered exploration of the relevance of social factors to theory of mind development.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Barlow C; Mahfoud, Janina

2014-02-01

Many accounts of children's Theory of Mind (ToM) development favor a cognitive explanation, for example, in terms of mental representational improvements at or before 4 years. Here, we investigated whether social factors as rated by a child's teacher, are related to ToM development. We tested 82 children of 3-6 years on each of four ToM tasks, and their class teacher completed a social questionnaire about each child's playing behavior, sharing, talkativeness, confidence, aggressiveness and outgoingness. A measure of task memory and the child's gender were also recorded. Here, children generally passed ToM tasks after 5 years-old, but no one gender performed reliably better than the other. Teacher-rated confidence and playing behavior were correlated to ToM. But in a regression analysis, these were replaced by teacher-rated talkativeness; with age and memory given primacy in both sets of analyses. It is concluded that maturation and cognitive factors may well have primacy but social factors, facilitated during early primary education, must also be given a role in ToM development. © 2013 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Lived Experiences of Leading Edge Certified Elementary School Teachers Who Use Instructional Technology to Foster Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Creativity, and Communication in Their Classrooms: A Phenomenological Study

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Ruddell, Natalie

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of current and former Leading Edge Certified (LEC) elementary school teachers regarding instructional technology practices that facilitate students' development of critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity (4Cs) in one-to-one computer…

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

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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…

Mapping Geographical Knowledge and Skills Needed for Pre-Service Teachers in Teacher Education

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Terri Bourke

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In Australia, for more than two decades, a “social science” integrated framework was the favored approach for delivering subjects such as history and geography. However, such interdisciplinary approaches have continued to attract criticism from various parts of the academic and public spheres, and since 2009, a return to teaching the disciplines has been heralded as the “new” way forward. Using discourse analysis techniques associated with Foucauldian archeology, the purpose of this article is to examine the Australian Curriculum: Geography document to ascertain the discourses necessary for pre-service teachers to enact effective teaching of geography in a primary setting. Then, based on pre-service teachers’ online survey responses, the article investigates whether such future teachers have the knowledge and skills to interpret, deliver, and enact the new geography curriculum in primary classrooms. Finally, as teacher educators, our interest lies in preparing pre-service teachers effectively for the classroom, so that the findings are used to inform the content of a teacher education course for pre-service primary teachers.

"Why Do They Hate Us?": Leading amid Criticism, Crisis, and Disrespect

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Karpinski, Carol F.

2012-01-01

Laura Dannon, an educator with experience as teacher, assistant principal, and principal, enjoys her profession. Faculty camaraderie and student/teacher busyness at her school have led her to think all is well. A sudden outburst by a new teacher causes her to reflect on what is really happening. What has changed? Have media criticism, movements…

CRITICAL THINKING AND ITS AFFECTING FACTORS

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S Slameto

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this research were to measure the success rate achieved by the alumni of Open/Distance Learning (O/DL, the Bachelor Education In-service Teachers Program (BEITP, Staya Jacana Christian University(SWCU, Salatiga in their critical thinking habit that lead to their success, and to find factors which determined their critical thinking habit. The factors concerned were student factor (learning motivation, alumni’s readiness to enter ICT community, prerequisite or teacher factor (teacher’s ability in creating and using a new instructional context. This quantitative research belongs to the causality ex-post facto research. The data source was one class of O/ DL, the BEITP, SWCUstudents, who were chosen out of four classes, as many as 32 alumni in the academic year 2015/2016. Data were screened using a self-rating scale, which consisted of 40 items tested valid and reliable, and then reduced to 5 variablas. The BEITP, SWCU Salatiga had graduated most of its alumni who owned critical thinking habit at a high rate. The critical thinking habit was affected by the instructional contexts which enabled a new situation (Model 1, alumni’s readiness to enter the ICT community (Model 2, pre-requisite, i.e., mastery of previous lecture materials (Model 3, and student’s learning motivation (Model 4 to reach 81%. The alumni’s critical thinking habit of 51.20% was determined by the teacher’s role in developing instructional contexts which made a new situation possible. This finding was useful for educational quality management for the effectiveness and productivity of higher education, which should have been focused on the teacher in developing an instructional strategy based on context, alumni readiness to enter the ICT community, prerequisite, and student’s learning motivation.

The Research Portfolio: Educating Teacher Researchers in Data Analysis

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Bates, Alisa J.; Bryant, Jill D.

2013-01-01

This paper describes research on a course assignment, the research portfolio, designed for a two-course teacher research experience in a Masters of Arts in Teaching program. The focus of the assignment is the process of data collection and analysis that is critical to the success of teacher research. We sought a way to help our teacher candidates…

Reflective Practices for Teacher Education

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Paulus Kuswandono

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Studies on reflective practice in teacher education are increasingly getting more attention at least in the last 2 decades. This article discusses concepts of reflection and how it is implemented in educating pre-service teachers on their early stage of professional learning. The purposes of doing the reflection for pre-service teachers are not only for illuminating their professional learning experiences, but also to critically reflect their vocation as teachers, including the values which may be dictated to them through rigid regulations. Reflection in teacher education is crucial as it connects well with learning in that learners use reflection to exercise their mind and to evaluate their learning experiences. Besides, this article also highlights some perceived difficulties to implement reflective practice, as well as ways how to promote reflection.   DOI: https://doi.org/10.24071/llt.2012.150102

The Conversation of Critical Practice: Pre-Service Teachers as Educators for Social Justice

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Calderwood, Patricia; Mazza, Morgan Aboud; Ruel, Abiah Clarke; Favano, Amy; Jean-Guilluame, Vonick; McNeill, Daniel; Stenerson, Carolyn

2008-01-01

In this paper we examine aspects of the construction of authentic membership, competence, and sense of shared purpose within a professional community of educators accomplished by a class of pre-service teachers during a spontaneous electronic conversation. Implications for teacher education are considered.

Continuing education of teachers in the early years: "Good Practices Seminar" as a proposal for teacher education and integration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Vaitiekunas Pizarro

2017-12-01

Full Text Available There are many studies that show challenges, demands and needs in the search for improvement of teacher education. Seeking to break with the teacher's view that "always plays the same practices", the present study aimed to evaluate the placement of teachers on a proposal for training in school through socialization of pedagogical practices considered successful by teachers called "Good Seminar Practices" and to assess the extent of this situation as a proposal for continuing education. The research, qualitative, made use of semi-structured questionnaires to map the perceptions of teachers regarding this formative proposal. The results highlight the importance of qualifying the teacher do to not summarize a make devoid of purpose and criticism, valuing teachers' ideas in order to legitimize the faculty knowledge and refine their practices surpassing the understanding of teacher as mere executor of tasks.

Preparing pre-service teachers as emancipatory and participatory ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Preparing pre-service teachers as emancipatory and participatory action researchers in ... teachers to become more critically reflective and socially conscious. ... beliefs about teaching, and gain confidence in addressing social justice issues. ... focus on their work with learners and challenges in the real school environment.

Linking Student Achievement and Teacher Science Content Knowledge about Climate Change: Ensuring the Nations 3 Million Teachers Understand the Science through an Electronic Professional Development System

Science.gov (United States)

Niepold, F.; Byers, A.

2009-12-01

The scientific complexities of global climate change, with wide-ranging economic and social significance, create an intellectual challenge that mandates greater public understanding of climate change research and the concurrent ability to make informed decisions. The critical need for an engaged, science literate public has been repeatedly emphasized by multi-disciplinary entities like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the National Academies (Rising Above the Gathering Storm report), and the interagency group responsible for the recently updated Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science. There is a clear need for an American public that is climate literate and for K-12 teachers confident in teaching relevant science content. A key goal in the creation of a climate literate society is to enhance teachers’ knowledge of global climate change through a national, scalable, and sustainable professional development system, using compelling climate science data and resources to stimulate inquiry-based student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This session will explore innovative e-learning technologies to address the limitations of one-time, face-to-face workshops, thereby adding significant sustainability and scalability. The resources developed will help teachers sift through the vast volume of global climate change information and provide research-based, high-quality science content and pedagogical information to help teachers effectively teach their students about the complex issues surrounding global climate change. The Learning Center is NSTA's e-professional development portal to help the nations teachers and informal educators learn about the scientific complexities of global climate change through research-based techniques and is proven to significantly improve teacher science content knowledge.

Preparing Student Teachers to Address Complex Learning and Controversy with Middle Grades Students

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Smith, Ann Marie; Lennon, Sean

2011-01-01

This qualitative study explores pre-service teachers' perceptions of teaching critical literacy through discussions of controversial issues. Personality questionnaires were given to six classes of pre-student teachers over three semesters in order to gauge interest in teaching methods that incorporate inquiry learning and critical literacy. The…

Controlling Personal Rewards: Professional Teachers' Differential Use of Feedback and the Effects of Feedback on the Student's Motivation to Perform

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Cooper, Harris M.

