More primary schools could scrap homework - a former classroom teacher's view

First paragraph: At the beginning of this school year, it wasn’t just children who were grumbling about homework. A despairing comment on social media by comedian Rob Delaney about the amount demanded of his children sparked much debate – and plenty of support from frustrated parents.https://theconversation.com/more-primary-schools-could-scrap-homework-a-former-classroom-teachers-view-10533

Understandings of Mentoring within Initial Teacher Education School Placement Contexts: a Scottish perspective

Within the context of Scottish Initial Teacher Education, this qualitative study critically addresses mentor and mentee understandings of mentoring primary education student teachers. It introduces a Scottish perspective to the international body of literature on student teacher mentoring, and contributes new understandings of mentoring by addressing the role of mentees as well as those of the mentor. An instrumental, collective case study research design was employed with semi-structured interviews of six class teacher mentors and their student teachers conducted to ascertain understandings of the mentoring process. Findings indicate that participants understood mentoring as a multidimensional process designed to support the professional learning of student teachers. The key mentoring relationship is between class teacher mentor and mentee, and essential in developing mentee teaching capacity. Analysis of responses suggests an understanding of mentoring as involving both personal and professional dimensions. The data reveals the complex nature of the mentoring process in terms of the multitude of potential interpretations of these two dimensions and of the ways in which they overlap. It is recommended that all teacher education programmes and associated placement schools consider the provision of effective mentor and mentee education to improve the quality and consistency of mentoring for student teachers

Extending the constructs of active learning: implications for teachers' pedagogy and practice

Active learning is a pedagogical construct widely appealed to within the global discourse of lifelong learning. However, an examination of the literature reveals a lack of clarity and consensus as to its meaning. This article provides a critical analysis of a range of dimensions underpinning the concept of active learning including policy discourses, definitions, interpretation and enactments in educational settings, and resultant pedagogical implications. A more robust theoretical framework is presented to support educator understanding which synthesises and extends current constructs and which bridges the divide between active learning considered as either theory of learning or pedagogical strategy

Understandings of mentoring in school placement settings within the context of Initial Teacher Education in Scotland: dimensions of collaboration and power

This study critically addresses mentor and mentee understandings of mentoring primary education student teachers within existing operations of power in the context of Scottish Initial Teacher Education. Semi-structured interviews of mentors and student teachers were used to elicit relational understandings of the mentoring process within an instrumental, collective case study research design. Findings indicate that participants understood mentoring as a multifaceted process aimed at supporting the professional learning of student teachers. The article addresses the main mentoring relationship between class teacher mentor and student teacher mentee. Analysis of their responses suggests an understanding of mentoring as involving both personal and professional dimensions. From these dimensions emerge the focus of this article: implicit collaboration and conceptions of power as a relational duality situated within a more Foucauldian 'flux' form. Critical discussion of findings extends understandings of the complexity of the mentoring process with reference to perceptions of collaboration, power and their co-existence. Conclusions focus on the need for a quality, consistent mentoring education programme to promote an informed knowledge and understanding of the complex nature of mentoring in order to improve the quality and consistency of mentee learning experiences

Partnership within the Context of Mentoring Initial Teacher Education Students in Scotland: Progress or Maintaining the Status Quo?

This qualitative research study concerns mentoring primary education student teachers within the context of Scottish Initial Teacher Education. With reference to partnership in ITE, it focuses on understandings about relationships between local authority and school, and between school and university within the mentoring process. Within an instrumental, collective case study research design, semi-structured interviews of mentors and student teachers were used to gather data alongside a constructivist grounded theory approach to analysis. Findings suggest that relationships are remote, in contrast with recent recommendations made by the previous and latest reviews of Scottish teacher education, and in the literature about effective ITE partnership. Conclusions provide examples of evolving enhanced partnerships and suggest the need for continued consideration of such developments to promote quality and consistency across ITE placement mentoring experiences

Mentoring primary education student teachers: understandings of mentoring and perceptions of the use of formative assessment within the mentoring pqrocess

This study is concerned with understanding the complexities inherent in the mentoring process. It investigates understandings of mentoring primary education student teachers within a school placement context. Further, it explores understandings and perceptions of the use of formative assessment principles and practices to support professional learning within that process. In addition, it aims to identify salient implications for mentoring practices within Initial Teacher Education. Within an instrumental, collective case study, a purposeful sampling strategy was employed in terms of selecting student teachers at a particular stage on a specific programme (an undergraduate primary education degree), their class teacher mentors, and their placement school management level and local authority mentors. Semi-structured interviews were used alongside a constructivist grounded theory approach to data analysis and theory generation (Charmaz, 2006). Current Scottish education policy is used to frame and exemplify points made with a variety of national and international literature employed to analyse findings and suggest recommendations for future mentoring research, policy and practice. Findings indicate that participants understood mentoring as a multidimensional process involving a range of relationships designed to support the mentoring of student teachers within a school placement context. Four relationships, which differ in terms of extent and form/function, are evident: class teacher mentor/mentee; school management mentor/class teacher mentor/mentee; school/university and local authority/school. These relationships appear to range in proximity from close to barely existent. The key relationship is that between class teacher mentor and mentee. Findings further suggest variability in understandings of formative assessment. Most participants were comfortable in describing its forms through examples of classroom practice. However, talking about function (why it is used) was an area of uncertainty. Participants also understood formative and summative assessment as connected processes. Several professional learning sources were cited as the bases of their understandings. With regard to perceptions of the use of formative assessment, findings suggest that it was used within the main mentoring relationship between class teacher mentors and mentees. Responses indicate that it was employed subconsciously in contrast to the structured, explicit way it is used with school pupils. Furthermore, participants viewed it as potentially helpful in the professional learning of mentors and mentees through strategies such as dialogue, self-evaluation and peer assessment. It was noted that support was required to develop the use of formative assessment within the mentoring process. In this respect, participants were able to articulate how it might be implemented with reference to specific professional learning mechanisms, however, were unsure about what its content might be. Based on findings, recommendations for policy and practice in the area of mentor education and partnership within Scottish Initial Teacher Education are suggested to foster a more cohesive, informed approach to mentoring student teachers. Future directions for research emerge in terms of the use of a variety of mentors from within and outwith school placement contexts, investigation of the role of the university tutor within emerging enhanced partnership arrangements, and an exploration of how formative assessment might be more consciously integrated into the mentoring process

ICT in ITE: Undergraduate perceptions of emerging confidence and competence

There has been relentless growth in the use of ICT within schools, universities and the workplace in recent years. This presents a challenge to users' confidence and competence. Primary schools are typical of this trend; as the curriculum has expanded in range, greater computer literacy is expected of student teachers from the outset of their courses. As an initial step, this study investigates the skills, experiences, attitudes, confidence and competence of a cohort of first year students. They were embarking on a four-year Bachelor of Education Honours degree course at university in order to qualify as primary and nursery school teachers. The survey suggested that the majority of students are suitably experienced, confident and highly motivated within a fairly narrow range of ICT skills but limited beyond those. Furthermore, most student teachers tend to underestimate the ICT abilities already displayed by many primary school children