ECER 2007 – Teacher Education Research Network

Abstracts submitted and accepted as at 20/04/2007

Draft 1

Compiled 260407 by Peter Gray (email <graypb@gmail.com> for Teacher Education Research Network. All errors are his responsibility! This is a relatively simple but untried idea and feedback or rude comments would be welcome.

A new approach to knowledge sharing and generation from conferences: ECER 2007, Ghent: Teacher Education Research Network

Currently, standard practice for conference papers is as follows: 1. Authors submit abstracts2. Abstracts are reviewed to ensure conformity to conference criteria3. Authors are notified of acceptance or otherwise4. Authors write papers (usually)5. Authors present versions of papers during parallel sessions6. Authors go home

There is of course a certain amount of learning and knowledge generation going on, with participants in sessions which are as far as possible aligned with their specific research interests. Also, participants have informal exchanges at coffee breaks, in the pub etc which are often extremely valuable. The pressures on academic time, however, are nowadays intense and participants may be unaware of the conference sessions most relevant to themselves until after they arrive at the reception desk and collect the inevitable conference bag. Furthermore, the choice of parallel sessions is inevitably somewhat arbitrary since titles and even abstracts may not reflect the quality or relevance of presentations.

None of this is entirely avoidable since it is necessary for as many authors as possible to present within the time and space available in order to justify attendance to their institutions. Nevertheless, there might be ways of improving the quality and quantity of interactions prior to the conference. Although it is clearly impractical to involve all possible participants, those whose abstracts are accepted form a core group who would probably attend conference and visit each other’s sessions. It might, therefore be useful to this group to be alerted to the themes of each other’s papers and possibly to the sources or methods employed. This, after all is the purpose of the conference and the element of surprise, whilst part of the performativity of presentation, is not part of the knowledge-sharing process.

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I’m sure there will be reasons why this will be seen as unnecessary or even as some form of cheating, but conferences are not about competion and nothing here will prevent authors from publishing papers in due course. The main intention is to cross-inform authors about what is going on elsewhere, in a way which is not possible through conventional literature review. I hope it works.

Please note that in the summary table below, I have tried to identify the topic(s) of abstracts rather than cut and paste the titles. Some titles, however, give the topic directly to the reader and are therefore included in the list. This is not a criticism but reflects the different rhetorical purposes and conventions of academic titling. I have also tried to standardise teminology but not very systematically, for example “beginning teachers” and “novice teachers” are interchangeable as are “pre-service teachers” and “student teachers” although there are various arguments around these terms.

The best way to search for abstracts is to use the proposal number, unfortunately I have not yet synchronised the order of the list with the actual order of abstracts. I have corrected some typographical errors but apologise to anyone whose errors remain uncorrected or who doesn’t like my corrections. Finally, many of the co-authors’ names are missing due to the complexities of circulating all the abstracts, please feel free to put them in if you wish.

Peter GrayApril 2007e-mail: graypb@gmail.com

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No. Principal Author

Principal Author email address Topic of abstract

018 Sanal-Erginel senemerginel@yahoo.com Reflection & pre-service teachers

022 Medeiros Rodrigues Reali

darr@power.ufscar.br Research Group Participation On-Line Mentoring

029 Moore Rodney.Moore@vu.edu.au Teacher Education for Mature entrants to teaching

038 Rots Isabel.Rots@UGent.be Teaching Commitment and retention

040 Brodie m.brodie@shu.ac.uk Student Associate Scheme: shortage subject recruitment

051 Santoro Franco

ameliasantoro@uol.com.br Action-Research, Pedagogy, Educational Practice

086 McNally j.g.mcnally@stir.ac.uk Teacher Education and Children's Rights - a Joint Network Session (round table)

090 Smith Kari.smith@iuh.uib.no Novice teachers’ experiences

092 Fritzen Lena.Fritzen@vxu.se Deliberative Science & Teacher Education.

106 Jordell k.o.jordell@ped.uio.no Student perceptions of three types of professional education

107 Krull edgar.krull@ut.ee Student Teachers & Critical Lesson analysis

115 Abdalla mfabdalla@uol.com.br Teacher qualification & development through Pedagogical Projects

127 Lindgren Ulla.lindgren@educ.umu.se Teaching standards, transferablilty &Teachers’ professionalism

150 Burn Katharine.burn@edstud.ox.ac.uk Beginning teachers, orientation &

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development 162 Fontaine Sylvie.fontaine@uqo.ca ITE, induction,

motivation and retention of beginning teachers

203 Buldu (a) m.buldu@uaeu.ac.ae Constructivist beliefs & Pre-service Teachers in United Arab Emirates

210 Buldu (b) m.buldu@uaeu.ac.ae Attitudes of Pre-service Early Childhood Teachers Toward Early Childhood Profession

222 Stenberg katariina.stenberg@helsinki.fi Research-based Teacher Education & Inquiry Oriented Teachers

309 Malmberg lars-erik.malmberg@edstud.ox.ac.uk Student teachers' agency beliefs, motivation and self-perception in class

323 Gibson r.gibson@edfac.usyd.edu.au Innovations in teaching and learning, teaching practice

324 Manuel j.manuel@edfac.usyd.edu.au Motivation to teach, initial teacher education, recruitment, retention & professional development

241 Nawrotzki kdnawrotzki@gmail.com Historical Narratives in Early Years Teacher Training: History, Identity, & Reflective Practice

285 Turner-Bisset R.Turner-Bisset@mdx.ac.uk Knowledge Bases of Teacher Educators

331 Leshem Shosh-l@zahav.net.il Teacher retention, recruitment, & resilience

354 Kiviniemi ulla.kiviniemi@edu.jyu.fi Student teachers & affordances in teaching practice

358 Anderson c.d.b.anderson@ed.ac.uk Analysis Of

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Teachers’ talk In Training/ Tutor Conferences

366 Findlay morag.findlay@strath.ac.uk mapping techniques & Physics student teachers’ understanding of learning and teaching"

368 Lang langm@ipn.uni-kiel.de Boundary crossing in Science Teacher Education

382 Hansen hansen@ipn.uni-kiel.de Curriculum Workshops, Deliberative Inquiry. Pragmatism & Practitioner Research

399 Stuchlikova stuchl@pf.jcu.cz implicit theory of teaching, pre-service teachers

408 Malcolm hmalcolm@education.ed.ac.uk Research Culture & Teacher Education

420 Vec tanja.vec@zrss.si Action Research, Teachers & Learning Communities.

448 Elster Elster@ipn.uni-kiel.de Teachers, Students & Contexts of Interest in Science Education

464 Laheb reelyka@tlu.ee e-Portfolios & Reflective Practice among beginning teachers

493 Mazehoova (poster)

mazehoova@tiscali.cz professional identity of pre-service teachers & art-therapeutic techniques

510 Kaldi kaldi@uth.gr mature student teachers in initial teacher education

517 Ewing r.ewing@edfac.usyd.edu.au Arts Informed Inquiry in Educational Research

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533 Macleod gale.macleod@ed.ac.uk Experiences of Disabled Students in Initial Teacher Education

535 Heikkinen hannu.heikkinen@ktl.jyu.fi Reconceptualising Mentoring in Teachers' Professional Development

537 Orlenius Kennert.orlenius@his.se Moral Dimensions in science teacher Education

547 Patrick f.patrick@educ.gla.ac.uk Problem based learning, professional education & students' voices

557 Temli yeliz@metu.edu.tr pre-service teachers’ perceptions of morality, moral and character education

564 Cove m.cove@educ.gla.ac.uk Threshold Concepts & mentoring of beginning teachers

565 Hoveid marith@hifm.no Contested Qualities in Research on Teacher Education (Cross-Network Roundtable)

581 Mansour n.mansour@ex.ac.uk Science teachers' constructivist or traditional orientations

587 Kitching Karl.kitching@spd.dcu.ie Teachers’ roles, emotion, diaries

597 Odena o.odena@qub.ac.uk Video Eliciting Techniques,Teachers and Students in Naturalistic Research

604 Karlsen Geir.karlsen@plu.ntnu.no Language of drama as pedagogic tool

622 Oras Kaja.Oras@ut.ee Novice/expert teachers, lesson events

626 Katene W.Katene@exeter.ac.uk Teachers’ subject knowledge analysis

649 MacRuairc. gerry.macruairc@ucd.ie Reflective practice,

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performativity660 Skinner N.C.Skinner@exeter.ac.uk Teacher

competence, standards

682 Poom-Valackis katrinpv@tlu.ee Novice teachers’ learning & interactions

685 Thomson c.j.thomson@abdn.ac.uk Teacher education Literature review process

705 Werler tobias.c.werler@hia.no Boundaries of professional identity

762 Murray Jean.Murray@brunel.ac.uk Teacher educator identities & Knowledge

788 Valente mvalente@fc.ul.pt Teacher education theory and practice

800 Kynch c.kynch@ucsm.ac.uk Interprofessional learning

816 Cowan e.m.cowan@abdn.ac.uk Teacher education, formative assessment

822 Neto (poster) Vicente.neto@ufrgs.br Teacher education, pedagogical practice

826 Kaldi kaldi@uth.gr Novice teacher self appraisal & competence

837 Mottart Andre.Mottart@UGent.be Use of Narrative in teacher training

842 Murray Jean.Murray@brunel.ac.uk Issues around research in teacher education

843 Montgomery a.montgomery@ulster.ac.uk Teacher education and citizenship

846 Wood e.a.wood@ex.ac.uk Teacher learning, collaborative research

861 Tugui ttxcmt@nottingham.ac.uk Reflection, teachers’ philosophies

872 Karatrantou a.karatrantou@eap.gr Teaching & visual representation

886 Figueiredo mariapfigueiredo@gmail.com Research training in teacher education

889 Obi Robi@njcu.edu Professional identity formation

890 Hall Graeme.Hall@teachingaustralia.edu.a Research &

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u Accreditation of teacher education

910 Vilela mcvilela@hotmail.com Early stage teachers & Science investigation

911 Kunz martin.kunz@uni-hamburg.de Multilinguism, Biography and Professionalization

962 Wall k.wall@ioe.ac.uk Research capacity-building in teacher education

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Proposal P587

"Negative Emotional Propriety: The Place Of Role Within Teacher's Subjectivities"

principal author : Mr Karl Kitching.email address: Karl.kitching@spd.dcu.ie

abstract:

This paper is part of a wider, innovative study of Teacher's Lives and theirwellbeing. A previous paper has already focused on understanding the natureof job satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and particularly the implicationsof this understanding for commitment to teaching (Morgan, Kitching andO'Leary, forthcoming).

This paper proposes the concept of emotional propriety for teachers as anextension of Hochschild's emotion work thesis. Hochschild posits three typesof emotion 'acting' in the workplace: surface acting, deep acting, andinternalisation of role-emotions. Our qualitative analysis of almost 40teachers' professional diaries revealed rich information about the nature ofnegative emotions within workplace subjectivities. They suggest thatemotions are not simply reactions to structural constraints, rather theseemotions can constitute and reinforce the teacher role even at the surfacelevel. A more complex theory of teacher emotions is used to question thenorms of the teacher role/emotion rules and provide a framework forrethinking teachers' emotions. We may suggest a matrix of teacher emotionswhere role and the other, multiple subject positions teachers occupyintersect at various points both within the individual and in relation toothers. The teacher may partially invest parts of his/her 'identity' inhis/her role as well as accommodate or resist certain teacher roles. Thediscourse of the teacher in control and as moral guardian both regulates andproduces teacher and students roles and emotions, while teachers' andstudents' subjectivities interweave, conflict with and at times synonymisethemselves with those roles.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:'Diary' methods, which are sometimes called 'experience sampling methods'have been used in work studies with police, accountants, nurses, soldiers,and in the study of work-family interaction, but rather less in classroomsettings (Van Eerde, Holman & Totterdell, 2005). These approaches are deemedto be especially appropriate where there are difficulties aboutreconstruction of events, especially private complex events which may besusceptible to personal interpretation and where the pace of events might be

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likely to likely make to difficult to create the constituents in retrospect.The focus of diary studies has frequently been on emotions, moods, jobsatisfaction, depression and feelings of intimacy (Bolger et al, 2003).Thirty-nine teachers (out of a sample of 150 newly-qualified teachers)volunteered to complete diaries on a weekly basis, over the course of fiveweeks. The reason for selecting a weekly interval was through a balance ofconsiderations of getting regular information without making demands thatwould be impossible. They were asked to (i) describe the incidents that hadhappened during the week that made them feel good (and experiencesatisfaction) in their work as teachers, (ii) indicate similarly whichincidents caused them to feel bad (and experience dissatisfaction), and(iii) rate the importance (1-10) of each incident they described. Follow-upinterviews with teachers participating in the diary study were used for thepurposes of triangulation.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:Diary entry: 'On Tuesday I felt like I spent the majority of the daydemanding their attention, telling/persuading them to be quiet. I amgetting fed up of playing manipulation games to get them to pay attention.Listening is a basic skill/requirement for school, not something I shouldonly see on the promise of a reward. I was frustrated today and thisdoesn't disappear when the bell goes'.It is worth considering that teachers may use their negative emotional'responses' as pedagogical tools. Emotional 'rules' in education areconstructed through the norms of the teacher role, making some rules presentand others absent (Zembylas, 2003). It is legitmate practice, for example,for teachers to use emotions as pedagogical and regulatory tools, e.g.communicating disappointment to students in an effort to 'motivate' orchastise them. Thus emotions, and particularly notions ofdisappointment-guilt-morality are harnessed and used as teaching andregulatory mechanisms. Teachers must prop up and communicate certainbehavioural expectations to their students, and the moral discourse employsemotions to achieve this aim. The downside is that genuinely felt emotions,'real' disappointment, arguably become self-defeating for the teacher asthey are fed back into responses to students that reinforce the teacherrole. This is an example of how teachers both submit to and master theemotional propriety discourse simultaneously. This endless cycle ofself-defeating emotional exchanges solidifies the teacher role. Themorality-through-emotion tool backfires, and the teacher is consequentlyrestricted from expressing e.g. 'hurt', ensuring the continuity ofemotional propriety.This view has important implications for the wellbeing of teachers. In termsof reducing negative feelings, problem-oriented strategies (tackling theproblem) and emotion-oriented strategies (reducing the emotional distress,e.g. by venting/acknowledging emotions) can only be viewed as temporary,

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reactionary strategies, as they view structural problems as external toemotion. Opening a greater space for thinking about emotions may encouragegreater awareness for teachers of their emotional states. But this frameworkdoes more than that: it encourages teachers to think differently aboutemotions, to see how their emotional states can reinforce structuralconstraints, to ask how discourses on emotions and the various norms intheir schools have shielded them from their desires, and also installedthose desires as what they presume themselves to be.

References (including own publications):Selected List:Britzman, D. (1990) Practice Makes Practice: A critical study of learning toteach, Albany: State University Press.Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The managed heart: Commercialisation of humanfeeling. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.Søreide, G. E. (2006) Narrative construction of teacher identity:positioning and negotiation, Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice,Vol. 12, No. 5, pp. 527 - 547 Youngblood Jackson, A. (2001) Multiple Annies:Feminist Poststructural Theory and the Making of a Teacher, Journal ofTeacher Education, Vol. 52, No. 5, pp. 386 - 397.Zembylas, M. (2003) Emotions and Teacher Identity: a poststructuralperspective, Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp.213 - 238.

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proposal P604

"Dramaturgy and foreignlanguage education"

principal author : Dr Geir Karlsen.email address: Geir.karlsen@plu.ntnu.no

abstract:

In this paper, we will discuss impacts of enhancing the traditional didacticvocabulary with concepts inspired by dramaturgy to restructure foreignlanguage teaching. We will claim that the didactics of foreign language - aswell as also other didactics - is problematic because the concepts used hasan insensitivity due to all the dynamic processes evolving in the classroomduring a lesson. The language of the didactics develops a language aboutteaching, but as we see it, it lacks a focus on what's going on inside theeducation, as well as processes that could create "learning energy" duringlessons. We believe that language has its own way of constituting reality(Derrida 1987, Carlson 1996). So what happens if we use a language developedfor another purpose which focuses communication, processes and dynamics? We have chosen the language of theatre and drama - not only for exploringdrama-methods in the classroom as such (O'Toole 1992, Bolton 1999,Stanislavski 1988). Our main purpose was to use the language of drama as aframework for understanding teaching and education as such. In this way wewanted a swift in the work of planning lessons - from what could be called"the art of prediction", to planning and making structures that could giveroom for the unexpected. Even more, we wanted to create a language ofteaching that could enhance the coming foreign language teacher's horizon ofpossibility, to focus on what makes lessons dynamic and meaningful, withenthusiastic students as well as teachers.

In Norway - as well as other countries in Europe, there has been a debateabout how one could change the tradition in the didactics of foreignlanguage to be more practical and communicative. There is a wish for a swiftin didactic strategies for learning foreign languages. In our recentlyaccomplished action research project involving students studying thedidactics of foreign language, we arranged "training sessions" where thestudents were focusing concepts from dramaturgy such as striking, tension,mood, focus and roles (O'Toole 1992). Our aim was to test out a languageallowing us to talk about the processes in dynamic (creative) teaching(Karlsen et.al. 2005). We will also show some practical examples of howeducation in French can be changed due to these concepts and discuss some

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preliminary experiences.

The experiences from this project will be discussed with the impact of"disciplined improvisation" as Sawyer (2001, 2004) has phrased some of theefforts to see teaching as a creative performance. In this way we will askif improvisation is the needed element of challenging the tradition ofnominalism - the predictable and unambiguous and one-answer-seeking inteaching, either we use traditional didactic language or swift to a languageinspired of the scene.

We would like to discuss these major questions:1. Could this dramatugical language contribute to an enhancment of thesemiotics of teaching? Does this create better learning conditions forstudents - or is this only creating entertaining teachers? 2. Is dramaturgical concepts easily transferred to the classroom? Wewould like to discuss the concepts we have chosen - and are open tosuggestions of possible other concepts that could be used.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:Action research, combined with theoretically studies in dramaturgy andphilosophy.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:Giving teachers and teacher students access to a "new" language inspired ofdramaturgy, combined with practical exercises seems to create lessons withmore "learning energy", and more communicatively active students.Indications on improved learning outcomes and a higher level of mastery inlanguage skills.

References (including own publications):Bolton, G.: Acting in classroom drama. Birmingham, Trentham Books.Derrida, J.(1987): The Postcard. Chicago, The University of Chicago PressCarlson, M. (1996): Performance. London, Routledge.Karlsen, Ramberg, Langseth, Hestnes (2005): Dramaturgi og iscenesettelse somutgangspunkt for fremmedspråksundervisning. Trondheim, PPU-serien no. 25.O'Toole, J.(1992): The process of drama. London, Routledge.Sawyer, K.(2001): Creating conversations. Cresskill, Hampton Press Inc.Stanislavski, C.(1988): An actor prepares. London, Methuen.

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proposal P622

"Improving Student Teachers' Abilities to Analyze Lesson Events (Using Gagné's model of Instructional Units.

principal author : Mrs Kaja Oras.email address: Kaja.Oras@ut.ee

abstract:

This paper deals with student teachers' school practice improvement by usingvideo based intervention to improve their perceptual capabilities andthinking about lesson events. The main purpose of this work is to test amethodology of lesson observation using modified Gagné's model of lessonevents. There exist major differences between novice and expert teachers thinkingprocess and perceptual capabilities (Berliner 1987, Berliner et al. 1988,Carter et al. 1987, Krull et al. In press, Sabers et al. 1987, Sato et al.1993). In the study carried out in Tartu University we found that majordifferences were founded in novice and expert teachers' comments aboutproviding learning guidance for supporting semantic coding in pupils.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:The subjects of this study were 13 student teachers in experimental groupand 12 student teachers in control group. Research subjects were shownbefore and after their school practice a videotaped lesson of mother tonguein grade seven, and while watching, they were asked to comment on thelesson. During school practice research subjects had to participiate inspecial seminars of lesson observation were they had shown 4 differentvideotaped lessons - two lessons of ed teachers and two lessons of studentteachers. After every seminar the research subjects were asked to analyzethese lessons in writing. Research subjects were introduced with and used intheir lesson analyses Gagné's model of instructional units which wasmodified (see Krull et al. In press).

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:It is expected that research subjects make more comments and refer more toGagné's lesson events than student teachers in control group. It is obviousthat student teachers make more remarks about lesson events

References

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Berliner, D. C. (1987). In pursuit of the expert pedagogue. EducationalResearcher, 15, 5-13. Berliner, D. C., Stein, P., Sabers, D., Clarridge, P. B., Cushing, K. &Pinnegar, S. (1988). Implications of research on pedagogical expertise andexperience for mathematics teaching. In D. A. Grouws & T. J. Cooney (Eds.),Perspectives on research on effective mathematics teaching. Reston, VI;National Council of Teachers Mathematics.Carter, K., Sabers, D., Cushing, K., Pinnegar, P. & Berliner, D.C. (1987).Processing and using information about students: A study of expert, noviceand postulant teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 3, 147-157.Krull, E., Oras, K. & Sisask, S. (xxxx) Differences in teachers' comments onclassroom events as indicators of their professional development. Teachingand Teacher Education. (In press).Sabers, D., Cushing, K. & Berliner, D.C. (1991). Differences among teachersin task characterized by simultanity, multidimensionality and immediacy.American Educational Research Journal, vol. 28, 63-88.Sato, M., Akita, K. & Iwakawa, N. (1993). Practical thinking styles ofteachers: Acomparative study of expert and novice thought process and itsimplications for rethinking teacher education in Japan. Peabody Journal ofEducation, 68, 100-110.

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proposal P626

"Subject knowledge or knowledge bases for teaching? Physical education student teachers' perspectives"

principal author: Mr Will Katene.email address W.Katene@exeter.ac.uk

abstract:

Research into learning to teach has several important strands, inparticular, the role of subject knowledge and its relationship with teaching(Shulman, 1986, 1987; Carter, 1990; Siedentop, 2002). The importance ofsubject knowledge and its connection with teaching is also reflected in itsinclusion as one of 3 professional standards that student teachers arerequired to achieve to be awarded Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) uponcompletion of an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course in England (DfES &TTA, 2003). However, given the importance of subject knowledge, what does itactually mean? This paper examines the complex nature of subject knowledgeand discusses different schools of thought, from the literature, on whatcounts as subject knowledge. Shulman (1986, 1987) presents seven categoriesof teachers' knowledge which are often connected to the development of aknowledge base for teaching: (i) content knowledge, (ii) pedagogical contentknowledge, (iii) general pedagogical knowledge, (iv) curriculum knowledge,(v) knowledge of learners and their characteristics, (vi) knowledge ofeducational contexts and, (vii) knowledge of educational ends, purposes andvalues. The influence of Shulman's conceptual framework of knowledge basesis illustrated by the number of scholars who have embraced the concept,sought to demonstrate its importance in teaching, reformulated it and, ofcourse, criticised it. Thus, Shulman's knowledge bases for teaching modelwas used, in this study, as a framework to analyse student teachers'questionnaire, lesson observation and interview data on what constitutessubject knowledge. A questionnaire was administered, on two separateoccasions, to 53 student teachers (28 or 53% males; 25 or 47% females)undertaking a one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) PhysicalEducation course at one university in England. In addition, 12 studentteachers were interviewed and observed, also on two separate occasions.Results revealed that student teachers perceived subject knowledge as acombination of subject content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge,however, as the PGCE course progressed a wider, holistic and more integratedview of subject knowledge unfolded. Implications for teacher educators,practitioners and student teachers in ITE are discussed such as theusefulness of the full range of Shulman's knowledge bases both in designingthe content and structure of ITE courses, and as a framework for assessingstudent teachers' needs at various stages in their development as teachers.

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References Carter, K. (1990). Teachers' knowledge and learning to teach, in: W.R.Houston (Ed.) Handbook of research on teacher education. New York: Macmillan(pp 291-310).Shulman, L.S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching.Educational Researcher, 15 (2), 4-14.Shulman, L.S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform.Harvard Educational Review, 57 (1), 1-22.

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proposal P649"Researching the Contested Place of Reflective Practice in the Emerging Culture of Performativity in Schools".

principal author : Dr Gerry MacRuairc.email address: gerry.macruairc@ucd.ie

abstract:

This paper examines the role of reflective practice in a growing culture ofnew managerialism and performativity in schools. This performace-drivenframework diminishes the role of professional discourse about the quality ofteaching in favour of a linear, objective approach to measurement of theoutput of teaching. The kind of reflection discussed in the literature onreflective practice is fundamentally dependent on the notion ofself-examination and inquiry within a professional framework. The extent towhich performativity requires teachers to delineate clear performancedeliverables prior to engaging in teaching clearly creates a demand for aninput-output paradigm as opposed to the developmental model associated withreflective practitice. This study examines the views of two distinct groups;initial teacher education students and practicing teachers engaged inpost-graduate education programmes. In the case of initial teacher training,the university promotes open, honest and developmental critical reflectionin the student teacher's evaluation of their lessons. However, the productof these evaluations also forms part of the summative assessment of thesestudent teachers. This study questions how this evaluative component of theperformace of reflection impacts on the quality of the process from thestudent teacher's point of view. It also examines the extent to whichcritical reflection should actually be assessed. The study also elicits theviews of practising teachers engaged in a Master's programme in Education onthe impact of the emerging culture of performativity on the nature ofreflective practice in schools. It explores the extent to which meaningfulreflection can become part of a performance driven agenda and examines theimplications of this for initial teacher training and teacher professionaldevelopment.

The study is currently being carried out over the course of this academicyear with two differnet groups of post graduate students. The first groupconsists of 20 students on an initial teacher training programme. Thismethod used is a series of focus group interviews carried out within theuniversity tutorial structure. The discussions are held at intervals thatcorrespond to the key assessment dates for the submission of the reflectivecomponents of course work. The objective of this component is to examine

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the views of a sample of student teachers participating in a one yearconsecutive programme in teacher education on how the evaluative componentof the reflective practice element of the programme impacts on the qualityof the reflective process. The second group in the study consists of 18practicing teachers engaged in a Masters programme in education. Theobjective of this component is to examine the views of a sample ofpractising teachers undertaking a Master's programme in Education on thefuture impact of the emerging culture of performativity on the level ofreflection among practising teachers. The method used comprises of a seriesof 'think pieces ' distributed ot students as part of the recommendedreading for the course followed by recorded group discussions realted to theobjective of the study.

The expected outcomes of the study will provide an insight into thediffferent views that exist among teachers at differnet stages in theircareers in relation to the formalised measurement of an essentiallyqualitive, personal and professional process. It is expected that thefindings will shed light on the dicotmoy that exists between the need tocritically evaluate practice while at the same time present a positiveperspective on an indivuals pedagogical practice and professionaldevelopment progress. The limitiations placed on quality reflection by apositivist assesment criteria and a range of deterministic performanceindicators and outcomes should also be problematised during the discussions.

References Redmond, J., Valiulis, M., Raftery, D. and Harford, J., (2006) 'ImperfectTools: The Role of Textbooks in Providing a Gender-Balanced Curriculum,'International Journal of Learning, vol 12, issue 10, 179-186.Raftery, D., Harford, J., Valiulis, M and Redmond, J. 'What's coming up inthe Exam?' A National Survey of Teachers and the Delivery of aGender-Balanced Curriculum' (2007) Educational Studies of Ireland (in press)Mac Ruairc, G (2007) "Dip, dip Sky Blue" Children's Experience ofStandardised Testing: A Socio-cultural Perspective, Journal of Assessment inEducation: Practice and Policy (In Press) Mac Ruairc, G (2007) 'PoshTeachers Posh Schools' A Cultural and Linguistic Examination of School andNon School Activity - A Social Class Perspective in Critical Studies inEducation (with journal). Harford, J. and Mac Ruairc, G, (2008) Engaging student teachers inmeaningful reflective practice (in press)

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proposal P660

"Displaying Competence or Learning to Teach? Exploring Tensions in a Standards Based Approach to Initial Teacher Education"

principal author: Dr Nigel Skinner.email address: N.C.Skinner@exeter.ac.uk

abstract:

Student teachers in England need to collect practice based evidence to meetcentrally defined standards for entry to the profession. At first sight thisappears a sensible policy, yet teaching contexts vary within and betweenschools and socio-cultural theory tells us that learning is situated andthat competence is not easily transferred across contexts. It is thereforeimportant that intial teacher education (ITE) provides frameworks whichenable students to collect evidence of competence, to critically examine thenotion of competence in different settings and to reflect on what this meansfor practice. This paper describes a model of ITE in which the concepts oflegitimate peripheral participation (Lave and Wenger 1991) and of boundarycrossing (Engeström 2001) are used to frame student's critical reflectionand practical theorising. Research with the aim of gaining an understandingof how individuals in a range of subject disciplines responded to andutilised this model to make connections between different contexts is thendescribed. Tensions between collecting evidence of competence and learningto teach are identified and analysed.

A case study methodology was used within an interpretive approach. Datacollection methods included questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.Data analysis methods included descriptive statistics and computer assistedqualitative analysis of questionnaire and interview responses.

Individual responses indicate that a range of perceptions relating to theutility of the model of ITE exist. At one extreme it was viewed as an overlycomplex system of collecting evidence. At the other it was recognised as apotentially powerful framework for promoting a sophisticated analysis oflearning how to teach. These perceptions influence the degree to which themodel was followed. Some tensions are recognised between the goals ofsupporting learning and evidencing competence.

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References Engestrom, Y. (2001) Expansive learning at work: toward an activitytheoretical reconceptualization. Journal of Education and Work 14(1):133-156. Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991) Situated learning: legitimate peripheralpractice (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).

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proposal P 682 "What and From Whom Novice Teachers Learn in Their First Year of Work”

principal author : Mrs Katrin Poom-Valickis.email address: katrinpv@tlu.ee

abstract:

The induction year, the first year of work at school, is the year oflearning for a novice teacher. It is the time of discovering more aboutself, one's abilities, strengths and weaknesses as teacher. It is also thetime of becoming familiar with the school as organization as well as thecolleagues and school administration. By the end of the year, a noviceteacher will know who to turn to for help and advice, how information isexchanged in the school, and what are the traditions, overt and covert normsof behavior, and customs in the organization. Becoming familiar with thestudents is not less important. The more we know about their interests,abilities and possibilities, the better we can tailor our teaching to theirneeds, support their learning, and motivate them. In addition, a teacherneeds to learn to cooperate with parents. Several studies focus on novice teachers' development and learning (such asFuller and Brown 1975; Kagan 1992; Lidstone & Hollingsworth, 1992; Levin2003), but it is not very often that researcher ask from the novice teacherswhat they think they have learned during the first year of professionalpractice.

The material presented is a part of a substantial longitudinal study onnovice teachers' professional growth throughout the induction year. Thispresentation focuses on five open questions, which novices were asked toanswer in the middle and at the end of their induction year. These questionswere included in order to get additional information about what noviceteachers themselves think they have learnt while doing their everyday job.The questions also led novice teachers to analyze their experience asteachers. All questions were transcribed for use in the data analysisprocess.The five questions the teachers answered and the results of which areanalyzed in the presentation are as follows: 1. What have you learned about self as teacher?2. What have you learned from your colleagues?3. What have you learned from the administration?4. What have you learned about the students you teach?

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5. What have you learned about parents?Analysis of the responses to these questions helps us to understand whichexperiences novice teachers value most and what they have learned from theexperiences. Asking the same questions both in the middle and at the end ofa school year enables to compare the answers and analyze the changes thattook place during the year. In total, there were 47 novice teachers whofilled in the questionnaires in the middle and end of a school year.

According to the research of Clement and Vandenberghe (2000), learningexperiences are crucial for teachers' professional development. Even thoughthe content and manner of learning depends to a large extent on the noviceteacher, it is also influenced by the organization that employs the noviceteacher, because learning opportunities arise in the relationship amongteachers (Clement & Vandenberghe 2000). Values and attitudes represented bythe members of the organization influence the future professionaldevelopment of the novice teacher. In other words, most teacher learning issituated in everyday activities or the so-called community of practice(Wenger 2004). A novice's first year of professional practice is a year ofestablishing oneself as a teacher and creating one's self-concept as ateacher. Therefore, the environment of practicing and the effect ofexperience gained make a substantial impact on a teacher's furtherprofessional growth. The presentation analyses novices' learning experienceand changes in teachers' responses during the year.Based on the study we may state that novice teachers tend to have problemsand negative experiences in connection with parents, as well as schooladministration, and to a small extent also with colleagues. Positiveexperiences are related mainly to the students and the sense ofself-efficacy as a teacher.

References Clement, M. & Vandenberghe, R. (2000) Teachers´ professional development: asolitary or collegial (ad)venture? - Teaching and Teacher Education (16) p81-101 Fuller,F.F. & Brown, O.H. (1975). Becoming a Teacher. In K.Ryan(Ed.), Teacher education. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, pp 25-52Kagan, D. (1992) Professional Growth Among Preservice and BeginningTeachers. - Review of Educational Research, 62 (2), 129-169 Levin, B.B.(2003) Case Studies of Teacher Development: An In-Depth Look at How ThinkingAbout Pedagogy Develops Over Time .-Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, PublishersMahwah, New Jersey Lidstone, M. & Hollingsworth, S.(1992) . A Longitudinalstudy of cognitive change in beginning teachers: Two patterns of learning toteach. Teacher Education Quarterly, 19 (3), 39-57 Wenger, E. (2004).Communities of practice : learning, meaning, and identity.- Cambridge :Cambridge University Press

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proposal P695 – "A developing collaborative literature review for Scottish Teachers for a New Era”

principal author : Dr Carole Thomson.email address: c.j.thomson@abdn.ac.uk

abstract:

Scottish Teachers for a New Era (STNE) is an innovative BEd programme whichaims to develop an integrated, 6-year model for the preparation of a newtype of teacher. Traditionally, grounded theory has been applied to findingtrends in data by starting with the data (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). Herewe took an essentially grounded theory approach to developing a literaturereview. Staff participated in an educational process, where the practice ofreading and discussing papers together set the basis for deepening teachereducators' understanding of change in their own research areas and informedSTNE. Individuals, who chose literature within their own fields ofinterest, found that the resulting information fell into three majorcategories: personal; social; professional. Developing the literature reviewin this naturalistic way enabled many staff to participate. Thispresentation examines the nature of the development of the literature reviewand the following papers provide the details on the personal, social andprofessional aspects which are informing the new BEd programme.

1. The dominant discourse in educational reform focuses on skills andknowledge (Hargreaves, 1998). However, teaching is a complex endeavour(Bullough and Young, 2002), with emotions playing a central part(Kelchtermans, 1996). Emotions are traditionally thought of on anindividual level (Lasky, 2000), but are not simply matters of 'personaldisposition, moral commitment, or private virtue' (Hargreaves, 2001). Theyare experienced and constructed within social and political contexts(Hargreaves, 1998). Education policy, administration and research groupsrarely pay attention to the important role of emotions (Hargreaves, 2000;Hayes, 2003). Focusing primarily on school placement experiences and power relationsbetween student teachers, tutors, head teachers, host teachers and pupils,we explore how the role of emotions in initial teacher education (ITE) isunderstood in the literature. We make links to current practices in ITE anddraw out the implications of emotional work for our own programmes andothers.

2. Roles, responsibilities and relationships impact on student-teachers'ability to engage in effective learning, build their capacity asprofessionals, implement change and improve learning outcomes for all

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(Oberski, 1999; LeCornu, 2005). Understanding and adopting professionalresponsibilities means students have to adjust to prevailing cultures withinschools and engage in a process of enculturation, adopting appropriatebehaviours as a result (Hayes, 2001). However, this process generatestension for student teachers as they attempt to develop their role andindividual voice within an existing culture (Maynard, 2001). Relationshipsmust adapt to allow students greater scope for autonomy and authority asthey develop professionally. This second presentation examines evolvingrelationships and ways of working which require flexibility on the part ofhost teachers, students, tutors and mentors (Rippon and Martin, 2003, Elenet al, 2007).

3. This paper reports on changing perspectives on teacher knowledge andprofessional identity. As indicated by Edwards and Usher (2000) the currentglobal scenario is a kaleidoscopic picture of localised situations andcontexts. In educational terms, this calls for a shift from teacher-centredto learner-centred pedagogies and a change of emphasis from teaching tolearning and from pedagogy of transmission to the pedagogues as creators oflearning environments. Interesting questions are being raised as we engage in this process: forexample how do teachers access professional knowledge in changing contextsand expand on their conceptual understanding in a manner that is responsiveto the learner? Much of this enquiry has developed within the field ofscience education, possibly because of its origins in the positivistparadigm. However, there now appears to be greater consideration ofsocio-cultural processes in learning and teaching science (for exampleTraianou, 2006a, 2006b; Da Silva et al., 2007). At the heart of this liethe relationships between content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge,general pedagogical knowledge and identity (Enyedy, et al., 2007).

Review of literature to inform a new innovative BEd programme, ScottishTeachers for a New Era. Collaborative grounded theory type of approach.

Research informed project resulting in a variety of academic papers onaspects of initial teacher education for application with STNE.

References Bullough, R.V. and Young, J. (2002). Learning to teach as an intern: theemotions and the self. Teacher Development, Vol 6, No 3, pp. 417-43.Da Silva, C., Ruiz, C., Mellado, V. and Porlan, R. (2007). Evolution of theconceptions of a secondary education biology teacher: longitudinal analysisusing cognitive maps. Science Education, advanced on-line viewing.

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Edwards, R. and Usher, R. (2000). Globalisation and pedagogy: space, placeand identity. London: Routledge. Elen, J., et al., (2007). Student-centred and teacher-centred learningenvironments: what students think. Teaching in Higher Education, Vol 12, No.1 pp. 105-117.Enyedy, N., Goldberg, J. and Welsh, K.M. (2005). Complex dilemmas ofidentity and practice. Science Education, Vol 90, p.1-26.Glaser, B.G., Strauss, A.L. (1967) Discovery of Grounded Theory: Thestrategies for Qualitative Research. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.Hargreaves, A. (1998). The emotional practice of teaching. Teaching andTeacher Education, Vol. 14. No. 8. pp. 835-854. Hargreaves, A. (2000). Mixed Emotions: teachers' perceptions of theirinteractions with students. Teaching and Teacher Education, Vol 16, pp.811-826.Hargreaves, A. (2001). The emotional geographies of teachers' relations withcolleagues. International Journal of Educational Research, Vol 35, pp503-527.Hayes, D. (2001). The impact of mentoring and tutoring on students primaryteachers' achievements: a case study. Mentoring and Tutoring, Vol 9, No.1,pp. 5-21.Hayes, D. (2003). Emotional preparation for teaching: A case study abouttrainee teachers in England. Teacher Development, Vol. 7, No.2.Kelchtermans, G. (1996). Teacher vulnerability: understanding its moral andpolitical roots. Cambridge Journal of Education, Vol 26, pp. 307-324.Lasky, S. (2000). The cultural and emotional politics of teacher-parentinteractions. Teaching and Teacher Education, Vol 16, pp. 843-860.Le Cornu, R. (2005). Peer mentoring: engaging pre-service teachers inmentoring one another. Mentoring and Tutoring, Vol 13, No. pp.355-366Maynard, T. (2001). The Student teacher and the school community ofpractice: a consideration of 'learning participation'. Cambridge Journal ofEducation, Volume 31, No. 1, pp. 39-52.Oberski, I. Ford, K, Higgins, S. and Fisher, P. (1999). The importance ofrelationships in teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, Vol25, No. 2, pp. 137-150.Rippon, J. and Martin, M. (2003). Supporting induction: relationships count.Mentoring and Tutoring, Vol 11, No. 2, pp. 11-226.Traianou, A. (2006). Understanding teacher expertise in primary science: asociocultural approach, Research Papers in Education, Vol 21, No.1, pp.63-78.Traianou, A. (2006). Teachers' adequacy of subject knowledge in primaryscience: assessing constructivist approaches from a socio-culturalperspective. International Journal of Science Education, Vol 28, No.8,pp827-842.

