scholarly journals Exploring online mentoring with preservice teachers in a pandemic and the need to deliver quality education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pınar Ersin ◽  
Derin Atay
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Social Constructivism ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Mentoring Relationships ◽  
Online Mentoring ◽  
University Supervisors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technological Support ◽  
Group Interviews

PurposeSocial constructivism in teacher education highlights the importance of social interaction between preservice teachers (PTs) and their cooperating teachers (mentors) for effective mentoring. Mentoring relationship between PTs and mentors had to take a different path due to the pandemic when face-to-face education shifted to online education. The purpose of the present study was to explore online mentoring experience from the perspectives of PTs.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology was qualitative. 35 randomly selected PTs were interviewed after the completion of an eight-week online school experience course. Data obtained from focus group interviews were analyzed using pattern coding.FindingsOverall, the PTs mostly had a positive online mentoring experience. They reported receiving sufficient contextual and technological support when needed with limited professional support. However, they expected their mentors to allocate more time and their university supervisors (USs) to control practicum schools and to provide more online teaching samples and guidelines. They indicated that when they did not receive supports this was entirely due to the pandemic.Research limitations/implicationsThis research could inform USs and mentors who coordinate mentoring programs at schools and universities so that they might take an urgent step to restructure mentorship training, putting emphasis on the online aspect. Given the number of the participants, this research is limited in scope.Originality/valueThis research contributes to a body of research that investigates how online mentoring may be more effective. To create positive online mentoring relationships, following suggestions are provided to mentors: providing ongoing online support to PTs to overcome online mentoring challenges, spending an extra hour with PTs for reflection and making use of multiple contexts for PTs' professional ownership.

Being “adopted” into a teaching community

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erinn Bentley ◽  
Madison Workman ◽  
Alex Overby
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Mentor Teachers ◽  
Mentoring Relationships ◽  
Field Placement ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
The Impact

Purpose In order to prepare new members of the education profession, it is imperative that teachers enter their classrooms with the confidence, knowledge, and skills to serve their students from day one. One method for preparing such teacher candidates or student teachers is through school-based field placements during their preparation program. The purpose of this paper is to describe one example of a yearlong field placement and the mentoring relationships that emerged among participants. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study used the following data sources: focus group interviews among the teacher candidates, focus group interviews among the mentor teachers, field placement reflections and teaching analyses composed by the teacher candidates, and interviews conducted among teacher candidates and mentor teachers. Findings Analysis of the data revealed that the yearlong field placement promoted positive mentoring relationships between teacher candidates and their classroom teachers. Specifically the following themes emerged: the “adoption” of teacher candidates into the high school classrooms, risk-taking within the classrooms, the mentor teachers’ use of constructive feedback, and collaborative “mentoring-down-the-hall.” Originality/value In recent years, various scholars have investigated the impact of field placement experiences on teacher candidates; however, these studies have lacked a detailed analysis of how such experiences impacted mentoring relationships among candidates and their mentor teachers in a collaborative setting. This paper provides an in-depth study of the perceived experiences of mentor teachers and their candidates.

Transforming online teaching and learning: towards learning design informed by information science and learning sciences

2020 ◽  
Vol 121 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 503-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuko Fujita
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Interdisciplinary Collaboration ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Learning Sciences ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Education Delivery

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the practical work of learning designers with the aim of helping members of the information science (IS) and learning sciences (LS) communities understand how evidence-informed learning design of online teaching and online learning in higher education is relevant to their research agendas and how they can contribute to this growing field. Design/methodology/approach Illustrating how current online education instructional designs largely ignore evidence from research, this paper argues that evidence from IS and LS can encourage more effective and nuanced learning designs for e-learning and online education delivery and suggest how interdisciplinary collaboration can advance shared understanding. Findings Recent reviews of the learning design show that tools and techniques from the LS can support students in self-directed and self-regulated learning. IS studies complement these approaches by highlighting the role that information systems and computer–human interaction. In this paper, the expertise from IS and LS are considered as important evidence to improve learning design, particularly vis-à-vis digital divide concerns that students face during the COVID-19 pandemic. Originality/value This paper outlines important ties between the learning design, LS and IS communities. The combined expertise is key to advancing the nuanced design of online education, which considers issues of social justice and equity, and critical digital pedagogy.

