In the Spring of 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic impacted all aspects of life throughout the world, including education. Teachers who had never taught online before, all of a sudden had one week to get ready to engage with their students in a virtual setting. On top of these changes, our small post-degree Canadian teacher education program had teacher candidates on practicum in K-12 schools. That meant our faculty mentors, responsible for recommending teacher candidates for certification, had to figure out how to mentor, support, and evaluate teacher candidates who were teaching remotely. This research aimed to address the following two questions: a) What were these faculty mentors’ experiences when having to move mentoring of teacher candidates on a remote practicum? and b) What recommendations do these faculty mentors have for teacher education programs trying to support faculty mentors having to mentor teacher candidates who are teaching remotely? Results illustrate challenges with workload, anxiety, screen time, teacher mentors limiting teacher candidate opportunities, and figuring out how to evaluate certification readiness.

Regardless of the commitments that universities and teacher education programs (TEPs) have publicly stated regarding equity, diversity, inclusion, or decolonization (EDID), rarely do these commitments impact their admission policies or practices. Through examining a small program’s efforts at implementing EDID change over a three-year period, this article provides critical reflections, questions, and action steps for TEPs looking to move beyond talking about the importance of EDID, to actually altering policies and procedures to address systemic change. Utilizing the concepts of “equity in” and “equity through” admissions, intake variables (Multiple Mini Interview [MMI], Program Preparation, GPA) were analyzed quantitatively and used in this beginning participatory action research project. Results illustrate the benefits of the MMI, the need for program admissions to account for capacities in relation to anti-racism directly, rather than just generally referring to equity, and the need for admission practices to reflect an appreciation of the complexities around identity and ethics.

This chapter is a culmination of what a teacher educator and teacher candidates learned about remote assessments when COVID-19 moved school (and, as a result, practicums) online. Although many aspects of effective assessment (i.e., assessments as, of, and for learning) applied to both the face-to-face and the online environment, how these assessments occurred often needed to be changed. To support teacher candidates, assessments were altered using the SAMR model by substituting, augmenting, modifying, and redefining the assessment tasks that existed prior to moving online. Key aspects of effective assessment are presented, followed by their application to remote environments. This chapter then reviews the SAMR model, providing specific applications to assess both progressive skills and discrete units. It concludes with some recommended programs and apps that can assist teacher candidates when working to assess students using digital technologies.

This article documents a year-long collaborative self-study of three teacher educators engaged in a practicum innovation in a teacher education program. This study, which is part of a larger study examining practicum-based seminars called Particulars of Practice (POP), focuses on exploring our own practices and identities within this innovation. Given this new structure in the program, we had many questions about how we each engaged with mentoring within this innovation, and what conceptions and assumptions were being surfaced for us about our roles, identities, and practices in practicum mentoring. The data included an email thread, personal reflections, and collaborative meeting transcripts that represented our experiences with the POP innovation. Using braiding as a methodological approach to honour all three sets of data, we were able to generate results that fell into two categories: reflections on the nature of self study and the knowledge gained about our identities, practices and roles from this research. We assert that the nature of self study involves vulnerability, difficult conversations, and multiplicity of perspectives. The knowledge gained from our collaborative self-study is identified as challenging preconceptions, seeing teacher candidates in new ways, and learning as a mirroring process.

This paper documents research regarding the roles, practices, and identities of three faculty members who mentor teacher candidates during practicums. Using a collaborative self-study (Hamilton, 1995), the authors examine the implications of implementing "particulars of practice seminars" (POPS) where practice issues are surfaced by candidates and examined collaboratively through focused conversation. The POPS are designed to develop candidates' authority of experience (Munby & Russell, 1994) and foster candidates' agency in professional learning yet these aims are highly dependent upon the faculty mentors' practices and how these seminars are conceived and enacted. Using reflections, email threads, and meetings, this self-study focuses on the authors' conceptions of their practice, identities, and roles as faculty mentors participating in the POPS and introduces "braiding" as a metaphor to illustrate the weaving together of multiple data sources. Results include assertions regarding programmatic recommendations, faculty development, and methodological approaches used in self-study research.

