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Towards Pre-Service Teachers’ Theory-Praxis Nexus In Early Years English And Literacy Education: A Pilot Study, Maryanne Pale, Sarah Ohi, Lyn Kee
Towards Pre-Service Teachers’ Theory-Praxis Nexus In Early Years English And Literacy Education: A Pilot Study, Maryanne Pale, Sarah Ohi, Lyn Kee
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
International literature highlights that a perennial challenge for initial teacher educators is to guide Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) to develop a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between theory and practice. Whilst there is a growing body of research that examines the relationship and/or the gap between theory and practice in teacher education, there remains a paucity of research that examines this phenomenon in the teaching of English and literacy units in higher education. This pilot study examined how PSTs from two Australian universities made connections and/or links (nexus) between their academic knowledge (theory) and professional experience (praxis) for the teaching of …
Targeted Teacher Education To Improve Primary Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge And Understanding Of Uv And Effective Sun Protection Measures For Children, Joseph J. Scott, Robyn S. Johnston, Natasha Bear, Sonia Gregory, Sally Blane, Mark Strickland, Jill Darby, Elin S. Gray
Targeted Teacher Education To Improve Primary Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge And Understanding Of Uv And Effective Sun Protection Measures For Children, Joseph J. Scott, Robyn S. Johnston, Natasha Bear, Sonia Gregory, Sally Blane, Mark Strickland, Jill Darby, Elin S. Gray
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Teachers are responsible for children at school during peak ultraviolet (UV) times of the day. It is paramount that teachers have knowledge and understanding of UV to effectively protect themselves and their students. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effect of a short intervention on preservice teachers’ sun protective behaviours, knowledge and perceived skill to teach sun safety. Participants (n =161; median age=20 years) attended a 45-minute preservice teacher sun safety intervention and completed pre- and post-test surveys. Post-intervention, most participants indicated they felt: i) more informed about the dangers of UV and risks of developing …
Teacher Biography: Solo Analysis Of Preservice Teachers’ Reflections Of Their Experiences In Physical Education, John E. Haynes, Frances Quinn, Judith A. Miller
Teacher Biography: Solo Analysis Of Preservice Teachers’ Reflections Of Their Experiences In Physical Education, John E. Haynes, Frances Quinn, Judith A. Miller
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Teacher biography, as a reflective practice, was implemented in the context of Physical Education in a primary teacher education course at a regional Australian university. Second year students were asked to provide descriptions of a critical incident they experienced at the primary or secondary level in a Physical Education or sporting context (N=214). Their responses comprised the data for this study and the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) Model was used to determine the levels of complexity of the responses to ‘alternatives for action’ associated with these incidents. More responses were multistructural (48%), than relational (24%), and unistructural (23%), …
Student And Staff Perceptions Of A Learning Management System For Blended Learning In Teacher Education, Kathryn A. Holmes, Elena Prieto-Rodriguez
Student And Staff Perceptions Of A Learning Management System For Blended Learning In Teacher Education, Kathryn A. Holmes, Elena Prieto-Rodriguez
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Higher education institutions routinely use Learning Management Systems (LMS) for multiple purposes; to organise coursework and assessment, to facilitate staff and student interactions, and to act as repositories of learning objects. The analysis reported here involves staff (n=46) and student (n=470) responses to surveys as well as data collected in interviews and focus groups. The research focuses on participants’ perceptions of two broad affordances of the LMS: accessibility and interactivity. Differences were found between student and staff views in relation to accessibility of online materials, with students rating its contribution to their learning more highly than staff. However, the two …
Why Is Active Learning So Difficult To Implement: The Turkish Case, Fisun Aksit, Hannele Niemi, Anne Nevgi
Why Is Active Learning So Difficult To Implement: The Turkish Case, Fisun Aksit, Hannele Niemi, Anne Nevgi
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
This article aims to report how teacher education may promote active learning which is demanded by the current educational reform of Turkish teacher education (TE). This article also examines the effectiveness of the recent reforms in Turkey from a student’s perspective, and provides an understanding of the concept of active learning, how it is applied and what the obstacles are to achieving it. The data were collected through open-ended questions on an electronic platform. Student teachers (n = 316) in the Faculty of Education at Erciyes University responded to the questions. The data were analysed qualitatively through content analysis. The …
Preparedness Of Pre-Service Teachers For Inclusive Education In The Solomon Islands, Umesh Sharma, Janine Simi, Chris Forlin
Preparedness Of Pre-Service Teachers For Inclusive Education In The Solomon Islands, Umesh Sharma, Janine Simi, Chris Forlin
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Recent policy changes in the Pacific Islands have seen a strong emphasis on implementing inclusive education. Preparing teachers for this change in education will be essential if they are to have the knowledge, skills and understandings so that they can become inclusive practitioners. Pre-service teacher education will play a critical role in supporting this process. This paper considers the perceptions of pre-service teachers undertaking the first year of the Diploma of Teaching in the one university in the Solomon Islands. This is the only university that prepares teachers to work across the entire archipelago. Data are collected pre and post …
Should Educators Be ‘Wrapping School Playgrounds In Cotton Wool’ To Encourage Physical Activity? Exploring Primary And Secondary Students’ Voices From The School Playground, Brendon P. Hyndman, Amanda Telford
