Education Commons^™

Supporting Urban-Oriented Teacher Candidates To Value Rural Schooling: The Story Of A Virtual Adapted Practicum, Joanne Pattison-Meek

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In the fall of 2020, due to the institutional impacts of COVID-19, the Master of Teaching Program in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto (Canada) transitioned to a modified practicum program. In this article, I draw on self-study (Kitchen et al., 2020) to examine and share my experiences as a Practicum Advisor tasked to design and deliver a four-week virtual practicum program for 30 teacher candidates, without access to high school classrooms. I reflect on how my rural teacher and researcher selves informed my practicum design in one of Canada’s largest urban faculties of education, including …

The Potential Of Involving Communities To Enhance Stem Education, Paula Mildenhall, Bronwen Cowie

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

By engaging students in everyday issues and events, STEM education can contribute to the development of citizens who are equipped to make the world a better place. However, students’ STEM learning with this focus requires teachers to identify age and context appropriate issues. Student investigation of local issues and events can be motivating for students. Their learning can benefit from involvement with community members who input their knowledge and ideas. Students can contribute ideas and actions to the community, especially when there is a two-way exchange of information from the community to students and students to the community. In this …

Supervision In Initial Teacher Education: A Scoping Review, Madlen Griffiths, Mandie Shean, Denise Jackson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Supervision in initial teacher education is a pivotal component of professional experience, widely considered to be the most valued aspect of preservice teacher learning. Key to these experiences is the work of the university appointed supervisors who mentor the novices during their in-classroom learning. This is a dichotomous and often under-rated role, fraught with challenges, yet remains under-theorised and underresearched. Situated in a framework of readiness for teaching, this literature review provides a synopsis of the challenges facing the provision of quality teacher education programs and the supervision of preservice teachers and details the myriad of tasks undertaken by these …

The Policy-Driven Dimensions Of Teacher Beliefs About Assessment, Dennis Alonzo, Velma Labad, Jean Bejano, Florence Guerra

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Despite the advancement of the conceptualisations of teacher assessment literacy, teachers’ assessment practices remain relatively low due to misalignment between teachers’ beliefs on assessment and principles of effective assessment practices. The current assessment reform in the Philippines has not gained significant traction despite the ongoing professional development programs focused on enhancing teacher assessment literacy. We argue that to change teachers’ exam-dominated assessment practices towards a more student-centred approach, there is a need to explore teachers’ beliefs in assessment. Hence, we developed a context-driven tool using both theoretical and empirical approaches that could measure this construct, and which the results could …

Exploring ‘Next Practice’: Principals’ Perceptions Of Graduate Skills And Attributes For Future Classrooms, Angela Fitzgerald

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The phrase ‘next practice’ was coined to indicate a shift from the notion of best practice to thinking more broadly about the needs of future learners and the ways in which teaching practice might align to support these needs. In understanding what next practice means for the classroom, this study was particularly interested in examining how initial teacher education (ITE) could respond through their graduate preparation. The presented data presented is derived from an Australian small-scale qualitative study that sought to explore principals’ perceptions of graduate skills and attributes for future classrooms which captured the perspectives of six primary and …

The Validity Of The Science Teacher Efficacy Belief Instrument (Stebi-B) For Postgraduate, Pre-Service, Primary Teachers, Eileen V. Slater, Christina M. Norris, Julia E. Morris

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The STEBI-B (Enoch and Riggs, 1990) has been widely used as a measure of undergraduate primary pre-service teacher self-efficacy since its creation. However, the publication of its use within postgraduate teaching courses has been limited. The postgraduate pre-service teachers (Graduate Diploma and Master of Education students) are a very different population, presenting with more life experience and importantly, more experience in Science. This brings the generalizability of the STEBI-B to this population into question. The validity of the STEBI-B for use with a postgraduate, pre-service teacher population was investigated using a Rasch model analysis. Results support the two-factor structure presented …

