Empowering pre-service teachers through inquiry:Development of an inquiry stance in intended, implemented and attained curriculum of primary teacher education

For about ten years, pre-service teacher inquiry has been a compulsory component of the primary teacher education programme. However, why it had become compulsory and whether it led to better teachers was not clear. A formal reason for research – or actually inquiry - forming part of the curriculum is linked to the Dublin-descriptors, which have been established at European level. Previous research makes the assumption that pre-service teacher inquiry contributes to lifelong learning. The aim is not to educate researchers, but curious and critical teachers; professionals who can convert their inquiry habit of mind into inquiry based practice. In other words, development of an inquiry stance. This thesis examines how an inquiry stance is developed in the intended, implemented and attained curriculum of primary teacher education. In contrast to the intuitive expectation that pre-service teacher inquiry is experienced as a burden, findings show that pre-service teachers and teacher educators in the Netherlands and Australia consider it to be a valuable and useful component of the programme. They feel empowered by pre-service teacher inquiry. Results also show a positive correlation between the quality of inquiry and the quality of teaching. The still underdeveloped research culture in primary schools, the formal nature of the pre-service teacher research and the realistic view of the first years of teaching are the main reasons why students do not think they will conduct practitioner research in their future profession. The development of an inquiry habit of mind is the most important aspect of the inquiry stance, but pre-service teachers do not recognize this in the educational activities and assessment

Development of an Inquiry Stance? Perceptions of Preservice Teachers and Teacher Educators Toward Preservice Teacher Inquiry in Dutch Primary Teacher Education

This study aims to gain insight into the perceived purpose and value of preservice teacher inquiry in Dutch primary teacher education by teacher educators and preservice teachers at the undergraduate level; it also assesses the implementation of teaching and learning activities, and learning outcomes associated with teacher inquiry. In the Netherlands, inquiry competence in primary teacher education develops over a 4-year period, resulting in students' completion of capstone projects using practitioner inquiry. The authors combine a survey with focus groups of teacher educators and preservice teachers from eight institutes. They find differences between preservice teachers' perceptions of the implementation of inquiry competence and teacher educators' visions and perceptions of such implementation. All participants, students and educators, believe inquiry to be valuable and perceive learning outcomes of inquiry to be enriching, yet about half of the preservice teachers do not to expect to undertake inquiry in their future teaching jobs

Ashcroft pressure switch - monitor for low SCHe supply bottle pressure

These pressure switches are located in the SCHe helium supply lines at the pressure bottles and upstream of the PRV. The switches monitor the SCHe supply bottle pressure and are set to alarm at 2200 psig. There is one switch for each SCHe supply (4). Electronic output signal is NON-SAFETY (GS)

Reotemp pressure indicator - local pressure indication to monitor the SCHe supply bottle pressure

These 0-3000 psig range pressure indicators are located in the SCHe helium supply lines at the pressure bottles and upstream of the PRV. These accident monitoring local pressure indicators monitor the SCHe supply bottle pressure. There is one pressure indicator for each SCHe supply (4)

Fike MCO pressure safety element

Fike MCO pressure safety element CGI-SNF-D-30-3-P4-04