Adapting the Curriculum: How K-12 Teachers Perceive the Role of Open Educational Resources

It has been suggested that open educational resources (OER) can lower cost and lead to greater flexibility, however while there has been significant investment in opening up content there have been few studies looking at how these resources are perceived by those who might use them. This quantitative article contributes to fill a gap in our knowledge of how K-12 educators teaching in face-to-face, online and blended contexts currently think about and use OER. It is part of the research carried out by the Hewlett-funded OER Research Hub (OERRH) Project to examine the impact of OER on teaching and learning practices. The authors report findings from a survey of 600+ schoolteachers who answered a set of attitudinal and behavioural questions in relation to how they use OER, what types of OER they use and what influences their selection of content, in addition to the purpose, challenges and perceived impact of OER in the K-12 classroom. The research highlights how OER allow schoolteachers to personalise learning through adaptation, and argues that mainstreaming OER in K-12 education is not only a matter of raising awareness but of changing teachers’ habits

Priority Schoolteachers\u27 Experiences of Professional Development to Improve Student Achievement

The New Jersey 2011 Adequate Yearly Progress report revealed that 53% (n = 75) of state schools that failed to meet standards were put on a \u27priority school\u27 list. The 2015 priority school list consisted of 66 schools. In response, New Jersey created Regional Achievement Centers to provide collaborative professional development (PD) for effective instruction in the lowest performing schools. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of priority schoolteachers regarding experiences with past PD initiatives and PD under the current Elementary and Secondary Education Act flexibility waiver focusing on collaborative approaches that include job-embedded coaching and teacher networks. The research questions were germane to attempts to address failing schools through PD. The conceptual framework guiding the study was Fullan\u27s educational change theory in which teachers learn by collaborating with other teachers and coaches. Through snowball sampling, 8 priority schoolteachers participated in semistructured in-depth interviews using an online conferencing tool. Data were analyzed by Moustakas\u27 modified version of van Kaam\u27s method. Participants did not perceive that past PD attempts addressed the needs of failing schools. Key findings regarding job-embedded coaching and teacher networks were that support given by coaches strengthened the participants\u27 instructional practice, and teacher networks enabled the participants to collaboratively learn from each other. Positive social change may occur as district and school officials include teachers in PD planning. Adapting PD in this manner may improve implementation of PD initiatives for classroom instruction to increase student achievement

Teachers’ perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on writing instruction in Australia

Education interruption can influence educational outcomes for students, particularly those already experiencing disadvantage. Little is known about how education interruption caused by COVID-19 has influenced the literacy learning of Australian students. This article provides insights into the impact of COVID-19 related education interruption on writing instruction of primary school aged children from the perspectives of their teachers. Drawing on data from a single-stage mixed-methods survey tool, it explores extent of perception of an impact of COVID-19 writing instruction in Australia, as well as capturing data on the nature of this perceived impact. As expected, the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on writing instruction in the majority of cases, with impact typically perceived to be negative, though for some respondents, an unexpected benefit of the disruption was the collaborative response of educators and education systems. The diverse facets of the nature of this perceived impact were identified by respondents, some of which were related to context and home affordances, with findings highlighting how uneven levels of parental and technological resourcing at home can support or impede student learning of writing skills. The findings can be drawn upon to mitigate barriers to the teaching of writing during times of education interruption

Teachers’ Perspectives of Professional Development on Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Mainstream Classrooms

Professional development (PD) enhances teachers\u27 effectiveness and fosters a more favorable disposition towards inclusive education. However, some teachers have expressed a sense of inadequacy in their readiness to instruct students with disabilities within inclusive classrooms due to a perceived deficiency in training. The perspectives of K-12 teachers in an English-speaking international school in Taiwan on PD to teach students with learning disabilities in mainstream classrooms were examined. The study was grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory, which focuses on the idea that the level of knowledge and beliefs determine how a person feels, thinks, and behaves. A basic qualitative research design was adopted for this study. Semistructured interviews were used to collect data from nine participants at an English-speaking international school in Taiwan who teach students with learning disabilities in mainstream classrooms for at least two years. The interviews were transcribed and coded using descriptive codes. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify prevalent themes observed from the data. The findings from the research revealed that teachers believe in mainstreaming students with disabilities; however, it was found that teachers have limited PD training to meet the needs of these students. To better support students with learning disabilities, teachers prefer small group PD sessions with a trained facilitator that focuses on teaching strategies that can be implemented in the classroom to support students with learning disabilities. This study can affect positive social change by providing administrators with insight into the PD needs of teachers to help make informed decisions about what is needed to support teachers and students

