scholarly journals Newly Qualified Female Teachers’ Perception of Teaching Practicum as a Component of Initial Teacher Education in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-69
Author(s):  
Charmaine Helena Iwu
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Novice Teachers ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Pass Rates ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teaching Practicum ◽  
Female Teachers

This study was undertaken with the aim of understanding how newly qualified female teachers perceive teaching practicum in the South African context. Teaching Practicum is a vital component of the initial teacher education (ITE) programme because it enriches future teachers’ knowledge, skills and abilities towards a lifelong career in the teaching profession. Teachers make valuable contributions to the growth of any nation as they help produce future leaders. It is therefore necessary to have a competent teaching workforce to improve pass rates as well as reduce dropout rates among learners. The study took the qualitative deductive premise making use of semi-structured interviews to collect data from more than 30 novice teachers. Key words, which helped in the identification of themes, were distilled from the responses. A core overall finding of the study point to a mix of experiences - benefits and shortcomings - which not only affect the development of prospective teachers but also have profound implications for both policy enhancement and implementation. Regarding policy enhancement and implementation, it is suggested that universities and schools where novice teachers are posted for teaching practice should have good relations for support advancements. In this case, it is advised that the novice teachers should be exposed to critical mentoring opportunities to allow for clearer understanding of the real classroom scope. This study believes that for this to be fruitful, schools should among others be well-equipped. Suggestions for further research are also flagged. .   

scholarly journals Det produktive praksissjokket: Nyutdannede læreres fortellinger om lærer-elev-forholdet i overgangen fra lærerutdanning til lærerarbeid

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Ivashenko Amdal ◽  
Ilmi Willbergh
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
Novice Teachers ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teacher Education Programme ◽  
Considerable Impact ◽  
Transition Into Teaching

Overgangen fra lærerutdanning til lærerarbeid omtales i forskningen både som utfordrende og som en mulighet for profesjonell utvikling. Denne studien undersøker hvordan nyutdannede læreres overgang fra utdanning til arbeid kan forstås som en danningsprosess. Studien baserer seg på ti semistrukturerte intervjuer med fem deltakere (ett i siste semester på grunnskolelærerutdanningen og ett etter de første tre månedene i arbeid). Studien benytter narrativ og tematisk analyse, og bygger på et hermeneutisk danningsteoretisk perspektiv. Sett fra et slikt perspektiv er overgangen en prosess preget av utvikling og horisontutvidelse der forandringen finner sted etter at de nyutdannede har kommet ut i jobb. Vi finner at de nyutdannedes forståelseshorisont etter tre måneder i arbeid er preget av deres tidligere forståelser. Det å begynne å jobbe utløser en opplevelse av at de forventningene man hadde, ikke innfris. Videre finner vi at det at den nyutdannede går fra å være den som lærer, til å bli den som har ansvar for andres læring og danning, har stor betydning for oppfattelsen av lærer-elev-forholdet. Sett fra denne artikkelens perspektiv kan overgangen fra utdanning til arbeidsliv forstås som en potensielt smertefull danningsprosess som initierer de nyutdannedes profesjonelle utvikling. Nøkkelord: nye læreres utvikling, lærer-elev-forhold, danning, narrativ analyse, lærerutdanning   The productive transition into teaching: Novice teachers’ narratives of the teacher-pupil relationship Abstract The transition from teacher education to the teaching profession is challenging, but also an opportunity for professional development. The present study investigates novice teachers’ transition into teaching from the perspective of Bildung. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participants twice: the last semester in the teacher education programme, and after three months in practice. The interviews were analysed by using thematic and narrative analysis, as well as a hermeneutic and Bildung-centred perspective. Seen from this perspective, the transition is a process characterised by development and broadening of horizon of understanding, where the change occurs after starting work. We find that the novice teachers’ horizons after three months of work are influenced by their previous horizons. Also, we find that the shift from being a learner to becoming responsible for other people’s learning, has a considerable impact on the novice teachers’ understanding of the teacher-pupil relationship. This article argues that the transition from teacher education to working in schools, is a potentially painful process of Bildung that initiates professional development for novice teachers. Keywords: novice teachers’ development, teacher-pupil relationship, Bildung, narrative analysis, teacher education

