A Retrospective Appraisal of Teacher Induction

A Retrospective Appraisal of Teacher Induction Abstract Examination of an induction program for new teachers was undertaken from the viewpoint of induction graduates three years after participation. Their retrospective perspectives were investigated as to their satisfaction with assimilation in school in the induction year, their attitudes towards organizational aspects of the program, and the program\u27s contribution to their professional development. Comparisons were made to beginning teachers in the midst of their induction year. Data were collected from 98 induction graduates and 390 induction participants using questionnaires. Compared to induction participants, graduates retrospectively remembered the induction year at school less positively and more often recommended extending induction support. The graduates ascribed only moderate contribution to the induction program. In general retrospective appraisals of active teachers and non-teaching graduates were similar. Implications for the use of retrospective evaluations are discussed

Predictors of Teacher Educators\u27 Research Productivity

This study examined the relationship between teacher educators\u27 research productivity (RP) and their background and professional characteristics, attitudes, motives, obstacles and time devoted to research. The sample included 161 teacher educators from four teacher education colleges in Israel. The findings indicate the significance of five variables for predicting RP: academic degree, rank, administrative position, desire to develop new knowledge and learn from research findings and perceived insufficient research competence and self-confidence. These variables account for 37.2% of the variance in RP. The results from this study provide useful information for teacher education institutions and policy makers regarding variables significantly related to RP. These variables should be addressed when recruiting teacher educators, assigning administrative duties and designing professional development programs, particularly for new career faculty

Curious minds: Evidence from interviews with renowned experts in five curiosity-dominant fields

Semi-structured interviews with 50 renowned experts from five curiosity-dominant professional fields (scientists, inventors (high-tech entrepreneurs), artists, explorers, and therapeutic professionals) were conducted. The five-dimensional curiosity framework advanced by Kashdan and colleagues (comprising joyous discovery, deprivation sensitivity, social curiosity, stress (uncertainty) tolerance, and Thrill-seeking) was adopted. The purpose was to explore nuances of curiosity manifestations expressed by the subjects in their own words and related personality and contextual attributes. A directed approach to content analysis was applied to code the interview data; qualitative methods were employed for data analysis, complemented by quantitative ones. Insights gained from the findings regarding the curiosity construct with a particular focus on differences among the groups in aspects of social curiosity and effects of uncertainty tolerance, and thrill-thinking were discussed, followed by implications for cultivating curious minds