Abstract
Preparing teacher candidates (TCs) to become effective teachers is challenging, requiring teacher educators (TEs) to develop a complex set of abilities, skills, and dispositions. Thus, as second-order practitioners, TEs influence the quality of K-12 education and, hence, the learning of K-12 students. However, there is evidence indicating that TEs are not fully prepared to assume their roles. Furthermore, understanding the nature of TEs’ work is complicated because this group is not homogenous. They have varying backgrounds, experiences, and professional learning (PL) needs. Literature focusing on the PL needs of TEs is beginning to emerge. In this chapter, the authors contribute to the literature on the nature of the PL of TEs by reflecting on and sharing their professional trajectories as tenured science teacher educators (STEs). They examine the strategies they have adopted and how these have impacted their learning and practice over time.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Abell, S. K., Rogers, M., Park, A., Hanuscin, D. L., Lee, M. H., & Gagnon, M. J. (2009). Preparing the next generation of science teacher educators: A model for developing PCK for teaching science teachers. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 20(1), 77–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-008-9115-6
Adams, M. S. (2021). An exploration of teacher educators’ coaching and teacher candidates’ considerations of developmentally appropriate practice in lesson study. [Doctoral dissertation, University of Florida].
Akkerman, S., & Meijer, P. (2011). A dialogical approach to conceptualizing teacher identity. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27, 308–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2010.08.013
Allen, J., Park Rogers, M., & Borowski, R. (2016). “I am out of my comfort zone”: Self-study of the struggle of adapting to the professional identity of a teacher educator. Studying Teacher Education, 12(3), 320–332. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425964.2016.1228048
Atwater, M. M., Butler, M. B., Freeman, T. B., & Carlton Parsons, E. R. (2013). An examination of black science teacher educators’ experiences with multicultural education, equity, and social justice. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 24(8), 1293–1313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-013-9358-8
Azam, S. (2015). Stories of teaching force and motion: A narrative inquiry into pedagogical content knowledge of science teachers. [Doctoral dissertation, University of Calgary].
Azam, S. (2020a). Locating personal pedagogical content knowledge of science teachers within stories of teaching force and motion. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology, 16(12). https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/8941
Azam, S. (2020b). Addressing student diversity in science classrooms: Exploring topic-specific personal pedagogical content knowledge of high school teachers. Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 3(3). https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.333
Azam, S. (2020c). An inquiry into personal pedagogical content knowledge of science teachers: Stories of teaching electricity. Canadian Journal of Curriculum Studies, 18(1), 149–150. https://jcacs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jcacs/article/view/40555
Azam, S., & Goodnough, K. (2018). Learning together about culturally relevant science teacher education: Indigenizing a science methods course. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 26(2), 74–88. https://openjournals.library.sydney.edu.au/index.php/CAL/article/download/12610/11611
Azam, S., & Menon, D. (2021). Pre-service elementary teachers’ science teaching beliefs: Influence of science learning and teaching experiences. Electronic Journal of Research in Science & Mathematics Education, 21–46. https://ejrsme.icrsme.com/issue/download/1628/158
Barkhuizen, G. (2021). Identity dilemmas of a teacher (educator) researcher: Teacher research versus academic institutional research. Educational Action Research, 29(3), 358–377. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2020.1842779
Bilican, K., Senler, B., & Karısan, D. (2021). Fostering teacher educators’ professional development through collaborative action research. International Journal of Progressive Education, 17(2), 459–472. https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2021.332.28
Boyer, E. L. (1990). Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities of the professoriate. Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Bullock, S. M., & Russell, T. (Eds.). (2012). Self-studies of science teacher education practices. Springer.
Byman, R., Jyrhämä, R., Stenberg, K., Maaranen, K., Sintonen, S., & Kynäslahti, H. (2021). Finnish teacher educators’ preferences for their professional development – Quantitative exploration. European Journal of Teacher Education, 44(4), 432–451. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2020.1793952
Campbell, T., Der, J. P., Wolf, P. G., Packenham, E., & Abd-Hamid, N. H. (2012). Scientific inquiry in the genetics laboratory: Biologists and university science teacher educators’ collaborating to increase engagement in science processes. Journal of College Science Teaching, 41(3), 74–81.
