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Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective

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A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 May 2021) | Viewed by 55889

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Prof. Dr. Kirsi Tirri

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Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
Interests: gifted education; talent development; teacher education; cross-cultural studies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In this Special Issue, we take a holistic approach to teacher education and argue that the purpose of education is to educate the whole personality of a teacher, including his or her cognitive, social, and moral domains. This kind of approach should be implemented in both pre-service and in-service teacher education all over the world. We need more research on teachers’ values, beliefs, and attitudes that influence their motivation to learn new things and develop in their profession. We also need research on teachers’ cognitive and social skills that are important in promoting good teaching and learning. The topic of teacher skills which meet the needs of different learners as well as the topic of teaching different subjects by integrating and differentiating the subject matter are global challenges. The opportunities and problems related to variety of digital technologies and social media create challenges for teachers to support both student learning in different cultures and values with critical minds.

Lifelong learning is one of the aims for twenty-first century teachers. A pedagogically competent teacher pays attention to her students’ abilities, gender, prior knowledge, motives, and expectations to make learning meaningful for them. Teamwork and co-operation among teachers as well as with homes and other institutions are necessary to provide the best possible education for our students. All these aims and demands create pedagogical challenges in teacher education and call for research-based approaches that can be applied in teacher education programs.

In this Special Issue, we invite contributors to address the current challenges in pre-service and in-service teacher education in international contexts. The articles can be theoretical or empirical as long as they address questions related to contemporary teacher education and aim to provide research-based knowledge to improve teacher education globally.

Prof. Dr. Kirsi Tirri
Guest Editor

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

teacher education
global perspectives
holistic approach
research-based teaching
teachers’ values
teachers’ beliefs
teachers’ attitudes
teachers’ skills
lifelong learning
pre-service and in-service teachers

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 149 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective-Introduction to a Special Collection of Research

by Kirsi Tirri

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(7), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11070340 - 9 Jul 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2178

Abstract

This special issue on “Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective” contains eleven articles focused on varied current topics in teacher education all over the world [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

10 pages, 433 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Professional Agency for Learning as a Key for Developing Teachers’ Competencies?

by Auli Toom, Kirsi Pyhältö, Janne Pietarinen and Tiina Soini

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(7), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11070324 - 29 Jun 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4723

Abstract

Teacher’s professional competencies have been discussed extensively in the literature, often linked to educational policy discourses, teaching standards, student learning outcomes, or the intended outcomes of teacher education. Extensive, but fragmented and loosely theoretically or empirically based lists of teacher competencies are provided without much clarification of how, when, and why teachers learn and identify the competencies they need. Teacher competencies and how they are related to the core of their work as thinking practice have been discussed extensively by a range of stakeholders. However, what is actually needed in order to attain such competencies has been less studied. This paper contributes to the gap in the literature on active and intentional learning of teacher competencies by elaborating the relationship between teacher competencies and professional agency for learning. Through this, our aim in this article is to provide a better understanding of the topic, both theoretically and empirically. Drawing on earlier research, we have elaborated on the relationships between a teacher’s professional competencies and agency for learning among pre- and in-service teachers. We also aim to answer the question: what characteristics of teacher education lead to student teachers becoming competent and agentic? Why should we focus on those features during pre-service teacher education and as part of a teacher’s career? Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

16 pages, 313 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Finnish and Portuguese Parents’ Perspectives on the Role of Teachers in Parent-Teacher Partnerships and Parental Engagement

by Cristiana Levinthal, Elina Kuusisto and Kirsi Tirri

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(6), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060306 - 21 Jun 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4451

