What if ... ?

In this column, a childbirth educator wonders how to impress upon parents the importance of accepting their children for who they are, just as they are.     

What about classroom Communicators?

Conclusion Note that the comparisons presented in this paper serve only as a springboard in pointing out some of the advantages and limitations of the Classroom Communicator. Like the bicycle and the automobile, each serving a useful purpose under certain conditions, different types of teaching aids and teaching machines will find their use. Not many individuals will want to argue whether the bicycle or the automobile is better. One would hope that an out-of-context decision on the Classroom Communicator versus this or that teaching machine is not made. It is thought, however, that some empirical or logical decision might be made with respect to the use of the Classroom Communicator in the near future. This article is adapted from a paper given by the author as part of a symposium on “Automated Instruction and Programed Learning,” Southeastern Psychological Association, Louisville, Kentucky. The opinions expressed are those of Herbert P. Froehlich, who from 1959 to 1962 was a research officer on the staff of the Chief of Naval Air Technical Training, Memphis, Tennessee, and are not necessarily shared by the Department of the Navy.     

How do teachers learn in the workplace? An examination of teacher learning activities

In this study, two data collection instruments were used to examine how Dutch secondary school teachers learn in the workplace. Firstly, they completed a questionnaire on their preferences for learning activities on two occasions. Secondly, during the intermediate period, they reported learning experiences in digital logs. Results of both instruments indicate that teachers often learn by critical individual reflection and by involving colleagues in particular challenging or problematic situations. An additional finding concerns the reporting of sequences of learning activities in the digital logs which is clearly different from the focus on single learning activities as found in most literature and as used in the questionnaire. Furthermore, the digital logs provided a fine‐tuning of the concepts of ‘involvement of colleagues’ and ‘experimentation’ in relation to teacher learning. The study concludes with a critical reflection on both data collection instruments. Finally, implications for future research on how teachers learn are discussed.     

Fear and efficacy appeals in the classroom: the secondary teachers’ perspective

Previous research has examined the use of classroom fear and efficacy appeals from a student perspective, but little is known about teachers’ views towards fear and efficacy appeals. In this preliminary study, we conducted a survey of 234 secondary school teachers. Results showed that teachers held mixed views towards the use of fear appeals and their domain knowledge of fear appeals, but more homogenous views about efficacy appeals, reassuring messages and domain knowledge of efficacy appeals. There were no differences in the endorsement of fear and efficacy appeals from teachers of differing school general certificate of secondary education performance, however, teachers reported students to be less efficacious from schools whose performance is deemed to be ‘under average’. There were no differences in the endorsement of fear appeals or domain knowledge of fear appeals between novice and experienced teachers. These findings provide a first step in examining fear and efficacy appeals from a teacher perspective.     

Student teachers’ team teaching: how do learners in the classroom experience team-taught lessons by student teachers?

This study focuses on student teachers’ team teaching. Two team teaching models (sequential and parallel teaching) were applied by 14 student teachers in a quasi-experimental design. When implementing new teaching models, it is important to take into account the perspectives of all actors involved. Although learners are key actors in the teaching process, their perspective is often ignored. Therefore, the central research question is: How do learners experience sequential and parallel teaching? A questionnaire was administered to the 229 learners participating in the experiment. Exploratory factor analysis and multilevel analysis revealed that both models were evaluated positively. However, parallel teaching scored significantly higher on advantages whereas sequential teaching scored higher on disadvantages. Quantitative content analysis revealed additional information. Benefits of parallel teaching were high levels of concentration and involvement and a positive atmosphere. In sequential teaching, learners appreciated the additional support and variation. Disadvantages of sequential teaching referred to the fact that it was confusing and to differences between both teachers. Learners in parallel teaching disliked the splitting of the class group. They were concerned that both learner groups would not be treated equally. These findings reveal that from the learners’ perspective, parallel teaching should be preferred above sequential teaching.     

Is the classroom obsolete in the twenty-first century?

