Search results for: Attitudes of teachers

This study focuses on pre-service training. Three groups of student teachers were created: one group received conceptual training only, another received conceptual training and the opportunity to co-teach, and a third group received initial conceptual training and explanations on its use from a member of the second group. An explicative sequential mixed design was chosen, which combines a quantitative study, conducted on a pre-post basis to compare test results on attitude and willingness to use co-teaching, with a qualitative study to analyse co-teaching student-teachers’ perceptions in both their own learning experience and the learning experience of the pupils. The results show that those who received only conceptual training modified their attitudes to a lesser degree and curiously, those in the group receiving explanations from a peer improved the most.

The role of special education teachers is currently facing an extensive renewal process closely related to the professional transition from a narrow understanding of special education, rooted in the deficit paradigm, to a broader vision of inclusion as a whole-school and community action. Within such a process, student teachers’ professional development in special education plays a crucial role. Studies on this topic underline how student teachers’ beliefs and attitudes regarding inclusive education deeply affect their future teaching activity. Research shows that, while student teachers usually agree with the principles of inclusive teaching, they are much less sure of how to implement those principles in their teaching practice. By assessing the breadth of the gulf between ideals and practice, the author’s investigation emphasises how the video analysis of simulated lessons carried out by student teachers can contribute to a positive change in student teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion in school. Such a change would help student teachers develop a reflective stance that would strengthen their ability to transform inclusive principles into everyday educational practices.

Using a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) approach a research model is developed to predict teachers’ behavioural intention to use educational video games in their courses. The research model is tested via structural equation modelling (SEM) on a sample of 312 Higher Education teachers. Main results suggest that perceived usefulness influences in a direct and positive way teachers’ behavioural intention while perceived ease of use indirectly influences intention through perceived usefulness. Gender and age were not found to moderate teachers’ attitude and behavioural intention. Regarding managerial implications, the authors’ findings suggest that Teacher Training Programmes aiming to encourage the use of educational video games should focus in increasing teachers’ perceived usefulness of educational video games.

The case study aimed to discover the influence of student teachers on student achievement in an elementary school and explore how teachers perceived the influence of student teachers on their students' growth and achievement. Furthermore, the participants argued that student teachers needed to possess characteristics and qualities of highly effective teachers. Although the teachers perceived their experience of working with student teachers as positive, they considered themselves to be an important factor in the equation for impacting student achievement. The teachers said that even when the student teacher was in control, the teacher was available to work with individual students as needed.