Abstract

The current educational reforms in Finland and Portugal require a holistic engagement of parents with learning, bringing parents and teachers together as partners. This qualitative study, which interviewed Finnish (N = 10) and Portuguese (N = 9) parents, aimed to explore parents’ views on the role of teachers in supporting parent–teacher partnerships and parental engagement with the school. Inductive content analysis was performed to analyze the interviews. From a general standpoint, three patterns were found in the parents’ narratives about the role of teachers in supporting partnership and engagement: communication, professionalism, and invitations to active parental participation. From a cross-cultural standpoint, Finnish parents evidenced partnerships and engagement grounded in little face-to-face contact but consistent online communication with the teacher, as well as trust in their professionalism and independent work. The Portuguese parents revealed rather frequent active participation within the school premises, more recurrent face-to-face communication with the teacher, and appreciation for teachers’ timely responses and support. Recommendations for a holistic approach of engagement and partnerships were brought forward within the context of teacher education, such as the need to maintain simple but regular communication with parents and the relevance of reconsidering the frequency of parental activities in the school. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

13 pages, 642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Automated Feedback Is Nice and Human Presence Makes It Better: Teachers’ Perceptions of Feedback by Means of an E-Portfolio Enhanced with Learning Analytics

by Pihel Hunt, Äli Leijen and Marieke van der Schaaf

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(6), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060278 - 4 Jun 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3800

Abstract

While there is now extensive research on feedback in the context of higher education, including pre-service teacher education, little has been reported regarding the use of feedback from teachers to other teachers. Moreover, literature on the potential advantages that the use of technology, for example electronic portfolios and learning analytics, has in improving feedback in the in-service workplace practices, is also sparse. Therefore, the aim of this exploratory case study was to explore how in-service teachers perceived the peer feedback they received and provided through a web-based electronic portfolio during a professional development course carried out in their workplace. Questionnaire and interview data were collected from 38 teachers who received feedback through a learning analytics enhanced electronic portfolio and from 23 teachers who received feedback only by the electronic portfolio. Additionally, one individual and four focus group interviews were conducted with 15 teachers who were the feedback providers. Several common topics were identified in the interviews with the feedback receivers and providers, involving the benefits and challenges of human interaction and the flexibility of the feedback process that the electronic portfolio offered. The results also revealed better feedback experience within the group of teachers who received extra feedback by means of learning analytics. It is concluded that although an electronic portfolio provides a useful tool in terms of flexibility in the provision and receipt of feedback, the need for human interaction was acknowledged. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

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20 pages, 439 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Science Teachers’ Perceptions and Self-Efficacy Beliefs Related to Integrated Science Education

by Outi Haatainen, Jaakko Turkka and Maija Aksela

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(6), 272; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060272 - 31 May 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4798

Abstract

To understand how integrated science education (ISE) can be transferred into successful classroom practices, it is important to understand teachers’ perceptions and self-efficacy. The focus of this study is twofold: (1) to understand how teachers perceive ISE and (2) to assess if science teachers’ perceptions of and experiences with integrated education correlate with their views on self-efficacy in relation to ISE. Ninety-five Finnish science teachers participated in an online survey study. A mixed method approach via exploratory factor analysis and data-driven content analysis was used. Self-efficacy emerged as a key factor explaining teachers’ perceptions of and their lack of confidence in implementing ISE as well as their need for support. In addition, teachers regarded ISE as a relevant teaching method, but challenging to implement, and teachers primarily applied integrated approaches irregularly and seldom. Furthermore, teachers’ experiences with integrated activities and collaboration correlated with their views on integrated education and self-efficacy. These findings indicate teachers need support to better understand and implement ISE. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

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11 pages, 2217 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predictors of Parental Contentment with the Amount of Encouraging Digital Feedback from Teachers in Finnish Schools

by Anne-Mari Kuusimäki, Lotta Uusitalo and Kirsi Tirri

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(6), 253; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060253 - 22 May 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2537

