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Teachers' language assessment literacy (LAL) refers to teachers' ability to perform assessment-related tasks. Despite the significant role of language assessment literacy in English language teaching and learning, many teachers reported to have an inadequate ability to perform assessment-related tasks because of the lack of assessment training programs that prepared them for the tasks. This study aimed at investigating the existing assessment training programs to develop EFL teachers' LAL. A systematic literature review was conducted to observe trends in how assessment training programs were carried out in the past decades. PRISMA model was used for identifying, screening, and selecting. Twenty-eight studies published between 2012 and 2022 were reviewed. The results reveal that the assessment training models comprised theoretical and practical components of language assessments. The results also show that the methods for delivering the content are collaborative and reflective practices. The findings of this study should be considered in the design of EFL teacher training programs on assessment.

Numerous researchers have developed technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) instruments for English language teaching; however, a valid and reliable instrument to unbox the primary English language teacher's TPACK profile from graduates of the primary school teacher education study program does not yet exist. Consequently, this study aimed to design and validate a questionnaire to unbox the primary English language teacher's TPACK profile. This study used a mixed-methods approach. First, qualitative methods were employed to verify and validate the content of each construct. The items were generated through experts' and a primary English teacher's reviews. As a quantitative method, the questionnaire was then validated through explanatory factor analysis (EFA). The result of EFA yielded a comprehensive set of 40 items: technological knowledge (TK) section (consisting of 5 items), content knowledge (CK) section (consisting of 6 items), pedagogical knowledge (PK) section (consisting of 6 items), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) section (consisting of 5 items), technological content knowledge (TCK) section (consisting of 5 items), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) section (consisting of 7 items), and TPACK section (consisting of 5 items). The reliability coefficients of each construct were acceptable. In conclusion, the study obtained a fruitful questionnaire for unboxing the primary English language teacher's TPACK profile.

Implementing ICT education in elementary schools in the industrial era 4.0 is urgent. Several studies have explored ICT education in elementary schools, but few studies with systematic literature reviews remain. This article presents a literature review for 2019-2023 regarding ICT education in elementary schools. The Systematic Review Literature method and PRISMA protocol use Publish or Perish 7, VOSviewer, and NVIVO 12 Plus. The search results for Scopus articles contained 812, which were then filtered according to the theme to 61 for the study. The 61 articles were analyzed according to topic via NVIVO 12 Plus, and the results were described according to the research questions. ICT education in elementary school is a form of technology in learning to send, process, create, share, display, store, and exchange information. The characteristics of ICT education in elementary schools are ICT for online learning, communication interaction, digital media, software, inclusive, real-time, TPACK-based, and making students independent. The implementation of ICT education in elementary schools is carried out in learning, digital-based projects, curriculum, tools, and learning materials for Mathematics and language in elementary schools, which are supported by teachers' digital competence. Future researchers must study ICT education in elementary schools according to technological developments.

To equip students with 21st-century skills, teachers must have both deep STEM content knowledge and the confidence to implement and teach appropriate STEM content. Many elementary teachers have inadequate STEM background knowledge, low confidence, and STEM self-efficacy for implementing STEM in the classroom; as a result, teachers' classroom practices are affected. The study examined how elementary teachers perceive their ability to implement STEM in the classroom. The STEM Efficacy Survey was sent to a randomized pool of 100 elementary educators, and 18 of them agreed to participate in the study. This instrument was designed to elicit responses related to the teachers' previous background in STEM, their beliefs about their ability to implement STEM, and their actual STEM implementation in the elementary classroom. The results revealed that participants were confident in their understanding of the engineering design process and problem-based learning. However, teachers were unwilling to apply the engineering design process in the classroom. From this research, the researchers concluded that higher levels of training in STEM education may influence how teachers perceive their ability to implement STEM in the classroom. Further research should focus on exploring how STEM training affects teachers' self-efficacy in STEM implementation.

Over the past few years, technology integrated into online learning has become a significant component of education in response to educational evaluation worldwide, especially in Indonesia. The current study aims to explore the TPACK levels of Javanese school teachers, identify integrated technologies-based media used by Javanese school teachers in online learning practices and learning assessment, and analyze the benefits and drawbacks of Javanese school teachers integrating technology in online learning. This study used a mixedmethod design, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The participants were 330 Javanese school teachers from Central Java Province and Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. The findings reveal that Javanese school teachers are more proficient in pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and content knowledge than technological knowledge, technological content knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge, and TPACK. Javanese School teachers have integrated various technologies into online learning. However, Javanese school teachers limited technological literacy affects the efficiency of online learning. In addition, this study also offers an overview of the knowledge and expertise of Javanese school teachers regarding technology mastery in online learning. Thus, this study suggests that policymakers facilitate Javanese school teachers to develop technological skills in transferring materials in online learning to support the current adapted curriculum.