Teachers’ Perspectives On The Use Of Digital Portfolios In Efl Teaching Context, Diem Thi Ngoc Hoang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Teacher education in Vietnam has undergone radical reform in the last decade. This is partially the result ofthe determination of the Vietnamese government to improve education quality nationwide at all levels. In particular, the training of teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has received significant consideration. This is shown in many policy documents issued by the government that focus on increasing both quantity and quality of EFL teachers (Government of Vietnam, 2008; Ministry of Education and Training, 2014). Among the quality standards of EFL teachers, ICT competence has recently received considerable attention and investment (Government of Vietnam, 2017; …

Teacher Quality And Teacher Education: A Critical Policy Analysis Of International And Australian Policies., Parlo Singh, Frances Hoyte, Stephen Heimans, Beryl Exley

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article examines how the ‘teacher quality’ agenda, evident in the globalised discourse on education policy, constructs changes to teachers’ work and teacher education. We undertake a critical policy analysis of two reports from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), addressing three issues. First, we discuss the global and national context in which ‘teacher quality’ policies have emerged. We examine implications of policy enactment in Australia and analyse how the OECD documents construct understandings of teacher quality. We link our analysis to a recent government inquiry into the teaching profession in Australia, looking specifically at the impact of …

Trauma-Informed Teacher Wellbeing: Teacher Reflections Within Trauma-Informed Positive Education, Tom Brunzell, Lea Waters, Helen Stokes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

For the last 15 years, teacher wellbeing has been a priority area of exploration within education and positive psychology literatures. However, increasing teacher wellbeing for those who educate students impacted by trauma has yet to be comprehensively explored despite repeated exposure of teachers to child trauma and their experiences of associated negative effects such as secondary traumatic stress, vicarious traumatisation, compassion fatigue and burnout. This study follows teachers’ understandings and reflections upon their own wellbeing after learning the literatures supporting trauma-informed positive education. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used as the methodological approach to represent teachers (N = 18) in order …

Fostering Values Through Authentic Storytelling, Maya Gunawardena, Bernard Brown

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Stories are used for diverse pedagogical purposes. Storytelling is a culturally inclusive and widely used pedagogical technique. However, the success of storytelling interventions in education can be dependent upon how teachers engage students to analyse experiences, and events to gain deeper insights to influence change in their thinking and behaviour. This paper firstly provides a literature review which synthesises Australian Curriculum content and outcome-based approaches used in values education in primary schools including storytelling. Secondly, it offers a novel taxonomy supported by a pedagogical model for storytelling. The proposed pedagogical model contains a constructivist process that can enable teachers to …

Online Education Practices And Teaching Team Compositions In Australian Preservice Primary Science Education, James Deehan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Australian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) has long been marred by instability, scrutiny and high academic workloads. University wide workforce changes and the proliferation of online education require ongoing consideration as these factors have the potential to both enrich ITE and exacerbate existing issues. As subsect of ITE, preservice primary science education faces unique hurdles as establish student-centred, authentic practices have historically been delivered by tenured staff in traditional face-to-face settings. This paper aims to explore online teaching practices and teaching team composition in Australian preservice primary science education via interview and survey data collected from 17 academics in a Type …

Preservice Teachers’ Reflections On Their Teaching Self-Efficacy Changes For The First Professional Experience Placement, Kang Ma, Michael S. Cavanagh, Anne Mcmaugh

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Professional experience plays a vital role in the formation of teaching self-efficacy (TSE), a construct which has attracted much attention from teacher education researchers. This study investigates how 18 preservice teachers (PTs) reported changes in their TSE for their first professional placement. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews with each PT and analysed in NVivo. Results show the majority of interviewees reported an increase in their TSE after completing the placement. Also, three patterns of individual TSE change were identified: beginning with a low level of TSE before quickly rising to a higher level at the end of the …

Investigating Self-Efficacy: Early Childhood Teachers’ Understanding Of Self-Efficacy, Dimity Franks