Editorial: The Recommendations of the Standing Scientific Commission of the KMK for Dealing with the Acute Shortage of Teachers. A Critique from the Perspective of Vocational Training

Based on an acute shortage of teachers that is expected to continue to worsen, the Standing Scientific Commission (SWK) of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) has published a position paper in which a number of recommendations are presented in order to ensure nationwide security for teaching in Germany. These suggestions arelargely counterproductive (not only) from the perspective of vocational training. This article provides a central analysis of the evidence on which the SWK bases its recommendations and how it justifies them. It is revealed that some recommendations are not scientifically backed at all and where evidence is provided, questions often arise as to their relevance and viability. Overall, it can be seen that the recommendations of the Standing Scientific Commission of the KMK for dealing with the acute shortage of teachers hardly illuminate the cause of the problem and do so only onesidedly (related to the teaching staff) while mainly recommending measures without scientific foundation, which in their implementation have little potential for resources, but large have potential for conflict. This is contrasted with reflections on the study and work motivation of teachers and a look at education financing in order to show where the possible causes of the shortage of teachers lie, what that has to do with career orientation and perceptions and how one could possibly make progress here.Based on an acute shortage of teachers that is expected to continue to worsen, the Standing Scientific Commission (SWK) of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) has published a position paper in which a number of recommendations are presented in order to ensure nationwide security for teaching in Germany. These suggestions are largely counterproductive (not only) from the perspective of vocational training. This article provides a central analysis of the evidence on which the SWK bases its recommendations and how it justifies them. It is revealed that some recommendations are not scientifically backed at all and where evidence is provided, questions often arise as to their relevance and viability. Overall, it can be seen that the recommendations of the Standing Scientific Commission of the KMK for dealing with the acute shortage of teachers hardly illuminate the cause of the problem and do so only onesidedly (related to the teaching staff) while mainly recommending measures without scientific foundation, which in their implementation have little potential for resources, but large have potential for conflict. This is contrasted with reflections on the study and work motivation of teachers and a look at education financing in order to show where the possible causes of the shortage of teachers lie, what that has to do with career orientation and perceptions and how one could possibly make progress here

How Teachers Perceive Students’ Socioeconomic Background and Academic Performance in Charter Schools

Teachers represent the frontline of education and many of them find themselves working daily with impoverished students. Teachers’ qualitative perceptions are useful for developing solutions to the problem of educating diverse students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in charter schools. The purpose of this study was to understand teachers’ perceptions of a charter school environment and the association between low socioeconomic status (SES) students and their academic performance. A qualitative design and a case study methodology were used with two charter schools, including 45 participating teachers. Results from questionnaires and interviews ensured a sufficient understanding of the phenomenon. The collected information was coded and analyzed to identify the major themes. The three major themes included parents’ occupation and level of education, family income, and education policies. The results indicated that socioeconomic background and academic policies influence on academic performance. The findings might have a significant influence on theory, practice, and future studies on the relationships between education quality or academic performance and SES

How Teachers Perceive Students’ Socioeconomic Background and Academic Performance in Charter Schools

Teachers represent the frontline of education and many of them find themselves working daily with impoverished students. Teachers’ qualitative perceptions are useful for developing solutions to the problem of educating diverse students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in charter schools. The purpose of this study was to understand teachers’ perceptions of a charter school environment and the association between low socioeconomic status (SES) students and their academic performance. A qualitative design and a case study methodology were used with two charter schools, including 45 participating teachers. Results from questionnaires and interviews ensured a sufficient understanding of the phenomenon. The collected information was coded and analyzed to identify the major themes. The three major themes included parents’ occupation and level of education, family income, and education policies. The results indicated that socioeconomic background and academic policies influence on academic performance. The findings might have a significant influence on theory, practice, and future studies on the relationships between education quality or academic performance and SES

The effectiveness of current teachers' continuous professional development : perceptions by supervisors, senior teachers and teachers in Muscat, Oman

