Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Mixed Signals: The Effects Of Cell Phones On College Student Involvement, David M. Chizum

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

American college students lead the United States of America in cell phone use. This study utilized a phenomenological qualitative methodology to learn the lived experience of college student cell phone users and the effects of cell phones on co-curricular learning, per Alexander Astin’s (1986) theory of involvement. The rapid rise and evolution of the cell phone impacts student behavior and learning. The results of the study indicated that cell phones promote student participation with peers and on-campus programs, but are unlikely to affect involvement with faculty or staff. Experientially, participants were critical of their peers’ cell phone behavior, feared missing …

Beyond Measure: Rescuing An Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation, Ryan G. Hawkins

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Purposeful Graduate: Why Colleges Must Talk To Students About Vocation, Aaron Morrison

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Most Likely To Succeed: Preparing Our Kids For The Innovation Era, Chris Riley

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: A Guide For Students (Second Ed.), Morgan K. Morris

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving The Growing Epidemic Of Unmotivated Boys And Underachieving Young Men, Jenni Williams

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Intersection Of Christianity And Racial Justice Advocacy, Sharia Brock, Angelica Hambrick, Alexander Jun

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Those working toward institutional social change and supporting students from diverse background are considered social justice allies (Edwards, 2006). Patton et al. (2007) describe these individuals as knowledgeable and aware of how their own racial identities influence their interactions with others, understanding of racism, as well as their decisions, policies, and interactions with students of diverse backgrounds. There are several studies that have examined the development of White college students as social justice allies, but the development of White administrators as social justice allies is under-studied (Broido, 2000; Eichstedt, 2001; Reason, Roosa Millar, & Scales, 2005). Additionally, there is limited …

Relationships With God, Relationships With Others, And Health: Associations Among First-Year College Students, Sean Wang, Kathleen Eldridge, Hannah Parmelee

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

When students transition away from their homes and into higher education, they enter a social environment where they are free, if not encouraged, to question and explore their values and beliefs, including their beliefs of God. Practicing Christians often report having a relationship with God, a conception that implies a dynamic and social process at work. This longitudinal study had two goals: (a) examine collegians’ relationship with God in terms of their God image, His involvement in their lives, and the importance of their faith, at two time points in their first year of college; (b) examine how these God …

Leveraging Our Trust: Taking Action In Support Of Our Democracy, Lori Bowen Ayre

Collaborative Librarianship

Librarians need to build on their trusted status to be more actively engaged in activities that support our democratic system whose success relies on having an informed citizenry. These activities including teaching media literacy skills to patrons in the library as well as in the schools in partnership with teachers. In addition, libraries should be facilitating community conversations and promoting a wide variety of community collaborations that get people engaged and out of their isolated bubbles.

Analysis Of Turkish Prospective Science Teachers’ Perceptions On Technology In Education, Mustafa Serdar Koksal, Suleyman Yaman, Yavuz Saka

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Purpose of this study was to determine and analyze Turkish pre-service science teachers' perceptions on technology in terms of learning style, computer competency level, possession of a computer, and gender. The study involved 264 Turkish pre-service science teachers. Analyses were conducted through four-way ANOVA, t-tests, Mann Whitney U test and one-way ANOVAs and the results showed there were one main effect for gender and one interaction effect between gender and computer competency level. The interaction effect pointed out that the male pre-service science teachers who were weak in computer competency held more positive perceptions toward instructional technology than their counterparts.

The Power Of Graphic Organizers: Effects On Students’ Word-Learning And Achievement Emotions In Social Studies, İlhan İlter

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of three graphic organizers for teaching vocabulary and the development of the emotions-related to achievement. The study focused on the effects of different types of graphic organizers on word-learning and various emotions in social studies. This study was designed as a quasi-experimental design by utilizing a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The experimental group was instructed on vocabulary by using the Concept definition map, a Word-questioning strategy and a Circle thinking map for word-learning, while the control group was taught to use the C(2)QU [(Context (2)- Questioning- Using)] as a …

Professional Development Needs Of Turkish Teachers In An Era Of National Reforms, Tuba Gokmenoglu, Christopher M. Clark, Ercan Kiraz

