Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Muslim Parents At Crossroads: Choosing The Right School For Their Children, Ghazala E. Ahmed

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper is based on a qualitative study that investigated reasons behind twelve Muslim parents’ decisions to send their children to either an Islamic or a public school in South-Western Ontario. Three major thematic reasons for parents’ choices emerged from the interviews: first, were the parents’ experiences with either the public or Islamic school environment; second, were the parents’ experiences and perceptions of the school’s dress codes; and, third, was the parents’ understanding of the school curriculum content. In addition to these themes, the paper also discusses parents’ views on the language of the school and that of the home …

Empowering Teachers To Become Change Agents Through The Science Education In-Service Teacher Training Project In Zimbabwe, Yovita N. Gwekwerere Dr., Emmanuel Mushayikwa, Viola Manokore

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper presents findings from a study of three Zimbabwean science teachers who participated in the Science Education In-service Teacher Training (SEITT) program. At the turn of the century, the SEITT program was designed to develop science and mathematics teachers into expert masters and resource teachers for Zimbabwe’s ten school districts. The study investigated the successes and challenges faced by the three teachers who were in the process of reforming their pedagogical practices as well as writing and using contextualized science curriculum materials to teach secondary science. Data were collected through telephone interviews. The three teachers reported that the SEITT …

“My Classroom Is A Bigger Place”: Examining The Impact Of A Professional Development Course On The Global Perspective Of Experienced Teachers, Steve Sider, Mary Ashun

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

How do experienced teachers develop a global perspective through a professional development course and how can this perspective impact classroom practice? These are the two key questions which this paper examines. We utilize Guskey’s (2002) model of teacher change as a framework for understanding the results of a study involving experienced teachers who took a professional development course which had a focus on global education. The participants engaged in a number of activities four months after the completion of the course to explore how the course had impacted their classroom teaching practice. Common themes were identified through participant reflective papers …

Education Under China’S Market Economy: A Case Study Of Urban And Rural Teachers In Hunan Province, Qing Li

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

The purpose of this article to investigate the working and living conditions of teachers under China’s market economy, with a focus on urban and rural schools. This paper is a case study of teachers in Hunan province, representing Central China. A total of eighteen teachers in seven different schools participated in the study.

The analysis of data shows that teachers experience change of teaching as reflected in the shift to learner-centred approaches, as well as changes of curriculum, textbooks and teacher evaluation. Under market economy, Chinese educational system still possesses urban rural inequalities, for the same or different reasons. The …

Teaching In Northwestern China Under A Market Economy: Opportunities And Challenges, Gulbahar H. Beckett

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This article discusses a case study that explored the impacts of a market economy on some Northwestern Chinese teachers’ working and living conditions as well as opportunities and challenges the new economy presented from teachers’ perspectives. Analysis of surveys, interviews, and documents revealed that the participants believed they had benefited from the market economy, citing pay raises as well as improved working and living conditions. Participants thought opportunities under the market economy included additional earnings as well as improved national and international professional development. However, the participants found the shift from the traditional teacher-centered pedagogy to a more student-centered approach …