Student teachers’ thinking about learning to teach: a study of student teachers of mathematics and science at the end of their initial training

Abstract

Recent dominant models of student teacher learning include apprenticeship and reflective practice, but these are now being challenged, extended and enriched by broader sociocultural models of learning. These new models direct attention to how learning is shaped by an interplay between the characteristics of the student teachers, their lecturers and their teacher mentors, and the characteristics of the university, schools and societal contexts within which these students, lecturers and mentors work. Sociocultural theories also reveal the importance of how learning is transferred and transformed as the student teacher moves between different contexts (e.g. between university and school, or between one school and another). In the context of teacher education in England, this paper explores the nature of student teachers’ thinking at the end of their initial teacher education (ITE) programme, and questions how the student teachers learnt to think about teaching in these ways – in particular what they felt they learnt in the university and school contexts, and how they dealt with differences between the ideas which were valued in those different contexts. Data were collected by questionnaire from a volunteer sample of student teachers of science and mathematics close to the end of their ITE course. Questions generally called for free response answers which were transcribed, coded and then related to a framework of ideas derived from our synthesis of sociocultural theories of learning. From the insights gained, we develop a theoretical understanding of the emerging aspects of student teachers’ thinking and learning which we summarise under the term ‘progressive filtering’. We discuss the relationship of this idea to the classical literature on socialisation of teachers and on ‘reality shock’, and also relate this idea to activity theory. We illustrate how this theoretical framework offers insights that could enable ITE to address issues which have remained problematic for some time.

Keywords:

• teacher education
• science education
• professional development
• mixed methodologies
• online learning

Notes

1. The TTA is the Teacher Training Agency. It has become the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) and ‘… is the national agency and recognised sector body responsible for the training and development of the school workforce’ (http://www.tda.gov.uk/about.aspx). Its remit covers England.

2. Compliance is monitored by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OfSTED) which inspects and regulates care for children and young people, and inspects education and training for learners of all ages in England. Its non‐executive board, which is appointed by the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, is responsible for the strategic direction of OfSTED (http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/About-us). Inspections are a ‘high stakes’ activity as, in the context of teacher education, a poor inspection result can lead to a reduction in the number of trainees a provider can accept and, ultimately, to closure of a course.

3. The use of the label ‘context’ for this set of factors is not meant to imply that they are merely the stage set within which teaching and learning to teach take place. The context is integral to those activities, shaping what is regarded as appropriate and what will be effective, and possibly being changed by those activities.

4. The government identified STEM as a national priority in England, aimed at producing a workforce that is well educated in all aspects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. See www.qca.org.uk/stem for further details.

5. Post‐Graduate Certificate in Education – a one year teacher education programme for students holding a first degree which, for intending secondary school teachers, will be in a subject related to that which they are preparing to teach.

6. A PGCE whose length, content and focus is responsive to the student’s previous experience.

7. A Graduate Teacher Programme – an employment‐based programme that allows graduates to train whilst they are employed to teach in school.