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

An emerging consensus in the teacher education literature confirms that supporting educational reforms and improving designs for national programs can be accomplished simply by maximizing the match between teachers’ expressed needs and the content by which those professional development needs are met. This paper presents an interpretation of findings on Turkish teachers’ in-service training needs during an era of massive reform. The findings indicate that teachers do not report a strong need for any professional development program content. Analyses are based on survey data from 1,730 Turkish teachers from 352 primary schools. The results raise the discussion of whether teachers …

Practising Teaching Using Virtual Classroom Role Plays, Barney Dalgarno, Sue Gregory, Vicki Knox, Torsten Reiners

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Practice in the role of the teacher is an essential part of teacher education, however professional experience placements are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Consequently, additional university-based teaching practice, such as classroom role play with student teacher peers is important. Classroom role plays can be effective but there are limits to the realism of the experience and such strategies are not feasible for students studying at a distance. This article reports on a study in which a classroom in the virtual world of Second Life was used to house role plays of student teachers in preparation for their first professional …

Journaling The Art Of Teaching: Multimodal Responding For Narrative Inquiry, Cynthia M. Morawski, Jennifer Rottmann, Elizabeth Afrakomah, Emili Balatti, Meg Christens, Laura Kellar

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Research underscores the integral role that teachers’ recurring narratives play in their everyday teaching agendas. Like the students in their classrooms, teachers comprise a diverse group of individuals representing a myriad of ways to learn and teach, stemming from such factors as pedagogical approaches, prior life experiences, and familial relationships. Applying multimodal learning to response journaling expands teacher candidates’ opportunities to address the role that narratives play in developing their daily repertoires of practice in language arts. Hence, further investigation is needed to expand the range of practices available for fostering teacher narrative inquiry. Methodologically supported by action research in …

Slowmation: An Innovative Twenty-First Century Teaching And Learning Tool For Science And Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers, Kathryn Paige, Brendan Bentley, Stephen Dobson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Slowmation is a twenty-first century digital literacy educational tool. This teaching and learning tool has been incorporated as an assessment strategy in the curriculum area of science and mathematics with pre-service teachers (PSTs). This paper explores two themes: developing twenty-first century digital literacy skills and modelling best practice assessment tools. In the growing debate about the impact of multi-model representations, researchers such as Hoban and Nielsen, and Brown, Murcia and Hackling emphasise the development of conceptual understandings and semiotics. This paper focuses on PSTs’ experiences of and reflections on Slowmation as an educational tool. Data was collected from a cohort …

Exploring Efl Learners’ Perceived Self-Efficacy And Beliefs On English Language Learning, Gülten Genç, Emine Kuluşaklı, Savaş Aydın

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract

Learners’ perceived self-efficacy and beliefs on English language learning are important in education. Taking into consideration the important impact of individual variables on language learning, this study seeks to highlight the relationship between Turkish EFL learners’ beliefs about language learning and their sense of self-efficacy. The participants are 210 Turkish EFL undergraduate students whose major is English. The subjects were questioned about their beliefs and self-efficacy as English language learners. The data gathered were analysed quantitatively. The findings demonstrated that EFL students have medium scores in their English self-efficacy and hold the strong belief that motivation factors have a …

Examination Of Learning Equity Among Prospective Science Teachers Who Are Concrete, Formal And Postformal Reasoners After An Argumentation-Based Inquiry Course, Ömer Acar, Bruce R. Patton

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study had two research purposes. First, we examined the scientific reasoning gains of prospective science teachers who are concrete, formal, and postformal reasoners in an argumentation-based physics inquiry instruction. Second, we sought conceptual knowledge and achievement gaps between these student groups before and after the instruction. Results were reported for 114 prospective science teachers. Results showed that concrete reasoners’ scientific reasoning gain was higher than those of formal and postformal reasoners. Moreover postformal reasoners outperformed formal and concrete reasoners on a situational conceptual knowledge subscale before and after instruction. In addition, postformal and formal reasoners scored higher than concrete …

