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An introduction to articles in the issue is presented on topics including adaptive, socio-emotional and metacognitive competences, a holistic framework for teaching in the digital era in terms of teachers' career perspectives, and a study of teacher professional development programme.

The article discusses six papers that deal with issues ranging from the attitudes of beginning teaching students to work in the context of continuing professional development with experienced practitioners. It also demonstrate the range of methodologies which can be applied to studies in teacher education and provide ideas and results from a number of different national and cultural perspectives. The paper examines reasons given by trainee teachers in England for their entry to courses of training and their perceptions of what teaching and learning about teaching is likely to involve.

The study reported on in this paper is set in the context of a national programme of professional development for primary teachers in the Republic of Ireland which has been in operation since 1999 and finished in 2008. The paper explores the acquisition and interpretation by teachers of the elements of the reform. The authors consider the extent to which the professional development experiences facilitated change in teachers' knowledge and if the teachers interpreted this in the way expected by policy-makers. The theoretical basis to the study draws on previous research that conceptualises teacher learning/knowledge acquisition and the change process as being dependant on an interwoven mix of factors, including teacher, school and policy-level contexts and characteristics. To a large degree the findings of this study do not deviate wildly from this prior work, which suggests that policy-makers and planners of CPD programmes, despite their best intentions, still need to be cognisant of such factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine teachers perceptions of the effectiveness of training for teachers who work in ‘full‐day’ schools in the professional development of teachers and the implications for education policy. Through an empirical investigation this paper points out that recent education reforms regarding in‐service teacher training cannot be considered as the most important positive influence on teachers' progression and consequently on meeting the learning needs of pupils in full‐day schools. The lack of encouragement and motivation offered by the Greek school administration is linked to the unwillingness of Greek school teachers to participate in in‐service training. As a result of the latter, there are teachers in full‐day schools offering extra curricula activity who are without the appropriate knowledge and the skill of reflection, teachers who have not developed the qualifications to teach effectively. Thus, it is evident that teacher in‐service training in Greece needs careful reconsideration by the Ministry of Education. All schools (all types) should have appropriately‐trained teaching staff and teachers that adjust more easily to the social, technological and academic changes that naturally occur in the school environment.L'objectif de cette étude est d'examiner les perceptions des instituteurs au sujet de l'efficacité de la formation reçue par les instituteurs travaillant dans les écoles à horaire élargi sur leur développement professionnel ainsi que sur la politique éducative. Basée sur une approche expérimentale, cette étude constate que les reformes éducatives récentes concernant la formation des instituteurs lors de leur horaire de travail ne saurait avoir un impact positif et considérable sur leur progrès ni les aider à répondre aux besoins éducatifs des élèves des écoles horaire élargi. Le manque d'encouragement et de motivation de la part de l'administration scolaire grecque est étroitement lié aux réticences des instituteurs grecs de suivre une formation supplémentaire après leur nomination. Par conséquent, il y a des instituteurs dans les écoles à horaire élargi chargés d'animer des activités hors programme sans posséder ni les connaissances nécessaires ni la compétence de transmission, à savoir des instituteurs complètement démunis de toute aptitude qui leur permettrait d'enseigner efficacement. Il est donc bien évident que la formation des instituteurs en Grèce, après leur nomination, nécessite une réforme adéquate de la part du Ministère de l'Education. Chaque école, indépendamment de sa catégorie devrait être équipée d'un personnel formé et les instituteurs devraient s'adapter plus facilement aux changements sociaux, technologiques et académiques advenant dans le milieu scolaire.El objetivo de este artículo es analizar las percepciones de los profesores sobre la efectividad que tienen los cursos de formación para profesores