scholarly journals Preservice Training Amid a Pandemic in Ghana: Predictors of Online Learning Success Among Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Nketsia ◽  
Maxwell P. Opoku ◽  
Ahmed H. Mohammed ◽  
Emmanuel O. Kumi ◽  
Rosemary Twum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Colleges Of Education ◽  
Learning Success

The coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak has brought the world to a standstill, especially the education sector. Globally, it has claimed over two million lives, with over 100 million people infected, forcing schools to close down. This has reignited the importance of online teaching and learning for preservice teachers who comprise the next frontiers in providing online education to their future students. However, studies on online learning [OL] success among preservice teachers in developing countries, such as Ghana, remain scarce. Accordingly, this study mainly aimed to assess the predictors of OL success among preservice teachers in Ghana. Bandura’s social cognitive theory guided the study; in total, 526 preservice teachers were recruited from four colleges of education. Although the teachers were ambivalent regarding the success of OL, significant differences were found between the following demographics: gender, specialization, marital status, the preferred mode of learning, and the place of residence. Moreover, the study discussed the need for intensive information and communications technology education among preservice teachers, particularly women, developing their confidence in computer skills, and other recommendations.

Embracing educational disruption: a case study in making the shift to a remote learning environment

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Fatimawati Adi Badiozaman ◽  
Hugh John Leong ◽  
Wallace Wong
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technological Support ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Professional Development Needs ◽  
The Impact

PurposeAs an institution that has invested in e-learning infrastructure and technology for e-learning delivery, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak conducted The Digital Educator Series as a means of embracing this educational disruption. In particular, this paper reports on the first three courses held under the Digital Educator Series that aims to equip teachers with practical and effective online teaching to school teachers in Sarawak. While the training is still in effect, preliminary results are shared, and implications for practice and recommendations for further research are considered.Design/methodology/approachApproximately 136 questionnaires containing close-and open-ended items were distributed to the teacher participants of the Digital Educator Series. Close-ended items were designed to gather general information about their perceptions of online teaching and learning. Items were constructed to gather insights on familiarity with online teaching and learning, perceived usefulness of platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Google Classrooms. The open-ended items were designed to gather information on areas of improvement for the courses and professional development needs of teachers for online teaching.FindingsThe findings revealed very mixed responses in terms of teachers' familiarity with online teaching and learning. Nonetheless, it was encouraging that the majority of teachers felt positively about the impact and usefulness of the courses in the Digital Educator Series and have expressed that would like to learn more about online teaching pedagogy. Teachers reported the greatest familiarity with Google Classroom and were very positive about the applicability the Google Classroom Course (91.2%) in their own teaching practice. Conversely, all of the participants reported they were unfamiliar with Microsoft Teams. Accordingly, the teachers did not perceive its applicability to be as high as the Google Classroom. The qualitative findings further corroborated this and expressed the need for specific professional development programmes that include pedagogical and technological support. Overall, the teachers are strongly focussed in their professional development in order to improve their online teaching,Research limitations/implicationsLike other research, this too has its limitations. The sample size in this study was restricted to those who attended the Digital Educator Series training. Hence the results of this study, whilst have been enriching, and to a certain extent are supported by the current literature, the accuracy of the description may be unique to this particular group of individuals, within this particular setting. Additionally, the study only relied on self-reports from both the questionnaire and the semi-structured interviews. This study accepts that self-reports have shortcomings. Not all experiences of the courses would have been readily accessible through the teachers' conscious reflections. This makes it difficult to construct a complete picture of the experience, challenges and identify all salient factors within a particular workshop or training.Practical implicationsAlthough the adoption of teaching and learning to online platforms is undoubtedly the way to maintain continuity of learning for students, it has also unveiled glaring inequities in Sarawak. Therefore, continuous and personalised professional development needs to be provided, focussing on pedagogical and technological support. There is a need to embrace these changes as a long-term response that will develop and improve over the next few years. That response should include better infrastructure, policies for quality improvement, accessibility standards and strategic plans for continuous access in the future. This includes advocating for platforms that can fit into the core technology environment and for teachers to adopt an innovative mindset.Originality/valueIn light of the complex and multifaceted challenge of transitioning to online learning in Sarawak Malaysia, it was evident that the need for innovative solutions to optimize educational endeavours has become accelerated. To ensure that students are well-supported and widening participation and access to education, it is imperative that the education disruption be embraced. This starts with addressing teachers' digital literacy through a professional development programme of online reaching.

