Learning in Context and Practicing in Place: Engaging Preservice Teachers in Urban-Focused Context Specific Teacher Education

Teacher education programs are increasingly taking up commitments to prepare new teachers for equitable teaching. Despite best intentions, programs feel challenged to help candidates translate these commitments into classroom practice. Using a context-specific teacher education framework, we conducted a mixed-methods study of seven urban-focused programs to understand how they targeted preparation for urban contexts. We found that while programs offer multiple opportunities to learn about content embedded in context, fewer opportunities exist for candidates to practice in context, and that faculty play a critical bridging role in designing practice opportunities that are informed by program vision.

Characteristics of expert vocalists’ practice

This study investigated expert vocalists’ approaches to practice in terms of planning, time, and strategy usage. Participants were 79 university voice professors and members of professional choirs. The researchers sent each participant the Vocal Practice Survey (VPS)which collected data on the participants’ professional backgrounds, attitudes toward specific practice strategies, and personal practice habits. Results indicated variety in expert vocalists’ approaches to practice, including number of practice sessions per week, length of practice sessions, and structure of practice sessions. Most participants reported using practice resources, especially a piano and a mirror. Participants reported a broad range of frequency in strategy use, with holistic practice strategies dominating. Comments from participants indicated that group rehearsals also served as individual practice opportunities, that there were differences between students’ and experts’ practice, and that an important role of practice was facilitating vocal health. The findings of this study provide a point of reference for comparing vocal practice to instrumental practice and for further development of research of vocal musicians at varying levels of expertise. The researchers also provide recommendations for music educators regarding the instruction and promotion of effective individual vocal practice.

Engaging in Feedback: Students as Recipients and Providers of Feedback in an In-class Activity

Despite the positive impacts of providing and receiving peer-feedback, students remain ill-prepared to engage in feedback processes. I report on an action research that was employed to addresses students’ reluctance to providing peer-feedback. The aim was to promote a learning atmosphere that values feedback by having students as active participants in the feedback process. As part of an in-class peer-feedback activity, students provided feedback to their peers’ final assignment by identifying areas of strengths and for improvement. Based on observations and a focus group, students positively experienced the peer-feedback activity. They reported utilizing the feedback in improving their work, extended the feedback application to other contexts and were able to practice and engage actively in the process of feedback. Keen attention and further efforts are necessary to be taken towards actively and strategically integrating peer-feedback within curricula. Recognizing peer feedback as a preparation for practice learning while creating multiple practice opportunities would maximize the transferability of peer-feedback as a skill to the professional context. Keywords: peer-feedback, master’s students, qualitative, students’ experiences, practice learning

A Systematic Review of Parent–Child Shared Book Reading Interventions for Infants and Toddlers

Parents are encouraged to read to their children as early as possible. Multiple studies of parent–child shared book reading with children ages 3 years and older have shown positive outcomes on parent use of language-based strategies and child language development. However, few studies have included children under the age of 3; thus, little is known about interventions for parent–child shared book reading practices with infants and toddlers. In this systematic review, we examined 12 studies of interventions that included practice opportunities to support parent–child shared book reading practices with infants and toddlers between the ages of birth and 3 years. Across the studies, parents were taught to use interactive shared book reading strategies through a variety of teaching functions; however, only six studies included direct measurement of parent strategy use and child behaviors during shared book reading interactions. Directions for future research and the implications of this review are discussed.

De-Implementing Ineffective and Low-value Clinical Practices: Research and Practice Opportunities in Community Oncology Settings

Patients, practitioners, and policymakers are increasingly concerned about the delivery of ineffective or low-value clinical practices in cancer care settings. Research is needed on how to effectively de-implement these types of practices from cancer care. In this commentary, we spotlight the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), a national network of community oncology practices, and elaborate on how it is an ideal infrastructure for conducting rigorous, real-world research on de-implementation. We describe key, multi-level issues that affect de-implementation and also serve as a guidepost for developing strategies to drive de-implementation. We describe optimal study designs for testing de-implementation strategies and elaborate on how and why the NCORP network is uniquely positioned to conduct rigorous and impactful de-implementation trials. The number and diversity of affiliated community oncology care sites, coupled with the overall objective of improving cancer care delivery, make the NCORP an opportune infrastructure for advancing de-implementation research while simultaneously improving the care of millions of cancer patients nationwide.

Coaching in the time of coronavirus 2019: how simulations spark reflection

PurposeThis study investigates how debrief conversations unfold during virtual coaching sessions that provide embedded opportunities to practice teaching within a mixed reality simulation (MRS). We examine how teacher and coach topical episodes function (agreeing, explaining, clarifying, probing, recapping, reflecting and suggesting) to activate reflection as part of virtual coaching.Design/methodology/approachGrounded in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and the belief that learning is collaborative and impacts how pre- and in-service teachers construct knowledge, this exploratory case study draws on insights from 15 graduate students (5 pre-service teachers (PSTs) and 10 in-service teachers (ISTs)) who participated in virtual coaching with embedded practice opportunities. Data sources were video recordings and transcripts of 15 virtual coaching sessions, and one-on-one postcoaching interviews. Coding categories were determined through the constant comparative analysis method.FindingsFindings indicate that an MRS provides an immediate context for reflection, which guided the debrief conversations. Additionally, functions occurred with varying frequency among PSTs and ISTs, and across both groups, probing questions often led directly to reflecting and recapping the shared simulation context.Research limitations/implicationsThis study had a small sample (n = 15) and the use of an MRS, while widely used, is not necessarily a scalable practice.Originality/valueIn times of remote teaching, like during corona virus 2019 (COVID-19), opportunities to simulate clinical experiences become vital. With a limited research base, learning how teachers engage with and learn from simulated experiences is a key to creating rich learning opportunities for teachers.