Education Commons^™

Professional Voices: Building Professional Identity In An Initial Teacher Education Programme, Jennifer Shand

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Very few professional areas in Australia attract as much political, media and community attention as teaching, and by association, few areas of professional training attract as much attention as initial teacher education. Recently, the Next Steps: Report of the Quality Teacher Education Review (Department of Education, Skills and Employment, 2022) has drawn attention to the need for preservice teachers to develop professional skills as a way to ensure ‘classroom readiness’ before graduating. Research in the higher education sector and within initial teacher courses indicates that nascent professional identities can support the transition from university to profession. Using a thematic analysis …

Exploring Language Teachers’ Cognition Of Learner Autonomy In Turkish Tertiary Efl (English As A Foreign Language) Context, Sevgi Erel, Hasan Bedir

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study explored language teachers’ beliefs on learner autonomy in different educational contexts at a university setting in Turkey adopting an explanatory mixed methods design. Teacher cognition has been investigated extensively all over the world. Yet, teacher cognition on learner autonomy has received less attention. Regarding teachers’ voices as essential to understand how they perceive learner autonomy, the study was structured in two phases- questionnaire survey and narrative inquiry. SPSS Version 23 and content analysis were utilized to analyse the quantitative and qualitative data emanated from the research. The findings revealed that while teachers considered learner autonomy from different perspectives, …

Using Change Laboratory Methodology In Initial Teacher Education, Kellie Tobin

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Initial Teacher Education remains the focus of policy reform and research in Australia with the broad aim of improving the quality of pre-service teacher education. There remains dispute about limited evidence justifying ongoing reforms, particularly in relation to gaps in understanding how providers and schools work collaboratively in the joint activity of ITE. This paper argues for the potential of Change Laboratory (CL) methodology in contemporary educational research. The research examined the implementation of CL methodology in an Australian ITE program. Participants included 13 school-based and university-based educators. Participants were required to co-design a unit of work for an ITE …

Walking Carefully Towards Bridging The Gap: Exploring Australian Music Educator Voices About Teaching Indigenous Music, Dawn Joseph, Bradley Merrick

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Facilitating an inclusive pedagogy to close the gap that exists within the teaching of Indigenous Knowledge in Australia is a tall order for many teachers. This paper draws on responses to a national study and explores how music educators include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music and culture into their practice. An online survey (December 2022-February 2023, N=109) informed the findings. Using thematic analysis, two themes (teaching challenges and opportunities, and bridging the gap) are discussed and key recommendations offered. Findings suggest that walking carefully towards bridging the gap is an opportunity for educational change in contemporary Australian classrooms.

Exploring Challenges Faced By Early Career Primary School Teachers: A Qualitative Study, Deborah Black, Gregory Hine, Shane Lavery

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study explored the challenges faced by 23 primary early career teachers (ECTs) in their second, third or fourth years of teaching. Qualitative data were collected through an online semi-structured interview. Three themes were evident: parents, workload and behaviour management. These results were also reflected in the review of the literature. All three themes have been linked to increased ECT stress and have been found to undermine ECTs’ self-confidence. The results suggest that some challenges are potentially aligned to the stage of ECTs’ career development and that ECTs face different challenges as their teaching experience levels increase. A range of …

The Effectiveness And Impact Of Post-Observation Feedback Sessions In An In-Service Training Program, Derya Ilgın Yaşar, Nurdan Gürbüz

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

An essential component of any training activity is observations, and in almost any teacher education or professional development context, observations are followed by feedback sessions aimed at improving teaching practices. Nevertheless, whether these sessions accomplish this aim is an issue of concern as it is highly related to how effective it is perceived to be. This study aims to explore how effective post-observation feedback sessions are perceived by the observed instructors, what factors make feedback effective, and whether feedback has any impact on their practices. Data were collected qualitatively by conducting semi-structured interviews with the instructors and Professional Development Unit …

Incorporating Digital Technologies Into Initial Teacher Education:Enhancing Preservice Teachers' Skills, Samantha Bothe

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Little is known about how preservice teachers learn the technological pedagogy and digital skills expected for graduate teaching. This article examines how digital technologies are incorporated into Initial Teacher Education in Victoria, Australia, specifically the Bachelor of Education, and identifies development opportunities for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and digital skills. Case studies were conducted to investigate the practices at two universities. Data was collected through interviews and the collection of artefacts. Analysis was conducted using the lens of a Professional-Digital-Competence (P-D-C) framework. The analysis indicates that digital technologies are embedded predominantly within authentic learning tasks that replicate graduate teacher …