1977-01-01

The hypothesis that teachers criticize low-expectation students in order to control reinforcement schedules was tested. Teacher expectation, teacher perception of control, criticism of students, academic behavior, and student perception of teacher response to student effort were examined in six primary grade classes. Implications concerning…

Teacher Knowing or Not Knowing about Students

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Amin, Nyna; Vithal, Renuka

2015-01-01

Based on a critical ethnography of an urban high school that exemplifies the many changes of post-apartheid South Africa, this paper presents data about two teachers who propose opposing perspectives and practices of knowing students. The analysis of the teachers' narratives shows that they came to know their students through solicited,…

The Formation of English Teacher Identities: A Cross-Cultural Investigation

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Gu, Mingyue; Benson, Phil

2015-01-01

Drawing on insights from Communities of Practice and critical discourse theory, this study investigates how teacher identities are discursively constructed in course of teacher education and under the influence of social structure. The participants were seven Hong Kong and nine mainland Chinese pre-service teachers. Two focus group interviews and…

SOFT SKILLS COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL TEACHER CANDIDATES

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I Made Sudana

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Vocational education curriculum 2013 that applied nationally in the academic year 2014/2015 mandated that religious subject added character educational in which contactwith aspects of soft skills. This needs to be addressed by LPTK as producer vocational teacher candidate, so that future graduates are able to fulfill the mandate of the curriculum. Curriculum vocational teacher candidates who applied seems also still focused on providing hard skills competencies, so that graduates do not have adequate soft skills competence. On the other hand in the world of work has been going on trend shift in terms of hard skills to soft skills.Research and development is designed to go through stages and multiyear to produce soft skills development strategy for prospective teachers of vocational school. Development strategy departs from theoretical studies and mapping needs soft skills aspects of relevant research, analysis and LPTK vocational curriculum, soft skills needs and job requirements of future trends, soft skills required by vocational teachers, teaching soft skills already there, done to map the needs and later for further development until the hypothetical model generated Late models. Subjects were LPTK lecturers, teachers of vocational productive industrials. Data were obtained by observation and interviews, review of documents that the results were analyzed with descriptive qualitative and quantitative techniques. There are several aspects of the soft skills required candidates vocational school teachers, among others: (1 self-discipline, (2 responsibility, (3 the spirit of the work, (4 problem solving, (5 collaboration, (6 the ability of communication, (7 personality, (8 social attitudes, (9 critical thinking, (10 creative thinking and innovative, (11 confidence and (12 self-motivation. Soft skills development strategy skills prospective teachers through extra-curricular with gradual pattern through four stages, namely: (1 the development of

Language Teacher Cognition in Applied Linguistics Research: Revisiting the Territory, Redrawing the Boundaries, Reclaiming the Relevance

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Kubanyiova, Magdalena; Feryok, Anne

2015-01-01

Understanding language teachers' "mental lives" (Walberg, 1972), and how these shape and are shaped by the activity of language teaching in diverse sociocultural contexts, has been at the forefront of the sub discipline of applied linguistics that has become known as "language teacher cognition." Although the collective…

The Discursive Dynamics in Teacher Education: Authoritative Discourse or Internally Persuasive Discourse?

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Maria Otilia Guimarães Ninin

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This article, based on the socio-cultural-historical theoretical perspective, discusses the activity in which individuals engage as constitutive of the social roles they occupy. It aims to trigger discussion of discursive dynamics in the context of critical-collaborative teacher education, focusing on internally persuasive and authoritative discourse (BAKHTIN, 1981 and their co-occurrence in situations of negotiation of meanings. This distinction is relevant because it is possible to understand different argumentative enunciations or not, conducted by educators in training, which approach or distance themselves from those cast by their trainers or isolated voices of theoretical practice, indicating possibilities of creation or reduction of dialogic expansion. From the emphasis on internally persuasive discourse, this article highlights the critical - collaborative argumentation role in training educators. Examples selected from a corpus of research collected in public school in São Paulo subsidize the discussion supported by Bakhtin (1981 and Vygotsky (1998; 2001.

Researching the Real: Transforming the Science Fair through Relevant and Authentic Research

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, Rosemary McBryan

This teacher research study documents the processes used to help students in an all-female, religious-based high school create science fair projects that are personally meaningful, scientifically sophisticated and up-to date in terms of science content. One-hundred sixteen young women in an honors chemistry class were introduced by their teacher to the methods used by science journalists when researching and crafting articles. The students then integrated these strategies into their science fair research through collaborative classroom activities designed by their teacher. Data collected during the process included audio and video tapes of classroom activities, student interviews, process work, finished projects, email conversations and the reflective journaling, annotated lesson plans, and memories of the lived experience by the teacher. The pedagogical changes which resulted from this project included the use of Read Aloud-Think Alouds (RATA) to introduce content and provide relevance, a discussion based topic selection process, the encouragement of relevant topic choices, the increased use of technology for learning activities and for sharing research, and an experimental design process driven by the student's personally relevant, topic choice. Built in feedback loops, provided by the teacher, peer editors and an outside editor, resulted in multiple revisions and expanded opportunities for communicating results to the community-at-large. Greater student engagement in science fair projects was evident: questioning for understanding, active involvement in decision making, collaboration within the classroom community, experience and expertise with reading, writing and the use of technology, sense of agency and interest in science related activities and careers all increased. Students communicated their evolving practices within the school community and became leaders who promoted the increased use of technology in all of their classes. Integrating journalistic

Critical Issues Forum: A multidisciplinary educational program integrating computer technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alexander, R.J.; Robertson, B.; Jacobs, D. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

1998-09-01

The Critical Issues Forum (CIF) funded by the US Department of Energy is a collaborative effort between the Science Education Team of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and New Mexico high schools to improve science education throughout the state of New Mexico as well as nationally. By creating an education relationship between the LANL with its unique scientific resources and New Mexico high schools, students and teachers participate in programs that increase not only their science content knowledge but also their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The CIF program focuses on current, globally oriented topics crucial to the security of not only the US but to that of all nations. The CIF is an academic-year program that involves both teachers and students in the process of seeking solutions for real world concerns. Built around issues tied to LANL`s mission, participating students and teachers are asked to critically investigate and examine the interactions among the political, social, economic, and scientific domains while considering diversity issues that include geopolitical entities and cultural and ethnic groupings. Participants are expected to collaborate through telecommunications during the research phase and participate in a culminating multimedia activity, where they produce and deliver recommendations for the current issues being studied. The CIF was evaluated and found to be an effective approach for teacher professional training, especially in the development of skills for critical thinking and questioning. The CIF contributed to students` ability to integrate diverse disciplinary content about science-related topics and supported teachers in facilitating the understanding of their students using the CIF approach. Networking technology in CIF has been used as an information repository, resource delivery mechanism, and communication medium.

Digital Libraries in the Classroom: Secondary School Teachers' Conception

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Abrizah, A.; Zainab, A. N.

2011-01-01

This paper presents findings from a case study investigating secondary school teachers' understanding of the term digital libraries and their relationship with learning. The study addresses two research questions: (1) How do teachers conceptualize digital libraries, their relevance and issues relating to their integration into the curriculum? and…

Cultivating Critical Thinking in the Clinical Learning Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Behar-Horenstein, Linda S.; Dolan, Teresa A.; Courts, Frank J.; Mitchell, Gail S.

2000-01-01

Used qualitative research methods to assess the frequency and nature of teaching critical thinking skills in the University of Florida College of Dentistry predoctoral student clinics. Observation of 13 faculty and 44 students in six clinics found critical thinking skills were infrequently taught and teacher-dominated instruction predominated.…

Under Constant Attack: Personal Reflections of a Teacher Educator.

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Hunter, Elizabeth

1985-01-01

The personal reminiscences of a teacher educator ready to retire touch on changing attitudes toward education and the consequences of those attitudes: the shifting character of the bitter criticism teacher educators must endure whatever the current educational fashion. (PGD)

High School Physical Sciences Teachers' Competence in Some ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

NICO

emphasis on critical thinking and reasoning abilities of students, would need teachers who ... of competence in cognitive skills and strategies would be an important limiting factor in ... Cognitive skills, thinking skills, questions testing skills, problem solving, teacher ... strategies to investigate and solve problems in a variety of.

Developing Students' Critical Reasoning About Online Health Information: A Capabilities Approach

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Wiblom, Jonna; Rundgren, Carl-Johan; Andrée, Maria

2017-11-01

The internet has become a main source for health-related information retrieval. In addition to information published by medical experts, individuals share their personal experiences and narratives on blogs and social media platforms. Our increasing need to confront and make meaning of various sources and conflicting health information has challenged the way critical reasoning has become relevant in science education. This study addresses how the opportunities for students to develop and practice their capabilities to critically approach online health information can be created in science education. Together with two upper secondary biology teachers, we carried out a design-based study. The participating students were given an online retrieval task that included a search and evaluation of health-related online sources. After a few lessons, the students were introduced to an evaluation tool designed to support critical evaluation of health information online. Using qualitative content analysis, four themes could be discerned in the audio and video recordings of student interactions when engaging with the task. Each theme illustrates the different ways in which critical reasoning became practiced in the student groups. Without using the evaluation tool, the students struggled to overview the vast amount of information and negotiate trustworthiness. Guided by the evaluation tool, critical reasoning was practiced to handle source subjectivity and to sift out scientific information only. Rather than a generic skill and transferable across contexts, students' critical reasoning became conditioned by the multi-dimensional nature of health issues, the blend of various contexts and the shift of purpose constituted by the students.

