Abstract: Recent learning environments research conducted in Australasia reports positive correlations between innovative learning environments (ILEs) and students’ deep learning. Yet, understandings about how ILEs may support teachers’ professional practice and students’ learning activities are limited, with little research having been conducted into how different spatial affordances may—or may not—enhance opportunities for effective teaching and learning. This study investigated the affordance for learning perceptions of educators and architects with respect to the action possibilities for deep learning in both ILEs and more traditional classrooms. The study identified a taxonomy of affordances found to enhance opportunities for varied pedagogical approaches. In addition, differences were found between educators’ and architects’ perceptions of affordances for learning, revealing a need to better understand how both groups might learn to recognise and subsequently take advantage of action possibilities for deep learning. PubDate: 2019-10-12
Abstract: In this article, we investigate a major, long-running policy intervention to combat educational exclusion in South Australia (SA): the Interagency Community Action Networks (ICAN)-Flexible Learning Options (FLO) policy and program agenda (ICAN-FLO). SA is unique for having the only bureaucratically systematised ‘social inclusion’ schooling approach to the problem of early school leaving in Australia. We frame ICAN-FLO using the concept of wicked problems in policy and specify how some problematic features of ICAN-FLO since its inception in 2007 are predicted by this concept. Problems with ICAN-FLO include a lack of public accountability; shortcomings in transparency about attainment of students enrolled in ICAN-FLO; and the consequent danger that public confidence in ICAN-FLO will be undermined. Constructive suggestions to address these weaknesses are offered, including, more conceptual policy work in partnership with collective and independent stakeholder inquiry and research. We conclude that one ever-present danger with bureaucratically scaled-up social inclusion initiatives like ICAN-FLO is that such initiatives become a parallel ‘safety-net’ education system for the disadvantaged and thereby corrode the principle of an inclusive mainstream education system meeting the needs of all children and young people in SA or elsewhere. PubDate: 2019-09-30
Abstract: Current literature shows that emotional intelligence (EI) plays a significant role in teacher effectiveness. In recognition of this, one Australian state has recently announced that initial teacher education (ITE) graduates must demonstrate superior emotional intelligence in psychometric tests before they will be allowed to apply for jobs in New South Wales’ public schools. In order to inform ITE providers and researchers seeking to support pre-service teachers (PST) in developing superior EI, this scoping review examines what is known from the existing literature about PSTs’ EI and identifies gaps in the current literature. There were 23 articles published which fit the criteria for this scoping review, 22 of these used quantitative methods. This scoping review revealed that there is a need for methodological diversification within this field and recommends that future studies focus on qualitative research methods to facilitate in-depth understanding of EI within the context of PST. PubDate: 2019-09-24
Abstract: Teacher-rated classroom engagement and student self-reported motivation for mathematics were used to predict mathematics scores in 3rd and 5th grade. Students were grouped based on a combination of biological sex and SES quintiles resulting in 10 independent groups. The mathematics achievement patterns were predicted based upon a combined within-group model. Results indicated female mathematics achievement was not significantly related to self-reported mathematics motivation but was related to classroom engagement. In males, mathematics motivation was not significantly related to achievement for lowest SES males; however, there was a significant relationship for highest quintile class males. Conversely, classroom engagement was significant for lower class males and was not significantly related for highest quintile SES males. Implications of the results are discussed. PubDate: 2019-09-10
Abstract: The idea of ‘good enough’ teacher education is taken from the work of Donald Winnicott, a British psychoanalyst who proposed the idea of ‘the good enough mother’ (Winnicott in The family and individual development, Tavistock, London, 1965) in response to popular views of the time that good mothers all shared certain selfless characteristics, with negative effects for all those who failed to meet this impossible ideal of perfect mothering. I will argue that education researchers and professionals are now in a position to go beyond ‘the crisis in teacher education’ (that has once again this year been beaten up into a frenzy with the ATAR whisk) and begin to claim space for a reconceptualised teacher education, based on practice theory, which can take us forward with renewed energy and passion to challenge an impossible ideal of perfect teaching. As researchers, we need to mobilise our intellectual resources to address our colleagues in the field—our discipline leaders, our university managers, Deans, Vice Chancellors and our systems-based colleagues—to produce some effective self-talk about the place, nature and role of teacher education in this country. I will argue for the idea of a ‘good enough’ teacher education, one that explicitly aims to produce what I call, perhaps provocatively, a ‘Good Enough’ teacher—someone who knows she can never be fully prepared for the schools of today; who knows she is not ‘classroom-ready’ when she starts her career; but who is well prepared for her struggle every day, in and through her practice, to know and meet the needs of her students. PubDate: 2019-09-10