The study aims to investigate the influence of the online professional development (PD) program focused on precollege engineering education on science teachers' teaching engineering self-efficacy. A nested mixed research design was employed to conduct the study, in which the basic qualitative design was integrated into a weak experimental design and data collection was interrelated. The quantitative dimension of the study utilized the engineering teaching self-efficacy scale, while the qualitative dimension utilized the teachers' reflections as a data collection instrument. Fourteen science educators were selected through purposive random sampling in a province in the Black Sea region of Türkiye. The study's results suggested that the self-efficacy of science teachers in teaching engineering was significantly enhanced by the PD program, which focused on engineering education. The qualitative results were consistent with the quantitative results. Considering the study's results, practitioners and researchers were provided with suggestions for future research in the field of teacher education or PD programs.

This study explores primary teachers´ initial training programs, focusing on Foreign Language Teaching (FLT) and its integration with technology. The research is grounded in two dimensions of contemporary society: plurilingual competence and digital literacy. The study employs the conceptual framework of "Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge" (TPACK) (Mishra & Kohler, 2006) and applies content analysis methodology. The scientific interest lies in the scarcity of studies examining this specific area within the Spanish context, because research on TPACK in FLT has primarily focused on Asia and the Middle East. To address this void, a comprehensive national study encompassing 39 public universities was conducted. This study involved an in-depth analysis of 496 course guides within the field of FLT in primary education teacher training programs. The research findings indicate that less than half of the subjects incorporate technology, and when they do, two prominent trends emerge: the integration of TPACK and the presentation of technology as a broad competency, not specifically tailored to FLT. The primary conclusion drawn from this study is that the incorporation of TPACK in this context is moderate, emphasizing the need for a more comprehensive integration of technology within FLT teacher training programs.

In this qualitative study, we analyzed the processes of a collaborative online international learning (COIL) collaboration between two higher education institutions in Japan and the United States from the perspective of the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework. The research question this study aimed to address was: What is the utility of the TPACK framework, as a lens of analysis, for this online cultural exchange? To address this question, we conducted semi-structured interviews with student participants and examined their written works. From the student participants' learning experiences, we identified evidence of cultural exchange as well as evidence of missed opportunities for cultural exchange arising from the limited knowledge of technology, pedagogy, content, and culture. COIL and TPACK both share a common goal of increasing students' access to multiple knowledge systems using educational technology. As a result, COIL conceptually aligns well with the TPACK framework. This collaboration showed an ongoing need for the centering of cultural knowledge and cultural exchange in both COIL and TPACK. We, accordingly, outline potential for a TPACCK, a modified TPACK framework to center cultural knowledge in both with the hope of taking steps towards a more culturally sustaining framework of international collaboration.

This study explores elementary teacher and administrator perspectives related to mathematics specialty teachers in elementary schools, in a jurisdiction, where such roles were known by researchers to not be used. Mathematics specialty teachers are those teachers that have specialized training in both mathematics content and pedagogy. Online surveys were administered and completed by teachers and administrators in one school district in Ontario, Canada. The surveys included open- and closed-ended questions. The results of both the teacher and the administrator survey show that most participants were in favor of a mathematics teacher specialization model in elementary schools. Our findings contribute to the ongoing debate on the need for mathematics specialist teachers. While our findings are small and preliminary in nature, they represent a great interest amongst teachers and administrators on this school board in implementing such a model. These findings will have implications for policymakers both in the province of Ontario, but also in other regions looking to understand international models of mathematics education.

This study examined the role of technology integration and teachers' professional competence in developing 21st-century learning. Present studies show a significant gap between technology integration and teachers' competency in developing 21st-century learning. This study highlights the pivotal roles of technology integration and teacher competence in modern education. In an era where technology has transformed teaching and learning, understanding the synergy between these two factors is crucial for educational advancements. The study employs a descriptive quantitative approach. It seeks to understand the current state of technology integration and teacher competence by collecting data from in-service teachers within the English teacher's forum. The data collection methods encompass questionnaires and interviews to gain comprehensive insights into the subject matter. The research design of this study primarily relies on a descriptive approach, which involves the systematic collection and analysis of data to describe and understand the existing situation. The data-gathering process, through questionnaires and interviews, ensures a comprehensive exploration of the research questions. The results show that technology integration and teacher competency significantly influence the development of 21st-century learning.

This study aims to describe preservice mathematics teacher knowledge of higher order thinking skills in terms of definition, Bloom's taxonomy level, curriculum, learning, and evaluation. This research is quantitative research with a survey method. and sample consisted of 248 preservice mathematics teachers in semesters VI-VIII of the Department of Mathematics Education, Nusa Cendana University, Timor University, and Wira Wacana Sumba University. The instrument used was a questionnaire about high order thinking skill (HOTS) which consisted of 105 statements. Data analysis used Likert's summeted rating, one sample test, Mann Whitney, Kruskall-Wallis tests, multiple linear regression test, and multivariate analyisis of variance (MANOVA) test. The results showed that the knowledge level of preservice mathematics teacher was in the good category. Based on gender differences, there was no significant difference in the average knowledge of preservice mathematics teacherabout HOTS, there was a significant difference in the average knowledge of preservice mathematics teacher about HOTS which is significant based on differences in academic ability and gender differences do not significantly affect knowledge about HOTS levels in Bloom's taxonomy, curriculum, and pedagogy while academic knowledge has a significant effect on HOTS knowledge of preservice teachers in almost all aspects except for pedagogy.