Electronic and face-to-face communication in mentoring relationships

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 17-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie M. Merritt ◽  
Lyndsey Havill
Keyword(s):  
High Potential ◽  
Mentoring Relationships ◽  
Media Richness ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Interaction Frequency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technological Support ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Manufacturing Organization ◽  
E Mail

Purpose Many mentoring relationships incorporate electronic communication. This study aims to examine the effects of communication format and interaction frequency on career and social support felt by the protégé. Design/methodology/approach Surveys followed 39 high-potential protégés over seven months in a mentoring program at a large US manufacturing organization. Findings All pairs but one chose to communicate electronically at least 50 per cent of the time. Less mentoring support was perceived when average media richness was lower (e.g. when pairs communicated more by e-mail); however, this effect was reduced when communication was more frequent. Practicalimplications Mentors and protégés should be trained to understand that average media richness is associated with perceived support and that they should avoid using exclusively low-richness formats (e.g. e-mail). When they do need to use more low-richness formats, they should communicate more frequently. Companies should provide technological support and motivational incentives for mentoring pairs to incorporate high-richness interactions (e.g. face to face) in their mentoring relationships more often. Originality/value This study is the first to our knowledge to examine mixed-media formats in high-potential employee mentoring pairs. In contrast to past work which has randomly assigned participants to communicate only via one format, these participants were allowed to choose their interaction format for each interaction, which is more realistic. The findings have practical value for mentors and protégés in terms of balancing format and interaction frequency.

How mode of delivery affects comprehension of an operations management simulation

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason M. Riley ◽  
William A. Ellegood ◽  
Stanislaus Solomon ◽  
Jerrine Baker
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Interaction ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Management Concepts

Purpose This study aims to understand how mode of delivery, online versus face-to-face, affects comprehension when teaching operations management concepts via a simulation. Conceptually, the aim is to identify factors that influence the students’ ability to learn and retain new concepts. Design/methodology/approach Leveraging Littlefield Technologies’ simulation, the study investigates how team interaction, team leadership, instructor’s guidance, simulation’s ease of use and previous software experience affects comprehension for both online and face-to-face teaching environments. Survey data were gathered from 514 undergraduate students. The data were then analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings For the face-to-face population, this study found that team interaction, previous software experience, instructor’s guidance and simulation’s ease of use affected student comprehension. This differed from the online population who were only affected by the simulation’s ease of use and instructor’s guidance. Originality/value Understanding how the mode of delivery affects comprehension is important as educators develop new online teaching techniques and experiment with innovative technologies like simulation. As demand for online education grows, many instructors find they need to refine their methods to ensure students comprehend the concepts being taught regardless of modality.

scholarly journals Formalism in online education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Serdyukov
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Original Material ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Automated Learning ◽  
The Impact

PurposeWith the rapid transition of education from the traditional, classroom- or campus-based to the online format, there grows a need for not only taking advantage of online technology but also assessing actual and potential effects it can make on the learners, learning, education, and society. One of the risks inherent in online learning is its growing formalization both in the organization of the learning and in its process, which may gravely affect students’ learning, health, cognition, behavior and quality of the learning outcomes. It can also produce serious implications for the society. This article investigates the origins of formalization, its forms and stages, and discusses asynchronous, precision, and automated learning formats from this perspective. Among many issues, the impact of formalization on the learner's development and socialization is considered. The author offers a pragmatic solution for deformalization of online learning.Design/methodology/approachQualitative analysis of contemporary research literature, educational trends and practices.FindingsIt was found that formalism permeates online education in many ways. It is present in asynchronous, precise and automated learning and may produce significant impact on students, their learning, and society.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a qualitative research based on the analysis of current research literature and teaching practices.Practical implicationsWhile formalism in education is an unavoidable evil, its impact must be diminished. Critical analysis and practical recommendations offered may help improve online teaching and learning.Social implicationsFormalism affects both students' socialization in the online learning environment, and patterns of socialization in the society. It also impacts students’ cognition and behaviors. So, counteracting formalism may benefit the society's well-being.Originality/valueThe authors could not find any publications on this topic. So this is an original material which may contribute to improving online teaching and learning.