Abstract: This paper explores the strategies and resources for resilience activated by a cohort of career change preservice teachers enrolled in a graduate entry teacher education program in eastern Australia. Data were collected through focus groups as the preservice teachers prepared for professional experience placements. A social ecological lens is used as a framework to discuss the range of personal and contextual resources and strategies utilised to activate their individual resilience. The findings revealed that preservice teachers perceived teaching as a ‘take home’ job with the intense workload demands and stresses of teaching impacting on their personal as well as their professional lives that precipitated a range of resilient responses. Supervising teachers and professional experience contexts appeared to impact significantly on preservice teacher resilience and their successful adaptation to teaching. PubDate: 2019-09-01
Abstract: The article “Portray cultures other than ours”: How children’s literature is being used to support the diversity goals of the Australian Early Years Learning Framework, written by Helen Adam, Caroline Barratt-Pugh, Yvonne Haig, was originally published electronically on the publisher’s internet portal (currently SpringerLink) on 20 January 2019 without open access. PubDate: 2019-08-30
Abstract: The recasting of education as an economic rather than a social good means that governments around the world will continue to pursue agendas to show that schooling systems are effective in raising standards. Literacy is a key area of comparison on the world stage, placing literacy educators under enormous pressure to perform in this culture of accountability and visibility. We use Archer’s theory of reflexivity and morphogenesis to identify the work of nine literacy teachers and leaders in Australia as both enabling and constraining with personal, structural and cultural emergent properties needing to be constantly negotiated. Our findings show that mediation of these emergent properties occurred in different ways. Mostly teachers acted in ways that accepted ‘the way things are’ rather than mobilising as corporate agents or social actors to enact change. We argue that literacy educators can find ways to harness enablements to reclaim their professional autonomy. PubDate: 2019-08-29
Abstract: Theoretically, teacher efficacy beliefs (TEBs) are influenced by the analysis of the teaching task and its context (hereafter, teaching analysis). However, there is a lack of empirical study on the relationships between them. This qualitative exploratory study investigated how teachers related their TEBs to their teaching analysis. Interviews were conducted with ten science teachers in Singapore, who were adopting learner-centred pedagogy in their teaching. Six themes emerged: (a) familiarity with the task; (b) improvability of the task; (c) complexity of the task; (d) compatibility of the task with students; (e) collegiality and (f) structural supports. Findings also reveal the dynamic nature and the contingent aspect of TEBs. Implications for school leaders and educators are suggested. PubDate: 2019-08-29
Abstract: While there is agreement that dispositions and resilience enable teachers to negotiate the complexities of teaching, how we support pre-service teachers (PSTs) to activate and understand the nature of dispositions and resilience is less clear. This narrative inquiry, conducted at a regional university in Australia, examines ways thinking dispositions act as personal resources to enable PSTs to develop resilience and negotiate the reality of teaching. In this paper, we examine a teaching and learning experience in an initial teacher education program where PSTs engage with complexities associated with planning, teaching and assessment. Drawing from semi-structured interviews, we construct and examine PSTs’ narratives and identify the foundational influence of people-centred thinking. We also identify the central role of reflective and strategic thinking in enabling resilience. Finally, we argue that school/university partnership initiatives in teacher education provide opportunities to focus on dispositions associated with resilience. PubDate: 2019-08-13