Financial literacy, as a fundamental skill in the 21st century, has become a life skill that is urgently needed to be improved. Globally, the drive to enhance financial literacy involves integrating it into the education curriculum, necessitating educators' comprehensive grasp of financial literacy education before imparting it to students. This research aims to outline a conceptual model of financial literacy professional development to improve teachers' professional competence, employing a narrative review that synthesizes 28 relevant literatures retrieved from Scopus databases. The results of the study show that an effective training model for teacher professional development (TPD) in financial literacy education should focus on essential financial literacy content consisting of planning and budgeting, banking services, income and careers, insurance, investment, savings, also spending and credit. Furthermore, the main characteristics of TPD regarding financial literacy education should encompass content focus, coherence, ownership, active learning, duration, and collective participation.

The study examined the strategies used by teacher educators in their teaching practices and gender integration in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The nature of the engagement of educational leaders and administrators in supporting teaching, learning and mainstreaming gender issues in teaching was also examined. A total of 165 sampled respondents were reached. This included 81 government officials and educational leaders (18 government officials and 63 educational leaders) and 84 tutors. The study used a concurrent mixed-method approach where the combined qualitative and quantitative data collection methodologies were applied to answer the study questions. The study data were collected directly from the project participants through semi-structured interviews and survey questionnaires. 60% of preprimary and primary tutors from Kenya demonstrated knowledge and skills in pedagogical practices compared to 13% from Tanzania and 20% from Uganda. The findings also revealed that most tutors do not think training and application of lifelong professional development strategies on key pedagogical aspects and content are essential for achieving a gender-responsive and inclusive training and support program. These key areas include support for gender-based violence victims, support for pregnant girls and mothers to continue education; gender-sensitive expectations towards girls' and boys' achievements; gender-sensitive expectations around girls' and boys' behavior, lesson demonstration, and lesson observation. The study recommends that there should be integration of gender issues in delivering training for the tutors of the colleges in East Africa. The training should focus on enhancing pedagogical practices and related educational leadership and management.

This study aims to evaluate the online measurement and evaluation course in teacher training programs during the COVID-19 process. In the study, we sought answers to two primary research questions: What are the opinions of teachers and school administrators regarding their measurement and evaluation competencies? Does the online "measurement and evaluation" course have the qualities of an effective program in the "antecedents, transactions, and outcomes" dimension? We structured the research into two phases within a multistage evaluation design framework. The findings show that there were problems and positive aspects in all dimensions of the program. For example, adapting teacher training programs developed before COVID-19 to distance education processes was challenging. In distance education, some practices contradict the modern teaching and assessment approach. Such problems were reflected in teachers' acquisition of measurement and evaluation competencies. The achievement test we applied to the observed groups also confirmed these findings. For this reason, responsible organizations should not ignore the fact that we cannot renounce distance education. During program development, they should reconsider how the teachers will acquire measurement and evaluation competencies and how we will measure and evaluate in distance education.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among pre-service science teachers' global scientific literacy and various variables within the scope of the structural equation model. Since the relations among the variables were investigated in the structural model established for this study, correlational research methodology was applied. The application was carried out with 294 pre-service teachers studying in the departments of chemistry, physics, biology and elementary science education of a state university. The data of the study were obtained with the scales of global scientific literacy, the perception of science process skills, the inquiry skills, the self-directed learning readiness in laboratory, the attitude scale towards the laboratory and the personal information questionnaire. Within the framework of structural equation modeling, the causal and relational analyses of the data were examined. The results showed that the proposed model of the relationship among global scientific literacy and the variables predicting global scientific literacy was also found to be compatible with the data, and the entire model was confirmed except for the attitude towards the laboratory. In this context, it can be claimed that these variables play an essential role in pre-service teachers' being global scientifically literate.

Although technology has been seamlessly integrated into classroom teaching, there is room for improvement in the way professional development is implemented. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of Thai teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in implementing digital literacy training. Focusing on technologically illiterate teachers (and particularly older ones), the study aimed to investigate the production of online videos by these teachers to be used in their classrooms. The study was conducted in Trang, Thailand, and involved 36 Thai EFL teachers who underwent a one-month training programme in 2020. Data was collected through a questionnaire, observation, and interviews. The results showed that the participants required additional training time, and faced challenges such as teaching style, computer specifications, and Internet accessibility. Despite these challenges, the teachers reported a positive perceptions of teaching English with technology, and found it was easier than they had anticipated. These findings have pedagogical implications for future implementations of digital literacy training for somewhat technologically illiterate language teachers.