Student Responses to an ICT-Based E-Assessment Application for the Teaching Practicum/ Teaching Practice MODULE

2020 ◽  
pp. 1134-1147
Author(s):  
M. Noor Davids
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Current Model ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Development Stage ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Student Responses ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Teaching Practicum ◽  
Research Questions

Situated within the context of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in South Africa, this study introduces the notion of an interactive Teaching Practicum E- Assessment application: e-assessment application for the teaching practicum/Teaching Practice module to replace the current model of assessment. At present students enrolled for an Initial Teacher Education qualification have to complete a compulsory Teaching Practice module. The successful completion of the module arguably provides evidence of students' readiness for professional practice. The assessment of the teaching practicum is often riddled with anxiety on the part of the students and conflict between students and their supervisor. Two interrelated research questions guided this study: What are students' experiences of the current teaching practicum assessment? and What were students' responses to the ICT-based assessment proposal? Data were collected from a sample of Teaching Practice students (N = 40) and a focus group discussion conducted with eight (8) students. Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) and critical connectivity theory provided the study with analytical and conceptual lenses. Findings are discussed in response to the research questions posed in preparation of the software development stage of the project.

Student Responses to an ICT-Based E-Assessment Application for the Teaching Practicum/ Teaching Practice MODULE

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 15-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Noor Davids
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Current Model ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Development Stage ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Student Responses ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Teaching Practicum ◽  
Research Questions

Situated within the context of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in South Africa, this study introduces the notion of an interactive Teaching Practicum E- Assessment application: e-assessment application for the teaching practicum/Teaching Practice module to replace the current model of assessment. At present students enrolled for an Initial Teacher Education qualification have to complete a compulsory Teaching Practice module. The successful completion of the module arguably provides evidence of students' readiness for professional practice. The assessment of the teaching practicum is often riddled with anxiety on the part of the students and conflict between students and their supervisor. Two interrelated research questions guided this study: What are students' experiences of the current teaching practicum assessment? and What were students' responses to the ICT-based assessment proposal? Data were collected from a sample of Teaching Practice students (N = 40) and a focus group discussion conducted with eight (8) students. Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) and critical connectivity theory provided the study with analytical and conceptual lenses. Findings are discussed in response to the research questions posed in preparation of the software development stage of the project.

scholarly journals Preservice Mathematics Teachers’ Knowledge about the Potential of Tasks to Promote Students’ Mathematical Reasoning

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1300-1319
Author(s):  
Hélia Oliveira ◽  
Ana Henriques
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Mathematical Reasoning ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
8Th Grade ◽  
Preservice Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Grade Classroom ◽  
Huge Challenge

The use of tasks to promote mathematical reasoning (MR) in teaching practice is essential to meet curricular goals. However, that practice is often a huge challenge for teachers, and particularly for prospective teachers and thus it is essential to highlight it as a goal for initial teacher education. This study focuses on preservice mathematics teachers’ (PTs) knowledge about the potential of mathematical tasks to promote students’ MR, in a teacher education course. Results show that PTs were able to justify their option for a mathematical task with potential to promote students’ MR, and through its implementation in one 8th grade classroom they have deepen their knowledge and gave greater meaning to task design principles and acknowledging their students’ knowledge. Thus, the activity of selecting and adapting a task, although less demanding than the design of a new task, can still provide PT with important reflection and knowledge about its potential to promote students’ MR. The study stresses the relevance for initial teacher education of considering four domains associated with the recognition of the potential of tasks to promote MR.

scholarly journals I Want to Become a Teacher because…? Student-Teachers Change in Attitudes of Becoming Teachers in Austria and Kosovo

2022 ◽  
Vol 2022 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Fjolla Kaçaniku ◽  
Irene Maderbacher ◽  
Franz Erhard ◽  
Blerim Saqipi
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teacher Attitudes ◽  
Student Teacher ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Teaching Career