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proposal P762 "Identity work and knowledge formation: towards a research based model for the academic induction and professional development of teacher educators in England."

principal author: Dr Jean Murray.email address: Jean.Murray@brunel.ac.uk

abstract:

The provision of induction and professional development opportunities forteacher educators in England has been accused of being ad hoc and uninformedby research on teacher education faculty (Murray 2005; Boyd et al 2007).This paper aims to contribute to redressing this situation. We draw on anempirical study and a broadly sociological framework to argue that teachereducators' identities and their modes of knowledge formation are closelyinter-related. We argue that teacher educators have multiple identities andthat induction and professional development programmes need to take thismultiplicity into account. Teacher educators' work is, we argue, bestunderstood as that of 'second order practitioners' (Murray, 2002:10). Ouranalysis draws on previous work on teacher educators' identities andknowledge bases in many national contexts (see, inter alia, Acker,Dillabough and Webber 2005; Arreman & Weiner, 2005; Day, 1995; Ducharme,1993; Furlong et al., 2000; Koster & Dengerink, 2001; Maguire, 2000).

In part 1 of the paper we briefly report on the Knowledge and Identity inTeacher Education (KITE) project which explored how teacher educatorsinvolved in Higher Education-based, pre-service courses in Englandconstructed their identities and knowledge bases. This was an interpretivestudy, drawing on established qualitative research methods for embedded casestudies and conducted along ethical guidelines. The study includedsemi-structured interviews with a sample of 44 teacher educators working intwo universities. Data analysis used a systematic coding system, developedin a previous study of teacher educators with emergent codes used byindependent raters to obtain measures of inter-rater reliability.

The findings of the KITE study indicated that the 'academic tribe' (Becher &Trowler, 2002) of teacher educators was far from homogeneous. Although theseteacher educators shared some common understandings of what it meant to besecond order practitioners, they also constructed and utilised differingshades of academic and professional identities for themselves. We identifiedthree broad groups of teacher educators, with differentiations based around

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the identities constructed and 'played out' in work, varying patterns ofengagement in the research/scholarship/teaching/service nexus of academiclife, the institutional contexts and the number of years which individualshad worked in higher education. In part 2 of the paper we discuss the implications of the study for thecreation of high quality induction and professional development programmesfor teacher educators. We argue that teaching, scholarship and researchactivities (we use the acronym SARA to denote the combination of Scholarshipand Research Activities) and service to the school and higher educationsectors are all part of the missions of teacher educators as second orderpractitioners, and that programmes must take account of this. We draw onMarilyn Cochrane-Smith's (2005) assertion that 'part of the task of theteacher educators is functioning simultaneously as both researcher andpractitioner', drawing on the 'reciprocal, recursive and symbioticrelationships' (p.219) between SARA and teaching. We argue that achievingsuch symbiosis is vital in professional development programmes. A first steptowards this is finding learning structures which interrogate the place ofboth personal pedagogies and SARA in teacher educators' work. But we alsoassert that programmes cannot be 'one size fits all'. Rather they need totake into account the institutional diversities and differentiations inEnglish teacher education. The universities providing teacher education varygreatly and the academics working within them face varying imperatives forteaching and research engagement and may perceive their identities,knowledge and work in differing ways.. Professional development programmesneed to reflect these factors as well as the varying professionalbiographies, aspirations and senses of agency of individual teachereducators.

This paper is currently informing the development of induction programmesfor new teacher educators in England, funded by the Higher EducationAcademy. The authors are also part of a European network, developingprofessional development programmes for new and experienced teachereducators across Europe.

References

Acker, S., Dillabough, J-A., & Webber, M. (2005). Gender Politics andMasculine Domination in Teacher Education. Paper presented at the AmericanEducational Research Conference, Montreal April 2005. Arreman, I., & Weiner, G. (2005). Gender and the Research Culture forTeacher Education: European Dimensions. Paper presented at the AmericanEducational Research Conference, Montreal April 2005.Becher, T., & Trowler, P. (2002). Academic Tribes and Territories:intellectual enquiry and the culture of disciplines. Buckingham: SRHE and

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OUP.Boyd, P. Harris, K. and Murray, J. (2007) Becoming a Teacher Educator:Guidelines for the induction of newly appointed lecturers in Initial TeacherEducation. Bristol: Higher Education Academy / ESCalate Cochrane-Smith, M.(2005). Teacher Educators as Researchers: multiple perspectives. Teachingand Teacher Education, 21(2), 219-225.Day, C. (1995). Qualitative Research, Professional Development and the Roleof Teacher Educators: Fitness for Purpose. British Educational ResearchJournal. 21(3) 162-181.Ducharme, E. (1993) The lives of teacher educators. New York: TeachersCollege Press.Furlong, J., Barton, L., Miles, S., Whiting, C., & Whitty, G. (2000).Teacher Education in Transition. Buckingham: OUP.Koster, B., & Dengerink, J. (2001). Towards a professional standard forDutch teacher educators. European Journal of Teacher Education, 24 (3),343-354.Maguire, M. (2000). Inside/Outside the Ivory Tower: Teacher Education in theEnglish Academy. Teaching in Higher Education. 5(2), 121-139.Murray, J. (2002). Between the Chalkface and the Ivory Towers? A study ofthe professionalism of teacher educators working on primary Initial TeacherEducation Courses in the English education system. Collected OriginalResources in Education (CORE). 26(3) 1-503. Murray, J. (2005) Investigating Good Practices in the Induction of TeacherEducators into Higher Education. ESCalate / HEA.

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proposal P788 "initial teacher education: the role of theory and practice"

principal author : Prof Maria Odete Valente.email address: mvalente@fc.ul.pt

abstract:

The relevance and adequacy of the initial teacher education in the contextof university and other institutions have been under debate and growingscrutiny by the State, educators and the society in general. More frequentcriticisms focus both on the articulation of theory and teaching practiceand the nature of the curriculum that does not take into account the growingsocial and cultural complexity of the teaching profession. In this context,it matters to question the value of theory when does not integratesystematic opportunities for practice, and the contribution of experiencewhen neglects theory and structured reflection as well. Traditionally, therelationship between theory and practice is dichotomised in terms of actionand knowledge, manual and mental, concrete and abstract. The term practice isfrequently viewed as an antonym of theory, ideas or concepts. Yet when somecommunities specialise in the production of theories this work is indeed apractice. Practice is neither immune to the influence of theory nor its mereapplication. Considering practice as meaning implies understanding it as aprocess through which people experience the world in meaningful ways. Basedon the theoretical contributions of Wenger (1999), Lave and Wenger (1991) onthe "communities of practice", Lavoie and Roth (2001) and Korthagen (2001),this research project purported to examine and understand the process oflearning to be a teacher in the context of the Lisbon Faculty of Sciencespre-service program. It develops according to the following questions: (1)To what extent is the initial teacher education program in the university avital contribution to the teacher profession? (2) In what ways do studentteachers and eaaxperienced teachers construe their subjective theories andbeliefs on what it means to be a teacher in the present social contexts ofschool? (3) How and to what extent such theories regulate pedagogicalaction? (4) What pedagogical thinking is implicit or expressed in thediverse moments of the pre-service program? (5) What type of learningexperiences are considered to be most relevant in the process of becoming ateacher?

Based on a research interpretative perspective, this case study included allpre-service students in the practicum at several schools. The methodology

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combined a variety of data collection processes: in-depth interviews andformal sessions of group discussion. In addition, a close and open-endedquestionnaire was ansewered by all the participants. Interview data wereregistered verbatim and submitted to content analysis procedures for theemergence of themes and categories Among them, the presentation willhighlight the following: the idea of teacher as a process of development,motivations, expectations and feelings regarding the profession, the role ofthe scientific and educational curricular components, the role of theory inpractice, and the role of the pedagogical supervision during the practicum.

Results suggest that pre-service students do not attribute a direct impactof the educational theory on their daily practices. However, they attributea value to educational theory as a cultural background which influencesattitudes towards students and their participation in school. It was found astudent teachers pervasive claim for more gradual, diverse and frequentexperiences rooted in a variety of school practices before the practicum.In addition they value the inclusion of case studies on diverse teachingsituations in the various disciplines of the curriculum. Implications ofthis study regard the structuring of the present scientific and educationalcurriculum and the renewal of the actual partnership reality betweenuniversity and schools.

References Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning. Legitimate peripheralparticipation. Cambridge University Press.Lavoie, D. R. and Roth, W. (2001). Models of science teacher preparation.Theory and practice. London:Kluwer Academic Publisher.Korthagen, F. J. (2001). Linking practice and theory.The pedagogy ofrealistic teacher education. London:Lawrence Erlabaum Associates,Publishers.Wenger, E. (1999). Communities of practice. Learning, meaning and identity.Cambridge University Press.Valente, M.O. (1995). Teachers and Teacher Education in Portugal. In ActasWinter University, Falun, Suécia.Valente, M.O., Bárrios, A., Gaspar, A. & Teodoro, V.D. (Eds.) (1996).Teacher Training and Values Education . Lisboa: DEFCUL/ATEE.Valente, M.O. (2002). Formação de professores na Faculdade de Ciências daUniversidade de Lisboa: Potencialidades, fragilidades, desafios. (Painelsobre Formação de Professores: Testemunhos e Perspectivas), Revista deEducação, XI (1), pp. 162-164.Valente, M.O. (2002). História da Formação de Professores na Faculdade deCiências de Lisboa e do Departamento de Educação. Revista de Educação, XI(1), pp. 7-15.Valente, M.O. (2005). A formação inicial de professores: Desafios. InItinerários investigar em Educação 2005 (pp. 1649-1660). Lisboa: Centro deInvestigação em Educação da FCUL. [CD-ROM]

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proposal P800 "Coagulation, Co-Operation Or Conflagration? The Implications Of Change Arising From The 'Every Child Matters' Agenda For Diverse Professionals And For Educators Of Professionals."

principal author: Ms Chris Kynch.email address: c.kynch@ucsm.ac.uk

abstract:

Educators of diverse professionals - notably in education, health, andsocial services must rapidly adapt their programmes in the United Kingdom toaddress the Every Child and Youth Matters agendas. Higher educationinstitutions are faced with the challenge of preparing tutors to educatediverse student professionals concerned with the well being of the child fora radical raft of new responsibilities, imperatives and processes; thechallenges of multi-professional collaboration in the context of complex,diverse perspectives and ways of working. Health professionals regard wellbeing from a holistic perspective but English educationalists have for manyyears looked at the end game of well being as raising achievement. Yet thenew policies put education in the driving seat. The future of the remouldedprofessional remit is uncertain - for example, it accords with just one ofsix OECD scenarios for schooling.

This paper reports on an action research project based on a grant fundedinitiative in higher education in which a cross faculty team drawn fromeducators of professionals, set out to design and deliver a programme toprepare colleagues for the ethos, implications, practicalities andchallenges of the new agenda. The sessions proved to be a rich source ofinsights and evidence about emergent problems and developing effectivepractice. Evidence was sought about the perceptions; interactions;reflections and actions of different educators of professionals from health,education and community faculties and support staff. The research questions included:1. How do professionals from the different faculties and professionalperspectives interact in response to the new agenda? a) What issues are identified in relation to collaboration between differentprofessional specialities? With what aspects of collaboration are issuesassociated (e.g. culture; resources; time; balances of power)? What are theimplications of such issues for programmes of professional preparation? b) Do the sessions enable people to appreciate where those from otherdisciplines are coming from, and their common purposes? Are professional

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'jealousies' being broken down? Is there evidence of that increasedwillingness to change is associated with sessions? If so, how does thishappen? 2. What do the sessions enable each participant to do which they would nototherwise have been able to do? 3. What impact have the sessions had on the work of educators ofprofessionals? Have they changed their courses; reflected on and thoughtabout these in a different way; taught students differently?

Action research.Data was collected from transcribed audio tapes of, and notes taken at, arepresentative sample of sessions. Data was also collated from activitiesduring sessions and post session evaluation sheets. The 'assessment' datacompleted by attendees, anonymously, was included in the data set.Individual semi structured interviews with a sample of attendees wereundertaken, taped and transcribed when they had completed the staffdevelopment sessions. The data was analysed by a team of volunteers drawn from the designers ofthe course, attendees and researchers; the findings are being used to informfuture development of programmes for staff and students.

The research findings provide evidence about the effectiveness of aprogramme of preparation of educators of professionals which aimed to embedthe Every Child Matters agenda in the design and delivery of programmes; toraise awareness of the potential challenges and how these may be met. Inthis area of rapid change the findings and the outcomes of the fundedprogramme promise to be of substantial interest to other providers ofprofessional education.

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proposal P816 "Evidence Based Programme Development: a Case Study"

principal author : Mrs Elaine Cowan.email address: e.m.cowan@abdn.ac.uk

abstract:

A fundamental design principle of Scottish Teachers for a New Era (and therelated TNE in USA) is that programme decisions are driven by evidence ofpupil learning (Fallon, 2003). The STNE pilot aims to deliver high qualityteachers. This will be demonstrable, at least in part, through evidence ofsuch students and graduates contributing to growth in pupil learning.Clearly, fundamental for STNE is, therefore, to develop students' knowledge,understanding, and confident implementation of assessment strategies sothese new teachers are able to enhance student performance and monitor pupillearning growth (or gains).

Analysis of the Scottish Standard for Initial Teacher Education and that forFull Registration indicates that assessment is a crucial area forprofessional development as a beginning teacher moves from SITE to SFR. Tomeet SFR, a teacher is required not only to implement assessment as part ofnormal learning and teaching but also to use strategies to track pupilprogression. Previous research on assessment examined some factorsinfluencing the implementation of formative assessment strategies by tworecent cohorts of final year students. The extent to which they saw furtherdevelopment in assessment as an important target for the induction year wasalso reviewed (Cowan, 2005). Data was also collected on students' confidencein tracking pupil learning growth and perceived barriers/factors enhancingto the implementation of such strategies.

The current study builds on this longitudinal research following a thirdcohort of final year students as they move toward the induction year. Thedata is drawn from surveys, student's written assignments and interviewswith a small group of students. Evidence of factors affecting theirimplementation of AIFL and success in tracking pupil learning growth areanalysed and compared across the three cohorts. Differences between thethree cohorts are then linked to changes introduced in the B.Ed. programme,providing baseline research evidence for future developments within the STNEpilot.

Larger numbers of initial teacher education students on their finalplacement experimented with a wide range of Assessment is for Learningstrategies and indictated their commitment to continue to employ these into

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their induction year than effectively implemented ways of tracking forpupil learning growth. National and in-school support for initiatives has amore powerful influence on their uptake than the requirements of Universitycourses and faculty.

References Cowan, E. M. 2005. Assessment is for Learning: Experience of Two StudentCohorts. Assessment is for Learning Newsletter No 7. Dundee: Learning andTeaching Scotland Fallon, D. 2003. Teachers for a New Era: Memorandum forProject Managers. Carnegie Corporation of New York.

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proposal P822 "Learning with the teaching staff at the school routine."

Poster proposal 2 authors.

principal author : Dr Vicente Molina Neto. email address: Vicente.neto@ufrgs.br

abstract:

The Qualitative Study Group Teacher Training and Pedagogical Practice in Physical Education and Sports Sciences (F3P-EFICE), registered at the National Directory of the National Council for Scientific and Technologic Development (CNPq) and linked to the Post-Graduate Programme in Human Movement Sciences of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (PPGCMH/UFRGS), is constituted of post-graduate researchers, primary and secondary school teachers, and undergraduate students, and has been investigating and publishing on the Municipal School System of Porto Alegre (Brazil) for ten (10) years. These studies focus on the relation between teachers' training and pedagogical practice at the school routine in a curriculum design that, since 1989, organises teaching in education cycles and is taken as a model of school teaching all over the country. The challenges faced include to create conditions for knowledge production by investigating with the teachers, saving relevant pedagogical experiences and professional life stories, providing possibilities for the teachers to academically systematize their own experience; and to organise and strengthen a movement of teachers/researchers linked to Porto Alegre's primary and secondary education by articulating pedagogical, administrative, and financial efforts to socialize this knowledge and articulate it to the teacher training and development public policies.

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proposal P826 "Student teachers' emotional and pedagogical appraisal of their teaching during practicum in Greek initial teacher education”

principal author : Dr Stavroula Kaldi.email address: kaldi@uth.gr

abstract:

The objective of the present study centres on identifying and classifyingprospective teachers' conceptions of self-competence in teaching after afour-year university course on primary education and the relationshipbetween their personal well-being, teaching competence and teaching practiceduring their undergraduate practice. A three-section questionnaire was administered to final student teachers ina university department of primary education (four-year course). Thequestionnaire that student teachers filled after the end of their practicum(school placement) in the phase of school teaching practice focused onaffective and pedagogical aspects of their teaching, as well asself-reporting teaching competence as prospective teachers In the affectivedomain student teachers rated their level of stress andphysical-spiritual-emotional-intellectual well-being linked to the teachingpractice. In the pedagogical domain student teachers rated their teachingskills, their subjective learning progress about teaching techniques, lessonplans, aids and materials, behaviour management, co-operation with teachersat school placement and preparation on subject-knowledge from the universitylectures and workshops. In addition, the final part of the questionnaireincluded ratings of student teachers' levels of satisfaction about theschool teaching practice during their undergraduate studies and the roletheory at the university played in their preparation for teaching in orderto relate university preparation and student teachers' self-reportedteaching competence. The theoretical background of the study lies in the framework of initialteacher education, emotional literacy, student-teacher teaching competenceand links between theory and practice.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:Questionnaires

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:In general, student teachers rated high levels of stress, a medium

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physical-spiritual-emotional-intellectual well-being, high teaching skills,low behaviour management skills, on average good co-operation with staff atschool placement, good preparation from the university lectures andworkshops on subject-knowledge with some subjects more dominant (i.e. maths)that others depending on the quality provided by the educator at theuniversity and the role of the personal tutor as significant in linkingtheory to practice and supporting in the difficult times of the practicum.Self-competence in teaching still needs further work in certain areas whichneither university nor teaching practice managed to cover. With the attention that has been given in recent years to emotional literacyregarding studnet teachers and teaching competence and their implicationsfor working practices, this article seeks to contribute to a fullerunderstanding of the congruence of emotions on the personal well-being ofstudent teachers, teaching competence and practicum in Greek initial teachereducation programmes.

References

Betoret, F.D. & Artiga, A.G. (2004) 'Trainee teachers' conceptions ofteaching and learning, classroom layout and exam design' in EducationalStudies, 30(4), 355-372.Ivy Brember , Marie Brown , Sue Ralph (2002) 'Gender-related Causes ofStress in Trainee Teachers on Teaching Practice in the School of Education,University of Manchester, UK' in Westminster Studies in Education, 12(2),175-186.Hascher, T. Cocard, Y. & Moser, P. (2004) 'Forget about theory-practice isall? Student teachers' learning in practicum' in Teachers andTeaching:theory and practice, 10(6), 623-637 Nettle, E.B. (1998) 'Stabilityand change in the beliefs of student teachers during practice teaching' inTeaching and Teacher Education, 14, 193-204. Shallcross, T., Spink, E., Stephenson, P., Warwick, P. (2002) 'How primarytrainee teachers perceive the development of their own scientific knowledge:links between confidence, content and competence?' in International Journalof Science Education, 24(12), 1293-1312.Smith, J.D.N. (2005) 'Understanding the beliefs, concerns and priorities oftrainee teachers: a multi?disciplinary approach' in Mentoring & Tutoring:Partnership in Learning, 13(2), 205-219.

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proposal P837 – "Using narratives in pre- and inservice teacher education"

principal author : Dr Andre Mottart.email address: Andre.Mottart@UGent.be

abstract:

In our paper we explore a methodology that focuses on the introduction ofnarratives - imaginative literature - in teacher training. From atheoretical perspective we analyse the 'contested quality' of the narrativein qualitative research in general and the curriculum of teacher training inparticular.This perspective is inspired by the cultural and narrative turnin the humanities and social sciences (Gough 2003). In our research and educational project we introduce narratives as basis forreflection about major issues in the teaching profession. Therefore wecollected materials from novels in which teachers play a major role. We will present our anthology and analyse different examples relating thenarrative with practical and theoretical aspects which can be discussed inteacher training. Case study: our students in teacher training were invitedto read a major novel about a teacher (Teacher Man by Frank McCourt) andcomment on major scenes. These comments were discussed face-to-face and inon on-line environment.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:- A literary review on the use of narrative in the curriculum.- An analysis of narratives described as 'teacher novels'. - A description of an educational project (based on the former steps)- An analysis of the assignments, the on-line and face-fo-face discussions.

From a methodological perspective we introduce discourse analysis (Gee 1996)and narratalogy (Bruner 1994) in general and 'interpretative repertoires'(Potter & Wetherell 1992) and 'metaphor' (Lakoff & Johnson 1980)) asresearch tools in particular.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:Using fiction in teacher education classrooms as a resource for reflectingabout teaching and the teaching profession offers an opportunity forimaginative engagement, perhaps even empathy in the ways that theoreticaltextbooks do not provide.

References

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Bruner, J. (1994). 'Life as narrative', in: A. H. Dyson & C. Genishi (eds.)(1994). The need for story: Cultural diversity in classroom and community.Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English, p. 28-37.Gee, J. P. (1996). Social Linguistics and Literacies: Ideology inDiscourses. London: Taylor & Francis Gough, N.P. (2003). Intertextual turnsin curriculum inquiry: fictions, diffractions and deconstructions.(http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au/adt-VDU/uploads/approved/adt-VDU20040517.163306/public/01front.pdf)Lakoff, G & M. Johnson (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago, London: TheUniversity of Chicago Press.Frank McCourt (2005). Teacher Man: A Memoir. New York: Harper CollinsPublishers.Potter. J. & Wetherell M. (1992). Mapping the language of racism : discourseand the legitimation of exploitation. London: Harvester Wheatsheaf.

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proposal P842 "The Place of Research in Teacher Education in the UK: cultural, methodological, epistemological and ethical issues and their implications for the field."

principal author: Dr Jean Murray.email address: Jean.Murray@brunel.ac.uk

abstract:

The need for capacity building in educational research in the UK has beenraised as a serious issue by a number of commentators (see, inter alia,Bassey, 2003; Dadds & Kynch, 2003; ESRC, 2006). Contestations about theplace and nature of research in teacher education, particularly inuniversity education departments where pre-service courses are the dominantenterprise, have persisted for many decades (Goodson, 1995). But followingchanges to the funding mechanisms for research in the UK, the maintenance ofresearch bases within many such departments has become increasingly tenuous(Bassey, 2003). For example, approximately 80% of all pre-service studentsin England are now taught in teacher education departments which have nocore research funding.

There is general acceptance in the field of teacher education that researchcapacity building can only be achieved if adequate resources and support areprovided to assist new researchers acquire the necessary skills, knowledgeand understanding of methodological, epistemological and ethical issues.Nevertheless, many new teacher educators face significant challenges inbecoming research active (Maguire 2000; Murray and Male, 2005).

This paper focuses on some of the cultural, methodological, epistemologicaland ethical issues about research capacity building in teacher educationwhich have emerged from the work of the Teacher Education Reference Group(TERG) in the UK. TERG is part of the Teaching and Learning Research Project(TLRP) Capacity Building Programme, funded by the ESRC, to build researchcapacity in educational research.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used: The paper works draws on and analyses a range of policy initiatives andliterature (see, inter alia, Furlong et al, 2000; Mahony and Hextall, 2002;Menter, Brisard and Smith, 2006). Further perspectives are provided by thefollowing: firstly, a case study of a curriculum development project,conducted at the Institute of Education in London, which looks at how anaction research paradigm, informed by pedagogic and psychological research,could be embedded within a pre-service course; secondly, the findings of two

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empirical studies, drawing on biographical and life history traditions, toexplore the place of research

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:The final part of this paper draws together our conclusions about theshifting place of research in pre-service and serving school teachers' andteacher educators' constructions of their changing academic/professionalidentities. It also explores the self-positionings of these groups inrelation to the often contradictory discourses and practices about researchwhich they encounter in school and university workplaces dominated byreductionist and technical rational discourses of teaching, learning andevidence-based practice.

References Bassey, M. (2003) Out of this Nettle, Danger, We Pluck this Flower, ResearchIntelligence no. 84. pp 34-37.Dadds, M. and Kynch, C. (2003) The Impact of the RAE 3b Rating onEducational Research in Teacher Education Departments, Research Intelligenceno. 84.Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (2006) Demographic Review of theUK Social Sciences. London: ESRC.Furlong, J., Barton, L., Miles, S., Whiting, C., & Whitty, G. (2000).Teacher Education in Transition. Buckingham: OUP.Goodson, I. (1995) Education as a Practical Matter: some issues andconcerns, Cambridge Journal of Education 25(2), pp. 137-148.Maguire, M. (2000). Inside/Outside the Ivory Tower: Teacher Education in theEnglish Academy. Teaching in Higher Education, 5(2),149-165 Mahony, P. andHextall, I. (2000) Reconstructing teaching: standards, performance, andaccountability. London; Routledge.Menter, I., Brisard, E., and Smith, I. (2006) Convergence or Divergence?Initial Teacher Education in Scotland and England. Murray, J. and Male, T. (2005) Becoming a Teacher Educator: evidence fromthe field. Teaching and Teacher Education (Invited contribution to SpecialEdition on teacher educators). vol. 21. no. 2.

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proposal P843 'Preparing to teach citizenship - the experiences of beginning teachers'

Alison Montgomery & Una O'ConnorUniversity of Ulster, Northern Ireland

principal author : Dr Alison Montgomery.email address: a.montgomery@ulster.ac.uk

abstract:

Over the last decade, as an increasing number of formal democracies havecome into existence, citizenship education has attracted greater attentionacross a range of national and international contexts. In this climate,educators are grappling with the aims and objectives of citizenshipeducation and the challenges of preparing young people to become reflectiveparticipants, empowered to engage with a wide range of issues concerningdiversity, democracy and social justice. Addressing citizenship educationin a British context for example, Crick proposes that 'people should thinkof themselves as active citizens, wiling, able and equipped to have aninfluence on public life' (Crick Report 1998). In Northern Ireland, despiteongoing uncertainty in the political process, there is evidence of a genuinewill to create a more equal and democratic society. This is demonstratedthrough the recent inclusion of citizenship education in the NorthernIreland Curriculum for schools. Local and Global Citizenship (as it istermed), is due to become a statutory requirement and central component ofthe revised curriculum from September 2007. It addresses four key concepts:diversity and inclusion, human rights and social responsibility, equalityand social justice and democracy and active participation. While perceivedas an exciting opportunity for teachers and pupils, it has been acknowledgedthat it also presents specific challenges for teachers in relation to theirpersonal and professional development. Such challenges are manifest throughthe acquisition of relevant and effective knowledge and skills and thedevelopment of teaching and learning resources. Engaging in citizenshipeducation has also required educators to consider their personal values andattitudes in relation to many citizenship-related issues.

This paper is concerned with student and beginning teachers in NorthernIreland, and the nature of their early engagement with citizenshipeducation. It references findings from two different research projects, oneof which considers the introduction of citizenship education within arevised curriculum and another which investigates the values dimension of

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the various phases of teacher education in Northern Ireland. The paperexplores student teachers' conceptualisations of citizenship education atvarious stages during their initial professional development, examines thepreparation they receive to teach citizenship and reports on their initialexperiences of mediating citizenship in the classroom. Reflecting on eachof these issues, the paper then highlights a number of factors that appearto impact on the effectiveness of beginning teachers' engagement withcitizenship, including their personal biographies, the nature of theirskills development, the challenging nature of citizenship issues and theinfluence of different educational contexts. To conclude, it outlines aseries of proposals intended to promote and support teachers' engagementwith citizenship education in schools.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:Interviews, focus groups and questionnaires

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:Drawing on the experiences of student and beginning teachers the paperhighlights key educational, contextual and attitudinal factors which appearto influence the success of their mediation of citizenship education in theclassroom

References O'Connor, U & Niens, U (2006) Local and Global Citizenship at Key Stage 3:Preliminary Evaluation. Findings March 2006.Smith, A. Citizenship Education in Northern Ireland : beyond nationalidentity? Cambridge Journal of Education , (2003), 33, 1, 15-31. Smith, A., Kerr, D. and McCartney, S. (2002) Citizenship Education inBritain and Ireland , European Journal of Education , (2002), 79-192.

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proposal P846 "Taking a situative perspective on teachers' professional learning in a collaborative action research study".

principal author: Dr Elizabeth Ann Wood.email address: e.a.wood@ex.ac.uk

abstract:

Current educational policy developments in Wales (as in many othercountries) are setting ambitious targets for improving curriculum andpedagogy as well as pupil achievements. Professional development is seen asintegral to these processes, but there remain debates about what constituteseffective professioanl development, and what forms this should take (Borko,2005). As policy frameworks intensify, accommodations needed to be madebetween 'outside-in' policy-driven models of professional development, andthe 'inside-out' beliefs, goals and priorities of the teachers.This paperreports a collaborative action research study with a large primary school,involving a university researcher (E. Wood) , and the teaching and supportstaff of the school, in designing, implementing and developing the study.The focus was implementing the Wales Foundation Phase for children age 3-7,and improving the quality of teaching and learning through play, an areathat remains a significant challenge in the UK and elsewhere (Wood, 2007a,b). Play presents particular challenges in terms of learning, curriculum andpedagogy because of the tensions between child-initiated andteacher-directed play activities.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:The research collaboration involved initial guidance on action researchmethods from the author. The teachers defined their own research objectives,and worked with the author to design their own studies that were relevant totheir particular age group. Methods chosen: classroom observation, research conversations with children, video and stillimages.Reflexive research conversations between the research teams, and with theauthor, took place during and at the end of the studies, in order to trackresearch processes, outcomes, emerging themes and professional dilemmas.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:The focus in this paper is on teachers as learners, their engagement in andwith the action research process, and the different outcomes of the researchcollaboration. Three key areas are reported: teachers' engagement in the

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project; provoking dilemmas of teaching and learning; developing teacherknowledge, and implementing change processes. Theoretically, this analysis takes a situative perspective (Puttnam & Borko,2000; Borko, 2005) in which learning is conceptualised as changes inparticipation in socially organised activities, and individuals' use ofknowledge as an aspect of their participation in those activities andpractices. Furthermore, this study reveals the ways in which participationin a community of research and practice is influenced by the school andlocal community contexts, given the challenges of including children fromrange of ethnic minority groups, with 16 community languages amongst new andestablished migrant groups. Thus a situative perspective on practitionerresearch is highly context dependent, and reveals contextually relevantprofessional problems, dilemmas and solutions. This calls into question thejuxtaposition between policy-driven forms of professional development, andattempts to promote the relevance of educational research throughcollaborative school-based research projects.

References Borko, H. (2005) Professional development and teacher learning: mapping theterrian, Educational Researcher, 33(8) 3-15 Putnam, R. & Borko, H. (2000)What do new views of knowledge and thinking have to say about research onteacher learning? Educational Researcher, 29(1) 4-15 Wood, E. (2007a)Conceptualising a Pedagogy of Play: international perspectives from theory,policy and practice. In D. Kuschner (Ed) Play and Culture Studies, Vol 8,Ablex, Westport, CT Wood, E. (2007b) Re-conceptualising child-centeredlearning in early childhood education, Forum, 49(1), pp 99-102

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proposal P861 "Understanding individual teaching philosophies and practices"

principal author: Ms Camelia-Marinela Tugui.email address: ttxcmt@nottingham.ac.uk

abstract:

The changes in Romanian education in the last decade have affected, amongother things, the structure and philosophy of teacher education. The teacher hasbegun to be recognized as central to the improvement of second languageteaching, rather than the method or the materials.

The development of a teacher starts with the initial trainning programme. Itis argued that what teacher trainees learn and how it is learned must besituated within contexts in which that knowledge is used and it mustresemble the knowledge that is held by those who already participate inthose contexts (Johnson 1996; Roberts 1998). But developing a sense of selfas TEACHER must be equally important. Teaching beliefs and attitudes areconsidered central to effective teaching and learning behaviour, as teachertrainees are influenced by their beliefs which are closely linked to theirvalues, their views of the world and to their conceptions of their placewithin it (Williams and Burden, 1997; Parker, 1997). Once they are broughtto a a level of conscious awareness, the premises for a more autonomousprofessional development are created (Freeman and Richards, 1996).Therefore, the trainning programmes in Romania should aim to thesocio-profesional development of teachers with a focus on the individual,characterised by a reflexive attidude towards teaching and learning (Iucu,2004).

This paper will discuss the role of reflection on training in shapingteaching philosophies and practices. The concept of reflective thinking andaction adopted here is that employed by Dewey (1933) and Schon (1983), atentative interpretation of given elements which comprises examination,exploration, introspection and analysis of all attainable consideration. Itis introduced the case study of 14 Romanian teacher trainees who revealedtheir expectations for training and their opinions about the modulesattended, and the development of their understanding of 'teaching' and offurther professional development throughout the programme. The teachertrainees were encouraged to examine through critical reflection, how theinstruction they were receiving embodied what they were learning aboutteaching. By means of interviews, semi-structured questionnaires andreflective writings, the study attempted to analyse critical incidents andsalient factors that contributed to shaping their professional identity andits manifestation.

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Such research findings become relevant in the context of teacher educationpolicies that aim to lead teacher trainees to a better understanding oftheir own assets, beliefs and values and to help them attain continuousprofessional development.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:Case study

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings: The study attempted to analyse critical incidents and salient factors thatcontributed to shaping teacher trainees' professional identity and itsmanifestation.

References English language teacher and teacher trainer at the University of Bucharest.

MA in ELSM, The University of Warwick, UK. Candidate for PhD in Education, The University of Nottingham, UK. Research interests: reflective teaching and learning opportunities ininitial teacher training. Participation to national and international conferences.

Papers published: 'Intercultural study of preferences for certain corrective methods', Journalof Pedagogy, Special Edition: Intercultural Education: Priorities andTrends, 2004.'Corrective Methods. A research study on Romanian pupils and students whostudy in England' in Tribuna Invatamantului no. 753/ 28th June 2004.' The first pilot Centre of Excelence for English Language Learning atsecondary school level', Tribuna Invatamantului no. 720 / 10th November2003.

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proposal P872 "School Textbooks': Visual Representations: The Relevance Of Different Research Approaches To Educational Practice"

Principal author: Dr Anthi Karatrantou.email address: a.karatrantou@eap.gr

abstract:

This paper concerns the meaning of research on school textbooks' visualrepresentations for educational practice. It examines how different researchapproaches on textbooks' visual representations inform teachers on aspectsof viewing and using traditional teaching materials under new perspectives.School science is dominated by textbook-oriented approaches to teaching andlearning (NAS, 1997); textbooks are the most important resources instudents' learning; at the same time, most of the textbooks use a largenumber of visual representations that play an important role in students'school experience; visual representations ought to attract educators'attention to develop their potential as meaning-making resource to thefullest (Pozzer-Ardenghi & Roth, 2005). There is very little researchinvestigating the pedagogical role of visual representations in schoolteaching and learning. This study examines the following research questions:

" What kind of research approaches can be used for investigating therole of visual representations? " What aspects of visual representations can be studied? " What kind of educational practice can the outcomes support?

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:The sources used in this study are three papers on visual representations.Their methodologies and findings are presented and discussed in terms oftheir meanings for teaching and learning practices concerning visualrepresentations as an integral part of learning.The first one is an interpretive study (Roth, Bowen & McGinn, 1999), whichadopts an anthropological perspective and in which graph-related practicesin secondary biology textbooks and in scientific ecology Journals arecritically compared.The second one is an explorative study (Karatrantou, Petoumenos &Spiliotopoulou, 2005), where secondary students' recognition of mathematicsinvolved in the visual representations of their mathematics textbook isexamined.The third one is a study (Christodoulou, Spiliotopoulou & Karatrantou, 2005)that is based on content analysis and on a constructivist approach.Initially, the visual representations of secondary informatics textbook areanalyzed across different dimensions (kind, relation with the text,

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conceptual accuracy, etc). Then, specific visual representations are chosenand secondary students' reading of them is examined.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:The study of the three papers showed that the nature of visualrepresentations was poignantly quantitative and qualitative differentbetween scientific Journals and high school textbooks. Scientific Journalsprovide more researches to facilitate visual representation reading and moreelaborate desvriptions and interpretations than the high school textbooks.On the other hand students experience considerable difficulties readingvisual representations. Students show a very low appreciation of theconceptual frame of the visual representations and their answers aredominated by the morphological and schematical characteristics of therepresented entities. It seems that there is a need of a research for a 'cognitive technology' anda pedagogy that will really make mathematics and science 'applied' and'alive', as well as they will influence the role of high school textbooks inthe appropriation of authentic scientific visual representation relatedpractices in the light of currents reform movements that focus on 'authenticschool science' (Roth, Bowen & McGinn, 1999).We claim, here, that when different methodologies and different views areadopted in the different research studies, then evidence of different natureis produced that is complementary and eventually creates a body ofknowledge. That can offer new insights on real educational questions.