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Students are experiencing an increased pressure to perform academically at a younger age with reports of the narrowing of curriculum and student disengagement. Current research literature suggests curricula should reflect the increased pressures students are facing. A focus on the social and emotional skills to support student learning is recommended to increase student engagement and enrichment and prepare students for their future. Self-efficacy is one element of social and emotional learning that demands attention. Self-efficacy is considered important for teachers to understand as it can predict how students approach their tasks as well as influence their levels of motivation and …

Leveraging Social Media And Scholarly Discussion For Educator Empowerment, Steven Kolber, Sandy Nicoll, Kelli Mcgraw, Nicolas Gaube, Keith R. Heggart

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper shares insights from an international community of educators who have been using social media as a virtual space for a scholarly reading group: #edureading. The collection of educator narratives presented in this paper show how social networks on Twitter and Flipgrid were used as inclusive environments for teacher-led professional development. This paper is both a report of research involving five practitioners inquiring into their collective experience, and an exercise in building the scholarly capacity of the #edureading group. The accessibility of the social media platforms, as well as the collaborative, inquiry-based approach to scholarly reading, emerge as key …

Motivation Profiles In The Selection Of A Study Program: Why Do Physical Education Students Decide To Choose Teacher Education?, Britta Fischer, Marion Golenia

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Students´ motivation to select a study program is an important factor that influences the professional development of student teachers. The exploratory study intended to clarify whether different study choice motivation profiles can be distinguished for PE students and how these profiles can be characterized. The analysis is based on 816 German PE students from 12 universities. The identification of different profiles was carried out by means of latent profile analysis. Among the PE students who were examined, four profiles can be identified concerning the motivation for the selection of a teacher education. The findings differ from most non subject-specific findings, …

Second Language Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Pedagogical Practices, Collaborations, And Relationships With Other Teachers Through Professional Development, Simone Smala, Robyn M. Gillies, Katherine Mclay, Huong Ngyuen

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports on the relationship between language teacher practices and their collaborations with other teachers through professional development. The paper argues that there is a link between the disposition to use evidence-based practices in language teaching, and ongoing reinforcement of such practices through dialogic exchange in professional practice sessions. Furthermore, the paper understands the learning and development of such disposition as a career-long endeavour, first encountered in quality teacher education programs and then continued by committing to ongoing professional development. Survey data were collected from a group of language teachers from various second languages in primary and secondary schools …

Sleep In Adolescents Attending Australian Boarding Schools: A Review And Interim Recommendations, Madeline Sprajcer, David Mander, Gabrielle Rigney, Tessa Benveniste

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Boarding schools, by definition, house students in residence either on campus or close by in residential facilities - where the sleep environment is likely to differ from their home environment. For boarders, being in the boarding environment occurs alongside a convergence of psychosocial and physiological factors likely to impact adolescent sleep. This paper comprises a review of the literature on sleep and boarding students in the Australian context. We also propose recommendations aligned with the scientific evidence base that can be used to promote healthy sleep in Australian boarding school students, focusing on staff training and sleep knowledge, daily routines, …

Three Casual Relief Teachers In Australian Primary Schools: Their Experiences And Perspectives Over One School Year, Minami Uchida, Michael S. Cavanagh, Rod Lane

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study investigates the lived experiences of three casual relief teachers (CRTs) and their work within Australian primary schools for a period of one school year. Practice architecture theory was used as a theoretical framework to examine whether participants saw any advantages to working on a casual basis, how they think casual teaching could be improved in terms of access to accreditation support, and whether any growth to their professional practice took place during the course of the year. Monthly diary entries and two semi-structured interviews from each participant revealed some advantages to casual teaching, such as being able to …

The Value Of Praxis-Based Assessment To Stimulate Practical Engagement And Classroom Readiness In Online Initial Teacher Education, Katie M. Burke, Melissa Fanshawe

