BECOMING A TEACHER - SCoTENS

[Pages:169]Published for SCoTENS by The Centre for Cross Border Studies 39 Abbey Street Armagh Northern Ireland BT61 7EB

Tel: +44 (0) 28 3751 1550 Fax: +44 (0) 28 3751 1721 (048 from Republic of Ireland) Email: p.mcallister@qub.ac.uk Website: Website: crossborder.ie

BECOMING A TEACHER

PRIMARY STUDENT TEACHERS AS LEARNERS AND TEACHERS OF HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY AND SCIENCE:

AN ALL-IRELAND STUDY

A report for the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS)

Fionnuala Waldron, Susan Pike, Richard Greenwood, Cliona M. Murphy, Geraldine O'Connor, Anne Dolan and Karen Kerr With contributions from: Ivor Hickey, Janet Varley, Eileen O'Sullivan,

Laura Walsh, Paddy Madden, Paula Kilfeather and Brian Tubbert

October 2009

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BECOMING A TEACHER

PRIMARY STUDENT TEACHERS AS LEARNERS AND TEACHERS OF HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY AND SCIENCE: AN ALL-IRELAND STUDY

Fionnuala Waldron, Susan Pike, Richard Greenwood, Cliona M. Murphy, Geraldine O'Connor, Anne Dolan, Karen Kerr

With contributions from: Ivor Hickey, Janet Varley, Eileen O'Sullivan, Laura Walsh, Paddy Madden, Paula Kilfeather and Brian Tubbert A report for the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS)

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Acknowledgements This research report would not have been possible without the support and co-operation of a large number of institutions and individuals. We would like to extend our special thanks to SCoTENS, St. Patrick's College, Dublin and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick for the extremely generous financial funding they provided over the duration of this project. We are particularly grateful for this support. We would also like to thank the colleges who participated in the study: St. Mary's University College, Belfast, Stranmillis University College, Belfast, Froebel College of Education, Dublin, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Colaiste Mhuire, Dublin, Church of Ireland College of Education, Dublin and St Patrick's College, Dublin. Their support and interest throughout the project were hugely appreciated. A special thanks is due to the students who participated in this study. Without their enthusiasm and willingness to take part, this study would not have been possible. A number of IASSEE members were active in the earlier stages of this longitudinal study. In particular we would like to thank: Dr Jim Beggs (St. Mary's University College), Dr Peter Collins (St. Mary's University College), Elizabeth Curtis (Froebel College), Dr Julian Greenwood (Stranmillis University College), Dr Colette Murphy (Queen's University) Neil O'Conaill and Dr Patrick Fullam (Mary Immaculate College). To our two research assistants Dr. Karen Kerr and Dr Aoife N? Lochlainn, sincerest thanks to both of you for the huge amount of time and effort that you devoted to the study. It was a pleasure working with you and your diligence and enthusiasm at various stages of the project were truly appreciated. We would like to thank Patricia McAllister and Andy Pollak of the Centre for Cross Border Studies for sub-editing this report and bringing it to publication. Finally, we would also like to express our sincerest thanks to the following colleagues in St. Patrick's College who provided valuable feedback on earlier drafts of the report: Therese Dooley, Dr Mark Morgan, Dr Michael O'Leary, Dr Mary Shine Thompson.

ISBN No: 978-1-906444-26-6

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Contents

Executive Summary

01

Chapter 1

04

Introduction

1.1

Introduction

04

1.2

Initial teacher education in Ireland: provision for history,

05

geography and science education

1.3

History, geography and science in the primary curriculum in Ireland

11

1.4

Conclusion

13

Chapter 2

15

Literature review

2.1

Introduction

15

2.2

Student teachers of geography

16

2.3

Student teachers of history

16

2.4

Students teachers of science

17

2.5

Concepts of the good teacher

18

2.6

The experiences of learners in history, geography and science in Ireland

20

2.7

Summary

20

Chapter 3

22

Research methods

3.1

Introduction

22

3.2

Research methodology

22

3.3

Research questions and aims

22

3.4

The sample

23

3.5

Instrument development and piloting

24

3.6

Ethical considerations

26

3.7

Data analysis

27

3.8

Limitations of the study

27

3.9

Summary

28

Chapter 4

29

Student teachers as learners of history, geography

and science: Patterns of experiences, perceptions and attitudes

4.1

Introduction

29

4.2

Student teachers' knowledge bases in history, geography and science

30

4.3

Student teachers' attitudes towards history, geography and science

32

4.4

Student teachers' levels of subject liking

32

4.5

Student teachers' levels of confidence to teach history, geography and science in the 35

primary school

4.6

Student teachers' views on the importance of history, geography and science for

37

primary aged children

4.7

Discussion and conclusion

39

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Chapter 5

40

Student teachers as learners of history, geography and science: experiences, perceptions

and attitudes

5.1

Introduction

40

5.2

Experiences of history

41

5.3

Perceptions of history

46

5.4

Experiences of geography

49

5.5

Perceptions of geography

55

5.6

Experiences of science

58

5.7

Perceptions of science

63

5.8

Discussion and conclusion

65

Chapter 6

70

Student teachers' experiences of teaching geography, history and science

during school placements

6.1

Introduction

70

6.2

Experiences of history, geography and science on school placement

71

6.3

History on school placement

75

6.4

Geography on school placement

79

6.5

Science on school placement

84

6.6

General themes within the students' experiences

88

6.7

Discussion and conclusion

91

Chapter 7

92

Concepts of the good teacher of history, geography and science

7.1

Introduction

92

7.2

What makes a good teacher of history?