References Christodoulou, D., Spiliotopoulou, V. & Karatrantou, A. (2005). Schooltextbooks' illustration of the Internet and its pedagogical relationshipwith secondary students. Proceedings of the 3rd PanHellenic Conference'Didactics of Information Technology' Korinthos, October 7th-9th (CD-ROM)Karatrantou, A., Petoumenos., K. & Spiliotopoulou, V. Visualrepresentations in Secondary education Math textbooks: What kind of appliedmathematics can students recognize? (2005). Proceedings of the 22ndPanHellenic Conferenc ein Mathematics Education 'Applied Mathematics andtheir educational use', Lamia, November 18th-20th, pp. 461-473.National Academy of Science (NAS) (1997). Science for all children.Washington, DC: National Academy of Science. Pozzer-Ardenghi, L.L. & Roth, W.M. (2005), Making Sense of Photographs,Science Education, 89(2), pp. 219-241Roth, W.-M., Bowen,G. M. & McGinn, M.K. (1999). Differences in graph-relatedpractices between high school biology textbooks and scientific ecologyjournals. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36, pp. 977-1019

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proposal P886 "Professional knowledge production in teacher training: a study of the research courses in the Curricula of early childhood teacher education in Portugal"

principal author: Ms Maria Figueiredo.email address: mariapfigueiredo@gmail.com

abstract:

Changes in the ways in which knowledge is produced (Gibbons et al., 1994;Nowotny, Scott & Gibbons, 2001) are parallel with an emphasis in the role ofteachers as knowledge producers (Fueyo & Koorland, 1997; Elliot, 2000; Hadji& Baillé, 2001; Roldão, 2005; Zeichner & Diniz-Pereira, 2005). Both Schön'sreflexive practitioner (1983) and Stenhouse's teacher-researcher (1975)conceptualizations highlight the idea of teachers as responsible for theproduction of their professional knowledge (Fueyo & Koorland, 1997;Krejsler, 2005; Roldão, 2005).In Portugal, both the changes in the required qualification for being abasic education teacher, in 1997, and the more recent Bologna debate andsubsequent Ministry directions about (the) teacher education programmes havebrought research in pre-service teacher education programmes to theforeground. Both as a formative tool and a formative goal, different authorsconsider research to be an important dimension of teacher educationprogrammes (Durand, Saury & Veyrunes, 2005; Lüdke & Cruz, 2005; Perrenoud,1993; Zeichner & Diniz-Pereira, 2005). In this paper we'll present a study that is being developed by the authoreswithin a doctoral programme that aims to describe the ways in which theresearch dimension is conceived and has been implemented in the differentteacher education programmes and its relationship with the students'construction of professional knowledge. It is expected to provide a globalview about pre-service programmes of teacher education in Portugal, beforeBologna, in order to identify whether or not , and if so in which ways, theresearch is included, and how it is valued, in the whole structure of theprogrammes.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:The research data consists of: a) 37 curricula from all the early childhoodteacher education programmes - 7 from public universities, 15 frompolytechnics and 13 from private higher education institutions; and b) thecurricula of the research courses from those programmes. The structure ofthe curricula was analysed in terms of number of research courses, locationin the curricula, number of credits/hours, and denomination. The curriculafrom the research courses were analysed in terms of the stated purposes, thecontents and teaching strategies, as well as the obligatory literature andthe existence of links with other subjects.

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The new government proposal for teacher training, under Bologna, suggests aresearch-based approach. From our findings, this will not be an easy changefor most of the programmes. Only a third of the curricula have an annualresearch course, and only one of those courses is specifically related tochildhood education. The different locations in the curricula still reflecttwo orientations: research as a foundation in educational studies, whichappears in the first years of the programme; and research as a reflectiontool for the teacher, closer to the practicum. Only a third of the curriculapresents the students with an actual research task, in their final year,thus strengthening the relationship between research and the teacherprofession. The results from the analysis on the research courses curriculaare still underway.

References Durand, M., Saury, J., & Veyrunes, P. (2005). Relações fecundas entrepesquisa e formação docente: elementos para um programa. Cadernos dePesquisa, 35 (125), 37-62.Elliott, J. (2000). El cambio educativo desde la investigación-acción (3ªed.). Madrid: Ed. Morata.Fueyo, V. R., & Koorland, M. A. (1997). Teacher as researcher: a synonym forprofessionalism. Journal of Teacher Education, 48 (5), 336-345.Gibbons, M., et al. (1994). The new production of knowledge. The dynamics ofscience and research in contemporary societies. London: SAGE Publications.Hadji , C., & Baillé, J. (orgs.). (2001). Investigação e Educação: para umaNova Aliança. Porto: Porto Editora.Kresjler, J. (2005). Professions and their identities: how to exploreprofessional development among (Semi-) Professions. Scandinavian Journal ofEducational Research, 49 (3), 335-357.Lüdke, M., & Cruz, G. B. (2005;). Aproximando universidade e escola deeducação básica pela pesquisa. Cadernos de Pesquisa, 35 (152), 81-109.Nowotny, H., Scott, P., & Gibbons, M. (2001). Re-thinking Science: Knowledgeand the Public in an Age of Uncertainty. Cambridge (UK): Polity Press.Perrenoud, P. (1993). Práticas pedagógicas, profissão docente e formação.Lisboa: Publicações D. Quixote e IIE.Roldão, M. C. (2005). Saber educativo e culturas profissionais: contributospara uma construção-desconstrução epistemológica. Conferência proferida noVIII Congresso da Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciências da Educação, CasteloBranco.Schon, D. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How professionals think inaction. N. Y.: Basic Books.Stenhouse, L. (1975). An introduction to curriculum research anddevelopment. London: Heinemann.Zeichner, K. M., & Diniz-Pereira, J. E. (2005). Pesquisa dos educadores eformação docente voltada para a transformação social. Cadernos de Pesquisa,35 (152), 63-80.

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proposal P889"socialization of pre-service teachers in urban schools and professional identity formation"

principal author: Prof Roselynn Obi.email address: Robi@njcu.edu

abstract:

Professional development and Identity formation are the correlates ofsocialization of pre-service teachers during the junior internship. Thispaper examines how pre-service teachers involved in initial field experienceacquire the knowledge, skills and dispositions of the profession ofteaching, and the impact of the process in teacher identity formation. Thejunior interns' perceptions of the relationships between them and theirmentors/cooperating teachers, as well as, the socialization process are verycrucial to how the interns perceive themselves, What values are adopted, andwhat professional skills are developed.

The urban field experience and mentoring activities assist the pre-serviceteachers' development as teachers, as well as, understanding of the teachingand learning process in general, and urban public schools in particular.Internships provide where, when, and how student teachers learn to relate tostudents (Putnam and Borko, 2000), as well as, understand how they behaveand learn. What impressions, interests and knowledge they develop in thispreliminary experience are important determinants in entering the professionof teaching. Putnam and Borko, (1997) assert, among other things, thatfield experiences in the education of teachers play an important role inhelping to teach and influence the pre-service teacher's beliefs andknowledge about teaching. The impact of initial relationships between the junior intern and thecooperating teacher is often overlooked in the education and training ofteachers. Most of the studies on the socialization of teachers, and therelationship between mentors and mentees are centered on senior studentteachers, and beginning teachers, (Ashton, 1996; Elliott, 2000;Feinman-Nemser & Beasley, 1977; Hawkey, 1997; Kagan, 1992; Koerner, 1992;Odell, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1997; Putnam & Borko, 2000; Stanilus & Russell,2000; Waldschmidt & Coxen, 2000; Zeichner, 1985; Zeichner & Gore, 1990).Initial teacher preparation is one place to institute the type of mentoringpractices that will lead to positive socialization of pre-service teachersinto the profession of teaching (Obi, 2003, 2004).

Purpose of the Study:

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The purpose of this study is to ascertain how the socialization of thepre-service teachers (junior interns), a process which enables the interns'acquisition of the knowledge, skills and dispositions that will enable themparticipate as more or less effective members of the teaching profession,influence their professional identity formation as teachers. This begsthe question of how the junior interns perceive themselves as teachers, aswell as, how they construct their identities as teachers. In their firstfield experience as student teachers, the interests and knowledge theydevelop in this preliminary experience are important determinants inentering the profession of teaching. For the junior interns and thediversity encountered in urban public schools, there has to be a necessarypositive experience in their initial encounter. The junior field experienceis a critical period in the education of urban teachers, because itdetermines whether or not the junior intern will opt to undertake the seniorinternship in an urban school, and subsequently teach in an urban school.For these pre-service teachers, this initial field experience in theirjunior year serves as a bridge between theory and practice, and theidealistic notions and resolutions in the college classroom versus the nakedtruth in the public school classroom. The cooperating teacher whetherhe/she realizes it or not, plays a defining role in the nature, quality anddirection of this neophyte. The interpersonal relationship between thejunior intern and the cooperating teacher is one aspect of the fieldexperience that leaves on the student intern, a memory that is indelible.This initial experience frames the beginning of the intern's identityformation as a teacher. This study is of crucial importance to the natureof the learning environments and socialization of pre-service teachers andtheir impact on developing identity as teachers in the inner cities/urbanareas.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:

The basic premise for collecting data in natural settings according toHittleman and Simon (1992) is that people do not act in isolation. Theirbehaviors and actions occur in specific social context or situation, andtherefore these behaviors and actions must be studied in their naturalsettings, as it applies to the junior interns as participant observers inthe urban setting. Given the purpose of the study, a qualitative methodologyis appropriate.

To gain deeper understanding of the process socialization, the context inwhich it occurred, and the junior interns' experiences, data for this studywere gathered in three ways. The interns documented weekly, theinterpersonal relationships, and interactions between them and theircooperating teachers. Exit interview was conducted, and it consisted ofstructured interview and administration of questionnaire to theparticipants. Additionally, classroom observations were conducted during

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the semester. The data were coded, triangulated and emergent themes wereidentified.Participants:This study was delimited to 40 pre-service teachers attending an urbanuniversity in the North East, and enrolled in different sections ofeducational psychology course taught by the same instructor, andconcurrently engaged in an urban setting field experience, as participantobservers for the whole semester. The students in this study are of twocategories: a) junior interns pursuing baccalaureate degrees in either thearts or sciences, and b) the certification only students, who already havetheir baccalaureate. The certification specialties are: Elementary andHigh school. The junior field experience lasted the whole semester that is(15) fifteen weeks. The student interns visited the urban schools everyWednesday for a whole day throughout the semester

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:The Pre-service teachers' reflections of their experience and progressyielded important information. The following 10 themes and patterns emergedfrom the data: The 10 themes are then placed under three categories; namelyacceptance, responsibility and then competence. Throughout thisprofessional identity development, the results of the study suggest that theaffect, emotional aspects of the self tended to be at the fore of theinterns initial professional development. The first category dealt withbeing accepted into the fold of teaching. The second category related tobeing respected, valued, trusted and assigned responsibility, this in turngave rise to the last category that emphasizes competence. Competence incarrying out the responsibilities using the knowledge skills anddispositions acquired up to this point, especially during the internship andthe socialization in the new complex learning environment.

It is by studying how cooperating teachers mentor and socialize pre-serviceteachers that we can be informed. How and why the cooperating teachers dowhat they do are essential to the professional development of would-beteachers. The classroom is a living entity, and the events in the classroomare fluid. Cooperating teachers are vital to the process of socializationand enculturation of pre-service teachers into the teaching profession.

The findings discussed in this paper will be beneficial in the education ofour teachers, particularly those whom we are educating to work in urbanschools. A positive socialization is able to adequately deal with anxietiesof the intern. A sizeable number of the teacher candidates who are juniorinterns have never been in an urban classroom. The mentors will play alarge role in influencing the quality of the interns' experience. Thiswinning experience affords the intern insights into and awareness of the

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complex nature of the teaching learning process; to the multiple forms ofknowledge, as well as the various dimensions of professional knowledge thatare to be acquired to be successful in the profession of teaching Impact onprogram development and Implications for Education of Teachers

The methods and findings of this study yielded information that will bebeneficial in the education of our teachers, particularly those whom we areeducating to work in urban schools. A sizeable number of the teachercandidates who are junior interns have never been in an urban classroom.The mentors will play a large role in influencing the quality of theinterns' experience.

Since the ecological dimension deals largely with concerns relating toprocess and features that have to do with socialization, enculturation, andnegotiation of the features, place and practice into the norms of the localschool districts and community. Methods of studying mentoring andsocialization of teachers should be such that will yield the kinds ofevidence that can be applied, as well as, replicated under various learningenvironments. The junior interns should be assigned only to schools wherethey are wanted, as well as, only to teachers who want them. There shouldbe clear articulation by the colleges and the public schools as to therequirements for the experience. All constituents should view internshipsin general and junior internship in particular, as serious ventures. Fosterschool partnerships, with a view to looking at the role of cooperatingteachers as that of mentors. Exposing pre-service teachers to diverselearners and settings is essential to healthy professional identityformation.

References

Anderson, J.R., Greeno J. G., Reeder, L. M., & Simon, H. A., (2000).Perspectives on Learning, Thinking, and Activity. Educational Research, Vol.29, No. 4, pp. 11-13.

Ashton, P. (1996). Improving the preparation of teachers. EducationalResearcher, 25(9), 21-22, 35.

Carter, K. (1990). Teachers' Knowledge and Learning to teach. In W. R.Houston, M. Haberman, & J. Sikula (Eds.), Handbook of research on teacher education (pp.291-310). New York: Macmillan.

Collins, A., Brown, J. S., and Newman, S. E. (1989) Cognitive

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apprenticeship: Teaching the craft of Reading, writing, and mathematics. In L. B. Resnick (Ed.) Knowing,learning, and instruction: Essays in honor of Robert Glaser, Hillsdale: Erlbaum.

Daloz, Laurent A. (1999) MENTOR: Guiding the Journey of Adult Learners.Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Elliott, R. L. (2000). Mentoring Preservice Mathematics Teachers: ASociocultural Perspective; paper

Presented at AERA, New Orleans.

Farnham-Diggory, S. (1992). Cognitive Processes in Education, 2nd ed.Harper Collins.

Feiman-Nemser, S., & Beasley, K. (1997). Mentoring as assisted performance.A case of co-planning. In V. Richardson (Ed.), Constructivist teacher education: Theory and practice. Palmer Press.

Hawkey, K. (1997). Roles, responsibilities, and relationships in mentoring:A Literature review and

Agenda for research. Journal of Teacher Education. 48(5), 325-335.

Kagan, D. M. (1992). Professional growth among preservice and beginningteacher. Review of

Educational Research, 62(2), 129-169.

Koerner, M. E. (1999). The cooperating teacher: An ambivalent participantin student teaching.

Journal of Teacher Education, 43(1), 46-56.

Maynard, T. (2000). Learning to Teach or Learning to Manage Mentors?Experiences of school-

Based teacher training. Mentoring & Tutoring, Vol. 8, No. 1.

McGowen, K.R., & Hart, L.E. (1990). Still different after all these years:Gender differences in professional identity formation. ProfessionalPsychology and Practice, 21,118-123.

Obi, R. U., "An Examination of Mentoring Behavior of Cooperating Teachers inUrban Schools."

Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association inSan Diego, April, 2004.

Obi, R. U., "The Apprenticeship Model in the Mentoring and Socialization ofPre-service Teachers in Urban Schools." Paper presented at the Annual

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Meeting of American Educational Research Association (AERA) in San Diego,April, 2004.

Obi, R. U., "Pre-Serivce Teachers' Perceptions of Mentoring Behaviors andthe Interpersonal

Relationships between the Interns and their Cooperating Teachers inUrban Public Schools."

Paper presented American Educational Research Association inChicago, April, 2003.

Odell, S. J. (1986). Induction support for new teachers; a functionalapproach. Journal of Teacher

Education, 37(1), 26-29.

Odell, S. A. (1989). Developing support programs for beginning teachers.Assisting the Beginning Teacher. Reston, VA.: Association of Teacher Education.

Putnam, R. & Borko, H. (1998). Teacher learning: Implications of new viewsof cognition. In B. J. Biddle, T. I. Good, & I. F. Goodson (Eds.) the InternationalHandbook of Teachers and

Teaching. Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Kluwer.

Putnam, R. T., & Borko, H. (2000). What Do New Views of Knowledge andThinking Have to Say

About Research and Teacher Learning? Educational Researcher, Vol.29, No. 1, pp. 4-15.

Stanislus, R. N. & Russell, D. (2000). A Mentor's Story: A Full TimeMentor works with three

Intern Teachers in a career Ladder Program. Paper presented atAERA, New Orleans.

Vonk, J.H.C. & Schras, G.A. (1987) From Beginning to Experienced Teacher: astudy of the

Professional development of teachers during their fist four years ofservice, European Journal of

Teacher Education, 10, pp 95-110.

Zeichner, K. M. (1985). The ecology of field experience: Toward anunderstanding of the role

of field experience in teacher development. Journal of Research andDevelopment in

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Education. 18(3), 44-51.

Zeichner, K. (1996). Designing educative practicum experience forprospective teachers. In

Zeichner, K. Melnick, S., Gomez, M. (Eds.) Currents of Reform inPreservice Teacher

Education (pp. 215-234). Teachers College Press: New York.

Zeichner, K. M., & Gore, J. (1990). Teacher Socialization. In W. R.Houston (Ed). Handbook

of research on teacher education (pp. 329-348). New York:Macmillan.

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proposal P890 "Research into Practice: Using Research to develop an Evidence-Based System for Accrediting Teacher Preparation Programs"

principal author : Dr Graeme Hall.email address: Graeme.Hall@teachingaustralia.edu.au

abstract:

Teaching Australia has been established with financial support from theAustralian Government to be the professional body for the teachingprofession in this country. It seeks to be a strong unifying body acting inthe interests of teachers and school leaders, drawing the professiontogether to promote quality teaching and school leadership for the good ofall Australians. Teaching Australia believes that one foundation of a quality profession liesin quality professional preparation programs. Hence it is seeking, as one ofits early priorities, to put this belief into practice by developingAustralia-wide accreditation of teacher preparation programs. It is drawingon research in the areas of quality teaching and school leadership, andquality teacher education and accreditation, to provide the evidential basisfor this work. It is also initiating research that will developunderstandings of how universities and schools can develop strongpartnerships to support the initial preparation of teachers.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:There have been four research-related components to this activity. The firstthree related to commissioned research reviews, and the fourth is thecommissioning of research relating to university/school partnerships. Thefirst of these was a scan of research findings relating to quality teachingand school leadership (Watson, 2005). This was followed by a more complex'analysis and synthesis' of research-based knowledge about quality teachingand school leadership, including advice regarding future research and waysof making research-based knowedge available to practitioners in schools(Zammit et al, 2007). The third commissioned work involved a review of national and internationaltrends and practices in the accreditation of professional preparationprograms, both in teaching and in other professions, in Australia andelsewhere. As well as reporting practices and trends, this work identifiedissues to be considered in developing a professional accreditation system(Ingvarson et al, 2006).The university/school partnership research involves reviewing the literature

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about effective and sustainable partnerships, identify some examples of suchpartnerships and provide an analysis of how they demonstrate thecharacteristics reported in the literature (in progress).

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings: Research on teacher quality reveals that simple measures such as years ofexperience or level of qualifications are inadequate as measures ofeffectiveness. The most powerful indicators of teacher quality are strongsubject content knowledge and skills in teaching and learning. Researchfurther identifies a range of professional attributes and practices thathave a positive impact on student outcomes. Importantly, it shows that theskills and knowledge of teachers and school leaders are founded in theirinitial preparation and can be strengthened through ongoing professionaldevelopment, reflection and dialogue.With this increased evidence of the importance of the quality of ourteachers, greater attention is being given to the preparation that begins toshape that quality, including the capacity of teacher education providers toattract able students and to prepare them well to meet the demands ofteaching. Accreditation is shown to be a key mechanism for assuring thequality of preparation for the professions, and for engaging members of theprofession in decisions about standards for entry to the profession andabout standards of preparation programs.

References Ingvarson, L., Elliott, A. Kleinhenz, E. and McKenzie, P. (2006). TeacherEducation Accreditation: A review of international trends andpractices. Teaching Australia, Canberra.Watson, L. (2005). Quality Teaching and School Leadership: A scan ofresearch findings. Teaching Australia, Canberra.Zammit, K., Sinclair, C., Cole, B., Singh, M., Costley, D., Brown a'Court,L. and Rushton, K. (2006). Teaching and Leading for Quality AustralianSchools: A review and synthesis of research-based knowledge. TeachingAustralia, Canberra.

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proposal P910 – "Challenges in adopting science investigations in science classes: the transition from pre-service to first year teaching"

Principal author : Dr Maria da Conceicao dos Santos Vilela.email address: mcvilela@hotmail.com

abstract:

During the last years, a new mission for teachers is claimed. It is requireda kind of learning that produce pupils who are strong thinkers and problemsolvers (Darling-Hammond, 2006). Science education reforms claims for thedevelopment of instructional activities based on investigations. Pupils musthave opportunities to engage in serious science investigations (SI) as anintegral part of their science learning (NRC, 1996; Galvão & al., 2002;Loucks-Horsley & al., 2003). Teachers' role is changing. Teachers are askedto be able to understand, monitor and capitalize on pupils' thinking if theywant support the process of knowledge construction (Darling-Hammond, 2006).In this context teachers are recognized as the central determining factor insuccessful implementation science curriculum (NRC, 1996). However, researchsays that, despite to be involved in science education programs developed topromote teaching according the curricular guidelines, when teachers' come totheir first year in teaching, frequently, don't use innovator curricularmaterials as they learn to prepare at the university (Loughran, Brown &Doecke, 2001). As key elements in this process are teachers conceptionsabout teaching and learning (Hewson & Hewson, 1988). These are consideredimportant elements that influence teachers' practices (Levitt, 2001) andteachers learning in science education courses. However the conceptionsabout teaching and learning are deeply entrenched and difficult to change(Kagan, 1992; Freire; 1999) in order to achieve the recent curriculumguidelines, in part because schools serve as a powerful discourse communitypromoting a traditional way of thinking (Putman & Borko, 1997). In order to understand the process that occur from pre-service to first yearof teaching concerning teachers' conceptions and the relationship betweentheir conceptions and practices and as well the challenges that they facedduring this period, the following questions were established:

o How to change teachers' conceptions about teaching and learning throughSI from pre-service to first year teaching?o What are the main constraints faced by teachers when adopting SI intheir science classes during their first year of teaching?o What is the consistency between teachers' conceptions and teachers'practices during their first year in schools?

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:

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This study followed a qualitative and interpretative methodology and isdeveloped throughout two years. In the first year 9 Physics and Chemistrystudent teachers were enrolled in a science teacher education program at theuniversity. This program aims to prepare student teachers to learn to teachSI (Vilela & Freire, 2004a; 2004b; 2006) . In the second year these studentteachers were followed during their first year in schools. This year noexplicit requests were made about the implementation of scienceinvestigations in their classes.The data was recorded through individual semi-structured interviews at theend of the teacher education program (first year study) and at the beginningand during the first year in school (second year study). Other data sourceswere classroom observation, written documents produced by teachers (e.g.curricular materials, reflections in a virtual learning community) duringthe second year of the study. All the data was analysed according theconstant comparative method (Strauss & Corbin, 1998).

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:The findings reveal some changes in teachers' conceptions during the firstyear teaching. Some move in the direction of the science curriculum ideasand others no. However all teachers value the potentialities of SI topromote science learning and all teachers implemented during this year atleast one SI. Sometimes inconsistencies were identified between teachersconceptions and teachers practices. Factors that constrain the adoption ofSI are indicated. The main constrains and challenges reported by teachersare centred on teachers role during SI implementation. Some implications forscience education courses are made based on these results.

References Darling-Hammond, L. (2006). Powerful teacher education:Lessons fromexemplary programs. San Francisco: John Willey & Sons, Inc.Freire, A. M. (1999). Aprender a ensinar nos estágios pedagógicos: estudosobre mudanças nas concepções de ensino e na prática institucional deestagiários de Física e Química. Tese de Doutoramento em Educação nãopublicada. Lisboa: Universidade de Lisboa.Galvão, C. (Coord.), Neves, A., Freire, A. M., Lopes, A. M., Santos, M. C.,Vilela, M. C., Oliveira, M. T. e Pereira, M. (2002). Ciências Físicas eNaturais. Orientações curriculares para o 3º ciclo do ensino básico. Lisboa:Ministério da Educação, Departamento da Educação Básica. Hewson, M. A'B., and Hewson, P. (1989). Analysis and use of a task foridentifying conceptions of teaching science. Journal of Education forTeaching, 15(3), 191-209.Kagan, D. (1992). Implications of research on teacher beliefs. EducationalPsychologist 27(1), 65-90.Levitt, K. (2001). An Analysis of Elementary Teachers' Beliefs Regarding the

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Teaching and Learning of Science. Science Education. 86, 1-22. 2001.Loucks-Horsley, S., Love, N., Stiles, K. E., Mundry, S., & Hewson, P.(2003). Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science andMathematics (2nd ed.). London: Sage Publications.Loughran, J., Brown, J., Doecke, B. (2001). Continuities anddiscontinuities: the transition from pre-service to first-year teaching.Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice 7(1), 7-23.National Research Council. (1996). National Science Education Standards.Washington, DC: National Academy Press.Putman, R. & Borko H. (1997). Teacher Learning: Implications of New Views ofCognition. In B. Biddle et al. (Eds) International Handbook of Teachers andTeaching. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Netherlands.Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research. Techniquesand Procedures for Developing Grounded theory procedures and techniques.London, Sage Publications.Vilela, M. C., & Freire, A. (2004a). Learning to teach in virtualprofessional learning communities: Reflections about science investigations.In ICICTE (Ed.), International Conference on Information CommunicationTechnologies in Education. Samos Island, Grece: ICICTE.Vilela, M. C., & Freire, A. (2004b). Virtual learning communities (VLC): Avehicle for examining student teachers reflections about the potentialitiesof science investigations. In D. Remenyi (Ed.), 3 rd European Conference one-learning (pp. 419-428). Université Paris-Dauphine: Academic conferences.Vilela, C., & Freire, A. (2006). Changing student teachers conceptions aboutteaching and learning through science investigations. Oral presentation inECER 2006: Genève

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proposal P962 "Research Capacity-Building Initiatives in Education and Their Relevance to the Field of Teacher Education in the UK."

principal author: Dr Karl Wall.email address: k.wall@ioe.ac.uk

This paper analyses the context for one research capacity buildinginitiative in teacher education research, which is a collaboration betweenthe British Educational Research Association (BERA), the University Councilfor the Education of Teachers (UCET), and the Teaching and Learning ResearchProject (TLRP). Phase 2 of the TLRP Capacity Building Programme is workingto produce on-line research training resources (Baron, 2005). A TeacherEducation Reference Group (TERG) has been established to work alongside thisprogramme with the aims of identifying how the resources need to besupplemented to ensure relevance and the development of research capacity inthe field.

Drawing on recent and historical analyses of the contested place of researchin teacher education (see, inter alia, Furlong et al 2000; Goodson, 1995;Mahony and Hextall, 2002; Taylor, 1969), the paper identifies and exploressome of the issues, which have arisen during the course of the initiativeabout research capacity building and its relevance to teacher education inthe UK (Baron, 2005; Pollard, 2006).

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:The first part of the paper will offer a critique of the rise of the'capacity building' discourse in the field of educational research and thestructural context in which academics are being urged to change theirpractice. It will trace the origins of the capacity building discourse inthe critiques of educational research promulgated in the 1990s and arguethat capacity building runs the danger of carrying the stigmata of thosecritiques: a pathology model; a highly programmatic definition of researchcapacity; and the individualisation of structural problems.

The paper will then map major initiatives to build capacity in education,both as a discrete area of study and as part of the social sciences. Thesewill include the TLRP's Phase 1 Research Capacity Building Network, theTLRP's Phase 2 Capacity Building Strategy and wider programmes in the socialsciences (e.g. The Research Methods Programme; the National Centre forResearch Methods and its nodes; the Researcher Development Initiative) andtheir provision for educational researchers.

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This part of the paper will conclude with a critique of the ESRC DemographicReview of the UK Social Sciences (ESRC, 2006) which will set the frameworkfor the next phase of capacity building.

The paper will then turn to the restructuring of teacher education in the UKwhich provides the context in which colleagues are being urged to buildtheir research capacity. It will analyse the impact on the labour process ofeducational academics of multiple policy innovations from institutionalmergers, through the impact of processes such as the RAE to the staffingpolicies of HEIs. This second part of the paper will describe the initialprocesses of TERG, reporting on the development of the group's work. Thisincludes a mapping exercise which aims to identify and review teachereducation research conducted in the UK. TERG believes that the production ofa comprehensive and up-to-date bibliography will contribute to capacitybuilding in the field, although it does not claim that this will solve allthe problems.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:In conclusion, the paper outlines the methodology used for the mappingexercise and presents a thematic overview of its key findings on the currenttrends in teacher education research in the UK.

References Baron, S. (2005) TLRP's Phase 2 Research Capacities Building Strategy.Research Intelligence, issue 93, autumn 2005, pp. 14-17. Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (2006) Demographic Review of theUK Social Sciences. London: ESRC.Furlong, J., Barton, L., Miles, S., Whiting, C., & Whitty, G. (2000).Teacher Education in Transition. Buckingham: OUP.Goodson, I. (1995) Education as a Practical Matter: some issues andconcerns, Cambridge Journal of Education 25(2), pp. 137-148.Mahony, P. and Hextall, I. (2000) Reconstructing teaching: standards,performance, and accountability. London; Routledge.Pollard, A. So how then to approach research capacity building? in ResearchIntelligence, issue 97, autumn 2006, pp. 18-20. Taylor, W. (1969). Society and the Education of Teachers. London: Faber andFaber.

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Proposal 018 - "Content of Reflection: what do Pre-Service Teachers Reflect upon in a Reflective Practicum Course?"

Principal Author: Dr Senem Sanal-Erginel. email : senemerginel@yahoo.com

abstract:

This paper describes and elaborates on the content of reflection in that it aims to explore what pre-service teachers identify as important ideas and events that mark their experiences in a reflective practicum course. In other words, the paper intends to become aware of pre-service teachers' concerns, thoughts, and dilemmas in the process of becoming reflective. The following research question guides this study in achieving its purposes: what do pre-service teachers reflect upon in the process of becoming reflective? The study places primary importance on the understanding of reflective practicum process from the pre-service teachers' perspectives by inquiring their interests during a reflective practicum course. Consequently, it enriches our understanding of the phenomenon and of its process as a whole.

It is regarded that most of the time teacher education programs with traditional orientation fail to prepare teachers for this multifaceted profession (Kagan, 1992). Teachers graduating from such programs have been reported to be demotivated by the gap between theory and practice. Reflective teacher education is regarded as an alternative model to technically oriented traditional teacher education programs. It has received a great attention, particularly in the last two decades, as a growing number of teacher education programs have integrated it into their curricula (Korthagen, 2001).

Reflection is guided, interactive, and individual inquiry-oriented action which incorporates theoretical, practical, and ethical principles. In the reflective process, pre-service teachers are viewed as practitioners, and exposure to practice is regarded as the primary concern in which novice practitioners are guided to combine their knowledge with their practical experiences in order to internalize their experiences.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used: As part of a bigger scale empirical research, this study is a case study that was conducted in the form of participatory action research in a 4-year undergraduate program of English language teaching. The participants consist of 30 final year pre-service teachers whose majority was born in 1984, and of whom twenty three were females. The research was carried out in a practicum course over a period of 12 weeks in the fall of 2004. In this

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study, as an integral part of qualitative research, the data was gathered from multiple sources in order to obtain a rich description of the phenomenon. Hence, the data sources are as follows: weekly journals (181 journal entries over 8 weeks), reflective interviews (on school observations and on microteaching), class interactions (15 class interactions over 10 weeks), and self-assessment of microteaching (28 assignments). The data analysis was carried out by following the content analysis method within qualitative research. Throughout the data analysis process, as well as in data collection, immense importance was given to ensure the trustworthiness of the study. Hence, methods such as triangulation, peer debriefing, inter-coding, audit trial, and prolonged engagement were incorporated into the study in order to contribute to its credibility.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings: The analysis revealed the following recurrent themes: instructional processes, increasing learner motivation, assessment of 'the teacher', classroom management, and development of insight. Hence, it was found out that, while reflecting, the pre-service teachers focused on the description and evaluation of instructional planning, instructional delivery, ways of motivation, classroom management, roles attributing to effective teacher, and on theoretical knowledge that they gained in this course. Thus, the content of their reflection focused upon how to teach effectively, how to motivate, and how to manage classes so that effective and efficient lessons could be realized. Besides these technical orientations, the pre-service teachers were concerned with ways of learning, and methods of increasing learner engagement.

References:Bogdan, R. C., & Biklen, S. K. (1998). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and methods. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Brockbank, A., & McGill, I. (2000). Facilitating reflective learning in higher education. Suffolk: Open University Press. Brookfield, S. D. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Calderhead, J. (Ed.). (1987). Exploring teachers' thinking. London: Cassel Educational Limited.Calderhead, J., & Shorrock, S.B. (1997). Understanding teacher education. London: Falmer Press. Denzin, N.K., & Lincoln, Y.S. (Eds). (1994). The handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Dewey, J. (1910). How to think. Boston: Heath. Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relations of reflective thinking to the educative process. Boston: D.C. Heath. Erlandson, D. A., Harris, E. L., Skipper, B. L., & Allen, S. D.

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(1993). Doing naturalistic inquiry: A guide to methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Glazer, C., Abbott, L., & Harris, J. (2004). A teacher-developed process for collaborative professional reflection. Reflective Practice, 5 (1), 33-46. Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towards definition and implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11 (1), 33-49. Jay, J. K., & Johnson, K. L. (2002). Capturing complexity: a typology of reflective practice for teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 73-85. Kagan, D. M. (1992). Professional growth among preservice and beginning teachers. Review of Educational Research, 62 (2), 129-169. Kaminski, E. (2003). Promoting pre-service teacher education students' reflective practice in mathematics. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 31 (1), 21-32. Korthagen, F. A. J. (2001a). Linking practice and theory: The pedagogy of realistic teacher education. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Korthagen, F. A. J. (2004). In search of the essence of a good teacher: Towards a more holistic approach in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20, 77-97. Kraft, N. P. (2002). Teacher research as a way to engage in critical reflection: A case study. Reflective Practice, 3 (2), 175-189. Patton, M. Q. (1987). How to use qualitative methods in evaluation. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Putnam, R. T., & Borko, H. (2000). What do new views of knowledge and thinking have to say about research on teacher learning? Educational Researcher, 29 (1), 4-15. Reason, P. (1994). Three approaches to participative inquiry, In N.K. Denzin, & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (324-339): Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Robson, C. (2002). Real world research (2nd ed.). Cornwall: Blackwell. Schön, D.A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books. Schön, D.A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass. Sparks-Langer, G. M., Simmons, J. M, Pasch, M., Colton, A., & Starko, A. (1990). Reflective pedagogical thinking: How can we promote it and measure it? Journal of Teacher Education, 41 (4), 23-32. Stake, R. E. (1994). Case studies. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 236-247). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Tsang, W. K. (2003). Journaling from internship to practice teaching. Reflective Practice. 4 (2), 221-240. Valli, L. (1993). Reflective teacher education programs: An analysis of case studies. In J. Calderhead & P. Gates (Eds.), Conceptualizing Reflection in Teacher Development (pp. 11-21). London:

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Falmer Press. Valli, L. (1997). Listening to other voices: A description of teacher reflection in the United States. Peabody Journal of Education, 72 (1), 67-88. Van Manen, M. (1977). Linking ways of knowing with ways of being practical. Curriculum Inquiry, 6 (3), 205-229. Veenman, S. (1984). Perceived problems of beginning teachers. Review of Educational Research, 54 (2), 143-178. Wunder, S. (2003). Preservice teachers' reflections on learning to teach elementary social studies. Reflective Practice, 4 (2), 193-206. Yildirim, A., & Simsek, H. (2000). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel arastirma yontemleri. Ankara: Seckin. Yost, D. S., Sentner, S. M., & Forlenza-Bailey, A. (2000). An examination of the construct of critical reflection: Implications for teacher education programming in the 21st century. Journal of Teacher Education, 51 (1), 39-49.Zeichner, K. M., & Tabachnick, B. R. (1981). Are the effects of university teacher education 'washed out' by school experience? Journal of Teacher Education, 32 (2), 7-11. Zeichner, K. M., & Liston, D. (1985). Varieties of discourse in supervisory conferences. Teaching & Teacher Education, 1 (2), 155-174. Zeichner, K.M., & Liston, D. P. (1987). Teaching student teachers to reflect. Harvard Educational Review, 57 (1), 23-48. Zeichner, K. M., & Liston, D. (1990). Reflective teaching and action research in preservice teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 16 (3), 235-255.

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Proposal 022 "Participation in a Research Group as a Professional Development Tool for Experienced Teachers: the Case of the On-Line Mentorship Program of a Brazilian Public University"

Principal Author: Dr Aline Maria Medeiros Rodrigues Reali email : darr@power.ufscar.br

abstract:

This paper analyzes experienced teachers’ professional development processes and the contributions — to their professional development— of participating in a research group linked to Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Brazil, which sponsors an On-Line Mentorship Program (OMP) directed to novice teachers (www.portaldosprofessores.ufscar.br). This research — of a constructive-collaborative nature — seeks to answer the questions: What is the contribuition of being a mentor in an online mentorship program and participate in a research group to the professional development of experienced teachers? What are the perceived challenges and dilemmas encountered in this process? To this end, the researchers sought to understand how the experienced teachers’ knowledge base—as described by Shulman (1988, 1996)—may be developed and how experienced teachers change when acting as mentors to novice teachers and researchers of their own practice in an OMP.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:

By means of an intervention-research — according to the constructive-collaborative model of teacher education described by Cole & Knowles (1993) — an OMP was designed by the researchers and ten mentors. The mentors are in charge of on-line mentorship activities, each one assisting two novice teachers and participating in weekly meetings with the researchers. As indicated by Wang & Odell (2002) it was necessary to develop the mentors’ interpersonal and reflective skills as well to enhance their outlook and skills in teaching and learning to teach new teachers. The data were collected during presencial weekly meetings between mentors e researchers (registered in video) as well by means: of written narratives (i.e., emails and reflective journals) provided by the mentors and novice teachers; the mentors’ oral narratives(Freeman, 2000; Clandinin & Conelly, 1994); the researchers’ observations of these meetings; and interviews. The results were analyzed in light of individual and collective processes of building professional learning communities (Grossman, Wineburg & Woolworth, 2000).

Results show that the work carried out in the OMP implies the participants’ personal investment dependent on their motivation and involvement and the establishment of mutual trust, which takes time and does not happen evenly

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among participants. The researchers’ efforts to elicit the participants’ knowledge, which has a distributed character and to stress the importance of sharing this knowledge are of fundamental importance as it is the starting point to successful group work. The constant exchange between the researchers and mentors around shared objectives is an effective antidote to this and other difficulties faced by the group. Results also show that analyzing data collectively may contribute to broader and deeper understanding among participants and that keeping a communication channel permanently open between the researchers and mentors may be very valuable.

References

CLANDININ, D.J.; CONELLY, F. M. Personal Experience Methods. In: DENZIN, N. K; LINCOLN, Y.S. (eds.) Handbook of Qualitative Research. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA, 1994, p. 413-425.

COLE, A. L. ; KNOWLES, J.G. E Teacher Development Partnership Research: a focus on methods and issues. American Educational Reasearch Journal, 30,3, 473:495,1993.

FREEMAN, D. "To take them at their word": language data in the study of teachers' knowledge. In: BRIZUELA, B. M et al. (eds.). Acts of Inquire in Qualitative Research. Harvard Educational Review. Reprint Series. n.34, 2000.

GROSSMAN, P.,; WINEBBURG, S.; WOOLWORTH, S. Toward a Theory of Teacher Community, Teachers College Record, v.103, n.6. p.942-1012.

SHULMAN, L. S. Knowledge and teaching: foundations of the new reform. Harvard Educational Review, n.57, v.1, 1987. p. 1-22.

SHULMAN, L. S. Those who understand: knowledge grow in teaching. Educational Researcher, v.15, n.2, 1986. p. 4-14.

WANG, J. E.; ODELL, S. J. Mentored Learning to Teach According Standards-Based Reform: a critical review. Review of Educational Research. n. 72, v.3, 2002. p. 481-546.