Christou, T., & Bullock, S. M. (2014). Learning and teaching about social studies and science: A collaborative self-study. The Social Studies, 105(2), 80–90. https://doi.org/10.1080/00377996.2013.850053
Craig, C. (2006). Change, changing, and being changed: A self-study of a teacher educators’ becoming real in the throes of urban school reform. Studying Teacher Education, 2(1), 105–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425960600557538
Demirdögen, B., Aydin, S., & Tarkin, A. (2015). Looking at the mirror: A self-study of science teacher educators’ PCK for teaching teachers. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 11(2), 189–205. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2015.1315a
Dengerink, J., Lunenberg, M., & Kools, Q. (2015). What and how teacher educators prefer to learn. Journal of Education for Teaching, 41(1), 78–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2014.992635
Dotger, S. (2011). Exploring new territories: My trajectory toward becoming an inclusive science teacher educator. Reflective Practice, 12(3), 415–426. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2011.571871
Ell, F., Simpson, A., Mayer, D., Davies McLean, L., Clinton, J., & Dawson, G. (2019). Conceptualising the impact of initial teacher education. The Australian Educational Researcher, 46, 177–200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-018-0294-7
Fletcher, T., Ní Chróinín, D., Price, C., & Francis, N. (2018). Teacher educators’ enactment of pedagogies that prioritise learning about meaningful physical education. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 9(1), 76–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/18377122.2018.1425125
Fraser, W. J. (2017). Science teacher educators’ engagement with pedagogical content knowledge and scientific inquiry in predominantly paper-based distance learning programs. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education (TOJDE), 18(4), 35–51. https://doi.org/10.17718/tojde.340375
Gong, Y., MacPhail, A., & Young, A. (2021). Chinese higher education-based physical education teacher educators’ PL needs for involvement in research activities. Professional Development in Education, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2021.1895286
Goodnough, K. (2018). Addressing contradictions in teachers’ practice through professional learning: An activity theory perspective. International Journal of Science Education, 40(17), 2181–2204. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2018.1525507
Goodnough, K. (2019). Understanding primary teachers’ professional learning and practice: An activity theory lens. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 51(3), 362–383. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2018.1488997
Goodnough, K., Azam, S., & Wells, P. (2019). Adopting drone technology in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): An examination of elementary teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 19(4), 398–414. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-016-9485-0
Goodnough, K., Arnold, C., Azam, S., Maich, K., Moghaddam, A., Penney, S., & Young, G. (2020). Cultivating a self-study community of practice: Reflections of faculty on issues of evolution and functioning. Studying Teacher Education, 16(2), 145–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425964.2020.1737928
Goodwin, A. L., Smith, L., Souto-Manning, M., Cheruvu, R., Tan, M. Y., Reed, R., & Taveras, L. (2014). What should teacher educators know and be able to do? Perspectives from practicing teacher educators. Journal of Teacher Education, 65(4), 284–302. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487114535266
Grossman, P., & Loeb, S. (2008). Alternative routes to teaching: Mapping the new landscape of teacher education. Harvard Education Press.
Hamilton, M. L., & Pinnegar, S. (2014). Self-Study of teacher education practices as a pedagogy for teacher educator professional development. Advances in Research on Teaching, 22, 137–152. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-368720140000022010
Hanuscin, D., Donovan, D., Acevedo-Gutiérrez, A., Borda, E., Debari, S., Melton, J., Le, T., Whitney, M., & Ronca, R. (2021). Supporting the professional development of science teacher educators through shadowing. International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education, 19, 145–165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-021-10154-5
Hinman, T. B., He, Y., & Bagwell, D. (2021). Developing teacher educators’ hybrid identities by negotiating tensions in linguistically responsive pedagogy: A collaborative self-study. Studying Teacher Education: Journal of Self-Study of Teacher Education Practices, 1(20). https://doi.org/10.1080/17425964.2021.1960814
Jegstad, K. M., Fiskum, T. A., Aspfors, J., & Eklund, G. (2021). Dichotomous and multifaceted: Teacher educators’ understanding of professional knowledge in research-based teacher education. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2021.1958255
Karaolis, A., & Philippou, G. N. (2019). Teachers’ professional identity. In M. Hannula, G. Leder, F. Morselli, M. Vollstedt, & Q. Zhang (Eds.), Affect and mathematics education (ICME 13 monographs). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13761-8_18
Kavenuke, P. S., & Muthanna, A. (2021). Teacher educators’ perceptions and challenges of using critical pedagogy: A case study of higher teacher education in Tanzania. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 18(4), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.53761/1.18.4.10
Kitchen, J., Berry, A., Bullock, S. M., Crowe, A. R., Taylor, M., Guðjónsdóttir, H., & Thomas, L. (Eds.). (2020). 2nd international handbook of self-study of teaching and teacher education. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1710-1
Kosnik, M., Menna, L., Dharamshi, P., Miyata, C., Cleovoulou, Y., & Beck, C. (2015). Four spheres of knowledge required: An international study of the professional development of literacy/English teacher educators. Journal of Education for Teaching, 41(1), 52–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2014.992634
LaBoskey, V. K. (2004). The methodology of self-study and its theoretical underpinnings. In J. Loughran, M. L. Hamilton, V. K. LaBoskey, & T. Russell (Eds.), International handbook of self-study of teaching and teacher education practices (pp. 7–30). Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Loughran, J. (2005). Researching teaching about teaching: Self-Study of teacher education practices. Studying Teacher Education, 1(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425960500039777
Loughran, J. (2006). Developing a pedagogy of teacher education. Routledge.