Researchers in Oman have criticised the teachers’ professional development system, blaming the Ministry of education (MOE) for the mismatch between what has been provided as continuous professional development (CPD) training courses and what are teachers’ needs and desired topics. Therefore, this thesis explores perceived effectiveness of current CPD for teachers in Oman especially for those teaching in Post-basic (11-12) and basic (10-12) schools from the perception of supervisors, senior teachers and teachers.A mixed method, two-phase research design was adopted. In phase one (quantitative), all of the 22 Post basic and Basic schools in Muscat were surveyed. 153 responses (a 30.6% response rate) were received 93 (60.8%) were female and 60 (39.2%) were male. 104 (67.9%) were teachers, 31 (20.2%) were senior teachers and 18 (11.7%) were supervisors. In phase two (qualitative), most of the respondents had answered the two open-ended questions from the survey regarding how they perceived the meaning of the term CPD and its importance to teachers’ professional development. Interviews were conducted with 1 supervisor, 2 senior teachers and 8 teachers along with 4 supervisors who agreed to answer the interview questions by email and WhatsApp.The quantitative and qualitative data results showed that respondents from the three groups believe that the current CPD for teachers is still not effective. However, some issues emerged needing further consideration such as the obstacles that hinder teachers from promoting their professional development such as the teaching loads, covering the extra periods caused by absent teachers and the lack of job satisfaction. Other obstacles emerged from the interviews for example; teachers had not been involved in determining their professional development needs, the lack of professional materials and the lack of financial support. These obstacles should encourage the Ministry officials to examine the problem closely and find solutions to enhance the effectiveness of teachers’ CPD

Being and Becoming Public School Teachers: Career Mobility of Chinese Overseas-Trained Teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area

Teacher shortage and retention has persisted in the United States for decades. Ethnic minority teachers are underrepresented in public K-12 schools as well as teachers for English learners. Untapped pools of overseas-trained teachers who are lawful permanent residents exist but are unemployed, underemployed, or working in other fields. To earn a local teaching credential, the immigrant bears the burden of proving equivalent knowledge and skills to re-enter her or his profession in the United States. At the time of this study, there was no research about overseas-trained immigrant teachers entering the teaching profession for primary and secondary public school students in United States. Utilizing life story interviews and complexity theory, this study explored the relationship between career decisions and the social context of history, culture, and economic forces of five Chinese overseas-trained teachers who became public school teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Analysis attended to career attractors, aspirations, mobility, and commitment to learn how the participants became teachers, what they felt during their process of becoming teachers in their homelands and in California, and what their experiences meant to them. Geographic location, its history, and parent expectations were the initial conditions instrumental to the participants\u27 interests, education, identity, and career choice. Their decision to immigrate to the United States also meant being open and adaptable. Opportunities to re-enter the teaching profession called to participants\u27 value of their prior experiences, commitment to teaching, and attraction to regain their identity as teachers. In addition, the participants perceived that policy makers, credentialing institutions, and school principals had a narrow understanding of overseas-trained immigrant teachers\u27 assets--prior knowledge, work experience, and transferable skills. Strict requirements and practices hampered rather than facilitated employment in California public schools for this group. This study filled a gap in research and contributed to the understanding of one group of overseas-trained immigrant teachers and the interrelationship between individual agency, career decisions, and the contexts of social worlds. The research concluded with recommendations for practice and future research that considers the assets and benefits of overseas-trained immigrant teachers for the nation\u27s teaching force

A Systematic Review of the Factors That Influence Teachers’ Occupational Wellbeing

Teachers belong to a high-demand occupational group and experience work-related challenges and discretely diverse emotional turmoils of varying intensity while teaching and interacting with students. These experiences often result in high stress levels that contribute to burnout and, consequently, a breach of teachers’ occupational wellbeing. Promoting positive teacher wellbeing substantially influences teaching quality, with a flow-on effect on student wellbeing and academic development. This literature review utilised a framework to systematically explore the factors that impact the occupational wellbeing of kindergarten, primary, and secondary schoolteachers. Thirty-eight (38) studies from an initial 3766 peer-reviewed articles sourced from various databases (CINAHL, Emcare, PychINFO, Scopus, ERIC, and PsycARTICLES) were utilized for this systematic review. Four major factors were identified, including personal capabilities, socioemotional competence, personal responses to work conditions, and professional relationships. Findings highlight the importance of teachers’ occupational wellbeing in dealing with numerous challenges and competing demands, with the need for a high level of self-efficacy for instruction and behavioural management being critically significant. Teachers require adequate organisational support to successfully carry out their roles with stronger resilience and efficient job execution. Teachers also need to have social–emotional competence to be able to create a high-quality classroom environment and a conducive atmosphere that supports healthy teacher–student relationships, reduces stress and increases the occupational wellbeing of teachers. Collaborating with other relevant stakeholders such as parents, colleagues, and a school’s leadership team is critical for creating a positive work environment. A good workplace has the potential to contribute to teachers’ occupational wellbeing and provide a supportive platform for student learning and engagement. This review clearly points to the beneficial effects of prioritising teachers’ occupational wellbeing and its intentional inclusion in the professional development plan of practising teachers. Finally, while primary school teachers and secondary school teachers share many similarities in terms of the challenges they face, there are also some differences in how these challenges impact their wellbeing, and these warrant further investigation