Assessment Portfolios as Opportunities for Teacher Learning. CRESST Report 736

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gearhart, Maryl; Osmundson, Ellen

2008-01-01

This report is an analysis of the role of assessment portfolios in teacher learning. Over 18 months, 19 experienced science teachers worked in grade-level teams to design, implement, and evaluate assessments to track student learning throughout a curriculum unit, supported by semi-structured tasks and resources in assessment portfolios.…

Characteristics of Exemplary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-Related Experiential Learning Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmons, Jamie Munn

Experiential opportunities at the secondary level give students the "intimate and necessary relation between the processes of actual experience and education" (Dewey, 1938, p. 19- 20). Career and Technical Education classes (CTE) and co-curricular experiences, one type of experiential learning, underpin and cultivate student curiosity and often channel interests into STEM-related post-secondary disciplines and career choices. There is little existent research on the characteristics of exemplary experiential learning opportunities and the impact on stakeholders. This study is intended to identify the qualities and characteristics of an exemplary secondary experience through the lived experiences of the stakeholders; students, STEM-related teachers, and CTE/STEM Administrators. A qualitative research design was used to examine characteristics and implications for students of four STEM-related programs throughout Virginia. Conclusions from the study include fundamental principles for providing exemplary experiential STEM-related learning opportunities. These principles include: providing hands-on, real world learning opportunities for students, providing learning opportunities that will enhance student ownership in their learning, providing unique and comprehensive career exploration opportunities for students, providing a schedule for teachers that will give them time to plan, deliver, and manage exemplary experiential learning opportunities, providing continual teacher and administrator in-service training relative to planning and implementing exemplary experiential learning opportunities, investing appropriate funds for providing exemplary experiential learning opportunities. Establishing and maintaining active partnerships with business/industry and colleges/universities, and maintaining active advisory communities, providing appropriate staff to support the provision of exemplary experiential learning opportunities is needed. The need for adequate funding

Elementary teachers' perceptions of science inquiry and professional development challenges and opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Kathleen M.

Inquiry science, including a focus on evidence-based discourse, is essential to spark interest in science education in the early grades and maintain that interest throughout children's schooling. The researcher was interested in two broad areas: inquiry science in the elementary classroom and the need/desire for professional development opportunities for elementary teachers related to science education, and specifically professional development focused on inquiry science. A cross sectional survey design was prepared and distributed in May 2005 and usable responses were received from 228 elementary teachers from the south-central area of Pennsylvania which was a representative sample of socio-economical and geographical factors. Areas of particular interest in the results section include: (1) The use of Science Kits which is popular, but may not have the desired impact since they are "adjusted" by teachers often removing the opportunity for evidence-based discourse by the students. This may be partly based on the lack of time dedicated to science instruction and, secondly, the teachers' lack of comfort with the science topics. Another issue arising from science kits is the amount of preparation time required to utilize them. (2) Teachers demonstrated understanding of the high qualities of professional development but, when it came to science content professional development, they were more inclined to opt for short-term opportunities as opposed to long-term learning opportunities. Since elementary teachers are generalists and most schools are not focusing on science, the lack of attention to a subject where they are least comfortable is understandable, but disappointing. (3) There is a great need for more training in evidence--based discourse so teachers can implement this needed skill and increase students' understanding of science content so they are more able to compete in the international science and math measurements. (4) Professional development, especially

Principals' Approaches to Cultivating Teacher Effectiveness: Constraints and Opportunities in Hiring, Assigning, Evaluating, and Developing Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donaldson, Morgaen L.

2013-01-01

Purpose: How principals hire, assign, evaluate, and provide growth opportunities to teachers likely have major ramifications for teacher effectiveness and student learning. This article reports on the barriers principals encountered when carrying out these functions and variations in the degree to which they identified obstacles and problem-solved…

Acquiring Responsive Practices: Preservice Teachers Learn to Conduct Interactive Read-Alouds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pendergast, Meghan; May, Laura; Bingham, Gary; Kurumada, Katie Simon

2015-01-01

As U.S. schools continue to grow more culturally and linguistically diverse, it is important for teacher-educator programs to include pedagogy that promotes engaging learning opportunities for all children. One way these learning opportunities can occur is through interactive read-alouds. Interactive read-alouds provide the teacher and child an…

Mathematics Teachers' Self-Captured Video and Opportunities for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherin, Miriam Gamoran; Dyer, Elizabeth B.

2017-01-01

Numerous video-based programs have been developed to support mathematics teachers in reflecting on and examining classrooms interactions without the immediate demands of instruction. An important premise of such work is that teacher learning occurs at the time that the video is viewed and discussed with teachers. Recent advances in technology,…

Blended Learning Opportunities in Ukrainian IT Public Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szimkovics, Tamás

2017-01-01

Based on previous surveys the usage of ICT and blended learning is at a low level in Ukraine. To catch up with the European average, it is important to familiarize the students and teachers with blended learning in the secondary school. The information technology classes provide the best opportunity to introduce the blended learning, because they…

Rural Learning: A Practical Guide to Developing Learning Opportunities in the Countryside.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payne, John

This guide to rural learning is intended to help those developing learning opportunities in the United Kingdom countryside--teachers, program organizers, project and development workers, and health and housing workers. Section 1 supplies up-to-date facts and figures and useful information about living in the rural context. It highlights issues…

Making Teaching Visible through Learning Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ermeling, Bradley A.; Gallimore, Ronald; Hiebert, James

2017-01-01

Observing teaching with a practiced, professional eye can yield valuable insights into the specific learning opportunities that students are (or are not) provided. However, recent policy initiatives have emphasized using formulaic rubrics and checklists to rate teacher behaviors and evaluate their use of particular instructional moves. Rather than…

Roles of Teachers in Orchestrating Learning in Elementary Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhai, Junqing; Tan, Aik-Ling

2015-01-01

This study delves into the different roles that elementary science teachers play in the classroom to orchestrate science learning opportunities for students. Examining the classroom practices of three elementary science teachers in Singapore, we found that teachers shuttle between four key roles in enabling student learning in science. Teachers…

Boundaries and Bricolage: Examining the Roles of Universities and Schools in Student Teacher Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchinson, Steven Andrew

2011-01-01

The literature shows that an active exploration of difference between university- and school-based perspectives can provide important opportunities for student teacher learning in initial teacher education. This paper presents a study that looks at the learning opportunities presented to student teachers as they talk about teaching and learning…

Creating opportunities to learn in mathematics education: a sociocultural perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goos, Merrilyn

2014-09-01

The notion of `opportunities to learn in mathematics education' is open to interpretation from multiple theoretical perspectives, where the focus may be on cognitive, social or affective dimensions of learning, curriculum and assessment design, issues of equity and access, or the broad policy and political contexts of learning and teaching. In this paper, I conceptualise opportunities to learn from a sociocultural perspective. Beginning with my own research on the learning of students and teachers of mathematics, I sketch out two theoretical frameworks for understanding this learning. One framework extends Valsiner's zone theory of child development, and the other draws on Wenger's ideas about communities of practice. My aim is then to suggest how these two frameworks might help us understand the learning of others who have an interest in mathematics education, such as mathematics teacher educator-researchers and mathematicians. In doing so, I attempt to move towards a synthesis of ideas to inform mathematics education research and development.

Twenty Golden Opportunities To Enhance Student Learning: Use Them or Lose Them.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sponder, Barry

In an average classroom period, a teacher has twenty or more opportunities to interact with students and thereby influence learning outcomes. As such, teachers should use these opportunities to reinforce instruction or give positive corrective feedback. Typical methods used in schools emphasize error correction at the expense of calling attention…

Implementing Service Learning in Pre-Service Teacher Coursework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hildenbrand, Susan M.; Schultz, Susan M.

2015-01-01

Service learning remains a topic of interest in higher education. It has become more prevalent in teacher preparation programs with the intent of providing the opportunity for pre-service teachers to become engaged with individuals who have different life experiences than their own. Lessons can be learned through a review of the literature and the…

Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Experiences with Proficiency-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Carmen Petrick; Tinkler, Alan; DeMink-Carthew, Jessica; Tinker, Barri

2017-01-01

Proficiency-based learning systems are becoming more common across the United States, yet few pre-service mathematics teachers have experienced this type of system in the classroom themselves. Teacher education courses are one opportunity for pre-service teachers to experience proficiency-based learning; however, we know little about the impact…

Collaborative Teacher Learning: Findings from Two Professional Development Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, G.; Minnes Brandes, G.; Mitchell, I.; Mitchell, J.

2005-01-01

This article discusses two projects that were aimed at enhancing the opportunities for professional development of the participants through collaboration between classroom teachers and teacher educators. The two projects, the Australian Project for Enhancing Effective Learning (PEEL) and the Canadian Learning Strategies Group (LSG), focused on the…

The Day-to-Day Work of Primary School Teachers: A Source of Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambler, Trudy Belinda

2016-01-01

Teachers are an important influence on students' learning, and therefore the opportunity for teachers to learn and develop is something of interest to educators internationally. This article reports on a research project involving six primary school teachers who participated in one-on-one and small group interviews to explore the opportunities for…

Teachers Talking about Writing Assessment: Valuable Professional Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Lesley

2007-01-01

This article argues that the engagement of teachers in collaborative discussions about assessment can provide a fruitful context for valuable professional learning. It is of interest to those who provide Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for teachers and teachers themselves. It looks particularly at the value of writing…

An Exploration of Teacher Learning from an Educative Reform-Oriented Science Curriculum: Case Studies of Teacher Curriculum Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marco-Bujosa, Lisa M.; McNeill, Katherine L.; González-Howard, María; Loper, Suzanna

2017-01-01

Educative curriculum materials provide teachers with authentic opportunities to learn new skills and practices. Yet, research shows teachers use curriculum in different ways for different reasons, and these modifications could undermine the learning goals of the curriculum. Little research, however, has examined the variation in teacher use of…

A Taxonomy of Instructional Learning Opportunities in Teachers' Workgroup Conversations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Ilana Seidel; Garner, Brette; Kane, Britnie Delinger; Brasel, Jason

2017-01-01

Many school-improvement efforts include time for teacher collaboration, with the assumption that teachers' collective work supports instructional improvement. However, not all collaboration equally supports learning that would support improvement. As a part of a 5-year study in two urban school districts, we collected video records of more than…

Women Teachers' Experiences of Learning Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Gill

2013-01-01

Continued concern over attainment and participation in secondary school mathematics has led to a focus on improving the quality of teaching and student outcomes through a variety of professional learning opportunities. A study of teacher professional identity serves to illuminate this learning; this constant process of sensemaking (Day and Kington…

Connecting through Comics: Expanding Opportunities for Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolton-Gary, Cynthia

2012-01-01

When students are faced with learning abstract contents, creating meaningful teaching and learning opportunities is a challenge for many educators. Concerns for how to get students to connect theoretical constructs and apply them to the "real world" is especially critical for those students studying to be teachers. This descriptive study…

Guided Work-Based Learning: Sharing Practical Teaching Knowledge with Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Velzen, Corinne; Volman, Monique; Brekelmans, Mieke; White, Simone

2012-01-01

Building quality work-based learning opportunities for student teachers is a challenge for schools in school-university partnerships. This study focused on the guidance of student teachers by means of a mentoring approach aimed at sharing practical knowledge, with student teachers' learning needs as an emphasis. The approach was built on…

Literacy Coaching: Engaging and Learning with Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dozier, Cheryl L.

2008-01-01

Literacy coaching, a unique and generative opportunity to engage with and learn from teachers, is currently viewed as a powerful intervention to increase student literacy achievement. This article focuses on eight principles for responsive literacy coaching. To build trusting relationships, coaches engage with teachers in literacy events, confirm…

Learning to Attend to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners through Teacher Inquiry in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanases, Steven Z.; Wahleithner, Juliet Michelsen; Bennett, Lisa H.

2012-01-01

Background/Context: Learning to meet students' needs challenges new teachers often focused on procedures, management, materials, and curriculum. To avoid this development pattern, student teachers (STs) need opportunities to concentrate especially on needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Teacher inquiry (TI) holds promise…

Opportunity to Teach and Learn Standards: Colombian Teachers' Perspectives (Estándares de oportunidad para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje: perspectivas de profesores colombianos)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cárdenas Ramos, Rosalba; Hernández Gaviria, Fanny

2012-01-01

The aim of this article is to present the outcomes of an exploration of in-service teachers' perspectives in relation to an opportunity to teach and learn standards in English. A workshop for English teachers from Cali (Colombia) and the neighboring rural sectors was designed and carried out in order to collect the information. Teachers'…

Functional anatomy of the cardiovascular system: professional development for PreK-3 teachers using a "train and equip" method results in learning opportunities for students.

PubMed

Burns, E Robert

2008-01-01

Preadolescent students are interested in learning the structure and function of the human body. However, their teachers are not trained in this content. The purpose of this project was to expand a successful outreach effort in the health sciences for grade 7-12 teachers to include PreK-3 teachers. A "Healthy Hearts" workshop was offered to train the teachers in relevant content and also to give them a resource kit of supplies and equipment to facilitate the transference of the training into educational opportunities for their students. The workshop included many role-playing activities and use of all items in the resource kit. A total of 25 workshops were conducted in 14 different community locations with 716 PreK-3 teachers attending from 169 communities representing 59 (79%) of the state's 75 counties. African American (AA) teacher participation was 35%, twice the state AA population rate and 3.5x the AA public school teacher rate. Pre to Posttest scores increased an average of 15%. The results of the evaluation measures regarding the workshop and the transference of the training and use of resource kit items into learning opportunities for students were excellent. Universities have the capability, perhaps the responsibility, to provide the much-needed professional development training to PreK-12 teachers. Anatomists in medical and nonmedical school settings are well positioned to participate in this process and help close the gap between the interest young children have in learning about the human body and the lack of teacher training in this content. (c) 2008 American Association of Anatomists.

Exploring Middle School Math Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Collaborative Learning Teams within Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rawding, Molly Rothermel

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of what makes a collaborative learning team (CLT) effective for novice and experienced teachers. Professional learning communities have emerged as one approach for job-embedded professional learning so that teachers have the opportunity to collaborate with the end goal of…

The Significance of Emotions in Finnish Teachers' Stories about Their Intercultural Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jokikokko, Katri; Uitto, Minna

2017-01-01

The need to improve teachers' abilities to respond to the needs of diverse students has been widely acknowledged. To acquire these abilities teachers need ongoing reflection and opportunities to learn in practice in various contexts. However, earlier research has not extensively theorised teachers' intercultural learning as a holistic life-long…

Designing and evaluating a STEM teacher learning opportunity in the research university.

PubMed

Hardré, Patricia L; Ling, Chen; Shehab, Randa L; Herron, Jason; Nanny, Mark A; Nollert, Matthias U; Refai, Hazem; Ramseyer, Christopher; Wollega, Ebisa D

2014-04-01

This study examines the design and evaluation strategies for a year-long teacher learning and development experience, including their effectiveness, efficiency and recommendations for strategic redesign. Design characteristics include programmatic features and outcomes: cognitive, affective and motivational processes; interpersonal and social development; and performance activities. Program participants were secondary math and science teachers, partnered with engineering faculty mentors, in a research university-based education and support program. Data from multiple sources demonstrated strengths and weaknesses in design of the program's learning environment, including: face-to-face and via digital tools; on-site and distance community interactions; and strategic evaluation tools and systems. Implications are considered for the strategic design and evaluation of similar grant-funded research experiences intended to support teacher learning, development and transfer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Online Case Studies as a Professional Development Opportunity for Teachers of Elementary Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vereb, Anita; Carlisle, Joanne F.; Mihocko-Bowling, Emily

2015-01-01

This study explores teachers' response to a professional development program called Case Studies of Reading Lessons (CSRL) that uses case studies of reading instruction to provide opportunities for elementary teachers to learn to analyze features that affect the quality of reading lessons. One important question is whether analyzing others'…

Opportunities and Challenges for Teacher Professional Development: A Case of Collaborative Learning Community in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Minjeong; So, Kyunghee

2014-01-01

This study investigates how characteristics of a collaborative professional learning activity support and hinder teacher learning and growth by examining the experiences of three Korean secondary teachers who participated in a school-initiated collaborative teacher learning project. The findings demonstrated that this learning opportunity…

Blended Online Learning in Initial Teacher Education: A Professional Inquiry into Pre-Service Teachers' Inquiry Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Anne-Marie

2015-01-01

Online and blended learning bring opportunities and challenges, including more opportunities for authentic activities (Gikandi, Morrow, & Davis, 2011). Blended online environments are now a common mode for pre-service teacher education, providing interesting opportunities to develop and showcase alternative approaches that blend with practice…

Learning from Analyzing Linguistically Diverse Students' Work: A Contribution of Preservice Teacher Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanases, Steven Z.; Wong, Joanna W.

2018-01-01

One task of Feiman-Nemser's teacher learning model--develop tools and dispositions to study teaching--frames how we organized learning opportunities during teacher preparation. We explored how and to what degree preservice teachers used teacher inquiry to analyze linguistically diverse students' work through an asset-based lens, beyond deficit…

Enabling the Development of Student Teacher Professional Identity through Vicarious Learning during an Educational Excursion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steenekamp, Karen; van der Merwe, Martyn; Mehmedova, Aygul Salieva

2018-01-01

This paper explores the views of student teachers who were provided vicarious learning opportunities during an educational excursion, and how the learning enabled them to develop their teacher professional identity. This qualitative research study, using a social-constructivist lens highlights how vicarious learning influenced student teachers'…

Science Talk: Preservice Teachers Facilitating Science Learning in Diverse Afterschool Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartwright, Tina Johnson

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact a community-based service learning program might have on preservice teachers' science instruction during student teaching. Designed to promote science inquiry, preservice teachers learned how to offer students more opportunities to develop their own ways of thinking through utilization of an…

Teachers' Personal Learning Networks (PLNs): Exploring the Nature of Self-Initiated Professional Learning Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tour, Ekaterina

2017-01-01

In the field of Literacy Studies, online spaces have been recognised as providing many opportunities for spontaneous and self-initiated learning. While some progress has been made in understanding these important learning experiences, little attention has been paid to teachers' self-initiated professional learning. Contributing to the debates…

Roles of Teachers in Orchestrating Learning in Elementary Science Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Junqing; Tan, Aik-Ling

2015-12-01

This study delves into the different roles that elementary science teachers play in the classroom to orchestrate science learning opportunities for students. Examining the classroom practices of three elementary science teachers in Singapore, we found that teachers shuttle between four key roles in enabling student learning in science. Teachers can play the role of (1) dispenser of knowledge (giver), (2) mentor of learning (advisor), (3) monitor of students' activities (police), and (4) partner in inquiry (colearner). These roles are dynamic, and while teachers show a preference for one of the four roles, factors such as the nature of the task, the types of students, as well as the availability of time and resources affect the role that teachers adopt. The roles that teachers play in the classroom have implications for the practice of science as inquiry in the classroom as well as the identities that teachers and students form in the science learning process.

Teachers' experiences of teaching in a blended learning environment.

PubMed

Jokinen, Pirkko; Mikkonen, Irma

2013-11-01

This paper considers teachers' experiences of teaching undergraduate nursing students in a blended learning environment. The basic idea of the study programme was to support students to reflect on theory and practice, and provide with access to expert and professional knowledge in real-life problem-solving and decision making. Learning was organised to support learning in and about work: students worked full-time and this provided excellent opportunities for learning both in practice, online and face-to-face sessions. The aim of the study was to describe teachers' experiences of planning and implementing teaching and learning in a blended-learning-based adult nursing programme. The research method was qualitative, and the data were collected by three focus group interviews, each with four to six participants. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results show that the blended learning environment constructed by the combination of face-to-face learning and learning in practice with technology-mediated learning creates challenges that must be taken into consideration when planning and implementing blended teaching and learning. However, it provides good opportunities to enhance students' learning in and about work. This is because such programmes support student motivation through the presence of "real-life" and their relevance to the students' own places of work. Nevertheless, teachers require knowledge of different pedagogical approaches; they need professional development support in redesigning teaching and learning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Community, Inquiry, Leadership: Exploring Early Career Opportunities That Support STEM Teacher Growth and Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galosy, Jodie A.; Gillespie, Nicole M.

2013-01-01

Much has been written about the need for high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers and their role in U.S. educational reform. In this article we provide evidence that beginning science and mathematics teachers need a blend of three mutually reinforcing learning opportunities for growth and sustainability:…

Pre-Service Teachers Designing Virtual World Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacka, Lisa; Booth, Kate

2012-01-01

Integrating Information Technology Communications in the classroom has been an important part of pre-service teacher education for over a decade. The advent of virtual worlds provides the pre-service teacher with an opportunity to study teaching and learning in a highly immersive 3D computer-based environment. Virtual worlds also provide a place…

Expanded Learning, Expansive Teacher Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Barnett; Hess, Frederick M.

2013-01-01

Extended learning opportunities have emerged as a useful way to rethink how schools are organized and funded. That includes reconsidering who teaches and how they go about their work. That effort should be guided by four key policy considerations and goals: 1. Reengineer the role of teacher. 2. Rethink K-12, higher education, and community-based…

Secondary Science Teachers Making Sense of Model-Based Classroom Instruction: Understanding the Learning and Learning Pathways Teachers Describe as Supporting Changes in Teaching Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hvidsten, Connie J.

Connie J. Hvidsten September 2016 Education Secondary Science Teachers Making Sense of Model-Based Classroom Instruction: Understanding the Learning and Learning Pathways Teachers Describe as Supporting Changes in Teaching Practice This dissertation consists of three papers analyzing writings and interviews of experienced secondary science teachers during and after a two-year professional development (PD) program focused on model-based reasoning (MBR). MBR is an approach to science instruction that provides opportunities for students to use conceptual models to make sense of natural phenomena in ways that are similar to the use of models within the scientific community. The aim of this research is to better understand the learning and learning pathways teachers identified as valuable in supporting changes in their teaching practice. To accomplish this aim, the papers analyze the ways teachers 1) ascribe their learning to various aspects of the program, 2) describe what they learned, and 3) reflect on the impact the PD had on their teaching practice. Twenty-one secondary science teachers completed the Innovations in Science Instruction through Modeling (ISIM) program from 2007 through 2009. Commonalities in the written reflections and interview responses led to a set of generalizable findings related to the impacts and outcomes of the PD. The first of the three papers describes elements of the ISIM program that teachers associated with their own learning. One of the most frequently mentioned PD feature was being in the position of an adult learner. Embedding learning in instructional practice by collaboratively developing and revising lessons, and observing the lessons in one-another's classrooms provided a sense of professional community, accountability, and support teachers reported were necessary to overcome the challenges of implementing new pedagogical practices. Additionally, teachers described that opportunities to reflect on their learning and connect their

Exploring How Creating Stop-Motion Animations Supports Student Teachers in Learning to Teach Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wishart, Jocelyn

2017-01-01

This article reports on an exploration of teaching and learning through creating rudimentary stop-motion animations set up to identify how learning opportunities involving stop-motion animations can support student learning and science teacher education. Participants were student teachers, volunteers representing both secondary and primary school…

Trainee Teachers' e-Learning Experiences of Computer Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Pam

2009-01-01

Pam Wright highlights the role of technology in providing situated learning opportunities for preservice teachers to explore the role commercial computer games may have in primary education. In a study designed to assess the effectiveness of an online unit on gaming incorporated into a course on learning technologies, Wright found that thoughtful…

Personalized Workplace Learning: An Exploratory Study on Digital Badging within a Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamrat, Christopher; Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Dudek, Jaclyn; Peck, Kyle

2014-01-01

To provide customized workplace learning opportunities, a digital badge system was designed by a university, governmental agency and national professional association to support teachers' implementation of professional development (PD). Teacher Learning Journeys (TLJ) is an approach that allows for teachers to customize their PD experience to…

Situating teacher learning in the practice of mathematics and science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartman, Monica Louise

Education reforms propose new content and pedagogy for students. Making such reforms possible in schools depends on creating new content and pedagogy for teachers' learning. This study investigated an approach to support teachers' learning which has been rapidly growing in popularity. Specifically, the study was designed to learn how a collaborative professional development experience, situated in teachers' own practice, might help elementary teachers develop knowledge for teaching. Eleven fourth and fifth grade teachers from two public schools participated in this professional development which was modeled after Japanese Lesson Study. A qualitative research methodology of critical inquiry was used to analyze the data. The researcher was both designer and participant. This intervention gave these teachers opportunities to learn content, pedagogy, and skills for collaborative inquiry, but not all the teachers continued their involvement. Challenges of time, talk and individualism were problems for all and were among the main reasons teachers in one group gave for leaving the program. Three characteristics of the teachers who completed the project included: (a) dissatisfaction with the learning outcomes of their students; (b) participation with colleagues in social activities throughout the school year; (c) an existing trusting relationship with the program facilitator. The features of this new pedagogy of professional development require teachers to break from typical orientations to practice. This produces a paradox. On one hand, many American teachers do not have the skills needed to be expert at this, for the professional culture does not support such work. On the other hand, if teachers are not given opportunities to collaborate in meaningful ways, the skills they need cannot develop. Although, these teachers were not yet experts in this collaborative inquiry process, the skills required began to develop in the course of engaging in this professional development

Are Learning Assistants Better K-12 Science Teachers?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, Kara E.; Webb, David C.; Otero, Valerie K.

2010-10-01

This study investigates how the undergraduate Learning Assistant (LA) experience affects teachers' first year of teaching. The LA Program provides interested science majors with the opportunity to explore teaching through weekly teaching responsibilities, an introduction to physics education research, and a learning community within the university. Some of these LAs are recruited to secondary science teacher certification programs. We hypothesized that the LA experience would enhance the teaching practices of the LAs who ultimately become teachers. To test this hypothesis, LAs were compared to a matched sample of teachers who completed the same teacher certification program as the LAs but did not have the LA "treatment." LAs and "non-LAs" were compared through interviews, classroom observations, artifact packages, and observations made with Reformed Teacher Observation Protocol (RTOP) collected within the first year of teaching. Some differences were found; these findings and their implications are discussed.

Crossing the Border from Science Student to Science Teacher: Preservice Teachers' Views and Experiences Learning to Teach Inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Emily J. S.; Bianchini, Julie A.; Kelly, Gregory J.