          

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Proposal 029 - "Understanding Quality in Career Change Teacher Education: the Ontological Teacher OR Cloned Technicians?"

Principal Author: Mr Rodney Moore. email: Rodney.Moore@vu.edu.au

abstract: This paper reports research which examines the effectiveness and outcomes of an innovative teacher education which prepares beginning teachers who have already had full careers in other professions and industries. This research draws on quantitative and qualitative data gathered over 3 years to study the experience of these 'beginning' teachers as they undertake their initial teacher education and enter the profession simultaneously. It highlights the elements of teacher education which support praxis inquiry and critical engagement with pedagogy and educational reform for mature people who are changing professions. Importantly, the research draws on a range of data collection strategies which support authentic representation of practice and the principle of collaborative practitioner research, both of which will be explored in this paper. This work is a benchmark practice in the University commitment to enhancing educational access, participation and success for young people in the region.

The methodolgy for this research involves questionnaire, narrative cases, work sample and portfolio evidence of practice and case studies to gather and present both demographic, descriptive statistics and rich deep data about the experience of these mature people as they experience their initial teacher education program at university, their first 3 years of teaching and also the experiences of their students and peers. Critically, the development of data sources which support authentic representation of practice and which are analysed collaboratively with practitioners provide a means for the research itself to be a critical pedagogical tool in the construction of teacher knowledge and competence in the course..

This data reports that these career change teachers valued highly their induction to teaching both at the school and university; that they bring strong knowledge and experience to the classroom and the culture of the school; and that they are confident in stimulating innovation and reform in their classrooms and schools within the first 2 years of teaching. On graduation from their teacher education program, most we confidently approved as fully registered teachers; a process which normally requires two years probation as a classroom teacher. As a result of programs and similar innovative educational partnerships at Victoria University, the University has established a special project Access

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and Success in the West which is designed to be a University-wide response to the development of education experience, aspiration, outcomes and career opportunities for all young people in the western region of Melbourne. This paper will illustrate some of the developments in this project.

References:Australian Council of Deans of Education. (2004) New Teaching, New Learning: A Vision for Australian Education, ACDE.

Blackburn, J. (Chair) (1985) Ministerial Review of Postcompulsory Schooling, Report Volume 1.

Department of Education and Training. (2003) Blueprint for Government Schools, DET.

Department of Education and Training. (2002) Curriculum and Standards Framework, DET, available at http: //www.sofweb.vic.edu.au.

Gardner, H. (1993) Frames of Mind: The theory of multiple intelligences, London: Fontana.

Lather, P. (2001) Validity as an Incitement to Discourse: Qualitative Research and the Crisis of Legitimation, in Richardson, V. (Ed) Handbook of Research on Teaching Fourth Edition, Washington DC: AERA, pp. 241-249.

Kruger, T. (Chair) (1999) Innovative Approaches to Site-Based Teacher Education, Report to DETYA, Victoria University of Technology.

Luke, A. (2004) Education from Australia to Asia: a conversation with Allan Luke, Professional Educator, 3(1), pp. 14-17.

Neuman, W. L. (2003) Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches, 5th Edition, Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Patton, M. Q. (2002) Qualitative research and evaluation methods, Thousand Oaks California: SAGE Publications.

Sykes, G. (1994) Change as Interpersonal and Organisational Conflict Michigan State University. Referring to Peter Marris Loss and Change (1974)

Victoria University. (2004) Project Partnerships 2004, Bachelor of Education P-12, School of Education, Victoria University and also at http: //accel.vu.edu.au/partnerships .

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2004) Victorian Curriculum Reform 2004 Consultation Paper: A Framework of Essential Learning, VCAA.

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Proposal 038 - "Two Profiles of Teacher Education Graduates: a Discriminant Analysis of Teaching Commitment"

Principal Author: Dr Isabel Rots. email address : Isabel.Rots@UGent.be

abstract:

Although several studies have confirmed the importance of teaching commitment for (beginning) teachers' retention in the profession (e.g., Weiss, 1999), research on the factors that enhance teacher education graduates' teaching commitment is scarce. Grounded in the Social Learning Theory of Career Decision Making (Mitchell & Krumboltz, 1996) and inspired by the model of Chapman (1984), this study identifies the predictors that distinguish teacher education graduates with a low level versus high level of teaching commitment. Building on the model of Chapman (1984), four categories of predictors were distinguished: (1) personal characteristics (gender, personality); (2) initial motivation for teaching, (3) teacher education (type of teacher training, final diploma grade, preparedness for teaching, faculty and mentor support), and (4) integration into teaching (teacher efficacy and professional orientation).

A survey was conducted among 1085 graduates from teacher training for lower and higher secondary education in Flanders (Belgium). Initially, teacher education graduates' teaching commitment was examined in order to identify graduates with a low versus high level of teaching commitment. Next, using Chi-square and t-tests, statistical differences were tested between low and high levels of graduates' teaching commitment in relation to the predictor variables. Lastly, discriminant analysis was conducted to explain group membership from a set of the statistically significant predictors.

Results of Chi-square and t-tests indicated that type of teacher training, the personality factor 'consientiousness', initial motivation for teaching, preparedness for teaching, mentor support, faculty support, professional orientation, and teacher efficacy showed differences (at 1% level) between low and high levels of teaching commitment. The subsequent discriminant analysis provided an Eigenvalue of 1.043 with a canonical correlation of 0.714 and a Wilks's lambda of 0.489 (Chi-square = 74.652; df = 7; p < 0.0001), indicating a good discriminating power. The results imply that graduates with a low level of teaching commitment can be reliably distinguished from graduates with a high level of commitment by type of teacher training, their conscientiousness, initial motivation for teaching, views of their teacher education (in terms of preparation for teaching, mentor support and faculty support), and

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teacher efficacy. Since professional orientation does not significantly contribute to the discrimination model, this variable was excluded from the final model. The present research adds another block to the edifice of knowledge on teacher retention by investigating it from another angle, that which delineates the attributes of teacher education graduates with low and high levels of teaching commitment. As such, the findings of this research have important implications for teacher education since the results confirm the importance of teacher education for graduates' teaching commitment. Graduates who felt better prepared for teaching and perceived more adequate and intensive support from their faculty at the training institute as well as from their mentors during practical experiences in schools, expressed a higher level of teaching commitment. And this, in turn can affect their intent to enter and remain in the teaching profession.

Acknowledgement: This study is part of a doctoral thesis under supervision of Antonia Aelterman and Peter Vlerick.

References:Chapman, D.W. (1984). Teacher retention: The test of a model. American Educational Research Journal, 21, 645-648. Mitchell, L.K. & Krumboltz, J.D. (1996). Krumboltz's theory of career choice and counseling. In D. Brown & L. Brooks (Eds.), Career choice and development (pp. 233-280). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Weiss, E.M. (1999) Perceived workplace conditions and first-year teachers' morale, career choice commitment and planned retention: a secondary analysis, Teaching and Teacher Education, 15(8), 861-879.

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Proposal 040 - "The Student Associate Scheme: Implications for the Quality of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in England and Wales" Principal Author: Ms Marilyn Brodie.email address : m.brodie@shu.ac.uk

abstract:

In 2006 the Training and Development Agency for schools (TDA) in England and Wales issued a tender for the development of a scheme which aims to contribute to the recruitment of 'able and committed students to Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and raise the levels of attainment and aspiration of young people in schools in England and Wales' (TDA, 2006). England and Wales are currently going through a teacher recruitment crisis (Roberts, 2002) resulting in a number of initiatives aimed at addressing the problem of which this is one. The scheme's strategic aim is to increase the number and quality of recruits into teaching, particularly in shortage areas such as physics, chemistry, maths and modern languages. All Student Associates are trained prior to a 15-day placement and follow a programme closely aligned to the standards for qualified teacher status (QTS). While in school each undergraduate student is guided by a mentor and has to complete a Core Programme of 12 activities that introduces them to the life and role of a teacher in school. They are also encouraged to negotiate other activity with their mentor to develop other interests and/or particular skills. The undergraduates targetted for this scheme represent the shortage areas for teaching with some places also available for other subject areas and the placements can take place in either primary or secondary school. Participating in the project for 2006-7 will be around 8000 students across England and Wales. The primary research question of this study is to determine whether or not a clear advantage is gained by participating students when compared with non-participating students. The purpose of the study is to establish the value of such a scheme to the outcomes and quality of current and future ITT programmes.

The study is based on rich and detailed data that will enable us to develop core categories for understanding the participating students' views. Six participating students have been identified and will form the main focus of this paper. Students have been identified to represent a balance of gender, ethnicity and socio-economic background. A grounded theory approach (Glaser and Strauss, 1967) is being used to gather and analyse data. Students are

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engaging in reflective dialogue with their mentors in their host schools (classroom teachers) and are developing reflective journals (both students and mentors). These journals recount the detail of each reflective dialogue between student and mentor. Students will also be interviewed through a semi-structured format. Constant comparison of these two primary data sets will enable the development of systematic coding (line by line, focused and axial coding) which illustrate the students' thinking, decision making, range of actions, and views as well as what structures and cultural values influenced them. Analytic categories will be developed to identify a substantive emerging theory.

The expected outcome of the study is a clear understanding of participating students' views of the scheme and its potential impact on enhancing the quality of current and future ITT programmes. A key methodological outcome will be an informed understanding of the effective use of elicited texts such as reflective journals. This understanding will enable us to develop a best practice model for future students to use reflective journals to aid their professional development. Guidelines will be published that will support students in developing their reflective processes and maximising their learning.

References:Glaser, B. G. & Strauss, A. L. (1967) The discovery of grounded theory. Chicago: Aldine. Roberts, G. (2002) SET for Success. HMSO Training and Development Agency for schools (2006) Invitation to tender to be a provider of Student Associate Scheme from 2006. Ref T34194

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Proposal 051 - "The Action-Research Pedagogy in the Educational Practice"

Principal Author: Dr Maria Amelia Santoro Franco. email : ameliasantoro@uol.com.br

abstract:

Description of the paper: In the past few decades, action-research has been used in different manners, based on different intentions, and has become part of a vast mosaic of theoretical and methodological approaches, instigating us to reflect on its epistemological essence, as well as on its possibilities as an investigative practice. This paper furthers the reflections on the pertinence and possibilities allowed by action-research as a pedagogical, scientific instrument, seeking answers to questions such as: Should action-research be, essentially, research-intended to transform the reality one is inserted in? Can it be a fundamentally participative type of research, in which subjects and researchers interact in producing new knowledge? Should it be formative-emancipative in nature? By mediating research and studies that have already been carried out, an attempt was made to structure an educational process for action-research, one that could organize the coherence issue between the ontology and epistemology the research intended to achieve. To do so, it was necessary establish references to the following questions: What are we talking about when referring to action-research? Or, what action are we dealing with when we refer to action-research? Also, how do research and action interact in the action-research educational practice? The paper highlights the fact that action-research, structured in its generating principles, is eminently pedagogic research, within the perspective of being the pedagogic exercise, configured as an action that renders the educational practice scientific, based on ethical principles aimed at the ongoing qualification and emancipation of all of the practice's subjects. It seems to be unanimous that action-research originates in Kurt Lewin's work, in 1946, in a post-war context and in an experimental, field approach. His work with action-research was undertaken while he worked for the American government, and his initial research aimed at changing the population's eating habits and at the Americans' attitudes towards minorities. It was guided by a set of values, such as: Building democratic relationships, subject participation, the acknowledgement of minority group individual, cultural, and ethical rights, tolerance for divergent opinions and, also, the idea that subjects change more easily when impelled to do so by group decisions. His research progressed parallelly to his studies on group dynamics and functioning. His approach to action-research found fertile ground in corporations, in activities connected to organizational development. This initial action-research concept, within an experimental, field approach,

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took-on many fragmented characteristics during the 1950's and changed, structurally, as of the 1980's, when it absorbed a dialectic perspective in its suppositions based on the incorporation of Habermas' critical theory foundations, taking-on teacher educational practice improvement as its purpose. Work carried out by Elliot and Adelman, at the Applied Education Research Center, in Great Britain, alongside the Ford Teaching Project (1973-1976), are fundamental for such focus. This article will emphasize the fact that, beginning with Lewin, and after different theories were embodied by the action-research concept and practice, many interpretations have been made in action-research's name, leading to a mosaic of methodological approaches that often became operational in the investigative practice, without the necessary explanation of their theoretical foundations, resulting in compromised study scientific validity and theory/method inconsistencies.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used: This paper summarizes several investigations I have made on action-research in public schools in Brazil hoping to produce the collective transformation of teacher work conditions. In this text's analysis, I also incorporate data from a documental research project I have been carrying out based on theses elaborated by Brazilian researchers who use action-research. (See FRANCO, 2000; 2001; 2002; 2003; 2004; 2005; 2006).

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings: Action-research can work as a continuing education tool for teachers, allowing better understanding of the practices; a reorganization of the collective conditions of the teachers professionalization, as long as: It is considered: ? A research approach with social characteristics, associated to an intervention strategy that evolves in a dynamic context; ? Research based on the supposition that research and action may be united; ? Research that originates from the participants' actual needs; one that is connected to their natural way of life; and one that counts on the participation of all involved, in all of its stages; ? Methodologically speaking, action-research must have flexible procedures; adjust progressively to happenings; establish systematic communication among its participants; and evaluate itself throughout the process; ? Characteristically empirical research that establishes dynamic relationships with experiences, and is enriched by interpretative analysis categories; ? Collectively-managed research, using an innovative

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methodological model and a type of collective management, one in which the researcher is also a participant, and all participants researchers as well.

Thus, for action-research to materialize, it is fundamental to associate the research model to a collective intervention strategy or proposal. There is also the evidence that research and action can be together in a same process, reaffirming the research with action issue, which also slowly becomes action with research. While developing action-research, emphasis is placed on flexibility, on progressive adjustments to happenings, reinforcing the research with action issue. To consider action-research as research on/about action, one may incur in at least two mistakes: Transforming action-research into evaluation research on an adopted procedure, on a transformation that has taken place, or even on a process being deployed. In this case, research, although relevant, cannot be considered action-research, as it loses its dynamic characteristic of changing itself based on the transformations and, thus, it is deprived of its progressive adjustment capability, a factor that is fundamental for research of/on practice; .Another rather common mistake novice researchers make is that the researcher investigates his/her own place and job: A school director, an educational coordinator, a teacher researching in the ambit of his/her professional performance. Despite this stance's relevance, the resulting research can hardly be characterized as action-research, particularly due to the professional role hierarchy, to the implicit powers, something that may require strategic action and scarcely in communicative actions. What matters here is to highlight the fact that action-research always suggests concomitance between research and action and action and research, even considering it should be expressed as a double arrow instead of a hyphen: research ? action, to characterize concomitance, intercommunication and inter-fecundity. Operational/existential difficulties of carrying action-research out result from this, since working scientifically within role concomitance, in the contradiction of expectations, in the uncertainty of the happenings that will guide and give new direction to the process requires a lot of conviction, daringness and persistence. That is why we conclude that action-research, in the pedagogic practice, must be structured on a pedagogic process, on a action-research pedagogy. This implies in considering the complexity, unpredictability, the opportunity generated by a few unexpected happenings, the potential fecundity a few moments that emerge from practice have.

References:My own publications about educational research: FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Pedagogic coordination: a practice in search of its identity. Educativa, Goiânia, UCG Education Department Magazine, v.8, n.1, p.125-138, Jan./Jul. 2005. ISSN 1415-0492 .

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FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Action-research Pedagogy. Educação e Pesquisa. USP's College of Education Magazine. Vol.31, number 3. p. 483-502. Dec.2005.São Paulo 2005. ISSN: 15179702.FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Presentation of the Em foco session: Action-research and the teaching practice. Educação e Pesquisa. USP's College of Education Magazine. Voll.31, number 3.. p.439-443. Dec.2005.São Paulo 2005. ISSN: 15179702.¨ FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Articulation between research and qualification: methodological suppositions of a qualification and research group. In: Educação e Trabalho: representações sociais, competências e trajectórias profissionais, 2005, Aveiro. International Congress: Education and Work. Aveiro: University of Aveiro, 2005. v. CDRom. p. 01-18. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. The pedagogical practice as an instrument to transform the teaching practice. Annals of the XXVIII ANPED. GT04. CD-ROM. Caxambu.2005. ISBN: 8586392154. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Pedagogical Knowledge and the teaching practice. XIII ENDIPE Annals Book: Educação Formal e não formal, processos formativos e saberes pedagógicos. Vol.1.p.27-50, edições Bagaço. Recife, 2006. ISBN: 853730007. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro e LISITA, Verbena. Action Research: limits and possibilities in teacher education. British Education Index (BEI), Brotherton Library - University, p. 01-15, 2004. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro e ABDALLA, M. F. Qualifying for a new practice epistemology. CEAP education magazine, Salvador. Bahia, v. 43, n. a.11, p. 79-87, 2003. ISSN 1413-6880. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. The educational research methodology as an investigative practice builder. Nuances Magazine. Unesp. Presidente Prudente -SP, Vol IX. Nº 9/10. Dec. 2003. 189-211. ISSN 1413-6880. ?FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro e LISITA, Verbena. Investigación-Acción: limites e posibilidades en la formación docente. In: Association Mondiale des sciences de l'éducation, 2004, Santiago. Educadores para una nueva cultura: recuente de comunicaciones. Santiago: Faculdad de Educatión - PUC Chile, 2004. V. 01. P. 103-104. Cd-rom, p.1-15. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro e LISITA, Verbena. Action Research: Possibilities and Constrains in Teacher education. In: European Conference on Educational Research, 2004, Creta. British Education Conference Programmes. Creta: ECER CRETE 2004. V. 04. P. 01-02 FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Action-research Pedagogy. In: 12º Encontro Nacional de Didática e Prática de Ensino, 2004, Endipe: conhecimento local e conhecimento universal, Curitiba 2004.FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Pedagogy beyond confrontations. In: Fórum de Educação: Pedagogo, que profissional é esse? 2003, Belo Horizonte. Anais do Fórum de Educação: Pedagogo, que profissional é esse. Belo

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Horizonte: FAE/CBH/UEMG, 2003. V. 1. P. 39-68. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro e ABDALLA, M. F. Reflexive Qualification of Teachers: Analysis of a Supervision Strategy. In: I International Portuguese-Brazilian Congress and II CiDINE Congress, 2004, Florianópolis. Annals of the I International Portuguese-Brazilian Congress. Florianópolis: Cd Rom, 2004. V. 1. ISSN 1519-3874. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Investigating the teaching practice: dilemmas and perspectives. In: AFIRSE: Association Francophone Internacionale de Recherche Scientifique en éducation, 2002, Lisboa. Livro do Colóquio: A formação de Professores à luz da investigação. Lisboa: College of Psychology and Education Sciences. University of Lisbon, 2002. P. 187-187 FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Pedagogy as the science of education. In: 24ª Reunião da ANPED, 2001, Caxambu. Pedagogy and its multidimensionality: different looks, 2001.Homepage: www.Anped.Org.br/24/sessesp.htm. The paper is in the ANPED 2001 CD-ROM, under special sessions. It also appears at: www.ufpe.br/ gt5anped/ relat 2001.html. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Pedagogy as the science of Education. Campinas. Papirus. 2002. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro and Ghedin, Evandro. The issue of method in research in education. São Paulo. Cortez. Coleção Docência. 2006 (ready for publication).

Other references:

BARBIER, Renée. A pesquisa-ação. Brasília: Plano, 2002. BOUFLEUR, José Pedro. Pedagogia da ação comunicativa: uma leitura de Habermas. Ijuí: Inijuí, 1997. CARR, W. Action Research: Ten Years On. Journal of curriculum studies. 21 (1), 85-90. USA.CARR, W ; KEMMIS, W. Becoming critical education; knowledge and action research. London and Philadelphia: The Palmer Press, 1986. COREY, M.S. Action Research to improve School Practices. New York: Teachers' College, Columbia University, 1949. CÔTE-THIBAULT, D. Historique de la recherché-action. In: LAVOIE, L.; MARQUIS, D.; LAURIN, P. La recherché-action: théorie et pratique. Canadá: Presses de l'Université du Québec, 1996. DUBOST, Jean. La intervention psycho-sociologique. Paris: PUF, 1987. ELLIOT, J. Recolocando a pesquisa-ação em seu lugar original e próprio. In: GERALDI, C. M.G.;

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FIORENTINI, D.; PEREIRA, E.M.A. (orgs.). Cartografias do trabalho docente. Campinas: Mercado da Letras, 1998, p. 137-152. ELLIOTT, John. El cambio educativo desde la investigatión-acción. Madri: Morata, 1996. FRANCO, Maria Amélia Santoro. Dinâmica compreensiva: integrando identidade e formação docente. Anais do X ENDIPE. Rio de Janeiro, 2000. GARRIDO, Elsa; FUSARI, Maria F.R.; MOURA, Manoel O.; PIMENTA, Selma G. A pesquisa colaborativa, a formação do professor reflexivo/investigativo e a construção coletiva de saberes e práticas pela equipe escolar. Anais do IXENDIPE. Águas de Lindóia, v. 1: p. 48-49, 1998 (Projeto USP- Ayres/ FE-USP/ Fapesp). GHEDIN, E. Professor reflexivo: da alienação da técnica à autonomia da crítica. In: PIMENTA, S. e GHEDIN, E. Professor reflexivo no Brasil: gênese e crítica de um conceito. São Paulo: Cortez, 2002, p. 129-149. GUBA, E.G. (org.). The paradigm dialog. Londres: Sage Publications, 1989. HABERMAS, Jürgen. Connaissance et intérêt. Paris: Gallimard, 1982. INGRAM, David. Habermas e a razão dialética. Brasília: Editora da Unb, 1993. KEMMIS, S. Action Research. International Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford: Pergamon, 1984, p. 35-42. KINCHELOE, Joe L. A formação do professor como compromisso político: mapeando o pós-moderno. Porto Alegre: Artes Médicas, 1997. LAVOIE, L. MARQUIS, D.; LAURIN, P. La recherché-action: théorie et pratique. (Manuel d'autoformation). Canadá: Presses de l'Université du Québec, 1996. LEWIN, K. Action Research and minority problems. Soc. Issues, II, p. 33-34. New York.1946. Artigo representado In: LEWIN, K. Resolving Social Conflits. New York. Harpers and Brothers. 1948. Tradução brasileira. LEWIN, K. Problemas de Dinâmica de Grupos. São Paulo: Cultrix, 1970. MAILHIOT, Gérald Bernard. Dynamique et genèse des groupes. Paris: Édition de l'Épi, 1970. MORIN, A. Recherche-action en éducation: de la pratique à la théorie. Rapport. Canadá: Université de Montreal, 1986. MORIN, A. Recherche-action intégrale et participation cooperative. Méthodologie et etudes des cas. Laval: Éditions Agence d'Arc, 1992, vol. I. PERRENOUD, P. Ensinar: agir na urgência e decidir na incerteza. Porto Alegre: Artes Médicas, 1991. PIMENTA, Selma G. Professor: formação, identidade e trabalho docente. In: PIMENTA, Selma G. (org.). Saberes pedagógicos e atividade docente. São Paulo: Cortez, 1999, p. 15-34. ROJO, M. R. Hacia uma Didáctica crítica. Madri: Editorial La Muralla, 1997. SCHÖN, D. À la recherche d'une nouvelle épistémologie de la

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pratique et de ce qu'elle implique pour l'éducation des adultes. In: BARBIER, J-M. (org.). Savoirs théoriques et saviors d'action. Paris: PUF, 1997, p. 201-222. SMYTH, J. Developing and sustaining critical reflection in teacher education. Journal of teacher education. XXXX (2), 1989. TABA, H. & Noel, E. Acting Research: a case study. Washington, D.C., Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (NEA), 1957, p.12-27. THURLER, Monica G. Inovar no interior da escola. Porto Alegre: Artmed, 2001.

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Proposal 086 - "Teacher Education and Children's Rights - a Joint Network Session"

Round Table proposal 6 authors.

Principal Author: Mr James McNally. email address: j.g.mcnally@stir.ac.uk

abstract:

This roundtable session will explore connections between research findings on children's views of beginning teachers and the emerging field of children's rights. In order to optimise focussed and informed discussion, the roundtable will bring together researchers from networks 10 and 25. The aim is to develop a set of ideas that will inform a policy and research agenda for placing children's rights within teacher education.

Findings from a substantial ESRC research project (UK) on the early professional learning of teachers in the UK, which features teachers as researchers, make it clear that children are central in the major themes of relationality, emotionality and identity formation of new teachers. There appears to be a gradual development in which new teachers knowingly struggle to get the relational 'balance' right (strict first, gradually more 'democratic' etc). The quantitative indicator of children's views developed as part of this research indicates that children tend to have a strong sense of fairness and want teachers to ensure they can work without undue disruption in their classes.

Furthermore, the language and perceptions of new teachers are different from official policy documents governing standards and support and many experience tension between their 'whole child' ideals and the standards agenda. This is reflected in another specific, related focus, the uncertain transformation in Swedish teacher education. Recent ambition (2004) to focus on a holistic sense of the child, including efforts to highlight children's rights, has been followed by a change in government (2006) that appears to focus more on discipline.

An emerging picture, therefore, is that (new) teachers are fundamentally engaged in the task of developing a holistic sense of the children they 'teach', of their social and emotional lives and that their natural aspiration to become good teachers is about developing their ability to acknowledge and respond sensitively to these children. We shall explore how

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this relates to the developing field of children's rights and challenge ourselves to identify issues in children's rights that come to the fore in the context of teacher education and in the particular nature of the child-adult relationship. A particular issue might be, therefore, how our collective evidence can a) be accommodated within policy guidance on teacher education and children's rights, and b) offer an agenda for further relevant research and development.

Through our discussion we shall take a critical perspective on the quality of the research we draw on. Specific attention will be given to 1) the actual research process itself 2) the statistical basis of any quantitative claims 3) where these sit in relation to children's rights.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used: practitioners as researchers interviews indicators of professional development policy document evaluation

The main outcomes will be 1) to identify issues in children's rights in the context of teacher education 2) an assessment of how our collective evidence can a) be accommodated within policy guidance on teacher education and children's rights b) offer an agenda for further relevant research and development. 3) to reach a critical perspective on the quality of the research we draw on , including a) the actual research process itself b) any statistical claims c) relevance to our topic.

References:Brembeck, H.,Johansson, B. and Kampmann, J.(eds.), (2004),Beyond the competent child. Exploring contemporary childhoods in the Nordic welfare societies, Roskilde University Press, Denmark Corbin B. et al (2006) The Pupil Evaluation of Teacher Effectiveness Project (PETE): processes, outcomes and issues EPL dissemination seminar, University of Stirling Early Professional Learning website http: //www.ioe.stir.ac.uk/EPL/index.htm ESRC funded research project in the Teaching and Learmning Research Programme Phase 3 (accessed 2007) Gray P. & Blake A. (2007) Brief statistical summary of children's views indicator (CEPSATI) in the EPL Project, University of Stirling

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Högskoleverket, (2003). FN: s barnkonvention angår högskolan: rapport från ett regeringsuppdrag, Stockholm I'Anson J. and Allan, J. 2006 'Children's Rights in Practice: a study of change within a primary school', International Journal of Children's Spirituality, 11: 2, pp. 265-79. Lister, Ruth.(2003) Investing in the Citizen - workers of the future: Transformations in Citizenship and the State under New Labour,In Social Policy & Administration, VOl. 37, No 5,PP. 427-443 McNally J. (2006) From informal learning to identity formation: a conceptual journey in early teacher development Scottish Educational Review Special Edition 37, 79-90 McNally J. (2002) Developments in teacher induction in Scotland and implications for the role of higher education Journal of Education for Teaching 28, 2, 149-164

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Proposal 090 - "Novice in Secondary School - the Coin has Two Sides”

Principal Author: Prof Kari Smith. email address : Kari.smith@iuh.uib.no

abstract:

Being a novice is a challenge in any job, and in most professions and businesses it is acknowledged that the novice needs an induction period during which expectations and responsibilities are formed with this in mind. It is allowed to be new, a status which, to a certain extent invites formal and informal empathy from colleagues and leadership. The situation is, in many cases, not the same for new teachers. There is wide international documentation of the many challenges novices meet during their first years of teaching, from challenges in teaching, class management, assessment, communication with colleagues and parents, understanding the school culture, just to mention a few ( Lazovsky & Reichenberg, 2006; Dymoke & Harrison, 2006; Rippon & Martin, 2003; Feiman-Nemser, 2001; Achinstein, 2006; among others). Only recently has it been recognised within the teaching profession that the induction period is, for many teachers, crucial to their future choice of whether to stay in the profession or not and for their future careers as teachers. Examples of this can, for example, be seen in Scotland and in Israel, where time is set aside for professional development during the first year through which the novice is supported by an experienced collegaue or mentor of another kind. Support for the need of a more lenient job situation in the first phase of teaching is also based on the three stage model for professional development which calls the first stage the ‘survival level’ (Fuller and Bown, 1975). However, the present situation in Norway is mostly that new teachers are expected to be fully qualified and to dive into the profession with the same expertise as more experienced colleagues. They are given a full teaching position and in many cases, also the most difficult classes, classes that senior colleagues try to avoid. There is, though, awareness of the challenge of being new in school and in the profession, and there is a national project in collaboration with teacher education institutions called, New in School (Ny i skolen). The focus of the current study is the voice of novice teachers in secondary school; how do they experience their first years? Is it only black or does it have some bright sides as well? The framework of the study is the implementation of the support project for secondary school novices by the Section of Teacher Education in the region of Bergen and its surroundings. The study is also focusing the establishment of a network between a selected group of schools who are working with the implementation and the University.

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A mixed approach was used to elicit information from the students. A quantitative questionnaire was used to map the opinions of the novices, including open questions to learn more in depth about their experiences. Interviews were used to explore tendencies found in the written responses, and finally two new teachers volunteered their narratives which adds a personal focus to the findings.

We are still in the process of collecting the data, but a preliminary analysis shows that there is little new in terms of the challenges, but there is another side of the induction coin which provides a brighter picture. There is pleasure in the meeting wih young people, there is a feeling of achievement when things go right and there are many good colleagues who volunteer support. An important finding, as we see it, is that those new teachers who had been informed about the normality of feeling that there is a fight for the professional daily survival, to feel that the job fills all your time, succeeded to take a more meta-cognitive and reflective perspective on the situation, and thus avoid panic and early burn out.

References:Achinstein, B. (2006). New teacher and mentor political literacy: reading, navigating and transforming induction contexts. Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 12(2), pp. 123-138. Dymoke, S. & Harrison, J. K. (2006). Professional development and the beginning teacher: issues of teacher autonomy and institutional conformity in the performance review process. Journal of Education for Teaching, 32 (1), pp. 71-92. Feiman-Nemser, S. (2001). Helping novices learn to teach. Journal of teacher education, 52(1), pp. 17-30. Fuller, F. F. and Bown, O. H. (1975) Becoming a teacher. In K. Ryan (Ed.) The Education: The Seventy-Fourth Yearbook of the National Society. Lazovsky, R. & Reichenberg, R. (2006). The new mandatory induction programme for all beginning teachers in Israsel: perceptions of inductees in five study tracks. Jouranl of Education for Teaching, 32 (1), pp. 53-70. Rippon, J. & Martin, M. (2003). Supporting induction: relationships count. Mentoring and Tutoring, 11 (2), pp. 211-226.

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Proposal 092 "The Concept of Science within the Context of Teacher Education.

Principal Author: Dr Lena Fritzen. email address: Lena.Fritzen@vxu.se

abstract:

The scientific foundations of teacher education are, and practically always have been, a stumbling block that has led to unnecessary schisms and positioning. One of the goals of the reform of teacher education that took effect in Sweden in 2001 was to unite the members of the teaching profession. Because the entire educational system - from pre-school to upper secondary school - have one curriculum, the teachers within this system shall also have one teacher education program. However, there is no consensus about which norms and knowledge base should form the foundation of this program. The evaluation of teacher education that was carried out in 2005 and 2006 shows that so far, most institutes of learning have not been able to maintain a satisfactory scientific progression throughout the education, which in turn has led to shortcomings in student teachers' degree projects. Additionally, the evaluation shows organizational deficiencies at these institutes of learning with respect to student teachers' opportunities to go on to postgraduate research studies. There is the hope that the new subject "educational science" (utbildningsvetenskap) will be the cohesive force that will remove the tension between subject didactics and general didactics. However, giving new names to old phenomena seldom solves the fundamental problem. At present, there is a new discussion within the country about which subjects should be "allowed" to be included in "educational science", and which should remain outside its boundaries. A discussion that ultimately is about who should be allowed to get research resources and who shouldn't. In other words, a discussion that is system-oriented and is seldom about a sincere interest in didactic issues. This discussion has become particularly sensitive in the subject of pedagogy, which in a sense seems to think it has an inherent right of interpretation in the educational science arena. The purpose of this paper is to problematize and discuss the concept of science within the context of the teacher education program, seen from the perspective of Jürgen Haberma´s communication theory. I argue that science, just as all pursuits of knowledge, is a deliberative process in which teacher educators as well as students bear joint responsibility for the learning process. The research process characterized by a learning process that, like other learning processes, is grounded in deliberation. However, this doesn't mean that research processes are of a completely deliberative nature. For system-related reasons, research processes need to be related to the

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available resources, to be carried out efficiently, to have their quality assessed, and to be evaluated by given criteria, etc. One criticism of the current postgraduate research education programs and policies is that the system-related demands take too much space, whereas communicative rationality receives a subordinate role. My interest lies in studying the part of the research process that is characterized by a deliberative approach, and finding out how deliberation can contribute to discursively constructing a frame of reference based on integrative approaches to didactics. In order to maintain communicative action during the research process, the conditions for communicative action and their validity demands should be present.

Taking Habermas's dualistic perspective on society as my starting point, I am presenting my view of pedagogical practice and processes as a relationship between individuals and society.

My interest lies in studying the part of the research process that is characterized by a deliberative approach, and finding out how deliberation can contribute to discursively constructing a frame of reference based on integrative approaches to didactics. In order to maintain communicative action during the research process, the conditions for communicative action and their validity demands should be present.

References:.Benhabib, S (1994). Autonomi och gemenskap. Kommunikativ etik, feminism och postmodernism. Göteborg: Daidalos. Carleheden, M (2002). Fostran till frihet. Skolans demokratiska värdegrund ur ett habermasianskt perspektiv. Utbildning och demokrati. 2002, Vol 11, NR 3, pp. 43-72. Dewey, J (1916/1966). Democracy and education. An introduction of the philosophy of education. New York: The Free Press. Fritzell, C (1996). Pedagogical split vision. Educational Theory 46 (2), s 203-216. Fritzell, C (2003a). Towards deliberative relationships between pedagogic theory and practice. Nordisk pedagogik, 23 (2), s 92-103. Fritzell, C (2003b). Pedagogisk praktik och demokratiska samtal. Pedagogisk kommunikation. Växjö: Insitutionen för pedagogik. Fritzell, C (2004). Ett bildningsdidaktiskt perspektiv. I L, Fritzén (red.) På väg mot integrativ didaktik. Acta Wexionensis, Nr 53, s 13-26. Fritzén, L (1998). Den pedagogiska praktikens Janusansikte. Om det kommunikativa handlandets didaktiska villkor och konsekvenser. Lund: Lund University Press. Fritzén, L (2003a). Academic knowledge and civic competence. Paper presenterat vid AREA, Chicago 2003-04-22 - 2003-04-25. Fritzén, L (2003b). Ämneskunnande och demokratisk kompetens - en integrative helhet. Utbildning och didaktik 12 (3). s 67-88. Fritzén, L & Gustafsson, B (2004). Sustainable development in terms of democrazy - an educational challenge for teacher education. I P,

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Wickenberg et al (eds.) Learning to charge our world? Lund: Studentlitteratur. Gustafsson, B (2006). Democracy in science education. Paper presenterat vid NFPF, Örebro 2006-03-09 - 2006-03-11. Habermas, J (1984). The theory of communicative action. Reason and the rationalization of society. Volume 1.Boston: Beacon Press. Habermas, J (1987). The theory of communicative action. The critique of functionalist reason. Volume 2. Boston: Beacon Press. Habermas, J (1998). On the pragmatics of communication. Cambridge, MA: MIT. Högskoleverkets rapport 2005: 17 Utvärdering av den nya lärarutbildningen vid svenska universitet och högskolor. Prop 2001/02: 80. Demokrati för det nya seklet. Renström, L (1988). Conceptions of matter. A phenomenographic approach. Göteborg: Acta Universitatis Gotheburgensis. SOU 1999: 63 Att lära och leda. En lärarutbildning för samverkan och utveckling. SOU 2000: 1 En uthållig demokrati! Politik för folkstyrelse på 2000-talet Vetenskapsrådets rapport 2003, nr 1. Fransson, K & Lundgren, U.P. Utbildningsvetenskap - ett begrepp och dess sammanhang.

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Proposal 106 - "Student Evaluation of Semi-Professional Education"

Principal Author: Prof Karl Oyvind Jordell. email : k.o.jordell@ped.uio.no

abstract:

The focal point of this conceptual paper will be students' implicit criteria for their evaluations of semi-professional education. The issue will provide a basis for discussion of empirical data (from Norway) at a later stage in a project in progress. To some extent, the evaluations from students in a given program will be a function of their experiences in practice periods during the program, and/or experiences from working in relevant institutions before entering the program. An important perspective for their evaluations will be their understanding of the character of the work and the workplace (cf, e g, Fessler and Christensen 1992; Johnson 1990): - number and characteristics of clients in the work setting - structure and characteristics of collegial relations - position in institutional hierarchy. The main traits of these characteristics can be outlined as follows: Nurses could be labelled middle-level care-takers working close to colleagues in a hierarchy, relating to singular clients with relatively serious problems. (Cf Bjerknes 2004.) Pre-school teachers are often in charge of a section of a pre-school, they are middle-level pedagogical administrators in a somewhat egalitarian structure, relating to groups of very young clients most of whom do not cause serious problems in the interaction with the professional. (Cf Bergsvik et al 2004.) Teachers can be seen as lower level pedagogues in a somewhat egalitarian structure working in varying degrees of collegiality, with groups of clients who increasingly (with age) may cause problems in the interactions with the professional.

Similarly, the basic perspective that students may take with regard to their theoretical subjects will vary. Nurses are to a great extent given courses in subjects they have not studied in school, and may consider many of these subjects as instruments or as an important important background for functioning as a nurse. Pre-school teachers and teachers will mainly be given courses in subjects they have studied in school, except for educational theory, which they may see as an instrument for future activities as a teacher. Also, method courses, which in Norwegian teacher education are in principle integrated into subject courses, will be seen as

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instruments in this regard. Riksaasen (1998: 178) has suggested that these two forms of teacher education will vary with regard to classification and framing, with teacher education offering a program that is seen as strong along these dimensions, and preschool teacher education seen as weak. The former is labelled a visible pedagogy, the latter an invisible pedagogy. This may imply that also the degree of integration of methods components in school subjects will vary, with prospective teachers being offered academic subjects with some practical components added (but to a varying degree), whereas prospective pre-school teachers being offered more integrated training in subjects.

