Contemporary Teacher Education

Co-Published with the Association For Science Teacher Education. Reflecting recent policy and standards initiatives, emerging research agendas, and key innovations, this volume provides a contemporary overview of important developments and issues that have that have in recent years shaped elementary science education pre-service courses and professional development, and practices that are shaping future directions in the field. Contributors from several countries who are actively engaged in research and design in elementary science education address: *Conceptual issues which impinge on contemporary science teacher education; *Intersections of content, pedagogy, and practice; and *Professional development as a contextualized practice. Elementary Science Teacher Education: International Perspectives on Contemporary Issues and Practice offers a clear picture of the current state of the field and directions for the future--to the benefit of elementary science teacher educators, aspiring teacher educators, school policy makers, other professionals involved in science education and, ultimately, the millions of elementary school children who will gain from improved practice.

As with most dynamic activities that are based on social and cultural contexts and rely on interactions, education is a complex and often ambiguous endeavor. Despite this complexity, scholars and educators are often required to find ways of defining and explaining what "good" teaching is and to incorporate these conclusions into teacher education. This book contains eight scholarly articles from various countries around the world and offers unique and up-to-date perspectives on relevant practices and pedagogies for teachers' professional education and development. In this international book, it is argued that there is a significant inspiration and enrichment to be gained by investigating the policies and practices of teacher education systems from all over the world.

Educational technologies have revolutionized the learning and teaching environments. Offline/online applications and social media have changed the conventional learning and teaching habits and competencies. In terms of learners, it has been empirically proven that the use of educational technologies in the classroom make learning easier and more enjoyable. On the other hand, it also poses threats to students such as cyberbullying and online addiction. While exploiting the opportunities of technological use in the classroom, educators must also remain vigilant and formulate ways to overcome the challenges and risks brought by technology. Enriching Teaching and Learning Environments With Contemporary Technologies is an essential research publication that aims to present exemplary practices of technology use and their management in pedagogical purposes in learning and teaching environments. The book also analyzes problems that may arise and develops policies on educational technologies and the exploitation of technology with pedagogical purposes as part of the discussion to solve these challenges. Featuring a wide range of topics such as augmented reality, mass media, and religious education, this book is ideal for educators who want to use technology in class, educational administrators who have responsibilities for developing policies on educational technologies and managing the use of them, and researchers who want to carry out a deep investigation into the subject. Additionally, educational software developers, academicians, instructional designers, curriculum developers, education professionals, and students will also benefit from the research contained within the book.

Opportunities and Challenges in Teacher Recruitment and Retention serves as a comprehensive resource for understanding teachers’ careers across the professional lifespan. Grounded in the notion that teachers’ voices are essential for understanding teachers’ lives, this edited volume contains chapters that privilege the voices of teachers above all. Book sections look closely at the particular issues that arise when recruiting an effective, committed, and diverse workforce, as well as the challenges that arise once teachers are immersed in the classroom setting. Promising directions are also included for particularly high-need areas such as early childhood teachers, Black male teachers, STEM teachers, and urban teachers. The book concludes with a call for self-care in teachers’ lives. Chapter contributions come from a variety of contexts across the United States and around the world. However, regardless of context or methodology, these chapters point to the importance of valuing and respecting teachers’ lives and work. Moreover, they demonstrate that teacher recruitment and retention is a complex and multifaceted issue that cannot be addressed through simplistic policy changes. Rather, attending to and appreciating the web of influences on teachers lives and careers is the only way to support their work and the impact they have on our next generation of students.

The research in this Special Issue is an international collection of studies focusing on the current challenges and possibilities in teacher education. The contributors examine teacher education with theoretical and empirical approaches including both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The studies demonstrate that future teachers need high-level ethical and pedagogical skills to cope with the new challenges in education. With a research-based and holistic approach, we can educate good teachers for tomorrow's schools. Contributors to this collection of eleven articles reflect global issues in teacher education originating from Australia, Estonia, Finland, England, Portugal, and Sweden.

The research in this Special Issue is an international collection of studies focusing on the current challenges and possibilities in teacher education. The contributors examine teacher education with theoretical and empirical approaches including both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The studies demonstrate that future teachers need high-level ethical and pedagogical skills to cope with the new challenges in education. With a research-based and holistic approach, we can educate good teachers for tomorrow's schools. Contributors to this collection of eleven articles reflect global issues in teacher education originating from Australia, Estonia, Finland, England, Portugal, and Sweden.

This book focuses on current trends, potential challenges and further developments of teacher education and professional development from a theoretical, empirical and practical point of view. It intends to provide valuable and fresh insights from research studies and examples of best practices from Europe and all over the world. The authors deal with the strengths and limitations of different models, strategies, approaches and policies related to teacher education and professional development in and for changing times (digitization, multiculturalism, pressure to perform).

Contemporary Issues in Learning and Teaching looks at current issues across the three key areas of policy, learning and practice. It will help you to think critically on your Education course, and to make connections between the processes of learning and the practicalities of teaching. The book addresses key issues in primary, secondary and special education, and includes examples from all four countries of the UK. The contributors reflect on current thinking and policy surrounding learning and teaching, and what it means to be a teacher today. Looking at the practice of teaching in a wider context allows you to explore some of the issues you will face, and the evolving expectations of your role in a policy-led environment. The book focuses on core areas of debate including: - education across different contexts and settings - teaching in an inclusive environment - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for practitioners Each chapter follows the same accessible format. They contain case studies and vignettes providing examples and scenarios for discussion; introduction and summary boxes listing key issues and concepts explored in the chapter; key questions for discussion reflection; and further reading. This essential text will be ideal for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including BEd/BA degrees, initial teacher-training courses, and Masters in Education programmes. All editors and contributors are based in the Faculty of Education at Glasgow University, UK.

In the face of unprecedented disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid acceleration of digital technologies, it is necessary to rethink the competences required by teachers for meeting new and flexible learning demands. Teacher training is an area constantly evolving along with emerging social challenges that are transforming educational institutions and agents. This book provides teachers with skills, innovative solutions, cutting-edge studies, and methodologies to meet education and training system demands. In our changing world, preparing teachers worldwide for the challenges and shifts of this era involves the opportunity to exchange theories, practices, and experiences such as those contained in this book.

The field of education has been and will continue to be essential to the survival and sustainability of the Black community. Unfortunately, over the past five decades, two major trends have become clearly evident in the Black community: (a) the decline of the academic achievement levels of Black students and (b) the disappearance of Black teachers, particularly Black males. Today, of the 3.5 million teachers in America’s classrooms (AACTE, 2010) only 8% are Black teachers, and approximately 2% of these teachers are Black males (NCES, 2010). Over the past few decades, the Black teaching force in the U.S. has dropped significantly (Lewis, 2006; Lewis, Bonner, Byrd, & James, 2008; Milner & Howard, 2004), and this educational crisis shows no signs of ending in the near future. As the population of Black students in K-12 schools in the U. S. continue to rise—currently over 16% of students in America’s schools are Black (NCES, 2010)—there is an urgent need to increase the presence of Black educators. The overall purpose of this edited volume is to stimulate thought and discussion among diverse audiences (e.g., policymakers, practitioners, and educational researchers) who are concerned about the performance of Black students in our nation’s schools, and to provide evidence-based strategies to expand our nation’s pool of Black teachers. To this end, it is our hope that this book will contribute to the teacher education literature and will inform the teacher education policy and practice debate.