Portfolio as a Tool for Teachers’ Reflective Thinking and Professional Identity Development

The purpose of this presentation paper is to discuss whether teacher trainees’ portfolios demonstrated evidence of reflective thinking on the different aspects of teachers’ performance. An investigation onto teacher trainees’ portfolios was conducted in teacher education in Kosovo (University of Pristina, Faculty of Education) and in Finland (JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Teacher Education). This investigation was a part of the activities in the EU Funded TEMPUS Project “Modernizing Teacher Education at University of Prishtina”. The paper was presented at the Teacher Conference in Pristina in 2015. We used Korthagen’s (2004) model as a theoretical frame to analyse outcomes of 10 teacher trainees’ portfolios. The analysis of written portfolios revealed that the students prompted reflective thinking in many, but not all, dimensions of teachers’ work. Teacher trainees’ portfolios suggest that their thinking seems to be oriented towards the areas of skills and competencies, rather than on the dimensions of beliefs and internal teacher identity. The paper suggests that teacher education institutions should plan portfolios not as simple collection of artefacts but rather a core part of developing teachers’ professional identity

Resilience strategies employed by teachers with dyslexia working at tertiary education

This study investigates resilience strategies exhibited by teachers with dyslexia working at tertiary education. Narrative interviews of tertiary teachers' own perceptions of how dyslexia affects their work were analysed to understand how they cope in a challenging profession. Findings indicated a utilization of a range of resilience strategies; task-related strategies, personalizing work contexts, utilizing social support networks and nurturing self-esteem and self-efficacy. Developing individualized strategies is paramount to attaining a successful career in tertiary education. Self-awareness is required to build the strategies supporting teachers in fulfilling professional requirements and enable them to experience agency and self-efficacy in their work

The Power of VPL: Validation of Prior Learning as a Multi-targeted Approach For Access to Learning Opportunities For All

Preface from Ruud Duvekot: Learning is more than ever important and valuable, people are encouraged to invest in their potential throughout their lives, taking into account their prior learning. According to policy papers all across the globe, this should concern all citizens, including the underrepresented groups and non-traditional learners with regard to higher education because everywhere the knowledge-economy needs more higher-educated participation from all..

Teacher education in supporting inclusive life-long learning in Finland

My presentation focuses on discussing the role of teacher education in supporting inclusion and diversity in a life-long learning context i.e. post-compulsory education. At the beginning of the presentation, my aim is to put Finnish teacher education in a broader context by introducing some facts about Finnish teachers as professionals. Then I will introduce some elements that underpin the development of teacher education. Those elements include the framework model of quality inclusive education at vocational education and training (VET), and a profile of an inclusive teacher. At the end of the presentation, I will discuss the theoretical framework for inclusive teacher education and offer an example of the teacher education model in Finland

Managers' and teachers' perspectives of dyslexic teachers in the English and Finnish Further Education workforce: new insights from organizational routines

This article explores the topic of diversity in the teaching workforce though the enactment of policy concentrating on teachers with dyslexia within the Further/Vocational Education and Training sectors of England and Finland. Two research projects from Finland and England focusing, respectively, on individual teachers’ perspectives and managers’ understandings of hidden diversity (such as dyslexia) are re-analysed through the use of the distinction between the ostensive and the performative aspects of organisational routines. The article contributes a new application of theory by drawing upon organisational routines as sources of flexibility and change rather than continuity alone. Avoiding the confusion between the ostensive and performative aspects of routines enables a more dynamic and emancipatory understanding of the identification and support for the promotion of workforce diversity to emerge

Narrative construction of professional teacher identity of teachers with dyslexia

This paper considers the development of teachers’ professional identity in the context of educators that have diverse backgrounds. We elucidate how teachers with dyslexia working in tertiary education use narrative resources to construct and negotiate their professional teacher identities. The analysis of narrative interviews, interpreted within the framework of positioning theory and the theories of narrative identity, indicated that the interviewees constructed several professional teacher identities that were closely linked to each teacher’s perception of their dyslexia. The experience of dyslexia was clearly evident as a positive element in each identity. Instead of seeing it as an obstacle it can become a part of the teacher’s own identity and can be used as a tool to thrive in their profession

Voices of teachers with dyslexia in Finnish and English further and higher educational settings

This paper sheds light onto a poorly presented group of professionals - teachers with dyslexia in Finnish and English further and higher educational settings. The purpose of this qualitative study was, firstly, to discover what teachers with dyslexia could tell us about the manifestation of dyslexia and the challenges they face in the practice of teaching, and secondly, to find out what these professionals feel about being a dyslexic teacher. The data were gathered through the narrative interviews of six teachers and was analysed using thematic narrative analysis. Teachers' narratives revealed that they had accepted their difficulties but also discovered their own strengths to overcome them. The data also indicated that these teachers appreciate their educator's role, acknowledging the importance of empathy and understanding towards their students. Teachers with dyslexia can be successful and useful in training fellow practitioners to be more aware of students' difficulties with dyslexia, hence having the potential to broaden capacity for inclusion and social equality in educational establishment

Student Teachers’ Video-Assisted Collaborative Reflections of Socio-Emotional Experiences During Teaching Practicum

This study explores video as a tool for student teachers in reflecting upon their own teaching practice. The particular interest is in exploring, what kind of socio-emotional experiences did the student teachers describe during the video-assisted collaborative reflection and what benefits student teachers experienced through the video-assisted collaborative reflections? The study implements a video-observation model (Participatory and Empowering Video Analysis- model, PEVA™) developed for a professional teacher education programme and investigates the model from student teachers’ perspective. The participants are student teachers in an international professional teacher education programme (n = 24) at a university of applied sciences. Student teachers video recorded their own teaching sessions displaying their work in different roles: teacher-led content specific instructions, group working sessions and individual student guidance and tutoring sessions. Student teachers were advised to annotate their own videos with a video-reflection tool by focussing on socio-emotional interactions, non-verbal elements of interaction and moments, where students felt successful and empowered. In addition to self-reflection, videos were viewed and annotated by a peer student and a teacher educator. After the phases of reviews and annotations (self-,peer-, and teacher annotations), an hour-long collaborative reflective feedback discussion was held either face-to-face or online. These sessions were facilitated by the teacher educator, involving the videoed student and the reviewing peer. Video annotation data was transcribed, and, in addition, the student teachers’ reflective writings (54 pages) and teacher educators’ notes of the reflective feedback sessions (20 pages) were used as data. The results of this study indicate that student teachers viewed the video reflection process as helpful in making socio-emotional experiences visible and tangible. The video annotation tool was recognised as useful for indicating socio-emotional experiences and making them more concrete thus resources for reflection. A combination of own, peer’s and teachers’ annotations functioned as a collaborative tool for increasing awareness of different socio-emotional experiences. By observing videos of their own teaching as well as teaching videos of their peers, student teachers were able to evaluate teaching situations holistically and observe connections of their own socio-emotional behaviours to their students.peerReviewe