95

7.3

What makes a good teacher of geography?

106

7.4

What makes a good teacher of science?

118

7.5

Discussion and conclusion

131

Chapter 8

136

Conclusion and recommendations

8.1

Conclusion

136

8.2

Recommendations

140

References

142

Appendices

152

1

Phase 1: Entry questionnaire

152

2

Phase 2: Interview schedule

156

3

Phase 3: Exit questionnaire

157

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Number

1.1

3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5

5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9

6.1

6.2 6.3

6.4

6.5 6.6

6.7

6.8

6.9

6.10

6.11

7.1 7.2

Table

Subject provision for history, geography and science in BEd Programmes

07

The sample of students involved in the entry questionnaire

23

The sample of students involved in the interviews

24

The sample of students involved in the exit questionnaire

24

The research tools

25

Student teachers' highest levels of qualifications in history, geography

31

and science

Definitions of agreement with statements on the questionnaire and in

32

this report

Mean `score' for student teachers' liking of history, geography

34

and science, by phase and location

Mean `score' for student teachers' levels of confidence to teach history, geography 36

and science by students, by phase and location

Mean `score' for the student teachers' views of the importance of history,

38

geography and science for primary children, by phase and location

Positive and negative experiences of science and history

40

Positive comments on methodologies in history

45

Negative attitudinal and descriptive words used most frequently

48

Positive attitudinal and descriptive words used most frequently in geography

56

Negative attitudinal and descriptive words used most frequently in negative

57

experiences of geography

Positive attitudinal and descriptive words used most frequently in science

63

Positive and negative comments on biology, chemistry and physics

64

Negative descriptive words used about science or elements of science

64

Attitudes towards subjects

66

Students' experiences of teaching geography, history and science during

70

school placement

Students responding to questions about school placement

71

Comments made by students in relation to teaching history, geography and science 72

on school placement

Average number of words in comments made in reference to the school

72

placement

Categories for the data relating to experiences on school placement

73

Themes in relation to students' positive experiences of history during

75

school placement

Themes in relation to students' negative experiences of history during

77

school placement

Themes in relation to students' positive experiences of geography during

79

school placement

Themes in relation to students' negative experiences of geography during

82

school placement

Themes in relation to students' positive experiences of science during

84

school placement

Themes in relation to students' negative experiences of science during

86

school placement

Numbers of students in each cohort for entry and exit

92

Categories and themes in the students' models of good teachers of history,

93

geography and science

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7.3

Teacher characteristics for history, on entry

97

7.4

Teacher characteristics for history, on exit

99

7.5

Teacher characteristics for history, on entry / exit

99

7.6

Most frequently mentioned methodologies for history, on entry

101

7.7

Learner-centred for history, on entry / exit

104

7.8

Most frequently mentioned methodologies for history, on entry/exit

105

7.9

Teacher characteristics for geography, on entry

108

7.10

Teacher characteristics for geography, on exit

110

7.11

Teacher characteristics for geography, on entry / exit

110

7.12

Most frequently mentioned activities/methods in geography, on entry

112

7.13

Learner centred for geography, on entry

114

7.14

Learner centred for geography, on entry / exit

116

7.15

Methods and activities in geography, on entry / exit

117

7.16

Teacher characteristics for science on entry

120

7.17

Teacher characteristics for science, on exit

123

7.18

Teacher characteristics for science, on entry / exit

123

7.19

Most frequently mentioned methods in science, on entry

125

7.20

Learner centred for science, on entry

126

7.21

Learner centred for science, on entry / exit

129

7.22

Methods in science, on exit

130

7.23

Methods in science, on entry / exit

130

Number Figure

1.1

Graphical representation of pedagogical content knowledge

06

1.2

Percentage bands and phrases used in report Graphs

14

Number Graph

4.1

Student teachers' qualifications in history, geography and science

31

4.2

Student teachers' liking of history, geography and science

33

4.3

Student teachers' recorded perceived change in their liking of history,

34

geography and science compared to start of course (source: exit

questionnaires)

4.4

Student teachers' recorded confidence to teach history, geography

36

and science

4.5

Student teachers' perceptions of change in their confidence, relative to the start

37

of the course, to teach history, geography and science, by location

4.6

Student teachers' views of the importance of history, geography and science for 38

primary children on exit, by location

5.1

Positive and negative experiences of history

41

5.2

Positive experiences of history

42

5.3

Negative experiences of history

43

5.4

Positive and negative experiences of geography

50

5.5

Positive experiences of geography

50

5.6

Negative experiences of geography

51

5.7

Positive and negative experiences of science

58

5.8

Positive experiences of science

59

5.9

Negative experiences of science

59

5.10

Positive and negative experiences of history, geography and science

66

5.11

Negative experiences of methods in history, geography and science

68

5.12

Negative perceptions of history, geography and science

68

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