جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « in-service teachers » در نشریات گروه « ادبیات و زبان ها »

Possible selves represent individuals' ideas of what they might become, what they would like to become and what they are afraid of becoming. This paper, using a mixed method design, probes the possible teaching selves of 108 pre-service and 41 in-service Iranian EFL teachers to explore their professional fears and hopes. Data were collected via Possible Language Teacher Self Questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the qualitative data using MAXQDA demonstrated the fears and hopes of the teachers in terms of professionalism, instructional strategies, classroom management and professional interpersonal relationship. Moreover, both fears and hopes were found to be rooted in personal (cognitive and affective) and social (mostly organizational) sources. Further, analysis of quantitative data via ANOVA, independent-samples T-test also revealed that the pre-service teachers and their in-service counterparts are similar in terms of their feared and ideal to selves whereas their ought self has a determining role in justifying the observable variations in their possible self. In addition, pre-service teachers' year of education was also found to be a significant factor affecting their possible selves; that is, it was shown that first-year, second-year and third-year pre-service teachers' ought self is significantly different from that of in-service teachers. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference between fourth-year-pre-service teachers and in-service teachers in terms of their ought self.

Familiarity with supervision models has its own constructive effect on both teacher classroom practice and positive classroom outcomes. In this line, this study investigated the pre-service and in-service EFL teachers’ attitudes towards prescriptive and collaborative supervision models. For this purpose, 200 participants, 100 pre-service and 100 in-service EFL teachers of schools and institutions in different levels and from both genders were recruited. The participants were selected through simple random sampling and the required data was collected through a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics and chi-square  analysis were used. The results demonstrated that both pre-service and in-service EFL teachers had the same attitude towards prescriptive and collaborative models of supervision. Furthermore, most of the teachers of both groups were in agreement with the collaborative model. The results also revealed that gender did not have any significant effect on the preference for already-mentioned models of supervision albeit most of them were in agreement with the collaborative model. The findings of this study can be fruitful for supervisors and teacher mentors in order to inform them with new and more efficient supervision models to improve the teachers’ performance and educational programs as well.

Nowadays, teachers are expected to demonstrate a notable level of digital competence. Therefore, the current study investigated Iranian male and female pre-service and in-service EFL teachers’ digital competence. The study employed a mixed methods approach and three instruments including a questionnaire, structured interviews, and observations were utilized. Therefore, 157 Iranian in-service EFL teachers completed the DIGIGLO questionnaire. Also, 15 in-service and 15 pre-service EFL teachers participated in structured interviews. Moreover, 30 classes were observed. To analyze the qualitative data, thematic analysis was used and in the phase of quantitative analysis, descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests were used. The results indicated that the level of Iranian in-service EFL teachers’ digital competence was moderate to high. In addition, some similarities and differences could be seen in the interview questions between in-service and pre-service EFL teachers. Moreover, it was revealed that there were no significant differences between male and female in-service EFL teachers’ digital competence. Furthermore, it was found that a majority of teachers incorporated digital technologies into their teaching practice. The results of this study can help curriculum developers and teacher educators realize a better conception of Iranian pre-service and in-service EFL teachers’ digital competence and their practices of using digital tools.

Adopting a qualitative design, the present study investigated Iranian EFL teachers’ attitudes toward critical thinking as well as its role in language teaching. To meet these objectives, 36 EFL teachers were selected through purposeful sampling as the participants of the study. For the purpose of the data collection, in-depth interviews, focus group interviews, and teachers’ narratives were utilized. To assure the trustworthiness of the data, several measures have been taken. The lead author conducted the in-depth as well as focus group interviews and elicited teachers’ narratives. The interviews were conducted in Persian language and the whole procedures were audiotaped. The data were transcribed verbatim and after member checking the data with the participants, they were translated into English. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). To assure inter coder reliability, coding the data was done by the second and third authors independently. The third and fourth authors were involved in finding the potential themes and sub-themes. Finally, five themes of efficiency, intelligence, change, success and initiation were generated as a result of the data analysis. The present study revealed that the participants emphasized some fundamental building blocks of critical thinking. The participant teachers also advocated critical thinking - focused programs in teacher education as well as its application in language teaching. The study has a number of implications for language pedagogy, teacher education and policy makers.

Teacher assessment literacy plays a pivotal role in teacher education programs; however, there seems to be a lack of either assessment literacy or its implementation. Using an online assessment course, including both theoretical and practical issues, this mixed method study examined 16 teachers’ (8 in-service and 8 pre-service) assessment literacy and the extent to which they implement this knowledge. The quantitative part explored participants’ assessment literacy, while the qualitative phase examined the validation of the quantitative results as well as the implementation of assessment literacy in the practical realm. Data were collected via valid and reliable questionnaires, one of which was adapted from Mertler (2003) and the two others were developed by the researchers, along with a practical assessment project. The results indicated that though in-service teachers at their entry behavior were more assessment literate due to their experience, they were at lower degree of assessment literacy at their eventual behavior in comparison with pre-service teachers. The qualitative analysis explored the lack of teachers’ preference for the use of assessment literacy in their classroom practice. The study suggests the inclusion of both theoretical and practical dimensions of assessment literacy in teacher education programs and it proposes doing an in-depth investigation into the difficulties that hinder teachers from putting their theoretical assessment knowledge into practice.