Participatory action research can prepare preservice teachers for collaborating with school students in research projects. In the current study, principles for pre-service teachers' participatory... Show moreParticipatory action research can prepare preservice teachers for collaborating with school students in research projects. In the current study, principles for pre-service teachers' participatory action research are examined based on teacher educators’ views and actions while they implement participatory action research in a teacher education program. Across three dimensions (cultural-discursive, material-economic, social-political), the findings shed light on how student participation and participatory action research can be implemented in a teacher education program and how preservice teachers can be prepared for and supported in collaborating with their school students. Show less
This thesis investigated the extent to which participation of school students in decision-making processes can be achieved, including through participatory action research (PAR) in teacher... Show moreThis thesis investigated the extent to which participation of school students in decision-making processes can be achieved, including through participatory action research (PAR) in teacher education. Data were collected from observations, research reports of pre-service teachers (PSTs) and interviews with PSTs and teacher educators. The aim was to enable students-teacher collaboration at an intensive level and have real influence on changes in teaching practice. The study found that some PST-projects exhibited the first stages of development towards this goal and that student participation was possible within limited time frames and contexts. School students were involved in designing and implementing the research projects, and they thereby contributed to changes in the content of their teaching and learning or in their circumstances. The study also highlighted the need for a higher level of student participation than just having a voice and being able to express opinions.The study developed a matrix for describing and designing participatory research practices (the SPinSTAR matrix), which distinguishes four levels of participation during different research phases. Furthermore, the study provided a set of principles for PAR that can provide more detailed insights into the participatory qualities of practices and the intertwined mechanisms that influence student participation. Show less
This chapter explores issues encountered by beginning CLIL teachers in making sense of and applying guidelines aimed at teachers when designing learning experiences for CLIL. After summarising... Show moreThis chapter explores issues encountered by beginning CLIL teachers in making sense of and applying guidelines aimed at teachers when designing learning experiences for CLIL. After summarising current guidelines, the authors draw on Coyle et al.’s (2010) 4Cs model, an additional C for collaboration and developments conceptualising integration and disciplinary literacy, to reflect on their own experiences as CLIL teacher educators in The Netherlands. They discuss how principles behind CLIL can be made relatable to both content and language teachers. They argue that, in taking a holistic, literacy-based view of subject teaching, teachers from both linguistic and non-linguistic disciplines are positioned as experts in all aspects of their subject, and can enter into collaboration on an equal footing with each other. Challenges remain, including a need for cross-disciplinary collaboration between language specialist and subject specialist teacher educators. Show less
As part of Nexus 1492 Subproject 4: A Future for Diverse Caribbean Heritages, which seeks to shed light on how local communities interpret and engage with heritage in the present day, this doctoral... Show moreAs part of Nexus 1492 Subproject 4: A Future for Diverse Caribbean Heritages, which seeks to shed light on how local communities interpret and engage with heritage in the present day, this doctoral study aims to gain insight into how indigenous heritage is represented in the school curriculum for social studies. To this end, the research questions focus on analyzing the relationships that are formed between individuals and the past in the school context. Taking into account teachers’ perspectives on subject content and pedagogical practices can contribute to gaining a better understanding of the role of education in safeguarding heritage. Show less
Coskun, B.; Kuijpers, A.J.; Rooij, E. van; Dam, M.; Fokkens-Bruinsma, M.; Goedhart, M.; ... ; Vries, M. de 2019
Novice teachers need mentoring support from experienced teachers as they prepare to become teachers. Such mentoring support needs to be responsive and adaptive to novice teachers’ learning. Mentor... Show moreNovice teachers need mentoring support from experienced teachers as they prepare to become teachers. Such mentoring support needs to be responsive and adaptive to novice teachers’ learning. Mentor teachers therefore require knowledge of novice teacher learning and of mentoring activities to support this learning. These are critical but underdeveloped components in the knowledge base of mentoring. This thesis draws on mentor teachers’ practical knowledge to inform the knowledge base of mentoring, and focuses on the question: What is the content of mentor teachers’ practical knowledge of adaptive response to their mentee teachers’ learning? Through questionnaires and interviews, the study elicited four components of mentor teachers’ practical knowledge of adaptive mentoring: 1) their mentoring conceptions, 2) their knowledge of mentoring activities, 3) their knowledge of novice teacher learning, and 4) their heuristics for responding to specific mentoring situations. Findings show that adaptive mentors focus on novice teacher construction of practical knowledge of teaching, and that confronting novices with problems is a central activity of adaptive mentoring. The study provides representations of shared mentor teacher knowledge of adaptive mentoring and a component model of mentor practical knowledge of adaptive mentoring, useful for developers of mentor training. Show less