en activo en colegios de día completo, en su desarrollo profesional, así como sobre sus implicaciones en la política de educación. A través de un estudio experimental, este artículo pone de relevancia que las recientes reformas de la educación relacionadas con los cursos de formacion de profesores en activo no se consideran como la influencia positiva mas importante en la progresión de dichos profesores y por consiguiente en la consecución de las necesidades educativas de los estudiantes en los colegios de día completo. La falta de estímulo y motivación por parte de la administración escolar de Grecia está relacionada con la reticencia de los profesores de educación primaria de Grecia a someterse durante su servicio a cursos de formación. Como consecuencia de esto último, existen profesores en los colegios de día completo que ofrecen actividades extra‐curriculares sin los conocimientos necesarios y los reflejos adecuados, profesores que no han desarrollado las cualificaciones necesarias para enseñar con eficacia. Por lo tanto, es evidente que el Ministerio de Educación griego debe reconsiderar minuciosamente los cursos para profesores en activo. Todos los colegios (todos los tipos de colegios) deben de disponer en su plantilla de profesores con una formación adecuada y que sepan adaptarse con mayor facilidad a los cambios sociales, tecnológicos y académicos que ocurren de forma natural en el ambiente escolar.Zweck dieser Studie ist die Nachforschung der Ansicht von Lehrern über die Wirksamkeit der Weiterbildung von Lehrern, die speziell in Ganztagschulen tätig sind, sowie ihre Berufsentwicklung und die Konsequenzen auf die allgemeine Ausbildungspolitik. Wie es mittels empirischer Annäherung gezeigt wird, es könne nicht angenommen werden, dass die letzten Reformen im Bereich der Weiterbildung von Lehrern während ihrer Tätigkeit, ihren Fortschritt, und demnach ihre Anpassung auf die Ausbildungsbeduerfnisse der Schüler von Ganztagsschulen, positiv und bedeudent beeinflussen. Der Mangel an Motivation von der Seite der Griechischen Schulverwaltung wird verbunden mit der Abgeneigtheit der Griechischen Lehrer, sich nach ihrer Einstellung weiterzubilden. Das hat wiederrum als Folge, dass es in Ganztagsschulen Lehrer gibt, die für Aktivitäten ausserhalb des dienstlichen Ausbildungsplans zuständig sind, und die über die notwendigen Kenntnisse und die Fähigkeit der U˝bertragbarkeit nicht verfügen, also Lehrer mit unzureichenden Qualifikation, die nicht effektiv lehren können. Folglich, es ist Tatsache, dass in Griechenland die Weiterbildung der Lehrer nach ihrer Einstellung, sorgfältige U˝berprüfung von der Seite des Ausbildungsministeriums bedarf. Alle Schultypen sollten über das geignet ausgebildete Personal verfügen, und die Lehrer sollten sich den gesellschaftlichen, technologischen und akademischen Änderungen, die naturgemäss im Schulbereich auftreten könnten, leichter anpassen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article looks at the non-tenure-line instructors in a teacher education programme. Although they play a crucial role in teacher education, they largely toil in the shadows. They have limited voice in programme decisions, are offered little or no induction, and often work in isolation. The high turnover in staff and their heavy teaching and supervision loads make it difficult to begin to develop a pedagogy of teacher education. We offer suggestions about how these instructors might be provided with induction, professional development, and other forms of support. These include supporting them with funds for professional development, including them on research teams, and providing opportunities for tenure-line and non-tenure-line faculty to socialise and work together. Cet article examine sur les instructeurs non-permanents dans un programme d'éducation d'enseignant. Bien qu'ils jouent un rôle crucial dans l'éducation d'enseignant, ils peinent grandement dans les ténèbres. Ils ont une voix limitée dans les décisions de programme, sont offerts presque pas d'induction et travaillent souvent dans l'isolement. Le haut chiffre de retour dans le personnel et leurs lourdes charges de supervision et d'enseignement rendent difficile de commencer à développer une pédagogie d'éducation d'enseignant. Nous offrons des suggestions sur comment ces professeurs pourraient être fournis avec l'induction, le développement professionnel et d'autres formes de soutien. Ceux-ci incluent qu'on doit les soutenir avec les fonds pour le développement professionnel, les inclure dans les équipes de recherche, et fournir des opportunités à la faculté permanente et non-permanente pour socialiser et collaborer. Dieser Artikel beschäftigt sich mit der Situation der nicht fest angestellten ('non-tenure-line') Lehrbeauftragten in der Lehrerausbildung. Obwohl diese eine Schlüsselrolle in der Lehrerausbildung