Abstract: Resilience can be fostered amongst teachers in order to sustain their well-being and commitment to quality education. This study examined the effects of a training programme focused on resilience and well-being, targeting in-service Portuguese teachers. This paper reports a study using a quasi-experimental design involving 59 teachers (35 in two experimental groups and 24 in a control group). The effects of the professional learning programme were assessed using the following measures: motivation, global resilience, commitment to the profession, self-efficacy, school support, positive and negative experiences, work well-being, and work meaning. The experimental group participated in an 18-hour professional learning programme. Results showed the effects of the professional learning programme over all the variables, with the exception of Teacher Commitment to the Profession and School Support. These findings contribute to the growing body of research conceptualising teacher resilience as a multidimensional construct and have implications for teacher professional learning programmes. PubDate: 2019-08-06
Abstract: In the context of increasing interest in international teaching practicums, this study investigated the perceptions of Australian pre-service teachers, Chinese mentor teachers and Chinese school students vis-à-vis an international teaching practicum in Anshan, China. Utilising a case study design and thematic analysis methods, the authors critically investigate how the participants from Australia and China perceived the benefits and challenges associated with that practicum. The analysis draws on data from pre-service teachers’ reflective reports, mentor teachers’ interviews and local student questionnaires. The data show that this international teaching practicum was a mutually beneficial and valuable experience for all participants. However, the study revealed challenges and tensions with respect to the meeting of Australian and Chinese educational systems because of their very different social and cultural contexts. Recommendations are made for improving the experience of all participants in international teaching practicums into the future. PubDate: 2019-07-31
Abstract: We propose the Framework for Cultivating Teacher Thriving, which identifies the important role that teachers’ social–emotional competence (SEC) plays in helping them to thrive at work (and beyond). The framework operationalises SEC by way of teachers’ basic psychological need satisfaction (a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness), autonomous motivation, and behaviours as relevant to the social and emotional domains. The three components form an iterative process of social and emotional competence development. The components of SEC are promoted by supportive work environments and, in turn, promote and are promoted by teacher thriving at work (e.g. job satisfaction, organisational commitment). The relationships identified in the framework are situated within different contexts, which influence and are influenced by individual differences among teachers (e.g. recent experiences of adversity). After introducing the model, our focus turns to professional learning as a means for helping teachers further develop their SEC and thriving at work. PubDate: 2019-07-23
Abstract: This study focuses on early childhood pre-service teacher education students as they engage with the BRiTE (Building Resilience in Teacher Education) modules during their studies. These modules are designed to provide pre-service teachers with a range of strategies to support their resilience. The BRiTE modules are integrated into subject content in each year of the degree. The study explores pre-service teachers’ capacity to exercise strategies and build resilience throughout their studies and during their Professional Experience placements. First-year students were surveyed about anticipated challenges in their initial placement following completion of the ‘Building Resilience’ and ‘Relationships’ modules. Eleven interviews were then undertaken with pre-service teachers across each year cohort, exploring individual stories of challenge and resilience whilst on placement. Analysis of responses revealed a range of challenges including the desire to ‘belong’ and develop relationships, which pre-service teachers managed in increasingly proactive ways as they took on teacher identity. Pre-service teachers identified strategies from the modules that they applied in their practice and had suggestions for effective ways to embed BRiTE in the degree. The study has implications for support of pre-service teachers preparatory to, and on, entering the profession. PubDate: 2019-07-23
Abstract: Australian legislation requires teachers to make reasonable adjustments for students with disability, including those with Developmental Language Disorder. The Standards underpinning this legislation stipulate that students must be consulted about adjustments that are made. This is not common practice in Australian schools and there is limited practical guidance available for professionals to help them enact these obligations, particularly when consulting students with communication difficulties. This paper presents findings from a research project that used a sequential phase mixed-method design to investigate what students with language difficulties say helps them to learn when they engaged in a communication accessible consultation process. The barriers that students say they experienced in accessing the curriculum, teacher instruction and demonstrating their learning are discussed, as well as the adjustments suggested by students. This article concludes with a discussion of successful elements for consulting students with disability, which can be utilised by teachers and researchers alike. PubDate: 2019-07-23