Student Teachers’ Initial Professional Identity: A Case In An Efl Teacher Education Program, Uun Muhaji, Didi Sukyadi, Ahmad Bukhori Muslim

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Student teachers enter teacher education programs with existing values, beliefs, and knowledge about teaching. However, little is known about the significant resources that shape this initial professional identity. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding regarding how first-year student teachers depict their initial professional identity in the context of Indonesia. This case study examines the initial professional identity of 23 first-year Indonesian student teachers in an English as a Foreign Language Teacher Education Program (EFLTEP) in Indonesia. Utilizing Esteban-Guitart's Funds of Identity theory, data were collected through participants' narratives via significant circles, self-portrait drawings and interviews. Data were …

‘We All Went In With An Open Mind’: Possibilities Of Professional Experience As A Catalyst For Engaging With Graduate Standards 1.4 & 2.4., Peta Salter

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

: Evolving discourses in Australia have resulted in an increasing focus on teachers’ abilities to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Political concerns with achievement gaps and national education policy that require teachers to engage with curriculum priorities and professional standards that focus on strategies for teaching and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students have contributed to this move. This paper reports on efforts to develop preservice teachers’ engagement with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers during professional experience in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school community. These findings highlight the complexity of challenging pre-existing …

“I Love The Way We Do It In Early Childhood”: Influence Of An Enhanced Kindergarten Placement On Preservice Teachers’ Career Choices, Deborah Moore, Anne-Marie Morrissey, Katherine A. Bussey

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Encouraging pre-service teachers to perceive early childhood teaching as an inherently attractive career option remains an issue in the early childhood profession in Australia. Following a Research by Design methodology with iterative modifications, this paper uses a professional identity theoretical lens to analyse survey and interview data from 37 pre-service teachers involved in an enhanced early childhood professional placement program used to foster professional relationships through workshops, intentional mentoring and time for professional conversations. Four themes identified factors in pre-service teacher decision making: an emotional connection to early childhood education; a positive attitude to early childhood pedagogy; differences in working …

Mapping Assessment Tasks And Lecturer Considerations: A Case Study Of A Nz Primary Teacher Education Programme, Wendy Carss, Bronwen Cowie, Sheralyn Cook

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Initial teacher education programme and paper assessments need to encompass university degree requirements and attest to student mastery of teacher professional competencies. This article reports one aspect of an investigation of the nature and principles employed in the design of assessments for a three-year Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) programme. The assessment tasks included in the 2022 academic papers were mapped and paper leaders interviewed; practicum and placement papers were not included because these were being redeveloped at the time. Findings are consistent with assessment design principles associated with authenticity and equity of access to the demonstration of understanding through tasks …

Pedagogical Approaches To Enhancing Student Self-Efficacy And Addressing Gender Inequality In Undergraduate Stem, Gintarė Lübeck

Theses

Previous research has shown that the success and retention of students in STEM university programmes are highly correlated with their self-efficacy beliefs, and women and gender minority students in STEM have been consistently found to possess lower self-efficacy than men. Since specific teaching and learning practices are known to contribute to increased self-efficacy and help diversify STEM education, this study sought to identify which pedagogical approaches are effective in creating a more equitable learning environment in introductory STEM classes by positively contributing to students’ self-efficacy. This study employed methodological triangulation and synthesised findings from self-efficacy questionnaires, classroom observations, and a …

Reread Strategy For The Inclusion Of Children With Mild Intellectual Disorder In Qualitative Education In Nigeria, Monisola Adebanke Osoba, Kolawole Akinjide Aramide Phd, Adeola Esther Olutoki

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Developmental goals aiming at inclusive education for all category of children irrespective of their disability is still at variance with the present situation of children with intellectual disorder who presents a deficit in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour. This is due to low intelligence quotient score, therefore, ensuring qualitative education for this category of children is still a herculean task in Nigeria. Such children do not grasp at the same pace as the regular children, because they have difficulty in abstract thinking and problem solving.

