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Full-Text Articles in Education

Can Resilience Be Our Teacher Super-Power?, Michelle C. Hughes Dr. Oct 2019

Can Resilience Be Our Teacher Super-Power?, Michelle C. Hughes Dr.

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Teaching is courageous work. Today's teachers face heavy workloads and growing emotional responsibilities as K-12 students and families face complicated hurdles and issues such as mental health issues, immigration, and natural disasters. This essay names resilience, grit, and perseverance as essential dispositions needed to tackle the daily hurdles and unexpected circumstances found in the classroom and pre-service teacher preparation. The author’s reflections lead to practical recommendations with the intention to nurture and cultivate resilience in teachers and school communities.


Preparing Teachers For A Diverse Classroom, Sean O'Rourke, Jonathon Arndt May 2019

Preparing Teachers For A Diverse Classroom, Sean O'Rourke, Jonathon Arndt

Education Presentations at National and International Conferences

This project investigated the research question: How do changes in inter-cultural competency (ICC) compare among pre-service teachers at three data collection points? Intercultural competency was defined as “the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonalities” (Hammer & Bennett, 2010). The study was based on the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (Bennett, 1986), which identified five orientations toward cultural differences: denial, polarization, minimization, acceptance, and adaptation. Data was collected from 48 undergraduate students who majored in elementary education. Investigators hypothesized that students would have a statistically significant change in their ICC from the beginning of their …


Maths Anxious Pre-Service Teachers' Perspectives Of "Doing" Mathematics In A Whiteboard Room, Sarah Sanders, Wendy S. Nielsen, Carolyn Mcphail, Patricia A. Forrester Jan 2019

Maths Anxious Pre-Service Teachers' Perspectives Of "Doing" Mathematics In A Whiteboard Room, Sarah Sanders, Wendy S. Nielsen, Carolyn Mcphail, Patricia A. Forrester

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Mathematics anxiety is common among pre-service primary teachers and many experience higher levels of maths anxiety than other university students. This study asks: What are maths anxious pre-service teachers' perspectives of "doing" mathematics in a whiteboard room? The Abbreviated Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (A-MARS) was used to identify high, medium and low levels of maths anxiety in a cohort of first-year pre-service teachers (n=196). Semi-structured interviews (n=6) explored perspectives that were analysed through Vygotsky's sociocultural dimensions of the intrapersonal and the interpersonal, as well as the physical environment of the whiteboard room. Results show that doing maths in a whiteboard …


Building Conceptual Knowledge Of Fraction Operations Among Pre-Service Teachers: Effect Of A Representation-Based Teaching Approach Within A Teacher Education Program, Elise J. Thurtell, Patricia A. Forrester, Mohan Chinnappan Jan 2019

Building Conceptual Knowledge Of Fraction Operations Among Pre-Service Teachers: Effect Of A Representation-Based Teaching Approach Within A Teacher Education Program, Elise J. Thurtell, Patricia A. Forrester, Mohan Chinnappan

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A deep understanding of fraction concepts and operations is necessary if pre-service teachers (PSTs) are to present the concepts in multiple forms to learners. Such an understanding needs to be grounded in rich conceptual knowledge. In the present study, we explore the development of this understanding by supporting a cohort of 103 PSTs, who had previously demonstrated poor conceptual understanding of fraction concepts and operations, with a Representational Reasoning in Teaching and Learning (RRTL) approach aimed at strengthening their conceptual knowledge. A comparison of pre- and post-test results indicated that participants showed a significant improvement in shifting the balance of …