scholarly journals Implementation of a National Teacher Education Strategy in Finland through Pilot Projects

2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 21-42
Author(s):  
Jari Lavonen ◽  
◽  
Seija Mahlamäki-Kultanen ◽  
Sanna Vahtivuori-Hänninen ◽  
Armi Mikkola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Pilot Projects ◽  
Education Strategy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Implementation Of The Strategy

The implementation of a teacher education strategy in a decentralised Finnish education system is analysed. Altogether, 31 pilot projects, involving teacher educators from all universities, were funded to support the implementation of the strategy and professional learning of autonomous teacher educators in the context of the strategy. In this mixed-methods research, the directors and active partners of the pilot projects were asked how they perceived the characteristics of the pilot projects that have been recognised as supportive for the implementation of the strategy. The directors were also asked to evaluate the impact of the projects. The projects have supported the achievement of the strategy’s aims. Research and goal orientation, active learning, collaboration, contextualisation and reflection were emphasised in the pilot project activities. Common goal setting and evaluation of the pilot projects should be emphasised more in the implementation of the strategy.

Physicians’ accounts of frontline tensions when implementing pilot projects to improve primary care

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Mansfield ◽  
Onil Bhattacharyya ◽  
Jennifer Christian ◽  
Gary Naglie ◽  
Vicky Steriopoulos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Models Of Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pilot Projects ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Canada’s primary care system has been described as “a culture of pilot projects” with little evidence of converting successful initiatives into funded, permanent programs or sharing project outcomes and insights across jurisdictions. Health services pilot projects are advocated as an effective strategy for identifying promising models of care and building integrated care partnerships in local settings. In the qualitative study reported here, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the strengths and challenges of this approach. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 primary care physicians who discussed their experiences as pilot project leads. Following thematic analysis methods, broad system issues were captured as well as individual project information. Findings While participants often portrayed themselves as advocates for vulnerable patients, mobilizing healthcare organizations and providers to support new models of care was discussed as challenging. Competition between local healthcare providers and initiatives could impact pilot project success. Participants also reported tensions between their clinical, project management and research roles with additional time demands and skill requirements interfering with the work of implementing and evaluating service innovations. Originality/value Study findings highlight the complexity of pilot project implementation, which encompasses physician commitment to addressing care for vulnerable populations through to the need for additional skill set requirements and the impact of local project environments. The current pilot project approach could be strengthened by including more multidisciplinary collaboration and providing infrastructure supports to enhance the design, implementation and evaluation of health services improvement initiatives.

Promoting Active Learning in Mathematics Teacher Education

2017 ◽  
pp. 269-284
Author(s):  
Rukiye Didem Taylan
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Pedagogical Content

Teacher educators have a responsibility to help prospective teachers in their professional growth. It is important that teacher educators not only teach prospective teachers about benefits of active learning in student learning, but that they also prepare future teachers in using pedagogical methods aligned with active learning principles. This manuscript provides examples of how mathematics teacher educators can promote prospective teachers' active learning and professional growth by bringing together the Flipped Classroom method with video content on teaching and learning as well as workplace learning opportunities in a pedagogy course. The professional learning of prospective teachers is framed according to the components of the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Park & Olive, 2008; Shulman, 1986). Implications for future trends in teacher education are provided.

scholarly journals Re-imagining mentoring as a dynamic hub in the transformation of initial teacher education

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 248-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel M. Lofthouse
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Teacher Educator ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Experienced Teacher ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Based

Purpose Teacher education in many countries is under reform with growing differences in its form and function. This is indicative of the ongoing negotiations around the place of theory, research and practice in teachers’ professional learning. However, the demand for mentoring of trainee teachers during often extended and multiple school-based placements is a relative constant. Indeed, with the trend towards greater school-based professional experience mentoring practices become ever more critical. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper written from the perspective of an experienced teacher educator in England, drawing on both practical experience and a body of associated research. It can be conceptualised as related to cases of practice, linked to episodes of practitioner research grounded in the ethics of the improvability of practice, the desire to meet the needs of the professional communities and a deep understanding of the demands and cultures of their workplaces. Findings Mentoring can be re-imagined as a dynamic hub within a practice development-led model for individual professional learning and institutional growth. Acting on this conceptualisation would allow mentors, trainees and other supporting teacher educators to contribute to the transformation of professional learning practices and educational contexts. Originality/value This paper goes beyond offering merely helpful guidance to participants and stakeholders in mentoring, or stipulating standards to be achieved, to considering what might be described as a hopeful or transformational stance in relation to mentoring. Teacher educators can continue to bring value to the transformation of teacher education through a focus on mentoring as an educative process.

Systemic Functional Linguistics in Teacher Education

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana C. de Oliveira ◽  
Sharon L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Functional Linguistics ◽  
Theory Of Language ◽  
Critical Components

Systemic functional linguistics (SFL), a meaning-based theory of language, has been used throughout the world as a discourse analytic approach and, more recently, as a framework for implementing pedagogy in the classroom. SFL has much to offer teachers as a pedagogical approach. The integration of SFL into teacher education and continuing professional learning has been shown to have a positive impact on developing teachers’ knowledge about language, their ability to instruct students by focusing on language and literacy development, and their focus on critical components of language for diverse learners. SFL theory does not provide teacher educators with a developed curriculum for implementation; therefore, the ways in which it has been used across teacher education have varied depending on teachers’ level of instruction (elementary, secondary, or tertiary), familiarity with SFL concepts, and preservice or in-service status. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to SFL inclusion in teacher education, but some principles derived from SFL in teacher education literature may enable teacher educators to consider how this theory of language and pedagogical framework can be used in teacher education programs.