The interaction of these perspectives will imply that the three groups, namely - middle level care-takers provided with a somewhat instrumental education in fields they knew little about from school - middle level administrators provided with a somewhat integrated education in fields they had studied in schools - lower-level pedagogues provided with a somewhat academic education, also in fields they had studied in schools may differ in their evaluations of their education.

Increasingly, in their first years in regular jobs, evaluations will be influenced by the demands of the situation: - nurses deal with issues that may imply life or death for their clients, in close interaction with colleagues - pre-school teachers deal with clients with limited problems, and are often in charge of a group of colleagues - teachers deal with clients that may cause problems, at times as members of teams, often on their own.

The paper is based on review of literature; only some references are included here

This kind of reasoning can be utilized in both the daily work of institutions of teacher education and other fields, in more systematic reform efforts in these institutions, and in induction efforts. With regard to induction activities, pilot projects for new teachers were established at two institutions (Bjerkholt 2002; Stålsett 2002), and are now being implemented on a larger scale. This reflects similar developments in Europe (Tickle 2000, Eurydice 2002; O'Brien el al 2003, Lindgren 2003). The discussions of the structure of the workplace, and the character of the students' perspectives and experiences during training, may be of more general interest: Even though structures and programs will differ between countries, trends in evaluations of programs in the same field may reflect problems of similar kinds, possibly related to the structure of the work and the workplace, and traditions in training of semi-professions, whose basic traits may not vary much across borders.

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References:Bergsvik, E, Grimsæth, G & Nordvik, G ( 2004): I hvor stor grad reflekterer lærerutdanningene den praktiske hverdagen nyutdannede lærere møter? (To which degree does teacher educations reflect the every-day practical work that new teachers meet?) Paper presented at the 32nd Congress of the Nordic Educational Research Association, Reykjavik, Iceland, March 2004. Bjerkholt, E (2002): Veiledning av nyutdanna allmennlærere 1998-2001. Sluttrapport 2002. (Mentoring of new teachers for compulsory school. Final report 2002.) Notodden, Norway: Høgskolen i Telemark. Bjerknes, M S (2004): Newly graduated nurses' entry into nursing - how nurses deal with expectations of their professional role. Paper presented at the 32nd Congress of the Nordic Educational Research Association, Reykjavik, Iceland, March 2004. Eurydice European Unit (2002): Key topics in education in Europe, vol 3: The teaching profession in Europe: Profile, trends and concerns, Report 1: Initial training and transition to working life, general lower secondary education. Brussels: Eurydice European Unit. (ISBN 2-87116-341-3). Fessler, R & Christensen J C (eds) (1992) The teacher career cycle: Understanding and guiding the professional development of teachers. Needham Heights, Mass: Allyn & Bacon. Johnson, S M (1990): Teachers at work. New York: Basic Books. Lindgren U (Ed) (2003): Mentoring for learning and development. Umeå, Sweden: Umeå University, Dept of Swedish and Social Sciences, Teacher Education, Didactica Umensis no 5. O'Brien, J, Draper, J & Christie, F (Moray House School of Education, Univ of Edinburgh) (2003): Confirming competence or early CPD? The new induction arrangements for Scottish teacher. Paper presented at ECER 2003. Riksaasen, R. (1998): Visible and invisible pedagogies in teacher education. NTNU (Univ of Trondheim), Dept of Sociology and Political Science, doctoral dissertation. Stålsett, U (2002): Pilotprosjektet oppfølging av nyutdannede lærere. (The pilot project mentoring of new teachers.) Oslo: Høgskolen i Oslo. Tickle, L (2000): Teacher induction. The way ahead. Buckingham/Philadelphia: Open University Press.

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Proposal 107 - "Developing Student Teachers' Perception And Understanding Of Critical Lesson Events By Training Their Lesson Analysis Skills In The Pedagogical Practicum"

Principal Author: Prof Edgar Krull.email address: edgar.krull@ut.ee

abstract:

One of the relevant skills of teachers' professional development is the competence for observing and analysing lessons. In our recent study we learned which perceptual and thinking capabilities student teachers are typically missing in comparison with expert teachers when observing lessons, and which theoretical generalisations they would need in order to focus their attention on relevant issues and for analysing what they are perceiving. We asked groups of novice and expert teachers to comment on the instructional events and phenomena of a tape-recorded classical lesson (see Krull, et al., in press). The analysis of teachers' comments revealed that that student teachers perceive less in and reflect less on the classroom events and features related to presenting new material, providing learning guidance to pupils, enhancing the retention and transfer of what has been learned, and for creating a positive classroom atmosphere than expert teachers. These findings point to the likelihood that novice teachers inadequately perceive many relevant instructional events and, consequently, give faulty interpretations to them. The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of an experimental methodology, elaborated on the basis of our research, for promoting student teachers' lesson analysis skills during their ten-week pedagogical school practicum in the secondary schools of Tartu, Estonia.

The designed intervention procedure aims at achieving a twofold objective - developing student teachers' perceptual capabilities of relevant lesson events, on the one hand, and providing them with a theoretical framework or conceptual basis for lesson analysis, on the other hand. The actual training sessions consist of a guided analysis of observed video-recorded and live lessons taught by expert and student teachers. The teacher educators' or supervisors' main task is in drawing student teachers' attention to relevant and critical lesson events and to the way the model teacher implements these events, and in providing student teachers with an holistic lesson analysis scheme. This scheme, or rather a general framework, for lesson analysis is created in student teachers by introducing them to lesson models and asking them to analyze the observed lessons in the light of specific questions. A training session of lesson analysis skills starts with a group observation and analysis of video-recorded lessons in seminars and ends with out-of-class work for completing individual written analyses by using study

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aids, including the recordings of the observed lessons and their transcripts available on a website. To the end of identifying the impact of experimental training on the student teachers, their lesson analysis skills were tested twice - at the beginning and at the end of a pedagogical practicum. A control group of students having conventional supervised school practice was also tested using the same procedure, which consisted of writing analyses of a recorded lesson not used for training purposes.

The conclusions on the progress of student teachers' lesson analysis skills during the school practicum are based on qualitative content analysis of submitted lesson analysis reports and on the comparison of average progress made by students belonging to the experimental and control groups. The comparison of lesson analysis reports is carried out in terms of the total number of analytic idea units produced, the variety of these units, simultaneous commenting on teaching and learning activities, the general relevance of comments to critical lesson events, and the explicit or implicit references to theoretical ideas involved. The experimental study is currently under way (the student teachers' school practicums start in November and end in January 2007) and its preliminary findings will be reported at the conference.

References:Krull, E., Oras, K., & Sisask, S. (In Press). Differences in teachers' comments on classroom events as indicators of their professional development. Teaching and Teacher Education.

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Proposal 115 "Permanent Teacher Qualification in Pedagogical Project (re)construction: Possibilities and Challenges" Principal Author: Dr Maria de Fatima Abdalla. email : mfabdalla@uol.com.br

abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on a survey carried out among teachers who coordinate different municipal system schools in the Santos Metro Region (State of São Paulo/Brazil), concerned with institutional pedagogical project reconstruction and with their ongoing education. Two problem-issues guided this investigation: What are the pedagogical project's possibilities and challenges for ongoing teacher qualification? And how can this project contribute to quality and sense in the work produced in the school? The core objective is to locate the possibilities and challenges (re)constructing the pedagogical project poses for ongoing teacher qualification. In this perspective, the proposal started from the pedagogical project notion, highlighting the need to search for quality and for the meaning of the work done in the schools. Then, by analyzing this project's meaning to qualify the actors in the schools, the emphasis was placed, on one token, on the principles to organize the pedagogical work and, on the other, on the basic elements that would allow a more dynamic decentralization and management policy to be revitalized in the schools. Among the principles, those that seek to contribute to looking at the whole were indicated, providing meaning (and guidance) to teaching and educational work carried out in the schools and in the classrooms. These include: 1. understanding the factors and conditioning issues that hinder teacher action/reflection; 2. redefining professional identity; and 3. reflecting on the possibilities for change, considering the school as a teacher action/qualification context, teaching as a teacher task, and the curriculum as the teacher's intervention space. Insofar as the basic elements are concerned, emphasis was placed on: 1. redefining the problematic situation that surrounds organizing the pedagogical work; and 2. indicating the different stages involved in constructing a pedagogical project, such as: Diagnosing the situation, the guidelines (fundamentals and conceptions), the action plan, and implementing the actions that were planned. Finally, the possibilities this project has to contribute to overcoming a few of the challenges posed in daily life in the schools and in constructing the teachers' professional identity were outlined.

From the methodological viewpoint, through qualification episodes and semi-structured interviews, it was possible to materialize the themes that were

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experienced to (re)construct the pedagogical project, a strategy/wager for the schools and for the teachers' ongoing qualification.

As survey results, aiming at giving new meaning to the pedagogical project, contributing to facing daily life challenges, four axis or cognitive and/or action strategies (Morin, 1999) were set forth: 1. contextual analysis of the school as social practice; 2. a culture of participation and belonging; 3. professional identity construction; 4. the willingness for changes, for a new habitus (Bourdieu, 1996, 1997). Such axis contributed to guiding the teachers towards an ongoing updating process for their individual and collective plans.

References:ABDALLA, Maria de Fátima Barbosa. O senso prático de ser e estar na profissão. São Paulo: Cortez, 2006. BARBIER, Jean-Marie. Elaboração de projetos de ação e planificação. Porto: Porto Editora, 1996. BOURDIEU, Pierre. As regras da arte: gênese e estrutura do campo literário. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 1996. ___________. Razões Práticas: sobre a teoria da ação. Campinas: Papirus Editora, 1997. CARVALHO, Adalberto de (org.). A construção do projeto de escola. Porto: Porto Editora, 1993. FREIRE, Paulo. Pedagogia da Autonomia: saberes necessários à prática educativa. 2. ed. São Paulo: Paz e Terra, 1997. GANDIN, Danilo e GANDIN, Luís Armando. Temas para um projeto político-pedagógico. Petrópolis: Vozes, 1999. GIROUX, Henry A. Os professores como intelectuais: rumo a uma pedagogia crítica da aprendizagem. Porto Alegre: Artes Médicas, 1997. LIBÂNEO, José Carlos. Organização e gestão da escola: teoria e prática. 3. ed. Goiânia: Ed. Alternativa, 2001. LIMA, Licínio C. Construindo um objeto: para uma análise crítica da investigação portuguesa sobre a escola. In: BARROSO, João. O estudo da escola. Porto: Porto Editora, 1996, p. 15-39. MORIN, Edgar. O Método: 3. O conhecimento do conhecimento. Porto Alegre: Sulina, 1999. ___________. Os sete saberes necessários à educação do futuro. São Paulo: Cortez; Brasília: UNESCO, 2000. NEVES, Carmen Moreira de Castro. Autonomia da escola pública: um enfoque operacional. In: VEIGA, I.P.A.(org.). Projeto político-pedagógico da escola: uma construção possível. Campinas: Papirus, 1995, 95-129. RIOS, Terezinha Azeredo. Compreender e ensinar: por uma docência da melhor qualidade. 2. ed. São Paulo: Cortez, 2001. SACRISTÁN, J. Gimeno. O currículo: os conteúdos do ensino ou uma análise prática? In: SACRISTÁN, J.G.; GÓMEZ, A.I.P. Compreender e transformar o ensino. 4. ed. Porto Alegre: ArTMed, 2000, p. 119-148. SIERRA, Fernando Sabirón. Uma alternativa multidisciplinar à interpretação organizacional da instituição escolar: a análise sociocrítica do fenômeno escolar. In: BARROSO, João. O estudo da escola. Porto: Porto Editora, 1996, p. 109-119. VEIGA, Ilma Passos A. Veiga (org.). Projeto político-pedagógico: uma construção possível. Campinas: Papirus, 1995.

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__________. Educação básica e educação superior: projeto político-pedagógico. Campinas: Papirus, 2004.

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Proposal 127 - "Teaching standards to support teacher's professionalism

Principal Author: Dr Ulla Lindgren.email address: Ulla.lindgren@educ.umu.se

abstract:

Teaching and learning are complex processes that includes more than methodology. Increased knowledge about and understanding for teachers work will influence the development of teacher education and also have importance for teacher's professionalism. The societal change involves a new way of thinking as it is difficult to foster the new generation children with yesterday’s methods. However, there are many different opinions about the best way to get high qualified teaching. One method is standards for teaching, which have clear descriptions about what is good teaching. Standards for teaching origin from the US, where the method is established and used in both teacher education and teaching in school, with the aim to raise the professional practise of teaching. In California, for example, it has become obvious that standards are necessary for the teaching profession. Besides the aim to support first-year and second-year teachers the standards also aim to enable teachers` possibilities to define and develop their teaching. Although standards for teaching are used in Europe, it is still a rather unknown phenomenon among teachers in Sweden.

The purpose of this study is to highlight if teacher standards from Wisconsin can have relevance for Swedish teachers and in that case how. A questionnaire study among novice teachers, working with pupils aged 7-19 year, in some municipalities in Sweden will be carried out in February. The questionnaire with the standards is translated into Swedish. The questions, connected to the standards, concern the teachers` assessment of the importance of the different standards. The questionnaire will be electronic and a letter with explanations about standards in common will be attached. A comparative study between Sweden and Wisconsin, concerning mentors` opinion of standards to support the mentoring process, has been a guide for this study.

Although this way of thinking is new for most of the teachers in Sweden, and since it still is uncommon to highlight standards in teacher education, there is a hope that the study will introduce standards for teaching and contribute to knowledge about what standards are, how they can be used and how they can contribute to improve teaching and learning.. Hopefully the results will indicate that standards can contribute to give teaching frames that can facilitate the process of teachers licensing as well as the creation of a common language for

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teachers.

References: California Standards for the Teaching Profession. Retrieved January 15, 2007, from http: //www.ctc.ca.gov/reports/cstpreport.pdf Illionis Professional Teaching Standards. Retrieved January 15, 2007 from http: //www.isbe.state.il.us/profprep/PDFs/ipts.pdf Cowan, P. Morrison, H. , Wylie, C., McBride, F. ,Lee, M. and Greenway, G. (2002). Disseminating Standards in Higher Order Learning: Systematically Valid Instruments for Standards-Based Education Reform. Interactive Learning Environments, 10, 3, 217-241. Ganser, T. & Lindgren, U. (2007). An Exploration of Beginning Teacher Mentoring in the Context of Teacher Standards. Paper to be presented at AERA in Chicago April 9-13.

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Proposal 150 - "Carry on learning? What happens when student teachers enter the profession?"

Principal Author: Dr Katharine Burn. email address : Katharine.burn@edstud.ox.ac.uk

abstract:

The focus of this paper is the learning of beginning teachers in the first two years of professional practice. Located within a three-year longitudinal study, it extends earlier work (Hagger et al. 2006, 2007) concerned with the learning of the same teachers during their year of postgraduate training. While highlighting the extent to which the student teachers attributed their learning to experience, our analysis also revealed significant variation among them in terms of their conceptions of the process of learning from experience. In order to make sense of this variation we developed a framework of five dimensions, according to which each student teacher's approaches to learning from experience could be plotted along a continuum between two opposable orientations. Analysis of the student teachers' perceptions of the factors promoting or inhibiting their learning then allowed us to examine the interaction between their orientations to learning from experience and the context of that learning. While all the student teachers within the study had developed orientations which allowed them to learn effectively within the support structures of an initial teacher education programme, our contention, on the basis of the first year data, was that only those with particular orientations appeared particularly well equipped to go on learning as beginning teachers in new and diverse contexts. The purpose of this paper is to test that claim against the data from the second and third years of the study. In effect our central research question is: to what extent, or in what ways (if at all), do orientations to learning from experience developed during training predict approaches to professional learning as a beginning teacher?

The data presented here relate to the experiences of 17 beginning teachers of English, mathematics and science (initially recruited from two secondary Postgraduate Certificate of Education partnership schemes) during their first two years of teaching. The overall approach to data collection and analysis was phenomenological. On three occasions a year each teacher was observed teaching a lesson and then interviewed by the researcher who had observed it. The interview schedule, developed with reference to the approach used by Brown and McIntyre (1993), followed a basic agenda initially concerned with the beginning teacher's perception of the lesson.

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Its first purpose was to seek the teacher's thinking in relation to planning, conducting and evaluating that lesson, and her/his reflections on the learning that informed or resulted from, the lesson. This was followed by more general exploration of their professional learning experiences at this stage in their development. The analytical categories, originally developed through an iterative, inductive process using data from the PGCE year, were tested against the data for years two and three of the study. Taking as our unit of analysis the learning trajectory of the individual teacher, we examine the nature and extent of their learning and the relationship between their orientations to learning from experience, and their perceptions of the contextual factors impacting on that learning. Our findings are illuminated through the use of three individual case studies.

Our emergent findings suggest that orientations developed during the year of training persist and become increasingly important determinants of learning when the formal structures of a training programme are removed. This has profound implications for initial teacher education and induction, suggesting the need for as great an emphasis on the processes by which teachers learn and develop their practice as on the knowledge and skills that they need to acquire.

References:Brown, S. & McIntyre, D. (1993) Making Sense of Teaching (Buckingham, Open University Press). Hagger, H., Burn, K. & Mutton, T. (2006), Making sense of learning to teach: the interaction of leaner identity and context. Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research, Geneva 13-15 September. Hagger, H., Burn, K. & Mutton, T. (2007- under review), Practice makes perfect? Learning to learn as a teacher.

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Proposal 162 - "Preparing Secondary Teachers: The Role of Initial Teacher Education"

Principal Author: Prof Sylvie Fontaine. email : Sylvie.fontaine@uqo.ca

abstract:

In recent years governments and the teaching profession have grown increasingly concerned about both the supply and quality of beginning teachers. This worldwide concern is documented in the recent OECD (2005) report. International research reports that beginning teachers are motivated and confident in their ability to engage in "real" teaching (Loughran et al., 2001) yet the reality of the first year quickly shatters this illusion of adequate preparation (Russell & McPerson, 2001). Recent research (Cochrane-Smith, 2003; Darling-Hammond & Young, 2002; Hattie, 2002; Lingard, 2002; Nuthall, 2002) clearly point to the significant impact of teachers on the quality of student learning. Further, there is evidence that initial teacher education (ITE) is strongly correlated to quality of teaching (Cochrane-Smith, 2001; Darling-Hammond, 2000a, 2000b; Rice, 2003). However, in spite of increasing numbers of students entering secondary teaching, secondary schools struggle to attract and retain quality teaching staff. The inability of the profession to attract and retain quality teachers could have serious implication for the education of future generations. This project examines the relationship between beginning secondary teachers' experiences of ITE and Induction and their motivation to stay in the profession. This longitudinal study has two phases. Phase One investigates how the student teachers perceived level of preparedness are related to their intentions to stay in the profession. Phase Two is concerned with the relation between Induction practices during the first years of teaching and the beginning teachers decisions to stay in the profession. Phase One of the study is currently conducted with the collaboration of 11 universities in the province of Québec, Canada. Results of phase one will be presented at the conference.

Phase One only, involving a national questionnaire, will be reported. The "Préparation des étudiants du baccalauréat à l'enseignement secondaire (PEBES)" questionnaire was developed from the international literature (Bond, Smith, Baker & Hattie, 2000; Chambers & Roper, 2000; Darling-Hammond, Chung, & Frelow 2002; Ingersoll & Smith, 2004; Schulte, L., Edick, N., Edwards, S., & Mackiel, 2004) and standards currently active within the Québec education system and internationally (e.g. Ministère de l'Éducation du Québec (2001), New Zealand Teachers Council Standards (2005), National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Standards (2002), The New York City Teacher Survey

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(Imbimbo & Silvernail 1999). Scales were developed in the following areas: attitudes towards teaching, learning and the role of teachers; motivation to choose a specific ITE program; levels of commitment to a career in teaching; self efficacy related to teaching; and, perceptions of how well ITE programs prepared them for teaching. Specific questions recorded demographic data such as gender, age, years of university study, etc. The preliminary version of the questionnaire was validated by a panel of experts and piloted with 40 student teachers. The final version of the questionnaire will be administered to all graduating student teachers (n=837) from the 11 secondary ITE programs across the province of Québec from February to April 2007. Data will be analyse using SPSS software. Respondents are invited on the final page of the questionnaire to indicate their willingness to participate in ongoing series of interviews during their first two years of teaching. These interviews correspond to Phase Two of the longitudinal study that will begin in the fall of 2007.

This research promises to advance our understanding of the ways in which different programs of ITE and Induction contribute to the formation of beginning secondary teachers. In particular, it will reveal the ways in which different experiences of ITE and Induction influence secondary teachers' perceptions of preparedness and levels of satisfaction with their career choice. As a comprehensive national study, the Phase One questionnaire data will provide rigorous baseline data from the total population of Québec secondary teacher graduates from 2007. The questionnaire results will provide critical evidence-based data on ITE for secondary teachers in Québec. Such evidence will enhance understanding of what is currently happening in ITE and provide a credible evidence base for building future policy and practice.

References:Bond, L., Smith, T., Baker, W., & Hattie, J. (2000). The Certification System of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards: A Construct and Consequential Validity Study. Greensboro, NC: Center for Educational Research and Evaluation. Chambers, G. & Roper, T. (2000) Why students withdraw from initial teacher training? Journal of Education for Teaching, 26 (1) 25-43. Cochran-Smith, M. (2003). Teaching quality matters. Journal of Teacher Education., 54(2), 95-99. Cochran-Smith, M. (2001). Reforming teacher education: Competing agendas. Journal of Teacher Education., 52, 263-265. Darling-Hammond, L., Chung, R., & Frelow, F. (2002) Variation in teacher preparation: How well do different pathways prepare teachers to teach? Journal of Teacher Education, 53 (4) 286-302. Darling-Hammond, L., & Youngs, P. (2002). Defining "highly qualified teachers": What does "scientifically-based research" actually tell us? Educational Researcher, 31, 9, 13-25 Darling-Hammond, L. (2000). How

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teacher education matters. Journal of Teacher Education., 51(3), 166. Darling-Hammond, L. (2000). Teaching quality and student achievement: A review of state policy evidence. Educational Policy Analysis Archives, 8(1). Hattie, J. 2002 What are the attributes of excellent teachers?, in Teachers Make a Difference: What is the Research Evidence. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research. pp. 3-26. Imbimbo, J., & Silvernail, D. (1999). Prepared to teach? Key findings of the New York City Teacher Survey. NewYork: New Visions for Public Schools Johnson Moore S., Berg Harrison, J. & Donaldson M. L. (2005) Who Stays in Teaching and Why: A review of the Literature on Teacher Retention. The Project on the Next Generation of Teachers, Harvard Graduate School of Education. Lingard, B. (2002). Teachers making a Difference: Productive pedagogies and productive schools. Paper presented at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research Annual Conference, Overseas Terminal, Wellington. Loughran, J., Brown, J., & Doeke, B. (2001). Continuities and discontinuities: the transition from pre-service to first-year teaching. Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 7(1), 7-25. Ministère de l'Éducation du Québec (2001). La formation à l'enseignement : les orientations, les compétences professionnelles. Québec : Gouvernement du Québec. National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. (2002). Professional standards for the accreditation of schools, colleges, and departments of education. Washington, DC: Author. New Zealand Teachers Council (2005) Standards for Qualifications that lead to Teacher Registration: Guidelines for the Approval of Teacher Education Programmes. Retrieved from http: //www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/education/guidelines.stm Nuthall, G. 2002 Knowing what we know and need to know about effective teaching, in Teachers Make a Difference: What is the Research Evidence. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research. pp. 41-63. OECD, (2005). Education at a Glance, OECD Indicators - 2005 Edition. OECD Publishing. Centre for Educational Research and Innovation. Rice, J. K. (2003). Teacher Quality: Understanding the Effectiveness of Teacher Attributes. Washington, DC: Economic Policy Institute. Russell, T., & McPherson, S. (2001). Indicators of success in teacher education: A review and analysis of recent research. Paper presented at the Pan-Canadian Education Research Agenda (PCERA) Symposium on Teacher Education/Educator Training, Quebec. Schulte, L., Edick, N., Edwards, S., & Mackiel, D. (2004) The development and validation of the Teacher Dispositions Index (TDI) Essays in Education, 12 Retrieved from www.usca.edu/essays/vol122004/schulte.pdf

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Proposal 203 - "Constructivist Beliefs and Projected Practices among Pre-service Early Childhood and Elementary Teachers in United Arab Emirates"

Principal Author: Dr Mehmet Buldu. email address : m.buldu@uaeu.ac.ae

abstract:

Improving the quality of teacher education has been a central goal of educational reform movements in United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a number of years. In this vein, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) as one of the main providers for qualified teachers in UAE is attempting to equip their pre-service teachers not only with current theory, but also with strategies and problem-solving skills to address the increasing demands, expectations, and standards related to education reform. Teacher education faculty at this university have made efforts to fulfill their responsibilities of preparing pre-service teachers to meet professional standards in this country as well as the standards of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) as College of Education at this university received accreditation from NCATE in 2003. At UAEU, to better prepare future teachers to meet the new realities that they will face, there has been a need for examination of traditional educational assumptions that the pre-service teachers may hold. Fundamental changes to the quality of classroom teaching are unlikely to happen without changes to current and future teachers' conceptions of teaching. The general body of research literature on classroom teachers' thinking and beliefs echoes this view. For instance, Nespor (1987) asserts that beliefs are important influences on the ways people conceptualize tasks and learn from experiences. Clark and Peterson (1986) affirm that teacher beliefs serve as a "contextual filter" through which teachers screen their experiences in the classroom, interpret them, and adapt their subsequent classroom practices. Kagan (1992) expands on this metaphor indicating that as teachers accept new information from outside sources, they filter it through their own belief systems, translating and absorbing it into their distinctive pedagogies. Thus, the research seems to indicate that pedagogical beliefs and projected practices among pre-service teachers are important to study because beliefs are likely a major determinant of their future teaching behaviors (Fang, 1996; Vartuli, 1999). The current study investigated what pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers in UAE believe regarding constructivist versus traditional pedagogy and what their projected practices are; how pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers differ from each other in terms of their beliefs and projected practices; if there are any influences on their current teaching beliefs and projected practices; and, what the influences are on their choice of teaching profession. Specifically, the researcher

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sought to answer the following questions: (1) To what degree do pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers in UAE endorse or accept constructivist ideas? (2) To what degree are pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers in UAE planning to engage in practices based upon constructivism in their future classroom teaching? (3) How do these pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers differ from each other in terms of their beliefs and projected practices? (4) What do these pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers report to be the major influences on their current pedagogical beliefs? This study is worthwhile as beliefs make up an important part of teachers' general knowledge through which teachers perceive process and act upon information in the classroom (Clark and Peterson, 1986; Fang, 1996). Research primarily concerned with teacher beliefs reached the conclusion that teachers' beliefs are much likely to affect their classroom behaviors, which ultimately affect student achievement (Fang, 1996). In the current study, it was assumed that the beliefs of early childhood and elementary education pre-service teachers aligned with constructivist epistemology are important since these pre-service teachers are likely to affect their future students' achievement. Likewise, there is no doubt that aspects related to constructivist theory widely inform and influence the fields of early childhood and elementary education because of its implications for what and how young children are taught in early childhood and elementary education settings.

Sample For this study a convenience sample of 53 pre-service early childhood teachers, 23 early childhood education majors and 30 elementary education majors, was used. 21 of the 53 pre-service teachers were in their third year, and 32 were in their fourth year at the college. It generally takes 5 year for these pre-service teachers to finish their programs.

Instrument The beliefs and projected practices of pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers were assessed by the data gathered using "Pre-service Teacher Beliefs Questionnaire (PTBQ), a 35-item Likert type scale with 2 subscales, a profile, and a reflection section. This questionnaire is a modified version of The Early Childhood Teacher Educator Beliefs and Practices Questionnaire (ECTEBPQ) (Buldu, 2003).

Analysis The quantitative data for this study was analyzed employing a series of descriptive statistics and t-tests using SPSS 14.0 statistical package. Pre-service teachers' responses to the open-ended questions were analyzed using a phenomenological procedure. To do this, the researcher first read through the respondents' answers to each question and got a feel for what was being said, identifying key themes and issues within each response. Then, the researcher identified the major themes in the emerged

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responses and coded them by assigning a number to each group. Later, the respondents' answers were entered into SPSS to compute the frequency distribution of the responses. Finally, the frequencies of responses were converted into percentages.

It is apparent from the results of this study that pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers in UAE do hold beliefs congruent with the principles of constructivist epistemology. That is, pre-service teachers tend to agree with the constructivist-compatible beliefs and disagree with beliefs indicating preference for traditional instruction. Unlike the analysis of beliefs, the analysis of frequency of engagement in constructivist-compatible practices showed more mixed results. The findings reveal that early childhood pre-service teachers are planning to often engage in practices congruent with constructivist epistemology in their future classrooms. Unlike pre-service early childhood teachers, pre-service elementary teachers are a little bit hesitant with the constructivist practices. They report that they are planning to sometimes engage in practices congruent with constructivist epistemology and sometimes to engage in traditional practices in their future teaching. These mixed results might be due to the influences on their current teaching beliefs that pre-service teachers reported in response to the open-ended questions. In terms of the major field of study, pre-service teachers who majors in early childhood education differed from those of who majors in elementary education, scoring higher on the beliefs scale and projected practices scale. These results suggest that type of content knowledge and skills gained in different disciplines influences the adoption of more constructivist beliefs. This difference may be explained by the specialized content knowledge these teachers had gained. It is fair to say that those who majored in early childhood education have had some exposure to principles of constructivist epistemology. The principles that became known as the developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997) that permeate most early childhood education programs (McMullen & Alat, 2002) had their roots in certain philosophical and educational traditions including constructivism. Early childhood teacher education programs have traditionally espoused the importance of DAP and for many years, these programs have been dominated by the principles of DAP. So, the exposure to these principles may be greater in early childhood than in elementary education, thus, the greater influence on the beliefs of teachers who majors in early childhood education. This finding has been well documented in early childhood pre-service and in-service teacher beliefs research literature (Buchanan, Burts, Bidner, White, & Charlesworth, 1998; McMullen, 1998, 1999, 2003; Smith, 1997; Vartuli, 1999). The results of the analysis of responses to the first open-ended question revealed that preservice teachers reported "their college professors, college courses, practicum experiences, their desire serve their country, and H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late president and founder of the UAE" were among the major influence on

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their current teaching beliefs. The results of the analysis of responses to the second open-ended question revealed that preservice teachers reported "active learning, theory of Multiple Intelligences, Piaget, play, theories of learning" were the major idea that they have been exposed in the college they attend. The results of this study provide useful information to those scholars engaged in early childhood and elementary teacher education program revisions. A clear understanding of the beliefs and projected practices of pre-service early childhood and elementary education teachers has implications for the development of early childhood and elementary teacher education undergraduate program philosophies. This study demonstrated that constructivist epistemology is perhaps uniquely suited to serve as core knowledge for early childhood and elementary education pre-service teaching because it is comprehensive enough to guide early childhood and elementary education pedagogy and teacher education. The high degree of agreement across the early childhood and elementary education pre-service teacher beliefs congruent with the constructivist epistemology studied may significantly contribute to the educational reform efforts in UAE early childhood and elementary teacher education programs. The notion that college professors have strong influences on pre-service teachers should prompt colleges of education to consider whether the principles of constructivism might form part of a larger strategy to improve the quality of teacher education programs.

References:Abdal-Haqq, I. (1998). Constructivism in teacher education: Considerations for those who would link practice to theory. (Report No: EDO-SP-97-8). Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED426986). Bredekamp, S., & Copple, C. (Eds.). (1997). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs. Revised Edition. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Buchanan, T. K., Burts, D. C., Bidner, J., White, V. F. & Charlesworth, R. (1998). Predictors of developmental appropriateness of the beliefs and practices of first, second, and third grade teachers. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13(3), 459-483. Buldu, M. (2003). Constructivist-compatible beliefs and practices among U.S. early childhood teacher educators. (Doctoral Dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington, 2003). Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest Information and Learning Company (UMI Number: 3094165). Cannella, G. S., & Reiff, J. C. (1994). Individual constructivist teacher education: Teachers as empowered learners. Teacher Education Quarterly, 21(3), 27-38. Clark, C. M. & Peterson, P. L. (1986). 'Teachers' thought processes.' In M. C. Wittrock (Ed.) Handbook of Research on Teaching. New York: Macmillan, pp. 255-96. Fang, Z. (1996). A review of research on teacher beliefs and practices. Educational Research, 38(1), 47-65. Kagan, D. M. (1992). Implications of research on teacher belief.

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Educational Psychologist, 27(1), 65-90. McMullen, M. B. (1998). The beliefs and practices of early childhood educators in the U.S.: Does specialized preparation make a difference in adoption of best practices? International Journal of Early Childhood Education, 18(3), 5-30 McMullen, M. B. (1999). Characteristics of teachers who talk the DAP talk and walk the DAP walk. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 13(2), 216-230. McMullen, M. B. (2003, April). Acquiring and supporting developmentally appropriate beliefs and practices in early care and education professionals. Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Tampa, FL. McMullen, M. B., & Alat, K. (2002). Education matters in the nurturing of the beliefs of preschool caregivers and teachers. Early Childhood Research and Practice, 4(2). Nespor, J. (1987). The role of beliefs in the practice of teaching. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 19(4), 317-328. Richardson, P. (2004). Possible influences of Arabic-Islamic culture on the reflective practices proposed for an education degree at the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Educational Development, 24(4), 429-436. Smith, K. E. (1997). Student-teachers' beliefs about developmentally appropriate practice: Pattern stability, and the influence of locus of control. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 12(2), 221-243. UAE Ministry of Education and Youth (2000). UAE Ministry of Education and Youth, Vision 2020. Vartuli, S. (1999). How early childhood teacher beliefs vary across grade level. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 14(4), 489-514.

Own Publications: Buldu, M. (2006). Young children's perceptions of scientists. A preliminary study. Educational Researcher, 48(1), 127-138. Buldu, M. & Yilmaz, A. (2005). Assessing the quality in different U.S. early childhood education programs. Cukurova University Social Sciences Institute Journal, 14(1), 121-136. McMullen, M. B., Buldu, M., Lash, M., & Alat, K. (2004). An assessment tool for professional development. Examining quality in our preschool professionals from multiple perspectives with the Early Childhood Professional Questionnaire. Child Care Information Exchange, 157, 31-35. McMullen, M. B., Alat, K., Buldu, M., & Lash, M. (2004). A snapshot of NAEYC's preschool professionals through the lens of quality. Young Children, 59(2), 87-92. Buldu, M. (2002). Young children's computer use: Perspectives of early childhood teacher educators. Technology and Teacher Education Annual. Nashville, TN: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education.

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Proposal 210 - "Attitudes of Pre-service Early Childhood Teachers Toward Early Childhood Profession" Principal Author: Dr Mehmet Buldu. email address: m.buldu@uaeu.ac.ae

abstract:

Description of the paper - e.g. topic, research question, objective, purpose, value, conceptual or theoretical framework, state of the art:

Attitudes toward a profession in early childhood have always been negative in society mostly because of the professional status and working conditions for early childhood education professionals. Early childhood education is not widely recognized as a distinct and well-articulated field of education. It is perceived as "women's work," with concomitant low status and low pay (Rust, 1993). Behind these negative profiles are varied histories and varying ideas about how societies view the role of early childhood institutions and the people who work in them. These views in turn shape the images that early childhood professionals have of themselves. A well-prepared early childhood teacher is one of the keys to young children's successful learning and development in early childhood settings.

Teachers' personal factors such as knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes should be considered in teacher preparation programs because these factors play significant roles in determining not only how teachers teach but also how their students learn (Buldu, 2005). Koballa and Crawley (1985) claimed that attitudes are thought to influence future behaviors of teachers. Although a one-to-one correspondence between attitudes and behavior is yet to be definitively proved, the ability of attitudinal characteristics to influence behavioral outcomes cannot be categorically denied (Wareing, 1990).

Although there is as yet no research evidence available to show that attitudes toward early childhood profession and quality early childhood programs are related, it seems reasonable to assume that they are. Research has shown that negative attitudes in adults affect children (Cummings, Lannotti, & Zahn-Waxler, 1985; Cummings, Zahn-Waxler & Radke-Yarrow, 1981). Negative attitudes may generate negative emotions which may affect both teachers' teaching and their relations with the children in their classroom, and ultimately the quality of the services they provide. It is therefore important to gain an understanding of the attitudes of early childhood preservice teachers as they are the future teachers of young children.

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The current study investigated the attitudes of preservice early childhood teachers toward teaching to young children in the U.S. to investigate whether variables such as class standing at college, the age group the preservice teachers wish to teach make a difference in preservice early childhood teachers' attitudes toward their profession. An analysis of such attitudes may provide important information and direction for preservice early childhood teacher education reform in the US.

Specifically, the researcher sought to answer following questions: (1) What are the attitudes of pre-service early childhood teachers toward early childhood profession? (2) Is there a significant difference in attitudes toward early childhood profession among early childhood pre-service teachers? (3) What are the influential factors on pre-service early childhood teachers' attitudes toward early childhood profession?

Sample

For this study a convenience sample of 148 pre-service early childhood teachers was used. Participants included pre-service early childhood teachers between the ages of 18 and 48 years from a Northeastern public liberal arts college in the US.

Instrument

The attitudes of pre-service early childhood teachers were assessed by the data gathered using Pre-service Early Childhood Teachers Attitude Scale (PECTAS), a 37-item Likert type scale with 4 subscales, a profile, and a reflection section.

Analysis The quantitative data for this study was analyzed employing a series of descriptive statistics and t-tests, and ANOVA using SPSS 14.0 statistical package. Pre-service teachers' responses to the open-ended questions were analyzed using a phenomenological procedure. Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings: Results of analysis of attitude measure of the C-scale indicated that, on average, participants tended to agree that they had confidence in self to learn and teach early childhood education. Analysis of measures belonging to the F scale indicated, on average, participants did not indicate early childhood as a female domain. In other words, they tended to agree that early childhood is a gender-neutral subject. Analysis of total attitude measures on T scale indicated that, on average, participants barely agreed that their previous teachers' attitudes toward early childhood profession were not very positive. Pre-service early childhood teachers barely agreed that their previous teachers promoted early childhood profession and supported/directed students toward a profession in early childhood education. When compared to other scales, the items in this

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scale received lower agreeability. Analysis of the total attitude measures of the U scale indicated that, on average, pre-service early childhood teachers agreed that early childhood education is a useful discipline.

The results also revealed that early childhood pre-service teachers differed from each other in their attitudes toward early childhood education and early childhood profession due to class standing at college level. Freshmen year pre-service early childhood teachers were significantly different in their attitudes in C scale [F (3, 144) = 16.54, p < .05]. A post-hoc comparison revealed that the mean score for freshmen year early childhood pre-service early childhood teachers (M = 44.54, SD = 5.83) was significantly lower than that of sophomore year peers (M = 51.00, SD = 4.00), junior year peers (M = 50.54, SD = 4.32), and senior year peers (M = 52.89, SD = 5.28). No other differences were found among early childhood pre-service teachers in their attitudes due to age and grade level wished to teach.