Abstract

The Finnish National curriculum obligates teachers to give parents encouraging feedback about their children’s learning and development, the aim being to build a constructive relationship between homes and schools and to encourage close collaboration among all parties. Teachers in Finland nowadays use digital platforms that allow effective online communication. The frequency and quality of such communication vary a great deal. In particular, there seems to be a lack of clarity concerning the amount of encouraging feedback delivered in this way. The focus in this paper is on the extent to which Finnish parents (N = 1117) in both urban and rural areas are content with the amount of such feedback. We carried out a logistic regression analysis to predict parental contentment with the amount of encouraging messaging, with the pupil’s grade level, parental attitudes to digital communication, as well as parental educational level and gender as independent variables. In sum, parents who were less highly educated, with a neutral-to-positive attitude to digital communication and with a child in lower secondary school were most likely to be content with the amount of communication. These results have both research and practical implications in terms of enhancing the understanding of how best to deliver encouraging digital feedback between homes and schools. Furthermore, it seems that teacher education should focus on communicative competence early on. The current study completes our three-part series of studies on digital home–school communication in Finland. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

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11 pages, 225 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Teachers’ Expectations and Perceptions of the Relevance of Professional Development MOOCs

by Jaana Kristiina Herranen, Maija Katariina Aksela, Maya Kaul and Saara Lehto

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 240; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11050240 - 17 May 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4290

Abstract

Online professional-development courses such as massive open online courses (MOOCs) could bring relevant content to a wider base of teachers who might not otherwise have access to professional development. However, research on the relevance of such online courses is scarce. The main aim of this study is to investigate the relevance (individual, societal, and vocational) of MOOCs (mostly participatory cMOOCs) from the viewpoint of teachers now and in the future. We examined teachers’ expectations and perceptions of 10 courses before (N = 364) and after (N = 177) the courses, using an online questionnaire developed on the basis of relevance theory. According to the results, the studied teachers had positive expectations for the courses in terms of their usefulness for their prospective teaching (especially vocational relevance). Teachers’ expectations related to the usefulness of the course for the future (individual and vocational relevance) were most strongly met. Effort put into the course was connected to, for example, how the course improved the teachers’ interest. The results of this study indicate that MOOCs can serve as relevant courses for teachers’ professional development in science, mathematics, and technology education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

18 pages, 665 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Safe Space, Dangerous Territory: Young People’s Views on Preventing Radicalization through Education—Perspectives for Pre-Service Teacher Education

by Saija Benjamin, Visajaani Salonen, Liam Gearon, Pia Koirikivi and Arniika Kuusisto

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11050205 - 27 Apr 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5515

Abstract

Initiatives for preventing radicalization and violent extremism through education (PVE-E) have become a feature of global educational policy and educational institutions across all phases, from early childhood to universities, also in Finland. If schools may be regarded as safe spaces here for identity and worldview construction and experiences of belonging, the specific subject matter of PVE-E is also dangerous territory. Not least because of PVE-E’s focus on radicalization, but above all because of perceptions of schools being used as an adjunct of governmental counter-terrorism policy. We argue that understanding young people’s views on issues related to radicalization and violent extremism is critical in order to develop ethical, sustainable, contextualized, and pedagogical approaches to prevent hostilities and foster peaceful co-existence. After providing some critical framing of the Finnish educational context in a broader international setting, we thus examine young people’s views (n = 3617) in relation to the safe spaces through online survey data gathered as a part of our larger 4-year research project Growing up radical? The role of educational institutions in guiding young people’s worldview construction. Specifically focused on Finland but with potentially wider international implications, more understanding about the topic of PVE-E is needed to inform teacher education and training, to which our empirical data makes some innovative contribution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

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29 pages, 865 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nature of Science (NOS) Being Acquainted with Science of Science (SoS): Providing a Panoramic Picture of Sciences to Embody NOS for Pre-Service Teachers

by Ismo T. Koponen

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11030107 - 5 Mar 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 8972