The Challenges Of Practitioner Research: A Comparative Study Of Singapore And Nsw, Neville Ellis, Tony Loughland

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Practitioner research is considered an integral form of professional learning for teachers but in its implementation it will often encounter significant challenges. This qualitative comparative case-study of teachers in Singapore and NSW investigated the range of challenges they encountered during their work as practitioner researchers. The study employs Schatzki’s practice theory to analyse the impact of practitioner research on the existing practice architectures of schools. A total of 42 participants from NSW and Singapore were interviewed for this study. The results explicate the various challenges teachers encountered and how these act to prefigure and remodel practitioner research as a practice …

Turkish Pre-Service Teachers’ Reflective Practices In Teaching English To Young Learners, Muzeyyen Nazli Gungor

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The course ‘Teaching English to Young Learners’ is the first stage where pre-service teachers are introduced to a child’s world, developmental characteristics, needs, interests as well as teaching and learning techniques for these learners in English language teaching pre-service teacher education programmes in Turkey. This action research study identifies the gap that pre-service teachers experience between the theoretical considerations and realities of teaching, and the problems they face in this course. It provides the opportunity for monitoring and evaluating themselves in a pre-service teacher education programme in Turkey. Hence, this piece of research aims to promote reflective practice at the …

Autonomy In An Efl Teacher Training Context: Trainee Teacher Perceptions Of Instructor Expectations, Selami Ok

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract: Developing a sense of autonomy in teacher trainees can be considered as a goal itself; and to this end, instructors’ expectations that can help them become autonomous need to be identified through the perspectives of teacher trainees rather than accepting directly what is true for instructors. This paper aims to explore the trainee teacher perceptions of instructor expectations leading them to become autonomous in an EFL teacher training context. The participants were 170 senior teacher trainees attending the ELT Department at Pamukkale University, Turkey. A mixed method was employed in the study. Firstly, a five-point Likert questionnaire was designed …

Purpose, Practice And Theory: Teacher Educators’ Beliefs About Professional Experience, Chad M. Morrison

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract: The purposes of professional experience within initial teacher education programs are varied (Russell, 2005). However, there is limited literature explaining (a) university-based teacher educators’ beliefs about its purposes and (b) how these purposes are reflected in practice. This study investigated these themes. A pragmatic mixed-method research design (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2010) was developed to survey teacher educators from two Australian and New Zealand universities (n = 56). Participants were anonymously surveyed using a diamond ranking activity (requiring placement of 9 of 11 professional experience purpose statement cards, pre-determined from literature) and open response items seeking explanations of placement determining …

A Theory-Driven Approach To Subject Design In Teacher Education, Lucia Zundans-Fraser, Greg Auhl

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The intent of this study was to examine how a theoretically-designed subject in an undergraduate teacher education course impacted on the learning and confidence of pre-service teachers in catering for the needs of students with diverse needs. The subject design utilised theoretical principles of self-organisation that were incorporated with the teaching and application of three evidence-based pedagogies of inclusion: explicit teaching, cooperative learning and collaborative practice. The study examined how the principles were enacted throughout the delivery of the subject and sought pre-service teacher reflections after completion. Initial findings suggest that embedding these principles and incorporating practical application throughout the …

The Use Of The Internet For English Language Teachers’ Professional Development In Arab Countries, Mohammad Madallh Alhabahba, Omer Hassan Ali Mahfoodh

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study investigated the relationship between English language teachers’ motives to use online teaching resources and three types of Internet practices: teachers’ practices in using the Internet to collaborate with others, teachers’ practices for classroom teaching, and the Internet’s contribution to the overall professional development of teachers. Gender was also used to assess differences in the proposed model. In this study, one hundred and seventy-four English language teachers completed an online survey. SmartPLS was used to assess the measurement and the structural models. The results indicated that participation was a significant determinant of both English language teachers’ Internet-related practices at …