Effective Teachers

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Beverly A. King Miller

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on the educational strategies that can be used to support female students of African descent in their persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM education and careers. STEM careers have historically been White male and White female dominated, which has yielded an underrepresentation of those of African descent. Drawing from a grounded qualitative case study, the data used for this article share the responses of Afro-Caribbean females in STEM who have immigrated to the United States from the country of Panama. As Latinas, they are representative of the changing face in the American educational system—bilingual, multicultural, and of African descent. The strategies offered reflect their own teaching practices, their former teachers, or experiences with their children’s teachers. What emerged were descriptions of four strategies and behaviors of effective teachers that align with Ladson-Billings’s culturally relevant pedagogy and Gay’s culturally responsive teaching. Included in the findings are the high standards and expectations embodied by effective teachers that serve to positively inspire their students. Culturally responsive teachers create an atmosphere of learning that supports academic success, conveying their belief in their students’ ability based upon their own reflectivity. As the U.S. educational system continues to become multilingual and multicultural, there is need for strategies for the successful inclusion and progression of students in STEM educational pathways and careers. This will occur as teachers challenge themselves to be the agents of change in the lives of their students.

Reforming a middle school for educational equity : implications for teacher interaction

OpenAIRE

Edwards, Barbara

2007-01-01

A growing body of research concludes that teacher knowledge is critical for high levels of student achievement. One mechanism for improving teacher knowledge is the development of "professional communities" of teachers at a school site. Indeed, many policy-makers and educators have placed considerable faith in these communities without a detailed understanding of the efficacy or dynamics of teacher interaction in the workplace. This research study examined teacher professional interactions at...

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

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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…

WebQuest experience: Pre-Service secondary maths and chemistry teachers

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Erdoğan Halat

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine the impact of developing WebQuests on the attention, confidence, relevance and satisfaction, or motivation, of pre-service secondary mathematics and chemistry teachers in the instructional technologies and material design course. There were a total of 67 pre-service teachers, 32 pre-service secondary mathematics teachers and 35 pre-service secondary chemistry teachers involved in this study, which took place over seven weeks. The pre-service teachers in both groups designed their WebQuests suitable for the level of high-school students. The researcher used a questionnaire in the collection of the data to find the motivational level of the participants. It was given to the participants by the researcher before and after the instruction during a single class period. The paired-samples t-test, independent samples t-test and ANCOVA were used in the analysis of the quantitative data. The study showed that designing WebQuests had more effect on the attention, confidence and relevance of the pre-service chemistry teachers than of the pre-service mathematics teachers. However, in general, although developing WebQuests had positive effects on the motivational levels of both pre-service secondary maths and chemistry teachers, there were no statistically significant differences found in relation to the motivational levels of both groups.

A Comparison of the Goals of Studio Professors Conducting Critiques and Art Education Goals for Teaching Criticism.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Terry

1988-01-01

Compares stated goals of studio art course professors for teaching of criticism and the goals stated in art education literature of art teacher taught criticism. States that these goals are in conflict, therefore, future art teachers are being guided by goals for criticism that are not in accord with the goals set forth in their study of art…

Bullying and Teachers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søndergaard, Dorte Marie

2017-01-01

Approaching the relevance of teachers and their role in children’s bullying practices depends on the definition of bullying implied. If bullying is understood as an effect of individual traits and behavior, teachers are most often considered to be in a position to determine whether...... or not the reported or observed events can be defined as real cases of bullying. In cases deemed as bullying, they are considered responsible for taking further action in relation to the individual children involved. If bullying is understood as an effect of a dysfunctional culture in the school and in the classroom......, and enacted by the social structures in schools and other childhood institutions, it is instead seen as the teacher’s responsibility to analyze and seek to transform the climate and norms among the children. In those contexts the teachers are to transform the complex social processes in which bullying...

Teachers Supporting Teachers in Urban Schools: What Iterative Research Designs Can Teach Us.

Science.gov (United States)

Shernoff, Elisa S; Maríñez-Lora, Ane M; Frazier, Stacy L; Jakobsons, Lara J; Atkins, Marc S; Bonner, Deborah

2011-12-01

Despite alarming rates and negative consequences associated with urban teacher attrition, mentoring programs often fail to target the strongest predictors of attrition: effectiveness around classroom management and engaging learners; and connectedness to colleagues. Using a mixed-method iterative development framework, we highlight the process of developing and evaluating the feasibility of a multi-component professional development model for urban early career teachers. The model includes linking novices with peer-nominated key opinion leader teachers and an external coach who work together to (1) provide intensive support in evidence-based practices for classroom management and engaging learners, and (2) connect new teachers with their larger network of colleagues. Fidelity measures and focus group data illustrated varying attendance rates throughout the school year and that although seminars and professional learning communities were delivered as intended, adaptations to enhance the relevance, authenticity, level, and type of instrumental support were needed. Implications for science and practice are discussed.

Reaching teachers: The first step in teaching students

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berry, G.

1991-01-01

A 1984 American Association of the Academy of Sciences study of more than 150 successful science in-service programs developed a list of their characteristics, which included: Strong academic component in mathematics, science, and communications, focused on enrichment rather than remediation; academic subjects taught by teachers who are highly competent in the subject matter and believe that students can learn the materials; heavy emphasis on the applications of science and mathematics and careers in these fields; integrative approach to teaching that incorporates all subject areas, hands-on opportunities, and computers; multiyear involvement with students; recruitment of participants from all relevant target populations; opportunities for in-school and out-of-school learning experiences; parental involvement and development of base of community support; specific attention to removing educational inequalities related to race and gender; involvement of professionals and staff who look like the target population; development of peer support systems (involvement of a critical mass of any kind of student); evaluation, long-term follow-up, and careful data collection; and, mainstreaming'' -- integration of program elements supportive of women and minorities into the institutional support programs. I shall illustrate these points with ongoing teacher-support programs in progress in the Chicago area.

Investigation By Skills of Pre-Service Science Teachers' Reflective Thinking From Journals

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Ufuk TÖMAN

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to determine reflective thinking skills of the pre-service science teachers according to data gathered from the journals in teacher training portfolios. Participants were third grade pre-service science teachers at Bayburt University, Faculty of Education, Department of Elementary Science Teacher Training Program. The data of this study were composed of totally 32 journals which 32 pre-service science teachers’ wrote in their teacher training portfolios. The journal of the pre-service science teachers were investigated through the method of document analysis. The statements in their journals were descriptively analyzed. From the statements in the pre-service science teachers’ journals, it was concluded that most of the pre-service science teachers’ technical reflective thinking skills were better than critical reflective thinking skills. In the area of critical reflective thinking skills that have almost no noteworthy. Work towards the development of pre-service teachers' reflective thinking skills are complemented by recommendations.

Mathematical Teaching Strategies: Pathways to Critical Thinking and Metacognition

OpenAIRE

Su, Hui Fang Huang " Ricci, Frederick A; Mnatsakanian, Mamikon

2015-01-01

A teacher that emphasizes reasoning, logic and validity gives their students access to mathematics as an effective way of practicing critical thinking. All students have the ability to enhance and expand their critical thinking when learning mathematics. Students can develop this ability when confronting mathematical problems, identifying possible solutions and evaluating and justifying their reasons for the results, thereby allowing students to become confident critical thinkers. Critical th...

Critical Conversations on Whiteness with Young Adult Literature

Science.gov (United States)

Schieble, Melissa

2012-01-01

In this article, the author argues that whiteness remains an overwhelmingly absent dimension in literacy teaching that addresses systems of power from a critical perspective. One way literacy teachers may bring this dimension more explicitly into the classroom is by facilitating critical conversations on whiteness with young adult literature. As…

An Evaluation of American Board Teacher Certification: Progress and Plans

Science.gov (United States)

Glazerman, Steven; Tuttle, Christina

2006-01-01

Education policymakers have long sought to establish teaching standards that will measure new or continuing teachers against these standards. The problem is, existing methods for certifying teachers have been criticized for being either so onerous as to deter good candidates or so lax as to keep weak teachers in the profession. To provide another…

Experience, theory, and practical wisdom in teaching and teacher education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lunenberg, Mieke; Korthagen, Fred

In this contribution, we discuss what it means to be a professional teacher with practical wisdom, and how practical wisdom is related to theory and experience. These questions are especially relevant as nowadays, in many countries, teacher education becomes more school?based. Building on theories

Experience, theory, and practical wisdom in teaching and teacher education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lunenberg, Mieke; Korthagen, Fred

2009-01-01

In this contribution, we discuss what it means to be a professional teacher with practical wisdom, and how practical wisdom is related to theory and experience. These questions are especially relevant as nowadays, in many countries, teacher education becomes more school-based. Building on theories

The Transformation of Creativity in Entrepreneurial Learning in Teacher Education: A Critical Reflection

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Ehrlin, Anna; Insulander, Eva; Sandberg, Anette

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine how students on a teacher education programme interpret entrepreneurial learning. The study was performed in Sweden, based on a design theoretical and multimodal perspective on learning and communication which provides the basis for how we understand learning processes in early teacher education. The sample…

Problem-Based Learning in a Local Church: A Grounded Theory Study of the Korean Sunday School Teachers' Perception of the Effects of Problem-Based Learning in Teacher Education

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Lee, Sooin Tim

2012-01-01

There is a hunger for effective teacher equipping programs for adult volunteer teachers in the educational ministry of today's churches. In addition, these programs for volunteer teachers need to be well-suited for adult learners and relevant to their real-life situations. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the effects of…

The Black Teacher Shortage: A Literature Review of Historical and Contemporary Trends

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Madkins, Tia C.

