Assessment of Practices in Integrating Environmental Education in the Teacher Education Program

The study aimed to assess the mainstreaming of environmental education in the Teacher Education curriculum. It used descriptive research design using qualitative approaches. Data were gathered using a rubric, documentary analysis, class observations, focus group discussion, and interview. Respondents and informants consisted of faculty-implementers, students, officials and administrative personnel. Each class in the different disciplines was observed by three class observers. The focus group discussion involved 35 students and the informal interview involved randomly selected class observers and key persons involved in the implementation of the project. Three dimensions were considered such as programmatic practices, organizational practices and context-specific practices. Assessment reveals the good practices in programmatic practices in terms of needs assessment and program design, in organizational practices in terms of governance, and context specific practices in terms of instructional materials development, delivery of the lesson, interaction with students, and assessment. Good practices serve as enabling factors for the successful mainstreaming of environmental education in the Teacher Education curriculum. Recommendations are provided to sustain the good practices and address those needing improvement.

Alignment of the Philippine Mathematics Teacher Education Curriculum with the Programme for International Student Assessment

<p style="text-align: justify;">This study aimed to examine the alignment of the Philippine mathematics teacher education curriculum with the 2021 mathematics literacy framework of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Such study could inform the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) if its mandated bachelor’s degree in secondary education major in mathematics could produce teachers at the secondary level prepared to deliver the expectations of PISA to mathematically literate 15-year-old learners. Through document analysis, the researcher reviewed the alignment of two official documents accessible online: the 2017 Philippine mathematics teacher education curriculum and the 2021 PISA mathematics literacy framework. Three mathematics education experts validated the researcher’s analysis. The results revealed alignment of the content and competencies covered by the teacher education curriculum and PISA mathematics literacy framework. However, the researcher found gaps in the curriculum in terms of its responsiveness in capturing some contexts and 21st century skills emphasized in PISA 2021 mathematics literacy framework. The study provided recommendations in addressing the gaps to inform needed updating in the teacher education curriculum to meet the expectations of PISA as a step to meeting the international standards of quality educational program.</p>

Teaching in IP Schools: An Analysis of Teachers' Experiences as Input to Pre-Service Teacher Education

The demand to make education inclusive requires assurance that the future teachers of indigenous students are fully equipped to handle multicultural classes. Hence, with an end goal of identifying inputs that could enhance pre-service teacher education, this study was conducted to determine the profile, experiences, knowledge, attitudes, and skills of the randomly selected teachers of indigenous students in the province of Occidental Mindoro. The data were gathered online through a questionnaire that underwent validity and reliability tests. Findings reveal that the teachers are graduates of bachelor of Elementary Education and have been teaching in the IP schools for not more than three years. The teachers frequently experience implementing the curriculum, monitoring student’s progress, and living with the IP community, and occasionally experience travelling to and from the IP community as they embark on the day-to-day activities of teaching their IP students. The knowledge, attitudes, and skills they have acquired from their pre-service teacher education curriculum have prepared them in teaching IP students. Five themes emanate from the teachers’ suggestions on how to enhance the pre-service teacher education curriculum such as inclusion of IP education, awareness program on the culture of Indigenous People, inclusion of IP language, training on how to handle combined or multigrade class, and conducting immersion activities in IP or minority schools. The College of Teacher Education may consider the suggestions of the teachers in reviewing and revising the existing curriculum of pre-service teacher education.

STEM practices in Science teacher education curriculum: Perspectives from two secondary school teachers’ colleges in Zimbabwe

This study assessed how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is integrated in Science Teacher Education curriculum in Zimbabwe. An exploratory mixed methods research design, within the post-positivist paradigm, was used to guide the collection and analysis of data. Data were sourced from 18 Science teacher educators and 108 final year Science student teachers pooled from two secondary school Teachers’ Colleges through a semi-structured questionnaire, follow-up interviews, focus groups and documents. From the findings, it was evident that although a lot was done to promote STEM literacy in the two colleges, integration of STEM education and practices into the science education curriculum was coincidental rather than planned. Participation in Science exhibitions at local and national level that was common and increased enrolment of teacher candidates in STEM subjects was viewed as major ways to promote the initiative in the Teachers’ Colleges. However, support that targeted a teacher education STEM curriculum and integration/liaison with Engineering and industry was largely found lacking, suggesting the need for practices such as field-trips, work visits and partnerships that foster closer collaboration between colleges, schools, professional scientists and industry.