Mentorship in Technology-Rich, 21st-Century Classrooms

A mentorship program was established to support early career teachers in a technology-rich K-6 school. This program included scaffolding for inexperienced teachers in school cultures, pedagogically appropriate technology use, and classroom management. The program assisted early career teachers to thrive at the beginning of their career and to address perceived weaknesses in teacher education programs. As a result of this research, several early career teachers received mentorship support and successfully began their teaching careers. Additionally, many pre-service teachers were able to make decisions about their school careers through engagement in a practical and realistic teacher-training program. In theory, this research informs the literature regarding the realities of 21st-century classroom experiences and demonstrates the importance of having experienced educators provide training to the next generation of teachers. In practice, this research provides an example of how university teacher education can better prepare pre-service teachers to be successful in their future classrooms.

The Adoption of Instructional Technologies in Teacher Education

This chapter advocates for a turn to the positive side of the situation and the need to create a multiplier effect with available technologies and capabilities which at the long run could enable Nigeria to leapfrog and catch up with the advanced countries in terms of quality of teaching and learning. The chapter consequently discusses some of the new ideas and concepts that may well be exploited to improve teacher education through technology. It calls for more research, sensitization and capacity building of teachers and students about such new ideas and concepts for the benefit of the Nigerian education system. The chapter is written primarily based on the practical experiences of the author as a teacher educator and active participant in world conferences that, over the years, have devoted attention to best practical cases that have worked in various developing parts of the world.

iTE

Research on the use of iPad in initial teacher education is limited. This paper outlines a study to examine how the professional learning and pedagogical knowledge development of student teachers could be supported following 1:1 iPad deployment on a second level initial teacher education programme in Ireland. Findings show that iPad can be utilised both as an effective pedagogical tool and as a medium for the creation of new learning spaces where student teachers' professional and pedagogical knowledge development is supported through feedback, peer-learning, resource sharing and critical reflection. Creating resources with and for iPad as part of a collaborative design process can also support student teachers in developing and integrating technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) within their approaches to teaching, learning and assessment. Implications for initial teacher education providers and the integration of technology within schools are outlined.

Supporting Teacher Education Candidates Through the edTPA Process

edTPA is a performance-based, content-specific assessment process designed by educators to determine whether new teachers are ready for the job. This chapter provides a thorough description of how two departments at the University of North Carolina implemented edTPA in teacher licensure programs and how candidates were supported through the process. Elementary, Middle Grades, Secondary, Teaching English as a Second Language, and Foreign Language Education programs are described and implementation details of edTPA are provided. Formative supports for each program are presented. Finally, the chapter discusses future directions and next steps.

From Preservice to Inservice

Wang (2012) suggested that preservice teachers perceived that their initial experiences as online language learners increased their linguistic, cultural and technological awareness, which would further benefit them when working with diverse students. However, that study was unclear about whether teachers perceived that they could transfer their awareness into teaching practice. Therefore, extending the pilot study, this follow-up study explored inservice teachers' perceptions of linguistic, cultural and technological awareness transfer in teaching English Language Learners by asking them to engage with an online language course and reflect on their experience. This study proposes a model for language teacher linguistic, cultural and technological awareness development and transfer, as well as discusses issues related to language teacher awareness transfer.

Engaging Heads, Hands, and Hearts to Optimize Study Abroad Outcomes

This chapter poses an innovative framework that can be utilized as a model for study abroad experiences, particularly those situated in developing countries. The model enhances a service learning structure by grounding both classroom study and related field work in the theoretical foundations of critical pedagogy, transformational learning theory, ecological systems theory and critical theory in a manner that sets the stage for success for study abroad students and in-country community members alike. The chapter concludes with a recommended plan for implementation of the framework as well as suggestions for optimizing sustainable outcomes for teachers as they begin work in classrooms of their own.

The Transference Between Elementary Preservice Teachers' Courses and Technology Use in Teaching

This mixed-method study explored a cohort of 18 preservice elementary teachers' perceptions of technology and their abilities to integrate technology in their teaching. Data sources included blog postings, a confidence survey, lessons plans and observations. Results showed a disconnect between the blog postings and confidence survey (their perceptions) and their lessons plans and observations (their abilities). Five case studies were examined, using the TPACK framework, to determine where the disconnect was occurring. Although Technical Knowledge seemed to be an issue for some, the majority of the preservice teachers struggled with Pedagogical Knowledge. Suggestions for how to address this issue are included. Implications for teacher education are discussed.

Using a Literacy-Based Classroom Partnership to Prepare Teacher Candidates for the edTPA

This chapter chronicles the progression of one university's efforts to create authentic learning experiences and performance-based assessments for teacher candidates through an established school-university partnership. The chapter focuses on one particular professional development school (PDS) initiative: an ongoing classroom partnership between Bradley University's ETE 313: Methods of Literacy I course and kindergarten through second grade classrooms at neighboring Whittier Primary School. Opening and closing with vignettes illustrating Bradley's ETE 313/Whittier classroom partnership, the chapter presents detailed descriptions of two different professors' efforts to provide authentic learning experiences and prepare teacher candidates for state licensure, including successful completion of the Education Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA), over four years' time. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the evolving classroom partnership in terms of student learning outcomes, the need for ongoing curricular modifications, and strategies for sustaining classroom partnerships.

Prospective EFL Teachers' Perceptions of Using CALL in the Classroom

The study focuses on prospective English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' perspectives on the use of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) resources in teaching English as a foreign language context. In addition to examining prospective teachers' perceptions, the similarities and differences in their perceptions and factors affecting their beliefs about using CALL resources will be addressed. The study aimed to identify the prospective EFL teachers' perceptions of their existing skills to integrate CALL into their future professional practices. The perceived factors that will facilitate and inhibit their future teaching practices by using CALL resources and their expectations from the teacher education program in terms of providing the necessary training to use CALL resources in their teaching practices were examined. The perceived benefits and challenges of using CALL in EFL teaching contexts will be addressed from the participants' perspectives. Finally, the study provides implications for further research in addition to recommendations for EFL teacher education programs.

How to Thrive in the Changing Landscape of Teacher Education

This chapter explores a number of issues for consideration when adopting and implementing edTPA as a summative performance-based assessment of preservice teacher candidate tasks. This chapter aims to offer guidance and support for programs in the beginning stages of implementation of edTPA. Each of the considerations includes a vignette from personal experiences at a regional comprehensive university in the southeast. Issues discussed include timeline for implementation, buy-in, decision-making processes, professional development and training, mapping, and next steps. The vignettes detail particular issues or concerns and include faculty, staff, and/or teacher candidates. Data used to develop the vignettes was collected via interviews, surveys, and reflections.