Reconceptualizing Preservice Teacher Preparation in Science Literacy Education Using Action Research in South Africa

This chapter presents a reconceptualization of preservice teacher preparation in the context of science, information technology, and African language education using action research (AR). The authors provide a background of AR as a transformative practice, along with benefits and possible limitations, and describe how student teachers turn theory to practice as change agents engaging in reflection and implementing solutions. Collaborative interaction between mentor teachers and lecturers and the project reports and reflective journals generated by the student teachers are integral parts of the research design and internship program. The authors recommend the use of AR to empower student teachers to deal effectively with probems that arise, and they discuss future research directions.

Using Digital Technologies to Remotely Observe and Mentor Teachers

Using digital technologies to remotely observe and mentor teachers is a relatively new practice. Thus, many states, schools, and districts do not have policies in place that explicitly allow this practice, and, in some instances, policies are in place that explicitly prohibit the use of these technologies. This chapter provides an analysis of the traditional approach to mentorship, support, and feedback, and highlights new challenges with in-person mentorship, support, and feedback amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As with many aspects of current newly adapted world, the teaching profession has become increasingly reliant on using digital technologies to remotely observe and mentor teachers. The chapter provides a literature review of best practices in observation, mentorship, and feedback. It also shows that limited data are available to facilitate the use of digital technologies and provide novice and in-service teacher support in order to allow for a positive novice teacher induction experience.

Primary preservice teachers' perspectives of their literacy mentoring experiences during professional placement

PurposeBeing literate can change the lives of Australian students. Therefore, graduating effective teachers of literacy is an imperative for Australian schools. Professional experience provides an opportunity for preservice teachers to refine their skills for teaching literacy under the guidance of a mentor teacher. This study investigates from the perspective of preservice teachers, the attributes and practices primary mentor teachers demonstrate when mentoring literacy teaching during professional experience.Design/methodology/approachThis investigation utilised survey design to gather data from primary preservice teachers (n = 402) from seven Australian universities. The 34 survey items were underpinned by the Five Factor Model of Mentoring and literacy practices prescribed by the Australian curriculum. Preservice teachers self-reported their responses about their literacy mentoring experiences on a five-point Likert scale. The Five Factor Model of Mentoring provided a framework to analyse and present the data using descriptive statistics.FindingsFindings revealed 70% or more of preservice teachers agreed or strongly agreed mentor teachers had the personal attributes, shared the pedagogical knowledge, modelled best practice and provided feedback for effective literacy teaching. Conversely, only 58.7% of the participants reported their mentor teachers shared the system requirements for effective literacy teaching.Research limitations/implicationsThe preservice teachers self-reported their experiences, and although this may be their experience, it does not necessarily mean the mentor teachers did not demonstrate the attributes and practices reported, it may mean they were not identified by the preservice teachers. While there were 402 participants in this study, the viewpoints of these preservice teachers' may or may not be indicative of the entire population of preservice teachers across Australia. This study included primary preservice teachers, so the experiences of secondary and early childhood teachers have not been reported. An extended study would include secondary and early childhood contexts.Practical implicationsThis research highlighted that not all mentor teachers shared the system requirements for literacy teaching with their mentee. This finding prompts a need to undertake further research to investigate the confidence of mentor teachers in their own ability to teach literacy in the primary school. Teaching literacy is complex, and the curriculum is continually evolving. Providing professional learning in teaching literacy will position mentor teachers to better support preservice teachers during professional experience. Ultimately, the goal is to sustain high quality literacy teaching in schools to promote positive outcomes for all Australian school students.Originality/valueWhile the role of mentor teacher is well recognised, there is a dearth of research that explores the mentoring of literacy during professional experience. The preservice teachers in this study self-reported inconsistencies in mentor teachers' attributes and practices for mentoring literacy prompting a need for further professional learning in this vital learning area.

