Education Commons^™

Ecologies Of Learning For Inclusive Pedagogy In Spanish Secondary Education, Inmaculada Orozco, Anabel Moriña

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

From the theoretical basis of the ecology of learning and inclusive pedagogy, this article explores the activities, resources and interactions practised by 25 Spanish teachers in compulsory secondary education. This qualitative study involved semi-structured and individual interviews. A progressive analysis of the data was carried out using an inductive system of categories and codes. The results show that the activities were varied and all of them put students at the centre of the teaching-learning process. The resources that stood out were technologies and peer support. Interactions were characterised by the need to nurture affection and get to know and motivate …

Teachers’ Experiences Preparing To Teach A New Senior Secondary School (Psychology) Curriculum On The Eve Of Enactment, Karen Marangio, Ellen Heyting

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article explores teachers’ experiences in preparing to enact a new senior secondary school subject, psychology, in Queensland, Australia, at a time of major curriculum reform. In this study, 62 teachers completed an online survey about their experiences on the eve of enactment. From an ecological lens, data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and content analysis before thematic analysis of open-ended responses. Teachers described their preparation in terms of excitement and anticipation in establishing a new subject; frustration and urgency for support to plan, collaborate and access professional learning and curriculum materials; and feelings of isolation and desire to connect …

Teachers’ Experiences Of Educating Eal Students In Mainstream Primary And Secondary Classrooms, Jessica Premier

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Many schools in Victoria, Australia, are multicultural, with students coming from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Content area teachers often educate EAL students in their classrooms, even though they may not have specialised EAL teaching qualifications. This paper presents the experiences of primary and secondary teachers working in multicultural schools in Victoria. It explores the way in which teachers meet the needs of EAL students in their classrooms, and the support that is available to assist them to do so. This paper reports that teaching practice, school leadership, professional learning, and identity, influence the way in which teachers educate …

How Teachers Use Formative Assessment Strategies During Teaching: Evidence From The Classroom, Hem Chand Dayal

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Using lesson observations, the study reported in this article explores how two practising secondary mathematics teachers implemented formative assessment actions in their classroom teaching. The study also investigated whether teachers’ beliefs about teaching and assessment could be mapped onto their classroom practices. In particular, while the two teachers were implementing student portfolio assessment in their own Year 9 mathematics lessons, the classroom observations focused on how they utilised formative assessment actions such as clarifying and sharing learning criteria intentions and criteria for success; activating students as instructional resources; and, providing feedback that moves learners forward. The findings suggest that one …

Conversations With Australian Teachers And School Leaders About Using Differentiated Instruction In A Mainstream Secondary School, Kathryn Gibbs, Wendi Beamish

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Circumstances in today’s schools are requiring a rethinking of pedagogical approaches so that equitable learning opportunities are provided to all students. This small-scale, qualitative Australian study reports how some teachers and school leaders viewed differentiated instruction (DI) being applied in their secondary campus to address diverse abilities and needs. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted using Zoom. The analysis of data identified three themes related to DI: understandings, practices, and concerns. Findings showed that all participants understood many of the important elements of DI. Teachers reported using several well-known DI strategies, with experienced teachers applying a more considered approach. Teachers raised …

The Uk’S Project Faraday And Secondary Stem Education, Geoffrey W. Lummis, Julie Boston, Paula Mildenhall, Stephen Winn

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This ethnographic study reports on the findings from seven English secondary schools that participated in Project Faraday. The project was funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to build innovative learning environments to encourage students into upper secondary inquiry-based STEM. Despite the innovative classrooms, the schools emphasised A-Level university entrance science. Technicians prepared for specific science subjects, although teachers acknowledged the value of inquiry-based pedagogies. UK policies prioritising A-Level assessment were found to be impeding inquiry-based STEM, although wealthy schools had the resources to facilitating both A-Level science and inquiry-based STEM through clubs and co-curricular programs. Our data …

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, …

Teaching Classroom Mathematics: Linking Two Pedagogical Models For Promoting Student Engagement And Conceptual Connections, Christine A. Ormond

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper explains how an original conceptual framework model for mathematics pedagogy, the Australian Curriculum Conceptual Rubric (ACCR), has continued to be used successfully by the author in pre-service and in-service teacher education programs over the past ten years or more. Now further enhanced by a deeper reflection upon Peter Sullivan’s Six Principles (2011) for the effective teaching of classroom mathematics, the ACCR is based on four preparatory “big questions” that the teachers may ask of themselves and their students. The model is also a sequenced system of conceptual “rubrics” whose aim is to encourage, in new teachers especially, …

Curriculum Alignment After Reforms: A Systematic Review With Considerations For Queensland Pre- And In-Service Teachers, Claudia Elisabeth Johnson, Helen J. Boon, Maree Dinan Thompson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This systematic review synthesises research on curriculum alignment to suggest considerations for the implementation of the Senior secondary curriculum reform in Queensland, Australia. It focuses on the coherence of cognitive skills in the prescribed and enacted curriculum as these are typically the least aligned curriculum components. Search methods, which followed the PRISMA model, resulted in 108 relevant articles for qualitative synthesis. Results show that alignment after curriculum reforms is typically low. The use of educational taxonomies can support curriculum alignment. Marzano and Kendall’s (2007) New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives underpins the new Queensland Senior secondary syllabi which, in line with …