Since 2015, a continuous online integration training service has been active. In 2021, eight integration instructors, teaching online for two to six years across diverse regions participated in semi-structured interviews. Analysing the technology-mediated community formed by teachers and learners, we explored how the entirely online, gradually growing teacher community operates. The interviews revealed four influential categories for the teacher's work which encompass individual resources, antifragility resilience, collaborative resources, and an entrepreneurial mindset. An entrepreneurial mindset fosters collaboration and community, thereby enhancing learners' engagement in online learning and social inclusion. The study highlighted key factors for social impact within the community: informal teacher chats, the mentor-mentee model in learning design, shared materials, teacher rotation, direct collaboration with learners' environments and employers, and information shareability. This teacher community proved to be entrepreneurial and involves learners in co-design individualized integration training connected to their living situations. Entrepreneurial mindset. However, challenges in sustain, antifragile and developing online teaching, such as psychological insecurity, diversity of teachers and learners, heightened competition, time management, and workload, were also noted.

This study examined the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) professional development needs of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers. EFL teachers participated in semi-structured interviews from seven primary schools in a middle-sized urban school district in the east part of China. Content analysis with frequency tables and quotations from the interview transcription were conducted. The results indicated that though primary EFL teachers in China have the basic technological knowledge to support teaching, they lack appropriate knowledge and training particularly in areas of TPACK related to EFL teaching. Results from the present study indicate that there is a need for professional development (PD) that helps EFL teachers integrate technology in teaching reading, speaking, and writing.

In this article, we explore demands and tensions involved when schools implement ambitious mathematics teaching (AMT). Following a description of a framework that distinguishes between internal and external demands, we characterize the tension between these in terms of alignment, balance, and buffering, which collectively speak to coherence. We then describe AMT and how it represents a departure from traditional mathematics instruction found in most countries. We applied the framework to an illustrative case and found that while the school devoted considerable resources to reforming mathematics teaching and learning, challenges persisted. These challenges include ongoing language and participatory demands for students and, for teachers, balancing the demands of implementing AMT with a range of other initiatives. The framework provides a means of exploring the full range of demands associated with ambitious instructional reforms, how these demands are mitigated or exacerbated, and the kinds of resources necessary to sustain AMT.

The general purpose of this research is to examine the mediating effect of STEM attitudes between STEM pedagogical content knowledge (CK) and STEM intra-class practice self-efficacy. This research was conducted in a causal design. A total of 345 teacher candidates, 261 females (75.7%) and 84 males (24.3%), were included in the research. The data were collected with the STEM Pedagogical CK Scale (STEM), Attitude Scale for STEM Education (STEMAS), and STEM Intra Class Practice Self-Efficacy Perceptions Scale. Path analysis technique was used in data analysis. In addition, bootstrapping analysis was used to evaluate the significance of the mediating effect of STEM attitudes. At this point, 1,000 resamples were made and lower-upper bound confidence intervals were determined. In research results, the mediating effect of STEM Attitudes was found to be significant in the relationship between STEM Pedagogical CK and STEM Intra Class Practice self-efficacy.

As a form of implementing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in educational institutions, an appropriate learning model is needed, which also accommodates aspects of spirituality. Before developing a model, baseline data is needed, so a broad-scale or national needs analysis is needed. This research aims to determine the profile of spirituality-based action competence for sustainability (ACS) among prospective biology teacher students throughout Indonesia. This research is a cross-sectional survey. The target respondents are students of LPTK biology education study programs in Indonesia. The target population size is 650 people, so based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, the minimum sample size with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 5% is 620 students. The data collection instrument used in this research is the action competence for sustainability instrument based on spirituality (ACSIS). Data on respondent characteristics were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. The mean and standard deviation of scores were calculated for each item. Comparisons of two groups of students were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test, while comparisons of more than two groups used the Kruskal-Wallis H Test. We discuss interesting findings in this research, including the aspects of spirituality in ACS among prospective biology teacher in Indonesia.

In this article I focus on the use of mixed methods in designing a classroom observation instrument known as the Facilitative Orientation to Reading Teaching (FORT). The instrument was designed to capture the teaching of reading and formed part of a project that took place in 2 Kwa-Zulu Natal primary schools. Participants were 8 teachers and their learners. The goal was to investigate how a teacher's pedagogical content knowledge can affect the literacy acquisition of Foundation and Intermediate Phase learners. In the study reported on here I used a facilitative-restrictive teaching and learning model based on the theories of, among others, Bernstein and Vygotsky, as well as Scarborough's Reading Rope theory. The instrument design was based on an original classroom instrument that captured only quantitative data. Through the addition of qualitative data, the instrument could capture classroom practice more accurately. Findings indicate that, ultimately, 1 of the participating teachers appeared to be successfully leading their learners from decoding to comprehension across the important Grade 3 to 4 threshold, where learners are expected to move from learning to read to be being able to learn from reading.