2013-04-01

Preservice science teachers face numerous challenges in understanding and teaching science as inquiry. Over the course of their teacher education program, they are expected to move from veteran science students with little experience learning their discipline through inquiry instruction to beginning science teachers adept at implementing inquiry in their own classrooms. In this study, we used Aikenhead's (Sci Educ 81: 217-238, 1997, Science Educ 85:180-188, 2001) notion of border crossing to describe this transition preservice teachers must make from science student to science teacher. We examined what one cohort of eight preservice secondary science teachers said, did, and wrote as they both conducted a two-part inquiry investigation and designed an inquiry lesson plan. We conducted two types of qualitative analyses. One, we drew from Costa (Sci Educ 79: 313-333, 1995) to group our preservice teacher participants into one of four types of potential science teachers. Two, we identified successes and struggles in preservice teachers' attempts to negotiate the cultural border between veteran student and beginning teacher. In our implications, we argue that preservice teachers could benefit from explicit opportunities to navigate the border between learning and teaching science; such opportunities could deepen their conceptions of inquiry beyond those exclusively fashioned as either student or teacher.

Service Learning within a Secondary Math and Science Teacher Education Program: Preservice MAT Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgerding, Lisa A.; Caniglia, Joanne

2017-01-01

Previous literature suggests that service learning may offer new opportunities to support the development of preservice science and math teachers, but few studies examine service learning beyond isolated teaching events. In this qualitative study, we attempt to improve upon this literature by following Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) students'…

"It's 1000 Degrees in Here When I Teach": Providing Preservice Teachers with an Extended Opportunity to Approximate Ambitious Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stroupe, David; Gotwals, Amelia Wenk

2018-01-01

Teacher educators have a challenging task of designing opportunities for preservice teachers (PSTs) to learn ambitious science teaching (AST). However, with limited time in methods courses and the complexities of AST, opportunities for PSTs to "try out" ambitious instruction are difficult to construct and analyze. To address this…

Novice Teachers' Use of Student Thinking and Learning as Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness: A Longitudinal Study of Video-Enhanced Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santagata, Rossella; Taylor, Karen

2018-01-01

This study examines whether preservice teachers' experiences with video analyses during teacher preparation have long-lasting effects on their practices once they enter the profession. Specifically, the authors examined whether teachers who had opportunities to analyze student thinking and learning during teacher preparation continued to do so…

Teaching Diversity: A Reflexive Learning Opportunity for a Teacher Educator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Sophia

2016-01-01

This article reports on a two-year self-study exploring my roles and evolving philosophy as an early childhood teacher educator teaching diversity in the US. I was interested in better understanding how and what I can learn from the complexity of my teaching experiences. Data included my professional journals, students' reflection journals, and…

The Use of a Student Group Log to Facilitate Student and Teacher Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coenders, Fer

2016-01-01

In 21st century education students should have ample opportunities to collaborate on authentic problems. Many teachers however find it difficult to make the transfer from teacher to student-centered education. Giving students autonomy can be disquieting to teachers, as they fear to lose control of student learning. Teachers in a teacher…

Learning with Teachers; A Scientist's Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czajkowski, K. P.

2004-12-01

Over the past six years, as an Assistant Professor and now as an Associate Professor, I have engaged in educational outreach activities with K-12 teachers and their students. In this presentation I will talk about the successes and failures that I have had as a scientist engaged in K-12 educational outreach, including teaching the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) distance learning course, teaching inquiry-based science to pre-service teachers through the NASA Opportunities for Visionary Academics (NOVA) program, GLOBE, school visits, and research projects with teachers and students. I will reflect on the potential impact this has had on my career, negative and positive. I will present ways that I have been able to engage in educational outreach while remaining a productive scientist, publishing research papers, etc. Obtaining grant funding to support a team of educational experts to assist me perform outreach has been critical to my groups success. However, reporting for small educational grants from state agencies can often be overwhelming. The bottom line is that I find working with teachers and students rewarding and believe that it is a critical part of me being a scientist. Through the process of working with teachers I have learned pedagogy that has helped me be a better teacher in the university classroom.

The Flipped Classroom: An Opportunity to Engage Millennial Students through Active Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roehl, Amy; Reddy, Shweta Linga; Shannon, Gayla Jett

2013-01-01

"Flipping" the classroom employs easy-to-use, readily accessible technology in order to free class time from lecture. This allows for an expanded range of learning activities during class time. Using class time for active learning versus lecture provides opportunities for greater teacher-to-student mentoring, peer-to-peer collaboration…

The Ultimate Impacts for Thai Teachers: Teachers Development System in Learning Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boonmak, Thikamporn; Tesaputa, Kowat; Duangpaeng, Amparn

2015-01-01

This research was aimed to: (1) study current conditions, problems, and needs of teachers for development and learning management in the extended educational opportunities schools (EEOSs: schools where they extended fundamental education from primary level of six years to lower secondary level of nine years), in Thailand; (2) develop the system of…

Critical Social Theory and Transformative Learning: Evidence in Pre-Service Teachers' Service-Learning Reflection Logs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrington, Suzanne; Selva, Gitta

2010-01-01

This paper reports on the opportunities for transformational learning experienced by a group of pre-service teachers who were engaged in service-learning as a pedagogical process with a focus on reflection. Critical social theory informed the design of the reflection process as it enabled a move away from knowledge transmission toward knowledge…

Inventing Motivates and Prepares Student Teachers for Computer-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glogger-Frey, I.; Kappich, J.; Schwonke, R.; Holzäpfel, L.; Nückles, M.; Renkl, A.

2015-01-01

A brief, problem-oriented phase such as an inventing activity is one potential instructional method for preparing learners not only cognitively but also motivationally for learning. Student teachers often need to overcome motivational barriers in order to use computer-based learning opportunities. In a preliminary experiment, we found that student…

Building a Virtual Learning Network for Teachers in a Suburban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurtzworth-Keen, Kristin A.

2011-01-01

Emerging research indicates that learning management systems such as Moodle can function as virtual, collaborative environments, where collegial interactions promote professional learning opportunities. This study deployed a mixed methods design in order to describe and analyze teacher participation in a virtual learning network (VLN) that was…

Science-for-Teaching Discourse in Science Teachers' Professional Learning Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohwasser, Karin

Professional learning communities (PLCs) provide an increasingly common structure for teachers' professional development. The effectiveness of PLCs depends on the content and quality of the participants' discourse. This dissertation was conducted to add to an understanding of the science content needed to prepare to teach science, and the discourse characteristics that create learning opportunities in teachers' PLCs. To this end, this study examined how middle school science teachers in three PLCs addressed science-for-teaching, and to what effect. Insight into discourse about content knowledge for teaching in PLCs has implications for the analysis, interpretation, and support of teachers' professional discourse, their collaborative learning, and consequently their improvement of practice. This dissertation looked closely at the hybrid space between teachers' knowledge of students, of teaching, and of science, and how this space was explored in the discourse among teachers, and between teachers and science experts. At the center of the study were observations of three 2-day PLC cycles in which participants worked together to improve the way they taught their curriculum. Two of the PLC cycles were supported, in part, by a science expert who helped the teachers explore the science they needed for teaching. The third PLC worked without such support. The following overarching questions were explored in the three articles of this dissertation: (1) What kind of science knowledge did teachers discuss in preparation for teaching? (2) How did the teachers talk about content knowledge for science teaching, and to what effect for their teaching practice? (3) How did collaborating teachers' discursive accountabilities provide opportunities for furthering the teachers' content knowledge for science teaching? The teachers' discourse during the 2-day collaboration cycles was analyzed and interpreted based on a sociocultural framework that included concepts from the practice

Fostering Teacher Learning of Conjecturing, Generalising and Justifying through Mathematics Studio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lesseig, Kristin

2016-01-01

Calls to advance students' ability to engage in mathematical reasoning practices including conjecturing, generalising and justifying (CGJ) place significant new demands on teachers. This case study examines how Mathematics Studio provided opportunities for a team of U.S. middle school teachers to learn about these practices and ways to promote…

Professional learning opportunities from uncovering cover stories of science and science teaching for a scientist-in-transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritchie, Stephen M.; Kidman, Gillian; Vaughan, Tanya

2007-01-01

Members of particular communities produce and reproduce cultural practices. This is an important consideration for those teacher educators who need to prepare appropriate learning experiences and programs for scientists, as they attempt to change careers to science teaching. We know little about the transition of career-changing scientists as they encounter different contexts and professional cultures, and how their changing identities might impact on their teaching practices. In this narrative inquiry of the stories told by and shared between career-changing scientists in a teacher-preparation program, we identify cover stories of science and teaching. More importantly, we show how uncovering these stories became opportunities for one of these scientists to learn about what sorts of stories of science she tells or should tell in science classrooms and how these stories might impact on her identities as a scientist-teacher in transition. We highlight self-identified contradictions and treat these as resources for further professional learning. Suggestions for improving the teacher-education experiences of scientist-teachers are made. In particular, teacher educators might consider the merits of creating opportunities for career-changing scientists to share their stories and for these stories to be retold for different audiences.

The analysis of mathematics teachers' learning on algebra function limit material based on teaching experience difference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma'rufi, Budayasa, I. Ketut; Juniati, Dwi

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to describe the analysis of mathematics teachers' learning on algebra function limit material based on teaching experience difference. The purpose of this study is to describe the analysis of mathematics teacher's learning on limit algebraic functions in terms of the differences of teaching experience. Learning analysis focused on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of teachers in mathematics on limit algebraic functions related to the knowledge of pedagogy. PCK of teachers on limit algebraic function is a type of specialized knowledge for teachers on how to teach limit algebraic function that can be understood by students. Subjects are two high school mathematics teacher who has difference of teaching experience they are one Novice Teacher (NP) and one Experienced Teacher (ET). Data are collected through observation of learning in the class, videos of learning, and then analyzed using qualitative analysis. Teacher's knowledge of Pedagogic defined as a knowledge and understanding of teacher about planning and organizing of learning, and application of learning strategy. The research results showed that the Knowledge of Pedagogy on subject NT in mathematics learning on the material of limit function algebra showed that the subject NT tended to describe procedurally, without explaining the reasons why such steps were used, asking questions which tended to be monotonous not be guiding and digging deeper, and less varied in the use of learning strategies while subject ET gave limited guidance and opportunities to the students to find their own answers, exploit the potential of students to answer questions, provide an opportunity for students to interact and work in groups, and subject ET tended to combine conceptual and procedural explanation.

Change is hard: What science teachers are telling us about reform and teacher learning of innovative practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Kathleen S.

2003-01-01

Over the last decade, significant efforts have been made to bring change to science classrooms. Educational researchers (Anderson, R. D., & Helms, J. V. (2001). Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38(1), 3-16.) have pointed to the need to examine reform efforts systemically to understand the pathways and impediments to successful reform. This study provides a critical analysis of the implementation of an innovative science curriculum at a middle school site. In particular, the author explores the issues that surround teacher learning of new practices including the structures, policies, and practices that were in place within the reform context that supported or impeded teacher learning. Parallels are drawn between student and teacher learning and the importance of autonomy and decision-making structures for both populations of learners. Findings presented include (1) how staff development with constructivist underpinnings facilitated teacher learning; (2) how regular and frequent opportunities for interactions with colleagues and outside support personnel contributed to teacher learning; (3) how the decline of such interactive forums and the continuation of old decision-making structures restricted the development of teacher knowledge, expertise, and a common vision of the science program; and (4) how the process of field-testing at this site limited the incorporation of teachers' prior knowledge and impacted teacher acquisition of new knowledge and skills.

Collaborative innovations with rural and regional secondary teachers: enhancing student learning in mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pegg, John; Panizzon, Debra

2011-06-01

When questioned, secondary mathematics teachers in rural and regional schools in Australia refer to their limited opportunities to engage and share experiences with peers in other schools as an under-utilised and cost-effective mechanism to support their professional learning and enhance their students' learning. The paper reports on the creation and evaluation of a network of learning communities of rural secondary mathematics teachers around a common purpose—enhancement and increased engagement of student learning in mathematics. To achieve this goal, teams of teachers from six rural schools identified an issue hindering improved student learning of mathematics in their school. Working collaboratively with support from university personnel with expertise in curriculum, assessment and quality pedagogy, teachers developed and implemented strategies to address an identified issue in ways that were relevant to their teaching contexts. The research study identifies issues in mathematics of major concern to rural teachers of mathematics, the successes and challenges the teachers faced in working in learning communities on the issue they identified, and the efficacy of the professional learning model.

Flight opportunities for science teacher enrichment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Devore, Edna; Gillespie, Carlton, Jr.; Hull, Garth; Koch, David

1995-01-01

NASA Astrophysics Division supports a pre-college teacher program to provide Flight Opportunities for Science Teacher EnRichment (FOSTER). To date, forty-five teachers are participating, and the program will expand nation-wide to serve fifty teachers per year on board the Kuiper Airborne Observatory. In the future, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) will bring more than one-hundred teachers per year on board for astronomical research mission. FOSTER is supported by a grant to the SETI Institute from the NASA Astrophysics Division, NAGW-3291.

Volunteer Teachers: Testing the Professionalisation Agenda in the Lifelong Learning Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Denise; Rennie, Sandra

2014-01-01

Volunteer trainee teachers (trainee teachers who teach on an unpaid basis and not on a pre-service course) are present in a number of institutions across the lifelong learning sector (LLS) in England, giving the opportunity to gain entry into the teaching profession to those who might otherwise face difficulties in accessing paid teaching. Whilst…

Towards Collaboration as Learning: Evaluation of an Open CPD Opportunity for HE Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nerantzi, Chrissi; Gossman, Peter

2015-01-01

Flexible, Distance and Online Learning (FDOL) is an open online course offered as an informal cross-institutional collaboration based on a postgraduate module in the context of teacher education in higher education. The second iteration, FDOL132, was offered in 2013 using a problem-based learning (PBL) design (FISh) to foster collaborative…

Teacher Learning and the Development of Inclusive Practices and Policies: Framing and Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howes, Andrew; Booth, Tony; Dyson, Alan; Frankham, Jo

2005-01-01

The process of a school becoming more inclusive involves teacher learning. The Economic and Social Research Council Teaching and Learning Research Programme (ESRC TLRP) research and development Network "Understanding and Developing Inclusive Practices in Schools" presented an opportunity both to understand the nature of this learning and…

An Investigation into the Opportunity to Learn That Is Available to Grade 12 Mathematics Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stols, Gerrit

2013-01-01

This study investigated the opportunity to learn (OTL) that is available to Grade 12 mathematics learners. Learner workbooks were analysed in terms of time on task, curriculum coverage, curriculum coherence, and cognitive demand. Based on these elements, experienced mathematics teachers judged the opportunity that the learners have to achieve more…

High-Quality Professional Development for Teachers: Supporting Teacher Training to Improve Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeMonte, Jenny

2013-01-01

Professional development in education has gotten a bad reputation, and for good reason. Everyone on all sides of the education reform and improvement debate agrees that what most teachers receive as professional opportunities to learn are thin, sporadic, and of little use when it comes to improving teaching. This paper is the first of a periodic…

Special ways of knowing in science: expansive learning opportunities with bilingual children with learning disabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Álvarez, Patricia

2017-09-01

The field of bilingual special education is currently plagued with contradictions resulting in a serious underrepresentation of emergent bilinguals with learning disabilities in professional science fields. This underrepresentation is due in large part to the fact that educational systems around the world are inadequately prepared to address the educational needs of these children; this inadequacy is rooted in a lack of understanding of the linguistic and cultural factors impacting learning. Accepting such a premise and assuming that children learn in unexpected ways when instructional practices attend to culture and language, this study documents a place-based learning experience integrating geoscience and literacy in a fourth-grade dual language classroom. Data sources include transcribed audio-taped conversations from learning experience sessions and interviews that took place as six focus children, who had been identified as having specific learning disabilities, read published science texts (i.e. texts unaltered linguistically or conceptually to meet the needs of the readers). My analysis revealed that participants generated responses that were often unexpected if solely analyzed from those Western scientific perspectives traditionally valued in school contexts. However, these responses were also full of purposeful and rich understandings that revealed opportunities for expansive learning. Adopting a cultural historical activity theory perspective, instructional tools such as texts, visuals, and questions were found to act as mediators impacting the learning in both activity systems: (a) teacher- researcher learning from children, and (b) children learning from teachers. I conclude by suggesting that there is a need to understand students' ways of knowing to their full complexity, and to deliberately recognize teachers as learners, researchers, and means to expansive learning patterns that span beyond traditional learning boundaries.

Experiments in socially guided exploration: lessons learned in building robots that learn with and without human teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomaz, Andrea; Breazeal, Cynthia

2008-06-01

We present a learning system, socially guided exploration, in which a social robot learns new tasks through a combination of self-exploration and social interaction. The system's motivational drives, along with social scaffolding from a human partner, bias behaviour to create learning opportunities for a hierarchical reinforcement learning mechanism. The robot is able to learn on its own, but can flexibly take advantage of the guidance of a human teacher. We report the results of an experiment that analyses what the robot learns on its own as compared to being taught by human subjects. We also analyse the video of these interactions to understand human teaching behaviour and the social dynamics of the human-teacher/robot-learner system. With respect to learning performance, human guidance results in a task set that is significantly more focused and efficient at the tasks the human was trying to teach, whereas self-exploration results in a more diverse set. Analysis of human teaching behaviour reveals insights of social coupling between the human teacher and robot learner, different teaching styles, strong consistency in the kinds and frequency of scaffolding acts across teachers and nuances in the communicative intent behind positive and negative feedback.

Confidence and Loose Opportunism in the Science Classroom: Towards a pedagogy of investigative science for beginning teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNally, Jim

2006-03-01

This paper attempts to establish a conceptual basis on which beginning teachers may be introduced to investigative science teaching in a way that accommodates the teacher voice. It draws mainly on preliminary theory from the shared reflections of 20 science teachers, augmented by a more general interview-based study of the experience of early professional learning of 18 new teachers. Internationally, it is situated in the wider concern in the literature with the nature of science, mainly in initial teacher education. Empirically located within the Scottish context, a grounded epistemological base of teacher knowledge is illustrated and presented as components of confidence in a cycle of professional learning that needs to be set in motion during initial teacher education. It is proposed that, given protected experience in their early attempts to teach investigatively, new teachers can begin to develop a confident pedagogy of loose opportunism that comes close to authentic science for the children they teach.

Promising Teacher Practices: Students' Views about Their Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moeed, Azra; Easterbrook, Matthew

2016-01-01

Internationally, conceptual and procedural understanding, understanding the Nature of Science, and scientific literacy are considered worthy goals of school science education in modern times. The empirical study presented here reports on promising teacher practices that in the students' views afford learning opportunities and support their science…

Great Expectations: Teacher Learning in a National Professional Development Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armour, Kathleen M.; Makopoulou, Kyriaki

2012-01-01

This paper reports findings from an evaluation of a national continuing professional development (CPD) programme for teachers in England. Data showed that the localised implementation, opportunities for interactive learning, and "collective participation" were positive factors. Research participants reported difficulties, however, in…

Building the Capability of Non-Formal Education Teachers to Develop a Learning Society for Promoting Lifelong Education in Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sungsri, Sumalee

2018-01-01

This study aims to study Thai non-formal education teachers' perceptions of their opportunities to obtain knowledge about the learning society; identify the knowledge of non-formal education teachers need about the learning society which could be obtained through a distance learning package; and to develop and evaluate distance learning package on…

Factors Influencing Teachers' Integration of ICT in Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Japhet E.

2018-01-01

There is a growing demand on educational institutions to use ICT to teach the skills and knowledge students need for the digital age. The integration of ICT into education provides opportunities for teachers and students to work better in a globalized digital age, particularly in teaching and learning environment, where teaching and learning can…

Transformation of Teacher Practice Using Mobile Technology with One-to-One Classes: M-Learning Pedagogical Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsay, Lucie

2016-01-01

The rapid global uptake of mobile technology is reflected in pioneering New Zealand schools. Teachers of classes where each student uses a mobile device were surveyed on how frequently they use various mobile learning activities and asked to describe the new pedagogical opportunities it offers. The teachers' m-learning pedagogical approaches and…

Agriscience Teachers' Implementation of Digital Game-based Learning in an Introductory Animal Science Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, Angela W.; Bunch, J. C.; Wallace, Maria F. G.

2015-12-01

In today's technological age, visions for technology integration in the classroom continue to be explored and examined. Digital game-based learning is one way to purposefully integrate technology while maintaining a focus on learning objectives. This case study sought to understand agriscience teachers' experiences implementing digital game-based learning in an introductory animal science course. From interviews with agriscience teachers on their experiences with the game, three themes emerged: (1) the constraints of inadequate and inappropriate technologies, and time to game implementation; (2) the shift in teacher and student roles necessitated by implementing the game; and (3) the inherent competitive nature of learning through the game. Based on these findings, we recommend that pre-service and in-service professional development opportunities be developed for teachers to learn how to implement digital game-based learning effectively. Additionally, with the potential for simulations that address cross-cutting concepts in the next generation science standards, digital game-based learning should be explored in various science teaching and learning contexts.

An Investigation into Digital Media: Characteristics of Learning Objects Which K-12 Teachers Determine Meet Their Instructional Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guthrie, Patricia Ann

2010-01-01

In recent years, learning objects have emerged as an instructional tool for teachers. Digital libraries and collections provide teachers with free or fee-base access to a variety of learning objects from photos and famous speeches to Flash animations and interactive Java Applets. Learning objects offer opportunities for students to interact with…

Moderation and Teacher Learning: What Can Research Tell Us about Their Interrelationships?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hipkins, Rosemary; Robertson, Sally

2011-01-01

This report is a synthesis that explores "opportunities for professional learning" that might occur when teachers work together to moderate their judgments about students' work. Since such conversations are inherently social, the synthesis employs the lens of sociocultural learning theory. It draws together key themes from the small…

Introducing Investigation into the Teaching and Learning Experiences of New Teachers of Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavicchi, Elizabeth; Hughes-McDonnell, Fiona

School students, and their teachers, seldom have opportunities to investigate something in nature. Yet children's development, as perceived by Piaget, and historical scientists' learning, involves investigation. We acted to include these investigative responses and historic resources into our work with new science teachers. We did this in the…

Opportunities to Personalize Teacher Learning: Innovative Approaches to Bridge Evaluation and Professional Development for Continuous Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kassner, Laura

2014-01-01

The purpose of this report was to consider ways to integrating teacher evaluation and professional development--specifically, to explore innovative ways to harness feedback from teacher evaluations for the creation of personalized professional learning for teachers. This study was commissioned by the planning council members of the Metropolitan…

An Evaluation of the Teacher Learning Academy: Phases 1 and 2. Final Report (Summary Report and Full Report)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moor, Helen; Lamont, Emily; Lord, Pippa; Gulliver, Caroline

2006-01-01

This research sets out key findings from an evaluation of Phases 1 and 2 of the pilot Teacher Learning Academy (TLA). The pilot TLA was established by the General Teaching Council for England (GTC) to provide professional and public recognition for teacher learning and development work. The Academy offers the opportunity for the learning that…

Does In-Service Professional Learning for High School Economics Teachers Improve Student Achievement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swinton, John R.; De Berry, Thomas; Scafidi, Benjamin; Woodard, Howard C.

2010-01-01

Education policy analysts and professional educators have called for more and better professional learning opportunities for in-service teachers, and for at least 30 years economists called for more content training for high school economics teachers. Using new data from all Georgia high school economics students, we assess the impact of…

Implementing Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) in an EFL Context: Iranian EFL Teachers' Perspectives on Challenges and Affordances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dashtestani, Reza

2013-01-01

The implementation of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has provided tremendous opportunities for language teachers to promote their computer literacy and adopt a learner-centered approach to teaching. Accordingly, with the rising advent of language learning technologies, language teachers would occupy a fundamental role in preparing and…

Student Teacher Experiences in a Service-Learning Project for Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkinson, Shawn; Harvey, William J.; Bloom, Gordon A.; Joober, Ridha; Grizenko, Natalie

2013-01-01

Background: Service learning (SL) is a collaborative relationship between university professors, their students, and community partners who combine academic learning and active participation to address community issues. Previous studies in SL and physical education teacher education (PETE) found SL projects increased opportunities for learning and…

Flight Opportunities for Science Teacher EnRichment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koch, D.; Devore, E.; Gillespie, C., Jr.; Hull, G.

1994-12-01

The Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO) is NASA's unique stratospheric infrared observatory. Science on board the KAO involves many disciplines and technologies. NASA Astrophysics Division supports a pre-college teacher program to provide Flight Opportunities for Science Teacher EnRichment (FOSTER). To date, forty-five teachers are participating, and the program is designed to nation-wide to serve fifty teachers per year on board the KAO. FOSTER is a pilot program for K-12 educational outreach for NASA's future Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) which will directly involve more than one-hundred teachers each year in airborne astronomical research missions. FOSTER aims to enrich precollege teachers' experiences and understanding of science, mathematics and technology. Teachers meet at NASA Ames Research Center for summer workshops on astronomy and contemporary astrophysics, and to prepare for flights. Further, teachers receive Internet training and support to create a FOSTER teacher network across the country, and to sustain communication with the airborne astronomy community. Each research flight of the KAO is a microcosm of the scientific method. Flying teachers obtain first-hand, real-time experiences of the scientific process: its excitement, hardships, challenges, discoveries, teamwork, and educational value. The FOSTER experience gives teachers pride and a sense of special achievement. They bring the excitement and adventure of doing first-class science to their students and communities. Flight Opportunities for Science Teacher EnRichment is funded by a NASA's Astrophysics Division grant, NAGW 3291, and supported by the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center.

Becoming a Teacher--Student Teachers' Learning Patterns in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahonen, Elsi; Pyhältö, Kirsi; Pietarinen, Janne; Soini, Tiina

2015-01-01

Student teacher learning is a key issue for further professional development. Literature on student teacher learning suggests that students learn about teaching and undergo professional transformation during their education. However, studies often focus on a certain time period and on how students should learn instead of how they actually do…

Context as Mediator: Teaching Residents' Opportunity and Learning in High-Need Urban Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolman, Joni S.; Roegman, Rachel; Goodwin, A. Lin

2016-01-01

This article presents findings from an exploratory empirical study of teaching residents' opportunities and learning within the overlapping contexts of English as a Second Language (ESL)/special education classrooms and high-need urban schools. Utilizing documentation from the first year of a teacher residency program, our findings illustrate the…

`Risky fun' or `Authentic science'? How teachers' beliefs influence their practice during a professional development programme on outdoor learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glackin, Melissa

2016-02-01

Teaching outdoors has been established as an important pedagogical strategy; however, science classes rarely take place outside. Previous research has identified characteristics of teachers who have integrated out-of-classroom opportunities into their teaching repertoire; yet little is understood as to why teachers make these different pedagogical decisions. This paper explores the relationship between secondary science teachers' beliefs and their pedagogical practice during a two-year professional development programme associated with the 'Thinking Beyond the Classroom' project. Using data from lesson observations, interviews, session questionnaires and field notes, six teacher case studies were developed from participants completing the programme. Data analysis reveals that teachers who successfully taught outside generally held social constructivist beliefs about learning and valued 'authentic' science opportunities. Conversely, teachers who were less successful in teaching outside generally held traditional learning beliefs and simply valued the outdoors for the novelty and potential for fun. All the case study teachers were concerned about managing student learning outside, and for the majority, their concerns influenced their subsequent pedagogical practice. The findings are discussed in detail, as are the implications for pre-service and in-service professional development programmes related to outdoor science learning.

