Search Results (11)

The integration of Lesson Study (LS) and Didactic Suitability Criteria (DSC) presents an innovative framework for enhancing mathematics teacher training in higher education. This study examines how LS-DSC fosters instructional refinement, professional growth, and pedagogical transformation among in-service teachers. Using a quasi-experimental mixed-methods approach, the study analyzed data from 520 mathematics educators participating in a six-month training program incorporating collaborative lesson planning, structured pedagogical assessment, and reflective teaching practices. Findings indicate significant improvements in instructional design, mathematical discourse facilitation, and adaptive teaching strategies, with post-training evaluations demonstrating a strong positive correlation (r = 0.78) between initial competency levels and learning gains. Participants reported increased confidence in implementing student-centered methodologies and sustained engagement in peer collaboration beyond the training period. The results align with prior research emphasizing the effectiveness of lesson study models and structured evaluation frameworks in teacher professionalization. This study contributes to higher education policy and practice by advocating for the institutional adoption of LS-DSC methodologies to promote evidence-based professional development. Future research should explore the long-term scalability of LS-DSC in diverse educational contexts and its impact on student learning outcomes. Full article

On the basis of the hypothesis that has emerged from recent research studies, this article discusses the new pedagogical training model for primary school pre-service teachers (PSTs), namely the Meta Discussion on a Pedagogical model (MDPm). The study was conducted with 400 PSTs enrolled in a primary education mathematics course. The MDPm is a collective discussion involving PSTs and their facilitator about the prior teaching experience based on a Mathematical Discussion (MD) model. In this article we try to give a more detailed definition of MDPm by analyzing different examples drawn from a collection of data gathered in the frame of different teacher training experiments. The results indicate that engaging PSTs in both a direct MD and a subsequent reflective meta-discussion leads to enhanced awareness of the teacher’s role and a more robust conceptualization of the MD model. These experiments aimed to help future teachers recognize the characteristics of their instructional actions within a pedagogical model, engaging them actively in their training, in and from practice. In this setting, PSTs assumed a dual role as both students and future teachers. The research has been conducted in a technological environment, which assumed a fundamental role in supporting the processes involved in the teaching experiment. The examples are analyzed through a specific lens aimed at identifying key elements supporting and refining the MDPm, with the aim of more precisely characterizing it. Full article

This study examines the effectiveness of in-service training programs aimed at enhancing teachers’ knowledge and self-efficacy in the context of learning disabilities (LD) in mathematics. Despite the increasing use of both interactive online learning and face-to-face training methods in professional development, limited research has compared their relative effectiveness in this specific field. Furthermore, existing studies have not adequately addressed whether improvements in teachers’ knowledge and self-efficacy are sustained over time. To address this gap, the present study employed a quasi-experimental design with two experimental groups. The sample consists of 80 classroom teachers, with 40 participants in the interactive online learning education group and 40 in the face-to-face education group. The training program consists of 16 h of instruction over four weeks. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Mathematics Learning Difficulty Area Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale, and statistical analyses were conducted. The findings indicate that, prior to the intervention, teachers in the interactive online learning education group exhibited significantly higher levels of knowledge and self-efficacy. However, the post-intervention results revealed no statistically significant differences between the two groups. Cohen’s d analysis indicated a moderate effect size for interactive online learning education before the intervention, which diminished to a small effect size afterward. This study validates the efficiency of interactive online learning from smart learning environments for in-service training programs aimed at enhancing teachers’ knowledge and self-efficacy about learning disabilities in mathematics. These results suggest that both training modalities effectively improve teachers’ knowledge and self-efficacy, but neither demonstrate a clear long-term advantage. This study underscores the need for further research to determine optimal strategies for sustaining professional development in this domain. Full article

Ideally, teachers’ classroom assessment literacy can be developed through in-service teacher education or assessment training from institutions. Yet in reality, teachers may not gain sufficient assessment training on the job or from institutionalised training programmes. This contextual disadvantage cannot explain teacher inertia in advancing their professional knowledge and their skills in classroom-based assessment. Instead, teachers are encouraged to proactively rely on themselves to enhance their CAL amid their tried-and-tested assessment practices. The current qualitative case study explores how a university English teacher directed herself to develop CAL in her assessment practices over time. Data were collected through narrative frames, interviews with the teacher and her students, classroom observations, and documents. This study shows that self-directed CAL development may be buttressed by the teacher’s prior assessment experiences. The teacher’s self-agency and reflections further empowered her to acquire the assessment knowledge, skills, and experience in improving assessment effectiveness. The implications for enhancing self-directed professional development in assessment are also discussed. Full article

This research aims to promote diversity and inclusion among higher education students by examining the integration of technology into project-based learning (PBL) for English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher candidates. Based on a mixed-methods approach and convenience sampling (n = 84 participants), this study involved pre-service teachers who collaboratively employed several authoring tools to create 16 digital comic strips for teaching English. The focus of the project was on inclusivity, cultural diversity, and affective education. This study consisted of five stages corresponding to different critical thinking skills: comprehension, negotiation, creation, presentation, and evaluation. The instruments used for quantitative data included a pre/post-survey based on two validated scales. Qualitative data were gathered through class discussions and semi-structured interviews. The results, analyzed through SPSS and QDA Miner Lite, revealed that teacher candidates lacked prior experience using digital tools to create EFL-inclusive materials. However, the study also highlighted increased awareness of inclusive education and strong advocacy for the integration of transformative technology in teacher training programs. Full article

