This thesis reports on an interpretative case study about student teachers’ and new teachers’ personal interpretations in their teaching practice, during and after an international teaching internship. The main aim of this study was to describe how an international teaching internship interrupts existing, familiar ways of thinking or acting. The findings are an interpretation of how this interruption influences student teachers’ and new teachers’ “personal interpretative frameworks” (Kelchtermans, 2009) during their teacher training programmes and transition from student to teacher. This framework reflects the basis on which a beginning teacher grounds their personal decisions or judgements for action and answers the questions: ‘how can I effectively deal with this particular situation? and ‘why would I work that way?’ (Vanassche & Kelchtermans, 2014, p. 118).
Abstract At this international symposium on the professionalism of teacher educators an extensive review study on the roles, accompanying behavior and the factors that support the development of these roles and behavior will be presented. Six roles of teacher educators were distinguished, from which three are considered to be major: teacher of teachers, coach and researcher. This presentation will be followed by three in depth empirical research contributions of scholars from the UK, Israël and The Netherlands, each of them on one of the major roles. At the end of these presentations there will be a general discussion about developments in the roles and major themes for future research in this field. Session summary The international symposium on the professionalism of teacher educators has the objective to discuss (developments in the research on) the major roles and the professional development of teacher educators and to identify some major themes for future research in this field. In the first part of the session a recently conducted extensive review study, based on 160 articles out of a selection of more than 1250, on the roles, accompanying behavior and the factors that support the development of these roles and behavior will be presented. Based on this analysis six roles of teacher educators were distinguished: 1) teacher of teachers, 2) coach, 3)researcher, 4)curriculum developer, 5) gatekeeper, and 6) broker. The first three are considered as major roles. For each of these major roles critical features are identified and related to the research about the accompanying behavior of teacher educators. These professional roles are liable to continuous change. School-based teacher education changed the role of teacher educators in schools and universities and gave rise to the new role of broker. The changing place of teacher education within universities and de development of practitioner research as a distinct kind of research has influenced the role of research and scholarship in the teacher education profession (Borg, 2011; Wilson, 2006). This presentation will be followed by three contributions of scholars from different countries. They will present in depth empirical research based on mixed methods with respect to one of the three major roles of teacher educators. Research from the UK will be presented on the (developments in the) role of teacher of teachers, research from Israël will focus on the role of mentor and finally a Dutch case study about the development of the role of scholar/researcher in a new university setting will be presented. The scholarly or scientific significance of this symposium is that it will be held at the moment that during the last decades the profession of teacher educator has emerged as a distinct profession and research theme (Clarke, 2001; Murray & Male, 2005; Swennen, Jones & Volman, 2010). Special issues of journals, books and encyclopaedic articles have been published about the profession and the professional development of teacher educators (European Journal of Teacher Education, 2005; Teaching and Teaching Education, 2005; Professional Development in Education, 2010; Swennen & Van der Klink, 2009; Lunenberg, 2010; Smith, 2011). Professional standards for teacher educators have been developed (ATE, 2008; Koster & Dengerink, 2008). The amount of selfstudies is accumulating (Cochran-Smith, 2005). Now is the time to evaluate these developments in the profession and the research about the profession in this field and also to discuss how teacher educators can keep up their roles in accordance with the needs of the education of future teachers
Given the complexity of teaching, continuing teacher professional development (CPD) is essential for maintaining and enhancing teaching effectiveness, and bridging the gap between ever-evolving theory and practice. Technological advancements have opened new opportunities for digital tools to support CPD. However, the successful integration of such digital tools into practice poses challenges. It requires adherence to CPD prerequisites and acknowledgment of the complexity of the professional development process. This study explored the applicability of the developed digital PE teacher professional development TARGET-tool in a secondary school PE context. We examined the perceived usability of this tool and gained insights into the process of teachers’ professional development as a result of using the tool. Ten PE teachers from different schools implemented the TARGET- tool within their PE context for a period of 4 to 6 weeks. Individual semi-structured inter- views and the System Usability Scale provided insights into the perceived usability and the process of teacher professional development. The TARGET-tool demonstrated its potential as an effective tool for supporting teachers’ professional development. Future tool improve- ments were identified to further optimize the perceived usability, such as simplifying com- plex features, providing additional support and resources, and improving (data) presenta- tions. Using the Interconnected Model of Professional Growth as a theoretical basis, it was demonstrated how the use of the TARGET-tool engages teachers as active and reflective participants in their professional development and induces changes within the external domain, the domain of practice, the domain of consequences, and the personal domain.
