Writing Reflectively in Initial Teacher Education: Laying Foundations for Career-long Professional Learning

Reflective practice is a hallmark of many teacher education programmes and a means of moving students from novice to competent status. Reflection can support practical understanding of the out-workings of theory but can also contribute towards the development of the individual teacher’s professional identity. To help support beginning teachers through the often complex and difficult transition from student to practitioner, this study aimed to explore the benefits and challenges faced by beginning teachers in learning to become insightful thinkers and reflective writers. An interpretative, qualitative approach, utilising focus groups, individual semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis in the form of reflective portfolios was employed. Results showed that it was only when students began to think strategically and to systematically document their personal discoveries about teaching, that they were able to appreciate the power of reflective writing as a meaningful endeavour. Collaborating with university tutors and host teachers also helped deepen their understanding of the complicated and nuanced nature of pursuing their unique learning pathways. Going forward, more explicit conversations around meaning and purpose, additional modelling and guided practice around the process of reflective writing are suggested

Perfect Assessment and Feedback in Psychology: Students’ Perspectives

Assessment and feedback constitute crucial components of the pedagogic process within higher education. However, students report dissatisfaction with these processes and fail to engage with the feedback they receive. This study therefore sought to explore what students consider to be ‘perfect’ assessment and feedback using the criteria outlined in the United Kingdom’s National Student Survey (NSS). Two focus groups were conducted with psychology undergraduate students and thematic analysis was performed. The first focus group explored what students considered to be perfect feedback. Six themes emerged: clear and accessible criteria, consistent and objective marking, specific and general feedback, positivity and recognition, examples and practise; and support and guidance. Notably, a clear desire from students emerged for a greater use of examples throughout the assessment and feedback process. The second focus group explored how students engaged with feedback they have received and factors influencing their engagement. Four themes emerged: attend or avoid; similarity and recency; logistical difficulties; and checkpoints or checklist. Whilst there was variation in how students perceived and engaged with feedback, there was general consensus on how to facilitate engagement and improve feedback.

Harmonious passion as an enabler of motivation for the teaching profession: Insights from a small-scale qualitative study

Current statistics in the UK and internationally continue to indicate concern with teacher retention. This small-scale qualitative study explores how harmonious passion can contribute to continued teacher motivation, adopting the duality of passion model. Two teachers participated in a semi-structured interview, within a primary school in South-East England. Harmonious passion enabled teachers to maintain motivation due to the increase in job satisfaction and wellbeing. Results suggested that a lack of teacher autonomy and pressures placed upon teachers by government and school policies resulted in a declination of harmonious passion and subsequently lowered teacher motivation

Inclusive pedagogical and assessment practices for visually impaired students: Shifting from a deficit to an asset based approach

This paper examines inclusive pedagogical and assessment practices for visually impaired students, advocating a shift from a deficit to an asset-based approach. Through narrative inquiry and literature analysis, the barriers faced by students with visual disabilities and lecturers, as well as  implementation challenges and emerging best practices in South African higher education institutions, are explored. Despite progressive policy frameworks, significant gaps exist between policy intentions and classroom realities, leaving students and lecturers marginalised, with staff often feeling overwhelmed and incapacitated, and students feeling vulnerable, excluded, and disempowered in the educational process. The research reveals how traditional deficit-focused accommodations have inadvertently reinforced exclusion rather than promoting inclusion. Calling for an asset-based humanised approach that recognises students with visual disabilities as valuable contributors to educational environments rather than ‘problems requiring fixing’. This transformative approach necessitates reimagining pedagogical practices, assessment methods, and institutional support systems to harness technological innovations while centring visually impaired students’ diverse capabilities and knowledge contributions

Review and Reflections on Establishing an Engineering and Physical Science Journal Club

A journal club was established and integrated within a curriculum of study to provide students with opportunities to develop their academic speaking, writing and integrity skills, whilst also becoming more socialised to academia. Herein the author presents a comprehensive literature review into many of the common decisions taken in establishing a journal club, with a specific focus on the foundation year (pre-undergraduate) physical science context. A reflective diary is used to contextualise the decisions taken, the strengths and weaknesses of this journal club implementation in this context and provide practical advice for professionals who want to establish journal clubs of their own. This work additionally underpins a mixed-methods study of this journal club implementation to understand how confidence in academic skill development can be supported through the journal club, which is cited and discussed in detail elsewhere, beyond the immediate scope of this article