Loughran, J. (2014). Professionally developing as a teacher educator. Journal of Teacher Education, 65(4), 271–283. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487114533386
Loughran, J., & Berry, A. (2003). Modelling by teacher educators. Paper presentation. American Educational Research Association. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED478762
Loughran, J., & Brubaker, N. (2015). Working with a critical friend: A self-study of executive coaching. Studying Teacher Education, 11(3), 255–271. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425964.2015.1078786
Loughran, J., & Northfield, J. R. (1996). Opening the classroom door: Teacher, researcher, learner. Falmer Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203450543
Loughran, J., & Russell, T. (2002). Improving teacher education practices through self-study. Routledge Falmer. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203018637
Lunenberg, M., Dengerink, J., & Korthagen, F. (2014). The professional teacher educator: Roles, behaviour, and professional development of teacher educators. Sense Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6209-518-2
Menon, D., & Azam, S. (2021). Pre-service elementary teachers’ identity development in learning to teach science: A multi-site case study. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 32(5), 558–577. https://doi.org/10.1080/1046560X.2020.1870810
Murray, J., & Male, T. (2005). Becoming a teacher educator: Evidence from the field. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(2), 125–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2004.12.006
O’Dwyer, A., Hamilton, M., & Bowles, R. (2020). Learning with and from others: Self-Study of teacher education within a landscape of practice. Studying Teacher Education, 16(3), 364–384. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425964.2020.1784132
Ping, C., Schellings, G., & Beijaard, D. (2018). Teacher educators’ professional learning: A literature review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 75, 93–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2018.06.003
Ping, C., Schellings, G., Beijaard, D., & Ye, J. (2020). Teacher educators’ professional learning: Perceptions of Dutch and Chinese TEs. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2020.1725808
Ragoonaden, K. O., Sivia, A., & Baxan, V. (2015). Teaching for diversity in teacher education: Transformative frameworks. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2015.3.6
Sheppard, K., Padwa, L., Kelly, A. M., & Krakehl, R. (2020). Out-of-field teaching in Chemistry and Physics: An empirical census study. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 31(7), 746–767. https://doi.org/10.1080/1046560X.2019.1702268
Singh, H. (2022). Understanding and supporting science teachers teaching outside their expertise: Studies of teachers and those who support them [ProQuest Information & Learning]. In Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences (Vol. 83, Issue 3–A).
Smith, D. C. (2000). Content and pedagogical content knowledge for elementary science teacher educators: Knowing our students. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 11(1), 27–46. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43156231
Sousa, R. T., de Lopes, A., & Boyd, P. (2019). Research: An insight on how it is valued by Portuguese and English teacher educators. Teaching Education, 30(4), 393–414. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2018.1495704
Swennen, A., Shagrir, L., & Cooper, M. (2009). Becoming a teacher educator: Voices of beginning TEs. In A. Swennen & M. van der Klink (Eds.), Becoming a teacher educator. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8874-2_7
Underwood, J. B., & Mensah, F. M. (2018). An investigation of science teacher educators’ perceptions of culturally relevant pedagogy. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 29(1), 46–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/1046560X.2017.1423457
Widodo, H. P., & Allamnakhrah, A. (2020). The impact of a blended PL community on teacher educators’ professional identity: Towards sustainable teacher professional development. Journal of Education for Teaching, 46(3), 408–410. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2020.1761249
Williams, J., & Ritter, J. K. (2010). Constructing new professional identities through self-study: From teacher to TE. Professional Development in Education, 36(1–2), 77–92. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415250903454833
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Goodnough, K., Azam, S. (2023). The Nature of Teacher Educators’ Professional Learning: Reflections of Two Science Teacher Educators. In: Thomas, G.P., Boon, H.J. (eds) Challenges in Science Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18092-7_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18092-7_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-18091-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-18092-7
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)