Differences In Perception Between Students And Teachers Of High School Science: Implications For Evaluations Of Teaching And Classroom Evaluation., Michael T. Fitzgerald, Lena Danaia, David H. Mckinnon, Sophie Bartlett

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The science teacher in the modern high school acts as the designer and driver of the in-class practice. In this role, the teacher must broadly assess the effect of the practice on the student. This would rely on accurate self-knowledge of how they act in class and impact their students. In this study we explore these issues by comparing the difference in responses of 86 teachers and 2512 Year 9 and 10 students to an instrument probing their perceptions of their in-class practice. We report two significant findings. First, not only do teachers constantly positively overrate their in-class practice but …

Perceptions And Experiences Of Belonging During The Transition From Primary To Secondary School, Lynette Longaretti

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

A young person’s sense of belonging at school can affect their level of motivation, academic achievement and wellbeing. During the transition from primary to secondary school, one’s sense of belonging may be affected by the changes and challenges encountered.

This paper reports some of the findings from a larger qualitative longitudinal study that investigated the factors that contribute to educational resilience during the transition from primary to secondary school. Data gathered from interviews with sixteen Year 6 students from three Victorian primary schools over a period of eighteen months is presented and analysed.

A key theme identified from the larger …

Fish Out Of Water: Investigating The ‘Readiness’ And Proficiency Of Beginning Drama Teachers In Western Australian Secondary Schools, Christina C. Gray, Kirsten Lambert, Sarah Jefferson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011) stipulate that graduating teachers need to be classroom-ready and able to perform at a ‘graduate standard’. However, recent research indicates that nearly 50% of beginning teachers lack readiness, are overwhelmed with stress, and will leave the profession within five years. This paper seeks to elucidate this disconcerting reality by providing a nuanced focus on the experiences of beginning drama teachers. Findings indicate that while participants in this study began feeling confident and ready for teaching drama; they were largely unprepared for the unwritten requirements of the profession – namely, coping with systems, …

Investigating Probability Concepts Of Secondary Pre-Service Teachers In A Game Context, Hem Chand Dayal, Sashi Sharma

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

There is a rich literature on students’ and teachers’ intuitions and misconceptions about probability. However, less attention has been paid to the development of pre-service teachers’ probabilistic thinking in teacher education. Based on this, the second author developed a lesson sequence for teaching probability. In particular, it demonstrates how a game context can be used to explore the relationship between experimental and theoretical probabilities in a collaborative learning setting. The lesson sequence integrates concepts and processes related to probability and is grounded in socio-cultural theory. We trialed the sequence with secondary pre-service teachers. This paper focuses on their understanding …

Insights From Senior-Secondary Physical Education Students On Teacher-Related Factors They Perceive To Influence Academic Achievement, Rachael J. Whittle, Amanda Telford, Amanda C. Benson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This research aimed to explore student perceptions of teacher-related factors that may influence academic achievement in the context of Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) Physical Education. This qualitative study involved 23 VCE Physical Education students from three government and one independent secondary school in Victoria, Australia. Focus groups utilising a semi-structured interview schedule explored student perceptions of teacher-related factors on academic achievement. The importance of teachers having a good ‘attitude’, a broad repertoire of teaching strategies, making real-world connections, developing positive student-teacher relationships and facilitating access to themselves outside of scheduled class time were perceived by students as important influences.

Developing A Mentoring Framework Through The Examination Of Mentoring Paradigms In A Teacher Residency Program, Rubén Garza, Raymond Reynosa, Patrice Werner, Ellen Duchaine, Rod A. Harter

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In this paper, we extend on our exploratory study that examined mentors’ conceptualizations and practices of mentoring preservice teachers in a residency program to develop a mentoring framework to guide mentors’ approaches to mentoring preservice teachers in a year-long clinical experience. Our mentoring framework has the potential to make mentors consciously aware of their roles and purposes of mentoring throughout the year and within respective contexts. This metacognitive approach may help them to improve their practice and grow alongside their mentee. The Mentoring Framework for Mentoring is a tool that may be instrumental in developing mentors’ deeper understanding of the …

Beating The Bamboozle: Literacy Pedagogy Design And The Technicality Of Sfl, Erika Matruglio

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper explores the issue of metalanguage and writing instruction in the senior secondary curriculum. It reports on the use of a design based research collaboration between a very experienced teacher of Ancient History and a research team with the aim of improving literacy outcomes for a group of disadvantaged students. The case highlights some of the challenges implicated in this close work between educational linguistic theorists as language specialists and classroom practitioners as subject specialists. In particular, it raises the issue of how to provide already experienced teachers with a metalanguage to express their implicit knowledge about text more …

“Learning The Ropes”: Pre-Service Arts Teachers Navigating The Extracurricular Terrain, Christina C. Gray, Geoffrey M. Lowe