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The opportunity to undertake teaching degrees entirely via online learning has proliferated in the last decade. Research shows that students choose to engage with content and application activities when they are directly aligned to assessment. The researchers trialled praxis-based assessment which required completion of practical learning tasks embedded in core learning content over two semesters in two Australian Initial Teacher Education courses. The aim was to enhance online student engagement in practical learning. Insights into the student perspective were gained through a survey, interviews, and learning analytics. The results from this study showed praxis-based assessment increased student confidence, classroom readiness …

Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Standards And Their Integration Into Pre-Service Training: A Comparative Study Of Australia And Pakistan, Sadia Shaukat, Raqib Chowdhury

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper critically analyses 52 Australian and 68 Pakistani pre-service teachers’ (PST) perceptions of professional standards for teachers enabling the comparison of teacher preparation in the two countries. A multivariate analysis of variance tested the hypothesis that an integrated standards-based teacher preparation program was more effective for professional skills and competencies development than a non-integrated one. While the Australian PSTs undertaking a standards-integrated curriculum reported significantly higher levels of professional preparation in ten areas of professional Standards, their Pakistani counterparts - who were not exposed to such curriculum - reported inadequate preparation. The findings have implications for teacher educators and …

The Exclusive White World Of Preservice Teachers’ Book Selection For The Classroom: Influences And Implications For Practice, Helen Adam, Anne-Maree Hays, Yvonne Urquhart

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports on a study of the children’s book preferences of 82 Preservice teachers (PSTs) at one Western Australian University. The study found PSTs preferred older books published during their own childhood or earlier. Further, representation of people of colour was limited to only 8 of 177 titles listed by PSTs. Key influences on their preferences were their personal favourite books and those used by mentor teachers during practicum experience. The outcomes of this study have implications for curriculum development and implementation of Initial Teacher Education courses, and in turn, for equitable outcomes of the future students of PSTs.

Supporting Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Professional Noticing Of Student Thinking, Gregory Hine, Kristin Lesseig

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

A growing body of evidence suggests developing the attention of preservice, secondary mathematics (PSMTs) teachers towards professional noticing of student thinking should feature in teacher education programs. There were two aims for this qualitative study: first, to explore the extent to which an Interview Module (IM) supported the development of PSMTs’ ability to notice and make pedagogical decisions based on student thinking evidenced in video- and paper-based work samples. A secondary aim was to establish the viability of the IM in an Australian context. Overall, PSMTs regarded their involvement in the IM as beneficial to their development as teachers. Specifically, …

Achieving Teacher Professional Growth Through Professional Experimentation And Changes In Pedagogical Practices, Tracey Muir, Craig Deed, Damon Thomas, Sherridan Emery

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

To facilitate the professional learning of teachers and bring about changes in pedagogical practices, it is necessary to understand the process by which teachers grow professionally. Professional growth can be achieved when teachers work together to engage in professional experimentation and see results in terms of salient outcomes for their students. This paper reports on a study of teachers’ pedagogical practices as they introduced adaptations to focus on personalising students’ learning in mathematics. Two cases are presented to demonstrate how teachers in two schools used student mathematics test data to determine students’ strengths and needs, in order to personalise learning …

Development And Validation Of A Scale To Explore Pre-Service Teachers’ Sense Of Preparedness, Engagement And Self-Efficacy In Classroom Teaching, Jessy Abraham, Tania Ferfolja, Aaron Sickel, Anne Power, Christina Curry, Denise Fraser, Karin Mackay

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Raising the quality of initial teacher education can make an important contribution to raising the overall quality of the school system. In Australia, the National Framework for Professional Standards for Teaching is used as a common framework to set standards for the accreditation of teacher education programs. However, institution-wise assessments need to be carried out regularly to explore the quality of preparation pre-service teachers receive and to what extent they feel well prepared to enter teaching. This will enable teacher education programs to implement strategies to strengthen the link between university coursework and professional practice of pre service teachers. This …

Efl Literacy Teaching In Relation To Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Experience And Native Language, Stephanie Fuchs, Tami Katzir, Janina Kahn-Horwitz