Abstract

Lefebvre’s triadic conception of spatial practice, representations of space and representational spaces provides the theoretical framework of this article, which recognises a productive relationship between space and social relations. Its writing stems from a current and ongoing qualitative study of innovative teaching and learning practices in new technology-rich flexible learning spaces, characterised by large open spaces, permeable boundaries and diverse furnishings emphasising student comfort, health and flexibility. Schooling in the twenty-first century, certainly in the developed world, is required to ensure that children and school-leavers have appropriate life-long skills in preparation for participation in the twenty-first century knowledge economy. This world is characterised as complex and dynamic, deeply influenced by globalisation and the revolution in digital technology. Developing these skills calls into question ‘outmoded’ transmission models of teaching and requires teachers and school leaders to approach their work in radically new ways. Open school design encourages flexibility in learning and teaching, and allows collaborative, team teaching, with designers claiming significant educational benefits. This arrangement of multiple classes using innovatively designed, technology-enriched common space, facilitated by multiple teachers, working in collaborative teams, is far-reaching in its likely implications for community expectations and responses, relationship-building, assessment, student learning, teachers’ work and initial teacher education.     

Can teachers motivate students to learn?

Research on motivation has mainly concentrated on the role of goal orientation and self‐evaluation in conducting learning activities. In this paper, we examine the relative importance of teachers’ teaching and their efficacy beliefs to explain variation in student motivation. Questionnaires were used to measure the well‐being, academic self‐efficacy, mastery goal orientation, performance avoidance, intrinsic motivation and school investment of students (n = 3462) and the teaching practices and teachers’ sense of self‐efficacy (n = 194) in primary schools. Results of the multi‐level analyses show that connection to the students’ world and cooperative learning methods had a positive effect on students’ motivation, while process‐oriented instruction by the teacher had a negative effect on motivational behaviour and motivational factors of students. Finally, the results lend credence to the argument that teachers’ sense of self‐efficacy has an impact on both teachers’ teaching and students’ motivation to learn.     

Constructivism and classroom teachers: What can early childhood teacher educators do to support the constructivist journey?

Abstract

Constructivism is a theory of learning that has become increasingly accepted by educators. Yet translating a theory of learning into practical instructional strategies has proven to be quite difficult for teachers. A qualitative study was recently completed that examined primary grade teachers’ understanding of constructivism and its influence upon their teaching practices. Analysis indicated that the teachers had several misconceptions of constructivism and were at varying levels of understanding, based upon their experience and professional development in constructivist education. This study has implications for the teacher education field, and early childhood teacher educators can play an important role in helping preservice and inservice teachers gain a deeper understanding of constructivism and implement teaching practices based upon this understanding. Suggestions for colleges of education are given.     

Implementing web 2.0 tools in the classroom: Four teachers’ accounts

In this paper, four teachers shared their experiences using the following free Web 2.0 tools with their students: Jing, Wix, Google Sites, and Blogger. The teachers found that students reacted positively to lessons in which these tools were used, and also noted improvements they could make when using them in the future.     

What can evidence-use in practice learn from evidence-use in policy?

Abstract

Background: This paper approaches evidence-informed practice from the perspective of evidence-informed policy-making. Using the findings of a recent study of evidence-use by educational policy-makers to raise questions about evidence-use by educational practitioners, it seeks to explore what such a study might tell us about how to understand and improve evidence-use by educational practitioners.

Purpose: The paper aims, therefore, to identify potential connections, shared insights and common issues between evidence-use in policy and evidence-use in practice. It does this by focusing on two specific areas: the nature of the evidence (i.e. what evidence is used) and the nature of the use (i.e. how evidence is used). The paper outlines what was found about each of these aspects of evidence-use in policy, and then considers what questions and issues these findings might raise for evidence-use in educational practice.

Sample: The empirical study on which this paper is based was an in-depth study of the use of evidence within educational policy development in Australia. It focused on the development of three specific education policies within one Australian state education department and involved interviews with 25 policy-makers who were actively involved in the development of these policies.

