Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Science in a New Zealand Intermediate School

Concern has been raised globally that a lack of interest by teachers towards teaching science has a negative impact on the children they teach. While attention has been paid to the teacher as a contributing factor to students’ attitudes, less has been written about the attitudes of teachers. To bridge this gap, the current study examines six Year 8 teachers’ attitudes towards teaching science in a New Zealand intermediate school. Biographical data was gathered and individual semi-structured interviews were conducted that explored the teachers’ attitudes. van Aalderen-Smeets et al.’s (2012) framework, which takes a multidimensional view of attitudes, is used as a lens to examine the attitudes of the participants in the current study. In general, the participants had a positive attitude towards teaching science. The dimensions contributing to their positivity or negativity are discussed. Implications for supporting teachers to teach science through professional learning and development opportunities in order to create positive attitudes to teach science are proposed

The Value of Masters Study to Teachers’ Professional Practice: Contradictory Discourses within the Workplace

Postgraduate study provides teachers with opportunities to become critical consumers of research as well as generators of their own knowledge, enabling them to fulfil the mandate of teaching being a research informed and evidenced based profession (Robinson, 2003). This article pays attention to 18 practicing teachers’ reasons for undertaking a master’s degree and the type of workplace support offered during their enrolment. Findings suggest that teachers’ reasons for undertaking academic study were very much tied to their perceptions of what it means to be a teacher and how teaching and learning can be improved. As such teachers’ professional identity seemed to reflect the discourse of teaching as a complex and professional activity. Such an identity seemed contradictory to those of many of their workplace colleagues and senior managers who provided the teachers with subtle messages regarding the importance and value of study and research to teachers’ professional practice

Risk, resilience and identity construction in the life narratives of young people leaving residential care

The role of residential care for children has developed very differently internationally, but in all cultural contexts there are questions about the extent to which it can help young people recover from high risk backgrounds. In the UK, residential care has come to be seen as the placement of last resort, yet new government guidance on permanence has suggested that residential care can provide security and a sense of belonging. Narrative analysis of interviews with 20 care leavers identified their different pathways from birth families through residential care to early adulthood. Some experienced a transformation from a negative sense of self as victims or ‘bad children’ to survivors, while others continued to struggle. Key to successful turning points were four interacting factors, all associated with resilience; connection, agency, activity and coherence. These narratives revealed the importance of nurturing relationships and a sense of ‘family’, but also the role of support after leaving residential care, when transitions workers helped them to move on but stay connected. The study highlighted how residential care leavers from adverse backgrounds attribute very different meanings to their experiences, which affects identity construction, resilience and the need for support

Primary Science Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy: A Case Study

Self-efficacious teachers are critical in the development of students’ positive attitudes towards science and scientific literacy yet to date little attention has been given to studies of experienced teachers of primary science and development of their self-efficacy (SE) beliefs. The aim of this study was to explore how two experienced teachers of primary science built their SE beliefs and outcome expectancy. Bandura’s (1977) SE framework provided the conceptual lens to understand participants’ experiences and beliefs. Findings suggest that teachers’ SE beliefs had developed over time, creating a foundation for a strong expectancy outcome. Each of the sources of influence made a significant contribution to their beliefs about their science teaching capability and the value of science. Seemingly, their strong outcome expectancy enabled them to be persistent and resilient, overcoming challenges as they arose. We argue that a strong expectancy outcome is necessary to ensure SE does not weaken over time

Student Voices about the Role Feedback Plays in the Enhancement of their Learning

If feedback is to be framed as purposeful dialogue then both students and teachers have significant roles to play. Students must be willing and able to provide feedback to teachers not only about their learning needs but also about the teaching they experience. In turn, teachers must create the conditions that support active student learning and disclosure. It is against this backdrop that the current interpretive, qualitative research was carried out. Set within the final year of secondary schooling in New Zealand (Year 13) this paper draws on data generated from two semi-structured, focus group interviews. It provides insights into 14 students’ perspectives about the role feedback plays in the enhancement of their learning, the kinds of experiences and interactions needed to support their disclosure of learning needs and the dispositions teachers need to exhibit to create a trustful, mutually respectful environment

Inclusive Smartphone Interface Design in Context:co (re) designing the PIS

Context optimises smartphone interfaces for users. Omission of user-context during development causes time-lag for consumer benefit. Working with People with Learning Disability (PWLD) to develop interfaces refined by communication-need will improve User-Experience (UX). In research, a Participant Information sheet (PIS) discloses planned study-activity. This paper explains co-creation of a PIS based on communication-need of PWLD