The purpose of this study is to conceptualize the approaches of secondary mathematics pre-service teachers towards contingencies encountered during the teaching process within the context of responding to availability of tools and resources. In order to achieve the goal of the study based on the grounded theory, the nine secondary mathematics pre-service teachers' lessons were observed, and recorded using a video camera, and semistructured interviews were performed. The data collection process ended after 54 lesson hours of observation, that is, when code saturation was reached. As a result, four sub-codes in the context of responding to availability of tools and resources were identified within the approaches of participants in relation to contingent moments. It is thought that conceptualizing the approaches of participants towards unplanned situations encountered during lessons in real class environment would prove to be beneficial in teacher training.

Background: Teaching creative writing in the early grades provides learners with the opportunity to express their thoughts and ideas which contributes to their holistic development. Curriculum documents have been neatly laid out, yet in practice, it is challenging, and teachers struggle to find effective ways of teaching and assessing creative writing skills. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges that teachers experience in implementing the creative writing curriculum in Grade 3. Method: The study adopted a descriptive qualitative approach which used an exploratory case study design. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit six Grade 3 teachers from two selected primary schools. Focus group interviews, classroom observations and document analysis were used to generate data. Results: The results revealed that the intended curriculum for teaching writing skills is not necessarily the curriculum that is implemented in schools. Teachers were frustrated although helpful guidelines were available in the policy document. Genres like opinion writing were neglected. Conclusion: The impact of and challenges (such as didactical neglect, subject-related issues, and negative teacher attitudes) related to misinterpretation or even a lack of knowledge of curriculum documents were discussed, and practical recommendations were made. Contribution: The study recommends that a joint effort be made between all role players, such as the school management and teachers to deal with the challenges stemming from a lack of knowledge of curriculum documents. Teacher training programmes should include curriculum knowledge as part of their training.

Background/Purpose: Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) emphasizes the effective integration of artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools in education, where specific knowledge is measured individually. This research determines the readiness of preservice teachers (PSTs) to integrate AI-based tools in education through the TPACK approach. Materials/Methods: This descriptive study involves 429 PSTs from Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University in the Philippines through a face-to-face survey. Exploratory factor analysis was employed using a minimum residual extraction method with oblimin rotation. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was performed, and goodness of fit indices (GFI, AGFI, PGFI, RMSEA, and TLI) were tested. Results: The PSTs' readiness to integrate AI-based tools in education revealed their readiness based on their technical knowledge (TK), technical pedagogical knowledge (TPK), technical content knowledge (TCK), and TPACK, as well as their ethical readiness. The study found that the PSTs' TK, TPK, TCK, and TPACK were positively related to their ethical readiness. Conclusion: When PSTs enhance their technological competencies, their ethical considerations in the use of AI tools also improve. Relationships between TK, TPK, TCK, TPACK, and ethical readiness emphasize the need for teacher training approaches that nurture not just technical abilities, but also students' ethical consciousness. This highlights the interconnectedness of these knowledge frameworks in fostering effective and responsible technology integration in education.

In this design-based study, a flipped learning approach using audio-visual resources as prelearning activities was examined in grades 6, 7, and 9 with four teachers and 65 students over one school year. The purpose of this study was to explore the implementation of a technology-enhanced pedagogy in science, math, and social studies. The implementation was sequenced to provide students who were also learning the English language with an opportunity to practice engaging with curriculum concepts through viewing prelearning videos with language tailored by the teacher and with embedded questions, prior to in-classroom learning activities. The technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework was used to inform the instructional design for the flipped learning activities. Monthly teacher-researcher professional learning sessions were held, and data were gathered from teachers' reflections and a student survey. Results indicated that teachers had more class time to support students with enrichment, remediation, small group work, and active learning. Students reported that the prelearning video activities benefited their learning and complemented in-class learning activities. This study serves to inform teachers and schools considering implementation of flipped learning to support students' understanding of content knowledge and English language learning, and researchers studying designs using flipped learning sequences.

Local culture has undergone significant shifts and alienations, leading to the neglect of societal values. This situation underscores the need for teachers to be well-prepared to incorporate local wisdom into science education, supporting Cultured-Based Learning. This study, conducted from January to June 2022, aimed to assess the relevance of items in a teacher readiness instrument for implementing local wisdom-based science learning in Bali. An ex post facto research design was employed to analyze the preparedness of 72 science teachers in Bali through a detailed questionnaire. The collected ordinal data were converted into an interval scale using the Method of Successive Interval (MSI) and analyzed using the Rasch Model with the Jamovi application to assess item relevance. The study's findings highlight the cognitive and emotional readiness of science teachers as being in the high category, while collegial support and instructional tools are in the low category. These results suggest that improving collegial features and instructional tools through lesson studies and workshops could enhance the integration of local wisdom into science education in Bali.