In this dissertation, I investigated factors related to student-teachers’ commitment to teaching and intention to enter the teaching profession after graduation. The study gives some explanations... Show moreIn this dissertation, I investigated factors related to student-teachers’ commitment to teaching and intention to enter the teaching profession after graduation. The study gives some explanations why some student-teachers are not committed to enter and stay in the teaching profession for a reasonable period of time and make a career of the teaching profession. The study included a total of 3246 undergraduate student-teachers from one large teacher education university in Tanzania who are preparing to teach in secondary schools and teacher education colleges. Findings indicates that differences in student-teachers’ commitment to teaching can be explained by factors including student-teachers’ sense of teaching self-efficacy, perceived influence of significant others and school conditions, attitudes towards the teaching profession and their teaching subjects, and satisfaction with the teacher education programme. Similarly, this study shows an important relationship between student-teachers’ gender roles and their commitment to teaching, and it identifies different types of student-teachers based on their levels of commitment, motivation to enter the teaching profession, their perceptions of the teaching profession and environmental aspects. These types include: Committed passionate, Committed compromisers, Undecided, and Uncommitted student-teachers. Lastly, using a systematic review approach this dissertation identifies different underlying themes within teacher education that are related to student-teachers’ commitment to teaching. Show less
This thesis comprises four closely related interpretative studies and set out to answer the compound question: __How do teachers interpret their classroom interactions in terms of their pupils__... Show moreThis thesis comprises four closely related interpretative studies and set out to answer the compound question: __How do teachers interpret their classroom interactions in terms of their pupils__ best interest?__ Two empirical studies were conducted. The first study addressed the sub question: __How do teachers legitimise their daily classroom interactions in terms of educational values and ideals?__ The second study explored the second sub question: __How do teachers give expression to their legitimisations when interpreting their classroom interactions in terms of their pupils__ best interest?__ Differences in ways of giving expression to their legitimisations between teachers and different institutional contexts were taken into account. Before the research questions could be answered, two methodological problems had to be addressed. The first concerned how to collect empirical data that is suitable for inquiring into teachers__ interpretations of their classroom interactions in terms of their pupils__ best interest. The second methodological problem revolved around how to identify teachers__ educational values and ideals that underlie these interpretations from the perspective of continental European pedagogy. Implications of the findings for teacher education are presented in the concluding chapter. Show less
Collaboration is increasingly common among teachers in schools. As such, teacher education should prepare prospective teachers to effectively interact with other teachers in different types of... Show moreCollaboration is increasingly common among teachers in schools. As such, teacher education should prepare prospective teachers to effectively interact with other teachers in different types of communities or groups. This dissertation sheds light on the way student teachers are prepared to collaborate while taking part in different types of groups (mentor group, subject matter group, reflection group and research group) in teacher education. The findings and recommendations provide guidance about how to improve prospective teachers' collaborative abilities. Show less
The topic of this study is the portfolio that is being used in a teacher education institute as an instrument for stimulating reflection on their development as teachers by student teachers. This... Show moreThe topic of this study is the portfolio that is being used in a teacher education institute as an instrument for stimulating reflection on their development as teachers by student teachers. This reflection can be seen in the themes student teachers have written in their portfolios. The nature of reflection has been described by means of content analysis. The student teachers in this study mainly used their portfolios for examing what they had done and learned and much less for learning from these experiences. The results show that teacher education institutes must be very clear about what they aim at with reflection. Subsequently portfolio supervision and the use of the portfolio should be much better geared to this. Whether the portfolio is a suitable instrument for using in educating teachers should also be discussed. Show less