2011-01-01

Desegregation marked the beginning of a long period of loss of Black teachers within the profession. First, Black teachers were not hired in desegregated schools, and then as other professional opportunities opened up in society, fewer Blacks entered the teacher pipeline. The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize research relevant to…

The linguistics in othering: Teacher educators’ talk about cultural diversity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Birgitta Nilsen

2017-05-01

Full Text Available ‘Othering’ can be conceptually defined as the manner in which social group dichotomies are represented in language via binary oppositions of ‘us’ and ‘them’. The article aims to contribute to a methodological approach for differentiating the concept of othering in educational settings. We will introduce new ways of conceptualising othering based on findings from an empirical critical discourse analytical study of how teacher educators talk about the term ‘cultural diversity’. The study is based on transcriptions of interviews with Norwegian teacher educators. The findings illustrate that teacher educators talk about cultural diversity using seven different ways of othering. These ways of othering are important because teacher educators’ discourses influence preservice teachers, in turn, influencing their future teaching in schools. We argue that a critical linguistic awareness of the ways in which pupils are ‘othered’ is an important tool in counteracting social exclusion and promoting social justice and equity.

The Practice and Challenges of Implementing Critical Thinking Skills in Omani Post-Basic EFL Classrooms

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Al-Kindi, Naeema Saleh; AL-Mekhlafi, Abdo Mohammed

2017-01-01

The purpose of the current study is to investigate post-basic English teachers' practice of critical thinking skills and the challenges they face while teaching skills in EFL classrooms. Three research questions were investigated to achieve this purpose: 1--To what extent do EFL teachers use classroom behaviors that nurture critical thinking at…

The Implementation Of A Critical Pedagogical Approach To Sexuality Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roien, Line Anne; Simovska, Venka

Introduction/background Sexuality education is compulsory in Danish public school as a part of health education. There is a national curriculum which is based on the theory of critical health education and promotion (e.g. Jensen 1997; Carlsson et al 2009; Simovska & Jensen 2012), emphasising health...... suggests that the participation of teachers in the national sexuality education campaign, titled Uge Sex, has a positive impact on teachers’ practices through providing an appropriate support for teachers in implementing the critical pedagogical approach. Uge Sex is a campaign that aims at supporting...... as the campaign as a whole, are characterized by an approach to sexuality education inspired by the tradition of critical health education, as mentioned above, as well as norm critical pedagogy developed within the theory of Swedish queer pedagogy (Brade et al 2008, Bromseth et al 2010, Kirk et al 2010...

Improving the Science and Mathematic Achievement of Mexican American Students Through Culturally Relevant Science. ERIC Digest.

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Marinez, Diana I.; Ortiz de Montellano, Bernardo R.

There are many ways in which science can be made culturally relevant: archeoastronomy, mathematics, geology, ethnobotany, chemistry, and art can all be taught from a perspective celebrating the accomplishments of Mexican American and American Indian science and encouraging exploration. A culturally relevant curriculum provides teachers with…

Independent Teacher Education Programs: Apocryphal Claims, Illusory Evidence

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Zeichner, Ken

2016-01-01

Teacher education provided in U.S. colleges and universities has been routinely criticized since its inception in the early nineteenth century. These programs are uneven in quality and can be improved. Advocacy groups and self-proclaimed social entrepreneurs are working aggressively to deregulate the preparation of teachers and to expand…

The Pain and Ecstasy: Pre-service Teacher Perceptions On Changing Teacher Roles and Technology

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Dean Dyer

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Are pre-service teachers really open to change? Are they prepared for the shifts in their roles that are likely to occur over the next few decades? Are they developing a critical consciousness, to better assume leadership roles in educational change? These questions framed this exploration which qualitatively investigated pre-service teachers' perceptions of their role as educators in relation to advanced technologies. Pre-service teachers were asked to respond to a reading identifying (via an open ended think paper assignment what they liked and did not like about the future vision of education offered in the reading. Their responses indicate a strong conflict between the desire to work with motivated, responsible students who are actively engaged in their own learning and their notion of what a teacher should be, based on their own experiences in schools.

Pupil – Teacher Ratio: Implication for Quality Education in Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Significantly, pupil-teacher ratios are very essential to quality of education. They perhaps rank alongside professional knowledge, skill, as well as strategies, in genuinely determining educational success and performance. This paper discusses pupil-teacher ratio and relevance that pupils seem to have a greater impact on ...

Some Key Issues in Intercultural Bilingual Education Teacher Training Programmes--as Seen from a Teacher Training Programme in the Peruvian Amazon Basin.

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Trapnell, Lucy A.

2003-01-01

Presents a critical reflection of the author's 14-year experience in the Teacher Training Program for Intercultural Bilingual Education in the Peruvian Amazon Basin, developed by a national Peruvian indigenous confederation and the Loreto state teacher training college. Focuses on ethical, political, and pedagogical challenges that intercultural…

The Relationship between Preservice Teachers Health-Related Fitness and Movement Competency in Gymnastics

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Webster, Collin Andrew; Webster, Liana; Cribbs, Jason; Wellborn, Benjamin; Lineberger, Matthew Blake; Doan, Rob

2014-01-01

The current National Initial Standards for Physical Education Teacher Education state that preservice teachers should achieve and maintain a level of health-related fitness consistent with that expected of K12 learners. However, little research has addressed the relevance of teacher fitness to effective physical education teaching. This study…

Theory and practice in EFL teacher education bridging the gap

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HÜTTNER, Julia; REICHL, Susanne

2012-01-01

This volume addresses the complex issues surrounding language teacher education, especially in EFL, and the development of professionalism in this field. By applying such concepts as Shulman's ""pedagogical content knowledge"", the development of teachers' knowledge base is investigated in a variety of settings, thus underpinning the contextual nature of teacher learning. The vital role of critical reflection at all stages of teacher development is shown to be an integral part of language teachers' knowledge constructions in areas such as pedagogical grammar, assessment and testing. The contri

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…

Motivation among Public Primary School Teachers in Mauritius

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Seebaluck, Ashley Keshwar; Seegum, Trisha Devi

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to critically analyse the factors that affect the motivation of public primary school teachers and also to investigate if there is any relationship between teacher motivation and job satisfaction in Mauritius. Design/methodology/approach: Simple random sampling method was used to collect data from 250 primary…

Teachers Class Size, Job Satisfaction and Morale in Cross River ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

We studied staff class size, job satisfaction and morale in some secondary schools in Cross River State, Nigeria. The relevant variables of teacher class size and workload were used as independent variables while the dependent variables were students' academic performance, teacher satisfaction and morale. Out of the ...

THE CRITERIA, INDEXES AND LEVELS OF TEACHER'S OF NATURAL AND MATHEMATICS SUBJECTS INFORMATION COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT

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Petro Grabovskiy

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Submitted research depends on an actual problem – how is necessary to identify means of teacher's of general education information competence evaluation. In particular, there developed on an evaluation criteria of teacher's of Natural and Mathematics subjects information competence – motivational, cognitive-operating, reflexive; and decomposition to appropriated performance criterion made in this research too. With the help of empirical research methods, in particular the method of expert evaluations, using methods of relative frequency selection, determing by an expert's performance and relevant criteria, proved significance when evaluation of teacher's of Natural and Mathematics subjects information competence development is appropriated. Based on the grounded and developed criteria and relevant indicators where four levels of studing teacher's information competence development were describing – low, middle, sufficient and high levels. According to an author opinion, the further research may be concern with the help of mathematical tools development to determine the level of teacher's of Natural and Mathematics subjects information competence development based on the selected criteria and relevant indicators

Special Education Teacher Transition-Related Competencies and Preparation in Saudi Arabia

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Alnahdi, Ghaleb

2014-01-01

Preparing special education teachers to engage in transition services is a critical part of their preparation. This study examined how special education teachers perceive their preparation for transition services in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 350 teachers participated in this study. Data were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. The findings…

Difficult relationships: critical pedagogies and curriculum

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María Verónica Di Caudo Villoslada

2013-01-01

This paper reviews the proposals of the ‘critical pedagogies’ and presents some difficulties in the realization of their principles in the context of current public policies in Latin America. Distances between discourses and practices, absence of radically democratic educational policies, lack of awareness of critical pedagogies by teachers, lack of contextual production and indiscriminate use of the word critical—that ends up opposing everything that is considered as traditional pedagogy—mak...

Initiative Games in Physical Education: A Practical Approach for Teaching Critical Thinking Skills--Part II

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Maina, Michael P.; Maina, Julie Schlegel; Hunt, Kevin

2016-01-01

Often students have a difficult time when asked to use critical thinking skills to solve a problem. Perhaps students have a difficult time adjusting because teachers frequently tell them exactly what to do and how to do it. When asked to use critical thinking skills, students may suddenly become confused and discouraged because the teacher no…

Research on Teachers Pedagogical Thoughts, Judgments, Decisions and Behavior.

