Are Future School Teachers Qualified to Teach Flood Risk? An Approach from the Geography Discipline in the Context of Climate Change

The aims of this research, based on a case study (trainee teachers of Primary degree and Secondary Education–MAES of the University of Valencia, Spain), are to analyse the students’ memories and perceptions of their training about floods; to examine the interest in teaching these contents in Social Science and/or Geography classes; and to analyse their proposals to improve teacher training. Methodologically, a questionnaire was distributed among 204 future teachers. The results indicate that the majority, in both groups, (degree and MAES) consider themselves to have a medium level of preparedness to teach these contents to schoolchildren (value of 3): 47.0% of the degree students and 47.4% of the MAES students. In both groups, the majority (89.2% degree; 57.9% MAES) indicate that they had not received training in the university or if they had, it had been insufficient. The study reveals that both those who have received training and those who have not believe themselves to have a similar level of preparedness. As the results of this study show, there is still a lot of ground to be covered in the field of education so that it may become an essential tool to generate a society that is more resilient to climate change.

Inspiring or confusing – a study of Finnish 1–6 teachers’ relation to teaching programming

There is limited research on teaching and learning of programming in primary school and even less about aspects concerning teaching programming from teachers’ viewpoint. In this study, we explore how Finnish 1-6 primary school teachers (N=91), teaching at schools with Swedish as the language of instruction, relate to programming and teaching of programming, one year after the introduction of the new national curriculum that included programming. The teachers’ relation to programming is studied by analyzing their view on programming, perceived preparedness to teach programming and their attitudes towards teaching programming. The main results of the present study are that the responding teachers approach programming in school with mixed emotions, but the majority claim to have sufficient preparedness to teach programming, and many of them have a positive attitude towards the subject. The findings indicate that the most important factor for high perceived preparedness and positive attitude is sufficient domain knowledge. The teachers’ views on programming are very diverse, ranging from focusing only on the connection to elementary step-by-step thinking to more sophisticated reasoning connecting to central aspects of computational thinking and other educational outcomes. The findings suggest that there is a need for educational efforts to make the connection between mathematical content and programming more visible for primary school teachers.

NephroTalk Multimodal Conservative Care Curriculum for Nephrology Fellows

Conservative care, a comprehensive treatment path for advanced kidney disease most suitable for individuals unlikely to benefit from dialysis, is underutilized in the United States. One reason is an absence of robust education about this approach and how to discuss it with potential candidates. To address this need, we developed a multimodal conservative care curriculum for nephrology fellows. This curriculum consists of four online modules that address essential concepts and communication skills related to conservative care. It is followed by an in-person, interactive, “flipped classroom” session facilitated by designated nephrology educators at participating Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education nephrology training programs. Curriculum effect was assessed using surveys completed by participating fellows immediately before and following the curriculum and for participating nephrology educators following flipped classroom teaching; 148 nephrology trainees from 19 programs participated, with 108 completing both pre- and postcurriculum surveys. Mean self-reported preparedness (measured on a five-point Likert scale) increased significantly for all ten concepts taught in the curriculum. The mean correct score on eight knowledge questions increased from 69% to 82% following the curriculum (P<0.001). Fellows rated the curriculum highly and reported that they plan to practice skills learned. For the 19 nephrology program educators, the mean perceived preparedness to teach all curriculum domains increased after, compared with before, facilitating the flipped classroom, reaching significance for seven of the ten concepts measured. Data suggest that fellows' participation in a multimodal curriculum increased knowledge and preparation for fundamental conservative care concepts and communication skills. Fellows rated the curriculum highly. Educator participation appears to have increased preparedness for teaching the curriculum concepts, making it likely that future education in conservative care will become more widespread. Herein, we describe the curriculum content, which we have made publicly available in order to encourage broader implementation, and its effect on participating fellows and the nephrology educators who facilitated it.

Exploring Teachers’ Readiness to Teach Purposive Communication

This paper addresses the issues concerning teachers’ preparedness to teach purposive communication and how do they prepare in teaching the course. In order to come up with the needed data, the researcher made use of the explanatory-sequential design. A questionnaire was administered to the respondents and recorded interviews were conducted. Data revealed that in terms of teaching competencies, teaching strategies and instructional materials, the teachers were “very well ready” in teaching Purposive Communication. The responses of the teachers during the interview confirmed the initial results stating that teacher training and retooling, curriculum reform and realignment, teacher preparation and use of varied classroom pedagogies made them prepared to handle this new course. On the contrary, their responses also revealed that there were issues, problems and concerns governing the implementation of this course like the availability of technological devices and sequencing of subject matter.

Early childhood fieldwork for music education majors

Fieldwork experiences for undergraduate music education majors provide opportunities to gain pedagogical content knowledge as well as a deeper understanding of child development and musical behaviour. Early childhood music fieldwork experiences are vital to preservice music educators in order to gain insight into the specific needs of young learners and increase preparedness to teach in a variety of musical settings. Critical examination of the fieldwork opportunities provided to undergraduate music education majors in the early childhood music setting could benefit all preservice music educators. This article will describe one early childhood fieldwork placement and its impacts on the preparation of three undergraduate music education majors. Implications related to the importance of early childhood music education fieldwork experiences for preservice music educators are discussed.

Improving Preservice Teachers’ Feelings of Preparedness to Teach Through Recruitment of Instructionally Effective and Experienced Cooperating Teachers: A Randomized Experiment

New studies show that the instructional effectiveness of preservice candidates and their cooperating teachers are positively related. However, we neither know if these relationships are causal nor, assuming they are, if it is possible to significantly increase the instructional effectiveness of the cooperating teacher pool. In this study, we randomly assign districts to receive recommendation lists (generated using administrative data) for the recruitment of more promising cooperating teachers. Districts receiving lists recruited significantly more effective/experienced cooperating teachers, while candidates placed in these districts felt significantly better prepared to teach. As a result, this study offers an innovative, low-cost strategy for recruiting effective/experienced cooperating teachers and presents the first causal estimates that more effective/experienced cooperating teachers improve candidates’ preparedness to teach.

Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Preparedness to Teach Students With Severe Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms: A Saudi Arabian Perspective

Successful inclusive education for students with severe disabilities (SD) relies on the preparedness of their teachers. This descriptive study investigated special education teachers’ perceptions of their preparedness to teach students with SD in inclusive educational settings. A survey was sent to 382 teachers of such students. In general, findings indicate that participants were confident that they were prepared to teach students with SD in inclusive education. Findings also show that the lowest levels of confidence were reported by participants with the shortest working experience, participants who have taught students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities and those with multiple disabilities, participants who have taught in the lower grades, and those who have already taught in general classrooms. The practical implications of the findings are discussed for supporting successful implementation of inclusive education for students with SD in terms of improving special education teachers’ preparedness.

Faculty Perceptions of Combat-Related PTSD and Teaching Post 9/11 Student-Veterans

The purpose of this study was to examine faculty members’ perceptions of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and student veterans. We surveyed 596 faculty members from 28 institutions of higher education regarding their views on PTSD as a disorder, whether PTSD can be effectively treated, and their preparedness to teach student veterans. Results indicate that faculty members do perceive PTSD to be a real disorder confronting student veterans; however, statistically significant results indicate that many faculty members do not consider PTSD to be treatable, nor do they feel prepared to work with these returning students. These results suggest a need for faculty education about PTSD as it relates to this population of students who are veterans of post 9/11 war conflicts.