The motivation for career choice motivation of student-teachers is a well-studied topic with a representative theoretical basis in teacher education research that has a long-standing tradition in the international research landscape. However, in understanding the pressing questions of why young people choose to become teachers, only a few longitudinal and comparative studies have been carried out that focus on the development of motivation for choosing a teaching career. This longitudinal study reports on the effects of time within initial teacher education and how it influences student-teacher attitudes and motives about the teaching profession. This article is a product of a larger study that aims at addressing the existing literature gap by examining student-teacher change in attitudes of becoming teachers in Austria and Kosovo starting from initial teacher education, during early stages of their teaching career as novice teachers, and to more advanced stages of their teaching career. This is a panel study located within a longitudinal design. In this study, a questionnaire and student-teacher reflection texts were used as instruments. Data were collected in three phases during which 673 student-teachers participated in face-to-face administered questionnaire as follows: 341 (phase 1), 185 (phase 2), and 147 (phase 3), as well as 19 student-teacher reflections. Questionnaire data were analysed using the general linear model (GLM) with repeated measures test, whereas the reflection text data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings in this longitudinal study provide evidence that student-teacher attitudes and motives for becoming teachers can change over time during the initial teacher education in Austria and Kosovo, and they can be influenced by in-school experiences during teaching practice. The study concludes that motives for choosing a teaching career are primarily intrinsic, are not time-stable, and change over the course of studies. The study findings have clear implications for initial teacher education programs in addressing changes in student-teachers’ attitudes of becoming teachers. The insights gained from the findings of this study lead to recommendations that initial teacher education programs should strengthen teaching practice to better manage the preparation of students and teachers and their entry into the teaching profession.

Mentors and student-teachers “lesson studying” in initial teacher education

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wasyl Cajkler ◽  
Phil Wood
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teacher Learning ◽  
Student Teacher ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study an adapted version of lesson used with mentors and student-teachers in a one-year initial teacher education (ITE) programme for prospective teachers of geography and modern languages. In partnership with eight secondary schools, the effectiveness of the lesson study cycle was evaluated as a vehicle for exploration of approaches to aid student-teacher learning during school placements. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 12 lesson study case studies were completed and analysed. Findings – Three principal findings emerged: first, most collaborating mentors and student-teachers reported that they engaged in a reflexive process, exploring the complexity of teaching, each learning more about the characteristics of teaching; second, in cases where collaboration allowed student-teachers a degree of autonomy, lesson study provided a collaborative scaffold for understanding the complexity of teaching, contributing to professional development along a continuum which the authors tentatively term “pedagogic literacy”; third and less positively, some mentors struggled to shed the shackles of traditional roles, dominating the discourse as advice-givers so that a traditional “parallel” approach to mentoring continued. Originality/value – The work expands the experiential base of lesson study efforts in ITE in the UK and elaborates a view of teacher learning that challenges reductive approaches to the preparation of new teachers. For the first time, it presents student-teacher and mentor perspectives on the use of lesson study in teaching practice in England.

Listening to the Experiences and Concerns of Pre-Service Teachers During Teaching Practice Programme

2021 ◽  
pp. 14-27
Author(s):  
Darshana Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Practical Training ◽  
Teacher Education Programme ◽  
Practice Teaching

Teaching Practice is widely recognised as the sine-qua-non of any teacher education programme. It is a component in the teacher preparation programme where prospective teachers are provided with an opportunity to put their theoretical studies into practice, get feedback, reflect on practice and consequently further improve their teaching skills. As teaching practice is an important component of a teacher education programme, considerable attention must be given to make it more effective and fruitful. This paper is based on a research study conducted to know pre-service teachers' experiences of the quality of teaching practice and the common concerns they have during teaching practice. On the basis of focussed group discussion a total of five themes were identified, these are (1) usefulness of teaching practice (2) experiences/concerns with pupils' behaviour (3) experiences/concerns with own behaviour (4) experiences/concerns with supervisors' behaviour (5) experiences/concerns with institutional and personal adjustments. The outcome of the focussed group discussion was used to prepare a structured questionnaire. Among other things, the study recommended rigorous practical training in lesson planning, demonstration lessons by teacher educators, simulated teaching before the commencement of practice teaching, school orientation programmes, a separate internship of two weeks and writing a journal by student teachers during teaching practice.