Online and blended teaching and learning (OBTL) are integral to the future and success of higher education, including health professions education. Institutions with a goal of developing high-quality online and blended programs must prioritize time and resources dedicated to professional development and training. This research study used an online professional development course as an intervention to gain deeper insights into the scope of faculty development to effectively teach in online and blended learning environments. The study, using a convergent mixed methods approach, gathered data through a pre- and post-intervention survey measuring health professions faculty readiness to teach online, a knowledge-based test, and post-intervention focus group discussions. Statistically significant differences in survey and test scores were observed between pre- and post-intervention and advantages of the intervention were highlighted in the focus group discussions. These key findings suggest the efficacy and influence of the educational intervention. Additionally, barriers and recommendations for enhancement were identified, including a notable gap between perceived importance and perceived capability among faculty members. This information pinpoints areas where professional development and support may be beneficial. Outcomes of the study provide valuable insights into health professions faculty members' knowledge, readiness, and perceptions related to teaching in online or blended educational environments.

Teaching and learning online is an increasingly important aspect of higher education, especially post-COVID-19. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) for effective online teaching. However, the contextual factors impacting TPACK have not been adequately explored. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if the contextual factor of institutional culture impacts TPACK among online higher education faculty at institutions in the southeastern United States as well as to what extent specific dimensions of institutional culture affect TPACK levels. Data were collected using an anonymous online survey that was shared with potential participants through email and social media. Data were analyzed using a multiple linear regression model to determine significance between the independent variables, the seven dimensions of institutional culture, and the dependent variable, TPACK. Results indicated that significance was found between two individual elements of institutional culture and TPACK: (1) collaboration and team learning and (2) connection between the organization and its environment. These findings indicate that higher education administrators should focus efforts on creating opportunities for faculty to engage in professional development and move beyond siloed work to collaborative projects. Administrators should also ensure that the institution is connected to the local, regional, and global community through aligned institutional goals with the needs of the community and establishing opportunities for faculty to connect globally. Future research should focus on exploring the relationship between specific aspects of institutional culture that may impact quality online teaching.

Looping is an educational policy in which a teacher teaches the whole or part of the same class in consecutive years. It is advocated as one of the most useful 21st century instructional strategies. Research has reported that looping results in greater success in students' learning of some school subjects, including mathematics, sciences, languages, and social sciences, while it is also claimed to be instrumental in fostering students' appropriate behavior. However, studies on looping in higher education are scarce. Our study aimed to understand the effects of looping of a TESOL teacher educator on pre-service EFL teachers' academic achievements in TESOL education and their career preparation for EFL teaching. We designed a case study to understand the looped students' real-life experiences. The qualitative data were collected from three sources: documents, semi-structured interviews, and field notes (observation) for data and method triangulation. The data were analyzed using Williams and Moser's (2019) qualitative data coding and following phenomenological reduction, bracketing (Dornan et al., 2005), and essences (Ganeson & Ehrich, 2009). The findings showed that the looping of a proficient, experienced, and effective TESOL lecturer results in the success of undergraduate students' acquisition of TESOL skills, and in developing their readiness for career start in EFL teaching.

Do teachers truly demonstrate their knowledge, beliefs, and feelings about teaching L2 speaking? It is an important question to consider because teachers' cognition functions as an important element that EAP instructors should not overlook. This intrinsic case study attempts to demonstrate the disparities between teachers' perceptions of teaching L2 speaking that are both congruent and incongruent. To supplement the study's goal, one EAP teacher was interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire in which she shared her beliefs about L2 speaking. Following that, one of her lessons was observed using an observation protocol to determine the extent to which her stated beliefs manifested or differed from her classroom practises. To reach the conclusion, patterns in this raw data were matched using thematic analysis. This case study revealed that the observed EAP instructor failed to reflect her perceptions in the classroom while facilitating L2 speaking, despite the fact that her beliefs were reflected in some instances while her class.

The responsibility of a teacher preparation program (TPP) goes beyond teaching future educators the knowledge and skills of the profession. It needs to provide experiences that help them succeed in the real classroom settings (GarzaRodriguez, 2019). However, there is evidence that disconnection between what is taught in TPPs and what is needed in the practical work exists. Therefore, there is an urgent need to improve the quality of these programs by constantly evaluating their quality and effectiveness. This paper reports a pilot study on pre-service teachers' perspectives about their English as a foreign language teacher (EFL) teacher preparation program in Mexico. The aim of the study was to reveal how pre-service teachers evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of their EFL teacher preparation program. Following a mixed-method, data were collected from 17 participants using an online Likert scale, adapted from Peacock (2009), and three open questions to elicit strengths and weaknesses. Findings were divided in both quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative data indicated that students were undecided or to some extent in agreement with most of the items associated with the features of the program; however, the lowest mean was shown in the areas of meeting students' needs, the balance between theory and practice and learning some practical teaching skills. On the other hand, the qualitative results showed that students' preparation as linguists and self-reflective learners as well as some subjects from the program were perceived as strengths, while the lack of teaching experience, the content, and low English language proficiency as the main weaknesses. In conclusion, though students' perspectives were still uncertain, they provided useful information to improve the curriculum.