Design and methods: The policy-based study involved the following data collection processes: (i) in-depth semi-structured interviews with 25 policy-makers who were involved in the development of the selected policies; (ii) documentary analysis of policy documents, background research reports and other relevant papers relating to the selected policies; (iii) unstructured observation (where possible) of meetings and events connected with the development of the selected policies; and (iv) feedback from 40 wider policy staff who took part in a verification workshop to discuss the project’s emerging findings.

Findings: Drawing on the findings from the original policy study, two areas of potential connection to evidence-use in practice are explored. First, in relation to ‘varieties of evidence and uses’, the negotiation of diverse evidence types and the potential for using evidence in multiple and varied ways appear to be features of evidence-use that are common to educational policy-makers as well as educational practitioners. Secondly, in relation to ‘narrowness of evidence sources’, there is potential for both policy-makers and practitioners to use a narrow (rather than broad) selection of evidence, due to a tendency to work with certain evidence types as a starting point (e.g. performance data) and a tendency to draw on certain evidence sources more frequently (e.g. well-known, familiar research sources).

Conclusions: This paper emphasises: (i) the need for more integrated (or joined-up) understandings of evidence-use across contexts of practice and contexts of policy; (ii) the importance of continued efforts to understand and represent evidence-use more effectively within educational practices; and (iii) the value of paying careful attention to the quality and qualities of evidence-use within and across the different settings of educational practice and policy.     

An ethnography of the outdoor classroom – how teachers manage risk in the outdoors

This article explores the approaches to risk that some teachers adopt when they are involved in facilitating outdoor activities. The research was carried out at a residential outdoor centre as part of a PhD study and a follow-up pilot project. The participants were primary school pupils, their teachers and the centre staff. For the purpose of this article, the term ‘teacher’ is used to refer to both visiting teachers accompanying the school groups and the centre staff. This research was eclectic. It took an ethnographic approach using participant observation and semi-structured interviews to collect a variety of data. Ethnography was considered as the most appropriate for this research because it puts an emphasis on understanding the perceptions and cultures of the people and organisations studied. The findings of the research have shown that, on occasion, teachers take a controlling approach when facilitating outdoor activities in order to manage the perceived risk of being in the outdoors. This tended to result in the disempowerment of the children and put the teachers in a position of power, which had serious implications for the pupils’ learning experience. By giving the children specific instructions, and mainly focusing on maintaining discipline during the activities, teachers do not allow their pupils to workout how to deal with risk. The article argues that this had a negative impact on the educational process by taking away opportunities for learning from the children.     

Trainee teachers’ experiences of classroom feedback practices and their motivation to learn

While different theoretical frameworks have been proposed to characterise the nature of feedback and the conditions under which feedback contributes to student learning, few empirical studies have examined the usefulness of these theoretical frameworks to understand student feedback experiences in classrooms particularly in a pre-service context. This article explores what classroom feedback practices trainee teachers experience, and how their feedback experiences relate to their learning motivation. The paper presents the results of questionnaire surveys conducted with 276 pre-service ESL trainee teachers in a BEd English education programme. The study found that trainee teachers in this study experienced predominantly activity-based feedback and teacher evaluation feedback, while peer/self feedback and longitudinal-development feedback were relatively infrequently used in the classroom. However, peer/self feedback and longitudinal-development feedback appeared to be most powerful in predicting positive motivational processes, followed by activity-based feedback and teacher evaluation feedback.     

What can academic development learn from the health humanities?

The health humanities is a movement seeking to promote engagement with arts and humanities disciplines as a way of helping professionals, patients, informal carers, and members of the public to understand healthcare. Here, I draw parallels between health and learning and suggest a similar approach for academic developers. I indicate the potential scope for the learning arts and humanities, providing examples of existing practice in which the methods and sensibilities of literary studies are shedding light on learning and teaching in higher education.     