This phenomenological study aimed to explore how early career teachers were supported in their transition from teacher education to professional practice. It involved interviewing seven recent graduates from a post-degree teacher education program on their perceptions of both the program and their local school district in supporting them as early career teachers. Results involve numerous recommendations for supporting these teachers during their induction into the profession leading to the articulation of a continuum of lifelong professional learning that includes teacher education, induction and mentorship, and professional development. Key responsibilities for school districts, principals, and teacher education faculty are included.

This article reports on the validity of the Multiple-Mini-Interview (MMI) method as it was used by a post-degree teacher education program as part of their admissions process to select candidates for entry into the program. The MMI, primarily used for medical school admittance, involves several stations with different interviewers. Comparisons were made between the MMI, other intake variables, and outtake measures. Quantitative analyses also examined possible interviewer, station, gender, and heritage effects. Results support the claim that the MMI can be used to measure dispositions not measured by other intake variables; however, some concerns did emerge. Keywords: multiple-mini-interview, teacher education, admission processes, higher education

To investigate any possible differences in student engagement between project-based learning units and non-project–based learning units, this triangulation design-convergence mixed methods study followed a grade 10 teacher and her students as they completed science units on chemistry, aquaponics, and genetics. Student engagement was measured in multiple ways using observed on-task behaviour, student perception surveys, and student interviews. Results reveal significant differences in observed on-task behaviour between project-based and non-project–based activities. However, student perceptions of engagement did not significantly improve with project-based learning. Instead, student perceptions of civic engagement emerged as a critical point of examination.

Project based learning (PBL) is recognized as a student-centred instructional model that focuses on student collaboration to solve a real world question that results in the creation of a final product (Kokotsaki, Menzies, & Wiggins, 2016). While literature reviews of PBL reveal that teachers perceive students to be more motivated, more collaborative, and more successful when PBL is used in the classroom, the majority of research focuses only on perceptions rather than measures of student learning. Using a mixed methods triangulation-convergence design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007) this study gathered detailed classroom observations, one-on-one student interviews, and student surveys to examine what, if any, student learning occurred. In addition, levels of student engagement, during both a PBL and non-PBL unit, were measured. These measures aimed to improve the validity of research that reports on student learning and engagement in relation to PBL in the secondary classroom. Key recommendations are included to help teachers, administrators, and policy advocates regarding the use of PBL opportunities to develop students

This study examines teacher perceptions of their experiences with Project Based Learning (PBL) at a secondary school in Western Canada. This PBL initiative included English language arts, mathematics, science, and digital literacy courses and all the grade nines at this large secondary school. This article reports on two teacher focus group interviews that were part of a larger mixed-methods study (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007). Results provide specific details regarding conditions for the successful implementation of PBL, challenges and support for current research into PBL, and areas of additional needed research.