Pre-Service Teachers And Climate Change: A Stalemate?, Helen J. Boon

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Findings from the second phase of a study of pre-service teachers’ attitudes to environmental education and knowledge of climate change are reported in this paper. A sample of 87 pre-service teachers participated in a survey study in the last year of their Bachelor of Education degree to examine developments to their attitudes to environmental education and their knowledge of climate change as a result of training. Results showed their attitudes towards environmental education were consistently favourable, but their climate change science knowledge had not changed as a result of their participation in their degree. Data on preservice teachers’ sources of …

Why Is Active Learning So Difficult To Implement: The Turkish Case, Fisun Aksit, Hannele Niemi, Anne Nevgi

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article aims to report how teacher education may promote active learning which is demanded by the current educational reform of Turkish teacher education (TE). This article also examines the effectiveness of the recent reforms in Turkey from a student’s perspective, and provides an understanding of the concept of active learning, how it is applied and what the obstacles are to achieving it. The data were collected through open-ended questions on an electronic platform. Student teachers (n = 316) in the Faculty of Education at Erciyes University responded to the questions. The data were analysed qualitatively through content analysis. The …

Preparing International Pre-Service Teachers For Professional Placement: In-School Induction, Sasikala Nallaya

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports on an Australian University’s support program to prepare its first year international pre-service teachers (IPSTs) for professional placement. The aim of the program was to address some of the practicum challenges experienced by the IPSTs. A case study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of the program. Ten international students enrolled in the Master of Teaching program were participants of this investigation. Data was collected through a questionnaire administered post-program and non-participant observation. The findings indicated that the program was beneficial towards inducting IPSTs to the Australian school context and contributed towards their confidence, communicative skills, and …

Cook Islands Students' Attitudes Towards Physical Education, Aue Te Ava, Christine Rubie-Davies

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teacher education has the potential to bring changes within educational systems that can shape the knowledge and skills of future generations. Teaching in a culturally responsive manner is an important part of developing teachers to serve as key change agents in transforming education and society through research, from the perspectives of student learning and achievement in health and physical education. It was expected in this study that students’ recognition of cultural activities could inspire them to engage in physical education. The aim of the study was to examine student awareness of teaching that included cultural activities, with an emphasis on …

Supporting Teachers To Develop Substantive Discourse In Primary Science Classrooms, Prudence M. Smith, Mark W. Hackling

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Students’ thinking and learning in inquiry-based science is contingent on them being able to participate in substantive conversations so they explore their ideas and develop reasons and explanations for the outcomes of their investigations.

While teachers understand the importance of talk for student learning, they are often unaware of the impact of their discourse practice on the quality of classroom talk. To develop substantive classroom discourse, first teachers need to understand what substantive talk looks and sounds like, and then they need to develop their capacity to use questioning and discourse moves to achieve such talk. Science poses additional challenges …

School-Based Youth Physical Activity Promotion: Thoughts And Beliefs Of Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers, Jerome N. Rachele, Thomas F. Cuddihy, Tracy L. Washington, Steven M. Mcphail

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Physical education teachers are central to the facilitation of school-based physical activity promotion. However, teachers have self-reported a lack of knowledge, skills, understanding, and competence to successfully implement these strategies. The aim of this investigation was to explore the beliefs and perceptions of pre-service physical education teachers, concerning their potential roles in future school-based programs designed to promote student physical activity. Fifty-seven pre-service physical education teachers (21 males and 36 females) had complete data and were included in the analysis. Participants responded positively, and did not reveal concerns about their capacity to facilitate school-based physical activity promotion during practicum, and …

Kindergarten Children Demonstrating Numeracy Concepts Through Drawings And Explanations: Intentional Teaching Within Play-Based Learning, Philemon Chigeza, Reesa Sorin

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Using both child-guided and adult-guided learning, Intentional Teaching in the early years can be a powerful tool for enhancing young children’s numeracy skills. As Epstein (2009) notes, this can include providing “opportunities for children to represent things by drawing, building and moving” (p. 47). This paper investigates how kindergarten (four-five year olds) children represented and demonstrated numeracy concepts through their drawings and explanations, completed for a research study that used arts-based strategies to enhance children’s environmental understanding. This research study involved kindergarten children in Australia creating and exchanging postcards (drawings and explanations) of their local environments with their peers in …