Assessment approach at programme level: a case study in food science

The objective of this project was to promote and implement a cultural and practical shift to a programme focused assessment strategy. In the programme under study the modular compartmentalisation and the limited coordination between module convenors and the programme director in the design and delivery of assessment resulted in high volume of assessment tasks and an uneven deadline distribution. Transforming the Experience of Students through Assessment (TESTA) methodology was used to develop an evidence-based approach, considering students’ (n= 35) and staff’s voices (n=18). The assessment load and diversity were analysed. Student perspective was gathered through questionnaires and focus group; results showed that students struggled to manage the completion of different tasks at the same time, forcing the adoption of a grade-focused and surface learning approach. The level of knowledge integration from different core subjects and knowledge application to real case scenarios is crucial in the development of graduates in applied science disciplines. During workshops with staff specific changes were proposed to achieve a Programme Learning Assessment Strategy including the development of honours and bigger modules, to achieve a horizontal and vertical integration of knowledge, the reduction of small superficial assessment tasks, the development of formative assessment activities that clearly link to summative ones and the use of programme assessment maps to ensure an even distribution of assessment deadlines. This collective work enhanced the sense of community and ownership in the programme which helped the promotion of changes towards authentic assessment and a more rationalised use of assessment tasks at programme level, improving students and staff experience in Higher Education

How Initial Teacher Training programmes integrate research: A case study of insights from module expectations and teacher educators’ implementation

Different approaches to the integration of research in Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programmes have given rise to terms like, ‘research tutored’, ‘research-based’, ‘research-orientated’, and ‘research-led’ teaching. This study examines current practice in a university by considering how these four approaches are manifest in module handbooks from undergraduate and postgraduate courses and in what teacher educators say about their sessions. In the case study, six compulsory undergraduate modules favoured a ‘research-tutored’ approach, while three compulsory postgraduate modules emphasise a ‘research-led’ approach, mainly transmitting knowledge of research and ethics. Twenty- seven teacher educators reported a lesser emphasis placed on research processes (as might be expected of a ‘research-based’ or a ‘research-orientated’ approach). The findings have policy implications for the contribution of Higher Education Institutions to pre-service and in-service teachers and how they might update skills and knowledge relevant for the professional role

Analysis of eportfolio data to inform curriculum review and redesign

The ePortfolio provides an opportunity for faculty within academic programs to use a tool that was traditionally used to show evidence of student learning, to also inform curriculum review and redesign. A descriptive concurrent mixed methods design was utilized to analyze ePortfolios from three cohorts of graduate students (N = 39). Quantitative data, qualitative data, and analysis of assignment descriptions in alignment with Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Domains was completed and provided evidence of perceived alignment and misalignment with program goals. Data was used not only to inform meaningful changes within the ePortfolio process but also to improve program curriculum without the need for additional measures. Analysis of ePortfolio data, data that is readily available to program faculty, facilitates responsiveness to student, program, university, and accreditation requirements in a systematized and streamlined process

Hybrid tutorials and targeted follow-up as key elements of a student advice system that is realistic about faculty workload

Providing quality student advice is a considerable challenge, especially with large student cohorts and workload pressures. In this paper we evaluate our student advice system which included asynchronous content in a learning management system, hybrid group tutorials, and targeted individual follow-up support. The academic advice system was developed with two goals. (1) Deliver accessible and high-quality academic support for students at various stages in their academic careers and (2) provide sustainable practices for faculty with various levels of academic tutoring experience. Efficacy of the academic advice system was evaluated through content analysis of student survey responses and satisfaction ratings. Results included 91% positive statements and high mean satisfaction ratings. Additionally, faculty exhibited unanimous commitment to the process. The process may serve as an efficacious example of an academic advice system that suits workload, increases satisfaction, and improves access, all of which may contribute to retention of students and faculty