Educative Mentoring: Challenges and Enablers of Implementation in an Intermediate School Context

<p>An effective mentoring programme has a positive effect on the quality of teaching, student achievement, the retention of trained teachers and the teaching profession as a whole and the importance of mentoring beginning teachers cannot be overstated. Recently, there has been a shift in thinking on the most effective way to mentor beginning teachers. This shift has been away from a mentoring approach that only provides support and guidance towards educative mentoring which both challenges and transforms teaching practice and is based on a co-constructed learning relationship. In 2012, the New Zealand Teachers Council introduced guidelines into schools to assist mentor teachers in the educative mentoring of beginning teachers. The purpose of this case study was to examine how effectively one intermediate school was implementing these guidelines, identify challenges involved in the implementation process and describe the conditions necessary to support effective, educative mentoring. To answer the research questions, data was collected through an on-line survey, focus groups and an interview. The findings indicated that while both the mentors and beginning teachers felt that the guidelines were being implemented, neither group believed the mentoring process at the school was particularly effective. The biggest challenge to the implementation of the guidelines was differing perceptions of the purpose and potential of a mentoring programme. The beginning teachers, mentor teachers and principal all held differing views on the purpose of mentoring, leading to other challenges including the lack of clarity around procedures and expectations and tension between assistance and assessment.</p>

Educative Mentoring: Challenges and Enablers of Implementation in an Intermediate School Context

<p>An effective mentoring programme has a positive effect on the quality of teaching, student achievement, the retention of trained teachers and the teaching profession as a whole and the importance of mentoring beginning teachers cannot be overstated. Recently, there has been a shift in thinking on the most effective way to mentor beginning teachers. This shift has been away from a mentoring approach that only provides support and guidance towards educative mentoring which both challenges and transforms teaching practice and is based on a co-constructed learning relationship. In 2012, the New Zealand Teachers Council introduced guidelines into schools to assist mentor teachers in the educative mentoring of beginning teachers. The purpose of this case study was to examine how effectively one intermediate school was implementing these guidelines, identify challenges involved in the implementation process and describe the conditions necessary to support effective, educative mentoring. To answer the research questions, data was collected through an on-line survey, focus groups and an interview. The findings indicated that while both the mentors and beginning teachers felt that the guidelines were being implemented, neither group believed the mentoring process at the school was particularly effective. The biggest challenge to the implementation of the guidelines was differing perceptions of the purpose and potential of a mentoring programme. The beginning teachers, mentor teachers and principal all held differing views on the purpose of mentoring, leading to other challenges including the lack of clarity around procedures and expectations and tension between assistance and assessment.</p>

Voice of EFL mentor teachers: Mentorship for mutual professional development.

This study aimed to report the voice of mentor teachers towards pre-service English teachers’ professional development viewed from relational, developmental, and contextual components during school teaching practice programs. The study employed a descriptive case study. Utilizing the purposive sampling technique, four mentor teachers from public and private junior secondary schools participated in this study. The instrument used was an interview protocol, and the data were collected through a one-on-one interview using a voice recorder for gathering a comprehensive perspective towards the pre-service English teachers’ professional learning. The data were analyzed by using a coding system and employing coding cycles. The findings showed that all components—relational, developmental, and contextual—were found. The mentor teachers voiced their perspective and stressed the developmental component because they found that the pre-service English teachers experienced hindrances both externally and internally regarding teaching performance, classroom management, and motivation. These hindrances contribute to their professional development. This present study result implies a policy implementation related to the synchronization between collaborating schools and universities. The synchronization can be in terms of preparing the mentor teachers and providing the pre-service English teachers a supportive mentorship. Furthermore, the collaboration between schools and universities is also required in the exchange of valuable sources concerning educational instruction trends such as evidence-based practices in peripheral contexts, English teaching for students with diverse cultural backgrounds and academic competencies, and dissemination of best practices that have been implemented in schools for the formulation of teaching theories being taught through course subjects at teacher education departments in the universities.

Triad Role in Shaping Tanzanian Pre-service Teachers' Experience of Teaching Practice

This study explores the role of the triad relationship in shaping pre-service teachers’ experience during teaching practice. The study is descriptive in nature employing a qualitative approach and data from a sample of five pre-service teachers, five college supervisors, five mentor teachers and three Heads of school. The data were analysed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that limited triad relationship, limited social and instructional support from mentor teachers and supervisors’ limited assessment and feedback provision, negatively impacted pre-service teachers’ learning during teaching practice. To achieve a functioning triad the paper suggests that it is important to equally engage supervisors, mentor teachers and Heads of school in formulating appropriate support practices for pre-service teachers. Such practice may include implementing a feedback process where all members of the triad come together.