The conventional educational system is built on skills such as comprehension, memory, abstract thinking and …

Status And Challenges Of Tribal Education In Jungle Mahal: A Statistical Analysis, Rajib Kumar Guin

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In this paper, a picture of tribal enrolment in schools and higher education in four tribal-dominated districts of West Bengal, namely Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, and Bankura, collectively known as "Jungle Mahal" is analysed through various statistical data. It is examined by the statistical data that the tribals here, especially the female tribals, are still lagging in literacy rate and average enrollment in every level of education in comparison to India and West Bengal. The dropout rate of tribal students in that region at every level of schooling is much higher than the national and state rates. Apart from this, …

Recently Graduated U.S. High School Students’ Perspectives Of Critical Standards In Languages Other Than English, Diane Bosilevac

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The national world language standards created in 1996 to represent critical concepts in world languages were modified in 2015 to include real-world applications but were not developed with student input. Guided by a framework of critical theory and critical pedagogy, which gave voice to the people most affected by the standards, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of recently graduated high school students regarding the critical concepts and needed changes to the national world language standards. Interviews with nine recently graduated high school students from a Midwest U.S. public school district regarding the critical …

Comparison Of Rural Associate Degree Nursing Students’ Clinical Judgment After Curriculum Change, Karen Bowen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New graduate nurses often lack adequate clinical judgment skills to practice competent nursing care, which may result in increased risk of committing practice errors that threaten patient safety. To mitigate errors in patient safety, industry leaders have called for nursing program improvements in preparation of nursing students’ clinical judgement as they transition to professional practice. Guided by Tanner’s clinical judgment theory, the rural state nursing programs in this study implemented a concept-based curriculum to promote clinical judgment which includes thinking skills, priority setting, and management of care. The purpose of this three-part, quantitative, nonexperimental study was to compare the development …

Doctoral Students’ Motivations To Complete A Degree In Education Online, Terence Branch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Enrollment in online doctoral programs is increasing; however, 41% of these students do not graduate. Student achievement in online learning depends on motivation. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore doctoral students’ perspectives on how educational technology supports their motivation to earn a degree in education. Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory comprised the conceptual framework that guided this study. Research questions were designed to investigate if online technology supports doctoral students’ basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 12 participants who earned doctorates online. Thematic analysis was employed to …

Training Strategies To Improve Salesperson Confidence And Production, William B. Bronson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many sales leaders need strategies to improve the productivity and confidence of their sales personnel. Ineffective sales training programs cost organizations billions of dollars in annual revenue and profits. Grounded in adaptive leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative mini-ethnographic multiple-case study was to explore successful strategies used by sales leaders that combine and balance virtual and online resources with traditional face-to-face training methods to increase the productivity and confidence of sales personnel. Data were collected by interviewing eight salespeople and two sales managers spanning two Texas insurance companies and reviewing company documents. Data were analyzed using Yin’s five-step process …

Historically Black Colleges And Universities' Faculty Experiences With Online Course Design, Ashley Burton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Quality online course design requires course designers to make carefully informed decisions based on current resources and considerations for the learner. Some faculty at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) design online learning without the assistance of instructional designers, training, or a technological infrastructure that supports online learning. To date, there is a shortage of scholarly research about how HBCU faculty design online courses and what supports or barriers exist for them. Thus, this basic qualitative research study aimed to understand faculty’s online course design experiences at HBCUs. Instructional design, adult learning theory, and the HBCU context formed the conceptual …

Educating Nurses On Mental Fatigue, Tawanna Ann Canty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Education correlates with nurse performance and avoiding mental fatigue. This project attempted to answer the question, “Educating nurses on mental fatigue will increase knowledge” focusing on educating rehabilitative nurses regarding mental fatigue. The project was guided by the Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate model. Twenty rehabilitative nurses were administered a pretest consisting of 10 multiple-choice test questions. They received education on mental fatigue through PowerPoint presentations and handouts. After completing the education, participants were administered a posttest with the same 10 questions. An evaluation tool consisting of six questions was completed measuring an increase in knowledge after the posttest. …

High School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Use Of Equity Practices In Classrooms, Seeku Cleland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the study site district became more diverse, providing educational opportunities that met all learners’ needs became more urgent in a large US school district. The local problem was that little is known about how teachers perceive their use of equity practices in diverse classrooms. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of their understanding and use of equity practices as well as suggestions for improvement. The study was grounded by Banks’ three dimensions of multicultural education: content integration, knowledge construction, and equity pedagogy. Semistructured interviews were conducted with eight full-time high school teachers with at least …

Elementary Administrators' Perspectives And Experiences Of Supporting Students Through Nature-Based Learning, Amanda Marie Shelley Degoede

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although nature-based learning (NBL) contributes to the development of students, itsinclusion in elementary schools is inconsistent. Researchers have established the benefits of nature to learning and child development, yet there is a gap in the literature on elementary administrators’ perspectives of and experiences with NBL. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore elementary administrators’ perspectives of and experiences with NBL, its support of elementary student development, and its inclusion in elementary schools’ curricula and design. The research questions addressed elementary administrators’ perspectives of and experiences with NBL, how NBL supports student development, and how NBL is included in …

