Investigating the Third Space: A New Agenda for Teacher Education Research

The purpose of this article is to advocate for an expansion of third-space ideology to the research conducted in clinical teacher preparation programs including research designs and methods of data collection. Clinical teacher preparation has been advocated since the 1980s and is now being systematically realized in the early 21st century. Thus, it is time to revisit research designs and data collection related to this model. The author illustrates first-, second-, and third-space programs, including an overview of teacher residency programs, before advocating a mixed methods research paradigm that aims to create democratic spaces for teacher education research. Research and practice implications are discussed

Removing Artificial Barriers to Licensure Could Ease the Teacher Shortage

In this Backtalk opinion essay, I argue that current teacher shortages could be mediated by rethinking candidate licensure. I share various examples of how local, state, and federal policy have prevented talented candidates from earning teacher licensure. I unpack some of the requirements for licensure including costs, and I share actionable steps that could be taken by state and federal government agencies to support teacher licensure

The Complexities of a Third-Space Partnership in an Urban Teacher Residency

Urban teacher residencies have been widely endorsed in teacher education yet the body of literature on these programs is still being created and the benefits of these programs are as yet undefined. The current study explored the work of faculty and staff in recruiting and preparing teacher candidates in one urban teacher residency program. A secondary goal of this study was to determine participant perceptions about the role and potential of their program. Through semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis the current study found that program stakeholders adopted a posture of ongoing development and relied on evidence to make decisions within the program; that there was a lack of coherence within the program at multiple levels; and that the residency offered innovations in vision and structure but had not yet proven to produce more effective teachers than a traditional teacher education program. These findings have implications for both research and practice

“Speak Truth to Power Ourselves”: Teaching Social Justice in a Teacher Residency Program

The current study is part of a larger case study of faculty and staff methods at a teacher residency program. Teacher residencies, which were founded in the early 2000s, have an explicit mission of serving historically marginalized populations. However, more research is needed to better understand how these programs implement social justice teacher education. Indeed, there is a dearth of literature regarding the application of social justice practices in teacher education and the social justice beliefs of teacher educators. The interviews, documents, and observations collected for this study revealed a robust theme of social justice in participants’ beliefs and their curricula and pedagogies both in the classroom and in community-based work. These findings have implications for research in teacher education as well as the literature on teacher residencies specifically

A Continuum of Critical Consciousness: Exploring One Resident\u27s Concerns

In the United States, there is a demand for richer clinical teacher education experiences. Partially in response to this call, innovative new programs like teacher residencies are being developed. As teacher preparation programs are shaped by these mandates, researchers must respond to shifts in the field. The current manuscript includes data from a resident, or teacher candidate, enrolled in a residency program—specifically, his yearlong apprenticeship. Using interviews and other qualitative data, the author examined how the resident’s concerns shifted and also how these concerns differed from those uncovered in previous research. Specifically, his concerns appeared to be more dynamic than previously reported and the residency program may have scaffolded more student-centered concerns. Implications for practice are provided

“There Is Subjectivity, There Is Bias”: Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions of Equity in Data Literacy for Teaching

Research on equity in data literacy for teaching has lagged yet is of critical importance to ensuring new teachers are prepared to serve diverse students. Our multiple case study conveyed four elementary teacher candidates’ understandings of this construct and their reaction to instruction in this domain. Data collection included interviews, item analysis, and concept maps. Our participants developed a broader view of data by the end of the course, but often did not recognize inequitable data practices like tracking which conveys a misalignment between beliefs and practices. We explored implications for policy and practice based on our findings

A Continuum of Data Literacy for Teaching

Accountability for education in the United States has existed since the first formalized system of education. Although this accountability is an important part of society, these systems must be expanded beyond high stakes assessments to include other types of data including P-12 student voices. The purpose of the current manuscript is to present a continuum for data literacy for teachers that spans preservice to inservice teacher education. We conceptualize data literacy for teachers as a metaconstruct that includes the construct of assessment literacy. The research on enabling and marginalizing factors and exposure to data are reviewed at the preservice and inservice level before a continuum of data literacy for teachers from novice through expert is presented. Implications for practice and research are explored

How Are Teachers Leading Now? From Access to Activism: An Introduction to the Special Issue

In this introduction to a special issue on teacher leadership (TL), the editors argue that recent attacks against antiracist teaching have influenced TL. Thus, we offer an overview of several issues these collected authors explore related to TL, including access to TL for teachers of color; advancing equity through leadership teams; self-care for teacher advocates; and TL as advocacy, activism, and antiracist work

Ed Talks: A Collaborative Professional Development Partnership

The purpose of the current manuscript is to delineate a collaborative professional development effort between Coastal City Public Schools and Ocean View University—a nascent school-university partnership. Ed Talks were created to build relationships between public school and university faculty but we have encountered challenges in implementing this effort including scheduling issues. However, the effort has been supported by teacher leadership and technology. While our partnership is still growing, Ed Talks have been a catalyst for building informal relationships between Eagle Academy and Ocean View University faculty