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Shavelson, Richard J.; Stern, Paula

1981-01-01

Based on research done in the past decade, the authors formulated a "schema" of teachers' judgments, planning and interactive decisions. Recommendations for future research included development of a taxonomy of critical teaching decisions, intervention, and alteration of teachers' plans and decisions to improve teaching, and implementation of…

Culturally relevant science: An approach to math science education for Hispanics. Final technical report

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Ortiz de Montellano, B.

1996-11-14

As planned a letter was sent out to 17 teachers who had participated in a Summer 1994 workshop on ``Culturally Relevant Science for Hispanics`` at Michigan State. These teachers were supposed to have spent the intervening time developing lesson plans and curricula. The letter requested a report of any activities undertaken and copies of lesson plans and materials developed by February 1996 with a stipend of $400 for satisfactory reports. It was a disappointment to only get 9 responses and not all of them demonstrating a satisfactory level of activity. Diana Marinez, Dean of Science at Texas A and M University, Corpus Christi, who is the other developer of this curriculum and the author reviewed the submitted materials and chose those showing the most promise to be invited to participate in the Summer Writing Workshop. Spring of 1996 and particularly in May--June, the author wrote a partial first draft of a companion volume for the teacher`s manual which would provide a rationale for doing culturally relevant science, present the cultural and the scientific background that teachers would need in order to be able to teach. One of the goals of this curriculum is that it should be off-the-shelf ready to teach and that teachers would not have to do extra research to encourage its adoption. The outline of the book is appendix 1. The Writing Workshop was held at Texas A and M University, Corpus Christi from July 14 to July 27, 1996. Participating teachers chose topics that they were interested in developing and wrote first drafts. These were distributed to all participants and critiqued by the workshop directors before being rewritten. Some teachers were more productive than others depending on their science background. In total an impressive number of lesson plans were written. These lesson plans are listed in Appendix 3. Appendix 4 is a sample lesson. Work still needs to be done on both the source book and the teachers` manual.

Mathematical Teaching Strategies: Pathways to Critical Thinking and Metacognition

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Su, Hui Fang Huang; Ricci, Frederick A.; Mnatsakanian, Mamikon

2016-01-01

A teacher that emphasizes reasoning, logic and validity gives their students access to mathematics as an effective way of practicing critical thinking. All students have the ability to enhance and expand their critical thinking when learning mathematics. Students can develop this ability when confronting mathematical problems, identifying possible…

Motivating teachers in the developing world: Insights from research with English language teachers in Oman

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Wyatt, Mark

2013-07-01

According to some commentators, targets set by the international community for bringing education to all children in developing countries are threatened by a teacher motivation crisis. For this crisis to be addressed, challenges to the motivation of teachers in such contexts need to be understood from perspectives both theoretical and comparative. Thus an analysis is required of the changes that have taken place particularly in countries whose education systems have developed rapidly in recent decades. Case studies of motivated teacher behaviour in such national contexts might be of relevance to educational reformers. Drawing upon the tenets of self-determination theory (SDT), this article begins by discussing the nature of the reported teacher motivation crisis in the developing world more generally. It then focuses on the Sultanate of Oman, highlighting recent historical developments there. Having thus set the scene, the author considers the extent to which negative environmental influences on teacher motivation in Oman have been addressed and then looks for evidence of intrinsic motivation in case studies of Omani English teachers. Returning to the developing world more generally, conclusions focus on how teachers' psychological needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness can be met through educational policies that reduce negative influences on teacher motivation and provide both inspiring professional development opportunities and work environments characterised by respect.

A Cultural Immersion Field Experience: Examining Pre-Service Music Teachers' Beliefs about Cultural Differences

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VanDeusen, Andrea J.

2017-01-01

With the intent of informing music teacher education practices and developing more culturally responsive and relevant teachers, the purpose of this research was to explore pre-service music teachers' understandings of culture and diversity, and to examine the impact of a short-term cultural immersion field experience on pre-service music teachers'…

Fostering cooperative activism through critical design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Menendez Blanco, Maria; Bjørn, Pernille; De Angeli, Antonella

2017-01-01

Critical design is gaining momentum in interaction design, yet little CSCW research has focused on articulating the cooperative potentials of critical design artefacts. We address this gap by reflecting upon a design project aimed at overturning the prevailing narrative regarding dyslexia in Italy....... The adversarial propositions embedded in our critical design artefacts challenged the description of dyslexia as a learning disorder putting forward the view of a learning difference. These artefacts demonstrated their capacity to bridge heterogeneous social worlds (those of teachers, children, and parents......) into one cooperative entity and mobilise cooperative activism. The contribution to CSCW is two-fold. Firstly, we introduce the cooperative potentials of critical design artefacts; secondly, we propose critical design as a strategy for researchers engaging with cooperative activism....

The (non)making/becoming of inquiry practicing science teachers

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Sharma, Ajay; Muzaffar, Irfan

2012-03-01

Teacher education programs have adopted preparing science teachers that teach science through inquiry as an important pedagogic agenda. However, their efforts have not met with much success. While traditional explanations for this failure focus largely on preservice science teachers' knowledge, beliefs and conceptions regarding science and science teaching, this conceptual paper seeks to direct attention toward discursive practices surrounding inquiry science teaching in teacher education programs for understanding why most science teachers do not teach science through inquiry. The paper offers a theoretical framework centered on critical notions of subjection and performativity as a much needed perspective on making/becoming of science teachers through participation in discursive practices of science teacher education programs. It argues that research based on such perspectives have much potential to offer a deeper understanding of the difficult challenges teacher education programs face in preparing inquiry practicing science teachers.

The E.N.A.C.T. Model: Enhancing Teacher Candidates' Ability to Manage Student Behavior

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Yost, Deborah S.; Mosca, Frank J.

2003-01-01

This program description presents a model of critical reflection that has helped teacher candidates appropriately apply behavior management theory to resolve behavioral problems. The authors developed the ENACT (Examine, Name, Analyze, Critically evaluate, and Treat) model to help teacher candidates analyze the cause of inappropriate behaviors to…

Teacher Governance Reforms and Social Cohesion in South Africa: From Intention to Reality

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Salmon, Thomas; Sayed, Yusuf

2016-01-01

The governance of teachers during apartheid in South Africa was characterised by high levels of disparity in teacher distribution and in conditions of labour. In the post-apartheid context policies and interventions that govern teachers are critical, and teachers can be seen to be placed in a central role as actors whose distribution, employment,…

Is the Feeling Mutual? Examining Parent-Teacher Relationships in Low-Income, Predominantly Latino Schools

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Miller, Hannah; Robinson, Michelle; Valentine, Jessa Lewis; Fish, Rachel

2016-01-01

Strong parent-teacher relationships are critical to students' academic success. Mismatches in parents' and teachers' perceptions of each other may negatively affect children's outcomes. Using survey data collected from parents and teachers in 52 low-income, predominantly Latino schools, we explore subgroup variation in parents' and teachers'…

The Application of Teacher Cognition in the Classroom: A New Teaching Competency.

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Armour-Thomas, Eleanor

1989-01-01

This article reviews the role of teacher cognition in teaching and critically examines methods of its assessment. Research investigations of three aspects of teachers' thought processes that may have implications for educational practice are examined. The inclusion of cognitive competencies in a teacher's repertoire of skills is discussed. (IAH)

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

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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…

The Process of Accepting Technology Innovation for Rural Teachers

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Cerovski, Jeremy

2016-01-01

In order for educational leaders to facilitate effectively the integration of technology, an understanding of the process rural teachers experience with technology integration is critical. The goal of the qualitative study was to discover and understand rural teachers' process for accepting technology innovation in order to improve the…

Teacher and student supports for implementation of the NGSS

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Severance, Samuel

Through three articles, this dissertation examines the use of supports for implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) within a large urban school district. Article one, titled Organizing for Teacher Agency in Curricular Co-design, examines the need for coherent curriculum materials that teachers' had a meaningful role in shaping and how the use of a co-design approach and specific tools and routines can help to address this need. Article two, titled Relevant Learning and Student Agency within a Citizen Science Design Challenge, examines the need for curriculum materials that provide students with learning experiences they find relevant and that expands their sense of agency and how a curriculum centered around a community-based citizen science design challenge can help achieve such an aim. Article three, titled Implementation of a Novel Professional Development Program to Support Teachers' Understanding of Modeling, examines the need for professional development that builds teachers' understanding of and skill in engaging their students in the practice of developing and using models and how a novel professional development program, the Next Generation Science Exemplar, can aid teachers in this regard by providing them with carefully sequenced professional development activities and specific modeling tools for use in the classroom.

