The purpose of this project was to explore current methods of onboarding, mentoring, and training district lay leaders in The United Methodist Church in an attempt to provide a new model based on situated learning (legitimate peripheral participation) for doing this work in the changing environment of the church and culture. The author surveyed…

This paper explores how an enskilment approach could be harnessed to guide coach education in Australian football (soccer). To do so, we first overview current coach education practices in Australian football, looking specifically into the foundation of Football Australia's coach education model, rooted in a transmissive metaphor. Then, drawing on…

This article explores the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Passports tool, developed to address the persistent challenge of bridging theoretical knowledge with practical application in Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Grounded in design-based research (DBR), the Passports were iteratively created to integrate academic and professional…

Background: The theory and practice divide is a persistent conundrum in teacher education. Moreover, foundation phase literacy teacher education is no exception because such graduates are expected to acquire knowledge and skills to address the challenges of the classroom. Objectives: This article focuses on the application of an integrated…

As graduates have transitioned into the workforce, employers have complained that these younger employees lack the soft skills that are needed to be successful in the workforce. Soft skills are personal traits and skills that employers seek in employees. Internship programs can be used to develop soft skills. Few qualitative studies have looked at…

This article details the efforts of one program's collaborative efforts toward continuous improvement and strengthening partnerships with local school districts using Leadership-Focused Coaching, a research-based model for principal preparation programs. Practical experiences and lessons learned from the ongoing online program improvement and…

As much as we think of a geologic map as objective, it is filtered through the experiences of individual geologists and the larger geology community. Thus it is important to understand how geologists become proficient at geologic mapping. As part of a naturalistic study of mapping strategies, 67 geologists ranging from undergraduates to…

The study is a conceptualization of cognitive apprenticeship model of teaching and learning applied to the teaching of philosophy. The study described how cognitive apprenticeship instructional strategies can be applied to facilitate rapid learning of philosophy of education course by especially non-specialized (in philosophy) students. The…

Learner-centered technology integration is a challenging task for many teachers. In an attempt to support science teachers' learner-centered technology integration efforts, this study developed a situated mentoring program and examined its impact on teachers' attitudes, technology integration practices, and perceived barriers. Further, the study…

With the number of underprepared, at-risk students entering college, many institutions have developed initiatives to help support student success. Previous research has shown that peer mentoring has been used to support student success, but there is limited research on the mentoring experience from the peer mentors' perspective. The purpose of the…

This paper describes a research study that investigated foreign language students' collaborative practice in a blended, authentic learning environment. A group of intermediate and advanced level students of Italian at an Australian university interacted and collaborated with each other and with a group of native speaker mentors through a web-based…

This conceptual paper critically explores the construct of agency from a dissertation research supervisor perspective. While the literature has expanded in the exploration of student agency, little focus has been given to the construct from a research supervisor agency stance. While current research into doctoral completion has shown the…

Research-informed immersive professional learning in schools is another avenue for pre-service teachers (PSTs) to develop their understanding and reflection about theories, methods, and practices of teaching and learning. From a collaborative research project that aimed at developing the intercultural capabilities of Prep level students in a…

Teachers in a new school setting tend to display lower teacher efficacy, which negatively affects teaching performance and student learning. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of teacher efficacy in pre-service teachers and explore key factors influencing the perceptions as a result of pre-service training.…

Partisan politics challenge educators to determine how best to navigate discussions of controversial subjects within their classrooms. This can be particularly true for new educators in the early stages of developing their confidence and classroom management skills. This qualitative case study uses situated learning and the communities of practice…