University of Cumbria Open Access Journals
Not a member yet
615 research outputs found
Sort by
Technology-supported literacy and numeracy enhancement workshops for trainee teachers
Get PDFThe paper presents a group-based approach to literacy and numeracy support for trainee teachers who are at risk of not meeting prescribed literacy or numeracy targets. The aim is to develop a pedagogically efficient approach to maintaining and, where appropriate, raising the standard of literacy and numeracy. An audience response system (‘clickers’) is used to create a pedagogically productive and time-efficient activity workshop. This builds on an earlier project where we developed the respond-discuss-reveal (RDR) technique for increasing engagement in degree level mathematics classes. In this current project the technique is applied to the problem of enhancing literacy and numeracy. The project produces some important results for our approach and leads us to identify a new teaching method named Dialogical Assessment. The project is relevant to the renewed emphasis on literacy and numeracy in Welsh initial teacher training and which has created new statutory duties for teacher training providers. Keywords Technology enhanced teaching; literacy; numeracy; audience response systems; formative assessment; teacher education; questioning; dialogic assessment; RDR
Preparing a Pathway of Professional Development for Teacher Educators in the Lifelong Learning Sector
Get PDFThis paper offers an extension to ideas discussed in ‘Dealing with Change’ (Exley, 2010) which examined the transition of teacher to teacher educator in the Lifelong Learning Sector, and the possible creation of a recognised pathway, or pathways, for the professional development for teacher educators in the sector. A preliminary suggestion is made for a possible format suitable for a pathway in support of the professional development of teacher educators. This is based on the analyses of findings from current literature, education policy reform and primary research examining the perceptions of teacher educators regarding their own development. The original ideas on which this research is based were formulated from a discussion between the authors at a Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETT) Conference in 2009, ‘Just Suppose’, a national Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETT) Conference, held at the Eden Project, Cornwall. Key Words Teacher educator; teacher education; professional development; Lifelong Learning Sector
The Nature of Practitioner Research: Critical distance, power and ethics
Get PDFResearching within one’s place of practice allows the researcher to have the unique position of knowing the participants and the research context. The relationship the participants have with the researcher will impact upon the disclosure of information differently than research conducted by someone outside the area of practice. This can be a benefit and a drawback for the participants, the area of practice and the researcher. However, as is demonstrated within this paper, the role the researcher adopts throughout the process of gathering information is not always clear. As a student on the Doctorate of Education programme myself, the nature of practitioner research and the complexities of this type of research is of great interest to me. Beginning to develop my own research project through this taught programme has allowed an opportunity to think through these challenges and wrestle with the complexity and contradiction, dilemma and incongruity which emerges from being a researching practitioner. Within this piece it is suggested that these quandaries can be considered from the perspective of critical distance, relationships and power and ethical considerations. The idea of considering these conflicts reflexively will be explored here. Although this discussion was not based on empirical research findings as such, it is anticipated that this piece will further the understanding of practitioner research in higher education from the position of being a student and through scholastic analysis of the Ed D programme providing a particular perspective on the nature of research. Keywords Research; practitioner; ethics; practice; positionality; reflexivity, power.
Choosing some teacher cardigans’: Teacher identity in year one of an undergraduate early years teacher education programme
Get PDFThis study of a group of first year undergraduate student teachers seeks to explore the development of their professional identity as beginner teachers during the initial stages of their three-year programme. The stimulus for the study was an apparent struggle students experienced with their development of a learner identity in Higher Education, alongside visualising themselves as teachers operating in the classroom. Questionnaires and naturally occurring data linked to a module involving reflection and developing agency as a learner, were collated and analysed using a grounded theory approach. Interviews were analysed using Atlas ti and codes used to identify emerging themes. Findings indicated that it is important to discuss teacher identity in the context of existing identities students demonstrate as these are challenged on the journey to becoming a teacher. Initially, students focus on their outward appearance, hence the title ‘choosing some teacher cardigans’, as they emphasise the importance of looking like a teacher, at this stage of their identity development. The complexity of this journey is apparent, as is the need to examine identity development as an integral part of Initial Teacher Education. Keywords Identity; student teacher; placement; school; concept builder
The Learning Impact of a Virtual Learning Environment: Students’ views
Get PDFVirtual learning environments (VLEs) are widely used in education, in many sectors, typically to deliver instructional materials and facilitate communication. This article reports on an online survey into VLE use by 248 second year students at an English Sixth Form College (SFC). The survey investigated the reported impact of using the college’s VLE (Moodle) on learning, and was based on three research questions which investigated: whether the use of a VLE has a positive impact on student learning; whether the use of a VLE in teaching and learning helps develop independent learning; and whether the use of a VLE increases students’ motivation to learn. The statistically significant findings report that the use of Moodle produces improvement in learning and motivation to learn as reported by the student participants. The findings will be of broad interest to teachers as they indicate areas for attention in promoting VLE use to enhance learning. Keywords Virtual learning environments; student view / voice; motivation; independent learning
How does video analysis support student teachers in the very early stages of their initial teacher education?
Get PDFAbstract This paper describes how video analysis can greatly enhance the learning resulting from student teachers’ first experiences of lesson observation and classroom teaching. A group of nine undergraduate students studying Science and Mathematics education used video recordings of exemplar Science and Mathematics lessons to identify aspects of best practice before analysing recordings of their own teaching. Each pair of students used WIMBA Create to produce a multimedia account of their learning. Data obtained from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews indicate that this use of video technology developed the students’ planning and teaching skills and, crucially, introduced them to the value and nature of reflective practice. Even this brief use of video was found to have a significant impact on students’ future practice and disposition to reflection. The paper discusses how this use of video is ideally suited to adopting a constructivist approach to initial teacher education by facilitating active learning and collaboration.Keywords Video; reflection; constructivism; collaboration; placement