Through a randomized controlled trial, this mixed-methods study evaluated changes in elementary science teachers' understandings, confidence, and classroom implementation of problem-based learning (PBL), inquiry, and nature of science (NOS) instruction following participation in a professional development (PD) as well as the components of the PD…

Classroom teachers struggle to meet the needs of all students as the United States population continues to become more diverse. While preservice teacher training programs strive to provide teachers with the knowledge and skills to complete this task effectively, opportunity gaps between minority students and their peers continue to grow. Through…

In a 2-year longitudinal study, we examined the effectiveness of a new technology-infused approach for teaching technology integration (TI) skills to teacher candidates. In the new approach, we infused learning to teach with technology into program methods courses. We measured candidates' understanding of various Technological Pedagogical Content…

This study illuminates the effects of graduate education on primary teachers' awareness of geography. Data were collected through interviews with twenty-one teachers who held M.A. or Ph.D. degrees in geography and analyzed using Straussian-grounded theory. The participants were categorized into four types. Many teachers (type A) showed meaningful…

Systems thinking is regarded as a key competence in the field of education for sustainable development (ESD), because it helps students to understand the complexity and dynamics of natural, social and economic systems. In our research group, we developed a competence model that distinguishes four dimensions of systems thinking in ESD. Based on…

The skills and strategies of effective communication are at the heart of literacy teaching and learning; engaging with digital technologies to communicate puts new demands on teachers and students. The communication tools of the 21st century require a rethinking of our 19th century educational approach to fully integrate digital tools into the…

The article presents a system-wide change initiated in the faculty of education at a major teachers' college aimed at developing students' reading, and written and oral communication proficiencies, while focusing on clarity and coherence, and the use of rich, correct and precise language for purposes of studying, teaching and research. The…

Many educational technology proponents support the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model as a way to conceptualize teaching with technology, but recent TPACK research shows a need for empirical studies regarding the development of this knowledge. This proof-of-concept study applies mixed-methods to investigate the…

Great teaching is characterised by the specific actions a teacher takes in the classroom to bring about learning. In the context of model-based teaching (MBT), teachers' difficulty in working with students' models that are not scientifically consistent is troubling. To address this problem, the aim of this study is to identify the pedagogical…

With the release of the Next Generation Science Standards, the Earth and environmental sciences receive greater emphasis at all grade levels. These rigorous standards increase pressure on elementary teachers to possess strong science content and pedagogical content knowledge. They also require teachers to hold a set of beliefs compatible with the…

Teachers' professional development (PD) receives a great deal of attention in current educational settings. However, research has shown that many teachers hesitate to attend PD programs. In this study, data were collected from 270 elementary school teachers and were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to…

The commercialisation of education and the massive recruitment of international students across different vocational education and training (VET) systems including the US, UK, Canada and Australia have led to significant changes in the VET teaching and learning landscape. This situation compels the VET sector to design and develop new professional…

Most countries stress that preparing quality teachers for twenty-first century students is an essential task for teacher training institutions. Besides the skills for how to teach subjects effectively, teachers should also know how to integrate digital technology into their teaching. Several studies have been done based on the TPACK framework.…

The preparation of teachers to teach mathematics to primary school children differs across nations and cultures. This study used mixed methods to examine the basic content knowledge of trainee teachers in Australia and China. A simple test (30 questions) of content based on an international comparative study in mathematics teacher training found…

Reading is fundamental to science and not an adjunct to its practice. In other words, understanding the meaning of the various forms of written discourse employed in the creation, discussion, and communication of scientific knowledge is inherent to how science works. The language used in science, however, sets up a barrier, that in order to be…