scholarly journals Mindfulness and Connection Training During Preservice Teacher Education Reduces Early Career Teacher Attrition Three Years Later

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew James Hirshberg ◽  
Lisa Flook ◽  
Richard J Davidson

Early career attrition from teaching disrupts school continuity, precludes many of those who leave the profession from achieving expertise, and drains limited economic resources from educational systems. Because low resource schools experience higher levels of teacher attrition, the phenomenon also contributes to inequitable educational opportunities for socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Although reducing premature attrition is an important policy objective, rates of teacher attrition have remained elevated and stable for at least the last two decades. In a cluster randomized controlled trial design (N=98), we examined the impact of a nine-week meditation-based intervention (MBI) that was integrated into undergraduate preservice teacher education on persistence in the teaching profession three-years later. Participants assigned to the MBI were six times more likely to still be teaching three-years into their career (Odds Ratio=6.05, 95% CI[1.83, 25.37], p=.002). Benefit-cost analysis indicated that integrating a MBI into preservice teacher education incurs minimal costs on the teacher education program but yields substantial predicted savings to educational systems with $2.6 return on every dollar invested. Implications for teacher education and teacher learning are discussed.

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Woods ◽  
Mary Alice Barksdale ◽  
Cheri F. Triplett ◽  
Ann Potts

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe a study of identity development in the context of a preservice teacher education program that used a variety of approaches to support development of understanding of cultural diversity. Design/methodology/approach – Fifty preservice teachers in a graduate program in elementary education participated in the study. Of the 50 participants, 47 were Caucasian, two were African American and one was originally from India, but was a US citizen. The analyses were qualitative. A phenomenological approach to data analysis was taken, viewing the drawings and written explanations created by the participants as independently occurring phenomenon (as compared with data that might be considered for grounded theory or constant comparison) (Hycner, 1985; Moustakas, 1994). Findings – Overall, the low number of drawings and writings that included representations of cultural, linguistic, special needs and gender diversity suggests of a lack of understanding about the significant roles of these student characteristics in the lives of elementary teachers dedicated to meeting student needs. Given the strong focus on diversity education in this preservice teacher education program, this was an unexpected finding. One explanation is that preservice and beginning teachers are highly involved in identifying their own beliefs and values about teaching and exploring how their personal characteristics can be reconciled and applied in their specific teaching contexts. Originality/value – It is imperative that teacher education programs effectively address diversity in the classroom for the population typically entering the teaching profession. While many programs spend considerable time and effort “teaching” multicultural concepts, few, if any, have asked students to look inward in the way we did on this study.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liz Ebersole

This paper explores self-efficacy theory (Bandura), situated learning theory (Lave & Wenger), and self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci), the technological pedagogical content knowledge framework (TPCK or TPACK; Mishra & Koehler) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards (for Educators) as they relate to the preservice teacher education program, including both coursework and field experience. Regarding teacher education program coursework, this paper examines research studies that report on findings from both quantitative and qualitative research about preservice teachers’ experience with technology integration in the context of the teacher education program, in which the TPACK framework or ISTE Standards were used in the curricular design of the program’s academic coursework. Regarding teacher education program field experience, this paper examines the context provided by the mentor teachers’ self-efficacy regarding and use of technology.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (32) ◽  
pp. 257
Author(s):  
Isaac Sonful Coffie ◽  
Nutifafa Godson Doe ◽  
Jonah Addai Tabi

Ghana is currently running a new teacher education program for the training of teachers at the pre-tertiary level. At the heart of the new national teacher education program is Supported Teaching in School (STS), the practical school-based component of the teacher education program embedded throughout the whole 4-years. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of STS in pre-service teacher preparation and identify any possible challenges associated with the program. The study adopted qualitative a case study design, with the main instruments for data collection being interviews and documentary analysis. Data collection was done through individual and focus group interviews, and documentary analysis of Student Reflective Journals. Individual interviews were conducted for six pre-service science teachers and the focus group interview was made up of four pre-service teachers using the Ishikawa or fishbone tool. From the analysis of data done using “topological analysis,” it was revealed that supported teaching in school is impacting on the pre-service preparation in; real classroom exposure giving them firsthand experience of the classroom situation; lesson planning and delivery; teacher professionalism as the pre-service teachers now exposed to traits of the teaching profession and qualities of a good teacher; and classroom management for effective lesson delivery. Particular challenges such as mentor-mentee relationship, lack of proper planning, and insufficient time for observation were identified to militate against the program. It is recommended that, appropriate training and incentives should be given to the mentors to prepare them adequately for the program.


Author(s):  
Crystal Loose

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.


Author(s):  
Peter Wulff ◽  
David Buschhüter ◽  
Andrea Westphal ◽  
Anna Nowak ◽  
Lisa Becker ◽  
...  

Abstract Reflecting in written form on one’s teaching enactments has been considered a facilitator for teachers’ professional growth in university-based preservice teacher education. Writing a structured reflection can be facilitated through external feedback. However, researchers noted that feedback in preservice teacher education often relies on holistic, rather than more content-based, analytic feedback because educators oftentimes lack resources (e.g., time) to provide more analytic feedback. To overcome this impediment to feedback for written reflection, advances in computer technology can be of use. Hence, this study sought to utilize techniques of natural language processing and machine learning to train a computer-based classifier that classifies preservice physics teachers’ written reflections on their teaching enactments in a German university teacher education program. To do so, a reflection model was adapted to physics education. It was then tested to what extent the computer-based classifier could accurately classify the elements of the reflection model in segments of preservice physics teachers’ written reflections. Multinomial logistic regression using word count as a predictor was found to yield acceptable average human-computer agreement (F1-score on held-out test dataset of 0.56) so that it might fuel further development towards an automated feedback tool that supplements existing holistic feedback for written reflections with data-based, analytic feedback.


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