A switch from flipped classrooms to emergency remote online teaching (EROT): misconceptions, instructors and preservice teachers perceptions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinaza Solomon Ironsi
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Emergency Situation ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Flipped Classrooms

PurposeThis study intends to examine these misconceptions in a bid to reaching a valid conclusion. More importantly, this study intends to elicit information from instructors and preservice teachers on their experiences, successes and challenges on the sudden switch from flipped classroom to emergency remote online teaching.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a qualitative research design and the main focus of this research design which was is a form of exploratory research design was to understand the reasons opinions and viewpoints of a particular group of people concerning a situation. This paper deems this research design fit for eliciting relevant information from instructors and preservice teachers on their opinions and perceptions on the sudden shift from flipped classrooms to emergency remote online teaching during the previous semester. Data collection for this study was carried out through the use of focus group discussions where participants were asked questions based on the objective of the study.FindingsThe present findings confirm that the mode of instruction delivery was not online teaching rather emergency remote online teaching. Another conclusion that was drawn was with regards to training, use of resources and issues of measurement and evaluation. The study summarized that there was little or no training for the teaching staff before the switch to EROT as instructors were only given guidelines on what to do to implement their lesson plans.Originality/valueEmergency remote online teaching is a newly emerging approach to lesson delivery, especially in an emergency situation. This study elaborates more on this new dimension of teaching and future prospects as well.

scholarly journals Teacher readiness for online teaching-learning during COVID −19 outbreak: a study of Indian institutions of higher education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manisha Paliwal ◽  
Archana Singh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teaching Learning

Purpose Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has utterly disrupted the worldwide education system and compelled an emergency immersion of unplanned and rapid online teaching-learning. The online teaching readiness would highly depend on the competencies of teachers and skills to adapt the pedagogy and new roles by the teachers. In this context, this study aims to assess higher education institutions (HEIs) teachers’ readiness to handle online education based on the online teaching readiness competencies model. Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire has been adopted to survey and collect data from 296 teachers of HEIs across India. The questionnaire consisted of 29 constructs. The constructs in this section were measured using a five-point Likert scale ranging. In the first step first-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is carried out, by using the software IBM AMOS-26. The initial model is generated for five constructs and outcomes are used to analyze the model’s goodness of fit and construct validity. In the second step structural equation modeling (SEM) is carried out to do the path analysis of the proposed model. Findings The findings connote that the level of course design competencies, communication competencies, time management competencies are not sufficient among the teachers of HEI of India, whereas the technical competencies possessed by the teachers meet the requirements for readiness to handle online education. The research is an attempt to provide possible explanations for establishing relationships between the constructs and discusses the usage of information, which can be further used to enhance the online teaching readiness competencies for the teachers of HEIs of India. Practical implications The research is an attempt to provide possible explanations for establishing relationships between the constructs and discusses the usage of information, which can be further used to enhance the online teaching readiness competencies for the teachers of HEIs of India. Originality/value Teachers’ competencies are a vital part of teaching online which has become the need of the hour in this COVID-19 outbreak. Because of the need for emergency response and strategies to minimize learning disruption at higher education, the study identifies the online teaching readiness competencies possessed by the online teaching communities and provides guidelines to enhance their capacity to build up the longer-term resilience of education systems. The study will be a ready reckoner for online training competencies which can be used as training need analysis to make each teacher highly competent to impart knowledge using online teaching platforms.

scholarly journals Generalist, specialist and generic positions experienced by occupational therapists in Norwegian municipalities

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-146
Author(s):  
Sissel Horghagen ◽  
Tore Bonsaksen ◽  
Unni Sveen ◽  
Anne Stine Dolva ◽  
Cathrine Arntzen
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Constructivism ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Reform ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Core Knowledge ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Generic Position ◽  
Group Interviews

Purpose Reforms in the health-care system may impact how health-care professionals perceive and enact their roles. This study aims to examine the way in which occupational therapists experience and describe their roles in municipalities after the implementation of a health reform (the Coordination Act) in Norway. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study was designed within the perspectives of social constructivism. Data was collected through focus group interviews with 10 community-working occupational therapists. A thematic framework analysis was used to examine the participants’ experiences. Findings The following four themes emerged: external factors that framed and shaped the occupational therapists’ roles in municipalities; the strengths and dilemmas of the generalist; the problematic generic position and the strengths; and dilemmas of the specialist. Originality/value The study suggests that occupational therapy practitioners should identify new opportunities and adapt to health reform changes. They also need to renegotiate their roles as the health reforms require more specialized competences. Greater emphasis must be placed on the core knowledge and competences of occupational therapists to strengthen their professional identity in the municipalities.

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