Analysis of open-ended questions revealed that family members, past experiences, professors at college, love of teaching were among the self-reported influences on early childhood pre-service teachers' attitudes toward early childhood profession. And, hands-on learning, early childhood curriculum models, constructivist theory, practicum experiences were among the influential ideas that early childhood pre-service teachers were exposed in college.

Finally, analysis of pre-service early childhood teacher profile on the scale revealed that art is most favorite subject to teach among the early childhood pre-service teachers. Interestingly, science and math followed art among favorite subjects. But these two subjects were also reported to be the most difficult subject to teach.

This study has implications for pre-service early childhood teachers in the US. This study may help U.S. pre-service early childhood teachers to realize their own attitudes toward early childhood as a profession, and in turn, help them to become effective early childhood teachers.

References:Buldu, N. (2005). Attitudes of preservice elementary teachers toward science. A cross-national study between the USA and Turkey. Doctoral Dissertation. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University. Cummings, E. M., Lanotti, R., & Zahn-Waxler, C. (1985). Influence of conflict between adults on the emotions and aggression of young children. Developmental Psychology, 21, 495-507. Cummings, E. M., Zahn-Waxler, C., & Radke-Yarrow, M. (1981). Young children's responses to expressions of anger and affection by others in the family. Child Development, 53, 1274-1282. Doepken, D., Lawsky, E., & Padwa, L. (1999).

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Modified Fennema-Sherman attitude scales. Retrieved on October 19th , 1999, from http: //www.woodrow.org/teachers/math/gender/08scale.html Koballa, T. R., & Crawly, F. E. (1985). The influence of attitude on science teaching and learning. School Science, and Mathematics, 85, 222-232. Rust, Frances O. (1993). Changing teaching, changing schools: Bringing early childhood practice into public education. New York: Teachers College Press. Wareing, C. (1990). A survey of antecedents of attitudes toward science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 27(4), 371-386. Wareing, C. (1981). Cognitive style and developing scientific attitudes in the SCIS classroom. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 18(1), 73-77.

Own Publications: Buldu, M. (2006). Young children's perceptions of scientists. A preliminary study. Educational Researcher, 48(1), 127-138. Buldu, M. & Yilmaz, A. (2005). Assessing the quality in different U.S. early childhood education programs. Cukurova University Social Sciences Institute Journal, 14(1), 121-136. McMullen, M. B., Buldu, M., Lash, M., & Alat, K. (2004). An assessment tool for professional development. Examining quality in our preschool professionals from multiple perspectives with the Early Childhood Professional Questionnaire. Child Care Information Exchange, 157, 31-35. McMullen, M. B., Alat, K., Buldu, M., & Lash, M. (2004). A snapshot of NAEYC's preschool professionals through the lens of quality. Young Children, 59(2), 87-92. Buldu, M. (2002). Young children's computer use: Perspectives of early childhood teacher educators. Technology and Teacher Education Annual. Nashville, TN: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education.

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Proposal 309 - "Student teachers' agency beliefs, motivation and self-perception in class"

Principal Author: Dr Lars-Erik Malmberg. email address: lars-erik.malmberg@edstud.ox.ac.uk

abstract:

Teachers who believe that outcomes are contingent on their own actions experience a sense of control, competence, or agency (Bandura, 1997; Little, 1998). Research shows, that teachers' sense of agency (cf. self-efficacy) is related to job-satisfaction, intrinsic motivation, positive affect, feelings of empowerment, and that agentic teachers are able to create a learning environment in which students can thrive academically and socially (Pelletier, Séguin-Lévesque, & Legault, 2002; Tschannen-Moran, Woolfolk Hoy, & Hoy, 1998). Models of teacher development have proposed somewhat different numbers of stages and foci during each stage (Brookhart & Freeman, 1992; Burn et al., 2003; Conway & Clark, 2003; Fuller & Bown, 1975), describing (a) a shift from self-focus to task-focus, (b) from task-focus to student-focus increased focus on variability among students and antecedents of such variation, and (c) an increased sense of fluid, seemingly effortless teacher performance. To the best of our knowledge, the extent to which individual differences in perceived agency beliefs and motivation might be related to self-perceptions in class has not been investigated. Consequently, the aims of the present study are to investigate the relationship between student teachers' agency beliefs, motivation and self-perceptions in class, during their teaching practicum.

As a part of a longitudinal follow-up of student teachers during a one-year Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course in England (i.e., pre-service secondary school teachers), 89 student teachers responded to a revised version of the Teacher's Control, Agency and Means-Ends (TCAM) Questionnaire (Malmberg, Wanner, Nordmyr & Little, 2004; Malmberg, 2006), at the end of the first term. They completed scales of agency beliefs (emotional support/proximity, organisation/structure), and motivation (intrinsic, altruistic and extrinsic). They also completed scales based on a novel operationalisation of the original Fuller and Bown stages focusing on self-perception in class: self-focus, task-focus, student-focus, and seemingly effortless teaching. All scales had adequate factor structure and internal consistencies.

Inspection of mean-level differences in self-perception, showed that student teachers focused most on task, next most on students, thereafter on themselves and least on effortless teaching. The four focus scales were

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uncorrelated with each other. Initial correlational analysis showed that student teachers who were more agentic with regard to emotional support were more student focused. The more they thought they had the capacity to organize and structure their teaching, the more they focused on tasks, students and effortless teaching. More altruistically motivated student teachers were more task and student-focused, while more extrinsically motivated student teachers were more task and self-focused. Overall, we found relationships between agency beliefs, motivation and self-perception in class. The ways in which teacher educators can focus on exploration of sources of motivation and features that promote student teachers' agency beliefs would be valuable to explore.

References:Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy. The exercise of control. New York: W. H. Freeman. Brookhart, S. M., & Freeman, D. J. (1992). Characteristics of entering teacher candidates. Review of Educational Research, 62, 37-60. Burn, K., Hagger, H., & Mutton, T., & Everton, T. (2003). The complex development of student-teachers' thinking. Teachers and teaching: theory and practice, 9, 309-331. Conway, P. F., & Clark, C. M. (2003). The journey inward and outward: a re-examination of Fuller's concerns-based model of teacher development. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19, 465-482. Little, T. D. (1998). Sociocultural influences on the development of children's action-control beliefs. In J. Heckhausen & C. Dweck (Eds.), Motivation and self-regulation across the life span (pp. 281-315). New York: Cambridge University Press. Malmberg, L-E. (2006). Goal-orientation and teacher motivation among teacher applicants and student teachers. Journal of Teaching and Teacher Education, 22, 58-76. Malmberg, L-E., Wanner, B., Nordmyr, A-M., & Little, T. (2004). The Teachers' Control, Agency, and Means-ends Belief Questionnaire (TCAM): reliability and validity. (Publication No 7). Vasa: Åbo Akademi University. Pelletier, L. G., Séguin-Lévesque, C., & Legault, L. (2002). Pressure from above and pressure from below as determinants of teachers' motivation and teaching behaviors. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 186-196. Tschannen-Moran, M., Woolfolk Hoy, A., & Hoy, W. K. (1998). Teacher efficacy: its meaning and measure. Review of Educational Research, 68, 202-248.

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Proposal 324 - "investigating the Motivation to teach: implications for initial teacher education, Recruitment, retention and professional development"

Principal Author: Dr Jacqueline Manuel. email : j.manuel@edfac.usyd.edu.au

abstract:

A recent international study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, (OECD) Teachers Matter: Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers, stated that the reasons "people give for deciding to become a teacher are important considerations in designing recruitment strategies, and in identifying the sources of job satisfaction that influence whether people are likely to stay in the career" (OECD, 2005: 68). Indeed, Wilhelm et al, who conducted a longitudinal study of teachers in Australia tracking them from the pre-service stage to 15 years later, contend that positive expectations of pre-service teachers constitute a powerful predictor of teacher retention over the longer term (Wilhelm et al, 2000). At a time when the challenge of teacher recruitment and retention is an increasingly significant challenge in many countries in the face of teacher shortages and the changing demographic of the teaching profession, evidence-based research on the motivations and characteristics of entering preservice teachers has the potential to yield useful knowledge that can not only inform the development of strategies for teacher recruitment and retention, but also inform the nature and substance of initial teacher education and later professional development programs (cf. Manuel and Hughes, 2006; Manuel and Brindley, 2005; Kyriacou, Haltgreen and Stephens, 2003; Priyadharshini and Robinson-pant, 2000; Hammond, 2002; Wadsworth, 2001; Kyriacou and Coulthard, 2000; Spear, Gould and Lee, 2000; and Reid and Caudwell, 1997). Prior research has additionally demonstrated that teachers' original motivations for entering the profession will affect their subsequent relationships with students: Porter and Freeman (1986, in Brookhart & Freeman, 1992: 49), for instance, contend that teachers' beliefs about teaching will determine the types of professional knowledge that individuals put into practice in their work. Further, the relationship between motivations and pedagogical beliefs is significant, with past research (cf. Snyder et al, 1995; Brookhart and Freeman, 1992) arguing that teachers' prior motivations can influence their professional resilience and achievements. This paper reports on the findings of an investigation into the motivations of a cohort of 243 pre-service teacher education students, undertaking a five-year, full-time combined undergraduate and Initial Teacher Education degree program at the University of Sydney, Australia. Participants completed an extensive questionnaire which sought to gather both qualitative and quantitative data on the characteristics of the cohort; the factors that influenced their decision to undertake a teaching degree;

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their educational and work backgrounds; their perceptions of teaching and the teacher; their expectations of teaching as a career; and their professional goals. This paper will report on the findings by utilising an Empathic Model of Intelligence (Arnold, 2005), arguing that intitial teacher education programs, teacher recruitment policies and teacher retention strategies need to be informed by a deeper awareness and explicit validation of the relational, intra-personal, and affective dimensions of new teacher motivation and expectations.

The research project combined the qualitative research methodology of Grounded Theory to collect data from participants about the how and why of the decision to enter a teacher education program, and quantitative methodology to collect demographic data such as age, language background, gender and postcode. Participants were recruited through the initial teacher education program at the University of Sydney in semester 1, 2006. Teacher education students (N=243) were in year 1 of undergraduate degrees. The students were undertaking initial teacher education courses to become primary (years 1 to 6) or secondary teachers (years 7 to 12). 35% were primary education students and 65% were secondary education students. Amongst the secondary education students, 51% were in the Humanities' stream, 20% were from the health and human movement disciplines, 16% in the sciences' stream and 14% in the maths' stream. Participants were invited to complete a questionnaire with a series of open-ended and multiple choice questions designed to gather a range of qualitative data about motivations and expectations. The data was then analysed and the results theorised in terms of an Empathic Model of Intelligence (Arnold, 2005).

The present study found that a majority of participants made the decision to teach based on reasons that reflect personal aspirations to work with young people to make a difference in their lives; to maintain a meaningful engagement with the subject area they were drawn to; and to attain personal fulfilment and meaning. The paper argues that the motivation to teach for the majority of this cohort is characterised by relational, affective and intrinsic factors and can be understood in terms of a Model of Empathic Intelligence (Arnold, 2005). The innovative perspective on evidence-based research into teacher motivations provides a valuable lens through which to explore the implications of the findings for initial teacher education, teacher recruitment policies, teacher retention, and teacher professional development.

References:Arnold, R. (2005) Empathic Intelligence: Teaching, learning, relating. Sydney: UNSW Press. Brookhart, S. M. & Freeeman, D. J. (1992) Characteristics of entering teacher

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candidates. Review of Educational Research, 62, 37-60. Hammond, M. (2002) Why Teach? A case study investigating the decision to train to teach ICT. Journal of Education for Teaching, 28 (2), 135-148. Kyriacou, C., Kunc, R., Stephens, P. and Hultgren, A. (2003) Student teachers' expectations of teaching as a career in English and Norway. Educational Review, 55 (3), 255-263. Kyriacou, C. and Coulthard, M. (2000) Undergraduates' views of teaching as a career choice. Journal of Education for Teaching, 26 (2), 117-126. Manuel, J. and Hughes, J. (2006) "It's Always Been My Dream": Investigating Preservice Teachers' Motivations for Choosing to Teach. Teacher Development: An International Journal of Teachers' Professional Development, 10, (1), 5-24. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2005) Teachers Matter: Attracting, developing and retaining effective teachers, Paris: OECD. Priyadharshini, E. and Robinson-Pant, A. (2003) The attractions of teaching: an investigation into why people change careers to teach. Journal of Education for Teaching, 29 (2), 96-112. Reid, I. and Caudwell, J. (1997) Why did secondary PGCE students choose teaching as a career? Research in Education, 58, 46-54. Snyder, J. F., Doerr, A.S., and Pastor, M.A. (1995) Perceptions of Preservice Teachers: The job market, why teaching, and alternatives to teaching. Slippery Rock University: ASCUS. Spear, M., Gould, K. and Lee, B. (2000) Who Would be a Teacher? A Review of Factors Motivating and Demotivating Prospective and Practicing Teachers. Slough: NFER. Wadsworth, D. (2001) Why new teachers choose to teach. Educational Leadership, 58 (8), 24-28. Wilhelm, K, Dewhurst-Savellis, J., and Parker, G. (2000) Teacher stress? An analysis of why teachers leave and why they stay. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 6 (3), 291-304.

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Proposal 241 - "Using Historical Narratives in Early Years Teacher Training: History, Identity, and Reflective Practice"

Principal Author: Dr Kristen Nawrotzki. email : kdnawrotzki@gmail.com

abstract:

Can historical narratives of early years teachers increase students' professional awareness and help them to engage in more critical reflection on their practice? Can such narratives help to reintroduce an explicitly Froebelian element into teacher training where there currently is none? Based upon these research questions, the paper assesses the value of self-designed curricular materials and activities intended to improve the awareness and reflective practice of trainee teachers with a focus on early years. It offers the results of a pilot project about the use of narratives, biography, and autobiography in understanding - and undertaking - early childhood education in the past and present.

Student volunteers from a BA primary education teacher training course with an early years specialisation will be randomly assigned to two groups. One group will be asked to read contextualised text excerpts from selected historical teacher narratives [Kate Douglas Wiggin's The Story of Patsy; a Reminiscence (1883); Kate Douglas Wiggin's My Garden of Memory (1929) and Lileen Hardy's The Diary of a Free Kindergartner (1917)]; the other is not. Participants in both groups will be individually interviewed about their self-perception as future teachers, their conceptions of early years teaching in the past, whether they think historical awareness is important, whether or how they think the work done then and now is very different. The data from both groups will be assessed using narrative analysis and compared via categorical coding using NVivo software. Similarities and differences between/among the students in the two groups will be closely examined in order to determine the extent to which they relate to both historical teachers in context and to the types of reflective practice they may exemplify.

The reading of primary historical narratives allows students to hear early years 'teachers' own voices and to understand their [historical professional] culture from the inside'.(Cortazzi 2002, 1) It also focuses students' attention on the social, economic, and cultural complexities inherent in teaching diverse

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and/or disadvantaged populations and may help students to understand themselves and their own work as situated in historical and social context.(Aitken and Mildon 1992, Carlgren and Linblad 1991) A number of studies have examined readers' response to literature, especially autobiographical and/or historical narratives.(Pike 2003, Carter 1993, Convery 1999, Gallagher 2002) Based upon a reader response approach to literature (i.e. focusing on the reader's experience rather than on the text itself), one would expect the readers' perspectives to change in some way as a result of their interaction with the text excerpts. (Jauss, 2001, Iser 1980) This paper will report on the existence and/or extent and quality of this change and suggest implications for teacher training.

References:Aitken, J., Mildon, D., 1992. Teacher education and the developing teacher: The role of personal knowledge. In: Fullan, M., Hargreaves, A. (Eds.), Teacher development and educational change. Falmer, London. Carlgren, I., Linblad, S., 1991. On teachers' practical reasoning and professional knowledge: Considering conceptions of context in teachers' thinking. Teaching and Teacher Education 7, 507-516. Carter, K., 1993. The Place of Story in the Study of Teaching and Teacher Education. Educational Researcher 22, 5-12, 18. Convery, A., 1999. Listening to teachers' stories: are we sitting too comfortably? International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 12, 131-146. Cortazzi, M., 2002. Narrative Analysis. RoutledgeFalmer, London. Gallagher, C.W., 2002. Teacher Narratives as Interruptive: Toward Critical Colleagueship. symploke 10, 32-51. Iser, W., 1978. The act of reading: a theory of aesthetic response. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Jauss, H.R., 1982. Toward an aesthetic of reception. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. Pike, M.A., 2003. The canon in the classroom: students' experiences of texts from other times. Journal of Curriculum Studies 35, 355-370.

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Proposal 285 - "The Knowledge Bases of Teacher Educators"

Principal Author: Dr Rosie Turner-Bisset. email : R.Turner-Bisset@mdx.ac.uk

abstract:

This paper presents a small-scale study of teacher educators. This is a relatively new field of study within education in general and higher education in particular. The study is intended to act as a pilot for larger-scale research into the knowledge bases of teacher educators. Much work has already been done on the knowledge bases of teachers in schools for example, the seminal work of Shulman (1986a; 1986b; 1987a) and Turner-Bisset (1999a, 2001c) on pedagogical content knowledge. This study sets out to explore the particular knowledge bases developed by teacher educators, and how these differ from those of expert teachers in schools. It further would enable an exploration of the specialised pedagogical knowledge of education faculty staff. Whilst there has been a great deal of research into teacher education and the processes of becoming a teacher, teacher educator research is a comparatively new field in educational research. A start has been made on the research agenda for teacher educators in the USA, but there is little existing research in the UK context. English teacher educators are an under-researched and poorly understood occupational group The present study is intended to build on the previous work through the exploration of the particular knowledge and expertise of teacher educators. On possible outcome of this exploration and analysis of teacher educators' knowledge bases is in the light of the diversity of routes into teaching promoted by government agencies, the clearer delineation of the role of higher education in the training of teachers.

Aims o To investigate the knowledge bases of teacher educators; o To investigate how their knowledge bases develop during professional work in higher education; o To examine teacher educators' understandings and beliefs about teaching and learning; o To explore the influence of teacher educators' personal and professional routes into teacher education; o To examine the influence of faculty and institutional contexts on teacher educators.

There were two strands to the research: o Documentary evidence: volunteer staff will be asked to complete a short questionnaire prior to an interview,

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outlining biographical data such as number of years in teaching; experience of teaching; experience of advisory work, and/or research curriculum vitae o Interview evidence: interviews lasting about ninety minutes, using a semi-structured questionnaire.

The research was conducted in two sites: one pre-1992 university and one post-1992 university, in order to be able to examine institutional and contextual differences. A sample of six teacher educators from each institution were interviewed, including male and female staff, research active and non-research active, and those teaching on primary and secondary programmes. Data were analysed using frameworks derived from Turner-Bisset's work on teacher's knowledge bases.

The findings suggest that this is potentially an extremely rich area of research and could inform understandings of pedagogy both in teacher education and teaching in school. Through the self-study of teacher education practice, teacher educators can articulate their pedagogy and collectively , we can move towards a model of pedagogy for teacher education. In addition the study reveals important differences between academic staff in pre and post 1992 universities, in their perceptions of the relationship between research and teaching. furthermore the findings suggest that there are important additional knowledge bases which teacher educators develop. These forms of knowledge are crucial for the long-term professional development of teachers. The study thus can be set both within the parameters of teacher education research and the wider traditions of pedagogy and didactics in Europe.

References:Shulman, L. S. (1986a) Paradigms and research programmes in the study of teaching: a contemporary perspective, in: M. C. Wittrock (Ed.) Handbook of research on teaching (3rd edn) (New York,. Macmillan), 505-526. Shulman, L. S. (1986b) Those who understand: knowledge growth in teaching, Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4-14. Shulman, L. S. (1987) Knowledge and teaching: foundations of the new reforms, Harvard Educational Review, 57, 1-22. Turner-Bisset, R. A. (1999c) The knowledge bases of the expert teacher, British Educational Research Journal, 25 (1)39-55. Turner-Bisset, R. A. (2001) Expert Teaching: Knowledge and Pedagogy to Lead the Profession, London: David Fulton.

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Proposal 354 - "The teacher student and The affordances in the teaching practice setting"

Principal Author: Mrs Ulla Kiviniemi. email: ulla.kiviniemi@edu.jyu.fi

abstract:

Background The concept of affordance is a significant part of James J. Gibson's (1979) theory of ecological psychology, in which the observer and the environment are seen as complementary. The meaningful environmental factors (affordances) conduct the human actions when operating in the operational setting (teaching practice). The affordance is seen here as something that refers both to the environmental factors and the human actions. Using the concept of affordance it is possible to consider both the planned conventions and the random but substantial incidents that steer the practising. In this study these detectable affordances are charted by analyzing the student's teaching practice experiences.

Purpose and Research Questions Congested and slowly renewing study-programmes usually offer approved procedures for personal professional growth. Are there covert obstacles in the practise planning that hinder the desirable learning experiences? What kinds of affordances in a practise setting nourish the professional growth? This study was planned to form an introductory framework of the affordances in the teaching practise, which might offer a new insight for the educational planning and curriculum design. The study will proceed later to second phase of a more descriptive-analytic research on student interviews.

Method and Data Collection The method of this study was an exploratory survey. Non-probability sampling was used to gain qualitative data when testing this new theoretical viewpoint within two differing teaching practise settings. In this pilot study there were two analytic samples: 1) 75 students of class teacher education; the data was gathered with the feedback form of an advanced teaching practice period (academic year 2005-2006). 2) 15 teacher students in a student exchange teaching practice period; the data was gathered form the final reports of the exchange project (academic years 2004-2006).

Findings The preliminary findings show that if the objectives set for the teaching practise are strict and sole, the students fix most of their attention on fulfilling

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those and are not able to see the affordances available in the practise environment. The widening tutoring in order to expand on the objectives and open the affordances seems to be fairly pointless when the student has already established her understanding of the operational environment and planned and started the teaching. The beforehand adaptation of the student's personal goals to the objectives of the practise and the analysis of the student observations and experiences during the practise seems to help the student to reflect and conceptualise their experiences. Though the more personal learning objectives are recognised and striven, the formal, basic teaching skills are trained as well. Obviously it is the student herself that defines the meaningful incidents of the teaching practise to be the affordances. The guidance is still needed: the equal and dialogic tutoring is most likely to embolden the student to reveal the student specific and meaningful affordances under discussion.

Conclusion Taken together, these findings suggest that the teaching practise setting should be designed to challenge the student's thinking and offer them such a practise settings in which the freedom of action is allowed and the affordances are seen as possibilities. It seems that extrinsic steering and external problem setting does not increase student engagement. The findings also suggest that the separate trainees can notice or bypass the same affordances of the practise period. The beforehand tutoring with personal goal setting seems to be profitable for the student to actively review and exploit the potential affordances of the practise environment.

References:Gibson, James J. (1979) The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception. Boston: Houghton Miffin

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Proposal 358 - "Talking Into Teaching: An Analysis Of Teachers In Training/ Tutor Conferences"

Principal Author: Dr Charles Anderson. email address : c.d.b.anderson@ed.ac.uk

abstract:

While there is a very substantial body of research and theorising on the initial professional development of teachers in training, the sessions in which academic tutors and students discuss and reflect on episodes of teaching have been relatively unexplored. Such discussions may potentially be an important resource for the development of students' classroom practice and an influence on the formation of their professional identity. Accordingly, in the study reported in this paper we have set out to explore the content, purposes and processes that may feature in such student/tutor meetings by a close examination of the talk in individual sessions between an experienced tutor and ten students.

This involved audio-recordings of the discussions between the tutor and each student that immediately followed the student's teaching of each observed lesson. An average of four discussions were recorded for each student over the course of their training year. The fine-grained analysis of the transcripts of these sessions was informed by other sources of data that were collected in the investigation, principally: o detailed notes of the tutor's observations of the lessons taught; o students' lesson plans; o transcripts of interviews with the ten students on their reactions to these sessions and their perceptions of their own and the tutor's role and actions.

The paper will highlight principal methodological issues and decisions that were faced in this study, including the challenge of adopting appropriate and reflexive roles as researchers and analysts and the need to deploy an approach to the analysis of talk that was well targetted on our research purposes. The methodological discussion also points up the need to exercise caution when generalising from a study of this type.

The presentation of findings will first give a general sense of the processes of interaction within these sessions, of students' presentation of self in the discussions and of the discourses used by the student and the tutor. Attention then focusses on what were seen as key actions of the tutor in: o modelling and fostering a dialogic approach to practice; o lending her attentiveness to particular

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aspects and patterns of classroom life; o encouraging students to position themselves in specific ways in relation to their own practice and to adopt an analytical stance; o providing students with a particular perspective on time and its relationship to their development. The concluding discussion draws on pertinent literature on professional development to reflect on the nature of the professional formation and the forms of subjectivity that the tutor was attempting to foster in these sessions. It also underscores the need for a nuanced and differentiated account of the exercise of power in this and similar settings.

References:Bolton, Gillie, (2005) Reflective Practice. Sage, London. Forde, C, McMahon M, McPhee, A, Patrick, F. (2006) Professional Development, Reflection and Enquiry. Paul Sage Publishing, London. Pollard, A. (2005). Reflective Teaching: Evidence-Informed Professional Practice (Continuum Studies in Reflective Practice & Theory). Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.; 2Rev Ed edition: London.

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Proposal 366 - "Using mapping techniques to develop PGDE Physics students' understanding of learning and teaching" Principal Author: Mrs Morag Findlay. email address : morag.findlay@strath.ac.uk

abstract:

The paper looks at the use of mind mapping and concept mapping to develop help student teachers of physics to develop their understanding of teaching electrical concepts. To develop student teachers use of constructivist methods in their own teaching they are taught using constructivist methods. This was set within the developing context of "A Curriculum for Excellence" in Scotland. Students were encouraged to examine the usefulness of concept mapping as part of the "Assessment is for Learning" programme and as a way to plan their own teaching sequences.

The methods used were part of the ongoing work of trainee science teachers on an Initial Teacher Education course. Student teachers of science were introduced to the use of mind mapping to organise their understanding of a topic two weeks into a thirty six week course. This was followed up with student teachers of physics who were introduced to concept mapping within the context of developing their understanding of electrical concepts. The physics students produced a written group concept map. The next stage was for students to use concept mapping software to produce a concept map on the topic of energy before studying the topic. This individual map was then revisited by the students after completing an energy workshop.

The students were deeply engaged by the group concept mapping task. They found making the links between concepts challenging and worthwhile. The group concept maps are somewhat limited and do not display the expected characteristics of expert concept maps. In general, the students preferred to use the concept mapping software rather than mapping by hand. However, the individual concept maps vary considerably in detail. The concept maps produced after the additional input do not seem to show much change. Despite the value placed on the concept maps during the process of developing them, feedback from the students showed that they did not find the concept mapping sessions as useful as sessions which concentrated more on teaching particular topics. It is possible that the student teachers did not see the value of these techniques while on placement.

References:Novak, J. D. and Cañas, A. J.

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(2006). The Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct Them. Retrieved January 31, 2007 from Institute for Human and Machine Cognition web site; http: //cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryCmaps/TheoryUnderlying ConceptMaps.htm Taber, K. S., de Trafford, T. and Quail, T. (2006). Conceptual resources for constructing the concepts of electricity: the role of models, analogies and imagination. Physics Education 41(2), 155 - 160.

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Proposal 222 - "Research-based Teacher Education Produces Inquiry Oriented Teachers"

Principal Author: Mrs Katariina Stenberg. email : katariina.stenberg@helsinki.fi

abstract:

The research-based approach is one of the main themes how teacher education is organised. We have investigated the concept and its relationship to other kinds of approaches of teacher education.

We carried out two surveys concerning students' attitudes towards and experiences of the research-based approach. The preliminary results were presented at the ECER 2005 and the ECER 2006. In the first survey, the target was mature students who all had a lot of experience of a teacher's work when they begin their studies (Krokfors et al., 2006). The survey (113 respondents) was carried out in 2005. In the second survey, in 2006 (168 respondents), the students were younger and the majority of them did not have work experience or had very little of it prior to the studies. Both surveys suggested that students appreciate the research-based approach. They also felt that it has been realised quite well in their studies. However, in some courses of the major subject, education, the appreciation was greater than the experiences of realisation. In other words, students' expectations had not completely been fulfilled. This was so, for example, in the bachelor and master thesis seminars. This was worrying and challenged us to further analyse what the research-based teacher education is all about and what kind of theoretical framework it contains. In this presentation we will discuss that framework paying attention to 1) the twofold nature of practice and to 2) the levels of teacher education.

The twofold nature of practice: Traditionally, 'practice' refers to practice teaching. We argue, that in the research-based teacher education there is also practice of researching. Students acquire basic knowledge of carrying out research and practice their researching skills. The levels of teacher education: We claim that there are two levels of teacher education. First, there is the stratum of mastering of common teaching methods. We can call this stratum the basic level of teacher education. It usually concentrates on practical skills and fundamental knowledge of the whole instructional process and a variety of content courses. Teacher education makes the development of these skills systematic and safe. It is not, however, certain that teacher education is

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needed to achieve these basic aims. Working as a teacher inevitably brings about learning in this respect (Kansanen, 2004). Wilson, Floden and Ferrini-Mundy (2001) found out, that basic courses in subject matters significantly improved students' achievement. However, after this basic stage, additional courses did not have the same result. They call this threshold effect beyond which additional effect is minimal. Researching in the basic level refers to adaptation. Students acquire basic knowledge about making of research. The role of a student is that of consumer (cf. Young, 2001). Besides the basic level, a general level of teacher education is needed. It aims at the sustained development of a teacher's work. Although this level is in connection with the basic level, a certain distance is required to a teacher's everyday practical work. This refers to reflection, pedagogical thinking, discussion and to research-related activities (Kansanen, 2004). The general level also concerns a kind of metacognition of one's own work and pedagogical decision making. Researching in the general level refers to students as producers (cf. Young, 2001) conducting their theses and carrying out inquiries. As a synthesis, research-based teacher education includes the aspects of making pedagogical decisions (teaching practice) and inquiring one's own work as a teacher (researching practice). In both of these aspects you can distinguish the basic and the general levels. As a sum, research-based teacher education aims to produce inquiry-oriented teachers.

References:Kansanen, P. (2004) The role of general education in teacher education. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenshcaft 7(2), 1-12. Krokfors, L., Jyrhämä, R., Kynäslahti, H., Toom, A., Maaranen, K. andi Kansanen, P. (2006) Working while teaching, learning while working: Students teaching in their own class. Journal of Education for Teaching, 2(1), 21-36. Wilson, S., Floden, R. & Ferrini-Mundy, J. (2001) Teacher preparation research: Current knowledge, gaps, and recommandations. Washington: Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy, University of Washington. Young, L. J. (2001): Border crossing and other journeys: Re-envisioning the doctoral preparation of educational researchers. In: Educational Researcher, Vol. 30(5), pp. 3-5.

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Proposal 331 - "A Profession at Risk"

Principal Author: Dr Shosh Leshem. email address : Shosh-l@zahav.net.il

abstract:

Teacher training colleges in Israel have faced recently a crisis of low registration and were in danger of being closed down. Over the years the teaching profession has lost its status and its appeal to young people. There are several reasons for this: low salaries, difficult working conditions, increasing demands and a low image of the profession. What intensifies the problem is that those who graduate and enter the profession, quit after a few years in the field.

As teacher trainers and policy makers of TEFL programmes in two regional colleges of education, we have been concerned about the issue and its implications to the quality of our teacher education programmes in particular and educational policies in general. High attrition rate in the teaching profession is a worldwide issue. This has serious implication for the teaching workforce. In the Western countries over 20% of beginning teachers are leaving the profession within the first five years of their practice. The estimate of attrition rates within three years of commencing work is 30% (Gold et al., 1991; Gold, 1996). In Australia the Federal Government recommended further research on high rates of beginning teacher attrition (Commonwealth Department of Education Science and Training, 2002). However, while there is an abundance of literature on novice teachers induction and acculturation experiences, there is a dearth of studies on beginning teacher burnout (Goddard R., O'Brien P.l & Goddard M., 2006). In order to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon and generate knowledge that has an impact on practice, we decided to explore the question of why some of our graduates stay in the profession and others withdraw.

Our research is practitioner-based research in the context of EFL graduates of two departments in two colleges of education. As we were interested in the subjective meanings of situations by the respondents, we adopted an emic approach to our research. Open interviews of approximately 80 minutes each were used with 20 respondents: 10 teachers who have been in the profession for at least five years, and 10 teachers who left within at least one year of teaching. The 20 respondents have had their teaching experience in schools which adhere to the regular educational system and are under the

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affiliation of the Ministry of Education. Interviews were conducted by two researchers, each interviewing 10 different teachers. All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed by the researchers. The process of analysis included three phases. During the first phase a holistic reading for general themes was conducted independently by each researcher. This phase was followed by discussions between the two researchers on the emergent themes in order to arrive at a synthesis of common themes and initial coding. This entailed a second cycle of joint reading for verification. The third phase entailed recurrent independent reading for further saturation of themes.

The practical implication of this practitioner-based research will relate directly to the field of teacher training. Conclusions will shed light on aspects of retention and patterns of resilience among teachers in particular, and the strengths and weaknesses of our training in general. We expect our research to provide input for programme developers and policy makers in the field of teacher training in order to promote the teaching profession.

References:Goddard, R. O'Brien, P. & Goddard, M. (2006) Work environment predictors of beginning teacher burnout, British Educational Research Journal, 32(6), 857-874.

Gold, Y, Roth, R.A., Wright, C. R. & Michael, W. B. (1991) The relationship of scores on the Educators Survey, a modified version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, to three teaching-related variables for a sample of 132 beginning teachers, Educational and Psychological Measurement, 51, 429-438.

Gold, Y. (1996)Beginning teacher support: attrition, mentoring and induction, in: J, Sikula (Ed.) Handbook of research on teacher education. Association of teacher Education (New York, Macmillan).

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Proposal 382 - "The Curriculum Workshop and Deliberative Inquiry. Pragmatism and the Assessment of an Approach to Practitioner Research"

Principal Author: Dr Klaus-Henning Hansen. email : hansen@ipn.uni-kiel.de

abstract:

This paper presents an approach to practitioner research that is based on deliberative inquiry via Curriculum Workshops. While "deliberative inquiry" denotes a formal process of inquiry about curricular issues, the term "Curriculum Workshop" represents a discursive approach to curriculum development, based on Schwab's concept of "deliberative groups". It is rooted in the idea that deliberation on curricular issues is a social process that has to be educationally legitimated. Deliberative inquiry via Curriculum Workshops promises to bridge the gap between theory and practice in educational research. It refers to Schwab's idea of "the practical" that assumes that both theory and practice are forms of inquiry rather than separate the territories of researchers and teachers. The second part presents a procedure for respondent validity that allows to assess the trustworthiness of deliberative inquiry. The data were collected in a case study on best practices in school-based teacher education.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used: While the first part focusses on the theoretical discussion of a method of practitioner research that is based on deliberation, collaboration in a Curriculum Workshop and educational legitimation, the second part elaborates an assessment method for respondent validity in terms of the trustworthiness of different stages of the approach. The assessment study is interpretative and implies the argumentation about the adequacy of qualitative criteria for the various steps of a Curriculum Workshop.

There are two main outcomes. The first is a new approach to practitioner research that is grounded in educational theory and that supports collaboration among teachers, researchers and other stakeholders of educational reform. It was developed to collect data that can be immediately used by teacher educators and teachers to improve practice and that contributes to the professional learning of all participants. The second outcome is an assessment matrix to be used to check the respondent validy of "deliberative inquiry". The assessment is conducted to critically discuss the potential and the limits of this approach that implies a variety of resources and the users' awareness of discourse rules and norms for theme-centered interaction. Moreover, it provides information about ways to improve deliberative

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inquiry.

References:Frey, K. (ed) (1981) Curriculum-Konferenz: Gebiet Mikroprozessor (Kiel IPN Report 45). Mulder, M. and Thijsen, A. (1990) Decision making in curriculum conferences: a study of convergence of opinion. In Journal of Curriculum Studies, 22 (4) 343-360. Reid, W.A. (2002) The Character of Curriculum Research Within a Practical Perspective. (http: //condor.depaul.edu/~ppereira/courses/reid.6.htm). Schwab, J.J. (1983) The Practical 4. Something for Curriculum Professors to Do. Curriculum Inquiry 13 (3), 239-265. Yin, R. (1984) Case study research design and methods (2nd ed.) (Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publishing). Zeichner, K. M., and Noffke, S. E. (2001) Practitioner research. In V. Richardson (ed), Handbook of Research on Teaching (Fourth ed., Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association) 298-330.

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Proposal 399 - "Uncovering implicit theory of teaching of future teachers"

Principal Author: Prof Iva Stuchlikova. email : stuchl@pf.jcu.cz

abstract:

The paper deals with possible approaches of handling implicit theory of teaching (ITT) of future teachers in their pre-service training. ITT are identified as "... internal relationship frameworks that include conviction on educational objectives, on learners, on learning; ideas on proper and incorrect practice of teaching and approach to the teacher-student roles" (Marland, 1995; page 131). While learning to be a teacher, the ITT fulfill two functions (Richardson, 1996).At first, they work as a filter, which directs an attention, participates in creating the meaning, assists to organize knowledge and supports retaining in memory while learning to be a teacher. Secondly, they influence decision-making and behavior, ways of interaction with students and also professional satisfaction and the amount of emotional satisfaction. The pre-service training should enable the students to see the limits and possibilities of their "a priori" ITT and motivate and encourage them to develop their ITT into justified, sophisticated and, esp. in a given pedagogical reality, valid conception. The aim of the presented study was twofold - 1) to explore ITT of future teachers and get preliminary nomothetic insight into their general features, which will help us to handle common students' misconceptions concerning the teaching with deeper insight, and 2) investigate the potentiality of specific methods to uncover some aspects of ITT.

The implicit theories cannot be de facto examined directly; we can get just their explicit picture. However, such revealing of implicit theories is not easy, since the substance and structure of implicit theories is either not fully known (available) to their authors. Study 1: Analysis of "stylistic" features of verbal description of teacher profession (N=106). We used modified "Twenty-statement-test" (TST, Kuhn & McPartland, 1954) to elicit the utterances about personal attitude to teacher profession. The individual notices were unfolded in interviews. The utterances of the 3 subgroups with different amount of practice were compared with respect to underlying context categories. Study 2: Critical moments - reflection of emotionally tensive situations (N=49) The situations that are emotionally saturated are better reflected, because emotions help us to remember and subsequently recall the situations and own experiences. Thirty teacher-students and 19

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in-service teachers formulated their emotionally encumbered teaching experience in the written form and try to analyze them, and also answered Twenty statement test. Then we worked in Balint-seminar to elaborate the mentioned critical moment and subsequently analyze the correspondence of the persons' interpretation of the situation with his/her utterances about the profession.