This study compared two versions of the same elementary science professional development (PD) and curriculum program that were offered face-to-face and completely online, while keeping all content consistent between the two. Using quantitative analyses of pre- and posttests of content knowledge (CK), we evaluated the extent to which the online version of the PD compared to the face-to-face PD for increasing the earth science and art CK of upper elementary teachers required to teach an earth science and art integrated curriculum. Additionally, we explored how the impact of PD modality (online vs. face-to-face) on teachers' CK learning outcomes differed for novice and experienced teachers. Findings revealed significantly higher CK learning gains for teachers who participated in online PD compared with face-to-face PD, but with a small effect size. Subgroup analysis revealed that compared with experienced teachers, the novice teachers had significantly higher CK gains from participating in the online PD compared to the face-to-face version with a large effect size. We also discuss the implications for the design of large-scale online teacher PD.

Background: In Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes, there are concerns about student teachers' English language proficiency. Aim: To discuss the first iteration of the PrimTEd English language and literacy test and analyse the results for information about the test instrument and about student teacher attainment. Setting: South African student teachers in BEd programmes preparing for teaching in primary schools, across six public universities, participated in the test from 2020 to 2022. Methods: The student results for the PrimTEd English assessment were analysed using basic statistics, focussing on the largest samples of first-year and fourth-year students who took both the subtests. The items in each subtest were coded according to their underlying language constructs, and each subtest was subjected to Rasch analysis before the test was considered as a whole. Results: The initial test showed the attainment of fourth-year students (mean = 55%, standard deviation [SD] = 21%, n = 731) was only 3 percentage points higher than that of first-year students (mean = 52%, SD = 20%, n = 1177). Conclusion: The similarities between the first- and fourth-year students' test results is concerning. There remains much work to be done in building student teachers' English language proficiency in BEd programmes. Contribution: The findings and recommendations should be useful to ITE lecturers in designing programmes that enable progressive development of English language and literacy competence from first year to graduation.

Background: There is a concern in South Africa that pre-service teachers do not have the required knowledge to teach mathematics in primary school and to develop learners' number sense. In this study, pre-service teachers taught the mental strategy of bridging through ten through a structured teaching sequence from the Mental Starters Assessment Project (MSAP) materials as a work-integrated learning opportunity. Aim: We ask the question: How do the MSAP materials support pre-service teachers in competently teaching mental mathematics? Setting: Thirty-eight Bachelor of Education (Foundation Phase) third-year preservice teachers from an Eastern Cape university participated in this study. Methods: Participants taught the strategy during their Teaching Practice, quantitatively analysed the results of their classes and reflected on the experience in a questionnaire and focus group interviews. Results: Results indicate that the teachers were relatively successful in their teaching of the strategy; however, all indicated that they taught the sequence for a more extended period than recommended. Qualitative responses provide evidence of the teachers' development in their knowledge of learners and their characteristics, general pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and knowledge of educational contexts. Conclusion: This study offers evidence of the professional learning of pre-service teachers that resulted from taking an integrated approach to facilitating a mathematics teaching methodology course through requiring a work-integrated learning component. Contribution: We argue that such an approach is necessary for pre-service teachers to be adequately prepared for the challenges of teaching mathematics in the South African classroom.

Background: National and international assessments show South Africa's underperformance in mathematics. As many learners already fall behind in the early grades, where foundational number sense should be established, addressing the challenges of number sense in the Foundation Phase (FP) is important. Research recognises the need to better develop pre-service primary teachers' (PSTs') mathematical content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Understanding the importance that CK PSTs bring to their tertiary studies is needed. Aim: The study explores, what knowledge do third-year FP PSTs have of additive reasoning mental mathematics strategies? Setting: We share data from a larger study of PSTs' CK and PCK of additive reasoning strategies (a key aspect of number sense) before additive reasoning lectures with 80 third-year FP PSTs during their mathematics methodology course at a private institution. Methods: Participants included 54 of the 59 PSTs who agreed to take part in the study and were present in the first session when the pre-questionnaire (the focus of this article) was administered. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of PSTs' methods used, performance on the pre-questionnaire calculation items and explanations of methods and strategies were carried out. Results: Results highlight the need for explicit teaching of efficient calculation strategies along with required fluencies for using strategies. Conclusion: Knowledge of additive reasoning strategies cannot be taken for granted as established at school. Contribution: The findings of the study highlight the need for explicit teaching of efficient mental strategies such as Bridging Through Ten, Jump Strategy and Rounding and Adjusting in PSTs' studies.