Teaching and Learning with ICT Tools: Issues and Challenges from Teachers' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghavifekr, Simin; Kunjappan, Thanusha; Ramasamy, Logeswary; Anthony, Annreetha

2016-01-01

In this digital era, ICT use in the classroom is important for giving students opportunities to learn and apply the required 21st century skills. Hence studying the issues and challenges related to ICT use in teaching and learning can assist teachers in overcoming the obstacles and become successful technology users. Therefore, the main purpose of…

Learning to Teach Music-Themed Mathematics: An Examination of Preservice Teachers' Beliefs about Developing and Implementing Interdisciplinary Mathematics Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

An, Song A.; Zhang, Meilan; Tillman, Daniel A.; Lesser, Lawrence M.; Siemssen, Annette; Tinajero, Josefina V.

2016-01-01

The study presented in this paper sought to offer a group of 21 preservice teachers with opportunities to learn about interdisciplinary mathematics pedagogy, plus the experience of implementing it with elementary students. It provided the participating preservice teachers' with an opportunity to reflect upon the potential advantages, as well as…

Joint Inquiry: Teachers' Collective Learning about the Common Core in High-Poverty Urban Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stosich, Elizabeth Leisy

2016-01-01

Recent research on the relationship between standards and teachers' practice suggests that teachers are unlikely to make changes to practice without extensive opportunities for learning about standards with colleagues. This article extends this line of research, using a comparative case study of three high-poverty urban schools to examine the…

Learning Disabled Students and Computers: A Teacher's Guide Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metzger, Merrianne; And Others

This booklet is provided as a guide to teachers working with learning disabled (LD) students who are interested in using computers as a teaching tool. The computer is presented as a powerful option to enhance educational opportunities for LD children. The author outlines the three main modes in educational computer use (tutor, tool, and tutee) and…

K-4 Keepers Collection: A Service Learning Teacher Professional Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwerin, T. G.; Blaney, L.; Myers, R. J.

2011-12-01

This poster focuses on the K-4 Keepers Collection, a service-learning program developed for the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA). ESSEA is a NOAA-, NASA- and NSF-supported program of teacher professional development that increases teachers' pedagogical content knowledge of climate-related Earth system science. The ESSEA program -- whether used in formal higher education courses or frequented by individual teachers who look for classroom activities in the environmental sciences -- provides a full suite of activities, lessons and units for teachers' use. The ESSEA network consists of 45 universities and education centers addressing climate and environment issues. K-4 Keepers Collection - ESSEA K-4 module collections focus on five specific themes of content development: spheres, Polar Regions, oceans, climate and service learning. The K-4 Keepers collection provides the opportunity for teachers to explore topics and learning projects promoting stewardship of the Earth's land, water, air and living things. Examination of the impacts of usage and pollution on water, air, land and living things through service-learning projects allows students to become informed stewards. All of the modules include short-term sample projects that either educate or initiate action involving caring for the environment. The K-4 Keepers course requires teachers to develop similar short or long-term projects for implementation in their classrooms. Objectives include: 1. Increase elementary teachers' environmental literacy addressing ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, stewardship, weather and climate science standards and using NOAA and NASA resources. 2. Develop elementary teachers' efficacy in employing service learning projects focused on conserving and preserving Earth's land, air, water and living things. 3. Prepare college faculty to incorporate service learning and environmental literacy into their courses through professional development and modules on the ESSEA website.

Innovative Learning Solutions in New Communities: Opportunities and Challenges to Teachers' Conceptions of Workspace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costley, Debra

2007-01-01

This article explores the possibilities and opportunities created by large-scale property developers for new ways of learning and working in master-planned communities. The discussion is based on the findings from research of one developer's innovative solutions to learning in newly developed communities and specifically draws on data from one…

Preservice Teachers' Observations of Children's Learning during Family Math Night

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurz, Terri L.; Kokic, Ivana Batarelo

2011-01-01

Family math night can easily be implemented into mathematics methodology courses providing an opportunity for field-based learning. Preservice teachers were asked to develop and implement an inquiry-based activity at a family math night event held at a local school with personnel, elementary children and their parents in attendance. This action…

Content-Related Knowledge of Biology Teachers from Secondary Schools: Structure and Learning Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Großschedl, Jörg; Mahler, Daniela; Kleickmann, Thilo; Harms, Ute

2014-01-01

Teachers' content-related knowledge is a key factor influencing the learning progress of students. Different models of content-related knowledge have been proposed by educational researchers; most of them take into account three categories: content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and curricular knowledge. As there is no consensus about…

Implications of the University of South Africa's (UNISA) Shift to Open Distance e-Learning on Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngubane-Mokiwa, Sindile A.

2017-01-01

This conceptual and exploratory article seeks to explore the implications of the University of South Africa's (Unisa) shift from open distance learning (ODL) to open distance e-learning (ODeL) on Teacher Education. In addition, the article problematizes the shift as a policy imperative. Unisa's mandate to provide teacher education opportunities to…

SMILE (Shared Mentoring in Instructional Learning Environments): Effectiveness of a Lesson-Study Approach to Student-Teaching Supervision on a Teacher-Education Performance Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chizhik, Estella Williams; Chizhik, Alexander Williams; Close, Catherine; Gallego, Margaret

2017-01-01

Student-teaching field placements play an important role in preparing teacher candidates, many of whom rate the practice as the most authentic and relevant learning experience associated with their teacher-education programs. As a part of these field experiences, teacher candidates have opportunities to learn instructional and class management…

Teachers' Initial Orchestration of Students' Dynamic Geometry Software Use: Consequences for Students' Opportunities to Learn Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erfjord, Ingvald

2011-01-01

This paper reports from a case study with teachers at two schools in Norway participating in developmental projects aiming for inquiry communities in mathematics teaching and learning. In the reported case study, the teachers participated in one of the developmental projects focusing on implementation and use of computer software in mathematics…

Learning Museum: A Meeting Place for Pre-Service Teachers and Museums

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seligmann, Tine

2014-01-01

Learning Museum 2011-13 is a nationwide multidisciplinary collaboration project involving 26 Danish museums (art, cultural and natural history) along with 13 colleges of education. The project has provided a large group of pre-service teachers with unique opportunities to participate in training courses, academic internships and bachelor's thesis…

Learning Conversations: Teacher Researchers Evaluating Dialogic Strategies in Early Years Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Pete

2014-01-01

Learning conversations, dialogic interactions with adults, are important opportunities for children to develop their thinking as well as their speech and language skills. This area of teachers' practice is informed by a well-established body of research evidence and professional guidance literature. The design and facilitation of this practitioner…

Measuring Opportunity to Learn and Academic Language Exposure for English Language Learners in Elementary Science Classrooms. CRESST Report 767

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Jose Felipe; Bailey, Alison L.; Kerr, Deirdre; Huang, Becky H.; Beauregard, Stacey

2010-01-01

The present study piloted a survey-based measure of Opportunity to Learn (OTL) and Academic Language Exposure (ALE) in fourth grade science classrooms that sought to distinguish teacher practices with ELL (English language learner) and non-ELL students. In the survey, participant teachers reported on their instructional practices and the context…

The Nature of Student Teachers' Regulation of Learning in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Endedijk, Maaike D.; Vermunt, Jan D.; Verloop, Nico; Brekelmans, Mieke

2012-01-01

Background: Self-regulated learning (SRL) has mainly been conceptualized to involve student learning within academic settings. In teacher education, where learning from theory and practice is combined, student teachers also need to regulate their learning. Hence, there is an urgent need to extend SRL theories to the domain of teacher learning and…

Supporting Teacher Orchestration in Ubiquitous Learning Environments: A Study in Primary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muñoz-Cristóbal, Juan A.; Jorrín-Abellán, Iván M.; Asensio-Pérez, Juan I.; Martínez-Monés, Alejandra; Prieto, Luis P.; Dimitriadis, Yannis

2015-01-01

During the last decades, educational contexts have transformed into complex technological and social ecologies, with mobile devices expanding the scope of education beyond the traditional classroom, creating so-called Ubiquitous Learning Environments (ULEs). However, these new technological opportunities entail an additional burden for teachers,…

Examining Professional Development and Teacher's Learning about Literacy Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, Melanie

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study (Merriam, 1988; Stake, 1994) was to understand how teacher perceptions of their knowledge, practice and students' knowledge change in a professional development learning opportunity that is based on their background knowledge in literacy instruction and what is determined to be their zone of proximal…

Charlotte, N.C.'s Project L.I.F.T.: One Teacher's View of Becoming a Paid Teacher-Leader. An Opportunity Culture Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Jiye Grace; Barrett, Sharon Kebschull

2013-01-01

Romain Bertrand is a middle school math teacher and Opportunity Culture enthusiast. As the 2012-13 school year wound down, he was already thoroughly looking forward to the next--when he will become a multi-classroom leader at Ranson IB Middle School, taking accountability for the learning results of 700 students. At Ranson, a Project L.I.F.T.…

Providing Opportunities for Deeper Learning. Findings from the Study of Deeper Learning Opportunities and Outcomes: Report 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitter, Catherine; Taylor, James; Zeiser, Kristina L.; Rickles, Jordan

2014-01-01

The "Study of Deeper Learning: Opportunities and Outcomes"--funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation--aimed to determine whether students attending high schools with a mature and at least moderately well implemented approach to promoting deeper learning actually experienced greater deeper learning opportunities and outcomes…

Content-Focused Teacher Meetings as Effective Teacher Learning Opportunities: Do They Really Help Improve Overall Reading Achievement and Reduce the Achievement Gap in First Grade Classrooms?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Ho Soo

2013-01-01

Teacher professional development has long been of interest since it may affect teachers' learning, the practice of teaching, and student learning. Although empirical research has mainly explored the effect of specific professional development interventions on student achievement, these inventions have been initiated outside the school, and little…

How Do Teachers Learn Together? A Study of School-Based Teacher Learning in China from the Perspective of Organisational Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Xiaolei; Wong, Jocelyn L. N.

2018-01-01

Studies of professional development have examined the influence of school-based approaches on in-service teacher learning and change but have seldom investigated teachers' job-embedded learning processes. This paper explores the dynamic processes of teacher learning in school-based settings. A qualitative comparative case study based on the…

Teachers' Everyday Professional Development: Mapping Informal Learning Activities, Antecedents, and Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyndt, Eva; Gijbels, David; Grosemans, Ilke; Donche, Vincent

2016-01-01

Although a lot is known about teacher development by means of formal learning activities, research on teachers' everyday learning is limited. In the current systematic review, we analyzed 74 studies focusing on teachers' informal learning to identify teachers' learning activities, antecedents for informal learning, and learning outcomes. In…

Residents' perceptions of their teachers: facilitative behaviour and the learning value of rotations.

PubMed

Kendrick, S B; Simmons, J M; Richards, B F; Roberge, L P

1993-01-01

Despite changes in modern medicine the role of the clinical teacher remains central to medical residents' education and rotations continue to be their dominant educational context. Residents have strong positive feelings for clinical teachers who are perceived as interested in teaching and for those rotations that provide a balance of educational opportunities and patient care responsibilities. Research in residency education has focused on teacher behaviours used to teach medical residents clinical information or patient care skills but has neglected teacher behaviours used to facilitate effective learning relationships with residents. To explore the impact of clinical teachers' use of facilitative behaviours on residents' educational experience, we use concepts stemming from the psychologist Carl Rogers' work previously shown to be associated with positive learning outcomes--empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence. These constructs are measured by the use of the four scales of the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory (BLRI)--level of regard, unconditionality of regard, congruence and empathy. Our study measures the correlation between residents' perceptions of clinical teachers' use of facilitative behaviours and residents' evaluation of the learning value of rotations. Thirty-three residents completed the BLRI on a different clinical teacher for each of six monthly rotations. A total of 158 surveys were returned. There were strong positive correlations between three of the BLRI variables and residents' perception of the learning value of rotations. Potential uses of these findings are discussed.

Recruiting in an Opportunity Culture: Lessons Learned. An Opportunity Culture Vignette

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Sharon Kebschull

2015-01-01

When districts get ready to recruit excellent teachers for the career possibilities that Opportunity Culture roles offer, success may come down to two actions: Start early, and communicate constantly, say recruiters in Charlotte-Mecklenburg's Project L.I.F.T. (Leadership and Investment For Transformation) schools. What brings excellent teachers in…

Professional Learning Networks Designed for Teacher Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trust, Torrey

2012-01-01

In the information age, students must learn to navigate and evaluate an expanding network of information. Highly effective teachers model this process of information analysis and knowledge acquisition by continually learning through collaboration, professional development, and studying pedagogical techniques and best practices. Many teachers have…

Enhancing Learning Environments for Students Affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: An Exploratory Study of Canadian Pre-Service Teacher Knowledge and Conceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pei, Jacqueline; Job, Jenelle; Poth, Cheryl; O'Brien-Langer, Anna; Tang, Wei

2015-01-01

There is a pressing need for enhancing the learning environment for students affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). To develop relevant professional learning opportunities for teachers, a logical initial step is to explore the extent to which pre-service teachers accurately understand the unique neuropsychological functioning…

Teacher to Teacher: Learning from Each Other.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duckworth, Eleanor

Thirteen teachers and a teacher educator describe a year-long graduate program for experienced teachers in which they learned from each other how to become better teachers. The program, which was situated at Harvard's Graduate School of Education, included an integrative seminar, three required courses, and two elective courses. This book is…

A Smooth Road from Conventional Teaching to Distance Learning in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nishinosono, Haruo

2002-01-01

As a result of rapid developments in information and communication technology (ICT), dramatic changes are taking place in approaches to teaching and learning in university and school classrooms. These changes offer new opportunities to explore entirely new methods of instruction in teacher education. ICT provides alternatives to conventional…

Developing Learning Readiness; A Visual-Motor-Tactile Skills Program. Teacher's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Getman, G.N.; And Others

A flexible program for preschool, primary grades, or remedial classes provides opportunities for the child to achieve readiness for learning through the development of visual, motor, and tactile skills. A cardboard doll is discussed which may be utilized by the teacher and children in a variety of gymnasium routines to increase knowledge of body…

Conversations Around Practice: Mediating Opportunities to Learn about Teaching Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ricketts, Amy Rene

This study contributes to the knowledge base regarding the ways in which school-based, ongoing, professional learning communities mediate teacher learning. Specifically, it investigates an organic learning group as they met in various contexts over a full school year, engaging in conversations around their teaching practices that focused on supporting students' explanations of scientific phenomena. The group consisted of ten middle school science teachers from three schools in the same public school district, their district science coordinator and a professor of science education. Drawing on traditions of ethnography and discourse analysis, this case study: 1) characterizes each episode of the group's conversations around practice in terms of its potential for generating transformative learning opportunities, 2) identifies which spontaneous and designed features of those conversations accounted for differences in the generative nature of the talk, and 3) explains how those features mediated the generative nature of the talk. In this group, the differences between more- and less- generative talk could be attributed to five features: the context of the conversation; the tools participants used to represent their practice; the stance with which they represented and took up one another's practices in the talk; the resources they drew on (in terms of expertise); the conversational routines in which they engaged. These five features interacted in complex, patterned ways to mediate the generative nature of the group's talk.

An Inquiry into the Influence of Professional Learning Communities on English Language Arts Teachers' Pedagogical-Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pittman, Pamela Kay

2015-01-01

Teaching is an ever-evolving profession, one in which teachers must stay abreast of recent research and trends to continually deepen their knowledge and refine their skills. Therefore, teachers need high quality professional learning opportunities to help them master the content they teach and strengthen their teaching skills. Professional…

A Dialogue of Life: Integrating Service Learning in a Community-Immersion Model of Preservice Science-Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handa, Vicente; Tippins, Deborah; Thomson, Norman; Bilbao, Purita; Morano, Lourdes; Hallar, Brittan; Miller, Kristen

2008-01-01

Dubbed a "dialogue of life," community immersion in preservice science-teacher education aims at providing a true-to-life and empowering opportunity for prospective science teachers (both elementary and secondary) to become active participants in community life through field and service-learning experiences. It consists of a three-unit…

Making and Missing Connections: Exploring Twitter Chats as a Learning Tool in a Preservice Teacher Education Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Betina

2017-01-01

Research on social media use in education indicates that network-based connections can enable powerful teacher learning opportunities. Using a connectivist theoretical framework (Siemens, 2005), this study focuses on secondary teacher candidates (TCs) who completed, archived, and reflected upon 1-hour Twitter chats (N = 39) to explore the promise…

The Continuum of Teacher Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huebner, Tracy

2009-01-01

Many recent studies on teacher learning are grounded in the works of Rosenholtz (1989), Ball and Cohen (1999), and Putnam and Borko (2000). Their research, collectively, suggests that teacher learning occurs in at least two realms: the individual and the interpersonal. In the individual realm, teachers gain knowledge about content and pedagogy,…

Online Learning for Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kesner, Rebecca J., Ed.

2001-01-01

This newsletter contains two articles on teacher use of educational technology. The first article, "Online Learning for Teachers," (Stephen G. Barkley) explains that online learning has the ability to multiply both the effectiveness and efficiency of traditional onsite training by eliminating the need for travel. It describes the five components…

Teaching Astronomy through e-learning in Poland: Astronomical Education in teacher training conducted by the Regional Teacher Training Center in Skierniewice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabrowska, A. E.

2014-12-01

Regional Teacher Training Centre (RTTC) in Skierniewice is one of 49 public, accredited institutions in Poland carrying out it statutory goals at the regional level. It has been operating since 1989 and is responsible for organizing of support of schools, institutions, networks of teachers for cooperation and self-education, organizing various forms of in-service training and disseminating examples of good practice. It also has rich experience in teaching by using modern Interactive Computer Technology (ICT) tools and e-learning platform. I present examples about teaching of Astronomical issues through teacher training both as hands on workshops as well as through e-learning. E-learning is playing an important role in organizing educational activities not only in the field of modern didactic but also in learning Science subjects. Teachers find e-learning as a very economical, easy and convenient way of learning and developing their knowledge and skills. Moreover, they are no longer afraid of using new ICT tools and programs which help them to cooperate with students effectively. Since 2011 RTTC in Skierniewice has been an organizer of many on-line in-service programs for teachers, in learning Science. Some of them are organized as blended-learning programs which allow teachers to participate first in hands on activities then continue learning on the Moodle platform. These courses include two 15 and 30-hours of Astronomical topics. Teachers have the opportunity to gain knowledge and receive materials not only about the Universe and the Solar System but also can learn to use tools like Stellarium, Celestia, WorldWide Telescope, Your Sky and other tools. E-learning modules consist of both publishing learning materials in various forms, eg. PowerPoint Presentations, Word & PDF materials, web sites, publications, working sheets as well as practical duties like participation in chats, forums, tasks, Wiki, group workshop. Teachers use these materials for extending their

When "Teaching a Class of Daemons, Dragons and Trainee Teachers"--Learning the Pedagogy of the Virtual Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woollard, John

2012-01-01

Virtual worlds can offer opportunities to further extend the experience, skills and understanding of professionals, in this case pre-service teachers. Based on the empirical evidence provided by professional, pre-service teachers, this paper describes the social and emotional aspects of being and learning in a virtual world and the implications…

Exploring Learning Progressions of New Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krise, Kelsy Marie

First-, second- and third-year teachers can be considered novice teachers with a solid foundation. The beginning years of teaching are intense times for learning, in which teachers can build upon their foundational knowledge. However, traditional mentoring programs often focus on technical advice and emotional support to help teachers survive the first years. This study set out to understand new science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in order to identify how their learning progresses. Understanding teachers' ideas will allow one to think about the development of educative mentoring practices that promote the advancement of teachers' knowledge. To investigate teachers' learning progressions, the following research questions guided this study: What is the nature of pedagogical content knowledge of first-, second- and third-year science teachers at various points across the school year? To which aspects of pedagogical content knowledge do first-, second- and third-year teachers pay attention at various points across the school year? Which aspects of pedagogical content knowledge are challenging for first-, second- and third-year teachers at various points across the school year? First-, second- and third-year teachers were interviewed, observed, and their teaching artifacts were collected across the school year. Data were examined to uncover learning progressions, when ideas became more sophisticated across first-, second-, and third-year teachers. The findings of this study contribute to an understanding of how teachers' learning progresses and allows for a trajectory of learning to be described. The trajectory can be used to inform the design of university-based mentoring programs for new teachers. The descriptions of the nature of teachers' PCK and the aspects of PCK to which teachers pay attention and find challenging shed light on the support necessary to promote continued teacher learning.

New Teacher Learning: Substantive Knowledge and Contextual Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Elaine; Demetriou, Helen

2007-01-01

This article brings together an overview of ideas about teacher learning from both teacher education and workplace learning literature, and examines what and how newly qualified secondary school teachers learn in the early years of their career. We discuss the types of knowledge new teachers encounter and present a typology of teacher learning.…

Opportunities for Inquiry Science in Montessori Classrooms: Learning from a Culture of Interest, Communication, and Explanation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinke, Carol R.; Gimbel, Steven J.; Haskell, Sophie

2013-08-01

Although classroom inquiry is the primary pedagogy of science education, it has often been difficult to implement within conventional classroom cultures. This study turned to the alternatively structured Montessori learning environment to better understand the ways in which it fosters the essential elements of classroom inquiry, as defined by prominent policy documents. Specifically, we examined the opportunities present in Montessori classrooms for students to develop an interest in the natural world, generate explanations in science, and communicate about science. Using ethnographic research methods in four Montessori classrooms at the primary and elementary levels, this research captured a range of scientific learning opportunities. The study found that the Montessori learning environment provided opportunities for students to develop enduring interests in scientific topics and communicate about science in various ways. The data also indicated that explanation was largely teacher-driven in the Montessori classroom culture. This study offers lessons for both conventional and Montessori classrooms and suggests further research that bridges educational contexts.

Teacher Research Experiences: What We Have Learned and What We Need to Know

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scowcroft, G. A.; Knowlton, C. W.

2006-12-01

The immersion of teachers in scientific research is an effective model for science teacher professional development that builds the capacity of teachers to engage students in scientific inquiry. Most science teachers have had little opportunity to "practice" science. Yet national and state science education standards expect teachers to provide these kinds of experiences for their students. Through the renewal and enhancement that a teacher research experience (TRE) offers, teachers become more capable and motivated to challenge their classes through inquiry-based activities. Although TREs are believed to be successful, there is little published research on their impacts to teaching practice and student science competencies. Research shows that teacher expertise can account for approximately 40 percent of the variance in student learning in reading and mathematics achievement more than any other single factor including student background. Other studies show a similar correlation between teacher expertise and student achievement across the subject areas. There is a critical need for empirical research on the impacts of TREs on science education. Future research could guide funding agencies in setting priorities for the professional development of science teachers as it fine tunes the TRE model to achieve the maximum impact. This presentation will review some of the available literature on TREs and accepted best practices. It will also point to future directions that the TRE community can take to optimize these worthwhile opportunities for teachers.

Teachers' Mindset and Responsibilities in Using Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in Icelandic Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorsteinsson, Gisli

2013-01-01

Running Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) classes using Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) has become a high priority project for many educational institutions, as it offers opportunities for online education and support for conventional education. However, acquiring and deploying a VLE is a difficult task that concerns teachers'…

Seizing Opportunity at the Top: How the U.S. Can Reach Every Student with an Excellent Teacher. Building an Opportunity Culture for America's Teachers. Working Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassel, Bryan C.; Hassel, Emily Ayscue

2012-01-01

American children deserve the one ingredient we know creates stellar learning results: excellent teachers. These teachers produce "well over" today's typical year of learning growth. Without them, even with solid teachers who produce a full year of progress, children who start behind stay behind, and few students get ahead of their…

Peer Learning Network: Implementing and Sustaining Cooperative Learning by Teacher Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miquel, Ester; Duran, David

2017-01-01

This article describes an in-service teachers', staff-development model "Peer Learning Network" and presents results about its efficiency. "Peer Learning Network" promotes three levels of peer learning simultaneously (among pupils, teachers, and schools). It supports pairs of teachers from several schools, who are linked…

Argumentation in Science Teacher Education: The simulated jury as a resource for teaching and learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drumond Vieira, Rodrigo; da Rocha Bernardo, José Roberto; Evagorou, Maria; Florentino de Melo, Viviane

2015-05-01

In this article, we focus on the contributions that a simulated jury-based activity might have for pre-service teachers, especially for their active participation and learning in teacher education. We observed a teacher educator using a series of simulated juries as teaching resources to help pre-service teachers develop their pedagogical knowledge and their argumentation abilities in a physics teacher methods course. For the purposes of this article, we have selected one simulated jury-based activity, comprising two opposed groups of pre-service teachers that presented aspects that hinder the teachers' development of professional knowledge (against group) and aspects that allow this development (favor group). After the groups' presentations, a group of judges was formed to evaluate the discussion. We applied a multi-level method for discourse analysis and the results showed that (1) the simulated jury afforded the pre-service teachers to position themselves as active knowledge producers; (2) the teacher acted as 'animator' of the pre-service teachers' actions, showing responsiveness to the emergence of circumstantial teaching and learning opportunities and (3) the simulated jury culminated in the judges' identification of the pattern 'concrete/obstacles-ideological/possibilities' in the groups' responses, which was elaborated by the teacher for the whole class. Implications from this study include using simulated juries for teaching and learning and for the development of the pre-service teachers' argumentative abilities. The potential of simulated juries to improve teaching and learning needs to be further explored in order to inform the uses and reflections of this resource in science education.

Learning from Teacher Observations: Challenges and Opportunities Posed by New Teacher Evaluation Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Heather C.; Grossman, Pam

2013-01-01

In this article, Heather C. Hill and Pam Grossman discuss the current focus on using teacher observation instruments as part of new teacher evaluation systems being considered and implemented by states and districts. They argue that if these teacher observation instruments are to achieve the goal of supporting teachers in improving instructional…

Seizing Opportunity at the Top: How the U.S. Can Reach Every Student with an Excellent Teacher. Building an Opportunity Culture for America's Teachers. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassel, Emily Ayscue; Hassel, Bryan C.

