Theories & Approaches (523 items)To section archive

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This research collected the voices of students in a UK university, better to understand their perception of their ‘moral responsibility’ as trainee early years educators. The UK Early Years Framework states that practitioners will instil in young children an understanding of what is ‘right and wrong’. This is a formidable expectation in itself; yet early years educators are also expected to work ethically, sensitively and respectfully with a wide network of colleagues and stakeholders. This research, carried out through a fully anonymised survey, provided the opportunity for some student teachers to share that where ethical responsibility was concerned, they just didn’t get it. The research found that an understanding was often assumed by tutors and that a more conscious effort needed to be made more explicitly to explore these concepts, and the associated lexicon, within module content.
Published: 2022
Updated: Aug. 11, 2022
This study employs a qualitative case study approach of one elementary preservice teacher as a critique of neoliberal ideology on teacher education for equity and teaching Black children. The study specifically seeks to understand the role of science teacher education in the preparation of an elementary teacher candidate and her learning about sociocultural perspectives in science education and how her ideas about teaching converge within the larger framing of neoliberal ideology. Sociocultural perspectives are defined broadly to include diversity, equity, and identity with a neoliberal ideology to focus on how the teacher candidate talks about equity issues and the teaching of Black children. The case is constructed using multiple course artifacts collected over one semester (i.e., reflective papers, informal conversations, and a semi-structured interview). The case study discusses the importance of science teacher education in the preparation of teacher candidates for classroom practice where sociocultural perspectives are given attention and how neoliberal ideology may impact teacher candidates’ teaching and learning of science in culturally and racially diverse classrooms.
Published: 2022
Updated: Jun. 28, 2022
Throughout their initial teacher education training in Australia, students are informed about the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) and the necessity of gathering evidence to achieve these for teacher registration. Whilst the use of digital technologies as tools for reflection has become increasingly popular, there remains a paucity of research around the types of digital technologies that students use to document their ability to achieve accreditation requirements. This study presents details of how PebblePad, a specialised ePortfolio platform, can assist teacher education students to gain increased awareness about the 37 APST descriptors through the use of tagging. Results demonstrate that students found tagging an invaluable practice and that they recognised the importance of using this ePortfolio platform after graduation to build on their growth as educators in alignment with the APST. In this way, the study addresses a significant gap in teacher education literature in this era of accountability.
Published: 2022
Updated: Jun. 26, 2022
Drawing on data from 16 teacher candidates in an elementary literacy methods course, this qualitative study seeks to understand how literature circles can help candidates critically reflect on social justice and equity as well as encourage reflection on race and privilege. Upon analyzing recorded classroom discussions, written artifacts, and interviews, findings indicate literature circles in a methods class can provide candidates entrance into conversations about social justice, support candidates to better understand themselves and their students, and represent an initial step in disrupting a system. Equity-centered literature circles are an instructional practice that teacher educators can utilize to provide teacher candidates a space to engage in difficult conversations and support teacher candidates in working to disrupt a normalization of Whiteness in schools.
Published: 2021
Updated: May. 22, 2022