Background: Initial teacher education (ITE) research in South Africa shows gaps in preservice teachers' (PSTs) primary mathematics knowledge. Aim: We study the mental mathematics understandings and teaching experiences of three PSTs who achieved high gains for learners they taught mental mathematics to using the Mental Starters Assessment Project (MSAP) jump strategy materials. Setting: The three PSTs, from one urban university, taught the jump strategy to Grade 3 classes in three different Gauteng schools. Methods: Learner pre- and post-tests around the taught unit provided the basis for categorising the three 'high gain' PSTs. Extended interviews with each PST were then transcribed. Initial grounded analyses of these data were subsequently overlaid with categories drawn from the mathematical knowledge for teaching literature. Results: All three PSTs indicated relatively strong common content knowledge of jump strategies and connected specialised content knowledge. They also exhibited strong awareness of the MSAP content. They differed in how they saw the relationship between fluency, calculation and equivalence tasks. Conclusion: The study's findings indicate the need for more explicit attention to the connection between mental maths fluencies and strategic calculation in ITE. Contribution: The study points to ways in which mental mathematics can be understood and taught for strong learning gains.

The narrative permeating higher education institutions globally is the intention to advance the quality of preservice mathematics teachers to gain better performance than mathematics school learners. In this article we report on a qualitative case study which explored the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of preservice teachers (PST) (n = 20) at a South African university of technology. These preservice teachers were provided with activity sheets with past examination questions in analytical geometry. Their written responses were analysed, and verification interviews were conducted. This was followed by an analysis of the preservice teachers' lesson plans for teaching the topic to Grade 11 learners. The domains and subdomains of the Shulman's PCK derived Mathematics Teacher's Specialised Knowledge (MTSK) model were used as the theoretical framework. The study established that the PSTs had limited content knowledge, and knowledge for teaching analytical geometry at Grade 11 as their responses to the activities confirmed that they mostly had procedural understanding. The study was conducted in a context with multilingual PSTs who are training in multilingual classrooms.

The objective of this study was to ascertain the elements that influence the effectiveness of mathematics instruction in the 21st century for secondary school students within the jurisdiction of the secondary educational service area office Lopburi (SEAOL). The research utilized survey methodology. The study population consisted of 400 secondary school students from SEAOL during the first semester of 2022. The participants were selected using a stratified random selection technique. The research tool utilized in this study was a questionnaire, which demonstrated a high level of reliability with a coefficient of 0.934. The research employed principal component analysis as the statistical analysis approach. The findings of the study indicate that there are various factors that influence the effectiveness of mathematics instruction in the 21st century for secondary school students in SEAOL. These factors include the level of technology support from schools, use of technology, ability to use basic technology, ability to use specialized technology, knowledge of content, math is crucial, and variety of teaching methods. Additionally, the study reveals that gender, program, and education level have a significant impact on knowledge and opinions regarding mathematics instruction, with statistical significance observed at a significance level of 0.05.

An experimental science curriculum for primary school was introduced in Croatia for the 1st time in the 2023/24 school year. This is taking place against the backdrop of a shortage of teachers from various science subjects, especially physics. They are increasingly being replaced by non-professional teachers, often those with a Master of Primary Education, which gives access to the profession of primary junior grade teacher. In this study, the subject matter knowledge (SMK) in science of 44 pre-service teachers aiming for the above-mentioned degree is examined using the SMK test. The test contains 40 trends in international mathematics and science study (TIMSS) items from the 4th-grade science content domain Physical Science and allowed us to compare the achievement of our respondents with the achievement of pupils who participated in the TIMSS assessments. The results show that the percentage correctness of the pre-service teachers on the SMK test was statistically significantly higher than that of the 4th-grade pupils. However, the correlation coefficients showed that the pre-service teachers had greater difficulties with the items with which the pupils had greater difficulties, and vice versa. This applies in particular to the items on forces and motion and to the items from the cognitive domain of reasoning. The reason for the unsatisfactory science SMK of our respondents could be the incompatibility of the university science curriculum with the demands placed on pupils in the relevant school subjects and international science assessments such as TIMSS. The results of this study confirm and extend the contribution of existing research and should serve as a basis for subsequent research as well as for the design of a further course of science education reform in Croatia and in the countries of the region.

Online teaching requires faculty development and support to effectively meet the needs of students. Universities should widely recognize that having self-assured and competent online adjunct instructors greatly influences professional sustainability, learning outcomes, and student achievement. The objective of this descriptive study was to gain insights and perspectives on confidence and instructional effectiveness of online adjunct faculty as compared to those who taught on campus or in a blended format, after they participated in an online faculty orientation course. Survey data was collected, and correlational analysis was used to identify relationships between adjunct faculty's perceived confidence and their instructional preparedness in their respective teaching modalities. Results indicate faculty may increase their confidence and instructional effectiveness after participating in an online training course.