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

English as a foreign language (EFL) literacy is necessary for the career success of non-English speaking students. Many students lack adequate EFL literacy skills which may indicate a gap between EFL literacy instruction theory and practice. Teachers’ self-efficacy regarding their ability to teach reading and writing, years of teaching experience, and/or native language may influence their selection of components for EFL literacy instruction. This study examines these components as they are perceived by teachers. One hundred and sixty-seven Israeli EFL elementary school teachers completed online questionnaires. Findings showed a weak correlation between teachers’ self-efficacy and their instructional approach. Teaching experience …

The Pressing Need To Raise The Status Of The Teaching Profession: The Launch Story Of The Teachers Of Australia Social Media Campaign, Alison Willis, Catherine Thiele, Rachael Dwyer, Peter Grainger, Susan Simon

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper presents the start-up methodology for a project that leverages the opportunities that social media affords to give teachers voice and agency. In response to negative press about teachers in mainstream media, coupled with research that shows that teachers are working hard to meet student academic and wellbeing needs, the researchers employed the assertive technologies of social media and started a campaign to promote the work of pre-service and in-service teachers. The paper presents the theorising behind the start-up methodology for the social media campaign and outlines a response to an identified opportunity. It argues that social media provides …

The Implementation Of The Coaching Approach To Professional Experience (Cape) Model In Indonesian Initial Teacher Education: The Participants’ Perspectives, Urip Sulistiyo, Muhammad Rusdi, Jennifer Clifton, Heather Fehring, Kathy Jordan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Professional experience is considered essential to enable pre-service teachers (PSTs) to implement what they have learned during their initial teacher education (ITE) program to school environments. There are multiple models of professional experience that address the issue of integrating theory and practice. This article reports on findings of the implementation of the Coaching Approach to Professional Experience (CAPE) model in an ITE program in Jambi University, Indonesia. Using qualitative focus groups, this research focuses on the perceptions of PSTs, a school principal, mentor teachers, teacher educators (lecturer) and a coach regarding the implementation of the CAPE model. The research findings …

The Influence Of Emotion On Preservice Teachers As They Learn To Assess Student Learning, Frances Edwards

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

_{This paper explores the experience of emotion for eight preservice teachers as they learn to assess their students while concurrently being assessed. This qualitative study utilised semi-structured interviews and assessment-related artefacts. Findings indicate that emotional engagement influenced preservice teachers’ assessment decision making. The teachers also experienced emotional reactions as in turn they were assessed. This paper argues for the need of preservice teachers to be cognisant of the influence of emotion on themselves and their work, to allow them to better rationalise their assessment decision making and reflect on their practice.}

Student Articulations Of Critical Multicultural Education Concepts From One Study Abroad Experience In New Zealand, Erika Feinauer, Erin Feinauer Whiting

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study examines how six teacher candidates in one U.S. based teacher preparation program articulate understandings of critical multicultural education concepts after a field experience in a study abroad program in New Zealand. Teacher candidates were interviewed about their understandings of culture, privilege, and social inequality. Field placements were in high poverty elementary schools with high numbers of linguistic and ethnic minority students. Teacher candidate responses revealed development of cultural appreciation but a lack of engagement with issues related to privilege and social inequality. Teacher candidates further had difficulty articulating issues of power and systemic privilege enacted either in the …

Collaboratively Designing A National, Mandated Teaching Performance Assessment In A Multi-University Consortium: Leadership, Dispositions And Tensions, Amanda Mcgraw, Ron “Kim” Keamy, Jeana A. Kriewaldt, Robyn Brandenburg, Rebecca Walker, Nadine Crane

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

It is a requirement for pre-service students in Initial Teacher Education programs in Australia to successfully complete a teaching performance assessment (TPA) before they graduate. This follows similar requirements in other international contexts, particularly the United States, where standard-based assessment is also a focus. As members of the design team of a TPA, which was affirmed by a nationally appointed Expert Advisory Group in Australia, we examine the social processes contributing to the development of a high-stakes assessment task. Significant challenges emerged through the nature of the task and the responsibility developers had for ensuring validity and fairness, but also …