Advances in education are increasingly important, and it is necessary to look for methodological strategies that enhance the value of mathematics in society and promote integrated training that helps students reason critically and rigorously. In this sense, math trails with a focus on STEM and sustainable development are a good resource to connect mathematics with the environment in a transversal way with other disciplines. A total of 35 postgraduate students in secondary education and 30 undergraduate students in primary education participated in this research and received a training course from experts in mathematics teaching. During the experience, the graduate students designed trails that were tested by the undergraduate students after a prior review by three in-service primary teachers. Likert scale questionnaires and open questions were asked of the students to evaluate the training received and the execution of the experience. Likewise, it was also decided to hold a debate with the participants and a guided interview with in-service teachers to assess the possible application of the resource in primary education courses. The results show a very positive assessment of the experience and allow us to support this approach to promote a change in the teaching–learning of mathematics in the last years of primary education. Full article

Gamification has become an increasingly used pedagogical approach in the classroom, motivating students and enhancing their educational experience. This has led to the need for specific training for teachers, as well as a need to understand how this training can be effective and how contact with gamification during teacher training can influence the attitude of pre-service teachers. Therefore, this case report has focused on examining pre-service teachers’ perceptions of gamification as a tool used in their teacher education. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data on the participants’ individual experience with gamification and their perception of future uses of this technique. The data were collected between December 2010 and February 2020 in Granada, Spain, and were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to identify general trends and findings. Pre-service teachers present a positive perception of gamification as a tool to enhance and motivate learning, highlighting the importance of prior training for its application in the right context, as well as the need to investigate other teaching approaches to improve the effectiveness of gamification. In conclusion, it should be noted that gamification is a pedagogical approach increasingly used in the classroom, so specific training is needed for the teachers responsible for carrying out this technique. This training should include research on the effectiveness of gamification, as well as the best approaches for its application, for student motivation, and for the creation of equal relationships between students. Full article

The article explores the determinants of Romanian in-service teachers’ willingness to participate in a national training program focused on mentoring in education. A multidimensional analytical model and survey data collected from a large sample of Romanian teachers (N > 5000) revealed a specific profile of those teachers who are interested in joining this type of training in education. It is found that individuals’ interest in joining the training program is positively affected by a higher level of education, prior experiences of attending training programs, and higher awareness of the role of mentoring in education. At the same time, individuals’ self-assessed needs for training and more challenges faced in online/blended teaching during the pandemic period also increase the teachers’ chances to be interested in joining the training program. However, a negative relationship is found between age and the willingness to enroll in the training program. Based on these general findings, the article advances the comparisons between three subsamples of teachers depending on their teaching level (primary education, lower-secondary education, and upper-secondary education). The study is designed to contribute to the general debate on reforming education systems through mentoring in education, and its findings can inform policymakers and stakeholders in the field. Full article

Cyberbullying behaviours begin at primary school, so the actions taken by pre-teachers will play a key role in achieving the goals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. More specifically, active coping strategies are essential in reducing victimisation. The aim of this study was to identify the coping strategies considered effective by pre-service teachers and to analyse the perceived appropriateness of active and passive strategies in relation to personal variables. The participants were 1122 students on the Bachelor’s Degree in Education at the University of Castile-La Mancha in Spain. The study measured the perceived appropriateness of five active coping strategies and four passive coping strategies, moral disengagement, experiences of bullying and cyberbullying, emotions in response to bullying and gender stereotypes. The results show that more than 25% of pre-service teachers are not prepared to manage cyberbullying effectively. Prior experiences of victimisation, personal masculinity in men and moral emotions in women are related to active strategies, while moral disengagement, and pleasant emotions in women, are related to passive strategies. Universities must implement initiatives to ensure that pre-service teachers receive training on effective coping strategies and reflect on the personal factors influencing their decisions. Full article

For years the technological revolution has been transforming all facets of our society. Teaching could obviously not be an exception but is quite the opposite because of its role in training the individuals of that society. Teachers at all levels of education are subjected to an adaptation process to develop the digital skills necessary for this transformation. This process must be permanent as there are still major deficiencies in teachers’ ICT knowledge and rejection of their application. This study aims to see whether the inadequacy of digital teaching skills also occurs in the Dual Vocational Training modality. To this end, a descriptive quantitative method has been carried out in a sample of teachers from the Professional Formation Dual system in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia. The results show an insufficient level of digital skills that is therefore improvable, finding some factors that influence, to some extent, the various components of digital competence such as prior teacher training, the locality in which their school resides or the category of teaching to which he belongs. Therefore, it is advised to continue to promote in-service training in digital competence for in-service teachers in order to achieve sustainable educational development. Full article

The aim of the present research was to uncover the opinions of future teachers about whether the formative knowledge of education for sustainability received in seminars during their practicums improved their competencies in sustainability and their values in educational teaching for their future classroom practice. The study entailed qualitative research with a thematic analysis. Semi-structured interviews comprising 14 questions, which were validated by 15 experts, were used to solicit the opinions of 52 future teachers with respect to the importance of sustainability and the development of intercultural competencies among their students. The information from the interviews was analyzed using thematic analysis on the basis of education for sustainable development (ESD). We conclude that the teachers’ practicum placements and training experiences were very positive because a lecturing pedagogical approach, taught via practical application in a school environment by an expert of recognized prestige, can be a useful resource to develop awareness of both sustainable development and its education, as well as to learn didactic strategies to apply ESD, which addresses aspects that are relevant in multicultural contexts, such as tolerance and empathy. Full article