Strengthening Mathematics And Science Education (SMASE) For Improving The Quality Of Teachers in Nigeria

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Shuaibu, Zainab Muhammad

2016-04-01

The education system in Nigeria, especially at the basic education level, teachers who teach mathematics and science need to be confident with what they are teaching, they need to have appropriate techniques and strategies of motivating the pupils. If these subjects are not taught well at the basic education level its extraordinarily hard to get them (pupils/students) back to track, no matter what will be done in the secondary and tertiary level. Teachers as the driving force behind improvements in the education system are in the best position to understand and propose solutions to problems faced by students. Teachers must have access to sustainable, high quality professional development in order to improve teaching and student learning. Teachers' professional development in Nigeria, however, has long been criticized for its lack of sustainability and ability to produce effective change in teaching and students achievement. Education theorists today believe that a critical component of educational reform lies in providing teachers with various opportunities and supports structures that encourage ongoing improvement in teachers' pedagogy and discipline-specific content knowledge. However, the ongoing reforms in education sector and the need to refocus the Nigeria education system towards the goal of the National Economical Empowerment and Development Strategies (NEEDS) demand that the existing In-service and Education Training (INSET) in Nigeria be refocused. It is against this premise that an INSET programme aimed at Strengthening Mathematics And Science Education (SMASE) for primary and secondary school teachers was conceived. The relevance of the SMASE INSET according to the Project Design Matrix (PDM) was derived from an In-service aimed at enhancing the quality of teachers in terms of positive attitude, teaching methodology, mastery of content, resource mobilization and utilization of locally available teaching and learning materials. The intervention of

The Critical Role of Teacher Incentives in the Northeast States.

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Title, David

This paper discusses a variety of incentives that can make a difference in attracting and retaining high quality teachers. These incentives include salaries, retirement benefits, working conditions, quality of life, tenure and seniority rights, and sick leave. The states in the Northeast vary considerably in their ability to attract quality…

Perceptions of Critical Factors Related to Teacher Quality: Teacher Inputs, System Inputs, and Comprehensive Hiring Practices

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Pippen, Rebecca Gintz

2016-01-01

For decades, accountability for student results has been at the forefront of school reform. While many school-based factors have influence, teacher quality has consistently been identified as the most important school-based factor related to student achievement (Rivkin, Hanushek, & Kain, 2000; Stronge, 2007). Research also suggests that a…

Do we need teachers as designers of technology enhanced learning?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kirschner, Paul A.

2016-01-01

In this special issue, five teams of researchers discuss different aspects of the teacher as designer of technology enhanced learning situations. This final contribution critically discusses if and how teachers as designers of technology enhanced learning might (not) be feasible or even desirable.

Teaching Science for Social Justice: An Examination of Elementary Preservice Teachers' Beliefs

Science.gov (United States)

Eslinger, James C.

This qualitative study examines the beliefs and belief changes of eleven elementary preservice teachers about teaching science for social justice. Using constructivist grounded theory, it forwards a new theory of belief change about teaching science for social justice. The theory posits that three teaching and learning conditions may facilitate belief change: preservice teachers need to recognize (1) the relationship between science and society; (2) the relationship between individuals and society; and (3) the importance of taking action on socioscientific issues. This research responds to calls by critical scholars of teacher education who contend that beliefs in relation to equity, diversity, and multiculturalism need to be explored. They have found that many preservice teachers hold beliefs that are antithetical to social justice tenets. Since beliefs are generally considered to be precursors to actions, identifying and promoting change in beliefs are important to teaching science for social justice. Such a move may lead to the advancement of curricular and pedagogical efforts to promote the academic participation and success in elementary science of Aboriginal and racialized minority students. The study was undertaken in a year-long science methods course taught by the researcher. It was centered on the preservice teachers -- their beliefs, their belief changes, and the course pedagogies that they identified as crucial to their changes. However, the course was based on the researcher-instructor's review of the scholarly literature on science education, teacher education, and social justice. It utilized a critical -- cultural theoretical framework, and was aligned to the three dimensions of critical nature of science, critical knowledge and pedagogy, and sociopolitical action. Findings indicate that, at the beginning of the year, preservice teachers held two types of beliefs (liberal and critical) and, by the end of the course, they experienced three kinds of

Culturally relevant science: An approach to math science education for Hispanics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montellano, B.O. de

1996-11-14

This report describes later stages of a program to develop culturally relevant science and math programs for Hispanic students. Part of this effort was follow-up with 17 teachers who participated in early stages of the program. Response was not very good. Included with the report is a first draft effort for curriculum materials which could be used as is in such a teaching effort. Several of the participating teachers were invited to a writing workshop, where lesson plans were drafted, and critiqued and following rework are listed in this publication. Further work needs to be completed and is ongoing.

Increasing the Rate of Presentation and Use of Signals in Elementary Classroom Teachers

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Carnine, Douglas W.; Fink, William T.

1978-01-01

Two issues relevant to competency-based teacher training were investigated with 13 elementary teachers--the specification of acceptable implementation levels for validated techniques and the necessity and feasibility of providing training on those techniques. (Author)

Teacher-student interpersonal behaviour in the Turkish primary to higher education context

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Telli, S.; Brok, den P.J.; Wubbels, T.; Brok, den P.J.; Tartwijk, van J.; Levy, J.

2012-01-01

Teacher- student interactions are relevant in many teaching and learning processes in the classroom. The literature consistently provides support for the premise that high-quality teacher-student relationships are an important factor in effective teaching. Teachers’ behaviours as perceived by

Knowledge Base of Mathematics Teacher Educators: A Goals-Knowledge-Practice Approach

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Veselovsky, Aleksandra

2017-01-01

Critical analysis of the literature reveals that many questions about the knowledge and practice of mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) remain in need of further research: how do they know what to teach; how do they learn how to teach teachers; how do they prepare to teach their courses; how does the research on teacher education inform their…

Teacher education and the challenges of the reflexive practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Regina Peres

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This article approaches the importance of teacher practice and their initial and continuing education in the light of the challenges offered by the critical reflexive proposal. The aims of this study were to investigate the underlying assumptions regarding teachers’ current education and practice, to research and analyze the major difficulties found in the development of teaching practice, to comprehend and analyze the complexity inherent to the teacher’s performance in the initial years of elementary school. A bibliographic research and a qualitative research with elementary school teachers were therefore developed. The results indicate that although teachers believe the learning process to be continuous, they do not invest in this type of education. Furthermore it was found that teachers’ critical reflexive attitudes are blended with eproductivist attitudes.

How pre-service teachers' personality traits, self-efficacy, and discipline strategies contribute to the teacher-student relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

de Jong, Romi; Mainhard, Tim; van Tartwijk, Jan; Veldman, Ietje; Verloop, Nico; Wubbels, Theo

2014-06-01

Although the teacher-student relationship is a well-documented phenomenon, few attempts have been made to identify its predictors. Research has mainly focused on in-service teachers, less is known about characteristics of pre-service teachers in relation to the teacher-student relationship. The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of pre-service secondary teachers' relationships with their students. It was hypothesized that friendliness and extraversion, self-efficacy in classroom management and in student engagement, and various discipline strategies would contribute to the teacher-student relationship in terms of influence and affiliation. A total of 120 pre-service teachers in teacher education programmes participated. Data on pre-service teachers' background (e.g., gender and age), personality traits, and self-efficacy were gathered with teacher questionnaires; data on teachers' discipline strategies and the teacher-student relationship with student questionnaires. The two personality traits and self-efficacy appeared not to be related to the teacher-student relationship in terms of affiliation or influence. However, significant relationships were found between the different discipline strategies and the teacher-student relationship in terms of influence and affiliation. There were differential effects for gender on the relationship between discipline strategies on the one hand and influence and affiliation on the other. This study provides relevant new insights into the research fields of classroom management and interpersonal relationships in education. It contributes to our understanding of discipline strategies by fine tuning an existing instrument and revealing interesting connections with the teacher-student relationship. Specific gender effects on this connection are discussed, as are implications for practice. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Diagnostic Competence of Primary School Mathematics Teachers during Classroom Situations

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Hoth, Jessica; Döhrmann, Martina; Kaiser, Gabriele; Busse, Andreas; König, Johannes; Blömeke, Sigrid

2016-01-01

One of the main challenges for teachers during teaching in class is the diagnosis of students' learning and thinking processes. For this purpose, teachers must perceive relevant information, they need to interpret this information and finally, they need to respond and select suitable opportunities to learn. In this paper, diagnostic processes in…

Suicide and Homosexual Teens: What Can Biology Teachers Do to Help?

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Smith, Mike U.; Drake, Mary Ann

2001-01-01

Discusses the teacher's role in helping students deal with homosexuality and suicide. Teachers can provide unbiased information about personal relevant biological issues; be good listeners and confidantes; and value each student without regard to race, gender, class, or sexual orientation. Provides useful information on addressing homosexuality in…

Link Schools: An Evaluation of an Innovatory Scheme in Teacher Education.

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Boydell, Deanne

1990-01-01

The first year of an innovative British partnership between elementary schools, the school district, the teacher training institution, and teacher trainees is evaluated. The program integrates the needs of institutions, students, and professionals. Guiding principles relevant to the development of such partnerships and evaluation issues are…

Sounds of Silence: Race and Emergent Counter-Narratives of Art Teacher Identity

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Kraehe, Amelia M.