2012-01-01

American children deserve the one ingredient we know creates stellar learning results: excellent teachers. These teachers produce "well over" today's typical year of learning growth. Without them, even with good teachers who produce a full year of progress, children who start behind stay behind, and few students get ahead of their beginnings--the…

Do Science Teachers Distinguish Between Their own Learning and the Learning of Their Students?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brauer, Heike; Wilde, Matthias

2018-02-01

Learning beliefs influence learning and teaching. For this reason, teachers and teacher educators need to be aware of them. To support students' knowledge construction, teachers must develop appropriate learning and teaching beliefs. Teachers appear to have difficulties when analysing students' learning. This seems to be due to the inability to differentiate the beliefs about their students' learning from those about their own learning. Both types of beliefs seem to be intertwined. This study focuses on whether pre-service teachers' beliefs about their own learning are identical to those about their students' learning. Using a sample of pre-service teachers, we measured general beliefs about "constructivist" and "transmissive" learning and science-specific beliefs about "connectivity" and "taking pre-concepts into account". We also analysed the development of these four beliefs during teacher professionalisation by comparing beginning and advanced pre-service teachers. Our results show that although pre-service teachers make the distinction between their own learning and the learning of their students for the general tenets of constructivist and transmissive learning, there is no significant difference for science-specific beliefs. The beliefs pre-service teachers hold about their students' science learning remain closely tied to their own.

The Role of Teachers' Future Self Guides in Creating L2 Development Opportunities in Teacher-Led Classroom Discourse: Reclaiming the Relevance of Language Teacher Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubanyiova, Magdalena

2015-01-01

Understanding the relationship between teachers' use of language in teacher-led discourse (TLD; Toth, 2008) and opportunities for L2 development is a well-established area of SLA research. This study examines one teacher's role in creating such opportunities in TLD in her EFL classes in a state secondary school by examining the inner resources…

Learning to Share, Sharing to Learn: Fostering Organizational Learning through Teachers' Dissemination of Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collinson, Vivienne

2004-01-01

This paper argues that conditions supporting dissemination (sharing) of teachers' learning are necessary for school change and organizational learning. Based on a qualitative study that explored dissemination of teachers' learning within a multi-school computer technology project, the paper identifies 43 factors that motivate teachers' sharing and…

Mobile learning to improve mathematics teachers mathematical competencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrayana, A.; Wahyudin

2018-01-01

The role of teachers is crucial to the success of mathematics learning. One of the learning indicator is characterized by the students’ improved mathematical proficiency. In order to increase that, it is necessary to improve the teacher’s mathematical skills first. For that, it needs an innovative way to get teachers close to easily accessible learning resources through technology. The technology can facilitate teachers to access learning resources anytime and anywhere. The appropriate information technology is mobile learning. Innovations that can make teachers easy to access learning resources are mobile applications that can be accessed anytime and anywhere either online or offline. The research method was research development method. In preliminary analysis, subjects consist of teachers and lecturers in professional teacher education program. The results that the teachers ready to adopt mobile-learning for the improvement of their skills.

National board certification as professional development: What are teachers learning?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lustick, David Scott

This study investigated the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards' (NBPTS) assessment process in order to identify, quantify, and substantiate possible learning outcomes from the participants. One hundred and twenty candidates for the Adolescent and Young Adult Science (AYA Science) Certificate were studied over a 2-year period using the recurrent institutional cycle research design. This quasi-experimental methodology allowed for the collection of both cross-sectional and longitudinal data insuring a good measure of internal validity regarding observed changes both between and within group means. Multiple assessors scored transcripts of structured interviews with each teacher using the NBPTS' assessment framework according to the 13 standards accomplished science teaching. The scores (aggregated to the group level) provided the quantitative evidence of teacher learning in this study. Significant changes in mean scores from pre to post are reported at the overall, standard group, and individual standard levels. Findings suggest that the intervention had an overall effect size of .475 upon candidates' understanding of science teaching related knowledge. More specifically, most learning was associated with the standards of Scientific Inquiry and Assessment. The results support the hypothesis that the certification process is an effective standards based professional learning opportunity. The learning outcomes discussed in this report (including the identification of Dynamic, Technical, and Deferred Learning categories) should inform debate between educational stakeholders regarding the financial and ideological support of National Board certification as a means of improving teacher quality, provide suggestions for the improvement of the assessment process, and contribute insight into the current divisive state of science education in public education.

Improving Workplace Learning of Lifelong Learning Sector Trainee Teachers in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, Bronwen

2014-01-01

Learning in the teaching workplace is crucial for the development of all trainee teachers. Workplace learning is particularly important for trainee teachers in the lifelong learning sector (LLS) in the UK, the majority of whom are already working as teachers, tutors, trainers or lecturers while undertaking initial teacher education. However,…

Teacher Knowledge for Active-Learning Instruction: Expert-Novice Comparison Reveals Differences.

PubMed

Auerbach, A J; Higgins, M; Brickman, P; Andrews, T C

2018-01-01

Active-learning strategies can improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduates' abilities to learn fundamental concepts and skills. However, the results instructors achieve vary substantially. One explanation for this is that instructors commonly implement active learning differently than intended. An important factor affecting how instructors implement active learning is knowledge of teaching and learning. We aimed to discover knowledge that is important to effective active learning in large undergraduate courses. We developed a lesson-analysis instrument to elicit teacher knowledge, drawing on the theoretical construct of teacher noticing. We compared the knowledge used by expert ( n = 14) and novice ( n = 29) active-learning instructors as they analyzed lessons. Experts and novices differed in what they noticed, with experts more commonly considering how instructors hold students accountable, topic-specific student difficulties, whether the instructor elicited and responded to student thinking, and opportunities students had to generate their own ideas and work. Experts were also better able to support their lesson analyses with reasoning. This work provides foundational knowledge for the future design of preparation and support for instructors adopting active learning. Improving teacher knowledge will improve the implementation of active learning, which will be necessary to widely realize the potential benefits of active learning in undergraduate STEM. © 2018 A. J. Auerbach et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2018 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

The Future of Instructional Teacher Leader Roles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangin, Melinda M.; Stoelinga, Sara Ray

2010-01-01

In response to increased performance expectations, schools and districts are turning to nonsupervisory, school-based, instructional teacher leader roles to help improve teachers' instruction and enhance student learning. Increased opportunities to learn about teacher leadership may facilitate the implementation and institutionalization of…

Secondary Teachers' Perceptions of Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Chris L.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe secondary teachers' perceptions of online learning in Washington. This was done by distributing a survey to three districts in the State of Washington to identify the advantages and challenges of online learning according to participating secondary teachers. In addition, the teachers provided…

Elementary student teachers' science content representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zembal-Saul, Carla; Krajcik, Joseph; Blumenfeld, Phyllis

2002-08-01

This purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which three prospective teachers who had early opportunities to teach science would approach representing science content within the context of their student teaching experiences. The study is framed in the literature on pedagogical content knowledge and learning to teach. A situated perspective on cognition is applied to better understand the influence of context and the role of the cooperating teacher. The three participants were enrolled in an experimental teacher preparation program designed to enhance the teaching of science at the elementary level. Qualitative case study design guided the collection, organization, and analysis of data. Multiple forms of data associated with student teachers' content representations were collected, including audiotaped planning and reflection interviews, written lesson plans and reflections, and videotaped teaching experiences. Broad analysis categories were developed and refined around the subconstructs of content representation (i.e., knowledge of instructional strategies that promote learning and knowledge of students and their requirements for meaningful science learning). Findings suggest that when prospective teachers are provided with opportunities to apply and reflect substantively on their developing considerations for supporting children's science learning, they are able to maintain a subject matter emphasis. However, in the absence of such opportunities, student teachers abandon their subject matter emphasis, even when they have had extensive background and experiences addressing subject-specific considerations for teaching and learning.

Teacher-Student Interaction and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Joan Kelly; Walsh, Meghan

2002-01-01

Reviews literature on recent developments in teacher-student interaction and language learning. Based on a sociocultural perspective of language and learning, draws from three types of classrooms: first language, second language, and foreign language. Attention is given to studies that investigate the specific means used in teacher-student…

Teacher Leaders: Advancing Mathematics Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinzer, Cathy J.; Rincón, Mari; Ward, Jana; Rincón, Ricardo; Gomez, Lesli

2014-01-01

Four elementary school instructors offer insights into their classrooms, their unique professional roles, and their leadership approaches as they reflect on their journey to advance teacher and student mathematics learning. They note a "teacher leader" serves as an example to other educators and strives to impact student learning;…

Learning the pedagogical implications of student diversity: The lived experience of preservice teachers learning to teach secondary science in diverse classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larkin, Doug

This study explores the nature of the changes in thinking that occur in prospective teachers during teacher education programs, particularly as these changes pertain to the pedagogical implications of student diversity within the teaching of high school science. The specific research question examined here is: How do preservice secondary science teachers' conceptions about what it means to teach science in diverse classrooms change during a teacher education program, and in what ways are these changes influenced by their science methods courses and student teaching experiences? The theory of conceptual change serves as the framework for understanding preservice teacher learning in this study. In this research, I describe the experiences of six prospective secondary science teachers from four different teacher education programs located in the Midwestern United States using a multiple case study approach. Qualitative data was collected from students through interviews, questionnaires, teaching portfolios, written coursework, lesson planning materials, and naturalistic observations of student teaching. The questionnaire and interview protocols were based on those developed for the Teacher Education and Learning to Teach study (NCRTE, 1991) and adapted for specific science content areas. Findings of this study include the fact that participants came to view the salience of diversity in science teaching primarily in terms of students' interest, motivation, and engagement. Also, it appeared prospective teachers needed to first recognize the role that student thinking plays in learning before being able to understand the pedagogical implications of student diversity became possible. Finally, while all of the participants increasingly valued student ideas, they did so for a wide variety of reasons, not all of which related to student learning. The implications section of this study highlights opportunities for drawing on science education research to inform multicultural

Blended Learning in a Teacher Training Course: Integrated Interactive E-Learning and Contact Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kupetz, Rita; Ziegenmeyer, Brigit

2005-01-01

The paper discusses a blended learning concept for a university teacher training course for prospective teachers of English. The concept aims at purposeful learning using different methods and activities, various traditional and electronic media, learning spaces covering contact and distance learning, and task-based learning modules that begin…

A case study of secondary teachers facilitating a historical problem-based learning instructional unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecore, John L.

Current curriculum trends promote inquiry-based student-centered strategies as a way to foster critical thinking and learning. Problem-based learning (PBL), a type of inquiry focusing on an issue or "problem," is an instructional approach taught on the basis that science reform efforts increase scientific literacy. PBL is a constructivist approach to learning real life problems where understanding is a function of content, context, experiences, and learner goals; historical PBL situates the lesson in a historical context and provides opportunities for teaching NOS concepts. While much research exists on the benefits of historical PBL to student learning in general, more research is warranted on how teachers implement PBL in the secondary science curriculum. The purpose of this study was to examine the classroom-learning environment of four science teachers implementing a historical PBL instructional unit to identify the teachers' understandings, successes and obstacles. By identifying teachers' possible achievements and barriers with implementing a constructivist philosophy when executing historical PBL, educators and curriculum designers may improve alignment of the learning environment to constructivist principles. A qualitative interpretive case study guided this research study. The four participants of this study were purposefully and conveniently selected from biology teachers with at least three years of teaching experience, degrees in education, State Licensure, and completion of a PBL workshop. Data collection consisted of pre and post questionnaires, structured interviews, a card sort activity in which participants categorized instructional outcomes, and participant observations. Results indicated that the four teachers assimilated reform-based constructivist practices to fit within their preexisting routines and highlighted the importance of incorporating teachers' current systems into reform-based teacher instruction. While participating teachers

Informal teacher communities enhancing the professional development of medical teachers: a qualitative study.

PubMed

van Lankveld, Thea; Schoonenboom, Judith; Kusurkar, Rashmi; Beishuizen, Jos; Croiset, Gerda; Volman, Monique

2016-04-14

Informal peer learning is a particularly powerful form of learning for medical teachers, although it does not always occur automatically in the departments of medical schools. In this article, the authors explore the role of teacher communities in enhancing informal peer learning among undergraduate medical teachers. Teacher communities are groups of teachers who voluntarily gather on a regular basis to develop and share knowledge. Outside of medical education, these informal teacher communities have proved to be an effective means of enhancing peer learning of academic teachers. The processes underlying this outcome are, however, not known. This study therefore aims to explore the processes that make informal teacher communities effective in supporting peer learning of teachers. A qualitative study was performed at a Dutch medical school, where a student-centred undergraduate curriculum had recently been introduced. As part of this curriculum, tutors are segregated into separate specialty areas and thus have only limited opportunities for informal learning with other tutors. The authors followed two informal teacher communities aimed at supporting these tutors. They observed the interactions within the teacher communities and held semi-structured interviews with ten of the participants. The observation notes and interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. The informal teacher communities allowed the tutors to engage in a dialogue with colleagues and share questions, solutions, and interpretations. The teacher communities also provided opportunities to explicate tacit expertise, which helped the tutors to develop an idea of their role and form a frame of reference for their own experiences. Furthermore, the communities enhanced the tutors' sense of belonging. The tutors felt more secure in their role and they felt valued by the organisation due to the teacher communities. This study shows that informal teacher communities not only support the professional

Teachers as Designers of Technology Enhanced Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kali, Yael; McKenney, Susan; Sagy, Ornit

2015-01-01

While the benefits of teacher involvement in designing technology enhanced learning are acknowledged in the literature, far less is known about shaping that involvement to yield those benefits. Research is needed to understand how teachers learn through design; how teacher design activities may be supported; and how teacher involvement in design…

Creating Teacher Communities of Inquiry through Lesson Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Widjaja, Wanty

2013-01-01

Opportunities for teachers to engage in collaborative learning to examine and reflect on their practice are vital for sustained professional learning. Lesson Study centres on teachers coming together with colleagues to plan, observe, and reflect on classroom teaching and learning as a Community of Inquiry. In this project, six teachers from three…

Do Science Teachers Distinguish between Their Own Learning and the Learning of Their Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brauer, Heike; Wilde, Matthias

2018-01-01

Learning beliefs influence learning and teaching. For this reason, teachers and teacher educators need to be aware of them. To support students' knowledge construction, teachers must develop appropriate learning and teaching beliefs. Teachers appear to have difficulties when analysing students' learning. This seems to be due to the inability to…

General Education Teachers' Perceptions of Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities in Inclusive Secondary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steffes, Laurie A.

2010-01-01

The Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act requires all students with learning disabilities (LD) be given accommodations in general education classes to help balance their educational opportunities. In secondary public schools, the primary educators of students with LD are general education teachers; as such they are responsible for…

Talking Shop: Authentic Conversation and Teacher Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Christopher M., Ed.

This book presents a set of stories that focus on what teachers learn from talking to one another about their practice, presenting a case for how the ordinary talk among teachers is a potent medium for teacher learning and professional development. Drawing from the work of eight groups of teachers in the United States and Israel who met in…

Promoting Teacher Learning through Learning Study Discourse: The Case of Science Teachers in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Yuen Sze Michelle; Nashon, Samson Madera

2013-01-01

The potential of a theory of variation-framed learning study, a teacher professional development approach, to help teachers overcome curricular and pedagogical challenges associated with teaching new science curricula content was explored. With a group of Singapore teachers collaboratively planning and teaching new genetics content,…

How an Orientation to Learning Influences the Expansive-Restrictive Nature of Teacher Learning and Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feeney, Eric J.

2016-01-01

This study examined teachers' learning situated in a school to reveal factors that support and hinder learning in the workplace. The investigation analyzed teachers' orientation to learning, examining beliefs, practices, and experiences about teachers' learning in relation to change in the workplace. A hypothesis is that teacher learning and…

Beginning literacy: links among teacher knowledge, teacher practice, and student learning.

PubMed

McCutchen, Deborah; Abbott, Robert D; Green, Laura B; Beretvas, S Natasha; Cox, Susanne; Potter, Nina S; Quiroga, Teresa; Gray, Audra L

2002-01-01

Although the importance of phonological awareness has been discussed widely in the research literature, the concept is not well understood by many classroom teachers. In the study described here, we worked with groups of kindergarten and first-grade teachers (the experimental group) during a 2-week summer institute and throughout the school year. We shared with them research about learning disabilities and effective instruction, stressing the importance of explicit instruction in phonological and orthographic awareness. We followed the experimental group and a control group into their classrooms for a year, assessing teachers' classroom practices and their students' (n = 779) learning. The study yielded three major findings: We can deepen teachers' own knowledge of the role of phonological and orthographic information in literacy instruction; teachers can use that knowledge to change classroom practice; and changes in teacher knowledge and classroom practice can improve student learning.

Closing the Civic Opportunity Gap: The Imperative for Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marri, Anand Reddy

2011-01-01

In teacher education, the key concern must be inequitable civic education, which includes economic education and opportunities available for underserved students. Inequitable civic education opportunities reinforce already-widening disparities between groups of citizens. This bodes ill for democracy and the ability to wrestle with the complex…

In Support of Teachers' Learning: Specifying and Contextualising Teacher Inquiry as Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardy, Ian

2016-01-01

Drawing upon research into a case study of teacher inquiry in one school in Queensland, Australia, recent theorising into professional practice, and relevant literature on teachers' learning, this article reveals the complexity and particularity of teacher inquiry processes in support of teachers' learning. Specifically, the research reveals how…

Science teacher's perception about science learning experiences as a foundation for teacher training program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapilouw, Marisa Christina; Firman, Harry; Redjeki, Sri; Chandra, Didi Teguh

2017-05-01

Teacher training is one form of continuous professional development. Before organizing teacher training (material, time frame), a survey about teacher's need has to be done. Science teacher's perception about science learning in the classroom, the most difficult learning model, difficulties of lesson plan would be a good input for teacher training program. This survey conducted in June 2016. About 23 science teacher filled in the questionnaire. The core of questions are training participation, the most difficult science subject matter, the most difficult learning model, the difficulties of making lesson plan, knowledge of integrated science and problem based learning. Mostly, experienced teacher participated training once a year. Science training is very important to enhance professional competency and to improve the way of teaching. The difficulties of subject matter depend on teacher's education background. The physics subject matter in class VIII and IX are difficult to teach for most respondent because of many formulas and abstract. Respondents found difficulties in making lesson plan, in term of choosing the right learning model for some subject matter. Based on the result, inquiry, cooperative, practice are frequently used in science class. Integrated science is understood as a mix between Biology, Physics and Chemistry concepts. On the other hand, respondents argue that problem based learning was difficult especially in finding contextual problem. All the questionnaire result can be used as an input for teacher training program in order to enhanced teacher's competency. Difficult concepts, integrated science, teaching plan, problem based learning can be shared in teacher training.

Social competence and learning difficulties: Teacher perceptions.

PubMed

Wight, Megan; Chapparo, Christine

2008-12-01

Social competence has been linked to children's classroom performance with three out of four children with learning difficulties reported to have problems with social skills. Social participation remains a predominant childhood occupation and a key indicator of school performance. Occupational therapists work with teachers to accurately assess the social performance of children in context and to provide targeted intervention. There is limited research about what teachers perceive are the specific nature of social difficulties experienced by children with learning difficulties in the classroom. This study investigated teacher perceptions of the social competence of a small sample of Australian boys with learning difficulties within the classroom context. The Teacher Skillstreaming Checklist was used to investigate teacher perceptions of the social abilities of 21 primary school aged boys with learning difficulties compared to a control group. A correlational analysis was used to examine the relationship. The study identified that the boys with learning difficulties were perceived by their teachers as having poorer social performance across multiple domains when compared to their typically developing peers. Implications of these findings are that children's social performance may negatively impact learning and classroom participation and that for some children, social competence should be a focus of occupational therapy assessment and treatment.

Understanding Teacher Professional Learning through Cyber Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Meg S.; Phalen, Lena; Moran, Cheryl

2018-01-01

Online professional learning websites provide a unique window into how teachers make self-directed choices about their own professional development. This study extends previous research on how teachers use online resource repositories to examine how teachers make choices about resource use on a professional learning website. The website, the…

What if Teachers Learn in the Classroom?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soini, Tiina; Pietarinen, Janne; Pyhältö, Kirsi

2016-01-01

This study focuses on exploring teacher learning in terms of teachers' professional agency embedded in the classroom. Teachers' sense of professional agency is related to perceiving instruction as a bidirectional process, use of students as a resource for professional learning and continuous reflection on teaching practices. Accordingly, the…

Teacher? Learner? Both!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanuscin, Deborah L.; van Garderen, Delinda; Menon, Deepika; Davis, Jeni; Lee, Eun; Smith, Rena

2011-01-01

Teachers often have questions about how the strategies they learned at a professional development (PD) workshop will work with their students. Wouldn't it be great if teachers had the opportunity to practice implementing new strategies during PD so that they could hone their skills before returning to their classrooms? That's what 35 teachers got…

Measuring Engagement and Learning Outcomes During a Teacher Professional Development Workshop about Creative Climate Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrison, A.; Gold, A. U.; Soltis, N.; McNeal, K.; Kay, J. E.

2017-12-01

Climate science and global climate change are complex topics that require system-level thinking and the application of general science concepts. Identifying effective instructional approaches for improving climate literacy is an emerging research area with important broader impacts. Active learning techniques can ensure engagement throughout the learning process and increase retention of climate science content. Conceptual changes that can be measured as lasting learning gains occur when both the cognitive and affective domain are engaged. Galvanic skin sensors are a relatively new technique to directly measure engagement and cognitive load in science education. We studied the engagement and learning gains of 16 teachers throughout a one-day teacher professional development workshop focused on creative strategies to communicate about climate change. The workshop consisted of presentations about climate science, climate communication, storytelling and filmmaking, which were delivered using different pedagogical approaches. Presentations alternated with group exercises, clicker questions, videos and discussions. Using a pre-post test design we measured learning gains and attitude changes towards climate change among participating teachers. Each teacher wore a hand sensor to measure galvanic skin conductance as a proxy for emotional engagement. We surveyed teachers to obtain self-reflection data on engagement and on their skin conductance data during and after the workshop. Qualitative data provide critical information to aid the interpretation of skin conductance readings. Based on skin conductance data, teachers were most engaged during group work, discussions and videos as compared to lecture-style presentations. We discuss the benefits and limitations of using galvanic skin sensors to inform the design of teacher professional development opportunities. Results indicate that watching videos or doing interactive activities may be the most effective strategies for

Analyzing Teacher Narratives in Early Childhood Garden-Based Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murakami, Christopher Daniel; Su-Russell, Chang; Manfra, Louis

2018-01-01

Learning gardens can provide dynamic learning and developmental experiences for young children. This case study of 12 early childhood teachers explores how teachers describe (1) learning across numerous school readiness domains and (2) how to support this learning by promoting opportunities for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Participants…

CSCL in Teacher Training: What Learning Tasks Lead to Collaboration?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockhorst, Ditte; Admiraal, Wilfried; Pilot, Albert

2010-01-01

Professional teacher communities appear to be positively related to student learning, teacher learning, teacher practice and school culture. Teacher collaboration is a significant element of these communities. In initial teacher training as well as in-service training and other initiatives for teacher learning, collaborative skills should be…

Examining High School Teachers' Experiences with Social and Emotional Learning: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCoy, Meghan K.

2016-01-01

Despite wide recognition that social and emotional learning (SEL) is correlated with increased emotional intelligence and well-developed social and emotional competencies, few opportunities exists for students at the high school level. This is likely due to the fact that teachers, those most often charged with providing SEL for students, report…

The Time Is Now! Creating Technology Competencies for Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foulger, Teresa S.; Graziano, Kevin J.; Slykhuis, David; Schmidt-Crawford, Denise; Trust, Torrey

2016-01-01

The way preservice teachers learn to use technology within their practice varies widely depending on the learning opportunities available (e.g., technology-infused teacher preparation program vs. standalone education technology course), and the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the teacher educators within their teacher preparation programs.…

Student Teachers and CALL: Personal and Pedagogical Uses and Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hlas, Anne Cummings; Conroy, Kelly; Hildebrandt, Susan A.

2017-01-01

The student teaching semester affords teacher candidates the chance to apply what they have learned during their teacher preparation coursework. Therefore, it can be a prime opportunity for student teachers to use technology for their own language learning and to implement computer assisted language learning (CALL) in their instruction. This study…

An Opportunity Culture for Teaching and Learning: Introduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Public Impact, 2015

2015-01-01

For excellent teachers and those aspiring to excellence, and for administrative or education policy leaders, this brief provides an overview of how an Opportunity Culture can help teachers have the well-paid, empowered profession they deserve--while helping many more students succeed. [For the full report, see ED560179; for the summary, see…

Process Mediates Structure: The Relation between Preschool Teacher Education and Preschool Teachers' Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blömeke, Sigrid; Jenßen, Lars; Grassmann, Marianne; Dunekacke, Simone; Wedekind, Hartmut

2017-01-01

Data about processes and outcomes of preschool teacher education is scarce. This paper examines the opportunities to learn (OTL) of prospective preschool teachers (N = 1,851) at different types and stages of preschool teacher education and their relation to general pedagogical knowledge (GPK), mathematics pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK), and…

"What" and "how" does a mentor teacher learn during a secondary science teacher candidate's internship?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashmann, Scott A.

Teaching science for understanding is hard work. Not many teachers leave a teacher education program sufficiently prepared to engage in this practice. In fact, many veteran teachers struggle with this complicated task, so effective professional development is needed. One approach that may hold some promise is being a mentor teacher to an intern. To investigate this possibility, the following central question guided this study: "What" and "how" does a secondary science teacher learn about the practices of teaching from the experience of being a mentor teacher for a science intern? A conceptual framework based on three planes of focus was utilized in this study. These planes are (a) a focus on the larger learning community and context, (b) a focus on the local learning community and activities, and (c) a focus on learners and purposes. Data were collected on two focus mentor teachers. These data included observations of interactions between the mentor and intern, responses to clarifying questions, interviews with other science teachers, and observations of both the mentor and the intern teaching lessons. Relationships among the characteristics of the context of the school and science department with the mentor teacher's theory of learning and teaching practices and the patterns of practice the mentor used in responding to specific occasions for learning were explored. It was found that these characteristics are related to five elements of mentor teacher learning: the social environment, resource use, defining tasks, the learning process, and the nature of a satisfactory conclusion. Two conclusions were made. The first was that remarkably detailed parallels exist among key elements in the context in which a mentor teacher works, the mentor teacher's approaches to teaching and learning, and the mentor's response to occasions for learning during the internship. The second was that differences among mentors in these key elements could account for differences in "what

"Follow" Me: Networked Professional Learning for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Kathryn; Preston, Greg; Shaw, Kylie; Buchanan, Rachel

2013-01-01

Effective professional learning for teachers is fundamental for any school system aiming to make transformative and sustainable change to teacher practice. This paper investigates the efficacy of Twitter as a medium for teachers to participate in professional learning by analysing the tweets of 30 influential users of the popular medium. We find…

Exploring Teachers' Beliefs about Teacher Learning in Professional Learning Communities and Their Influence on Collegial Activities in Two Departments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tam, Angela Choi Fung

2015-01-01

Factors leading to successful professional learning communities (PLCs) have been widely discussed in the West, but little is known about how/whether teachers' beliefs contribute to PLCs in the Chinese context. This qualitative case study aimed to investigate teachers' beliefs about teacher learning in PLCs and their influence on collegial learning…

Preparing Culturally Responsive Teachers: Effective Practices in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellerbrock, Cheryl R.; Cruz, Bárbara C.; Vásquez, Anete; Howes, Elaine V.