Teacher Educators’ Practice and Vision of Good Teaching in Teacher Education Reform Context in Ghana

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 194-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwame Akyeampong
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Good Teaching ◽  
Teacher Education Reform ◽  
Primary Mathematics ◽  
Learner Centered ◽  
Learner Centered Pedagogy

Teacher education in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) has been criticized for the lack of attention to learning to teach in real classrooms, which limits the opportunity for pre-service teachers to successfully introduce learner-centered pedagogy in African primary school classrooms. To address this problem, Ghana has implemented a teacher education reform since 2004 to incorporate practicum. However, the critical role of teacher educators has been overlooked by policymakers, and few studies have qualitatively investigated their practice and vision. The study draws on qualitative data from the Ghana component of the Teacher Preparation in Africa (TPA) research project to explore eight teacher educators’ practice and vision of good teaching of primary mathematics. The study found that teacher educators’ practice and vision of good teaching consist of the use of teaching and learning materials (TLMs) and small group activities following specific steps without understanding the principles of learner-centered pedagogy that could be applied in a variety of classroom contexts and mathematics topics. The study also identified the hierarchical relationship between teacher educators and school teachers as a major challenge for effective practicum, limiting the opportunity to transform teacher educators’ vision and practice of primary mathematics teaching. Recommendations for enhancing professional learning opportunities for teacher educators are offered.

scholarly journals A QUALITATIVE APPROACH TO STUDY THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING: PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF TEACHER-EDUCATORS AND STUDENT-TEACHERS IN INITIAL TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasreen Akhtar ◽  
Intazzar Hussain Butt
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Science Teacher Education ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
General View ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Understanding Of Science

There is a general view that the transmission style of teaching is inadequate in helping students develop their learning in science, particularly in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in Pakistan. Inquiry-based pedagogy in science is considered key means of improving an understanding of science and helps students cultivate their science literate thinking and develop their confidence to teach science effectively. In light of the key roles of inquiry-based pedagogy in initial science teacher education, this study explores the perceptions of teachers and students at a university in Punjab as how they understand the elements and process of inquiry-based pedagogy. The research is innovative in the context of exploring teacher-educators’ and student-teachers’ perceptions of inquiry-based pedagogy and also in relation to inquiry in the practicalities of their teaching at University in Punjab (Pakistan). Data has been collected using 2 focus groups with student-teachers and 20 interviews with teacher-educators. The result of this study indicates that the teachers and students mostly held positive views about inquiry-based pedagogy. Significantly, the teachers and students showed a limited understanding of the elements of inquiry-based pedagogy in ITE but they appreciated that they could facilitate the learning process using inquiry. When inquiry-based instructional strategies are integrated into a teaching science methods course, the majority of teachers developed a fair understanding of inquiry-based strategies in science. Moreover, the biggest challenges to inquiry are a non-supportive university academia, the current curriculum and assessment methods used. Finally, recommendations about the importance of teachers’ and students’ perceptions on inquiry-based pedagogy, arrangement of resources, preparation for teachers and students are made to the teacher-educators, University administration, and Higher Education Authority.

The Professional Learning of Teacher Educators Leading International Professional Experience

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 497-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Williams
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Educational Experiences ◽  
Teacher Educator ◽  
Professional Relationships ◽  
School Staff ◽  
Professional Experience ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The Impact

In this article, the professional learning of teacher educators leading international professional experience (IPE) is examined. There is a growing body of research on the learning of pre-service teachers who undertake a period of professional experience in international contexts, but much less is known about the experiences of the academics who lead these programs. This knowledge is important because the success of such programs for pre-service teachers depends largely on the quality of the planning, preparation, and leadership of these as educational experiences. Based on data collected in semistructured interviews with 10 teacher educators who have led IPE to a variety of global locations, this article outlines the professional learning gained from leading a group of pre-service teachers on 3-week IPEs. Findings include the importance of building professional relationships with others involved in the IPE, including the pre-service teachers, school staff, and communities, and the impact of the experience on the development of teacher educator identities and practice.

Teaching Ambition Realized: Paul’s Beginning Music Teacher Identity

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-55
Author(s):  
Tami J. Draves
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Identity ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
School Senior ◽  
Music Teacher Identity ◽  
Beliefs About Teaching

The purpose of this particularistic case study was to explore Paul’s teacher identity in his first year as a music educator. I chose Paul purposively because, while a high school senior, he had participated in previous research about teacher socialization. Using Olsen’s sociocultural view of teacher identity as a lens, I examined Paul’s teacher identity including personal beliefs about teaching, how those interacted with professional learning and teacher education experiences, and how Paul made sense of himself as a teacher. Through data analysis I revealed three themes: Becoming Student Focused, Learning to Be Myself as a Teacher, and Taking Ownership. I recommend making preservice and cooperating music teachers more aware of teacher identity models and suggest activities to promote teacher identity development in music teacher education programs. Music teacher educators would benefit from having more teacher identity scholarship focused on music student teachers and beginning music educators.

Enhancing the Landscape of Early Learning Training Environments

2021 ◽  
pp. 164-184
Author(s):  
Crystal Loose
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Preservice Teacher ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Preservice Teacher Education ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Training Methods ◽  
Utilization Of Technology ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Successful Collaboration

This chapter will detail the necessity of professional learning for instructors in early learning environments. Training methods will be addressed with emphasis placed on the utilization of technology as a tool for training and the education of young children. An often-overlooked ingredient, the audience found within training environments, will also be discussed. The degree of educational experience and generational impacts will be considered as a key piece of successful collaboration. Finally, preservice teacher education will be addressed pertaining to the impact on future classroom success.

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