Section archive - Programs & Practicum

The shutdown of universities and schools in England, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, came just as many pre-service students began their final practicum. This research focuses on the challenges this posed for teacher educators. Using qualitative research methods and concepts from spatial geography, the article explores how pedagogies adapted as the removal of the practicum relocated learning communities to new online spaces. Established practices changed quickly, with educators showing ‘pedagogic agility’. Despite the relocation to newly-formed online spaces, many principles and ‘intentionalities’ of practice remained unchanged, as did the teacher educators’ orientating values. Overall, there was a sense of both sameness and difference in some of the innovative pedagogies developed on the (g)local level. This research has international relevance in considering the spaces in which authentic teacher education can occur and the alternative pedagogies and technologies to support professional learning in the case of a ‘missing’ practicum.

Literacy today relies on a readers’ ability to analyse text critically. This case study investigated preservice teachers’ critical analysis of media text containing visuals and representations. In particular, the analysis focused on mathematical factors that impact on readers’ interpretation of diverse visuals. Data was gathered from the 23 preservice teachers, enrolled in the Graduate Diploma program at one Australian university. They participated in a series of mathematics learning sessions focused on the critical analysis of a selection of media items. The paper argues that the ability to critically analyse graphs and visuals relies on mathematical knowledge and that the ability to critically analyse such representations is a necessary component of mathematical literacy and everyday literacy. Mathematics teachers require well-developed critical analysis competencies to enable them, and ultimately their students, to critically analyse representations in everyday text. The paper illustrates that drawing on diverse visuals from the media can be productively used to develop critical analysis competencies.

This work explores mentoring triad relationships between pre-service teachers, school-based cooperating teachers, and professors at a community college. Using cultural historical activity theory, the authors provide a retrospective analysis of the factors influencing the success of the mentoring relationships. They assessed 60 mentoring triads with a rubric focused on how triads established intersubjectivity and the activity systems of practicum and college course were able to intersect and establish common goals. Results showed that highly successful triads were most likely to have culturally matched student/cooperating teacher pairs and culturally diverse practicum placements. Qualitative analysis showed that an equal exchange of power among the triad was foundational for enabling intersubjectivity. Therefore, equal power exchange between the triad during early practicum experiences are supported by and support cultural responsiveness. They argue for further research on this population of pre-service teachers as well as greater attention to issues of power and cultural responsivity during mentorship.

This paper undertakes a critical review and analysis of the recent developments in teacher education in Pakistan to situate different models of teacher education funded by donor agencies against international development in teacher education and the political economy dynamics of teacher education in Pakistan. The paper’s central thesis is that despite the prevalent and overwhelming trends, of which Pakistan is possibly a willing or unwitting recipient, there are clear indications that the so-called international standardisation of teacher education models and practices are being critically considered and that more contextualisation is required. This paper recommends areas of research to support iterative development of contextual models of teacher education through an evidence-based approach. This can then better inform teacher education policies and practices. Also, it can focus on the desired teacher development outcomes within the context of a developing country and the educational milieu that is particular to Pakistan.