First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many first-generation students enter college underprepared, leading them to face challenges that include failure to persist to degree completion. Empirical literature informs how academic advising programs help students persist to degree completion; however, a literature gap exists related to how regularly required academic advising programs influence students to persist to degree completion. This basic qualitative study provides insight into the perceptions of first-generation college graduates regarding how their regularly required academic advising sessions helped them to persist to degree completion. The conceptual framework is Tinto’s theory of student retention, which addresses students’ academic and social integration. Eight first-generation college graduates …

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Hope, And Well-Being Among Rural Latine Adolescents, Danielle Moss Gettings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Considerable research has demonstrated that minority at-risk youth in rural environments experience more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and are more likely to suffer from poor academic performance and severe mental health issues. Results of recent studies of resilience and social support as potential mitigators of ACEs suggest that hope could also mediate these adverse effects. Hope is a component of motivation critical to goal attainment and coping with loss. This study was conducted to examine the role of hope as a mediator of the relationship between ACEs and well-being among rural Latine adolescents. Using Washington State Department of Health Healthy …

Private School Faculty Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Rebecca Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction focuses on students’ readiness, interests, learning styles, and life circumstances, rather than a set curriculum. The perceptions faculty have about differentiated instruction can impact their willingness and ability to implement the practice in their classroom. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore, in a private school in a south-central U.S. state, middle school teachers’ perceptions of, expectations about, and experiences with differentiated instruction. The conceptual framework that guided the study was Tomlinson’ s instructional differentiation philosophy supported by empirical research on differentiated instruction as effective. Six middle school English, history, science, and math teachers completed …

K-5 Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Challenges In Mathematics, Nataine Latoya Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem for this study was that K-5 teachers in a northeastern school district were challenged to implement culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices in mathematics instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore K–5 teachers' perceptions about the challenges of using CRT practices in mathematics with culturally diverse students and to identify teacher suggestions for needed resources and training. Gay’s culturally responsive teaching theory formed the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on providing K—5 teacher perceptions about their challenges of implementing CRT practices with culturally diverse students and about their suggestions for resources and …

Beliefs Of Higher Education Online Faculty Regarding The Integration Of Multimedia, Kimberly Diane Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integration of multimedia resources in higher education curricula continues to be a concern for today’s teachers, especially in identifying effective, efficient, and engaging resources that provide individualized instruction and meet a variety of learning needs. However, there was a gap in the literature regarding teachers' beliefs about multimedia integration within the context of adult learning in online higher education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the benefits and challenges higher education online teachers experienced when integrating multimedia resources into their courses. The research question explored the beliefs of higher education online instructors about their experiences when …

Transitioning Elementary-Aged Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders Into An Inclusive Educational Setting, Stevanie Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an urban school district in the southwestern United States, students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) who were in third- through fifth-grade self-contained classes were not consistently transitioning successfully into inclusive classrooms; therefore, the students were remaining in a restrictive environment for an extended time. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the reasons for such inconsistencies. The concept of inclusion as outlined in the Salamanca Statement framed the study. Semi structured interviews were conducted with six special education teachers and six general education teachers, all of whom had experience educating students with EBD. Research questions …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding Behaviors That Lead To Disproportionate Referrals By Race, Susan Johannes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDisproportionate office referrals through teachers in Grades 3-5 based on their students’ race are documented. At a Title I elementary school in the northeastern part of Virginia, non-White students are referred to the office for behavior issues 5% more times than their White peers. Guided by Bell’s critical race theory, the purpose of this study was to examine Grade 3-5 elementary teachers’ perceptions regarding types of behaviors that are leading to disproportionate numbers of office referrals for non-White students. A basic qualitative research design was employed. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 8 purposefully sampled teachers to explore teachers’ perceptions about …

Leadership’S Impact On Employee Work Motivation And Performance, Tonia Marilu Joseph-Armstrong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLeadership is a major factor in terms of motivating employees, leading to enhanced performance. A study was conducted to examine the influence of supervisory leadership style on employee work motivation and job performance in organizations, specifically in a K-12 school setting. The main goal was to determine if there is a relationship between type of leadership demonstrated by school administrators and its impact on the teaching staff’s motivation and performance. Data for this quantitative study were gathered and analyzed from various public and private schools and included a sample of 100 participants. The predictor variable leadership was assessed using the …