spielen, wird ihre Arbeit weitgehend unterschätzt, denn sie haben wenig Mitspracherecht bei Entscheidungen über das Ausbildungsprogramm, werden kaum eingeführt und arbeiten oft isoliert. Die daraus resultierende hohe Fluktuationsrate unter diesen Lehrbeauftragten und ihre sehr großen Lehr- und Supervisionspensen erschweren die Entwicklung einer Pädagogik für die Lehrerausbildung. In diesem Beitrag machen wir Vorschläge darüber, wie man diesen Lehrbeauftragten eine Einführung, professionelle Entwicklung und weitere Unterstützung anbieten könnte. Dies verlangt finanzielle Mittel für die professionelle Entwicklung, außerdem den Einbezug in die Forschung und die Gelegenheit, mit anderen Dozierenden zu arbeiten und Erfahrungen auszutauschen. Este artículo se centra en el profesorado que no es titular en los programas de la Formación del Profesorado. Aunque ellos juegan un papel importante en la formación del profesorado, normalmente se encuentran en la sombra. Su voz está limitada por lo que se refiere a la decisiones en los programas, se les ofrece poca o ninguna inducción y, amenudo trabajan de manera aislada. El constante cambio en la plantillas junto con la dedicación tanto en la supervisión como en la ensenañanza hace que dificulte el empezar a desarollar una pedagogía de la formación del profesorado. En este sentido, ofrecemos sugerencias sobre cómo este profesorado puede alcanzar con inducción, formación del profesorado, y otras maneras de apoyo. Estas incluyen el apoyarlos con financiación para la formación del profesorado, incluyéndolos en equipos de investigación, y aportándoles oportunidades tanto para los titulares como para los que estan en proceso para socializar y trabajar conjuntamente. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an attempt to build a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of the complexity, dynamics and idiosyncrasies involved in becoming a teacher, this study focussed on the experiences of 295 student teachers. Their feelings, cognitions and perceptions regarding teaching practice were analysed using the short version of the Inventory of Experiences and Perceptions of the Teaching Practice. Results emphasise some of the difficulties experienced during this period (e.g., stress, sense of weariness and ‘vulnerability’), as well the positive perceptions of these student teachers regarding their growing knowledge and skilfulness, as well as their sense of efficacy, flexibility and spontaneity in their performance and interactions. Their perception of their accomplishments in achieving reasonable levels of acceptance and recognition within the school community and their positive evaluation of the guidance and support provided by their supervisors are also emphasised. Differences were found – in terms of gender and graduate course background – in the way these student teachers experienced some aspects of teaching practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite preliminary findings that preparing teachers for rural positions is of great importance in Turkey’s conditions, little has been reported regarding the measures that need to be addressed in order to effectively prepare teachers for remote areas. In response to this gap, the present study aimed to provide some preliminary views about the expectations of pre-service teachers in relation to rural teaching from a qualitative research paradigm. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire from 115 senior pre-service teachers in a large Turkish university. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that participants had polarised views about the issue. While some of them viewed the experience positively, others highlighted the potential challenges. Pre-service teachers’ vague and dichotomous images concerning rural teaching suggested that they had some preconceptions formed through media representations or word of mouth. Implications for teacher education and professional development, along with directions for future research were included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on student teachers' perceptions of their professional identity. The respondents are students enrolled in a three-year course in secondary education teaching at bachelor level. Questionnaires were filled out by first-year, second-year and third-year students from two colleges. The questionnaire included four scales: commitment to teaching, professional orientation, task orientation and self-efficacy. In the first five months of the first-year course, a shift in students' task orientation was observed: students developed a more pupil-centred view on teaching. Practical experience with classroom teaching again caused a shift: students focused less on the subject matter, on maintaining order in the classroom, on the long-term educational qualification targets and self-efficacy