Abstract

Understanding about nature of science is important topic in science education as well as in pre-service science teacher education. In science education, Nature of Science (NOS), in its different forms of educational scaffoldings, seeks to provide with students an understanding of features of scientific knowledge and science in general, how scientific knowledge changes and becomes accepted, and what factors guide scientific activities. For a science teacher, deep and broad enough picture of sciences is therefore of importance. This study attempts to show that the research field called Science of Science (SoS) can significantly support building such a panoramic picture of sciences, and through that, significantly support NOS. The SoS approaches the structure and dynamics of science quantitatively, using scientific documents (e.g., publications, reports, books and monographs and patent applications) as trails to map the landscape of sciences. It is argued here that SoS may provide material and interesting cases for NOS, and in so doing enrich NOS in a similarly significant way as history, philosophy and sociology of science (HPSS) scholarship has done thus far. This study introduces several themes based on SoS that are of relevance for NOS as they were introduced and discussed in a pre-service science teachers’ course. The feedback from pre-service teachers shows that introducing SoS, with minimal additional philosophical interpretations and discussions, but simply as evidential facts and findings, sparks ideas and views that come very close to NOS themes and topics. Discussions related to nature of science, and specific educational NOS scaffoldings for it, can find a good companion in SoS; the latter providing facts and evidence of thee structure and dynamics of sciences, the former providing perspectives for interpretations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

11 pages, 256 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Challenge of Educating Purposeful Teachers in Finland

by Elina Kuusisto and Kirsi Tirri

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(1), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11010029 - 14 Jan 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3814

Abstract

This article discusses the challenges of educating teachers in Finland. As a goal in teacher education for the 21st century we propose the purposeful teacher, referring to a teacher who has a long-term moral commitment to serve students, the school community and society. Our data collected from student (N = 912) and practising (N = 77) teachers yielded information on the purposes they identified as important in their lives. The survey included quantitative instruments and open- ended questions. The teachers identified happiness, relationships, work and self-actualisation as the most important contents of their aspirations. All the content categories could be understood as potential purposes in that the benefit extended beyond the teachers themselves. However, almost half of the student teachers (46%) and over half of teachers (55%) revealed only self-orientation. Less than half of them (43%, 36%, respectively) showed a beyond-the-self orientation, which is indicative of a purposeful teacher. Among the practising teachers, teaching appeared to be mainly a mediating factor in realising their purposes or aspirations. These results have implications related to contemporary teacher education in Finland. Both pre- and in-service teachers need to know about purposeful teaching in order to find meaning in their work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

15 pages, 305 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What Kind of Feedback is Perceived as Encouraging by Finnish General Upper Secondary School Students?

by Toni Mäkipää and Raili Hildén

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11010012 - 1 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3510

Abstract

Our main aim in this study was to compare encouraging feedback practices in Finnish general upper secondary foreign language classes and examine how students perceive language teachers’ assessment practices. The participants were 160 students of English, 95 students of Swedish, and 27 students of French from six general upper secondary schools. The data comprised one open-ended question and one Likert scale question with nine items. Both qualitative and quantitate methods were used to analyze the data. The results showed that content was the most important feature in feedback that was perceived as encouraging by students. The results further indicated that students considered teacher assessment practices to be primarily summative, but differences were also found between schools. The evidence from this study suggests that students appreciate teacher feedback, but do not perceive it to be an intrinsic part of teacher assessment practices. The importance of formative assessment and feedback should be more heavily emphasized in foreign language teacher education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

12 pages, 252 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Holistic Learning Versus Instrumentalism in Teacher Education: Lessons from Values Pedagogy and Related Research

by Terence Lovat

Educ. Sci. 2020, 10(11), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10110341 - 20 Nov 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4325

Abstract

This article constitutes a literature review, focusing on the idea of holistic learning, as found in key sources, and its essential contrasting with instrumentalist approaches to learning. It will move to explore updated research on holistic learning factors, with special attention to insights gleaned from values pedagogy and the research that underpins it. The article will juxtapose those insights with the instrumentalism that, it will allege, too often dictates teacher education directions. The article will conclude with an argument that teacher education has become, in modern times, a service industry, too often serving the agendas of governments and teacher unions, rather than preparing teachers to follow the guidelines provided by the latest research into student wellbeing and societal betterment. The article will focus especially on a number of Australian examples to mount the argument that nonetheless applies more generally across Western domains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Teacher Education: A Global Perspective)

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