The project aims to improve palliative care in China through the competence development of Chinese teachers, professionals, and students focusing on the horizontal priority of digital transformation.Palliative care (PC) has been recognised as a public health priority, and during recent years, has seen advances in several aspects. However, severe inequities in the access and availability of PC worldwide remain. Annually, approximately 56.8 million people need palliative care, where 25.7% of the care focuses on the last year of person’s life (Connor, 2020).China has set aims for reaching the health care standards of the developed countries by 2030 through the Healthy China Strategy 2030, where one of the improvement areas in health care includes palliative care, thus continuing the previous efforts.The project provides a constructive, holistic, and innovative set of actions aimed at resulting in lasting outcomes and continued development of palliative care education and services. Raising the awareness of all stakeholders on palliative care, including the public, is highly relevant and needed. Evidence based practice guidelines and education are urgently required for both general and specialised palliative care levels, to increase the competencies for health educators, professionals, and students. This is to improve the availability and quality of person-centered palliative care in China. Considering the aging population, increase in various chronic illnesses, the challenging care environment, and the moderate health care resources, competence development and the utilisation of digitalisation in palliative care are paramount in supporting the transition of experts into the palliative care practice environment.General objective of the project is to enhance the competences in palliative care in China through education and training to improve the quality of life for citizens. Project develops the competences of current and future health care professionals in China to transform the palliative care theory and practice to impact the target groups and the society in the long-term. As recognised by the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC), palliative care competences need to be developed in collaboration. This includes shared willingness to learn from each other to improve the sought outcomes in palliative care (EAPC 2019). Since all individuals have a right to health care, project develops person-centered and culturally sensitive practices taking into consideration ethics and social norms. As concepts around palliative care can focus on physical, psychological, social, or spiritual related illnesses (WHO 2020), project develops innovative pedagogy focusing on evidence-based practice, communication, and competence development utilising digital methods and tools. Concepts of reflection, values and views are in the forefront to improve palliative care for the future. Important aspects in project development include health promotion, digital competences and digital health literacy skills of professionals, patients, and their caregivers. Project objective is tied to the principles of the European Commission’s (EU) Digital Decade that stresses the importance of placing people and their rights in the forefront of the digital transformation, while enhancing solidarity, inclusion, freedom of choice and participation. In addition, concepts of safety, security, empowerment, and the promotion of sustainable actions are valued. (European Commission: Digital targets for 2030).Through the existing collaboration, strategic focus areas of the partners, and the principles of the call, the PalcNet project consortium was formed by the following partners: JAMK University of Applied Sciences (JAMK ), Ramon Llull University (URL), Hanze University of Applied Sciences (HUAS), Beijing Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Guangzhou Health Science College (GHSC), Beihua University (BHU), and Harbin Medical University (HMU). As project develops new knowledge, innovations and practice through capacity building, finalisation of the consortium considered partners development strategy regarding health care, (especially palliative care), ability to create long-term impact, including the focus on enhancing higher education according to the horizontal priority. In addition, partners’ expertise and geographical location was also considered important to facilitate long-term impact of the results.Primary target groups of the project include partner country’s (China) staff members, teachers, researchers, health care professionals and bachelor level students engaging in project implementation. Secondary target groups include those groups who will use the outputs and results and continue in further development in palliative care upon the lifetime of the project.