The results of the Study 1 indicate that the conception of the teaching process and the ideas about the teachers' roles are changing during the pre-service training and can be traced by the TST method. The teaching practice significantly changes the students' emphasis on knowledge transmission and understanding of teacher profession becomes less superficial. The TST method can provide students with feedback of these changes and even stimulate them. Study 2 shows differences in perception of emotionally laden teaching-learning situations between less and more experienced teacher-students, novices and expert teachers and reveals the impact of ITT on the way of interpretation of these situations. Both studies contribute to the evidence that dealing with ITT may help with the professional identity building during the teacher pre-service training.

References:Day, C., Leitch, R. (2001).Teachers' and teacher educators' lives: the role of emotion. Teaching and Teacher Education, 1-13. Hattingh, A. (2003). Monitoring pre-service teachers perceptions about teacher roles through a practice-based education programme. Paper presented at 10th Biennial Conference EARLI, Padova, Italy, 26-30 August, Padova: CLEUP, 505. Kuhn M.H.& McPartland, T.S. (1954). An emppirical investigation of self-attitudes. American Sociological Review, 19, 69-76. Marland, P.W. (1995). Implicit theories of teaching. In: L.W.Anderson (Ed.), International encyklopedia of teaching and teacher education, Oxford: Elsevier Science Ltd. ISBN 0-08-042304-3. Stuchlíková, I.(2005): Implicitní znalosti a intuitivní pojetí v pedagogické praxi. In. Švec, V. (Ed.) Od implicitních teorií výuky k implicitním pedagogickým znalostem,str. 9-16. Brno: Paido. ISBN 80-7315-092-1. Torff, B. (2003). Developmental changes in teacher's use of higher order thinking and content knowledge. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95, 563-569.

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Proposal 408 - "Building a Research Culture in a Teacher Education Environment"

Principal Author: Mrs Heather Malcolm. email address : hmalcolm@education.ed.ac.uk

abstract:

Research undertaken in a vibrant research culture has always been an essential element of academic life, but Higher Education Institutions established as colleges of teacher education and now incorporated as university departments face particular challenges. Throughout Europe there is recognition that in the past teacher education institutions have not made research a central focus (Buchberger et al, 2000) and that this should change; for example, research on teaching and teacher education is now a priority for European Commission action schemes (ibid., p. 68). 'State of the art' knowledge suggests that reflective teacher education and action research are becoming increasingly important in the European bid to improve the quality of teacher education: there is a European-wide emphasis on continuing professional development for both teachers and teacher educators, and on strengthening links between research and practice.

Erstwhile college of education staff possess considerable advantages for their pursuit of practice-based research. As education practitioners as well as researchers they are well placed to investigate what is relevant and feed their findings back into practice. They will have built and maintain close links with schools and colleges, so have networks of teachers and students who are potential participants in their research. Yet their research output remains patchy. Why? What challenges does active engagement in research pose for teacher education institutions? What do staff see as hindering their research, and what would help them? Where there is no long-standing tradition of academic research, how can research interests be identified and fostered? And perhaps most importantly, what visions do staff hold for themselves of the way research should be?

The research question for this study is 'What kind of a research culture do we want? (And how is it possible?)' The study is a report of on-going action research. This is collaborative self-study, self study being an approach to action research in which the researchers are fully acknowledged as one of the subjects of research, as well as being the researchers (Bodone, Gujonsdottir and Dalmau, 2004, Griffiths and Poursanidou, 2005). The study is mindful of social justice: this is research with and for rather than research on or about (Noffke, 1997; Griffiths, 1998; Reason and Bradbury, 2001). The approach is founded on the view that the intention to develop a new ethos in a formal educational setting depends on the full participation

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of (most of) its members if it is to be successful. This view is at least as old as Dewey (1916) and has been a central tenet of management of change research for many years (e.g. Fullan, 1991; Reynolds, 1991). In spite of this widespread understanding, collaborative action research to create such change is surprisingly rare in formal educational contexts, though participatory action research is more common in informal education (though see Walker, 2001). In the research reported here, a mixture of methods is used. These include the usual reflective journals, interviews, questionnaires and group discussions, but also more creative methods: e.g. photographs, poster-making, visualisations and group discussions based on/recorded by drawings. Since this is action research it is necessarily on-going. The conference paper will report on the success (or not) of the approach, and on some of the answers provided by one Scottish teacher education department.

In the research reported here, a mixture of methods is used. These include the usual reflective journals, interviews, questionnaires and group discussions, but also more creative methods: e.g. photographs, poster-making, visualisations. group discussions based on/recorded by drawings.

Since this is action research it is necessarily ongoing. The paper will report on the success (or not) of the approach, and on some of the answers provided by one Scottish teacher education department.

References:Buchberger et al, (2000). Green Paper on Teacher Education in Europe. Thematic Network on Teacher Education in Europe. Bodone et al, (2004). Collaboration in self-study. In J. J. Loughran, M. L. E. Hamilton, V. LaBoskey & T. Russell (Eds.), The international handbook of self-study of teaching practices (pp. 743-784). Kluwer. Griffiths, M. and Poursanidou, K. (2005). 'A self-study of two collaborations: factors affecting success', Studying Teacher Education: A journal of self-study of teacher education practices, Volume 1, Issue 2. Noffke, S. E. (1997). Professional, personal and political dimensions of action research. In M. W. Apple (Ed.), Review of research in education (pp.305-3343). AERA. Griffiths, M. (1998). Educational Research for Social Justice. OU. Reason, P. and Bradbury, H. (2001). Participative Inquiry and Practice. London: Sage Publications. Fullan, M. (1991). The Meaning of Educational Change. Teachers College. Reynolds, D. (1991). Doing Educational Research in Treliw. In G. Walford (Ed.), Doing Educational Research, pp. 193-219. Routledge. Walker, M (Ed.) (2001). Reconstructing Professionalism in University Teaching. SRHE and OU.

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Proposal 420 - "The Evaluation of the Meaning and Some Effects of Action Research of Teachers in Project "How to become the Learning Community?"".

Principal Author: Ms Tanja Rupnik Vec. email address : tanja.vec@zrss.si

abstract:

In the 2004 the National Institute of Education invited 6 high schools in Slovenia (pupils age from 15 to 19) into a project concerning their quality. The general aims of this project were (from perspective of Institute): a) to stimulate and support teachers in their search for and ensuring the quality of student's developmental opportunity in their clasroom, b) to support teachers' professional development, c) to support school communities in becoming learning communities. From the perspective of teachers, the general aims were: a) to raise their awareness of their thinking, feeling and acting in classroom, b) to investigate their practice sistematically and to solve their current professional dilemmas, c) to search for alternatives in thinking, feeling and acting in clasroom. All these processes were going on in an intensive dialogue between teachers in each of the school and enables them to learn from each other and to grow as professionals. General strategy of teachers' investigation of their practice was action research.

Theoretical framework of our cooperation with these schools: a) ideas about school development, schools as learning communities, changing the school culture, criticaly reflective teachers (Frost 2000, Schein 2004, Senge 2001, Fullan 1993, Hargreaves and Hopkins 2001, Argyris 1995, 2002, Brookfield 1995), b) action research strategies (Mc Kernan 1991, Carro Bruce 2000)

In this paper I'll discuss the results of the evaluation of one aspect of our cooperation with teachers in those six schools (N= 150 teachers). I investigate the meaning of action research for these teachers and their subjective assesment of the effect of action research on their everyday practice. The research questions are: a) what was the meaning of action research for teachers in the project, b) how they experienced their action research practices, c) what is their subjective perception of the effect of their action research on their practice and their professional expertise, d) how individual and organizational needs were changed during the three years of project?

The content of paper is divided into two parts. In the first part I brieflydescribe the basic theoretical assumptions of our project and our overall strategy of our work with those schools. In the second part I discuss the

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results connected with research questions I've mentioned above.

I used the following instruments: For the first research question (a): semantic differential For the second and third research question (b, c): questionary (combination of open guestions and assesment scales) For the fourth research question (d): questionary of individual and organizational needs

Expected outcomes: On the first research question: factorial model of semantic structure of the concept "action research" On the second research question: the insight in teachers experience in action research On the third research question: the insight in teachers' perceived effects of action research on their practice On the fourth research question: the insight in some changes of teachers and school needs through the two years in the project

References:oArgyris, C. (1995). Action science and organisational learning. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 10 (6), 20 - 26. o Argyris, C. (2002). Double-Loop Learning, Teaching, and Research. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 1 (2), 206-218. o Brookfield, S. (1995). Becoming a Criticaly Reflective Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. oCarro Bruce, C. (2000). Action Research. Facilitator's Handbook. Wichita Falls,Texas: National Staff Development Council. o DiBella, A. J. in Nevis, E. C. (1998). How Organizations Learn? An integrated Strategy for Building Learning Capability. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, inc. o Frost, D. in sod. (2000). Teacher-Led School Improvement. London in New York: Routledge/Falmer, Taylor & Francis Group. o Fullan, M. (1993). Change Forces. Probing the Depths of Educational Reform. The Falmer Press. London. New York. Philadephia. o Hargreaves, D. H., Hopkins, D. (2001). Šola zmore vec. Management in praksa razvojnega nacrtovanja. Ljubljana. Zavod RS za šolstvo. Larrivee, B. (2000). Transforming Teaching Practice: becoming the critically reflective teacher. Reflective practice, 1(3), 293 - 307. o Lieberman, A. (1995). Practices that support teacher development. Phi Delta Kappan, 76 (8). o McKernan, J. (1991). Action Research. A Handbook of Methods and Resources for the Reflective Practitioners. London: Kogan Page. o Rupnik Vec, T. in Rupar, B. (2006). Holisticni model ZRSŠ podpore šolam pri uvajanju sprememb. (The Model of Supporting Schools in their Changing Process) V: Rupar, B. (ur). Konceptualni vidiki sprememb v šoli. (Conceptual Aspects of School Change) Ljubljana: ZRSŠ. o Rupnik Vec, T. (2006). Vloga šolskega razvojnega tima v procesih uvajanja sprememb ter zagotavljanja kakovosti. (The Role and

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Responsibility of School Development tim in the Processes of School Change) V: Zorman, M. (ur). Udejanjanje nacel vseživljenjskega ucenja v vrtcu, osnovni šoli in srednji šoli s pomocjo razvojnega nacrtovanja. (The Development Planning and the Lifelong Learning) Gradivo za razvojno nacrtovanje. Program Phare 2003 -vseživljenjsko ucenje. Ljubljana: ZRSŠ, MŠŠ. o Schein, E. H. (2004). Organizational Culture and Leadership. 3. izd. San Francisco: Jossey - Bass. o Schwarz (2005). The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook. Tips, Tools and Tested Methods for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches. San Francisco: Jossey - Bass. o Senge, P. M. (1993). The fifth discipline. The art and practice of the learning organisation. London: Century Business. o Senge, P. in sod. (2001). Schools that learn. A fifth discipline Fieldbook for Educators, Parents, and Everyone Who Cares About Education. New York, London: Doubleday.

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Proposal 448 - "Are Teachers wrong? Contexts of Interest in Science Education in the View of Students and Their Teachers"

Principal Author: Dr Doris Elster. email address : Elster@ipn.uni-kiel.de

abstract:

Learning is more effective, if the subject of learning is presented in contexts, which are perceived as relevant by the learners. What sort of science themes are the students interested in? How do teachers estimate the interests of the students? There are two key factors influencing the potential of science education to motivate and inspire the students: what content is taught and in which context it is taught. Several empirical studies verify this connection of content and context as key factors for the interest in the natural sciences. In the SAS study [Science and Scientists; Sjøberg 2000] Svein Sjøberg describes the attraction of subject contents in such a way that they depends on the context being offered. For example, "music" is more interesting for young people than "acoustics and sounds" and "rainbows and sunsets" are more interesting than "light and optics". Additionally, the interest study, which was carried out nationwide by the IPN over ten years ago showed that the context was more influential than the content in generating students´interests in physics. With this in mind the author participated in the international project ROSE (The Relevance of science Education; Schreiner & Sjöberg 2004). This is an international comparative study on the factors which influence learning in science. More than 40 nations are participating worlwide aimed at examining influence factors of science and technology learning.

The surveys in Germany and Austria were carried out in 26 schools of different types between October 2004 and June 2006. 621 students from Austria and 626 from Germany between the ages of 14-16 participated in ROSE. The samples consisted of 53,7% girls and 46,3% boys. The students answered the questions (108 items) by inserting crosses in a four-scale rating scale with both the extreme categories "not interested" and "very interested". The analysis presented in this study took place using factor analysis (analysis of main components with varimax-rotation). Additionally, using the items of the ROSE questionnaire 45 teachers were asked about their estimation of the interest of the students in science themes. The juxtaposition of the findings of the students´survey and the teachers´survey allowed findings for future science curricula.

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The interest spectrum of students in Austria and Germany demonstrate a lot of similarities. Adolescents from both counties are interested in the universe, human biology and zoology. Botany as well as the subjects geology, technology and energy are not interest priorities for adolescents. If you compare interest according to gender, then the interest of girls in contents of human biology as well as the interest of boys in contents which focus on electricity, energy, technology and chemistry is bought clearly to light. Adolescents in Austria and Germany are mainly interested in contexts, which have to do directly with their body and their own personal development ("young body context") as well as the contexts health, spectacular phenomena and mysticism and wonder. They are less interested in the contexts beauty and aesthetics and subjects in the context of everyday usage. When comparing the genders it is noticeable that girls focus on the contexts health, fitness, "young body" as well as mysticism and wonder. Boys, in contrast, are more interested in the spectacular and horror contexts. In summary, it can be established that today's adolescents, in contrast to their peers of a decade ago, are more interested in health, fitness, mysticism and the spectacular events. Moreover, a strong affinity to contexts with a special relation to adolescent problems (sex and reproduction, AIDS, drugs) is equally interesting for both genders. The juxtaposition of the students´interests and the estimation of the teachers about the students´interest showed significant differences. The findings and conclusions for a more context-based science curriculum will be presented.

References:Hoffmann L, Häußler P, Lehrke M (1998) Die IPN-Interessensstudie Physik. IPN 158. Kiel: IPN Schreiner C and Sjøberg S (2004) The Relevance of Science Education. Sowing the Seed of ROSE. Oslo: Acta Didactica. Sjøberg S (2000) The SAS-Study. Cross-cultural evidence and perspectives on pupils´ interests, experiences and perceptions. [http: //folk.uio.no/sveinsj/SASweb.htm ]

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Proposal 464 - "Implementing e-Portfolio for Scaffolding and Researching the Reflective Practice Among Novice Teachers in Estonia"

Principal Author: Ms Reelyka Laheb. email address : reelyka@tlu.ee

abstract:

The most critical phase in teachers' professional development is induction period when novice teachers feel isolation, failure and stress. The need of support and conditions for self- reflection is necessary during this period (Feiman- Nemser 2001). Since 2004 the national induction year programme is implemented for novice teachers in Estonia. By analysing implementation of induction year, the need for creating support-systems for novice teachers raised: systems to sustain professional development and self analyses (Eisenschmidt 2006). E-portfolio is one technological solution, which supports lifelong learning, enabling learners to collect authentic materials, to integrate them, reflect upon and present to different target groups (to present skills, knowledge, personal characteristics), to analyse, give and collect feedback, to plan one's own professional development (Barrett 2001). E-portfolio supports as well community building and scaffolding through special tools. By scaffolding we mean instructional technique where mentor first models desired learning aim and strategy, then gradually step-by-step shifts responsibilities of learning to the learner. The crucial idea of scaffolding is how to provide sufficient support and structure to keep learners motivated and productive not dumped by too much or too less information. The research question of the paper is, how to support novice teacher's professional development in Estonia by using e-portfolio solution, how e-portfolio supports scaffolding and reflection practice. Objectives: 1) Implementing scaffolding model as mentoring technique of novice teachers' professional development through e-portfolio usage; 2) Analysing applicability of scaffolding model in e-portfolio to improve novice teachers' professional development.

Arising from the main objectives of the research it is design research. Design research enables to apply an educational reform based on existing knowledge, but the application in new circumstances requires evaluation, it helps to understand how and in which conditions e-portfolio might work in practice (Järvinen 2001). The characteristics of design research are process orientation, cyclical nature, complexity, cooperation orientation, multilevelness and theory- basedness and scientific nature (Shavelson, Philips, Towne & Feuer 2003). First cycle of design research is implemented from August 2006 till May 2007, it has four stages: 1) designing the theoretical bases, 2) designing technical environment - an e-portfolio solution 3) piloting first

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version of e-portfolio 4) evaluation. During the piloting novice teachers and their mentors will use e-portfolio for self- analyses and mentoring. Their experience is analyzed and used for future development of technical solution.

Main outcomes of research: 1) A model of supporting novice teachers' professional development and self-reflection through scaffolding by using e-portfolio solution. 2) Description how scaffolding supports both novice teachers and their mentors in mentoring process. 3) Empirical study of piloting e-portfolio solution. Some dilemmas for further discussion: 1) How e-portfolio affects technology-timid users; is it an extra task which accrues to already demanding induction year? 2) How e-portfolio as community building tool supports professional identity development of novice teachers, as it makes visible very private thoughts and could depress free reflection? 3) How e-portfolio supports scaffolding process with smoothly lessening novice teachers' need for extra support; how does it help to prevent form redundant mentoring? The pilot-project showed to be successful and constructive, supporting novice teachers' professional development and turning implicit knowledge into explicit knowledge.

References:Barrett, H. 2001. Electronic Portfolios. Educational Technology; An Encyclopedia, 2001 Eisenschmidt, E. 2006. Implementation of Induction Year for Novice Teachers in Estonia. [Dissertation on Social Sciences]. Tallinn: TLÜ Kirjastus. Feiman- Nemser, S. 2001. From Preparation to Practice: Designing a Continuim to Strengthen and Sustain Teaching. - Teachers College Record, Vol. 103, 6, 1013-1055. Järvinen, P. 2001. On Research Methods. Tampere: Tampereen Yliopistopaino Oy. Shavelson, R. J., Philips, D.C., Towne, L. & Feuer, M.J. 2003. On the Science of Education Design Studies. - Educational Researcher, Vol. 32, 1, 25-28.

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Proposal 493 - "Developing the professional identity of future-teachers through art-therapeutic techniques"

Poster proposal.

Principal Author: Dr Yvona Mazehoova. email address : mazehoova@tiscali.cz

abstract:

Studies have shown that becoming a professional occurs on two levels (Kerr, VonGlinow, & Schriesheim, 1977). First, it takes place on a structural level, such as formal educational and entrance requirements for entry into the profession. Secondly, it occurs on an attitudinal level, such as the individual's sense of "a calling" to the field. Students entering a teacher pre-service training change externally, under the demands of training and in correspondence with their notion of teacher's professional role, and internally, which is in the subjective self-conceptualization associated with the role (McGowen & Hart, 1990). This self-conceptualization can be viewed as one's professional identity. To foster changes in self-conceptualization we used some art-therapeutic techniques, which are stimulating conscious as well as unconscious processes.

The research is based on nonverbal methods of statement - specifically on the collages of professional roles and analysis of coping with emotions (specifically anxiety) through art production. Study 1: Collages of professional roles (N=29 freshmen specialized in pedagogy for kindergartens) The task of a student rest in making a collage called "I as a pedagogue in all the forms and roles". The objective of the collage is to enable the students to deliberate, develop, clarify and re-structuralize their own attitudes, motives and relations to the profession of a pedagogue. However, the motives and emotions are not only conscious (i.e. admitted) but also unconscious, thus often having much crucial influence on the future profession. The seminar discussion on perceiving the profession and professional roles followed and the professional motivations were analyzed. Study 2: Conscious and Non-conscious Anxiety in Artworks (174 teacher- students) Expression of negative emotions, especially anger and anxiety, is under strong social display (Lutz, Abu-Lughod, 1990). These rules lead teachers to suppression and repression of negative emotions. Self-perception of emotions may be distorted. We compared self reported (Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory; STAI), and art projected anxiety (color version of Wartegg Drawing Test and color self-portrait).

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Working with collages helped us to review conscious and not fully conscious motivations and attitudes toward teaching (Hatting, 2003). We identified some problems undermining professional identification, e.g. too narrow content of the profession, dangerous "overwhelming" creativity, excessively symbolist approach frequently associated with impersonal relations to children etc. In comparison of self reported and art-projected anxiety we find shift toward self-deception. The group of future teachers reported lesser anxiety than general population anxiety (49% were placed in the lower third of the population norms, 41 in the central part and only 10% scored in upper tertile). On the contrary, the evaluation of projective production showed that 64.5% of tested persons belonged to the medium (second) and higher (third) anxiety tertile. Unconscious anxiety can have an effect on choosing the profession (in so-called folk pedagogy, the formal authority of a teacher has seemingly a higher advantage in interpersonal contacts with children), therefore we should pay attention to the work with emotional self-perception of future teachers in developing their professional identity and perception of the profession.

References:Kerr, S., VonGlinow, M. A., & Schriesheim, J. (1977). Issues in the study of "professionals" in organizations: The case of scientists and engineers. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 18, 329-345. McGowen, K. R., & Hart, L. E. (1990). Still different after all these years: Gender differences in professional identity formation. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21, 118-123. Lutz, C.A., Abu-Lughod, L. (1990). Language and politics of emotion. New York: Cambridge University Press. Hattingh, A. (2003). Monitoring pre-service teachers perceptions about teacher roles through a practice-based education programme. Paper presented at 10th Biennial Conference EARLI, Padova, Italy, 26-30 August, Padova: CLEUP, 505.

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Proposal 510 - "Profile of mature student teachers in initial teacher education in Greece: intentions and ways of coping with the studies"

Principal Author: Dr Stavroula Kaldi. email address : kaldi@uth.gr

Abstract The topic of this research lies in providing a profile of the mature student teachers in the initial teacher education in Greece. More specifically it seeks to identify the profile of mature student teachers in university department preparing primary school teachers. Teaching profession has been an attractive field for professional life due to the secure image it has in the Greek state: the majority of schools are goverment owned and ruled, therefore, state teachers are permanent official workers. Also, in the last six years the shortage of primary school teachers due to the extention of the school day, meant employing all graduates from four-year university departments of primary education (BA in Education). Thus, primary school teaching is one of the professions with the highest numbers of recruitment in state schools and attracted the elite of the final year students of secondary education in order to conduct their higher education studies. This also meant that primary school teaching attracted graduates of a bachelor degree in any other field with low numbers of recruitment. University departments of primary education as all other university departments accept also a limited number of mature students (5-10% of the total student number) after succession in written exams conducted internally in each department. Therefore, graduates of bachelor degrees are entitled to sit internal exams at the university departments of primary education and succeed in entering to study for a BA in Education. Based on the above the objective of this study lies in providing new insights in teacher education programmes in Greece and give a framework of how mature student teachers cope with the multiple demands around them and become effective classroom teachers. The research questions of the study are as follows: What is the profile of those mature student teachers in the Greek university departments of primary education? Why do those graduates of bachelor degrees decide to study primary education and become primary school teachers? What is the family and/or any other support they may have in order to meet study expectations and demands? How do they cope with the study demands? What are their expectations from the university departments of primary education? Attempting to answer these questions What are the implications for initial teacher education in general, how mature students have the potential to become effective classroom teachers and how could they contribute to a high standard of academic studies provided by university departments of primary education? Even though this is a topic which has been examined in different educational systems, nevertheless, it has not been investigated in the Greek context and will provide insights for educators in initial teacher education concerning mature student teachers some of whom bring rich experiences as

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students and adults. The theoretical framework of this study lies in adult learning and initial teacher education.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used: Qualitative paradigm. Biographical in-depth interviews in the form of 'structured conversation', self-records of achievement and observations during mature student teachers' teaching practice.

Two types of mature student teachers are present in initial teacher education in Greece: a) the ones who are seeking a better and more secure professional life compared to other professions (this category includes the majority of the mature student teachers) and b) the ones who are seeking their own professional development being already in the teaching profession (this category includes the minority of the mature student teachers). Their coping strategies to study demands include: a) collaboration mainly amongst them, b) use of previous study skills from their first degree or of any work experience, c) extended hours of study and work, sacrifying leisure compared to their 'novice' coursemates, as most of them are also full-time or part-time working. Moreover, gender issues do not seem to make cry voices in the present study as male and female mature student teachers undergo similar experiences, struggles and successes.

References: Britton, C. & Baxter, A. (1999) "Becoming a Mature Student: gendered narratives of the self" in Gender and Education, 11(2), 179-193. Duncan, D.M. (1999) Becoming a Primary School Teacher: a study of mature women, Stoke on Trent: Trentham Books. Duncan, D.M. (2000) "The Socialisation of Mature Women Student Teachers: the importance of ethnographic accounts to educational research" in Teaching in Higher Education, 5(4), 459-474 Edwards, R. (1993) Mature Student Women: separating or connceting family and education, London: Taylor & Francis. Egerton, M. (2001) "Mature Graduates II: occupational attainment and the effects of social class" in Oxford Review of Education, 27(2), 271-286. Griffiths, V. (2002) "Crossing boundaries: the experiencees of mature student mothers in initial teacher education" in International Journal of Inclusive Education, 6(3), 267-285. Hammond, M. (2002) "Why Teach? A case study investigating the decision to train to teach ICT" in Journal of Education for Teaching: International Research and Pedagogy, 28(2), 135-148. Hollis, L. & Houston, W. (1991) "Recruiting mature adults as teachers" in Teacher Education and Practice, 6(2), 29-36. Johnston, J., Mckeown, E. & Mcewen, A. (1999) "Choosing Primary Teaching as a Career: the perspectives of males and females in training" in Journal of Education for Teaching: International Research and Pedagogy, 25(1), 55-64. Karach, A. (1992) "The politics of

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dislocation: some mature undergraduate women's experiencees of higher education" in Women's Studies Educational Forum, 15(2), 309-317. Klausewitz, S.K. (2005) How prior life experiences influence teaching: Multiple case studies of mature-age elementary student teachers, Unpublished EdD Thesis, Amherst: University of Massachusetts, p. 256. Moyo-Robbins, M. (1999) The experiencees and perceptions of mature student teachers: a study with particular reference to gender and ethnicity. Unpublished PhD Thesis, uce Quintrell, M. & Maguire, M. (2000) "Older and Wiser or Just at the End of the Line? The perceptions of Mature Trainee Teachers" in Westminster Studies of Education, 23, 19-30. Priyadharshini, E. & Robinson-Pant, A. (2003) "The Attractions of Teaching: an investigation into why people change careers to teach" in Journal of Education for Teaching: International Research and Pedagogy, 29(2), 95-112. Roberts, J. (2003) Personal and Professional Identity Re-Construction of Young Mature Student-Teachers in the Context of a PGCE Course, Unpublished PhD Thesis, England: University of Reading. Reay, D., Ball, S. & David, M. (2002) "'It's Taking Me a Long Time but I'll Get There in the End': mature students on access courses and higher education choice" in British Educational Research Journal, 28(1), 5-19. Sewell, P. (2000) "Mature Students in Part-time Higher Education - Perceptions of Skills" in Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 37(4), 304-313. Younger, M., Brindley, S., Pedder, D., Hagger, H. (2004) "Starting points: student teachers' reasons for becoming teachers and their preconceptions of what this will mean" in European Journal of Teacher Education, 27(3), 245-264.

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Proposal 517 - "Arts Informed Inquiry in Educational Research: Addressing the myths"

Principal Author: Ass. Prof Robyn Ewing. email : r.ewing@edfac.usyd.edu.au

abstract:

The quality of arts informed inquiry has attracted a great deal of controversy in recent times as it has gained in popularity as an educational research methodology. As with other innovative methodologies there have been lively debates about its rigour, authenticity and application. This paper seeks to examine these issues using several recent research projects undertaken by staff and higher degree research students at the University of Sydney.

An initial literature review highlighted a range of issues raised by the use of arts informed research. These were used as lenses to analyze eight recent research projects undertaken in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney. Each project related to some aspect of teacher education/professional learning and used arts informed inquiry in data gathering and/or analysis and/or representation and/or reporting.

While the projects investigated a range of diverse issues in teacher education there are a number of common elements raised through the meta-analysis. These are highlighted and discussed alongside a range of ongoing issues. It is essential that arts based research is seen as an important methodology which can locate and develop important new understandings in the field of teacher education.

References:Alexander, H. (2003). Aesthetic Inquiry in Education: Community, Transcendence, and the Meaning of Pedgagogy. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 37 (2), Summer, 2003, p1-18. Barone, T. (2001). Touching eternity. New York: Teachers College Press. Barone, T. (1997). Arts based educational research. In R. Jaegar (Ed) Complementary methods for research in education. Washington, DC: AERA Diamon, P. & Mullen, C. (Eds) (1999). The post modern educator: Arts based inquires in teacher development. New York: Peter Lang Ewing, R. & Smith, D. (2004). Locating New Epiphanies. In A. Cole, L. Neilsen, J. G. Knowles & T. Luciani (eds). Provoked by Art: Theorizing Ars-informed Research

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Proposal 533 - "Experiences of Disabled Students in Initial Teacher Education"

Principal Author: Dr Gale Macleod. email address: gale.macleod@ed.ac.uk

abstract:

The paper describes a questionnaire study of disabled students on initial teacher education (ITE) courses in a UK University. The recorded number of disabled students in higher education in the UK has increased markedly in recent years (Riddell et al., 2005), a trend mirrored in many OECD countries (OECD 2003). However, despite moves to widen access, a number of studies exploring the experiences of disabled students in higher education suggest that barriers to learning still exist. Tinklin and Hall (1999) classified these into five areas: entrance to higher education, physical environment, accessing information, assumptions of 'normality' and levels of awareness.

In addition to decisions regarding disclosure of their disability at university, ITE students must negotiate this issue during school placements. Existing research (Valle et al., 2004) suggests that the decision to disclose a disability is a process rather than a one-off declaration and is highly personal, relating to previous experiences of being identified as disabled. A second issue is the attitudes towards disability that students encounter during their training and the effect that this has on them. This is an area of specific concern in ITE as questions have recently been raised regarding the relationship between disability and perceived competence to carry out a teaching role (Gilbert, 1998).

Data is currently being collected via an online questionnaire. All ITE students in a UK School of Education, have been encouraged to participate, with a focus on both students with disclosed and those with non-disclosed disabilities/long-term medical conditions. The questionnaire gathers data on a range of issues, including: o details of the student's disability o whether the disability had been disclosed to key groups o factors influencing decisions regarding whether, and to whom, the disability should be disclosed o prior experience of having been identified as having a disability o experiences within the university o experiences of teaching placements

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Data will be analysed using a combination of SPSS and content-based analysis.

We are currently half-way through the data-collection period and the current response rate is around 20%, we hope that this will rise to around 50% once students return from placement.

Findings at this early stage include: o 40% of those who consider themselves disabled or having a long-term medical condition have not shared this information with anyone at university. o Those who have shared information have experienced a range of responses from 'a total lack of support' to feeling 'extremely well supported'. o 50% of disabled students on placement have not shared information with the class teacher; reasons for not sharing include 'stigma', 'not wanting to be judged', 'embarassment' and 'previous discrimmination'. o Responses to sharing this information with staff on placement have ranged from 'bewilderment' and 'panic' to 'very supportive'.

Findings will be located in the current literature on experiences of disabled students in higher education, theoretical models of disability and the debate on definitions of disability. The extent to which the experiences of disabled students on ITE courses is similar to or different from those of students in Higher Education more generally will also be explored.

References:Gilbert, S. (1998) Another type of diversity: A student teacher with a learning disability, Qualitative Studies in Education, 11, (2), 323-340. OECD (2003) Disability in Higher Education. Paris: OECD. Riddell, S., Tinklin, T., & Wilson, A. (2005) Disabled Students in Higher Education, London: Routledge Falmer. Tinklin, T. & Hall, J. (1999) Getting round obstacles: Disabled students' experiences in higher education in Scotland, Studies in Higher Education, 24(2), 183-94. Valle, J.W., Solis, S., Volpitta, D., & Connor, D.J. (2004) The disability closet: Teachers with learning disabilities evaluate the risks and benefits of "coming out", Equality & Excellence in Education, 37, 4-17.

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Proposal 535 - "Reconceptualising Mentoring in Teachers' Professional Development"

Principal Author: Dr Hannu Heikkinen. email address : hannu.heikkinen@ktl.jyu.fi

abstract:

This paper reflects the changes in the latest conceptualisations of mentoring through a literature review and empirical findings in three different in-service teacher mentoring programs in Finland. In the context of teachers' professional development, there seems to be various definitions and understandings of the concept of mentoring. Traditionally, mentoring has been referred to a process whereby a more experienced teacher gives advice to a less experienced one (Roberts 2000). Usually the context of mentoring is in the induction phase of teacher education; mentoring has been regarded as a means of supporting newly qualified teachers. This traditional understanding has lately been challenged by a number of authors. The latest conceptualisations of mentoring are not based on an assumption that the mentor knows best. There has been a recent shift in the literature to reconceptualize mentoring as much more of a collaborative collegial relationship. Instead of the traditional expert-novice relationship in the induction phase, mentoring has lately been regarded as a process of developing teachers' professional capacities throughout their teaching careers. The shift away from the mentor as a hierarchical, one-way view to a more reciprocal relationship has been conceptualised in terms such as co-mentoring, mutual mentoring, collaborative mentoring, critical constructivist mentoring, dialogic mentoring and peer mentoring (Bokeno & Vernon 2000; Musanti 2004; Le Cornu 2005). In this study, the term peer mentoring is used to highlight the reciprocal and rather informal professional dialogue between the teachers.

The empirical data of the study is based on three different mentoring programs. The study is based on an action research project "Peer mentoring in teachers' in-service education", funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund. The project aims at organising peer mentoring within teachers' in-service education in the region of Jyväskylä. This action research project is compared with two different models of mentoring in Finland. In the mentoring program implemented in the city of Helsinki, the process is based on a classical one-to-one relationship between a novice teacher and a more experienced teacher. In the city of Kokkola, each group of newly qualified teachers are mentored by a more experienced teacher. In the region of Jyväskylä, the action research project was launched on fall 2006 in the 12

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municipalities. In this project, the mentoring process is clearly conceptualised as reciprocal peer mentoring. In each group, some of the teachers holds a key role as a practical organiser of the program, but this person is not expected to be an expert unlike in the traditional conceptualisation of mentoring. The groups outline their own program throughout the academic year. In some of the meetings, narrative and co-operative methods as well as expert lectures are also used so as to promote reflective dialogue. The teachers in the groups vary in age and experience; most of them could be described as mid-career teachers but there are also newly qualified teachers as well as experienced teachers who will soon retire on a pension. The data consists of focus group interviews of the key teachers, emails and researcher's diaries and memos, and it will be analysed within a narrative framework.

In the presentation, the focus is on the preliminary results of the Jyväskylä region project. There will also be a comparison of the experiences of the three versions of mentoring and analysing their strengths and weaknesses. As a theoretical result of the study, the interaction in the different mentoring models is analysed on three levels of dialogue: on existential, epistemological and juridical-ethical level.

References:Bjerkholt, E., Eisenschmidt, E., Fransson, G., Hedegaard, E., Heikkinen, H., Jokinen, H., Klages, W., Morberg, Å. & Rothma, V. 2006. Co-operative partnership: Newly Qualified Teachers in the Northern Europe - Research and Development Network. A symposium in the Annual Conference of the Association for Teacher Education in Europe, Portoroz, Slovenia, October 23th 2006. Bokeno, R. M. & Vernon, W. G. 2000. Dialogic mentoring. Management Communication Quarterly 14 (2), 237-270. Heikkinen, H. & Karjalainen, M. 2004. Educating mentors - a poetic way of understanding. In M. Pandis (Ed.) Educational Science in the Axis of Change. Tallinn Pedagogical University, 312 - 325. Heikkinen, H. 2002. Whatever is Narrative Research? In: Huttunen, R., Heikkinen, H. & Syrjälä, L. (Eds.) Narrative research. Voices of Teachers and Philosophers. Jyväskylä: SoPhi, 13 - 28. -Ref. Heikkinen, H., Huttunen, R. & Syrjälä, L. 2007. Action Research as Narrative: Five Principles for Validation. Educational Action Research 15 (1), 5-19. Jokinen, H. & Välijärvi J. 2006. Making Mentoring a Tool for Supporting Teachers' Professional development. In R. Jakku-Sihvonen & H. Niemi (Eds.) Research-based Teacher Education in Finland - Reflections by Finnish Teacher Educators. Finnish Educational Research Association. Research in Educational Sciences. Turku. 89-101. Jokinen, H. & Välijärvi, J. 2005. Could We Use Mentoring in Supporting Novice Teachers' Professional Development. Paper presented in Adult Education Conference Turku, Finland. Jokinen, H., Heikkinen, H.& Välijärvi

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J. 2006. Mentoring in Supporting Newly Qualified Teachers' Professional Development: Individualism or Organisation Development. Paper in ATEE 2005 Conference web publication. http: //www.atee2005.nl/publ/papers.htm. 219-222. Le Cornu, R. 2005. Peer mentoring: engaging pre-service teachers in mentoring one another. Mentoring and Tutoring 13 (3), 355-366. Musanti, S. 2004. Balancing mentoring and collaboration. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue 6 (1), 13-23. Roberts, A. 2000. Mentoring revisited: a phenomenological reading of the literature. Mentoring & Tutoring 8 (2), 145-169. Välijärvi, J., Heikkinen, H., Jokinen, H., Sarja, A., Savonmäki, P., Johnson, P. & Leivo, M. 2005. Mentoring and Collaboration in Teachers' Work. Helsinki: Academy of Finland, 21-22.

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Proposal 537 - "To Teach is to Choose: the Moral Dimensions in Science Education"

Principal Author: Dr Kennert Orlenius. email address : Kennert.orlenius@his.se

abstract:

In most educational studies and debates in the western countries it seems that the lack of natural scientific literacy is a great problem. Students seem to have difficulties in their learning of core concepts and abandoning their everyday life understanding of nature and science. The content in education is usually taken for granted and the theory of learning is based on constructivist perspectives. This approach also forms international investigations like PISA 2003. Action proposals are quite often focused on changing traditional methods in teaching but seldom on the relevance of the content for the pupil's personal life.

This paper concerns the moral dimensions in natural science education and the specific context is teacher education in Sweden. The research questions are: what kind of norms and values do student teachers put across in their teaching in natural science education during their practice in school? What kinds of preferences do they express in their actions and statements?

In the paper by way of introduction different aims of science education and motives for the subject in school are illuminated and the meaning of the moral dimensions in teaching is defined. Some researchers have in the last few years focused their interest on science education related to moral (or character) education. How can natural science education contribute to a moral awareness and responsibility? During the last fifteen years for instance STSE programs have been designed (Teaching Science, Technology, Society and Environment education) aiming to develop students' moral and social responsibility. The interest is mainly focused on moral reasoning and in connection to Kohlberg's theory of moral development. A constructivist cognitive-developmental model is the main underlying theory. However, this paper concerns what kinds of values that are embedded in teacher students' teaching in mainly compulsory school classes. Do they perceive themselves as teachers of science or teachers of students? In what sense do they teach science content and morals? What kind of ethical discourse consciousness do they express regarding their science education? The study here pays attention to becoming teachers' actions and reasoning in the end of their teacher training and will later be followed up after their degree.