2016-01-01

Despite the growing diversity in our nation's schools, many teacher educators avoid discussions on diversity issues for myriad reasons. As a result, numerous preservice teachers lack quality learning opportunities to become well versed on issues of diversity in meaningful ways that can translate to P-12 practice. This article elaborates on…

Exploring Potentialities for Cosmopolitan Learning in Swedish Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheja, Max

2015-01-01

This study aimed to explore student teachers' experiences of learning in teacher education, with a focus on how students describe their ways of thinking about their own learning in relation to their future professional role as teachers and how these descriptions relate to emerging cosmopolitan visions for student learning in teacher education.…

Web-based faculty development: e-learning for clinical teachers in the London Deanery.

PubMed

McKimm, Judy; Swanwick, Tim

2010-03-01

the London Deanery has provided a web-based resource for supporting the educational development needs of clinical teachers since 2002. This forms part of a range of resources supporting the professional development of clinical teachers and postgraduate supervisors. Following a review in 2007, the deanery commissioned a series of new e-learning modules designed as an introduction to clinical teaching. the deanery's faculty development initiatives are one response to requirements of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB), other policy drivers, workforce demands and service changes. Increasingly, doctors are required to provide an educational portfolio of evidence, and satisfy the teaching and training component of Good Medical Practice in revalidation or recertification. 'E-learning for clinical teachers' comprises 16 short, open-access, free-standing modules. The modules are built around a unifying structure, and cover core topics in clinical teaching: feedback; supervision; workplace-based learning; assessment; diversity and equal opportunities; career development; appraisal; lecturing; small group teaching; interprofessional education; and setting learning objectives. The modules can be used as a complementary resource to award-bearing programmes. On completion of a module, a certificate can be printed out for the teacher's portfolio. reflective practice and engagement with an individual's teaching practice is encouraged through self-assessment and a reflective log. The open-access, web-based format enables engagement with the material to suit a doctor's working and learning patterns, and is a valuable adjunct to other forms of learning. The site has been accessed by over 64000 health professionals (including students, trainees, qualified professionals, supervisors and staff developers) from 155 countries. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010.

Teacher Professional Development to Support Teacher Professional Learning: Systemic Factors from Irish Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Fiona

2016-01-01

Teacher professional learning is widely accepted as a mediating factor for enhancing student outcomes. While many teachers across the world engage in professional development (PD) to enhance their professional learning, what is less evident is how to support that learning to result in change following teacher PD. Acknowledging that not all teacher…

Enhancing E-Learning through Teacher Support: Two Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaudioso, E.; Hernandez-del-Olmo, F.; Montero, M.

2009-01-01

Teachers in e-learning play a crucial role as facilitators of the students' learning experiences. To this end, a teacher needs to monitor, understand and evaluate the activity of the students in the course. What is more, e-learning can be enhanced if tools for supporting teachers in this task are provided. In this paper, two experiences are…

Moving beyond the Reflectivity of Post-Lesson Mentoring Conferences in Teacher Education and Creating Learning/development Opportunities for Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciavaldini-Cartaut, Solange

2015-01-01

This longitudinal case study suggests ways to move beyond the reflective process usually associated with post-lesson mentoring conferences by describing the modalities likely to generate real learning/development opportunities. Based on cultural-historical activity theories (CHAT) and using methodologies from sociodiscursive interactionism, this…

Teacher Professional Development through Collaborative Action Research: Impact on Foreign English-Language Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banegas, Dario; Pavese, Anahi; Velazquez, Aurelia; Velez, Sandra Maria

2013-01-01

In 2011 we, a group of English-as-a-foreign-language teachers at a secondary school in Argentina, decided to investigate our teaching practices through collaborative action research so as to improve our students' learning opportunities and thus revitalise English-language teaching in our context. We implemented and evaluated the integration of…

Teachers' Online Experience: Is There a Covert Curriculum in Online Professional Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norton, Priscilla; Hathaway, Dawn

2015-01-01

Although the literature emphasizes the need for teachers to have online learning experiences in preparation for teaching online, teachers have few opportunities to experience online learning. One opportunity is online professional development. The authors hypothesized that online professional development might serve not only as a way to gain…

Teachers' learning about research for enhancing students' thinking skills in science learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nammungkhun, Wisanugorn; Satchukorn, Sureerat; Saenpuk, Nudchanard; Yuenyong, Chokchai; Chantharanuwong, Warawun

2018-01-01

This paper aimed to clarify teachers' learning about research for enhancing students' thinking skills in science learning. The study applied the lens of sociocultural view of learning to discuss teachers' learning about research. Participants included teachers who participated in the project of thinking research schools: research for enhancing students' thinking skills. The project of thinking research schools provided participants chance to learn knowledge about research and thinking research, doing research and publication, and participate in the international conference. Methodology regarded ethnographic research. The tools of interpretation included participant observation, interview, and document analysis. The researchers as participants of the research project of thinking research schools tried to clarify what they learned about research from their way of seeing the view of research about enhancing students' thinking skills through participant observation. The findings revealed what and how teachers as apprenticeship learn about research through legitimate peripheral participation in the research project community of practice. The paper clarified teachers' conceptualization about research for enhancing students' thinking through the workshop, doing research, writing up research article with supported by experts, presenting research in the international conference, editing their research article on the way of publishing, and so on.

Measuring Opportunity to Learn and Achievement Growth: Key Research Issues with Implications for the Effective Education of All Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Stephen N.

2015-01-01

The related constructs of opportunity to learn (OTL) and achievement growth are fundamental aspects of the current large-scale assessment and accountability system in operation in the United States. For purposes of this article, OTL is defined as the degree to which a teacher dedicates instructional time and content coverage to the intended…

Unequal Opportunities: The Recruitment, Selection and Promotion Prospects for Black Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brar, Harbhajan Singh

1991-01-01

The 1988 Education Reform Act greatly impacted equal opportunities in recruitment and selection of black teachers in the United Kingdom. A case study examines recruitment and selection in London, noting that ad hoc practices (encouraged by the 1988 Act) perpetuates the poor position of black teachers. (SM)

"From the Beginning, I Felt Empowered": Incorporating an Ecological Approach to Learning in Elementary Science Teacher Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birmingham, Daniel; Smetana, Lara; Coleman, Elizabeth

2017-09-01

While a renewed national dialog promotes the importance of science education for future technological and economic viability, students must find science personally relevant to themselves and their communities if the goals set forth in recent reform movements are to be achieved. In this paper, we investigate how incorporating an ecological perspective to learning in teacher education, including opportunities to participate with science in connection to their everyday lives, influenced the ways in which elementary teacher candidates (TCs) envisioned learning and doing science and its potential role in their future classroom. We draw from data collected across three sections of a field-based elementary methods course focused on learning to teach science and social studies through inquiry. We argue that participating in an authentic interdisciplinary inquiry project impacted the ways in which TCs conceived of science, their identities as science learners and teachers and their commitments to bringing inquiry-based science instruction to their future classrooms. This paper addresses issues regarding access to quality science learning experiences in elementary classrooms through empowering TCs to build identities as science learners and teachers in order to impact conditions in their future classrooms.

Teachers' Professional Agency and Learning--From Adaption to Active Modification in the Teacher Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pyhältö, Kirsi; Pietarinen, Janne; Soini, Tiina

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine teacher learning in terms of teachers' professional agency in the professional community of the school. Altogether 2310 Finnish comprehensive school teachers completed a survey. Results showed that teachers' active efforts to learn in the professional community and to promote school development cannot be…

"Many Moons": Understanding Teacher Learning from a Teacher Education Perspective. Issue Paper 88-5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDiarmid, G. Williamson; Ball, Deborah Loewenberg

The Teacher Education and Learning to Teach Study of the National Center for Research on Teacher Education combines case studies of teacher education programs with longitudinal studies of teacher learning. In this paper, the development of the theoretical framework on which instrumentation for the longitudinal study is based is discussed.…

Teachers' Learning in School-Based Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Postholm, May Britt; Waege, Kjersti

2016-01-01

Background and purpose: Many researchers agree that teachers' learning processes are social and that teachers need to be brought together to learn from each other. Researchers have also stated that intellectual and pedagogical change requires professional development activities that take place over a period of time in school. The purpose of the…

Learning Opportunities in Rheumatology Practice: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neher, Margit Saskia; Ståhl, Christian; Nilsen, Per

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore what opportunities for learning practitioners in rheumatology perceive of in their daily practice, using a typology of workplace learning to categorize these opportunities. Design/methodology/approach: Thirty-six practitioners from different professions in rheumatology were interviewed. Data were analyzed using…

Teacher Collaboration and Student Learning in a Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaughan, Mary Elaine

2013-01-01

Researchers have endorsed teacher collaboration within a professional learning community (PLC) that is focused on student learning. Despite these research-based endorsements, several Algebra 1 teachers in a southeastern high school implemented components of a PLC with little or no results in student achievement. The purpose of this study was to…

Mathematics and Science Learning Opportunities in Preschool Classrooms

PubMed Central

Piasta, Shayne B.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Miller, Heather Lynnine

2014-01-01

Research findings The present study observed and coded instruction in 65 preschool classrooms to examine (a) overall amounts and (b) types of mathematics and science learning opportunities experienced by preschool children as well as (c) the extent to which these opportunities were associated with classroom and program characteristics. Results indicated that children were afforded an average of 24 and 26 minutes of mathematics and science learning opportunities, respectively, corresponding to spending approximately 25% of total instructional time in each domain. Considerable variability existed, however, in the amounts and types of mathematics and science opportunities provided to children in their classrooms; to some extent, this variability was associated with teachers’ years of experience, teachers’ levels of education, and the socioeconomic status of children served in the program. Practice/policy Although results suggest greater integration of mathematics and science in preschool classrooms than previously established, there was considerable diversity in the amounts and types of learning opportunities provided in preschool classrooms. Affording mathematics and science experiences to all preschool children, as outlined in professional and state standards, may require additional professional development aimed at increasing preschool teachers’ understanding and implementation of learning opportunities in these two domains in their classrooms. PMID:25489205

School District Professional Learning: Teachers' Perceptions of Instructional Leadership, Teacher Practice, and Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avery, Christine M.

2013-01-01

This dissertation study includes an evaluation of a school district model of professional learning that aims to improve school administrators' instructional leadership skills and teacher practice to positively impact student learning. This study employs a valid and reliable survey instrument that measures professional learning standards. The…

Development and alignment of undergraduate medical curricula in a web-based, dynamic Learning Opportunities, Objectives and Outcome Platform (LOOOP).

PubMed

Balzer, Felix; Hautz, Wolf E; Spies, Claudia; Bietenbeck, Andreas; Dittmar, Martin; Sugiharto, Firman; Lehmann, Lars; Eisenmann, Dorothea; Bubser, Florian; Stieg, Markus; Hanfler, Sven; Georg, Waltraud; Tekian, Ara; Ahlers, Olaf

2016-01-01

This study presents a web-based method and its interface ensuring alignment of all parts of a curriculum map including competencies, objectives, teaching and assessment methods, workload and patient availability. Needs, acceptance and effectiveness are shown through a nine-year study. After a comprehensive needs assessment, the curriculum map and a web-based interface "Learning Opportunities, Objectives and Outcome Platform" (LOOOP) were developed according to Harden's conceptual framework of 10-steps for curriculum mapping. The outcome was measured by surveys and results of interdisciplinary MCQ-assessments. The usage rates and functionalities were analysed. The implementation of LOOOP was significantly associated with improved perception of the curriculum structure by teachers and students, quality of defined objectives and their alignment with teaching and assessment, usage by students to prepare examinations and their scores in interdisciplinary MCQ-assessment. Additionally, LOOOP improved the curriculum coordination by faculty, and assisted departments for identifying patient availability for clinical training. LOOOP is well accepted among students and teachers, has positive effect on curriculum development, facilitates effective utilisation of educational resources and improves student's outcomes. Currently, LOOOP is used in five undergraduate medical curricula including 85,000 mapped learning opportunities (lectures, seminars), 5000 registered users (students, teachers) and 380,000 yearly page-visits.

Associations of teacher credibility and teacher affinity with learning outcomes in health classrooms

PubMed Central

Anderman, Eric M.; O’Connell, Ann A.

2011-01-01

In the present study (N = 633), we examine the role of teacher credibility and teacher affinity in classrooms. We explore the relations among these two characteristics and student gains in knowledge and valuing of learning about HIV and pregnancy prevention across high school classrooms. Results marshaled support for the notion that teacher characteristics are associated with classroom-level gains in learning outcomes. Above and beyond student-level predictors, teacher credibility (aggregated to the classroom level) was positively related to increases in knowledge across classrooms, whereas aggregated teacher affinity was positively related to an increased valuing of learning about HIV and pregnancy prevention across classrooms. Future directions and implications for practice are discussed. PMID:24876800

How does the high school mathematics teacher prepares the learning process based on the 2013 curriculum 2017 revision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latif, I. A.; Saputro, D. R. S.; Riyadi

2018-03-01

2013 Curriculum (K13) provides an opportunity for students to develop the potential attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary for life and society and contribute to the welfare of human life. The K13 2017 revision requires teachers to integrate 21st-century skills in the learning process. They are consist of critical thinking and problem-solving, communication, creativity and innovation, and collaboration (4C skills), Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS), literacy movement, and character education. This study is a qualitative research that aims to describe the steps performed by a high school mathematics teacher in preparing the Lesson Plan (RPP) in accordance with K13 2017 revision. The subject of this study is a Civil Servant Mathematics teacher at SMAN 1 Wuryantoro, Wonogiri Regency. This study used interview method with time triangulation technique to obtain valid data. Based on the interviews it is concluded that in preparing the RPP in accordance with K13 revision 2017, the teacher is guided by The Minister of Education and Culture Regulation (Permendikbud) Number 22 of 2016 and Pedoman Penyusunan RPP Abad 21. The first step taken by the teacher in preparing and developing RPP is quoting KI from Permendikbud Number 21 2016 and KD from Permendikbud Number 24 of 2016. After that, teacher formulates Indicators of Competency Achievement (IPK) in accordance with KD, learning objectives in accordance with IPK, learning materials in accordance with IPK, learning activities integrating 21st-century skills and in line with learning objectives, learning assessment instruments, and learning reflection activities.

Teacher feedback during active learning: current practices in primary schools.

PubMed

van den Bergh, Linda; Ros, Anje; Beijaard, Douwe

2013-06-01

Feedback is one of the most powerful tools, which teachers can use to enhance student learning. It appears difficult for teachers to give qualitatively good feedback, especially during active learning. In this context, teachers should provide facilitative feedback that is focused on the development of meta-cognition and social learning. The purpose of the present study is to contribute to the existing knowledge about feedback and to give directions to improve teacher feedback in the context of active learning. The participants comprised 32 teachers who practiced active learning in the domain of environmental studies in the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade of 13 Dutch primary schools. A total of 1,465 teacher-student interactions were examined. Video observations were made of active learning lessons in the domain of environmental studies. A category system was developed based on the literature and empirical data. Teacher-student interactions were assessed using this system. Results. About half of the teacher-student interactions contained feedback. This feedback was usually focused on the tasks that were being performed by the students and on the ways in which these tasks were processed. Only 5% of the feedback was explicitly related to a learning goal. In their feedback, the teachers were directing (rather than facilitating) the learning processes. During active learning, feedback on meta-cognition and social learning is important. Feedback should be explicitly related to learning goals. In practice, these kinds of feedback appear to be scarce. Therefore, giving feedback during active learning seems to be an important topic for teachers' professional development. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Minding the Mediation: Examining One Teacher Educator's Facilitation of Two Preservice Teachers' Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stillman, Jamy; Anderson, Lauren

2016-01-01

This manuscript explores how one teacher educator worked to facilitate preservice teachers' (PSTs) learning across field- and university-based settings. Using socio-cultural learning theory as a lens, the analysis draws on case study data gathered for two PSTs from the same teacher education program (TEP), who experienced proximal, but…

Do School Learning Opportunities Compound or Compensate for Background Inequalities? Evidence from the Case of Assignment to Effective Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanselman, Paul

2018-01-01

Are equal educational opportunities sufficient to narrow long-standing economic and racial inequalities in achievement? In this article, I test the hypothesis that poor and minority students benefit less from effective elementary school teachers than do their nonpoor and white peers, thus exacerbating inequalities. I use administrative data from…

The implementation of an elementary STEM learning team and the effect on teacher self-efficacy: An action research study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, Jennifer F.

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is part of a national movement to prepare students for the demands of a 21st century workforce. STEM uses an integrated, real-world problem solving approach to increase the levels of collaboration, communication, critical, and creative thinking in students. If expectations for students have increased to stay competitive in a global market, teachers must be equipped to meet the needs of the new 21st century learners in their classrooms. To that end, professional learning for educators is essential to ensure they are equipped with the tools necessary for success. While there are many approaches to teacher development, professional learning teams, based on the work of Garmston and Wellman, focus on teachers' instructional delivery, targeted student learning needs, planning, implementing new strategies, collaboration, and reflective dialogue. The purpose of the study is to improve instructional practice providing quality STEM instruction to students and increase teacher self-efficacy---a teachers' perception of his or her ability to instruct students in the STEM disciplines. Theoretical implications of a study on an elementary STEM learning team could affect the way schools deliver STEM professional learning opportunities to teachers and the way students are delivered a quality STEM education. Research has shown that Model I behavior would limit the change process of professional learning through a surface inspection of the issues; however model II behaviors would benefit the teachers, students and organization because teachers would be collaborating on specific objectives to develop a knowledge base and skill set to meet students' needs. Extending professional development by engaging stakeholders in a collaborative process to build model II behaviors will create an organizational structure that facilitates learning.

Learning Strategies and Learning-Related Emotions among Teacher Trainees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wittmann, Simone

2011-01-01

Teacher trainees are questioned about their strategic and emotional relationships with a key area of their future activity, learning. Characteristics of German teacher trainees are identified through comparisons with German students on a related course of study (educational science), and through comparisons with Swedish teacher trainees. N = 875…

Sustained Professional Development on Cooperative Learning: Impact on Six Teachers' Practices and Students' Learning.

PubMed

Goodyear, Victoria A

2017-03-01

It has been argued, extensively and internationally, that sustained school-based continuous professional development (CPD) has the potential to overcome some of the shortcomings of traditional one-off CPD programs. Yet, the evidence base on more effective or less effective forms of CPD is contradictory. The mechanisms by which sustained support should be offered are unclear, and the impacts on teachers' and students' learning are complex and difficult to track. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a sustained school-based, tailored, and supported CPD program on teachers' practices and students' learning. Data are reported from 6 case studies of individual teachers engaged in a yearlong CPD program focused on cooperative learning. The CPD program involved participatory action research and frequent interaction/support from a boundary spanner (researcher/facilitator). Data were gathered from 29 video-recorded lessons, 108 interviews, and 35 field journal entries. (a) Individualized (external) support, (b) departmental (internal) support, and (c) sustained support impacted teachers' practices of cooperative learning. The teachers adapted their practices of cooperative learning in response to their students' learning needs. Teachers began to develop a level of pedagogical fluency, and in doing so, teachers advanced students' learning. Because this study demonstrates impact, it contributes to international literature on effective CPD. The key contribution is the detailed evidence about how and why CPD supported 6 individual teachers to learn-differently-and the complexity of the learning support required to engage in ongoing curriculum development to positively impact student learning.

Integrating Service-Learning Pedagogy for Preservice Elementary Teachers' Science Identity Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Rachel E.; Bradbury, Leslie U.; McGlasson, Martha A.

2015-04-01

The purpose of this article is to explore how preservice elementary teachers (PSETs) interpreted their service-learning experiences within a pre-methods environmentally focused course and how their interpretations shaped their science teaching identities. Along a continuum of service-learning experiences were events that emphasized science learning, that focused on science teaching, and that were transitional, with elements of both science learning and science teaching. These various service-learning experiences were designed to be "boundary experiences" for professional identity development (Geijsel & Meijers in Educational Studies, 3(4), 419-430, 2005), providing opportunities for PSETs to reflect on meanings in cultural contexts and how they are related to their own personal meanings. We analyzed written reflections and end-of-course oral reflection interviews from 42 PSETs on their various service-learning experiences. PSETs discussed themes related to the meanings they made of the service-learning experiences: (a) experiencing science in relation to their lives as humans and future teachers, (b) interacting with elementary students and other PSETs, and (c) making an impact in the physical environment and in the community. The connections that PSETs were making between the discursive spaces (service-learning contexts) and their own meaning-making of these experiences (as connected to their own interests in relation to their future professions and daily lives) shows evidence of the potential that various types of science service-learning experiences have for PSETs in developing inbound science teaching identity trajectories (Wenger in Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998). The findings of this study point to positive outcomes for PSETs when they participate in structured service-learning experiences along a learning to teaching continuum (246).

Patterns in Teacher Learning in Different Phases of the Professional Career

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vermunt, Jan D.; Endedijk, Maaike D.

2011-01-01

This paper reviews recent research on learning patterns of student teachers and experienced teachers, mostly in the context of educational innovation and teachers' professional development. The discussion is structured along a model of teacher learning patterns comprising learning activities, regulation of learning, beliefs on own learning about…

Determinants of Teachers' Attitudes towards E- Learning in Tanzanian Higher Learning Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kisanga, Dalton H.

2016-01-01

This survey research study presents the findings on determinants of teachers' attitudes towards e-learning in Tanzanian higher learning institutions. The study involved 258 teachers from 4 higher learning institutions obtained through stratified, simple random sampling. Questionnaires and documentary review were used in data collection. Data were…

"To Improve Language, You Have to Mix": Teachers' Perceptions of Language Learning in an Overseas Immersion Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roskvist, Annelies; Harvey, Sharon; Corder, Deborah; Stacey, Karen

2014-01-01

The overseas immersion environment has long been considered a superior context for language learning, supposedly providing unlimited exposure to target language (TL) input and countless opportunities for authentic interaction with expert users. This article focuses on immersion programmes (IPs) for in-service language teachers--a relatively…

Mobile Technologies Enhance the E-Learning Opportunity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chuang, Keh-Wen

2009-01-01

The objective of this paper is to identify the mobile technologies that enhance the E-Learning opportunity, examine the educational benefits and implementation issues in mobile learning, discuss the guidelines for implementing effective mobile learning, identify the current application and operation of mobile learning, and discuss the future of…

An Opportunity to Learn US History: What NAEP Data Suggest Regarding the Opportunity Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heafner, Tina L.; Fitchett, Paul G.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the degree to which Opportunity to Learn (OTL), is associated with students' achievement in US History. Opportunity to Learn stems from the basic premise that there is an important relationship between the quality and frequency of classroom instruction and students' levels of academic success. The authors…

Building Future Directions for Teacher Learning in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Kathy; Lindsay, Simon

2016-04-01

In 2013, as part of a process to renew an overall sector vision for science education, Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) undertook a review of its existing teacher in-service professional development programs in science. This review led to some data analysis being conducted in relation to two of these programs where participant teachers were positioned as active learners undertaking critical reflection in relation to their science teaching practice. The conditions in these programs encouraged teachers to notice critical aspects of their teaching practice. The analysis illustrates that as teachers worked in this way, their understandings about effective science pedagogy began to shift, in particular, teachers recognised how their thinking not only influenced their professional practice but also ultimately shaped the quality of their students' learning. The data from these programs delivers compelling evidence of the learning experience from a teacher perspective. This article explores the impact of this experience on teacher thinking about the relationship between pedagogical choices and quality learning in science. The findings highlight that purposeful, teacher-centred in-service professional learning can significantly contribute to enabling teachers to think differently about science teaching and learning and ultimately become confident pedagogical leaders in science. The future of quality school-based science education therefore relies on a new vision for teacher professional learning, where practice explicitly recognises, values and attends to teachers as professionals and supports them to articulate and share the professional knowledge they have about effective science teaching practice.

Expanding Learning Opportunities for High School Students with Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beese, Jane

2014-01-01

The purpose of the Synchronous Interactive Video Conference Distance Learning pilot program was to use emerging technologies to expand learning opportunities for students at an urban public high school. Through grant funding, students were able to enroll in Advanced Placement and foreign language courses through an online learning provider. Using…

Turn Allocation Patterns and Learning Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xie, Xiaoyan

2011-01-01

Drawing on data from three English classrooms at two Chinese universities, this paper documents the turn-taking patterns that the teachers and students developed over time and explores how these patterns affected students' opportunities to participate in classroom discourse. The data were collected through observations, audio- and video-taping,…

What Teachers Want: Supporting Primary School Teachers in Teaching Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Angela; Schneider, Katrin

2013-01-01

Impending change can provide us with the opportunity to rethink and renew the things that we do. The first phase of the Australian Curriculum implementation offers primary school teachers the chance to examine their approaches to science learning and teaching. This paper focuses on the perceptions of three primary school teachers regarding what…

Creating Intercontextuality in Students Learning Trajectories. Opportunities and Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiig, Camilla; Silseth, Kenneth; Erstad, Ola

2018-01-01

This article explores how opportunities and limitations in creating intercontextualtiy between everyday and scientific ideas emerge in teacher-student interactions, with a particular focus on the teacher's role. The article draws on data from an empirical, longitudinal, study in a lower secondary school in Norway to analyze student-teacher…

Development and Validation of an English Language Teacher Learning Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aliakbari, Mohammad; Malmir, Bahareh

2017-01-01

Teacher learning is of significant importance in mainstream education and a number of attempts have been made to measure the quality of teacher learning across different contexts. The available instruments, however, have been originally developed to assess teachers' perceptions of a single contributive element of teacher learning; therefore,…

How Do Teachers Teach? Insights from Teachers and Students. Teaching in Focus No. 18

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

Educational quality is defined and shaped by the classroom practices implemented by teachers in our schools. The Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)-PISA link presents a unique opportunity to explore what takes place in the classroom by listening to the voices of teachers and students. Teachers, with their professional training and…

The Relationship between Socioeconomic Status at Age One, Opportunities to Learn and Achievement in Mathematics in Fourth Grade in Peru

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cueto, Santiago; Guerrero, Gabriela; Leon, Juan; Zapata, Mayli; Freire, Silvana

2014-01-01

Using Young Lives longitudinal data from Peru, this paper explores the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) measured at the age of one, opportunities to learn (OTL) and achievement in mathematics ten years later. Four variables of OTL were measured: hours of class per year, curriculum coverage, quality of teachers' feedback, and level…

Learning, Motivation, and Transfer: Successful Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Lex

2012-01-01

In this article, I am concerned with three key issues of teacher professional development--teacher learning, motivation, and transfer of learning. Each issue has received minimal attention in teacher professional development literature. The three issues are discussed, and a model of an integrative professional development approach is outlined,…

Learning to Teach as Situated Learning: An Examination of Student Teachers as Legitimate Peripheral Participants in Cooperating Teachers' Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Eric J.