Enterprise education: pre-service further education teachers' impressions and aspirations

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Tiernan ◽  
Jane O’Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Education Data ◽  
Enterprise Education ◽  
The Future ◽  
Constant Comparative Analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the attitudes and impressions of pre-service Further Education teachers towards enterprise education. It also looks at the potential impact on their future teaching practices and aspirations. This study builds on the literature in this area by bringing a teacher education focus and by providing views from the underserved further education sector.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research approach was used to evaluate pre-service further education teachers' understanding of and attitudes towards, enterprise education. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 students in their final year of an initial teacher education degree.FindingsFindings emerged through constant comparative analysis of interview transcripts. These findings indicate that exposure to enterprise education greatly increased understanding of its importance and relevance, while also encouraging pre-service further education teachers to recognise the benefits of incorporating enterprise education into their classrooms of the future.Originality/valueWhile there is an array of literature on entrepreneurship and enterprise education outside of business contents, very few studies exist, which examine enterprise education in an initial teacher education context. Fewer still examine enterprise education from the perspective of further education. This study provides a unique qualitative view of pre-service further education teachers' impressions of enterprise education and their aspirations for the future.

scholarly journals “This is why students feel lost when they go into teaching practice”: English Language Teachers’ Views on their Initial Teacher Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 371-387
Author(s):  
Sue Garton
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Significant Shift ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Quantitative And Qualitative Research

The last 20-25 years have seen a significant shift in the views about what teachers need to know to be able to teach. This shift has led to new developments in the theory of second language teacher education (SLTE) and a growth in research in this area. One area of research concerns the attitudes and expectations of those learning to become teachers. While most studies in this area focus on teacher education programmes in BANA countries, this article looks at data from student teachers studying in Russia and Uzbekistan. The study employed a quantitative and qualitative research design, using a researcher-designed on-line questionnaire. Through snowball sampling, data from 161 students and recent graduates in the two countries were collected, analysed, and compared to investigate the content of SLTE programmes. The study identified what the novice teachers felt were the strengths and weaknesses of their programme, and what changes they would like to see. Results showed that while the respondents were mainly satisfied with their methodology, and theoretical linguistics courses, they felt the need for more practice, both teaching and language practice. The data also revealed that, in Uzbekistan in particular, the idea of global English struggles to take hold as native-speaker models remain the norm. The implications of the study underline the need for SLTE to explicitly link theory to practice and to promote the idea of varieties of English, rather than focus on native-speaker norms.

scholarly journals Knowledge selection in initial teacher education programmes and its implications for curricular coherence

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Rusznyak
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Limited Time ◽  
Selection Decisions ◽  
Selection Principles ◽  
Internal Coherence ◽  
Rational Knowledge

There are a multitude of concepts and techniques that could be important for teachers tolearn during their initial teacher education (ITE), but indiscriminately including all of themwould result in an overcrowded and fragmented curriculum. Given the limited time for ITE,rational knowledge selection choices must be made if coherent programmes are to beoffered to prospective teachers. This paper explores the approaches taken to addressing thecritical challenges facing education in South Africa and the principles from knowledgeselection that arise from these approaches. Different conceptions about how best to addressthese challenges offer directed priorities to guide knowledge selection decisions for ITEcurricula. Examples of knowledge selection principles that variously promote conceptual orcontextual coherence are presented and analysed, and tradeoffs associated with each one areconsidered. Although some recontextualising principles are mutually incompatiable, othershave the potential to coexist. In a four-year qualification, where sequencing choices can bemade, there exists the possibility of introducing different principles at different timeswithout unduly compromising internal coherence. A challenge for those who design ITEcurricula is to design conceptually coherent and/or contextually responsive curricula fullyaware of the affordances and limitations offered by different recontextualising principles.

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