Should Educators Be ‘Wrapping School Playgrounds In Cotton Wool’ To Encourage Physical Activity? Exploring Primary And Secondary Students’ Voices From The School Playground, Brendon P. Hyndman, Amanda Telford
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Physical activity in school playgrounds has changed considerably over recent decades to reflect a climate of ‘surplus safety’. A growing culture of surplus safety can be attributed to a desire of parents and teachers responsible for children to protect school students from danger. The aim of this research was to examine students’ perceptions of playground safety influences on physical activity during school breaks from the perspectives of the ‘users’ of school playgrounds. Data collection consisted of seven focus groups (4 primary school & 3 secondary school) conducted across four schools (2 primary & 2 secondary). During this study, the focus …
‘We Did The How To Teach It’: Music Teaching And Learning In Higher Education In Australia, Dawn Joseph
‘We Did The How To Teach It’: Music Teaching And Learning In Higher Education In Australia, Dawn Joseph
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
The Australian Government recognizes that the Arts are a critical part of formal school education and it should not be viewed as subordinate or extra. This paper forms part of a wider research project titled “Pre-service teacher attitudes and understandings of Music Education” that started in 2013. The focus of this paper investigates music teaching and learning in a core unit within the Bachelor of Education (Primary) course at Deakin University (Australia). Using questionnaire and interview data gathered in 2014, I employ Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to analyse and codify the data. Three themes are discussed in relation to: Why it …
Workplace-Based Practicum: Enabling Expansive Practices, Bruce A. Pridham, Craig Deed, Peter Cox
Workplace-Based Practicum: Enabling Expansive Practices, Bruce A. Pridham, Craig Deed, Peter Cox
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Effective pre-service teacher education integrates theoretical and practical knowledge. One means of integration is practicum in a school workplace. In a time of variable approaches to, and models of, practicum, we outline an innovative model of school immersion as part of a teacher preparation program. We apply Fuller and Unwin’s (2004) expansive and restrictive conceptual framework of workplace learning to a case study of an immersive practicum experience to discuss themes of participation, personal development and institutional arrangements in relation to school-based practicum. Enablers and constraints are identified for our immersion model of workplace-based practicum. Based on the data analysis …
Teacher Education Partnerships: An Australian Research-Based Perspective, David Lynch, Richard Smith
Teacher Education Partnerships: An Australian Research-Based Perspective, David Lynch, Richard Smith
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
This article reviews literature about partnerships between teacher education faculties and schools that indicates not just heightened interest in recent years, but also significant progress. Despite interest and progress, conceptual and practical difficulties remain in establishing, developing, nurturing and implementing successful partnerships so that core interests of partners are satisfied. Against this background, the article examines the experiences of an Australian teacher education faculty that sought to enhance its arrangements with local schools by reorganizing and staging a teacher education program through a community of practice. Data drawn from a study of the emergent partnership confirm the trends in the …
Basic Literacy Or New Literacies? Examining The Contradictions Of Australia’S Education Revolution, Rachel Buchanan, Kathryn Holmes, Gregory Preston, Kylie Shaw
Basic Literacy Or New Literacies? Examining The Contradictions Of Australia’S Education Revolution, Rachel Buchanan, Kathryn Holmes, Gregory Preston, Kylie Shaw
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
In 2007 the Labor Government came to power with the promise to bring to Australia an ‘Education Revolution’. More than four years later we are still waiting for the full impact of this series of policy initiatives. Among the various facets of the Education Revolution was the assurance that the Education Revolution would focus on the most fundamental skills – literacy and numeracy, and that it would offer world-class teaching and learning through a ‘Digital Education Revolution’. The digital education revolution aims to foster the development of 21st century learning skills in students, skills which seem at odds with …
Crossing The Primary And Secondary School Divide In Teacher Preparation, Sally Knipe
Crossing The Primary And Secondary School Divide In Teacher Preparation, Sally Knipe
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Teacher education courses at universities qualify graduates to teach in age-related contexts of primary/early childhood/secondary that reflect the organisational structure of schools. In terms of teacher employment, for some considerable time, these longstanding organisational divisions have been by-passed whereby a shortage of teachers in particular areas (for example a perennial shortage of science and mathematics teachers) has resulted in schools employing teachers in subjects and grade levels for which they are not qualified. More recently, the development of middle schooling, P/K to 10 and P/K to 12 colleges, has created demand for teachers with generic skills able to teach across …
Structured Reflective Communication As A Meta-Genre In Teacher Education: Creative Uses Of Critique In A Teacher Education Program, Donna Starks, Howard Nicholas, Shem Macdonald
Structured Reflective Communication As A Meta-Genre In Teacher Education: Creative Uses Of Critique In A Teacher Education Program, Donna Starks, Howard Nicholas, Shem Macdonald
Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Critical reflection is central to teacher education for unpacking privileged positions and empowering participants to adopt valued professional stances (e.g. Krull, Oras & Sisask, 2007; Harford & MacRuairc, 2008; Fernandez, 2010), yet critical reflection is not a well-developed conceptual structure within teacher education. Lesson planning is, likewise, central to teacher education, yet not well-developed as a theoretical tool. Our model proposes a way of engaging beginning teachers in critical reflection by drawing together the informal spoken discourse meanings of critical reflection in education, its more formalised structure as critique in rhetoric and genre analysis, and lesson planning. When critical reflection …