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Arts teachers undertake a multitude of extracurricular activities. Yet, while these activities consume considerable time and require specific expertise, little attention is afforded to developing these skills and expertise during pre-service training. This article presents findings from a study into the value of a pre-service teacher production as a form of professional development, from both the technical and personal development perspectives. Thirty pre-service secondary Arts teachers participated in the production. Through focus-group interviews, participants indicated the benefits of building technical understanding as well as personal benefits of engaging in an ensemble experience. All spoke of the potential transferability of what …

Teaching Chemistry In A Spiral Progression Approach: Lessons From Science Teachers In The Philippines, Joymie R. Orbe, Allen A. Espinosa, Janir T. Datukan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

As the Philippines moves towards implementing the K-12 curriculum, there has been a mismatch in teacher preparation in science. The present teacher education curriculum prepares science teachers to specialise in a specific field (e.g. integrated science, biology, chemistry, and physics). However, in the K-12 curriculum, they are required to teach all the sciences in a spiral progression approach. Hence, this study analysed the experiences of science teachers in teaching chemistry in the K-12 curriculum in order to identify their challenges and how they are overcoming them. Findings suggest that the teacher’s content, pedagogy, and assessment in chemistry are problematic; specifically, …

Developing Pre-Service Teacher Professional Capabilities Through Action Research, Shannon Kennedy-Clark, Katrina Eddles-Hirsch, Tryon Francis, Grace Cummins, Luke Ferantino, Matthew Tichelaar, Lloyd Ruz

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

There is a growing interest in pre-service teacher education programs on how to maximise the learning benefits of professional experience. This study attempts to discover how action research can be used as a vehicle to bridge the divide between theory and practice and to support pre-service teachers in the development of authentic professional knowledge. In this paper, we share the experiences of four pre-service teachers who undertook an action research study whilst on a ten-week professional experience placement in an Australian High School. The findings of the study indicate that pre-service teachers see the benefit of being able to conduct …

Attracting Preservice Teachers To Remote Locations, Kenneth D. Young, Peter Grainger, Dennis James

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teaching in rural/remote regions poses many challenges to teachers and is identified as a priority research area by the state government. Despite initiatives by the state government and university providers to solve the issue through various incentives designed to attract teachers, the problem remains significant. This research describes and analyses the impact of a regional university initiative to attract teachers to rural and remote locations in Queensland. The data was gathered through analysis of responses from preservice teachers completing education degrees at a regional university in Queensland. The data revealed that a pre-graduation teaching placement to a rural/remote region resulted …

An Application Of The Solo Taxonomy To Classify Strategies Used By Pre-Service Teachers To Solve “One Question Problems”, Joanne C. Caniglia, Michelle Meadows

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

: The purpose of this article is to report on the strategies of secondary mathematics pre-service teachers (PSTs) as they solved conceptually rich problems. Using the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes by Biggs and C (1982) (SOLO) Taxonomy, 15 PSTs’ solutions (in groups of 3 or 4) were analyzed by a panel of three mathematics educators. In addition, the authors studied questions posed by PSTs during their student teaching experiences through video analysis. Questions were then categorized using Crespo’s criteria of problem posing. Results showed a significant majority of the problems posed were procedural while PSTs own problem solutions showed …

Philippine Classroom Teachers As Researchers: Teachers’ Perceptions, Motivations, And Challenges, Mark B. Ulla, Kenneth Ian B. Barrera, Meller M. Acompanado

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study explores teachers’ perceptions and motivations, challenges, and needs of 50 teachers in Agusan del Norte, Philippines with regards to doing research. Methodologies used were survey questionnaire, and group and individual interviews. Findings revealed that teacher-respondents had a positive perceptions towards doing research and its benefits to their teaching practice and students’ learning process. Thus, job promotion is the motivating factor why teachers did research. However, reported challenges such as lack of research knowledge and skills, heavy teaching loads, and lack of financial support from the schools obstructed them from doing it. Attending and participating to research trainings, receiving …

Fostering Creative Ecologies In Australasian Secondary Schools, Leon R. De Bruin, Anne Harris

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study investigates and compares elements of creativity in secondary schools and classrooms in Australia and Singapore. Statistical analysis and qualitative investigation of teacher, student and leadership perceptions of the emergence, fostering and absence of creativity in school learning environments is explored. This large-scale international study (n=717) reveals the impact of teacher behaviours, teaching environments and school leadership approaches that promote and impede the enhancement of creative, critical, and innovative thinking, organisation, and curriculum structures. Implications for Australian schools and teaching urge for secondary education to challenge current, practices, pedagogies and environments, arguing for school-based strategies and considerations that enhance …

Using Ict-Based Instructional Technologies To Teach Science: Perspectives From Teachers In Trinidad And Tobago., Rawatee Maharaj-Sharma, Aarti Sharma, Aditi Sharma

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate how science teachers in Trinidad and Tobago use ICT-based instructional technologies in classroom science teaching. The participants were 30 secondary school science teachers who completed their Postgraduate Diploma in Education within the last 2 years from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. The teachers were asked to prepare lesson plans which demonstrate their use of instructional technologies to teach science topics within their term’s schemes of work. They were subsequently asked to explain their reasons for using the selected instructional technologies. The findings revealed that PowerPoint was the …