2015-01-01

This article presents case studies of two Black preservice art teachers and their racialized experiences in art teacher education. Drawing from a critical race theory perspective, their stories are conceptualized as emergent counternarratives of becoming an art teacher. The case studies are based on interviews from an ethnographic investigation of…

Identifying, Monitoring, and Benchmarking Teacher Retention and Turnover: Guidelines for TIF Grantees

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Finster, Matthew

2015-01-01

Having a well-qualified, effective teacher in every classroom is a cornerstone of current educational reforms. Clearly, retaining these effective teachers is critical to achieving this goal. This brief presents a strategic accountability approach to managing teacher talent retention and turnover. The brief begins with an overview of a strategic…

Professional Insiders/Outsiders? Teacher Professionalism and the Primary School Physical Education Specialist

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Brooks, Caroline; DinanThompson, Maree

2013-01-01

This paper provides a context for exploring the positioning of Physical Education specialist teachers (PE specialist teachers) in primary schools in Queensland in the discourses of teacher professionalism. A critical analysis of literature on the history and status of the subject and its practitioners aims to contextualize discourses in and about…

Pre-Service Teachers' Dispositions towards Diversity: Arguing for a Developmental Hierarchy of Change

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Carmen; Ballantyne, Julie

2010-01-01

This article explores Australian pre-service teachers' beliefs about and attitudes towards diversity. Building on Garmon's [Garmon, M. A. (2004). "Changing preservice teachers' attitudes/beliefs about diversity: what are the critical factors?" "Journal of Teacher Education, 55"(3), 201-213] argument that there are three…

Faculty development of university teachers: analysis and systematization of the concept

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Alba MADINABEITIA EZKURRA

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Faculty development of university teachers is recognized as a relevant factor for improving the quality of education in higher education institutions. However, behind this term different conceptions and practices are hiding. This article aims to analyze this concept over time and to understand deeply the complexity of their meanings, for which we will focus on socio-historical production contexts and on scientific research. To this end, it has been made a bibliographical review of the most relevant Anglo-Saxon literature in this educational field. The analysis allows us to conclude that it has been moving from an approach oriented to supporting teachers in their development as teachers, professionals and/or academics, towards another, focused on promoting effective teaching and learning processes at micro and macro level. These challenges highlight the need to foster broader visions that, beyond teachers, focus on institutions, frameworks, and infrastructures that target teaching and learning.

Advancing Climate Literacy through Investment in Science Education Faculty, and Future and Current Science Teachers: Providing Professional Learning, Instructional Materials, and a Model for Locally-Relevant and Culturally-Responsive Content

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Halversen, C.; Apple, J. K.; McDonnell, J. D.; Weiss, E.

2014-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for 5th grade students to "obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect Earth's resources and environment". Achieving this, and other objectives in NGSS, will require changes in the educational system for both students and teachers. Teachers need access to high quality instructional materials and continuous professional learning opportunities starting in pre-service education. Students need highly engaging and authentic learning experiences focused on content that is strategically interwoven with science practices. Pre-service and early career teachers, even at the secondary level, often have relatively weak understandings of the complex Earth systems science required for understanding climate change and hold alternative ideas and naïve beliefs about the nature of science. These naïve understandings cause difficulties in portraying and teaching science, especially considering what is being called for in NGSS. The ACLIPSE program focuses on middle school pre-service science teachers and education faculty because: (1) the concepts that underlie climate change align well with the disciplinary core ideas and practices in NGSS for middle grades; and (2) middle school is a critical time for capturing students interest in science as student engagement by eighth grade is the most effective predictor of student pursuit of science in high school and college. Capturing student attention at this age is critical for recruitment to STEM careers and lifelong climate literacy. THE ACLIPSE program uses cutting edge research and technology in ocean observing systems to provide educators with new tools to engage students that will lead to deeper understanding of the interactions between the ocean and climate systems. Establishing authentic, meaningful connections between indigenous and place-based, and technological climate observations will help generate a more holistic perspective

Creativity from Two Perspectives: Prospective Mathematics Teachers and Mathematician

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Yazgan-Sag, Gönül; Emre-Akdogan, Elçin

2016-01-01

Although creativity plays a critical role in mathematics, it remains underestimated in the context of a mathematics classroom. This study aims to explore the views and differences creativity displays in prospective teachers and one of their lecturers with respect to the characteristics and practices of creative teachers and the characteristics of…

Uses of Computer and its Relevance to Teaching and Learning in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper examined the uses of computer and its relevance to teaching and learning in Nigerian secondary schools. The need for computer education and its objectives in Nigerian educational system were identified and discussed. The roles the classroom teachers would play and the challenges they would have to face in ...

Negotiating Managerialism: Professional Recognition and Teachers of Sustainable Development Education

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Ross, Hamish

2015-01-01

Policy strategies to reward teachers for field-specific expertise have become internationally widespread and have been criticized for being manifestations of neoliberal globalization. In Scotland, there is political commitment to such strategies, including one to award recognition to teachers for expertise in sustainable development education…

Teachers for Children with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: Education's Greatest Challenge?

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Lauritzen, Paul; Friedman, Stephen J.

1991-01-01

This article describes children having emotional/behavioral disorders, presents data demonstrating the critical shortage of teachers for this population, discusses factors that contribute to this problem, and offers recommendations including giving teachers of these children an additional salary stipend and providing them the option of…

Navigating Complexities: An Integrative Approach to English Language Teacher Education

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Ryan, Phillip; Glodjo, Tyler; Hobbs, Bethany; Stargel, Victoria; Williams, Thad

2015-01-01

This article is an analysis of one undergraduate English language teacher education program's integrative theoretical framework that is structured around three pillars: interdisciplinarity, critical pedagogy, and teacher exploration. First, the authors survey the unique complexities of language teaching and learning. Then, they introduce this…

The Role of Computer-Aided Instruction in Science Courses and the Relevant Misconceptions of Pre-Service Teachers

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Aksakalli, Ayhan; Turgut, Umit; Salar, Riza

2016-01-01

This research aims to investigate the ways in which pre-service physics teachers interact with computers, which, as an indispensable means of today's technology, are of major value in education and training, and to identify any misconceptions said teachers may have about computer-aided instruction. As part of the study, computer-based physics…

Confronting "Difficult Knowledge": Critical Aesthetics and War in the Classroom

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Heybach Vivirito, Jessica A.

2012-01-01

This qualitative multi-site case study explores critical aesthetic experiences in teacher education classrooms, and advocates for the inclusion of theoretical and practical knowledge of "difficult knowledge," visual culture, and critical aesthetics in the classroom. Social reality consists of a perpetual stream of tragic and horrific…

Establishing collaborative structures and relationships: Teacher leaders' experiences

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Canizo, Thea Lynne

2002-04-01

The purpose of this study was to explore teacher leaders' experiences as they attempted to establish collaborative structures and relationships resulting in improved science instruction at their schools. Teacher leaders were middle school science facilitators, full-time classroom teachers who acted as liaisons between the science teachers at their schools and a change initiative funded by the National Science Foundation. This was a qualitative study, using interviews to create a case study. The researcher used a three-part interview design developed by Seidman (1991). Six research questions served as a framework for the data analysis. Participants identified the following as factors which contributed to their success: support from the principal, other science teachers, central staff personnel, and the district-wide group of science facilitators; professional development; and the successful completion of a scope and sequence for science instruction. Factors identified as hindering their success were: lack of support or conflict with the principal; resistance to change; time constraints; a district policy which limited meeting time; teacher and administrator turnover; tension between the middle school and junior high school models; and personal doubts. From descriptions of their understanding and exercising of leadership, the researcher concluded that teacher leaders had become empowered. The school culture was seen to have a great effect on teacher leaders. The contrasts between a school with a positive culture and another school in disarray were presented. Structures such as summer institutes and release time during the school day were identified as critical for giving teachers the time needed to establish more collaborative working relationships. Once greater trust and understanding were present, teachers were better able to examine their teaching practices more critically. Participants identified mentoring of new members, a continuing role for science

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

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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.

Teacher Research: Limits and Possibilities of Global and International Connections.

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Diniz-Pereira, Julio Emilio

This paper suggests that teacher research, as an international movement, has the potential to become a counter-hegemonic strategy to construct critical teacher education approaches in a globalized world. It begins by describing globalization and discussing the distinction between hegemonic and counter-hegemonic globalization, or between…

Teacher Responses to Bullying: Self-Reports from the Front Line

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Marshall, Megan L.; Varjas, Kris; Meyers, Joel; Graybill, Emily C.; Skoczylas, Rebecca B.

2009-01-01

School climate research emphasizes the critical role teachers play in providing safe and supportive environments for students to learn. Despite numerous negative physical and mental health consequences related to bullying in schools, research investigating teachers' responses to reduce bullying is scarce. Individual in-depth interviews were…

IEP Use by General and Special Education Teachers

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Kathleen Rotter

2014-01-01

The role of general and special educators in implementing the Individualized Education Program (IEP) is critical. This study investigated the perceptions of those teachers on when they read the IEP, how they measure attainment of IEP goals and objectives, and the IEPs usefulness in instructional planning. Four hundred twenty-six teachers from suburban school districts in central New Jersey were respondents. Results ind...