Abstract: The Creating Meaningful Connections project is a longitudinal study that resulted from a partnership between social work academics at the University of Newcastle and educators at a regional secondary school in NSW, Australia. It seeks to better understand the relationship between school connectedness and youth mental health. In stage 1, focus groups were conducted with 99 students 9 months after their transition to secondary school. The shift to secondary school created a range of social and academic challenges for young people. It often resulted in limited—or no—contact with friends from primary school, requiring the negotiation of new friendships. While this process was relatively trouble-free for many students, others described it as risky and challenging. Positive peer relationships appeared to increase happiness, feelings of safety, offer support during difficult periods and facilitate secondary school adjustment. This paper offers a unique perspective by capturing student voice and commentary about the nature and importance of peer relationships during transition. It also highlights the potential for social work and education to work collaboratively to enhance peer relationships, mental health and school connectedness during transition. PubDate: 2019-07-17
Abstract: From a social ecological perspective, there are multiple challenges that can lead to stress, burnout and attrition in teachers and school leaders. The capacity to manage negative emotions is important for emotion regulation, emotional intelligence, coping and mindfulness. Emotions also form one dimension of resilience as teachers use strategies to maintain their commitment and well-being. This paper examines those strategies nominated by 73 practicing teachers who completed online modules designed to enhance resilience capacity. An iterative process of coding of 206 separate responses led to 14 first-order categories. These were then coded into four higher-order categories of Waiting, Assessing, Problem-Solving and Being Proactive. The largest group of responses, aligned with mindfulness approaches, referred to the need to take a break to calm oneself and manage the emotions, before assessing the situation and engaging in direct problem-focused strategies. Participants also reported putting proactive strategies in place. Implications for teacher professional learning are discussed including the challenge of focusing on individual capacity when the source of challenges may lie in wider policies or workplace structure. Limitations include lack of corroborating observational data, and suggestions are made for further research to understand how teachers manage the emotional challenges of their work. PubDate: 2019-07-13
Abstract: This paper reports findings from a study of early career teachers (ECTs) in Western Australia. The aim of this study was to investigate the professional learning activities of ECTs and the perceived impact of these on their professional development. Data were gathered via two online surveys and interviews. Findings reveal that ECTs participated in a range of formal and informal professional learning activities which were accessed through the Department of Education and their schools. The activities that had the greatest perceived impact on professional development were engaging in informal dialogue with colleagues and participation in an in-class coaching programme. Results lend support to the criticism of the unhelpful dichotomy between formal and informal learning in the provision of professional learning activities for teachers, and ECTs especially. They also highlight the critical role played by relationships and school contexts in ensuring the future generation of teachers are equipped to provide high-quality teaching and will remain resilient and committed to the profession beyond the early career years. PubDate: 2019-07-10
Abstract: Primary schools are dynamic environments where teachers take on multiple roles, often simultaneously, to help promote high-quality learning and meet the various needs of their students. Within the primary school context both female and male teachers are required to perform multiple roles; however, these roles are often socially constructed based on gender. Traditionally, primary schools in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United States have a high proportion of female teachers. Despite their minority status, research has noted that male primary teachers in the minority are often expected to take primary responsibility for roles such as disciplinarian, manual labourer, sports coach, and lead in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Role differentiation in primary schools often reflects broader societal gender constructions that are increasingly subjected to critical scrutiny. Yet that same level of scrutiny has not always been applied to educational contexts. It is the aim of this paper, therefore, to more fully examine how gendered roles influence the experience of male primary teachers and more specifically, how those teachers cope with the expectations placed on them because they are men. Understanding the sources and types of coping strategies will aid in the development of specific interventions to improve the retention of other male primary teachers. PubDate: 2019-07-04
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