Characteristics of teachers’ choice of examples in and for the mathematics classroom

The main goal of the study reported in our paper is to characterize teachers’ choice of examples in and for the mathematics classroom. Our data is based on 54 lesson observations of five different teachers. Altogether 15 groups of students were observed, three seventh grade, six eighth grade, and six ninth grade classes. The classes varied according to their level—seven classes of top level students and six classes of mixed—average and low level students. In addition, pre and post lesson interviews with the teachers were conducted, and their lesson plans were examined. Data analysis was done in an iterative way, and the categories we explored emerged accordingly. We distinguish between pre-planned and spontaneous examples, and examine their manifestations, as well as the different kinds of underlying considerations teachers employ in making their choices, and the kinds of knowledge they need to draw on. We conclude with a dynamic framework accounting for teachers’ choices and generation of examples in the course of teaching mathematics.

Preservice teachers’ acceptance of ICT integration in the classroom: applying the UTAUT model

In this study, the researchers explore the factors that influence preservice teachers’ acceptance of information and communication technology (ICT) integration in the classroom. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was developed by Venkatesh et al. [MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478] in 2003 and shown to outperform eight preceding models, explaining 70% of the variance in user intentions. The role of the UTAUT variables (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions) are examined and the resulting regression model accounts for 27% of the variance in user intentions with effort expectancy surfacing as the only significant predictor of behavior intention. Results and recommendations for future research in the application of UTAUT are discussed.

Die Akzeptanz von IKT Integration im Unterricht von Lehramtsstudenten: Anwendung des UTAUT Modells

In dieser Studie erkunden die Forscher die Faktoren, die die Akzeptanz der Informations‐ und Kommunikationstechnik‐ (ICT) Integration in den Unterricht der auszubildenden Lehrer beeinflussen. Die vereinheitlichte Theorie von Annahme und Verwendung von Technik (UTAUT) wurde von Venkatesh et al. [MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478] in 2003 entwickelt. und hat acht vorhergehende Modelle übertroffen und dabei 70% des Unterschieds durch Benutzerabsichten erklärt. Die Rolle der UTAUT‐Variablen (Leistungserwartung, Bemühungserwartung, sozialen Einfluss und dem Erleichtern von Bedingungen) sind geprüft und entstehende “Zurückentwicklungs” Modellkonten zu 27% des Unterschieds in Benutzerabsichten bei der Bemühungserwartung erklärt, als die Einzige bedeutsame Vorhersage. Ergebnisse und Empfehlungen für zukünftige Forschung in der Bewerbung von UTAUT werden erörtert.

L'acceptation chez les élèves‐professeurs de l'intégration des TICE dans la classe: une application du modèle TUAUT

Dans la présente étude, les chercheurs examinent les facteurs qui influencent l’acceptation de l’intégration des TICE de la part des enseignants en formation initiale. La Théorie Unifiée de l’Acceptation et de l’Usage de la Technologie (TUAUT) a été mise au point par Venkatesh et al. [MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478] en 2003 et s’est révélée plus performante que huit autres modèles précédents,pouvant expliquer 70% de la variance dans les intentions des utilisateurs. Le rôle des variables TUAUT (performances attendues, effort attendu, influence sociale et conditions facilitantes) est examiné et le modèle régressif explique 27% de la variance dans les intentions des utilisateurs, l’expectative d’effort apparaissant comme le seul indicateur significatif des intentions de comportement. On examine les résultats et les recommandations pour les recherches futures sur l’application de TUAUT.

La aceptación de la integración de las TICs en aulas por parte de los profesores en formación inicial: una aplicación del modelo TUAUT

En el presente estudio, los investigadores examinan los factores que influyen sobre la aceptación de las TICs por parte de los docentes en formación inicial. La Teoría Unificada de la Aceptación y del uso de la Tecnología (TUAUT)fue desarrollada por Venkatesh et al. in 2003 y salió con mejores resultados que ocho modelos anteriores, siendo capaz de explicar el 70% de las variaciones en las intenciones de los usuarios. Se examina el papel de las variables TUAUT (expectaciones de rendimiento, expectaciones de esfuerzo, la influencia social, y la condiciones facilitantes) y el modelo regresivo explica el 27% de las variaciones en las intenciones de los usuarios, la expectación de esfuerzo apareciendo como el único indicador significativo de las intenciones de comportamiento. Los autores discuten también los resultados y las recomendaciones para futuras investigaciones sobre la aplicación de TUAUT.