Learning to teach science well is a complex endeavor and student teaching provides a time for emerging teachers to learn how to reason in this uncertain landscape. Many pre-service teachers have rated student teaching as a very important part of their teacher education program (Koerner, Rust, & Baumgartner, 2002; Levine, 2006) and there is little doubt that this aspect of teacher preparation has a great impact (Wilson, Floden, Ferrinin-Mundy, 2001). It is surprising, therefore, that the interaction between the cooperating teacher and student teacher represents a gap in the literature (Cochran-Smith & Zeichner, 2005). In fact, little effort has been made in science education "to understand the contributions of cooperating teachers and teacher educators" (p. 322). Research is needed into not only how teacher preparation programs can help pre-service teachers make this transition from student teacher to effective teacher but also how the expertise of the cooperating teacher can be a better articulated part of the development of the student teacher. This instrumental case study examines the nature and substance of the cooperating teacher/student teacher conversations and the changes in those conversations over time. Using the theoretical framework of situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Lave, 1996) the movement of the student teacher from their position on the periphery of practice toward a more central role is examined. Three cooperating teacher/student teacher pairs provided insight into this important time with case data coming from pre and post interviews, baseline surveys, weekly update surveys, and recorded conversations from the pair during their time together. Four major themes emerged from the cases and from cross case comparisons with implications for student teachers regarding how they react to greater responsibility, cooperating teachers regarding how they give access to the community of practice, and the teacher preparation community regarding the role

Opportunity Texas[TM]: Learn. Earn. Save.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Public Policy Priorities, 2010

2010-01-01

Texas faces numerous challenges but also has abundant opportunities to build the middle class and increase prosperity. Unfortunately, too many Texans are on the sideline, lacking access to opportunities to learn, earn, and save to secure a more prosperous future for themselves and their families. To create jobs, increase income, and promote…

Beyond Performativity: A Pragmatic Model of Teacher Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Margaret; Davis, James P.

2018-01-01

The intent and content of teacher professional learning has changed in recent times to meet the demands of performativity. In this article, we offer and demonstrate a pragmatic way to map teacher professional learning that both meets current demands and secures a place for teacher-led catalytic learning. To achieve this, we position identified…

Teacher Identification of Student Learned Helplessness in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Shirley

2009-01-01

Teachers frequently encounter students with learned helplessness who are discouraged, turned off, or have given up trying to learn mathematics. Although learned helplessness has a long history in psychology, there has been no reliable means by which mathematics teachers can identify students exhibiting these debilitating yet changeable…

Learning to Learn about the Practicum: A Self-Study of Learning to Support Student Learning in the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Lynn

2017-01-01

This study explores student teacher learning on the practicum from the perspective of supervisors, associate teachers, professors in pre-service teacher education programs and the students themselves. Self-study became a means by which I came to better understand the phenomenon of practicum as a whole, the constraints and opportunities, the where…

A Tale of Two Teachers: Learning to Teach Over Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochran-Smith, Marilyn

2012-01-01

In today's policy and political climate, where teacher quality is widely assumed to be the single most important influence on students' learning, viewpoints about where, when, and how people learn to teach are mixed. However, most teachers and teacher educators continue to believe that teachers learn how to teach over time. This article looks…

Reconceptualizing Homework as Out-of-School Learning Opportunities. Occasional Paper 135.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alleman, Janet; Brophy, Jere

This occasional paper views homework as an opportunity to exploit the potential of outside resources and environments to complement in-school learning opportunities. Out-of-school learning opportunities are considered in the context of principles for planning and implementing learning activities. These principles involve: (1) goal relevance,…

Paraprofessional Teacher Aide to Teacher: An Oral History Study of Five Alumnae of the Career Opportunities Program (COP)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin, Annette

2010-01-01

This oral history study addressed the problem of under-representation of minority teachers through the voices and perspectives of five African American female paraprofessional teacher aides who entered the teaching profession through participation in the Career Opportunities Program in Erie, Pennsylvania from 1970 through 1974. Two theoretical…

What Do Romanian Teachers Know about Learning Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pop, Cristina Florina; Ciascai, Liliana

2013-01-01

There is a growing concern for students with learning difficulties and teachers are responsible for identifying and helping these students. The present study aims to explore the teachers' knowledge of manifestations, causes and types of learning difficulties, necessary to diagnose, prevent or remedy learning difficulties. The participants involved…

Teacher Educators' Practice and Vision of Good Teaching in Teacher Education Reform Context in Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akyeampong, Kwame

2017-01-01

Teacher education in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) has been criticized for the lack of attention to learning to teach in real classrooms, which limits the opportunity for pre-service teachers to successfully introduce learner-centered pedagogy in African primary school classrooms. To address this problem, Ghana has implemented a teacher education reform…

Project science inquiry: An exploration of elementary teachers' beliefs and perceptions about science teaching and learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, Dawn Renee

This dissertation examined elementary teachers' beliefs and perceptions of effective science instruction and documents how these teachers interpret and implement a model for Inquiry-Based (I-B) science in their classrooms. The study chronicles a group of teachers working in a large public school division and documents how these teachers interpret and implement reform-based science methods after participating in a professional development course on I-B science methods administered by the researcher. I-B science teaching and its implementation is discussed as an example of one potential method to address the current call for national education reform to meet the increasing needs of all students to achieve scientific literacy and the role of teachers in that effort. The conviction in science reform efforts is that all students are able to learn science and consequently must be given the crucial opportunities in the right environment that permits optimal science learning in our nation's schools. Following this group of teachers as they attempted to deliver I-B science teaching revealed challenges elementary science teachers face and the professional supports necessary for them to effectively meet science standards. This dissertation serves as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at George Mason University.

Teacher Agency and Professional Learning Communities; What Can Learning Rounds in Scotland Teach Us?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philpott, Carey; Oates, Catriona

2017-01-01

Recently there has been growth in researching teacher agency. Some research has considered the relationship between teacher agency and professional learning. Similarly, there has been growing interest in professional learning communities as resources for professional learning. Connections have been made between professional learning communities…

In the Round: Supporting Teachers' Authentic Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strand, Matt

2013-01-01

This is a study of teachers' authentic professional learning at a public school in Poudre School District in northern Colorado. At Polaris Expeditionary Learning School, teachers and administrators have developed a form of school-based instructional rounds referred to herein as PLC rounds (professional learning community rounds). In PLC rounds,…

Innovating Everything: Examining Teacher Learning of Unfamiliar Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goff, Maria Hernandez

2017-01-01

This dissertation explored how a teacher learned to teach with and about unfamiliar (to her) media texts in her high school English classroom. This study also examined my role as the researcher/mentor in the teacher's learning and development process. Through situated learning theories (Lave & Wenger, 1991) and discourse through identities…

Awareness on Learning Disabilities among Elementary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menon K. P., Seema

2016-01-01

The study aims to find out the awareness on learning disabilities among elementary school teachers. The sample for the present study consisted of 500 elementary school teachers of Kerala. In this study the investigator used an Awareness Test on Learning Disabilities to measure the Awareness on Learning Disabilities among Elementary School…

Classroom Teacher Leadership: Service-Learning for Teacher Sense of Efficacy and Servant Leadership Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Trae

2012-01-01

Improved student achievement requires the distribution of leadership beyond one individual. Given their daily connection to students, leadership opportunities distributed to classroom teachers are key to school improvement. Complicating the development of classroom teacher leaders are attrition rates and low teacher efficacy among novice…

Exploring Elementary Mathematics Teachers' Opportunities to Learn to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanna, Jillian M.; Drake, Corey; Pak, Byungeun

2017-01-01

Mathematics teacher education is faced with the challenge of preparing new teachers for ambitious instruction, but we have limited understandings of what happens within the courses where this preparation occurs. This paper draws on interview data from of a larger investigation of novices' enactment of ambitious instruction in elementary…

Re-Envisaging the Teaching of Mathematics: One Student Teacher's Experience Learning to Teach Primary Mathematics in a Manner Congruent with the New Zealand Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Judy

2013-01-01

Teacher education can provide opportunities for contributing towards a re-envisaging of the teaching and learning of mathematics in the primary classroom. This study documents the experiences of one student teacher who, during her mathematics education courses, embraced a perception of mathematics as a social, creative and experiential discipline.…

Service Learning and the Preparation of English Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallman, Heidi L.; Burdick, Melanie N.

2011-01-01

In this article, service learning is explored as a pedagogical third space from which preservice teachers learn to teach the New English education. We argue that such a space has the potential to foster preservice English teachers' understanding of their role and identity as future teachers and how this identity is always relative to the students…

Service-Learning: International Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Keefe, jean; Feinberg, Joseph

2013-01-01

In this qualitative case study, we explored the knowledge and perceptions of service-learning held by a diverse group of 22 international teachers. Through focus group interviews, we found that the majority of participants desired to implement service-learning in their countries, and they supported the idea of mandatory service-learning. The…

How Teachers Learn: The Roles of Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, W. Monty; Dexter, Sara

2014-01-01

A qualitative study of math and science teachers at two middle schools identifies how their system for learning to integrate technology into their teaching goes beyond what school leaders typically consider when planning for teachers' learning. In addition to (a) the district-initiated, or formal, system of professional development (PD) and…

Investigating the Efficiency of Scenario Based Learning and Reflective Learning Approaches in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hursen, Cigdem; Fasli, Funda Gezer

2017-01-01

The main purpose of this research is to investigate the efficiency of scenario based learning and reflective learning approaches in teacher education. The impact of applications of scenario based learning and reflective learning on prospective teachers' academic achievement and views regarding application and professional self-competence…

Teacher Professional Learning: Developing with the Aid of Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyprianou, Marianna; Nikiforou, Eleni

2016-01-01

Education is a field that constantly changes, which dictates the need for continuing teacher professional learning and development. Teacher professional learning and development can be divided into two categories: formal learning/ development and informal learning/development. This paper focuses on the experience of the presenters as coordinators…

Supporting Teachers in Identifying Students' Learning Styles in Learning Management Systems: An Automatic Student Modelling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graf, Sabine; Kinshuk; Liu, Tzu-Chien

2009-01-01

In learning management systems (LMSs), teachers have more difficulties to notice and know how individual students behave and learn in a course, compared to face-to-face education. Enabling teachers to know their students' learning styles and making students aware of their own learning styles increases teachers' and students' understanding about…

A Systemic Approach to Elevating Teacher Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killion, Joellen; Harrison, Cindy; Colton, Amy; Bryan, Chris; Delehant, Ann; Cooke, Debbie

2016-01-01

Teacher leadership is often defined as a "set of practices that enhance the teaching profession." States and districts are leveraging teacher leadership in multiple ways to professionalize teaching, create opportunities for teacher career advancement, facilitate school improvement, and facilitate professional learning for educator and…

Enhancing Practice through Clinically Rich Methods Courses in Physical Education: Perceptions of Preservice Teachers and Their Cooperating Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flory, Sara Barnard; Burns, Rebecca West

2017-01-01

Similar to other teacher education disciplines, Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) must adjust to calls for clinically rich teacher preparation because knowledge learned in PETE does not easily transfer to cultures of schools, classrooms, and gymnasia. Opportunity exists to understand more about clinically rich PETE courses, particularly…

A Situative Perspective on Developing Writing Pedagogy in a Teacher Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pella, Shannon

2011-01-01

The bulk of current research on teacher professional development is focused on teacher learning in the context of teacher professional learning communities (PLCs). In teacher PLCs, groups of teachers meet regularly to increase their own learning and the learning of their students. Teacher PLCs offer a learning model in which, "new ideas and…

Mobile Learning for Teacher Professional Learning: Benefits, Obstacles and Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aubusson, Peter; Schuck, Sandy; Burden, Kevin

2009-01-01

This paper reflects on the role of mobile learning in teachers' professional learning. It argues that effective professional learning requires reflection and collaboration and that mobile learning is ideally suited to allow reflection-in-action and to capture the spontaneity of learning moments. The paper also argues for the value of…

Engaging High School Science Teachers in Field-Based Seismology Research: Opportunities and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, M. D.

2015-12-01

Research experiences for secondary school science teachers have been shown to improve their students' test scores, and there is a substantial body of literature about the effectiveness of RET (Research Experience for Teachers) or SWEPT (Scientific Work Experience Programs for Teachers) programs. RET programs enjoy substantial support, and several opportunities for science teachers to engage in research currently exist. However, there are barriers to teacher participation in research projects; for example, laboratory-based projects can be time consuming and require extensive training before a participant can meaningfully engage in scientific inquiry. Field-based projects can be an effective avenue for involving teachers in research; at its best, earth science field work is a fun, highly immersive experience that meaningfully contributes to scientific research projects, and can provide a payoff that is out of proportion to a relatively small time commitment. In particular, broadband seismology deployments provide an excellent opportunity to provide teachers with field-based research experience. Such deployments are labor-intensive and require large teams, with field tasks that vary from digging holes and pouring concrete to constructing and configuring electronics systems and leveling and orienting seismometers. A recently established pilot program, known as FEST (Field Experiences for Science Teachers) is experimenting with providing one week of summer field experience for high school earth science teachers in Connecticut. Here I report on results and challenges from the first year of the program, which is funded by the NSF-CAREER program and is being run in conjunction with a temporary deployment of 15 seismometers in Connecticut, known as SEISConn (Seismic Experiment for Imaging Structure beneath Connecticut). A small group of teachers participated in a week of field work in August 2015 to deploy seismometers in northern CT; this experience followed a visit of the

Novice Physical Education Teachers Learning to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banville, Dominique

2015-01-01

Support, or lack thereof, is often cited as the main reason for teachers to leave the profession early on (Ingersoll, 2003). Feiman-Nemser (2001) identifies five Central Tasks associated with Learning to Teach (CTLT) that could focus the support novice teachers need during their induction years: learning the teaching context (TC), designing…

Lifelong Learning: A Rationale for Teacher Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cropley, A.J.

1981-01-01

If lifelong learning were to become the norm, it would require a supporting system of lifelong education, and special skills and attitudes on the part of teachers. This paper examines changes made in the teacher training programs of five institutions in four countries in response to the idea of lifelong learning. (Author/FG)

Active Learning Promoting Student Teachers' Professional Competences in Finland and Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niemi, Hannele; Nevgi, Anne; Aksit, Fisun

2016-01-01

This study investigates student teachers' active learning experiences in teacher education (TE) in Finnish and Turkish contexts and attempts to determine how active learning methods' impact student teachers' professional competences. Student teachers (N = 728) assessed their active learning experiences and the professional competences they…

Experiencing Variation: Learning Opportunities in Doctoral Supervision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobayashi, Sofie; Berge, Maria; Grout, Brian W. W.; Rump, Camilla Østerberg

2017-01-01

This study contributes towards a better understanding of learning dynamics in doctoral supervision by analysing how learning opportunities are created in the interaction between supervisors and PhD students, using the notion of experiencing variation as a key to learning. Empirically, we have based the study on four video-recorded sessions, with…

Inconvenient Truths about Teacher Learning: Towards Professional Development 3.0

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korthagen, Fred

2017-01-01

Based on recent findings about teacher learning, a critical analysis of traditional and new approaches to professional development is presented. To a large degree, teacher learning takes place unconsciously and involves cognitive, emotional and motivational dimensions. Moreover, teacher learning takes place at various levels. Although these…

Social and Emotional Learning and Teacher-Student Relationships: Preschool Teachers' and Students' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poulou, Maria S.

2017-01-01

The study aimed to investigate how teachers' perceptions of emotional intelligence, and social and emotional learning (SEL) relate to teacher-student relationships. Teachers' perceptions of teacher-student relationships and the degree of agreement with students' perceptions was also investigated. Preschool teachers from 92 public schools in…

Learning from "Escuela": Documentary Film as a Context for Teacher Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khasnabis, Debi; Goldin, Simona

2016-01-01

This article reports on the design of a teacher education activity that involves the documentary film, "Escuela," which was produced by Hannah Weyer. We describe this instructional design, highlighting how documentary film can be used strategically to create opportunities for teacher candidates to approximate the work of culturally…

The negotiation of meaning and exercise of power in professional learning communities: An investigation of middle school science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mclaughlin, Cheryl Althea

A professional learning community (PLC) typically consists of practitioners who systematically examine and problematize their practice with the intention of development and improvement. The collaborative practices inherent in PLCs mirror the way scientists work together to develop new theories, and are particularly valuable for science teachers who could draw from these experiences to improve the quality of student learning. Gaps in the science education literature support the need for research to determine how interactions within PLCs support science teacher development. Additionally, issues of power that may constrain or encourage meaningful interactions are largely overlooked in PLC studies. This qualitative study examines, from a Foucauldian perspective, interactions within a PLC comprising middle school science teachers preparing to implement reform curriculum. Specifically, the study analyzes interactions within the PLC to determine opportunities created for professional learning and development. Audiotaped transcripts of teacher interactions were analyzed using discourse analysis building tasks designed to identify opportunities for learning and to examine the exercise of power within the PLCs. The discourse analytical tools integrated theories of Gee (2011) and Foucault (1972), and were used to deconstruct and interrogate the data. The events were subsequently reconstructed through the lens of social constructivism and Foucault theories on power. The findings identified several processes emerging from the interactions that contributed to the negotiation of an understanding of the reform curriculum. These include reflection on practice, reorganization of cognitive structures, reinvention of practice, and refinement of instructional strategies. The findings also indicated that the exercise of power by entities both external to, and within the PLCs influenced the process of meaning negotiation among the science teachers. The consensus achieved by the teachers

Mobile Learning: Moving Past the Myths and Embracing the Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Tom H.; Mbati, Lydia S.

2015-01-01

Mobile learning (mLearning) in the open and distance learning landscape, holds promise and provides exciting new opportunities. In order to understand and embrace these opportunities within various contexts and circumstances it is imperative to understand the essence of the phenomenon. In this regard, we first need to understand the core…

Teacher Learning during Transition from Pre-Service to Novice EFL Teacher: A Longitudinal Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulut Albaba, Melike

2017-01-01

In language teacher education literature, attention is predominantly centered on the content of teacher learning and cognition. The process of teacher learning and cognitive change over time remains relatively underexplored. For instance, despite its importance in career trajectory, there is limited empirical evidence on the transition process…

Improving Preservice Teachers' Self-Efficacy through Service Learning: Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernadowski, Carianne; Perry, Ronald; Del Greco, Robert

2013-01-01

University students have been barraged with service learning opportunities both as course required and as volunteer opportunities in recent years. Currently, many universities now require students to participate in engaged learning as a graduation requirement. Situated in Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, this study examines the effects service…

Problem based learning in midwifery - the teachers perspective.

PubMed

Rowan, Catherine J; McCourt, Christine; Bick, Debra; Beake, Sarah

2007-02-01

Problem- or evidence-based learning (PBL or EBL) has become more widely used in the education of health professionals. Although there has been research exploring its effectiveness and the student's perspective, there has been little research exploring the perceptions of the teacher. The objective of this study was to investigate the experiences of teachers facilitating a problem based learning curriculum in midwifery. The study took place at Thames Valley University, which has implemented this approach across the entire curriculum. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken following random selection from two groups of teachers; those more experienced as teachers and those who had entered teaching more recently. Aspects of the teacher's role identified included questioning students to draw out their knowledge and understanding and to help students challenge each other, discuss and evaluate their learning. Strategies used varied depending on the stage of the programme. Difficulties encountered were mostly in relation to facilitating groups of differing backgrounds and ability and seeking to enable the students to work well together. Key challenges for teachers were in relation to developing facilitation skills, balancing input or guidance with facilitating independent learning. Problem based learning was perceived to be beneficial in helping students relate theory to practice and in encouraging an active and enquiring approach to evidence, but teachers raised important questions about its practice. Tensions were identified between the constructivist theories on which the model of PBL rests and the formal requirements of an externally regulated professional curriculum.

The Relationship between Learning Approaches of Prospective Teachers and Their Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gurlen, Eda; Turan, Sevgi; Senemoglu, Nuray

2013-01-01

To prepare for future professional challenges, prospective teachers should acquire the capabilities for independent learning. Prospective teachers should know how to learn effectively. In this article, prospective teachers' learning approaches, learning preference and the relationship between learning preference, learning approaches with…

Teachers' Understanding of Learning Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, David W.; Coleman, Diana L.

A survey of 135 Pennsylvania regular classroom teachers (kindergarten through grade 8) examined their understanding of learning disabilities (LD) and the degree to which they felt prepared to work with LD students. The survey sought information on: (1) teacher preparation, knowledge, and experience related to identifying and working with LD…

Early Career Teacher Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormack, Ann; Gore, Jennifer; Thomas, Kaye

2006-01-01

Becoming a teacher requires not only the development of a professional identity but the construction of professional knowledge and practice through continued professional learning. This study tracked a sample group of 16 early career teachers through their first year of teaching. The participants were encouraged to write about their experiences in…

Networking for Teacher Learning: Toward a Theory of Effective Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Joseph P.; Klein, Emily J.

2003-01-01

Examines how teacher networks design for teacher learning, describing several dynamic tensions inherent in the designs of a sample of teacher networks and assessing the relationships of these tensions to teacher learning. The paper illustrates these design concepts with reference to the work of seven networks that aim to revamp teacher' knowledge…

The Relationship between Learning Effectiveness, Teacher Competence and Teachers Performance Madrasah Tsanawiyah at Serang, Banten, Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahmatullah, Mamat

2016-01-01

In this study, the problem is limited factors relating to the learning effectiveness and teacher competence in improving the teacher performance. Therefore, this study will try to get explanations from some main issues which include the learning effectiveness issue, and teacher competence to increase teacher performance in Madrasah Tsanawiyah at…

Teachers' Self-Initiated Professional Learning through Personal Learning Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tour, Ekaterina

2017-01-01

It is widely acknowledged that to be able to teach language and literacy with digital technologies, teachers need to engage in relevant professional learning. Existing formal models of professional learning are often criticised for being ineffective. In contrast, informal and self-initiated forms of learning have been recently recognised as…

Making the case for STEM integration at the upper elementary level: A mixed methods exploration of opportunity to learn math and science, teachers' efficacy and students' attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Brianna M.

Student achievement in science and math has been linked to per capita gross domestic product (GDP) growth propagating the belief that science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is an important factor in economic prosperity. However, The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), favors math over science, positioning the subjects as competitors rather than collaborators. Additionally, NCLB focuses almost exclusively on the cognitive outcome of students' achievement with the affective outcome of students' attitudes being nearly ignored. Positive attitudes toward science and math early on are essential for subsequent and cumulative decisions students make in taking courses, choosing majors, and pursuing careers. Positioning students' attitudes as a desirable educational outcome comparable to students' achievement is an emerging goal in the literature. Using the case of one school district in south-central Pennsylvania with three elementary schools, 15 upper elementary teachers, and 361 students, the purpose of this study was to better understand influences on upper elementary students' attitudes toward STEM (SA) subjects and careers. The study aimed to explore two influences on SA, opportunity to learn (OTL) and teacher's efficacy (TE), in the comparative contexts of math and science. The studied employed a mixed methods convergent design in which five data sets from four sources were collected over three phases to triangulate three constructs: OTL, TE, and SA. The goal of the study was to offer recommendations to the case school district for enhancing OTL, TE, and thus SA. Findings regarding OTL revealed that the opportunity to learn science was lower than math. Finding regarding TE revealed that outcome expectancy was lower than personal teaching efficacy in both science and math; and, teachers had low STEM career awareness, STEM integration, and technology use. Findings regarding SA revealed a lower perceived usefulness of science compared to math

Using a motivation-based instructional model for teacher development and students' learning of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Min-Jung

2009-10-01

Science teachers often have difficulty helping students participate in scientific practices and understand scientific ideas. In addition, they do not frequently help students value their science learning. As one way to address these problems, I designed and examined the effects of professional development using a motivation-based instructional model with teachers and students. This motivation-based inquiry and application instructional model (MIAIM) consists of four steps of activities and identifies instructional and motivational functions that teachers can use to engage their students in scientific inquiry and application and to help them value their science learning. In order to conduct this study, I worked with three teachers (4 th, 8th, and 8th) in both suburban and urban environments. This study consisted of three parts-an initial observation of teachers' classrooms, professional development with MIAIM, and an observation of teachers' classrooms after the professional development. Data analysis of class observations, interviews, and class artifacts shows that there was a moderate change in teachers' teaching approach after the intervention. The three teachers designed and enacted some inquiry and application lessons that fit the intent of MIAIM. They also used some instructional and motivational practices more frequently after the intervention than they did before the intervention. In particular, they more frequently established central questions for investigations, helped students find patterns in data by themselves, provided opportunities for application, related science to students' everyday lives, and created students' interests in scientific investigation by using interesting stories. However, there was no substantial change in teachers' use of some practices such as providing explanations, supporting students' autonomy, and using knowledge about students in designing and enacting science lessons. In addition, data analysis of students' surveys, class

Learning on the Job: A Situated Account of Teacher Learning in High School Mathematics Departments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Ilana Seidel

2005-01-01

To investigate teachers' everyday on-the-job learning, I used a comparative case study design and examined the work of mathematics teachers in 2 high schools. Analysis of interviews, classroom observations, and teachers' conversations highlighted 3 key resources for learning: (a) reform artifacts oriented the teachers' attention to key concepts of…

How Pre-Service Teachers Learn Educational Technology with the Situated Learning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kucuk, Sevda

2018-01-01

This research investigated pre-service teachers' motivation, learning strategies, and engagement in a situated learning based educational technology course. In this study, correlational research design was used. The sample of this study was 65 second year science education pre-service teachers. The data were collected through two questionnaires.…

Teacher Feedback during Active Learning: Current Practices in Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van den Bergh, Linda; Ros, Anje; Beijaard, Douwe

2013-01-01

Background: Feedback is one of the most powerful tools, which teachers can use to enhance student learning. It appears dif?cult for teachers to give qualitatively good feedback, especially during active learning. In this context, teachers should provide facilitative feedback that is focused on the development of meta-cognition and social learning.…

Preparing Community-Engaged Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haddix, Marcelle

2015-01-01

The goals of teacher education must evolve beyond the teaching of strategies and methods toward a process for beginning teachers' critical interrogation of their social locations and the ways they engage with the realities of teaching and learning. One way that this is accomplished is by incorporating opportunities for community engagement…

Do Career Goals Promote Continuous Learning among Practicing Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Chi-Hung

2010-01-01

Practicing teachers often engage in continuous professional learning with certain career considerations. Based on achievement goal theory, this study explored the effects of career goals on teacher's learning using a sample of practicing teachers in Hong Kong. Two forms of career goals were assessed using a questionnaire. Professional learning…

Diversity Awareness for K-6 Teachers: The Impact on Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod, Rona Leach

2011-01-01

"Diversity Awareness for K-6 Teachers: The Impact on Student Learning" is a resource guide for elementary teachers and college-level student teachers for teaching diversity awareness across the various areas of content. It contains many exciting activities teachers can use to enhance learning while making learning and teaching fun and exciting.…

Professional Learning in Initial Teacher Education: Vision in the Constructivist Conception of Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Sylvia Y. F.; Wong, Angel K. Y.; Cheng, May M. H.