decreased. Students with work placement experience developed a more 'realistic' view of learning and teaching compared to students without this experience. A final important difference in professional identity is based on students' gender: while male students tend to attach more importance to discipline in the classroom, their female counterparts focus more on student involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking as reference the proposals of the European Higher Education Area, the aim of this study is to identify the competencies which a wide sample of teachers in Spanish primary schools (6-12 age group) consider to be important for their professional performance and which they use in their everyday teaching, and to what extent their university training prepared them for their practising professional development. To do this, an ad hoc instrument was devised and applied to experienced practising teachers and to teacher trainees who were on teacher training placements during the last semester of their course. The results of the study show that initial teacher training should deal in depth with the competencies related to the organisation and management of teaching-learning, the use of new technologies in the primary classroom, the involvement of the families, education in values, social skills and skills for working in professional groups. Finally, proposals are made for training based on the articulation between theory and practice, to allow the professional competencies mentioned to be developed and used in practice, as well as encouraging close collaboration between teacher trainers and experienced practising teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary science education is a concern around the world and quality mentoring within schools can develop pre-service teachers' practices. A five-factor model for mentoring has been identified, namely, personal attributes, system requirements, pedagogical knowledge, modelling, and feedback. Final-year pre-service teachers (mentees, n = 211) from three Turkish universities were administered a previously validated instrument to gather perceptions of their mentoring in primary science teaching. ANOVA indicated that each of these five factors was statistically significant (p<.001) with mean scale scores ranging from 3.36 to 4.12. Although mentees perceived their mentors to provide evaluation feedback (95%), model classroom management (88%), guide their preparation (96%), and outline the science curriculum (92%), the majority of mentors were perceived not to assist their mentees in 10 of the 34 survey items. Professional development programmes that target the specific needs of these mentors may further enhance mentoring practices for advancing primary science teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines teacher educators' attitudes to standardised student feedback on the quality of their teaching in a teacher education college in Israel. It is part of a comprehensive study initiated by the management of the institution, and the focus in this writing is on teacher educators' attitudes to student feedback: the way they perceive students relating to the feedback, and the extent to which feedback is used for professional growth. Our findings suggest there is acceptance of feedback as part of students' democratic rights (entitlement). However, differences were found between the analyses of the quantitative and qualitative data. Teacher educators were much more critical when expressing their attitudes freely. Moreover, professional development based on the feedback seems to be carried out mainly in isolation. We suggest that teacher education institutions should develop supportive professional development centres in which teacher educators can be helped to view the feedback as a 'feed-forward' tool, necessary for engaging students in purposeful professional development activities. Cette communication examine l'attitude... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to provide guidance to policy-makers about the standards that might be appropriate for accrediting teacher education programmes. The study was commissioned by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), a statutory body established in 2001 by the Victorian state government with responsibility for the registration (licensing) of teachers and the accreditation of teacher education programmes. The study investigated the characteristics of effective initial teacher education programmes, as reported by teachers who have just finished their first year of teaching. A survey instrument was distributed in 2004 to all registered teachers who had graduated from their teacher education programme in 2002, taught in 2003 and were now one month into their second year of teaching in 2004. In total, 1147 teachers returned completed questionnaires, from all universities in the state. Teachers who reported that they were well prepared to meet the demands of their first year of teaching were more likely to have completed courses that gave them deep knowledge of the content they were expected to teach, and how students learned that content, as well as skill in: diagnosing students' existing levels of understanding of the content; planning activities that would promote further development of understanding; and assessing the extent to which development had taken place... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the effects of four electronic portfolio curricula on pre‐service and beginning teachers' self‐ratings of their professional development ( n = 207), using a 34 item electronic Portfolio Assessment Scale (ePAS). Three formative portfolios, A, C and D, had teacher development as a primary objective and used participants' narrative reflections on students over a 2–3 month period. One summative portfolio, B, assessed teacher accountability through participants' analyses of professional teaching standards concerning students during 1–2 week teaching units. Factor analyses of the ePAS assessments for each portfolio and all four combined yielded the same five factors concerning professional outcomes: overall teacher development, including reflective skill (F1), an understanding of assessment roles (F2), an understanding of backwards planning (F3), the benefit of analyzing student work (F4) and the benefit of teacher peer collaboration (F5). For F1, F3 and F5 the means of the formative portfolios A, C and D were significantly higher than those of portfolio B. No differences were found among the portfolios concerning the benefits of analyzing student work (F4). The researchers concluded that formative portfolios that focused on teacher development better supported professional outcomes than did the summative accountability portfolio. It was concluded that portfolios should not be used for the summative accountability of teachers. Dans cette étude nous avons comparé les effets de quatre programmes scolaires à portefeuille électronique sur les autocritiques que des enseignants débutants ont faites de leur développement professionnel ( n = 207). Nous nous sommes servis d'une échelle d'évaluation à portefeuille électronique de 34 points (ePAS). L'objectif principal des trois portefeuilles formatifs A, B et D était le développement de l'enseignant. Pour y parvenir nous avons employé des réflexions narratives sur les élèves pendant une période de deux à trois mois. A travers un portefeuille sommaire, B, nous avons évalué la responsabilité des enseignants au moyen des analyses que les participants ont faites des normes de l'enseignement professionnel des unités d'apprentissage d'une à deux semaines. Nous avons conclu que les portefeuilles formatifs qui se concentraient sur le développement des enseignants ont mieux soutenu le rendement professionnel des jeunes enseignants. Este estudio compara los efectos de cuatro portafolios electrónicos curriculares sobre las auto evaluaciones de profesores antes de que comiencen a ejercitar la enseñanza y de profesores que inician su desarrollo profesional ( n = 207), utilizando 34 ítemes de la escala de Portfolio Assessment (Valorización de Portafolios) (ePAS). Tres portafolios formativos, A, C y D, tienen como objetivo principal el desarrollo de la enseñanza usando las reflexiones por escrito de los participantes sobre estudiantes en un período de dos a tres meses. En un portafolio de síntesis, B, se valora la responsabilidad de los profesores. Durante una unidad educacional de una a dos semanas, los participantes evalúan métodos de enseñanza y, a través de este análisis, valoran la responsabilidad de los profesores. Se concluye que los portafolios formativos que se enfocan en el desarrollo de la enseñanza facilitan de mejor manera el resultado del desarrollo de los profesionales jóvenes. Diese Arbeit vergleicht die Wirkungen von vier Lehrplänen im Bereich elektronischer Portfeuilles auf die beruflichen Selbstbewertungen von werdenden und neueingetretenen Lehrkräften. Verwendet wird ein elektronisches Portfeuillewertungssystem (ePAWS) von 34 Punkten. Die Entwicklung der Lehrer ist die primäre Absicht von drei formativen Portfeuilles, A, C und D, in denen die Teilnehmer ihre Selbstbeobachtungen über zwei bis drei Wochen aufgeschrieben haben. Die Verantwortlichkeit von Lehren wird in einem zusammenfassenden Portfeuille B eingesschätzt, durch eine Beurteilung von lehrberuflichen Maßstaben der Teilnehmer in Bezug auf Studenten im Verlauf einer ein‐ bis zweiwöchigen Lehreinheit. Bewiesen wurde, daß die formativen Portefeuilles, die sich auf Lehrentwicklung konzentrierten, die Weiterentfaltung von neueingestiegenen Lehrkräften besser fördern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]