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The research method is based on observations of 12 student teachers' teaching in pre-school and compulsory school, which are followed up by interviews in connection to their lessons. The study is a part of a research program, To Teach is to Choose, granted by the Swedish Research Council.

Preliminary conclusions are that the moral dimensions are rather implicit and explicit to the student teachers, even if this has been a crucial part in their teacher education. It is more underlying and hidden than visible and verbalized. It is taken for granted. Maybe not very surprisingly, it seems that the more science literacy skilled student teachers are, the more institutional norms about traditional content in science seem to steer their education. The younger pupils they have in their class, the more expressed moral topics and aims [appear] in the student teachers' teaching.

References:Berkowitz & Simmons (2003). Integrating Science Education and Character Education. In: D. L. Zeidler (Ed), The Role of Moral Reasoning on Socioscientific Issues and Discourse in Science Education. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Press. Dahlin, B. (2001). The Primacy of Cognition - or of Perception? A Phenomenological Critique of the Theoretical Basis of Science Education. Science & Education 10, 453-475. Donnelly, J. (2004). Humanizing Science Education. Science Education, 88, 762-784. Giddens, A. (1984). The constitution of society: outline of the theory of structuration. Cambridge: Polity Press. Helldén, G., Lindahl, B. & Redfors, A. (2004). Lärande och undervisning i naturvetenskap - en forskningsöversikt [Learning and teaching - a research review]. Stockholm: Vetenskapsrådet [The Swedish Research Council]. Orlenius, K. & Bigsten, A. (2006). Den värdefulla praktiken. Yrkesetik i pedagogers vardag. [The practice of values. Professional ethics in teachers' everyday life]. Stockholm: Runa. Sjøberg, S. (2005). Naturvetenskap som allmänbildning: en kritisk ämnesdidaktik. [Natural science as general knowledge: a critical subject-orientated didactic, 2nd ed.]. Lund: Studentlitteratur. Sjøberg, S. (2005). TIMSS och PISA - brickor i det politiska spelet. [TIMSS and PISA - a pawn in the political game] Pedagogiska Magasinet, 2, 10-19.

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Proposal 547 - "Problem based learning in professional education: listening to students' voices"

Principal Author: Dr Fiona Patrick. email address: f.patrick@educ.gla.ac.uk

abstract:

Problem based learning has been a feature of professional education for some twenty five years, since the publication of the work of Barrows (1980, 1988 etc). First designed for use within the medical and health care fields, it has found acceptance within other professional disciplines (Boud and Felletti, 1997). More recently, it has found acceptance within the field of the professional education and formation of teachers (McPhee, 2002: McPhee and Patrick, 2003, Savin Baden 2000, 2004 etc.)

Within the University of Glasgow, Scotland, problem based learning has been a feature of the professional education of doctors for some time. It has also been utilised as a teaching and learning methodology within courses of initial teacher education, both at undergraduate and graduate levels. Following upon a growing sense of professional co-operation between the Faculties of Medicine and Education, a special study module was devised for third year medical students in education and working with children. This module involved the employment of the Education Faculty's issues based methods, as well as a short period of school experience placement.

The present study looks at the different perceptions of problem / issues based learning within medical education and teacher education, and in particular, seeks to expand our understandings of the students' own experiences of this methodology and how they perceive it as relating to their professional development and formation within their own disciplines. Two groups of students were invited to particpate, a group of medical undergraduates and a professional graduate group of education students.

The study will look at the students' own perceptions of their experiences, how these relate to their theoretical understandings and how they relate to their professional work and lives.

The study employs qualitative methods to ascertain the students' views and perceptions. Firstly, a questionnaire is administered to a PGDE group whose work is organised along issues based lines and also to a special study group in the Mb ChB degree programme. Secondly, focus groups comprising interesting cases arising from the questionnaire data are formed and their perceptions compared.

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The students on the medical degree programme have had two years' extensive experience of problem based learning approaches in small group settings by the time that they undertake their special study module in Year Three. However, this experience is related to medical and scientific concerns in the pre-clinical setting. Education students, on the other hand, will have less experience of this methodology in general, and their perceptions of its application in a setting which directly relates to their experiences in school will be of interest to those who wish to look widely at the applicability of PBL to professional education.

References:Barrows, H and Tamblyn R (1980) Problem based learning - an approach to medical education. New York, Springer. Barrows, H (1988) The tutorial process. Springfield School of Medicine, Illinois Boud, D and Felletti, G ( 1997) The Challenge of Problem-based Learning. London, Kogan Page Colliver, J (2000) Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning curricula: research and theory. Academic Medicine 75 (3) 259-266 McPhee, AD (2002) Problem based learning in Initial Teacher Education. Journal of Educational Enquiry 3 (1) 60-78 Patrick, F and McPhee, AD (2003) Problem-based Learning in a Postgraduate Course of Initial Teacher Education. Paper presented at European Conference on Educational Research, Hamburg Savin-Baden, M (2000) Problem based learning in higher education - untold stories. London, McGraw-Hill Savin-Baden, M and Major, CF (2004) Foundations of problem based learning. Buckingham, Open University Press. Tan, K et al ( 2005) Problem -based learning: New Directions and Approaches. Singapore, Learning Academy

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Proposal 557 - "The perceptions and definitions of teacher candidates about morality, moral and character education"

Principal Author: Ms Yeliz Temli. email address : yeliz@metu.edu.tr

abstract:

The purpose of the study is to investigate the prospective teachers' level of readiness to deal with moral education. In this study, the researcher adresses two main questions: a) How do teacher candidates define morality, moral education and the factors which affects the moral development? b) How do they define teachers' responsibilities related to moral education? Moral and character education is an important issue in elementary education. The teachers' endeavors, interests and awareness constitute the one of the main components of the education and teachers' definitions and perceptions affect moral and character education directly. The reflections of the prospective elementary-school teachers provide us information about their preparation during in-service education to deal with moral and character education, what they expected to learn during their pre-service and in-service education, and what their opinions are about the in-class applications observed during field experiences concerning moral and character education.

This is a survey research that included demographic information form and open-ended questions. Participants were 84 undergraduate senior students at Middle East Technical University (METU) Faculty of Education, Department of Elementary School Education. Fourty-nine of the participants (58,3 %) were female and the remaining thirty-five (41,7%) were male. From Foreign Language Education (FLE) 33 participants (39,3%), 28 teacher candidates (33,3%) from Elementary Mathematics Education (EME), 23 participants (27,4 %) enrolled in Computer Education and Instructional Technology (CEIT) participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 22,52 years ranging from 19 to 26 (Sd: 1,10) A survey questionnaire adapted from a recent study by Akar (2006) was used in order to collect data. The interview questions were adapted for undergraduate senior students as survey. This study was introduced to faculty of education elementary school department's undergraduate senior students in spring term of the academic year in 2006 and data collection procedure was conducted in the classrooms. Before administering the questionnaire, researcher explained the main purpose of the study and the volunteer students participated in the study.

The findings show that teacher candidates state the meaning of the morality as people's judgments about universal values such as honesty, virtue,

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honor, and equity. Combination of un-written social rules, respect for others' rights and individual differences, equity of educational opportunity, avoiding discirimination and plagiarism are stressed as concepts regarding morality. The students from different departments stress diverse feature of morality. The students of CEIT emphasize on ethics of cyber, EME students stress stages of moral development and FLE students point out empathy. The common expectations of senior students are to get in detail information about how the teacher can contribute moral development of students and how they encourage students to internalize moral behaviors. According to teacher candidates, the initial responsibility belongs to families during moral and character education. The teacher's role is reported being a supporter, a guide and a good role-model. The participants offer examples about how they will deal with moral development and character education. They explain the positive aspect of their field experience applications related to moral and character education implementation in class and point out some aspects which is in need of development. The effects of families, society, media, elementary school teachers on students' moral education are discussed. Additionally, participants mentioned that their past experiences and socio-economic status effective in defining their understanding of morality. According to participants, people construct a moral conception by thinking, by reading, by observing elder people and by educating and evaluating themselves.

References:Akbaba-Altun, S. (2003). E?itim yönetimi ve de?erler. De?erler E?itimi Dergisi1(1),7-18. Clark, C. (1998). Discipline in schools, British Journal of Educational Sciences 46(3), 289-301. Covell, K. & Howe R.B. (2001) Moral education through the 3Rs: rights, respect and responsibility.Journal of Moral Education, 30(1), 29-41. Ek?i, H. (2003). Temel insani de?erlerin kazand?r?lmas?nda bir yakla??m: Karakter e?itimi programlar?. De?erler E?itimi Dergisi, 1(1), 79-96. Lovlie,L. (1997). The uses of example in moral education. Journal of Philosophy of Education 31(1) 409-424. Myyry L. & Helkama K. (2002) The role of value priorities and professional ethics training in moral sensitivity, Journal of Moral Education 31(1), 35-50.

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Proposal 564 - "Transformation of professional knowledge: Can Threshold Concepts provide us with a unifying language in the mentoring of beginning teachers across Europe?"

Principal Author: Ms Moya Cove. email address: m.cove@educ.gla.ac.uk

abstract:

Description of the paper - e.g. topic, research question, objective, purpose, value, conceptual or theoretical framework, state of the art: This project explores an area where the contested qualities of educational research are strikingly evident. It deals with the 'theory practice divide' that is experienced by beginner teachers, 'systemic divisions' and those involved in early professional development of school teachers in faculties of education and local authorities and how they vary, not only from country to country but from region to region within countries. As a way of coping with these complexities we have tried to identify key threshold concepts which can offer a unified vision of what constitutes professional progress for all participants in the process of teacher formation and, most importantly, the beginning teachers themselves. This research project was funded by a major award from the Society for Educational Studies in 2005-2007 and carried out in the context of the Scottish education system where probationary teachers are guaranteed a year in one school with a structured and mentor supported induction programme.

The project explores how student and probationer teachers construct professional knowledge and develop an understanding of their evolving professional identity and how the social contexts of three learning communities (mentors in faculties of education, school based mentors working for local authorities, and informal and formal support networks) contribute to the breakthroughs and transformations in their understandings of what it is to be an effective teacher.

The project draws upon the theories of troublesome knowledge (Perkins, 1999), threshold concepts (Meyer and Land, 2003) and social capital (Field, 2003, Morrow, 1999) and applies these to the context of initial teacher education. Social capital theory is just beginning to be applied in school contexts but still lacks sufficient empirical basis for its heuristic potential.

The research project sought to answer the following key questions exploring the intersecting dimensions of troublesome knowledge, threshold concepts and social capital: o What are the key networks of professional support that are

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available to students and probationer teachers, and by what means are these sustained? o At what points, and by whose induction, do beginning teachers adapt their academic 'subject discourse' to professional discourse, values and sense of identity? o What social value do beginning teachers and their mentors place on such transformative experiences? o What crucially transformative or integrative 'threshold points' do students and probationer teachers recognise and cross in teaching a range of subjects, within both primary and secondary sectors? o Could threshold concepts be used as a framework to re-configure initial teacher education provision?

The methodology used was predominantly qualitative and allowed for triangulation by drawing upon data from multiple perspectives which included a cohort of 25 probationer teachers employed in 10 Scottish local authorities (ranging from rural to urban), 12 primary and secondary local authority mentors working within these authorities, and 8 experienced and beginning university mentors in a faculty of education. Data was collected and analysed from the following sources: o taped focus group interviews with 25 graduating students (June 2005) o on-line questionnaires administered half way through the probationary year (Jan 2006) o taped semi structured interviews of the probationer teachers (May 2006) o taped semi-structured interviews of local authority mentors (May 2006) o taped focus group interviews of the faculty mentors (June 2006). Follow up meetings with probationers and taped focus groups meetings with faculty mentors allowed the validity of the findings to be tested within the communities generating the initial data.

Ten possible threshold concepts (Cove et. al., 2006) have been identified. These 'threshold concepts' are encountered and crossed individually but their fullest realisation often depends upon the insights and empathy of those who accompany students and probationary teachers on their professional journey. Therefore this paper would seek to explore whether these threshold concepts can assist in structuring dialogic opportunities for professional knowledge transformation within different systems of teacher education across Europe.

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References:Cove, M., J. McAdam and J. McGonigal. 2006. Threshold Concepts and Social Capital in the Mentoring of Beginning Teachers. Paper presented at Threshold Concepts within the Discipline: Glasgow Symposium, Aug-Sept 2006 at University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Field, J. (2003). Social Capital. London: Routledge. Meyer, J. and R. Land. (2003). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Linkages to ways of thinking and practising in the disciplines, in Rust, C. ed., Improving Student Learning: Improving Student Learning Theory and Practice - Ten Years On. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development. Morrow, V., (1999) Conceptualising social capital in relation to the well-being of children and young people: a critical review. The Sociological Review 744-765 Perkins, D. (1999) 'The many faces of constructivism', Educational Leadership 57 (3)

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Proposal 565 - "What are Contested Qualities in Research on Teacher Education which are Relevant for Education Today? Invited Cross-Network Roundtable Discussion"

Round Table 5 authors.

Principal Author: Mrs Marit Honerod Hoveid. email : marith@hifm.no

abstract:

This invited round table discussion between network 2 (VetNet), 13 (Philosophy of Ed.) and 10 (Research on Teacher Ed.) will discuss what contested qualities in research on teacher education we find relevant today. The diversity of ways in which teacher education is handled in the European countries opens a discussion on how we may best describe and analyze what are its contested qualities if we look at it within a European framework. On the other hand this diversity poses serious difficulties in validating what qualities could be promoted through the reseach on teacher education. The contested qualities which this roundtable discussion will explore and discuss are the possible opposition and tension between some areas which we may recognize across european teacher education research. The discussion will concentrate around the contested qualities of: o Knowledge based vs vocational based teacher education o Theoretical vs practical knowledge in the understanding of teacher education. o Researched based teacher ed. vs practice based teacher ed.

The four contributors of this roundtable discussion will draw from their own research and their own position as educational researchers. Based on this each will contribute a short presentation which discusses and problematizes the question and theme posed for this Roundtable.

This Roundtable discussion will open the sessions within network 10. The idea is that the discussions and problematizations initiated here will permeate the following sessions within the network and serve as a frame for further exploration and discussion linking it to other topics in teacher education reseach.

A possible followup of this initiative is collecting contributions from this discussion and relevant papers for a possible special issue of the EERJ.

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proposal 597 - "Video Eliciting Techniques During Interviews and Focus Groups: A Discussion of its Use With Teachers and Students in Naturalistic Research"

principal author : Dr Oscar Odena.email address: o.odena@qub.ac.uk

abstract:

This methodological paper considers the potentialities and limitations of using videotaped extracts of lessons as elicitation tools during in-depth interviews. In the discussion we offer examples from two separate investigations that used video stimulated recall in one-to-one interviews with teachers, and in-depth focus group interviews with secondary school students.

Five years ago, Odena (2002) reported in this Network the use of this method in the context of a qualitative enquiry of six music teachers' perceptions of creativity in English Secondary schools (see Odena, Plummeridge & Welch, 2005). Participants were videotaped during a unit of work on composition/improvisation activities and extracts of the lessons were used for discussion during final in-depth interviews with each teacher. The technique had previously been piloted with teachers in three different schools (Odena, 2001). Advantages observed by participants were, amongst others, the valuable feedback of watching themselves on TV to improve theirown teaching, the possibility to see instances of students' progressthroughout the unit which had been missed, and the possibility to voice their thoughts. Advantages observed by the researcher comprised the potential of the videotape extracts to (a) refresh/contrast the memory of teaching instances, (b) induce more teachers' talk and reflection, and (c) provide a loose skeleton for each in-depth 'conversation with a purpose'(Burgess, 1988).

The following year, Lyle (2003) published a review of different ways in which to use this technique, offering an example from a study of sport coaches' thinking during games' decision-making situations, and identifying possibilities as well as several limitations. The later included unintended consequences and lack of validity, in relation, for instance, to the participants reordering their thinking in response to the video extracts and the lack of familiarity with the video technique. He did observe, nevertheless, that the same limitations did not apply in studies focussed on participants' reflection, rather than exploration of cognitive processes.

Recently Leitch et al (2006; 2007, see this conference 'Children's Rights Network') used videotaped extracts of lessons during in-depth focus group

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interviews in Northern Ireland, as part of a bigger project consulting secondary school students on the increasing participation in the assessment of their own learning. The advantages and limitations of using video stimulated recall with young people compared with its use with teachers are discussed.

Video eliciting techniques during one-to-one and focus group interviews in naturalistic settings.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:The participants reordering of their thinking (after watching videoextracts) might be perceived as a 'limitation' of the technique's validity. However, this reordering happens in any recall of past instances, for example, during interviewees' explanations (based on memories) in standardinterviews. With the video stimulated recall, the reordering is based on recorded actions as well as memories. Implications for educational research and for teacher training are considered in the conclusions, although it is acknowledged that these implications apply generally to social scientistsengaged with qualitative research and, more broadly, with investigations that rely on explanations of past occurrences by individuals.

References Burgess, R.G. (1988) 'Conversations with a Purpose: The EthnographicInterview in Educational Research', in R.G. Burgess (ed) Studies inQualitative Methodology: A Research Annual, Vol. 1. London: JAI Press LtdLeitch, R., Gardner, J., Mitchell, S., Lundy, L., Clough, P., Galanouli, D.and Odena, O. (2006) 'Researching Creatively with Pupils in Assessment forLearning Classrooms on Experiences of Participation and Consultation', paperpresented at the EERA Annual Conference, University of Geneva, Switzerland,Education-line, www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/157844.htmLeitch, R., Gardner, J., Mitchell, S., Lundy, L., Clough, P., Galanouli, D.and Odena, O. (2007) 'Consulting Secondary School Students on the IncreasingParticipation in their own Assessment in Northern Ireland', paper presentedat the 'Children's Rights Network' of the EERA Annual Conference, Universityof Ghent, Belgium Lyle, J. (2003) 'Stimulated Recall: A Report on its Use inNaturalistic Research', British Educational Research Journal 29(6): 861-878Odena, O. (2001) 'The Construction of Creativity: Using Video to ExploreSecondary School Music Teachers' Views', Educate~ The Journal of DoctoralResearch in Education 1(1): 104-122, www.educatejournal.org Odena, O. (2002)'Using Videotaped Extracts of Lessons During Interviews to Facilitate theEliciting of Teachers' Thinking', paper presented at 'Ethnography Network'of the EERA Annual Conference, University of Lisbon, Portugal,Education-line, www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00002206.htm Odena, O., Plummeridge, Ch. and Welch, G. (2005) 'Towards an Understandingof Creativity in Music Education: A Qualitative Exploration of Data From

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English Secondary Schools', Bulletin of the Council for Research in MusicEducation 163: 9-18

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proposal 368 - "Crossing Boundaries inScience Teacher Education"

principal author : Dr Manfred Lang.email address: langm@ipn.uni-kiel.de

abstract:

In the European project CROSSNET partners from seven countries are working on boundary crossing in school-based science teacher education. Each participating country conducts case studies in cooperation with teachers from selected schools. Partners work in two related groups: one with the focus on boundary crossing in science teaching and the other on new approaches in science teacher education.Boundary crossing in education defines new paths for teaching and learning beyond traditional subjects in school (Radits & Rauch, 2004). Boundaries ofschool subjects can be viewed as social or cultural artefacts of human endeavour (Tuomi-Gröhn, & Engeström, 2003; Aikenhead, 1996). They are defined in a system of educational knowledge with an outer rim and anenvironment. Boundary objects are tools for boundary crossing of diverse communities in educational practice (Star & Griesemer, 1989). They are key elements of innovation for subject areas, school profiles or competencies for teaching and learning. They should be robust enough to maintain common identity across sites. They have different meanings in different social worlds but their structure is common enough to more than one world to makethem recognizable.A main goal of the project is to support, enhance and document innovation in teacher professional development viewed as boundary crossing. It implies the development of innovative curricula, conduct of case studies, documentation and analysis of examples about good practice, organisation of a discourse with different educational stakeholders in a Curriculum Policy Workshop(CPW), and improvement of cooperation in science education and teacher professional development. Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:In national partner projects case studies are conducted about boundary crossing, an evolving paradigm of educational theory. This situation suggests explorative and inductive rather than deductive research approaches. The case studies are inquiries with multiple sources of evidence that investigate a phenomenon within its real-life context when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident. Topics are about Biology in context, standards, interdisciplinary teaching, enhancing language awareness in science teaching, use of videos as tools,

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relating school science, real science and student perceptions, extramural learning, mentoring for innovation und leadership and ICT in Chemistry education. For each case study a set of three schools with three science teachers from an innovative project about teacher professional development are selected.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:The case studies provide an open framework for qualitative and quantitativeresearch. They help to develop new perspectives for national projects byclarifying the local context, elaborating border crossing activities andestablishing collaborative networks. They support practitioner research thatcan be immediately fed back to teachers, teacher educators and schools.Their design and results will be compiled in a document for preparation of aCurriculum Policy Workshop (CPW). This workshop is defined by a key questionabout innovation in teacher professional development and criteria about theselection of a group of participants, generally agreed discourse rules, aschedule and expected outcomes. These outcomes are summarized in a document for practical use in school based planning, justified by empirical resultsof case studies and a related political discourse.

References Tuomi-Gröhn, T.& Engeström, Y.(2003) (eds.) Between School and Work: newperspectives on transfer and boundary-crossing. Amsterdam: Pergamon/EARLI.Aikenhead, G. S. (1996) Science Education: Border Crossing into theSubculture of Science. Studies in Science Education, 27, pp. 1-52.Radits, F. & Rauch F. (2004) Das Wissen der Kulturlandschaftsforschung inder Lehrer/-innenbildung - Berichte und Reflexionen zuGrenzüberschreitungen. pp. 115-125. In: Krainz-Dürr, M., Enzinger, H. &Schmoczer M. (eds).Grenzen überschreiten in Bildung und Schule. Klagenfurt:Drava.Star, S. L. & Griesemer, J., L. (1989) Institutional Ecology,'Translations' and Boundary Objects: Amateurs and Professionals inBerkeley's Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, 1907-39. Social Studies of Science19, pp 387-420.

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Proposal 911: Multilinguism, Biography and Professionalization – Professional Developmental Tasks and 'Bildungsgänge' of French Teacher Students at University     

Principal author Dr Martin Kunz

Email martin.kunz@uni-hamburg.de

abstract

The paper presents results of a case study with French as foreign language teacher students at university. Foreign language education should play an essential role in the development of social and individual plurilinguism – plurilinguism seen both as prerequisite and objective of foreign language learning. A question in teacher education is e. g. how it can be guaranteed that all future teachers get to know the relevance of plurilinguism and acquire competences in dealing with this. Professional competences and identity are seen as something not only based upon the right knowledge, but as a problem of biographical development. Yet this ‘biographical sense base’ of professional competence often does its work without being reflected in an active and productive way – it often works in a way it shouldn’t. One aim of teacher education concepts, and similarly a part of the portfolio idea, is to acquire competences by reflecting upon one’s own biography and learning processes. This may also be relevant for competences in dealing with plurilinguism, given that we don’t only focus on the biographical prerequisites of other people (learners, pupils, students) when talking about plurilinguism. For teachers, biographical self-reflection may become a basic element for understanding pluralism and dealing with this and so a criterion of professionality. But before this can be used as a general instrument, it is yet not clearly understood to what in this field reflection should refer exactly. Also, it is not known yet, to which degree the students identify experiences as learning experiences at all and bring them into a professional perspective. So in this paper, it is asked if plurilinguism is perceived and interpreted at all, and how they do this. Further questions: How do future foreign language teachers reflect upon their own biography and learning? How does plurilingualism affect biography and language learning? How, in this field, can the development of professional identity and competence be described?      

The case study is based upon Narrative Interviews with teachers students (sample of about 15). As the outcomes about professional developmental tasks should not be group-specific (e.g. only ‘migrants’, ‘monolinguals’ etc.) but as general as possible, the students chosen have different language biographies. In the first part the interviewees are asked to tell their life story as an open

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narrative. The second part consists of questions related to this narrative and afterwards more focussed questions (e. g. biographical comment, subjective theories, perspectives).

The data analysis first examines the narrative structures in order to reconstruct a biographical language learning habitus. This is compared to particular experiences, theories and professional perspectives expressed along the interview. On the one hand, there are e. g. language or language learning experiences where aspects like difference, heterogeneity, individuality or participation take an essential role (e.g. having been asked about one’s linguistic individuality by a teacher). On the other, there is the form of presentation of such experiences within the narrative (as situation of having been asked by the interviewer).     

The main result should be to contribute to the description of competences and requirements in dealing with plurilinguism as a part of teachers’ professionality, and to the aswer of the question what can be done for the acquirement of these competences. One important objective is not only to remain on a general pedagogical level but, as teachers are professionals for specific domains, to focus on the foreign language relevance of these competences or tasks. While the main interest – based on the didactic research interest – is to describe the student teachers’ sense makings, interpretations and solutions of the professional requirements in a systematic way, the objective is also to identify critical moments within these processes and as consequence, in the construction of general types of professional developmental tasks.

ReferencesAdamzik, Kirsten/ Roos, Eva (éd.) (2002) : Biographies langagières. Bulletin suisse de linguistique appliquée, hiver 2002

Carton, F./ Riley, P. (ed.) (2003): Vers une compétence plurilingue. Paris.

Council of Europe (ed.) (2003): Facing the future : Language educators across Europe. Strasbourg.

European Network of Intercultural Teacher Training (ed.) (1998): Skills and abilities required for teaching in multilingual schools. Münster.

Gogolin, I. (2006): Linguistic Habitus. Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Oxford, 194-196.

Hericks et al. (ed.): Bildungsgangdidaktik. Perspektiven für Fachunterricht und Lehrerbildung. Opladen: Leske + Budrich.

Hericks, U. (2006): Professionalisierung als Entwicklungsaufgabe. Rekonstruktionen zur Berufseingangsphase von Lehrerinnen und Lehrern.

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Wiesbaden.

Hu, Adelheid: (2006): Mehrsprachigkeit und Interkulturalität in autobiographischer Perspektive: Ein Beitrag zur Verfeinerung gängiger Konzepte interkulturellen Lernens. In: Gnutzmann/ Königs (Hg.): Sprachdidaktik interkulturell (FLuL 36).

Kramsch, Claire (2003): The multilingual subject. In: De Florio-Hansen/ Hu (Hg.): Plurilingualität und Identität. Zur Selbst- und Fremdwahrnehmung mehrsprachiger Menschen. Tübingen, 107–124.

Meyer, M. A. (2005): Die Bildungsgangforschung als Rahmen für die Weiterentwicklung der allgemeinen Didaktik. In: Schenk (Hg.) (2005): Bausteine einer Bildungsgangtheorie, 17

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Proposal P323 - "Connecting change to teaching practice" principal author : Dr Robyn Gibson.email address: r.gibson@edfac.usyd.edu.au

Abstract In order for early career teachers to utilise innovative learning andteaching practices including negotiated curriculum and assessment withintheir own classrooms, they need to experience such strategies as part oftheir education courses at the tertiary level. Over the past threeyears, final year students enrolled in the Bachelor of Education(Primary) program at the University of Sydney have had an opportunity toundertake a year long unit of study which places the Creative Arts atthe core of the curriculum and thereby challenge traditionaltransmissive learning and teaching approaches. Student feedback hasindicated a new awareness of the value of learning in, through andacross the Arts as a result of this course. The researchers were keen todevelop a better understanding of if and how this espoused changetranslated into teaching practice. This presentation reports data frominterview and focus group discussions with course graduates.Findings demonstrate that they perceive such approaches are pivotal ifteacher education is to reform classroom practice.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:As part of a longitudinal study, ten primary teachers who had undertakenthe unit of study, Integrating the Creative Arts as part of theirundergraduate degree (between 2004 - 2006) were interviewed toascertain:i)   If they saw a clear relationship between their Creative Artsexperiences at university and their current teaching practices?ii)  What aspects of their teaching had been affected i.e. where didthey feel a change had occurred?iii) Could they identify specific instances where they had utilisedideas, approaches, suggested strategies, etc.from the unit of study tomeet the needs of their current students?iv)  What suggestions did they have for improvement of the course unit?

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:The project is ongoing in 2007. Preliminary findings of this study bothinform and support the notion of the value of evidence-based educationalpractices. By challenging student teachers' notions of best practice atthe teritary level, the researchers were able to investigate thecontinuing influence of these experiences in their teaching practice.Further analysis will be shared at the conference.

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References (including own publications):Boomer, G. (1992). Negotiating the curriculum: Educating for the 21stcentury. Washington DC: Falmer.Ewing, R. & Gibson, R. (2006). Empowering students through negotiatedassessment. Presented at Best Preactice Forum, University of Sydney,June 16.Gibson, R. & Ewing, R. (In press). Integrating the creative arts (withintegrity). Journal of Policy  and Practice in Education.Gibson, R. & Ewing, R. (2006).Creative teaching or teaching creatively?Using the creative arts to improve teaching and learning.Presented atInternational Conference on the Arts in Society, Edinburgh, 15-18August.Gibson, R. & Ewing, R. (2005). Transforming teaching and learning intertiary contexts: A case study.http://www3.educ.sfu.ca/conferences/ierg2005/viewabstract.php?id=208

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proposal P705 - "Professions in Change: Are Teachers in Need of Empowerment?"

principal author : Dr Tobias Werler.email address : tobias.c.werler@hia.no

abstract:

The last ten years have challenged classical professions which build on theprofessional triangle of autonomy, knowledge & altruism (see Hirst 1982).Nothing about them is taken for granted. The dissolution of the nation-state abandoned the golden age of the nation building teacher. His professionalism ends with the central government investing in classroom practice within the framework of the free market (see Bottery & Wright 2000). In the wake of recent assessment studies, advocates of healthcare, in particular, perform their service in the sphere of teaching (school / classroom). As a result the boundary of identities and knowledge between the professions is at risk (Werler & Birkeland 2007). From the point of view of Lyotard and Foucault, knowledge is the key component in the competition of power. The more powerful profession may decide "what knowledge is" and "what needs to be decided" (Lyotard 1984:4). Recent data shows that even the third dimension is at risk (Locke et. al. 2005). Does the teaching profession find itself caught between two opposing forces? As a basis for developing new approaches to finding the educational means necessary for dissolving welfare societies, this paper aims to gain insight into professions in change (teachers / healthcare).

From a historical perspective, both are constructed from two separate discourses on altruism, these being care and knowledge/cultural content (Simmel 1892: 86pp; Hjort 1998). Current approaches to public health within the spheres of empowerment and health education (WHO 1986) serve as models for development of professional identities within educational institutions. The question is whether or not such institutions achieve the empowerment of the formation of professional identities, and if so, to what degree?

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:A qualitative in-depth study of, respectively, nursing and teacher educationstudents investigates emerging professional identities as reflections ofpublic discourses on health and education. Third-year nursing and teachingstudents were asked to list their reasons for their choice of study. Theywere also asked about their future career expectations. Beyond that theresults will compare and amalgamate accruing data in light of - so farseparated - research on both professions (Locke et. al. 2005; Rongstadet.al. 2004). To clarify terms used in the education and health system semantic (Åkerstrøm Andersen 2003, 2004) and archeological analyses(Foucault 1972, 1973, Bateson 2000) on education and health journals was

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carried out.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:The presentation will show patterns of similar reasons given for students'choice of career which might not driven by altruism, and further, how future career expectations seem to be more guided by a common discourse on competition and labour safety than unique professional discourses developed by educational means. 

References (including own publications):Seddon, T. (1997): Education: Deprofessionalised? Or reregulated,reorganised and reauthorised? Australian Journal of Education, 41(3),228-246.Ozga, J. (1995): Deskilling a Profession: Professionalism,Deprofessionalisation and the New Managerialism. In: Busher, H. Busher;Saran, R. (eds.):Managing Teachers as Professionals in Schools. London:Kogan Page, 21-38.Bottery, M.; Wright, N. (2000): Teachers and the State: towards adirected profession. London, Routledge.Johnson, S.M. (1990): Teachers at work. New York: Basic Books. Hargreaves, A. ; Goodson, I. (1996): Teachers' Professional Lives:Aspirations and Actualities. In: Goodson, I. ; Hargreaves, A. (eds.):Teachers' Professional Lives. London: Falmer Press, 1-27.Hirst, Paul H. (1982): Professional Authority: Its Foundation andLimits. British Journal of Educational Studies. XXX, 2, 172-182.Hoyle, Eric. (1975): Professionality, Professionalism and Control inTeaching. Houghton: McHugh.Hoyle, E.; John, P.D. (1995): The idea of a profession. In: Hoyle,E.; John, P.D. (eds.): Professional Knowledge and Professional Practice.London: Cassell, 1-15.Hoyle, Eric. (1982). The Professionalization of Teachers: A Paradox.British Journal of Educational Studies, XXX, 2, 161-171.Georg Simmel (1892): Einleitung in die Moralwissenschaft. EineKritik der ethischen Grundbegriffe. Cotta's Nachfolger: Stuttgart.Locke, T. (2001a) Curriculum, assessment and the erosion ofprofessionalism. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 36(1), 5-23.Locke, T. (2001b) Questions of professionalism: erosion andreclamation. Change: Transformations in Education, 4(2), 30-50.Locke, T. (2004a) Reshaping classical professionalism in theaftermath of neo-liberal reform. English in Australia, 139, 113-121.Paul, E. F.; Miller, F. D.; Paul J. (eds.)(1993): Altruism.Cambridge: Camridge University Hjort, Peter F. (1998): Altruism, society, and health care. In:Nordgren, A.; Westrin, C.-G. (eds.): Altruism, society, health care.Uppsala: Uppsala Univ. Library, (Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis : Studies inbioethics and research ethics ; 3), 79-88.

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Locke, T.; Vulliamy, G.; Webb, R.; Hill, M. (2005): Being a'professional' primary school teacher at the beginning of the 21st century:a comparative analysis of primary teacher professionalism in New Zealand andEngland. Journal of Education Policy, 20, No. 5, pp. 555-581Rognstad, May-Karin; Aasland, Olaf; Granum, Vigdis: How do nursingstudents regard their future career? Career preferences in the post-modernsociety. In: Nurse Education Today (2004) 24, 493-500Werler, T.; Birkeland N.-R. (2007): When Education becomes health:Is there a competition between education and health? Peter Lang: NewYork/Hamburg (in print)

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Proposal P581 - "Exploring Scienceteachers' orientations towards teaching and learning of science"

principal author : Mr Nasser Mansour.email address: n.mansour@ex.ac.uk

abstract:

Research has identified a variety of strategies that teachers claim they usein the classroom. However, knowledge about factors that may influence their preferences of using these strategies is scarce. Teacher orientation and the sources of forming it have been related to teacher practices, and these two phenomena could be expected to influence teachers' decision concerning using strategies on the classroom. Therefore, it was important to explore the nature of science teacher orientation and the sources that shape this orientation and how we can help these teachers to change their traditional teaching orientation or to enact the progressive science teaching orientation.

Research Questions

This study of science teaching orientations focuses on the following tworesearch questions:

1. What are the science teaching orientations held by science teachers?2. What are the teachers' observed practices in the classroom? How do they align with their teaching orientation? 3. What are the sources of the science teaching orientations held by science teachers?4. What are the factors that influence teachers' preferences for instructionalactivities?

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:An explanatory mixed method research design combining quantitative andqualitative data was used to (a) understand participants' instructionalpreferences and their science teaching orientation, (b) explain thepotential relationship between science teaching orientation andinstructional preferences, and (c) explore potential contributing factorsfor constructivist or traditional science teaching orientation andinstructional preferences. The purpose of the mixed method design was tomerge both qualitative and quantitative data and use each data collectionmethod to cancel out the weakness of the other data collection method.Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the science teachingorientations using an inductive approach, allowing categories to emerge from data collected from the participants.

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Random selection of teachers participating in this study followed theirstratification into two groups based on their science teaching orientationsto reading instruction, as demonstrated by their scores on science teacherteaching orientation questionnaire (STTO). The groups were: Teachers with traditional orientations, and teachers with constructivist orientations. Multiple data sources were used in this study. Science teachers' teachingorientations were measured by STTO and semi structured interviews. Theteachers' practices were established through classroom observations with the aid of a Teacher Practices Observation Record (TPOR) and field notes from classroom observations.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:The findings of the study indicated that Science teachers have a low degree of orientation toward constructivist -based science instructions and most of the teachers oriented toward traditional-based science instructions. Furthermore, quantitative results also indicated that teachers' views about teaching /learning science (students' interests, students' needs, students' roles, and teachers' roles) accounted for teachers' orientation toward either constructivist-based instruction or orientation toward traditional-based instruction.  Furthermore,  some external constraints (for example; time constraints, overloaded Curriculum, overcrowded classrooms, and difficulty in large-group management might explain these classroom teachers' low degree of orientation toward constructivist- based science.Moreover, learners and learning were major sources of their teachingorientations. Also, in this study, a connection was seen between theparticipants' teaching orientations and their choice of instructionalactivities.

References (including own publications):Calderhead, J. (1996). Teachers: Beliefs and knowledge. In D. Berliner & R.Calfee (Eds.), Handbook of educational psychology, (pp. 708-725). New York: Macmillan.Cornbleth, C. (2001). Climates of constraint/restraint of teachers andteaching. In W. B. Stanley (Ed.), Critical issues in social studies researchfor the 21st century. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.Creswell, J.W. (1994). Research design: Qualitative and quantitativeapproaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Creswell, J.W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosingamong the five traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Cronin, Jones (1991). Science teacher beliefs and their influence oncurriculum implementation: Two case studies. Journal of Research in ScienceTeaching, 28 (3), 235-250.Fang, Z. (1996). A review of research on teacher beliefs and practices.Educational Research, 38(1), 47-64.

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Friedrichsen, P. & Dana, T. (2005) Substantive-Level Theory of highlyregarded secondary biology teachers' science teaching orientations. Journalof Research in Science Teaching, 42 (2), 218-244. Hamilton, M., & Richardson, V. (1995). Effects of the culture in two schoolson the process and outcomes of staff development. Elementary School Journal,95(4), 367-385.Lumpe, A. T., Haney, J. J., & Czerniak, C. M. (1998). Science teacherbeliefs and intentions to implement science-technology-society (STS) in theclassroom, Journal of Science Teacher Education, 9(1), 1-24.Nespor, J. (1987). The role of beliefs in the practice of teaching. Journalof Curriculum Studies, 19(4), 317-328.Olson, J. K. (1988). School world/micro-worlds: Computers and culture of theschool. England: Pergamon.Rydell, A. & Henricsson, L. (2004). Elementary school teachers' strategiesto handle externalizing classroom behavior: A study of relations betweenperceived control, teacher orientation and strategy preferences,Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 45, 93-102.Shumba, O. (1999). Relationship between Secondary Science Teachers'Orientation to Traditional Culture and Beliefs Concerning ScienceInstructional Ideology. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 36 (3),333-355. Volkmann, M., Abell, S. & Zgagaxz, M. (2005). The challenges of teachingphysics to preservice elementary teachers: orientations of the professor,teaching assistant, and students. Science Education, 36 (3), 847-869.

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