2012-01-01

With the constructivist view of learning as a conceptual lens, this paper examines student teachers' professional learning in initial teacher education (ITE). A mixed-method study was conducted with student teachers of a Bachelor of Education Programme in Hong Kong. The quantitative element of the study reveals that student teachers held a…

Science Teachers' Perceptions of the Relationship Between Game Play and Inquiry Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mezei, Jessica M.

The implementation of inquiry learning in American science classrooms remains a challenge. Teachers' perceptions of inquiry learning are predicated on their past educational experiences, which means outdated methods of learning may influence teachers' instructional approaches. In order to enhance their understanding and ultimately their implementation of inquiry learning, teachers need new and more relevant models. This study takes a preliminary step exploring the potential of game play as a valuable experience for science teachers. It has been proposed that game play and inquiry experiences can embody constructivist processes of learning, however there has been little work done with science teachers to systematically explore the relationship between the two. Game play may be an effective new model for teacher education and it is important to understand if and how teachers relate game playing experience and knowledge to inquiry. This study examined science teachers' game playing experiences and their perceptions of inquiry experiences and evaluated teacher's recognition of learning in both contexts. Data was collected through an online survey (N=246) and a series of follow-up interviews (N=29). Research questions guiding the study were: (1) What is the nature of the relationship between science teachers' game experience and their perceptions of inquiry? (2) How do teachers describe learning in and from game playing as compared with inquiry science learning? and (3) What is the range of similarities and differences teachers articulate between game play and inquiry experiences?. Results showed weak quantitative links between science teachers' game experiences and their perceptions of inquiry, but identified promising game variables such as belief in games as learning tools, game experiences, and playing a diverse set of games for future study. The qualitative data suggests that teachers made broad linkages in terms of parallels of both teaching and learning. Teachers

Teacher Transition between Year Levels in Primary Schools: An Opportunity for Continuing Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlyon, Tracey

2015-01-01

Teacher transition between year levels is common practice in many primary schools in New Zealand; however, it is not always perceived as an opportunity for teachers' continuing professional development (CPD). This article reports on a case study that explored four primary school teachers' experiences of transition between year levels. The teachers…

Stories of Practitioner Enquiry: Using Narrative Interviews to Explore Teachers' Perspectives of Learning to Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Ulrike; Tiplady, Lucy; Wall, Kate

2014-01-01

The Campaign for Learning's Learning to Learn Phase 4 was a research project in which teachers undertook practitioner enquiry to explore innovative pedagogies under the umbrella term of learning to learn. In 2008, to gain greater understanding of what this process meant to the participating teachers the research team at Newcastle University…

A Context-Adaptive Teacher Training Model in a Ubiquitous Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Min; Chiang, Feng Kuang; Jiang, Ya Na; Yu, Sheng Quan

2017-01-01

In view of the discrepancies in teacher training and teaching practice, this paper put forward a context-adaptive teacher training model in a ubiquitous learning (u-learning) environment. The innovative model provides teachers of different subjects with adaptive and personalized learning content in a u-learning environment, implements intra- and…

Teacher and Student Intrinsic Motivation in Project-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Shui-fong; Cheng, Rebecca Wing-yi; Ma, William Y. K.

2009-01-01

In this study we examined the relationship between teacher and student intrinsic motivation in project-based learning. The participants were 126 Hong Kong secondary school teachers and their 631 students who completed evaluation questionnaires after a semester-long project-based learning program. Both teachers and students were asked to indicate…

FOSTER-Flight Opportunities for Science Teacher EnRichment, A New IDEA Program From NASA Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devore, E.; Gillespie, C.; Hull, G.; Koch, D.

1993-05-01

Flight Opportunities for Science Teacher EnRichment (FOSTER) is a new educational program from the Imitative to Develop Education through Astronomy in the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. Now in its first year of the pilot program, the FOSTER project brings eleven Bay Area teaaaachers to NASA Ames to participate in a year-long program of workshops, educational programs at their schools and the opportunity to fly aboard the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO) on research missions. As science and math educators, FOSTER teachers get a close-up look at science in action and have the opportunity to interact with the entire team of scientists, aviators and engineers that support the research abord the KAO. In June, a second group of FOSTER teachers will participate in a week-long workshop at ASes to prepare for flights during the 1993-94 school year. In addition, the FOSTER project trains teachers to use e-mail for ongoing communication with scientists and the KAO team, develops educational materials and supports opportunities for scientists to become directly involved in local schools. FOSTER is supported by a NASA grant (NAGW 3291).

Pre-Service Teachers' Attitudes toward Education for Sustainability and Its Relevance to Their Learning: Implications for Pedagogical Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomas, Louisa; Girgenti, Sarah; Jackson, Cliff

2017-01-01

The education for sustainability (EfS) literature espouses participatory, praxis-orientated, place-based and holistic approaches to teaching and learning. The introduction of a first-year EfS unit for pre-service teachers at James Cook University provided an opportunity to explore their attitudes toward EfS and their perceptions of the relevant…

The Use of Video Self-Monitoring Embedded with Mentorship as a Medium to Enhance Experiential Learning Opportunities and Promote Critical Thinking Skills for Educators and Health Science Professionals Working with Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slim-Topdjian, Lina; Pinto Zipp, Genevieve

2016-01-01

The increased prevalence of autism has created an increased challenge for teachers to incorporate specialized teaching strategies to address the unique educational and behavioral challenges facing children diagnosed with autism. Providing teachers with educational training opportunities will promote such learning. In the academic world,…

Learning Styles. What Research Says to the Teacher Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reiff, Judith C.

This monograph reviews several approaches for describing learning styles and the instructional implications of an emphasis on learning styles for teachers. Several reasons for the importance of understanding individual learning styles are provided; such understanding leads to: (1) reduction of teacher and student frustration; (2) higher student…

Teachers' and Students' Beliefs regarding Aspects of Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Adrian

2003-01-01

The similarities and dissimilarities between teachers' and students' conceptions of language learning were addressed through a questionnaire survey concerning the nature and methods of language learning. The results indicate points of congruence between teachers' and students' beliefs about language learning in respect of eight main areas.…

Professional Development, Teacher Learning, and National Standards: A Mixed-Method Multiple-Case Study of the Professional Learning Experiences of Evangelical Christian School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montoro, Vincent

2012-01-01

Today's educational environment requires teachers who understand teaching and learning, have strong content knowledge, and can make connections between life experiences and the curriculum. Teachers are expected to be continually learning to improve their practice. Professional learning is essential in this process. Research on professional…

Teacher Supply/Demand. How Preparation Affects Employment Opportunities for Teachers in Today's Job Market.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana State Univ., Terre Haute.

An analysis of the job market for teachers indicates that the average candidate's ability to find a job will be influenced by his geographic preference and his subject area specialization. Geographically, the greatest opportunity is in areas of high population concentration. Certain subjects, such as science and mathematics, have a high demand for…

EFL Secondary School Teachers' Views on Blended Learning in Tabuk City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alfahadi, Abdulrahman M.; Alsalhi, Abdulrhman A.; Alshammari, Abdullah S.

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate EFL Secondary School Teachers' Views on Blended Learning. It also aims to investigate (a) the teachers' views on blended learning content and process, and (b) how blended learning is effective in developing teachers' performance. The study sample included 35 EFL Saudi teachers in Tabuk City, KSA. In order to…

Science Teacher Learning Progressions: A Review of Science Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Rebecca M.; Plasman, Kellie

2011-01-01

Learning progressions are the successively more sophisticated ways of thinking about an idea that follow one another over a broad span of time. This review examines the research on science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in order to refine ideas about science teacher learning progressions and how to support them. Research published…

Opportunity to discuss ethical issues during clinical learning experience.

PubMed

Palese, Alvisa; Gonella, Silvia; Destrebecq, Anne; Mansutti, Irene; Terzoni, Stefano; Morsanutto, Michela; Altini, Pietro; Bevilacqua, Anita; Brugnolli, Anna; Canzan, Federica; Ponte, Adriana Dal; De Biasio, Laura; Fascì, Adriana; Grosso, Silvia; Mantovan, Franco; Marognolli, Oliva; Nicotera, Raffaela; Randon, Giulia; Tollini, Morena; Saiani, Luisa; Grassetti, Luca; Dimonte, Valerio

2018-01-01

Undergraduate nursing students have been documented to experience ethical distress during their clinical training and felt poorly supported in discussing the ethical issues they encountered. Research aims: This study was aimed at exploring nursing students' perceived opportunity to discuss ethical issues that emerged during their clinical learning experience and associated factors. An Italian national cross-sectional study design was performed in 2015-2016. Participants were invited to answer a questionnaire composed of four sections regarding: (1) socio-demographic data, (2) previous clinical learning experiences, (3) current clinical learning experience quality and outcomes, and (4) the opportunity to discuss ethical issues with nurses in the last clinical learning experience (from 0 - 'never' to 3 - 'very much'). Participants and research context: Participants were 9607 undergraduate nursing students who were attending 95 different three-year Italian baccalaureate nursing programmes, located at 27 universities in 15 Italian regions. Ethical considerations: This study was conducted in accordance with the Human Subject Research Ethics Committee guidelines after the research protocol was approved by an ethics committee. Overall, 4707 (49%) perceived to have discussed ethical issues 'much' or 'very much'; among the remaining, 3683 (38.3%) and 1217 (12.7%) students reported the perception of having discussed, respectively, 'enough' or 'never' ethical issues emerged in the clinical practice. At the multivariate logistic regression analysis explaining 38.1% of the overall variance, the factors promoting ethical discussion were mainly set at the clinical learning environment levels (i.e. increased learning opportunities, self-directed learning, safety and nursing care quality, quality of the tutorial strategies, competences learned and supervision by a clinical nurse). In contrast, being male was associated with a perception of less opportunity to discuss ethical issues

Investigating and Critiquing Teacher Educators' Mobile Learning Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burden, Kevin John; Kearney, Matthew

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to investigate contemporary mobile learning practices in teacher education, exploring the following research question: how are teacher educators exploiting the pedagogical features of mobile learning? Design/methodology/approach: The study uses data from an online survey that elicited information about how 46 teacher…

Composing with New Technology: Teacher Reflections on Learning Digital Video

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruce, David L.; Chiu, Ming Ming

2015-01-01

This study explores teachers' reflections on their learning to compose with new technologies in the context of teacher education and/or teacher professional development. English language arts (ELA) teachers (n = 240) in 15 courses learned to use digital video (DV), completed at least one DV group project, and responded to open-ended survey…

What Millennial Preservice Teachers Want to Learn in Their Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Sarah K.; Byrnes, Deborah

2015-01-01

As teacher educators, we implore teacher candidates to understand the cultures and experiences of their students to engage them in learning. Yet, preservice teachers are seldom asked what they hope to learn in their training to become teachers of young children. In this study, we examined the interests, resources, and expectations of millennial…

Understanding teacher responses to constructivist learning environments: Challenges and resolutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenfeld, Melodie; Rosenfeld, Sherman

2006-05-01

The research literature is just beginning to uncover factors involved in sustaining constructivist learning environments, such as Project-Based Learning (PBL). Our case study investigates teacher responses to the challenges of constructivist environments, since teachers can play strong roles in supporting or undermining even the best constructivist environments or materials. We were invited to work as mediators with a middle-school science staff that was experiencing conflicts regarding two learning environments, PBL (which was the school's politically correc learning environment) and traditional. With mediated group workshops, teachers were sensitized to their own and colleagues' individual learning differences (ILDs), as measured by two styles inventories (the LSI - Kolb, 1976; and the LCI - Johnston & Dainton, 1997). Using these inventories, a learning-environment questionnaire, field notes, and delayed interviews a year later, we found that there was a relationship between teachers' preferred styles, epistemological beliefs, and their preferred teaching environment. Moreover, when the participating teachers, including early-adopters and nonvolunteers to PBL, became more sensitive to their colleagues' preferences, many staff conflicts were resolved and some mismatched teachers expressed more openness to PBL. We argue that having teachers understand their own ILDs and related responses to constructivist learning environments can contribute to resolving staff conflicts and sustaining such environments. We present a cognitive model and a strategy which illustrate this argument.

Developing and Assessing Teachers' Knowledge of Game-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Mamta; Foster, Aroutis

2015-01-01

Research focusing on the development and assessment of teacher knowledge in game-based learning is in its infancy. A mixed-methods study was undertaken to educate pre-service teachers in game-based learning using the Game Network Analysis (GaNA) framework. Fourteen pre-service teachers completed a methods course, which prepared them in game…

Master and novice secondary science teachers' understandings and use of the learning cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reap, Melanie Ann

2000-09-01

The learning cycle paradigm had been used in science classrooms for nearly four decades. This investigation seeks to reveal how the 1earning cycle, as originally designed, is currently understood and implemented by teachers in authentic classroom settings. The specific purposes of this study were: (1) to describe teachers who use the learning cycle and compare their understandings and perceptions of the learning cycle procedure in instruction; (2) to elicit novice and master teacher perspectives on their instruction and determine their perception of the process by which learning cycles are implemented in the science classroom; (3) to describe the context of science instruction in the novice and master teacher's classroom to ascertain how the teacher facilitates implementation of the learning cycle paradigm in their authentic classroom setting. The study used a learning cycle survey, interviews and classroom observations using the Learning Cycle Teacher Behavior Instruments and the Verbal Interaction Category System to explore these features of learning cycle instruction. The learning cycle survey was administered to a sample of teachers who use the learning cycle, including master and novice learning cycle teachers. One master and one novice learning cycle teacher were selected from this sample for further study. Analysis of the surveys showed no significant differences in master and novice teacher understandings of the learning cycle as assessed by the instrument. However, interviews and observations of the selected master and novice learning cycle teachers showed several differences in how the paradigm is understood and implemented in the classroom. The master learning cycle teacher showed a more developed teaching philosophy and had more engaged, extensive interactions with students. The novice learning cycle teacher held a more naive teaching philosophy and had fewer, less developed interactions with students. The most significant difference was seen in the use

Beyond PD: Teacher Professional Learning in High-Performing Systems. Teacher Quality Systems in Top Performing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Ben; Sonnemann, Julie; Roberts-Hull, Katie; Hunter, Amélie

2016-01-01

This report illustrates how four high-performing systems--British Columbia (Canada), Hong Kong, Shanghai (China) and Singapore--developed their teacher professional learning. The report and accompanying materials are designed as a resource for teachers, school leaders and policymakers wanting to improve teacher professional learning in their…

Challenging Teachers' Practice through Learning: Reflections on the Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education Programme of Research and Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourke, Roseanna

2006-01-01

When teachers participate in professional development and learning opportunities it enables them to reconceptualise their assessment and teaching practices with the support of facilitators and researchers. National programmes of professional development and research, such as the three year Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education (EEPiSE)…

Extending Transfer of Learning Theory to Transformative Learning Theory: A Model for Promoting Teacher Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Sandra; Lowery-Moore, Hollis; Farrow, Vicky

2008-01-01

This article describes collaborative efforts to frame university teacher preparation program activities within transfer of learning and transformative learning theories to promote teacher leadership. Specifically, we describe (a) a community sponsored, public school, campus-based experience during an introductory teacher preparation course; (b) a…

Experiences of Student Mathematics-Teachers in Computer-Based Mathematics Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karatas, Ilhan

2011-01-01

Computer technology in mathematics education enabled the students find many opportunities for investigating mathematical relationships, hypothesizing, and making generalizations. These opportunities were provided to pre-service teachers through a faculty course. At the end of the course, the teachers were assigned project tasks involving…

Self regulated learning trough project base learning on the prospective math teacher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laelasari

2018-03-01

Development of planning, strategy, and learning activities is strongly influenced by metacognition ability, knowledge of learning strategy, and understanding of context is the most important thing to be mastered by a prospective teacher. Self-regulation owned by the individual can control behavior, and manipulate a behavior by using the ability of his mind so that individuals can react to their environment. Self-regulation is the basis of the socialization process as it relates to the entire domain of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. This research is a qualitative research with research subject of the fourth-semester student of class A, at one of a university in Cirebon City, West Java. In this research, the lecture material discussed is The Development of Teaching Materials, which is the subject matter that must be mastered by prospective teachers, especially teachers of mathematics education. The instrument used is the questionnaire. The results showed that through project based learning, can grow student’s self-regulated learning especially the prospective math teacher, and can be used as an alternative to the delivery of lecture materials.

Learning to Teach Online: A Systematic Review of the Literature on K-12 Teacher Preparation for Teaching Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore-Adams, Brianne L.; Jones, W. Monty; Cohen, Jonathan

2016-01-01

There is a growing need for qualified online instructors to teach the expanding population of online K-12 students. To meet this need, teachers must be provided learning opportunities to acquire the specific types of knowledge and skills necessary to teach online. In this systematic review of the literature, we utilize the TPACK framework to…

Preventing Learned Helplessness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoy, Cheri

1986-01-01

To prevent learned helplessness in learning disabled students, teachers can share responsibilities with the students, train students to reinforce themselves for effort and self control, and introduce opportunities for changing counterproductive attitudes. (CL)

Cooperative Learning and Teacher Beliefs about Pedagogy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brody, Celeste M.; Hill, Leslie Rennie

This is an exploratory, descriptive study of experienced elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers who participated in a 9-month cooperative learning training project which was designed to encourage reflection upon their beliefs and assumptions about their pedagogy. Fifteen teachers were interviewed to understand how teachers modify…

The Effect of Teacher Education Programs on Future Elementary Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge: A Five-Country Analysis Using TEDS-M Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qian, Hong; Youngs, Peter

2016-01-01

This article addresses the problem of how opportunities to learn in teacher education programs influence future elementary mathematics teachers' knowledge. This study used data collected for the Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M). TEDS-M measured the mathematics content knowledge (MCK) and the mathematics pedagogical…

Active Learning and Self-Regulation Enhance Student Teachers' Professional Competences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virtanen, Päivi; Niemi, Hannele M.; Nevgi, Anne

2017-01-01

The study identifies the relationships between active learning, student teachers' self-regulated learning and professional competences. Further, the aim is to investigate how active learning promotes professional competences of student teachers with different self-regulation profiles. Responses from 422 student teachers to an electronic survey…

Teachers' Self-Regulated Learning Lesson Design: Integrating Learning from Problems and Successes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michalsky, Tova; Schechter, Chen

2018-01-01

Teachers' design of a lesson is critical for helping their students develop academically effective forms of self-regulating learning (SRL) in classrooms. Using a quasi-experimental design, the researchers integrated systematic collaborative learning from problematic and successful experiences into teachers' preparatory programs and examined how…

Learning about Professional Growth through Listening to Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Phil

2017-01-01

This article explores teacher learning and development, drawing on insights gained during two study visits and an international collaborative project. The article also charts a phase in the author's own learning, reflecting a growing recognition of the complexities of professional growth, gained through listening to teachers. A tentative process…

Trajectories in Teacher Education: Recognising Prior Learning in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersson, Per; Hellberg, Kristina

2009-01-01

This article analyses the trajectories into teacher education of a group of child minders who are studying to become pre-school teachers. The specific focus is what impact their prior experiences and learning from pre-school have on their trajectories, and how these experiences and learning are recognised in the first year of teacher education. A…

Teachers' and students' verbal behaviours during cooperative and small-group learning.

PubMed

Gillies, Robyn M

2006-06-01

Teachers play a critical role in promoting interactions between students and engaging them in the learning process. This study builds on a study by Hertz-Lazarowitz and Shachar (1990) who found that during cooperative learning teachers' verbal behaviours were more helpful to and encouraging of their students' efforts while during whole-class instruction, their verbal behaviours tended to be more authoritarian, rigid, and impersonal. This study seeks to determine if teachers who implement cooperative learning engage in more facilitative learning interactions with their students than teachers who implement group work only. The study also seeks to determine if students in the cooperative groups model their teachers' behaviours and engage in more positive helping interactions with each other than their peers in the group work groups. The study involved 26 teachers and 303 students in Grades 8 to 10 from 4 large high schools in Brisbane, Australia. All teachers agreed to establish cooperative, small-group activities in their classrooms for a unit of work (4 to 6 weeks) once a term for 3 school terms. The teachers were audiotaped twice during these lessons and samples of the students' language, as they worked in their groups, were also collected at the same time. The results show that teachers who implement cooperative learning in their classrooms engage in more mediated-learning interactions and make fewer disciplinary comments than teachers who implement group work only. Furthermore, the students model many of these interactions in their groups. The study shows that when teachers implement cooperative learning, their verbal behaviour is affected by the organizational structure of the classroom.

Employing National Board Certification Practices with All Teachers: The Potential of Cognitive Coaching and Mentoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diaz, Kirsten Anne

2013-01-01

National Board Certification is an esteemed certification and professional learning and reflective opportunity for teachers. Cognitive coaching is also a method of support many teachers receive over the course of their National Board Certification journey. The certification process involves reflective practices and opportunities for teachers to…

Learning to Plan, Planning to Learn: The Developing Expertise of Beginning Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mutton, Trevor; Hagger, Hazel; Burn, Katharine

2011-01-01

Learning how to plan is recognised as a key skill that beginning teachers have to develop but there has been little research examining "how" they may actually learn to plan. This paper, based on the analysis of 10 post-lesson interviews with 17 secondary school teachers across three years (the PGCE year and the first two years in…

Fostering Connections to Nature -- Strategies for Community College Early Childhood Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Debra

2017-01-01

How can early childhood teacher educators at the community college level create opportunities for their students to explore and relate to the natural world? This article discusses three learning opportunities in an early childhood associate-degree program that foster connections between preservice and inservice early childhood teachers and nature…

Bye-Bye Teacher-Scholar, Hello Teacher-Scholar? Possibilities and Perils of Comprehensive Internationalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Dawn Richards

2017-01-01

This article develops the claim that the Teacher-Scholar Model (TS), which is used by Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) to evaluate faculty worktime, is ill-suited for the strategy of comprehensive internationalization (CI). CI aims to enhance global learning by offering academic and non-academic opportunities for greater student engagement…

Fostering Lifelong Learning--Evaluation of a Teacher Education Program for Professional Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finsterwald, Monika; Wagner, Petra; Schober, Barbara; Luftenegger, Marko; Spiel, Christiane

2013-01-01

Modern economics has placed lifelong learning (LLL) at the center of an intensive ongoing political debate. Evidenced-based interventions are needed, not only in continuing education courses for teachers, but also in schools. This paper introduces evaluation results of TALK, a teacher education program for professional teachers with the objective…

Teacher Learning in Collaborative Curriculum Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voogt, J.; Westbroek, H.; Handelzalts, A.; Walraven, A.; McKenney, S.; Pieters, J.; de Vries, B.

2011-01-01

The Interconnected Model of Professional Growth (Clarke & Hollingsworth, 2002) was used to identify processes of teacher learning during the collaborative design of curriculum materials in the context of curriculum innovation. Nine published studies from six different countries about teachers' collaborative curriculum design were analyzed to…

Teachers' Perspectives of Participation in an International Immersion Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalton, Kelly Mcgrath

2017-01-01

The urgent call to internationalize teacher education in response to the impact globalization presents in our nation's classrooms, also calls for a fundamental shift in how the field of teacher education provides opportunities of professional learning for teachers. Traditional models of teacher education often fail to develop teachers with the…

Teacher Academy Induction Learning Community: Guiding Teachers through Their Zone of Proximal Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flores, Belinda Bustos; Hernandez, Arcelia; Garcia, Claudia Trevino; Claeys, Lorena

2011-01-01

This is a preliminary analysis of The Academy for Teacher Excellence (ATE) induction support provided through the Teacher Academy Induction Learning Community (TAILC). In response to current US teacher attrition rates, ATE-TAILC's primary objective is to retain teachers in the classroom and provide support to ensure they are fully prepared to meet…

What Drives Teachers to Improve? The Role of Teacher Mindset in Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gero, Greg Philip

2013-01-01

Teacher quality has received increasing focus over the past decade, yet, by some measures, teachers rarely improve after their first few years of teaching, and not all teachers seem driven to improve. Traditional models of professional learning have emphasized the processes that teachers take part in as a facilitator of their improvement. Research…

Shifting Roles: From Language Teachers to Learning Advisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, Brian R.; Navarro, Diego

2012-01-01

Although learning advisors are often qualified teachers, the skills they apply, such as those discussed by Kelly (1996), require a significant shift in approach regarding interaction with students. As teachers reorient themselves to advising, their role changes quite markedly from teaching language to advising on learning (Mozzon-McPherson, 2001).…

Grounding Teacher Education in Practice around the World: An Examination of Teacher Education Coursework in Teacher Education Programs in Finland, Norway, and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenset, Inga Staal; Klette, Kirsti; Hammerness, Karen

2018-01-01

Worldwide, teacher educators and policy makers have called for teacher preparation that is more deeply linked to practice. Yet we know little about how such linkages are achieved within different international programs. We examine the degree to which programs provide opportunities to learn that are grounded in practice, during university…

Perceived Learning and Satisfaction in a Blended Teacher Education Program: An Experience of Malaysian Teacher Trainees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karimi, Leila; Ahmad, Tunku Badariah Tunku

2013-01-01

Blended learning, as a new approach to education, is rapidly being adopted by educational institutions for the purpose of teacher education or teacher training. This study reports the results of a survey exploring the relationships between perceived learning and satisfaction in a blended teacher education program among three different groups of…

Student-Centred Learning Environments: An Investigation into Student Teachers' Instructional Preferences and Approaches to Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baeten, Marlies; Dochy, Filip; Struyven, Katrien; Parmentier, Emmeline; Vanderbruggen, Anne

2016-01-01

The use of student-centred learning environments in education has increased. This study investigated student teachers' instructional preferences for these learning environments and how these preferences are related to their approaches to learning. Participants were professional Bachelor students in teacher education. Instructional preferences and…

Student-Level Effects of Increased Teacher-Directed Opportunities to Respond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacSuga-Gage, Ashley S.; Gage, Nicholas A.