Echoes from teacher discourse: an inside-out perspective Echoes from teacher discourse: an inside-out perspective

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Adriana de Carvalho Kuerten Dellagnelo

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Researchers in teacher education have paid increasing attention to teacher reflectivity and its relevance for teaching/learning practices. However, to our knowledge, there has been no investigation of teacher reflectivity from the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL. In this paper we draw mainly on SFL to examine aspects of the relationship between teachers and learners as construed in self-evaluative reports written by 4 Brazilian teacher-trainees. These reports – self-reflections on the trainees’ own teaching practices – were collected as part of work developed in a Teaching Practicum Course taken by these trainees. In addition to SFL, in our discussion of results we also draw on research related to teacher education/reflectivity (e.g., Freeman & Johnson, 1998; Richards & Lockart, 1996. The linguistic structures described and interpreted in order to unravel the roles these trainees ascribe to themselves and their students reveal a selfcentered positioning of the trainees as social participants whose practices are shaped by conceptions traditionally established by a culture of schooling which maintains the emphasis of teaching on the transmission of knowledge. Results also reveal asymmetry between teachers and students inasmuch as the latter are construed as playing a secondary role, with little responsibility in the process of teaching/learning a foreign language. The study may contribute to enhance the search for awareness of contrasts between new views of language teaching/learning and traditional perceptions such as the ones conveyed in the reports analyzed. Researchers in teacher education have paid increasing attention to teacher reflectivity and its relevance for teaching/learning practices. However, to our knowledge, there has been no investigation of teacher reflectivity from the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL. In this paper we draw mainly on SFL to examine aspects of the relationship

Fostering Critical Thinking Practices at Primary Science Classrooms in Nepal

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Acharya, Kamal Prasad

2016-01-01

This article examines the socio-cultural activities that have direct and indirect impacts on critical thinking practices in primary science classrooms and what kinds of teachers' activities help to foster the development of critical thinking practices in children. Meanwhile, the constructivist and the socio-cultural theoretical dimensions have…

Putting "Maori" in the Mainstream: Student Teachers' Reflections of a Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

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Sexton, Steven S.

2011-01-01

This paper reports on student teachers' experiences of an education program that was explicitly designed to be grounded in both Kaupapa Maori and mainstream pedagogy. This program started from the Kaupapa Maori view to be Maori as Maori. This was then supported by mainstream epistemology of New Zealand focused good teaching practice. A Kaupapa…

Exemplary Teachers of English Language Learners: A Knowledge Base

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Clayton, Courtney

2013-01-01

The number of English language learners (ELL) in schools continues to rise. However, statistics reveal that the majority of classroom teachers have no training in working with ELLs (NCES, 2011). Because of this, it is critical to understand how teachers can be successfully prepared to teach ELLs. Through in-depth inquiry, this study explored what…

Integration of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Into the Science Learning Progression Framework

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Bernardo, Cyntra

This study integrated elements of culturally relevant pedagogy into a science learning progression framework, with the goal of enhancing teachers' cultural knowledge and thereby creating better teaching practices in an urban public high school science classroom. The study was conducted using teachers, an administrator, a science coach, and students involved in science courses in public high school. Through a qualitative intrinsic case study, data were collected and analyzed using traditional methods. Data from primary participants (educators) were analyzed through identification of big ideas, open coding, and themes. Through this process, patterns and emergent ideas were reported. Outcomes of this study demonstrated that educators lack knowledge about research-based academic frameworks and multicultural education strategies, but benefit through institutionally-based professional development. Students from diverse cultures responded positively to culturally-based instruction. Their progress was further manifested in better communication and discourse with their teacher and peers, and increased academic outcomes. This study has postulated and provided an exemplar for science teachers to expand and improve multicultural knowledge, ultimately transferring these skills to their pedagogical practice.

Teachers' Agency and the Enactment of Educational Reform in Vietnam

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Nguyen, Hoa Thi Mai; Bui, Thuy

2016-01-01

Scholars concerned with language policies (LPs) argue that globalization has brought about various political, socio-economic, and linguistic shifts that increasingly impact on teacher agency (e.g., Zhao & Baldauf, 2012). Recently, the LP literature has increasingly acknowledged the agentive role of teachers as a critical factor in implementing…

But Good Intentions Are Not Enough: Preparing Teachers to Center Race and Poverty

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Milner, H. Richard; Laughter, Judson C.

2015-01-01

Drawing from principles of critical race theory, the authors consider the curriculum of teacher education as a potential policy and practice site for centering the interconnections of race and poverty in the preparation of teachers. Several macro-level recommendations are advanced that might influence practices in teacher education and ultimately…

Critical thinking: knowledge and skills for evidence-based practice.

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Finn, Patrick

2011-01-01

I respond to Kamhi's (2011) conclusion in his article "Balancing Certainty and Uncertainty in Clinical Practice" that rational or critical thinking is an essential complement to evidence-based practice (EBP). I expand on Kamhi's conclusion and briefly describe what clinicians might need to know to think critically within an EBP profession. Specifically, I suggest how critical thinking is relevant to EBP, broadly summarize the relevant skills, indicate the importance of thinking dispositions, and outline the various ways our thinking can go wrong. I finish the commentary by suggesting that critical thinking skills should be considered a required outcome of our professional training programs.

Language, Identity, and Emotionality: Exploring the Potential of Language Portraits in Preparing Teachers for Diverse Learners

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Lau, Sunny Man Chu

2016-01-01

The present study, framed from a critical and transformative approach to teacher education, aims to investigate whether language portraits (Prasad, 2010)--the mapping of one's language and cultural make-up on a body template--can help improve student teachers' self-understanding about language and identities and can foster critical reflection…

Lessons for Teaching Art Criticism.

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Barrett, Terry, Ed.; Clark, Gilbert, Ed.

This collection of lessons is meant to be a practical guide to help teachers engage children in art criticism. The lessons generally follow a similar format. Most suggest an age group but may be modified for use with younger or older students. Several authors suggest variations and extensions for lessons that include studio activities. A broad…

Training of Classroom Relevant Behaviors with the "Staats Box." Technical Report #9.

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Sueoka, Sarah; And Others

This case study of a kindergarten boy in the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) suggests that specific operant training in school-relevant behaviors can facilitate classroom adjustment if the training is coordinated with the regular classroom teacher. The subject, considered unmanageable, hyperactive, and aggressive by the staff at his…

Preparing student teachers to address complex learning and controversy with middle grades students

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Smith, Ann Marie; Lennon, Sean

2011-01-01

This qualitative study explores pre-service teachers’ perceptions of teaching critical literacy through discussions of controversial issues. Personality questionnaires were given to six classes of pre-student teachers over three semesters in order to gauge interest in teaching methods that incorporate inquiry learning and critical literacy. The results of this study suggest that these pre-service teachers were generally unwilling to discussing controversial issues in their classes. Also some ...

Postglobal Teacher Preparation: Border Thinking along the Global South through International Cross-Cultural Experiences

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Rahatzad, Jubin; Sasser, Hannah L.; Phillion, JoAnn; Karimi, Nastaran; Deng, Yuwen; Akiyama, Reiko; Sharma, Suniti

2013-01-01

Preservice teachers' international cross-cultural experiences can provide opportunities for the exploration of epistemic frontiers. In this article we suggest that postglobal teacher preparation take a critically reflective approach that engages preservice teachers in border thinking, which allows for other ways of knowing while studying abroad.…

Understanding Teachers' Perceptions of Student Support Systems in Relation to Teachers' Stress

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Ball, Annahita; Anderson-Butcher, Dawn

2014-01-01

Expanded school mental health (ESMH) programs are critical for addressing children's social and emotional development in schools. As broad, multisystem approaches, ESMH programs rely on teachers for effective and sustainable primary, secondary, and tertiary school mental health service delivery. In light of the increasing mental health needs…

Coaching While Coaching: The Functional Relationship of Elbow Coaching on Cooperating Teacher's "e"Coaching, Pre-Service Teacher's Reading Instruction, and Student Outcomes

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Jones, Jennie Leigh

2017-01-01

Pre-service teachers (PST) clinical experiences are critical for transfering theory to practice (e.g., Brownell, Ross, Colon, and McCallum, 2005) and these experiences require effective mentoring, coaching, and supervision from university supervisors and cooperating teachers (e.g., Leko, Brownell, Sindelar, & Murphy, 2012). Yet, many special…

Comparative Analysis of Intercultural Sensitivity among Teachers Working with Refugees

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Strekalova-Hughes, Ekaterina

2017-01-01

The unprecedented global refugee crisis and the accompanying political discourse places added pressures on teachers working with children who are refugees in resettling countries. Given the increased chances of having a refugee child in one's classroom, it is critical to explore how interculturally sensitive teachers are and if working with…

The Doxa of Physical Education Teacher Education--Set in Stone?

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Larsson, Lena; Linnér, Susanne; Schenker, Katarina

2018-01-01

In this paper, we critically examine the potential of assessment components in physical education teacher education (PETE) to either reinforce or challenge PETE students' conceptions of what a physical education (PE) teacher needs to know to teach this school subject. To understand the mechanisms that may contribute to the difficulty of…

Technology and Teacher-Student Interactions: A Review of Empirical Research

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Harper, Ben

2018-01-01

As technology becomes ubiquitous in education, it is critical to understand the ways in which technology influences interactions between teachers and their students. The overarching research question that guided this systematic review was: What does research tell us about how technology influences interactions between teachers and students in K-12…

Developing critical thinking through Socratic Questioning: An Action Research Study

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Husniah Sahamid