2015-01-01

Antecedent-based classroom management strategies, including teacher-directed opportunities to respond (TD-OTR), have been identified and studied in the literature, but the link between those practices and student outcomes is still developing. This study describes a within-subject interrupted time-series analysis of the relationship between…

Teachers' Reflections on Cooperative Learning: Issues of Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillies, Robyn M.; Boyle, Michael

2010-01-01

Cooperative learning (CL) is a well documented pedagogical practice that promotes academic achievement and socialization, yet many teachers struggle with implementing it in their classes. This study reports on the perceptions of 10, middle-year teachers who implemented cooperative learning in a unit of work across two school terms. Data from the…

Collaborative Design of Technology-Enhanced Learning: What Can We Learn from Teacher Talk?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenney, Susan; Boschman, Ferry; Pieters, Jules; Voogt, Joke

2016-01-01

The collaborative design of technology-enhanced learning is seen as a practical and effective professional development strategy, especially because teachers learn from each other as they share and apply knowledge. But how teacher design team participants draw on and develop their knowledge has not yet been investigated. This qualitative…

Accomplishing PETE Learning Standards and Program Accreditation through Teacher Candidates' Technology-Based Service Learning Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbone, Anne; Mercier, Kevin

2014-01-01

Teacher candidates' use of technology is a component of physical education teacher education (PETE) program learning goals and accreditation standards. The methods presented in this article can help teacher candidates to learn about and apply technology as an instructional tool prior to and during field or clinical experiences. The goal in…

Long-term Engagement in Authentic Research with NASA (LEARN): Lessons Learned from an Innovative Model for Teacher Research Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pippin, M. R.; Kollmeyer, R.; Joseph, J.; Yang, M. M.; Omar, A. H.; Harte, T.; Taylor, J.; Lewis, P. M.; Weisman, A.; Hyater-Adams, S.

2013-12-01

The NASA LEARN Project is an innovative program that provides long-term immersion in the practice of atmospheric science for middle and high school in-service teachers. Working alongside NASA scientists and using authentic NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Research and Analysis (R&A) related and mission-based research data, teachers develop individual research topics of interest during two weeks in the summer while on-site at NASA Langley. With continued, intensive mentoring and guidance of NASA scientists, the teachers further develop their research throughout the academic year through virtual group meetings and data team meetings mirroring scientific collaborations. At the end of the first year, the LEARN teachers present scientific posters. During summer 2013, Cohort 1 (7 teachers) presented posters at an open session and discussed their research topics with Cohort 2 (6 teachers) and science and educator personnel at Langley. The LEARN experience has had such an impact that 6 teachers from Cohort 1 have elected to continue a second year of research working alongside Cohort 2 and LEARN scientists. In addition, Cohort 1 teachers have brought their LEARN experiences back to their classrooms in a variety of ways. The LEARN project evaluation has provided insights into the outcomes of this research experience for teachers and particularly effective program elements. In particular, the LEARN evaluation has focused on how an extended research experience for teachers spanning a full year influences teacher views of science and classroom integration of scientific principles. Early findings indicate that teachers' perceptions of the scientific enterprise have changed, and that LEARN provided substantial resources to help them take real-world research to their students. Teachers also valued the teamwork and cohort approach. In addition, the LEARN evaluation focuses on the experiences of scientists involved in the LEARN program and how their experiences working with

Learning for You and Learning for Me: Mentoring as Professional Development for Mentor Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Janette; Nadelson, Louis

2016-01-01

Professional development (PD) opportunities for teachers most commonly take place outside the classroom and are typically designed to address specific components of teachers' instruction or curriculum. However, there are other activities that take place within the classroom that may have a profound impact on the PD of a teacher. We sought to gain…

Designing Opportunities to Learn Mathematics Theory-Building Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bass, Hyman

2017-01-01

Mathematicians commonly distinguish two modes of work in the discipline: "Problem solving," and "theory building." Mathematics education offers many opportunities to learn problem solving. This paper explores the possibility, and value, of designing instructional activities that provide supported opportunities for students to…

Focusing on Teacher Learning Opportunities to Identify Potentially Productive Coaching Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbons, Lynsey K.; Cobb, Paul

2017-01-01

Instructional improvement initiatives in many districts include instructional coaching as a primary form of job-embedded support for teachers. However, the coaching literature provides little guidance about what activities coaches should engage in with teachers to improve instruction. When researchers do propose activities, they rarely justify why…

Learning by E-Learning for Visually Impaired Students: Opportunities or Again Marginalisation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kharade, Kalpana; Peese, Hema

2012-01-01

In recent years, e-learning has become a valuable tool for an increasing number of visually impaired (VI) learners. The benefits of this technology include: (1) remote learning for VI students; (2) the possibility for teachers living far from schools or universities to provide remote instructional assistance to VI students; and (3) continuing…

What teacher factors influence their attributions for children's difficulties in learning?

PubMed

Brady, Katy; Woolfson, Lisa

2008-12-01

Identifying the factors that influence teacher beliefs about teaching children with learning difficulties is important for the success of inclusive education. This study explores the relationship between teachers' role, self-efficacy, attitudes towards disabled people, teaching experience and training, on teachers' attributions for children's difficulties in learning. One hundred and eighteen primary school teachers (44 general mainstream, 33 mainstream learning support, and 41 special education teachers) completed the short form of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale, the Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale (IDP), and a revised version of the Teacher Attribution Scale. Regression analysis found that teachers' role influenced stability and controllability attributions. However, for stability attributions the effect was not sustained when examined in the context of the other factors of teaching efficacy, experience, training, and attitudes towards disability. What emerged as important instead was strong feelings of sympathy towards disabled people which predicted stable attributions about learning difficulties. Experience of teaching children with additional support needs and teaching efficacy positively predicted external locus of causality attributions. Surprisingly, training was not found to have an impact on attributions. A mixed MANOVA found that mainstream teachers' controllability attributions were influenced by whether or not the child had identified learning support needs. Teacher efficacy, experience of teaching students with support needs, attitudes towards disabled people, and teachers' role all impact on teacher attributions, but no relationship with training was found. Implications for teacher training and development, and for student achievement and student self-perception are discussed.

Possibilities and Challenges in Teachers' Collegial Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makopoulou, Kyriaki; Armour, Kathleen

2014-01-01

This paper reports a set of findings from a larger research study undertaken on Physical Education (PE) teachers' career-long professional learning in Greece. In total, nine case study PE teachers participated in the study. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with the teachers. The data were analysed using a constructivist…

Learning beyond Boundaries: Japanese Teachers Learning to Reflect and Reflecting to Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakar Arani, Mohammad Reza; Fukaya, Takenobu

2009-01-01

In the early 21st century, educational reform in many countries shifted to put more emphasis on learning-oriented strategy for change and to focus on empowerment of teachers and self-sustaining change in school. Consequently, teacher quality has developed into a core innovation issue of school education in many countries. Recently "lesson…

Implementing Cooperative Learning in Australian Primary Schools: Generalist Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hennessey, Angela; Dionigi, Rylee A.

2013-01-01

To implement cooperative learning successfully in practice, teachers require knowledge of cooperative learning, its features and terms, and how it functions in classrooms. This qualitative study examined 12 Australian generalist primary teachers', understandings of cooperative learning and perceived factors affecting its implementation. Using…

Coaching Discourse: Supporting Teachers' Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heineke, Sally F.

2013-01-01

Although coaching is used in many schools to facilitate teachers' professional learning, few studies look closely at coaching discourse. Exploring how coaching facilitates teachers' professional development, this study used tape-recorded coaching sessions and individual post-interviews to examine the one-on-one coaching interactions of 4…

Measuring Access to Learning Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawley, Willis D., Ed.; Ready, Timothy, Ed.

This study examined the continued relevance and adequacy of the Elementary and Secondary School Civil Rights Compliance Report (E&S Survey) as a tool for enforcing civil rights laws in education, monitoring quality of access to learning opportunities, and research on other current issues of educational policy and practice. The Committee on…

How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Amazing Opportunities for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curwood, Jen Scott

2008-01-01

From summer programs in archaeology or Russian to teaching abroad for a year or more, there are many opportunities available for teachers. This article describes unique programs in archeology, geology, astronomy, botany, and oceanography that are available as summer programs; master's programs in languages, administration, writing, and Teaching…

Engaging in science inquiry: Prospective elementary teachers' learning in an innovative life science course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haefner, Leigh Boardman

2001-10-01

This study examined prospective elementary teachers' learning about science inquiry in the context of an innovative life science course that engaged them in an original science investigation. Eleven elementary education majors participated in the study. A multiple case study approach that was descriptive, interpretive, and framed by grounded theory was employed. Primary data sources included transcripts of semi-structured interviews, text associated with online threaded discussions, and course project documents, such as lesson plans and written reflections. Secondary data sources included videotaped class sessions and field notes. Data were analyzed using analytical induction techniques, and trustworthiness was developed through the use of multiple data sources, triangulation of data, and the use of counterexamples to the assertions. Three major findings emerged from the cross-case analysis. First, engaging in an original science investigation assisted prospective teachers in becoming more attentive to the processes of science and developing more elaborated and data-driven explanations of how science is practiced. Second, when prospective teachers struggled with particular aspects of their investigations, those aspects became foci of change in their thinking about science and doing science. Third, as prospective teachers came to place a greater emphasis on questions, observations, and experimentation as fundamental aspects of doing science, they became more accepting of approaches to teaching science that encourage children's questions about science phenomena. Implications include the need to re-conceptualize teacher preparation programs to include multiple opportunities to engage prospective teachers in learning science as inquiry, and attend to connections among subject matter knowledge, subject-specific pedagogy and experiences with children.

Teacher Pay and Career Paths in an Opportunity Culture: A Practical Policy Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassel, Emily Ayscue; Holly, Christen; Locke, Gillian

2014-01-01

To help all students reach their potential, district leaders must ensure that every student has consistent access to excellent teaching. Opportunity Culture compensation and career path structures help make that possible, and this guide shows how. "Teacher Pay and Career Paths in an Opportunity Culture: A Practical Policy Guide" shows…

How Student Teachers Describe the Online Collaborative Learning Experience and Evaluate Its Contribution to Their Learning and Their Future Work as Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margaliot, Adva; Gorev, Dvora; Vaisman, Tami

2018-01-01

This study examined student teachers' attitudes toward online collaborative learning (OCL) as related to their satisfaction, learning experience, contribution to personal knowledge, and future teaching. One hundred and four students participated in a program that retrains university graduates to become K-12 teachers. The study combines both…

Diagnostic Competence of Primary School Mathematics Teachers during Classroom Situations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoth, Jessica; Döhrmann, Martina; Kaiser, Gabriele; Busse, Andreas; König, Johannes; Blömeke, Sigrid

2016-01-01

One of the main challenges for teachers during teaching in class is the diagnosis of students' learning and thinking processes. For this purpose, teachers must perceive relevant information, they need to interpret this information and finally, they need to respond and select suitable opportunities to learn. In this paper, diagnostic processes in…

Perceptions of Online TESOL Teacher Education: Strengths, Weaknesses, Characteristics, and Effective Components

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Susan Tiffany

2012-01-01

Recent and ongoing expansion of online opportunities for teacher education and training continue in response to calls for better teacher preparation and professional development opportunities. However, with the introduction of online learning, the already controversial debate over educational technology has taken on a new dimension. Today's…

Digital Game-Based Learning Once Removed: Teaching Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Katrin

2007-01-01

In the spring of 2005, the author designed and taught a graduate-level course on digital game-based learning primarily for teachers. Teachers cannot be expected to embrace digital games as a tool for learning unless they have a sound understanding of the potential as well as the limitations, and are confident in their ability to use games…

Evidence of Deeper Learning Outcomes. Findings from the Study of Deeper Learning Opportunities and Outcomes: Report 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeiser, Kristina L.; Taylor, James; Rickles, Jordan; Garet, Michael S.; Segeritz, Michael

2014-01-01

The "Study of Deeper Learning: Opportunities and Outcomes"--funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation--aimed to determine whether students attending high schools with a mature and at least moderately well implemented approach to promoting deeper learning actually experienced greater deeper learning opportunities and outcomes…

Social and Emotional Learning and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A.

2017-01-01

Teachers are the engine that drives social and emotional learning (SEL) programs and practices in schools and classrooms, and their own social-emotional competence and wellbeing strongly influence their students. But when teachers poorly manage the social and emotional demands of teaching, students' academic achievement and behavior both suffer.…

The Learning Space: Teachers Taking Charge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steede-Terry, Karen

2001-01-01

Describes The Learning Space, a Seattle-based organization that provides support for classroom teachers by providing a means of communicating and collaborating with other teachers via the World Wide Web. Discusses the Web site that includes classroom lessons and considers growth of the organization to expand to other states. (LRW)

Why Teachers Make Good Learning Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Brian; Hinueber, Jesse

2015-01-01

When teachers who deeply understand the needs of their students and colleagues lead professional learning in their schools, everyone benefits. In this article, five educators and their perspectives on teacher leadership are featured. These educators have all taught low-income urban children in elementary grades for several years, but in different…

Overcoming K-12 Teacher Resistance to Technology and Learning Using M-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rinelli, Karen

2013-01-01

This study served to examine the relationship between reflective mobile technology training for teachers and enhanced lessons prepared by teachers, using collaboration and reflection with teacher colleagues to integrate mobile learning and technology. The researcher also examined the relationship between modeling risk-taking behaviors with mobile…

Opportunity-to-Learn Context-Based Tasks Provided by Mathematics Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wijaya, Ariyadi; van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Marja; Doorman, Michiel

2015-01-01

Based on the findings of an error analysis revealing that Indonesian ninth- and tenth-graders had difficulties in solving context-based tasks, we investigated the opportunity-to-learn offered by Indonesian textbooks for solving context-based mathematics tasks and the relation of this opportunity-to-learn to students' difficulties in solving these…

Productive Pedagogies and Teachers' Professional Learning in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowes, Margot; Tinning, Richard

2015-01-01

This paper examines a professional development and learning intervention that sought to improve teachers' understandings of, and capacities to teach, "critical evaluation" in senior school physical education (SSPE). Physical education (PE) teachers and researchers formed a professional learning community (PLC) to deliver critical…

Digital Discourses in Early Childhood Educator Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Emily Brown

2017-01-01

Active, dialogic participation is a necessary component of high quality teacher professional learning (Dunst, Bruder, & Hamby, 2015). However, logistical problems arise when implementing cooperative learning opportunities for early childhood educators, as preschool teachers are habitually separated from peers both institutionally and…

Developing Cooperative Learning in Initial Teacher Education: Indicators for Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jolliffe, Wendy; Snaith, Jessica

2017-01-01

This paper examines the impact of supporting pre-service teachers to use cooperative learning in one initial teacher education institution in England. In a context where the government requires all teacher education to be "school-led" and where school partners do not commonly use cooperative learning (Baines, Rubie-Davies, and Blatchford…

Practicing What We Preach: Teacher Reflection Groups on Cooperative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Thomas S. C.; Jacobs, George M.

2016-01-01

This article discusses the use of teacher reflection groups to aid teachers in their efforts to facilitate cooperative learning among their students. It is argued that these teacher reflection groups function best when they are organized with reference to eight cooperative learning principles. Furthermore, it is suggested that these reflective…

Teachers' and students' perspectives on teaching and learning through virtual learning environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limniou, M.; Smith, M.

2010-12-01

The aim of this investigation was to get an insight into how teachers and students responded to the use of virtual learning environments (VLE) in engineering education and what their expectations were from online courses. Teachers designed their online courses with the assistance of a support e-learning team and questionnaires were used for teachers and students to express their views on the online courses. Teachers pointed out that the online courses by themselves would be able to tackle limited lecture time and strengthen the students' background knowledge. Students, on the other hand, stated that their difficulties regarding the courses could be facilitated by using a more interactive teaching approach with the use of collaboration tools and receiving individual feedback. Thus, students suggested that teachers adopt a more student-centred approach by using VLE. Teachers' and students' perspectives were related to their personal characteristics, as students were more familiar with everyday e-communication tools.

Pre-Service Teacher Efficacy Development within Clinically-Based Practice: Examining the Structures and Strategies in the Collaborative Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Will-Dubyak, Kathryn Deeanne

2016-01-01

Research indicates that teachers benefit from education coursework in their preparation that provides opportunities to develop and practice pedagogical understandings (Darling-Hammond, 2000, 2006). Research also indicates that opportunities to enact learning from coursework are beneficial in teacher efficacy development within teacher preparation…

Opportunity Knocked Out: Reducing Cheating by Teachers on Student Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ligon, Glynn

Careful management of a testing program can greatly limit a teacher's opportunity to cheat while administering standardized tests to students and can increase the likelihood that such cheating will be detected. The Austin Independent School District's systemwide testing staff's plan for controlling cheating has three basic premises: (1) plan and…

Primary School Teachers' Views on Intergenerational Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polat, Soner; Kazak, Ender

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the views of primary school teachers on intergenerational learning (IGL). The study group consists of eight primary schools in the central district of Düzce during the 2013-2014 academic year and 13 teachers who teach in these schools. Participants were selected among teachers working in Düzce's city…

Teacher Learning of Technology Enhanced Formative Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feldman, Allan; Capobianco, Brenda M.

2008-02-01

This study examined the integration of technology enhanced formative assessment (FA) into teachers' practice. Participants were high school physics teachers interested in improving their use of a classroom response system (CRS) to promote FA. Data were collected using interviews, direct classroom observations, and collaborative discussions. The physics teachers engaged in collaborative action research (AR) to learn how to use FA and CRS to promote student and teacher learning. Data were analyzed using open coding, cross-case analysis, and content analysis. Results from data analysis allowed researchers to construct a model for knowledge skills necessary for the integration of technology enhanced FA into teachers' practice. The model is as a set of four technologies: hardware and software; methods for constructing FA items; pedagogical methods; and curriculum integration. The model is grounded in the idea that teachers must develop these respective technologies as they interact with the CRS (i.e., hardware and software, item construction) and their existing practice (i.e., pedagogical methods, curriculum). Implications are that for teachers to make FA an integral part of their practice using CRS, they must: 1) engage in the four technologies; 2) understand the nature of FA; and 3) collaborate with other interested teachers through AR.

Opportunity to Learn and Conceptions of Educational Equality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guiton, Gretchen; Oakes, Jeannie

1995-01-01

Conceptual issues in developing and using opportunity-to-learn (OTL) standards to inform policy questions about equal educational opportunity are discussed. Using two national databases, OTL measures are developed according to Libertarian, Liberal, and Democratic Liberal conceptualizations, and the influence of these concepts on the information…

Remoteness and Access to Learning Opportunities in the Pacific Region.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pacific Region Educational Lab., Honolulu, HI.

The Remoteness and Access to Learning Opportunities in the Pacific Region Study was carried out to investigate whether access to learning opportunities (ALO) is related to the remoteness and isolation of many schools in the Pacific region. The study also profiles the conditions of remote and isolated schools and the ALO for Pacific students. Seven…

An Analysis of the Professional Learning of Science Teachers Using the Metaphor of Learning by Expanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodnough, Karen; Murphy, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

This study reports on the professional learning of two teachers of science who were learning to engage their grade four students in meaningful, hands-on learning. Teachers' learning took place in the context of a 10-month university-based action research program designed to help improve the practice of science, technology, engineering and…

Functional Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System: Professional Development for PreK-3 Teachers Using a "Train and Equip" Method Results in Learning Opportunities for Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, E. Robert

2008-01-01

Preadolescent students are interested in learning the structure and function of the human body. However, their teachers are not trained in this content. The purpose of this project was to expand a successful outreach effort in the health sciences for grade 7-12 teachers to include PreK-3 teachers. A "Healthy Hearts" workshop was offered to train…

What Can Teachers Learn from Research?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noddings, Nel

2009-01-01

After many years as a high school mathematics teacher, administrator, university professor, and philosopher of education, the author's inclination in answering this question (what can teachers learn from research?) is to say, "not much." If one is looking for a recipe-like answer to questions about how to teach fractions, reading, spelling, or…

Learning by doing? Prospective elementary teachers' developing understandings of scientific inquiry and science teaching and learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haefner, Leigh Ann; Zembal-Saul, Carla

This study examined prospective elementary teachers' learning about scientific inquiry in the context of an innovative life science course. Research questions included: (1) What do prospective elementary teachers learn about scientific inquiry within the context of the course? and (2) In what ways do their experiences engaging in science investigations and teaching inquiry-oriented science influence prospective elementary teachers' understanding of science and science learning and teaching? Eleven prospective elementary teachers participated in this qualitative, multi-participant case study. Constant comparative analysis strategies attempted to build abstractions and explanations across participants around the constructs of the study. Findings suggest that engaging in scientific inquiry supported the development more appropriate understandings of science and scientific inquiry, and that prospective teachers became more accepting of approaches to teaching science that encourage children's questions about science phenomena. Implications include careful consideration of learning experiences crafted for prospective elementary teachers to support the development of robust subject matter knowledge.

Preservice Teacher Institute: Developing a Model Learning Community for Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kent, Andrea M.; Simpson, Jennifer L.

2009-01-01

The Preservice Teacher Institute (PTI) is a budding learning community designed to provide mentoring and support for senior elementary education undergraduate candidates. This program is an effective paradigm for mentoring and inducting new teachers into the profession. PTI is a two-semester program. The first semester is restricted to candidates…

Exploration of Textual Interactions in CALL Learning Communities: Emerging Research and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Jonathan R.

2017-01-01

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has greatly enhanced the realm of online social interaction and behavior. In language classrooms, it allows the opportunity for students to enhance their learning experiences. "Exploration of Textual Interactions in CALL Learning Communities: Emerging Research and Opportunities" is an ideal…

Collaboration beyond the Classroom Walls: Deepening Learning for Students, Preservice Teachers, Teachers, and Professors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nobles, Susanne; Dredger, Katie; Gerheart, Megan Dixon

2012-01-01

Geographically distant classrooms can be a ripe learning space for teacher educators who want to show preservice teachers the power of technology in the English classroom. A classroom teacher described how she used a social networking platform to allow for collaboration with a preservice teacher in the hopes of making student literary analysis…

Stories of Change: Narrative Perspectives on Elementary Teachers' Identifying and Implementation of New Mathematics Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oslund, Joy Ann

2009-01-01

Recent mathematics education reforms (NCTM, 2000) have resulted in increased opportunities for teachers to learn new teaching practices. However, the relationship between teacher professional development and the actual implementation of new practices is unclear. I posit that a teachers' decision to implement newly learned practices is strongly…

School Organizational Structures: Effects on Teacher and Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Y. L. Jack

2005-01-01

Purpose: The present study attempted to explore the relationship between teacher learning and student learning under different school structural conditions. Design/methodology/approach: Some 1,330 teachers from 29 secondary schools of different community backgrounds and student academic abilities in Hong Kong were surveyed, using instruments from…

Teacher Candidate Technology Integration: For Student Learning or Instruction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Cynthia; Zhang, Shaoan; Strudler, Neal

2015-01-01

Transfer of instructional technology knowledge for student-centered learning by teacher candidates is investigated in this study. Using the transfer of learning theoretical framework, a mixed methods research design was employed to investigate whether secondary teacher candidates were able to transfer the instructional technology knowledge for…

A Model for In-service Teacher Learning in the Context of an Innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coenders, Fer; Terlouw, Cees

2015-08-01

When curricula change, teachers have to bring their knowledge and beliefs up to date. Two aspects can be distinguished: what do teachers learn and how is it learned. Two groups of teachers were involved during the preparation of a new chemistry curriculum. One group developed student learning material and subsequently enacted this in class. Another group only class-enacted this. Based on teacher learning, a model to understand teacher growth is presented. As the combination of a development phase with a class enactment phase proved instrumental, an existing model, the interconnected model of teacher professional growth, was extended. The consequence is that for teacher learning for a renewal a (re)development phase followed by a class enactment phase is essential.

Teacher learning from girls' informal science experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birmingham, Daniel J.

School science continues to fail to engage youth from non-dominant communities (Carlone, Huan-Frank & Webb, 2011). However, recent research demonstrates that informal science learning settings support both knowledge gains and increased participation in science among youth from non-dominant communities (Dierking, 2007; Falk et al., 2007; HFRP, 2010). Despite the success, little is known about how teachers can learn from informal science practices to support student engagement in science. In this study, I examine the impact informal science experiences has for the teaching and learning of science in school contexts. This study is focused on eliciting girls' stories of informal science learning experiences and sharing these stories with science teachers to examine what they notice and make meaning of in connection with their classroom practices (van Es & Sherin, 2002). I co-constructed cases of informal science experiences with middle school females who participate in an after school science program in an urban area. These cases consisted of the girls' written stories, their explicit messages to science teachers, examples of actions taken when investigating community based science issues and transcripts of conversations between the girls and researchers. These cases were shared with local science teachers in order to investigate what they "notice" (van Es & Sherin, 2002) regarding girls' participation in informal science learning, how they make meaning of youths' stories and whether the stories influence their classroom practices. I found that the girls' use their cases to share experiences of how, where and why science matters, to express hope for school science and to critique stereotypical views that young, female, students of color from lower SES backgrounds are not interested or capable of making contributions to scientific investigations. Additionally, I found that teachers noticed powerful messages within and across the girls' cases. The messages include; 1

Exploring Pre-Service School Counselling Teachers' Learning Needs: Perceptions of Teacher Educators and Student-Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuan, Rui

2017-01-01

Drawing on the dual perspectives of teacher educators and student-teachers, this research explores the complex learning needs of pre-service school counselling teachers (SCTs) in China. Relying on data from in-depth interviews and relevant curriculum documents, the findings of the study demonstrate four critical needs of SCTs, namely, developing a…

A Structured Professional Development Approach to Unit Study: The Experiences of 200 Teachers in a National Teacher Development Project.