This paper focuses on the divide between the university as a site of teacher education and the profession of practicing teachers. We employed a theoretical inquiry methodology on a singular case study which included formulating questions about the phenomena of the university-profession divide (UPD), analysing constituents of the UPD, and developing a language system to represent our findings about the UPD. The questions guiding our examination were: How do we conceptualize this divide? How are these concepts represented in the literature? How can a Teacher Education Program (TEP) respond to the divide? The theoretical inquiry was conducted within a singular case study of a TEP in order to explore the chasm between these two settings in a limited and focused manner. Our inquiry led to the identification of three key concepts: competing cultures, competing expectations, and theory-practice dichotomy. In analyzing these concepts and responding to questions which drove this inquiry from the beginning, we assert that these concepts contribute to the divide and therefore, have implications for teacher education programming. We summarize findings about these three concepts, suggest causes for the chasm, and offer recommendations to address the divide. Finally, we argue that while it is important to address the divide to enhance teacher education, the divide itself is a potentially rich site of possibilities. We contend that a reconceptualization of the UPD in this way might mitigate its negative impact on teacher education curriculum and programming. Cet article se concentre sur l’écart qui existe entre l’université en tant que lieu de formation des enseignants et la profession d’enseignant en exercice. Nous avons employé une méthodologie d’enquête théorique basée sur une seule étude de cas qui comprenait des questions sur l’écart entre université et profession, l’analyse des composantes de cet écart et le développement d’un système de langue pour représenter nos résultats concernant l’écart entre université et profession. Les questions qui ont guidé notre examen étaient les suivantes : Comment conceptualisons-nous cet écart? Comment ces concepts sont-ils représentés dans les publications? Comment un programme de formation des enseignants peut-il répondre à cet écart? L’enquête théorique a été menée sur une seule étude de cas d’un programme de formation des enseignants afin d’explorer le gouffre qui existe entre ces deux domaines d’une manière limitée et ciblée. Notre enquête a permis d’identifier trois concepts clés : la concurrence entre les cultures, la concurrence entre les attentes et la dichotomie entre théorie et pratique. Suite à l’analyse de ces concepts et aux réponses obtenues aux questions qui étaient à l’origine de cette enquête dès le départ, nous pouvons affirmer que ces concepts contribuent à l’écart et, par conséquent, ont une incidence sur les programmes de formation des enseignants. Nous résumons nos résultats concernant ces concepts, suggérons des raisons à l’origine du gouffre et proposons des recommandations pour remédier à l’écart. Pour finir, nous suggérons que, bien qu’il soit important de remédier à l’écart afin d’améliorer la formation des enseignants, l’écart lui-même est un lieu potentiellement rempli de riches possibilités. Nous soutenons qu’une reconceptualisation de l’écart entre université et profession selon cette manière pourrait mitiger ses effets négatifs sur le curriculum et les programmes de formation des enseignants.

This paper reports on the effectiveness of intake variables used by a Canadian post-degree teacher education programme over the period of three years to select candidates for entry into the programme. Using a mixed-methods approach, comparisons were made between intake variables (GPA, written response, work experience, reference letters, academic preparation, and interviews), and post-practicum ratings completed by faculty mentors. Post-practicum ratings were gathered on 14 programme goals (e.g., classroom management, communication, professionalism, etc.). In addition, qualitative analyses of the scoring tools and focus group interviews with involved faculty were completed. Results over three years revealed variation that led to changes in variables and scoring tools. Implications for altering future intake procedures, especially in relation to procedural efficiency, are examined. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PRESENT: Rhonda Colwell, Heather Compeau, Vlad Dvoracek, Darren Francis, Peter Geller, Nancy Goad, Arlene Leon, Stan Manu, Kate McCulloch, David McGuire, Rod McLeod, Lisa Moy, Theresa Mulder, Sylvie Murray, Samantha Pattridge, Eric Spalding, Simon Xi ABSENT: Satwinder Bains, Maria Bos-Chan, Sue Brigden, John English, Shirley Hardman, Anthony Iliev, Steven Marsh, Maureen Wideman GUESTS: Teresa Arroliga-Piper, Jill Bain, Kenneth Gariepy, Derek Harnett, Cynthia Loten, Stephen Piper RECORDER: Amanda Grimson

The combining of subject areas or disciplines, referred to in this article as curriculum integration, has been recognised as being linked to high levels of student motivation and learning. Sheryl MacMath of the University of Toronto, Jillian Roberts of the University of Victoria, and John Wallace and Xiaohong Chi of the University of Toronto discuss the findings of their case study (n = 23 students) based in a Canadian secondary school where an integrated unit on energy was taught to pupils identified as being 'at risk' of not completing high school. Teacher and student interviews, classroom observations and surveys were used in the case study to investigate student motivation and learning. Results from the study illustrate that students experienced higher levels of motivation and academic success compared to work on previous units. The authors explore how higher levels of student self-efficacy were also recorded due to the repetition of content in different classrooms and across different contexts. The authors argue that further research in this area should examine more than student learning and motivation and highlights the need to focus specifically on opportunities for successful academic experiences where student efficacy is increased.

In response to Denzin and Lincoln's claim that using a variety of interpretive analyses enables a better understanding of the world, I examine two different analyses of the same data set. Using a survey of preservice elementary education students (n = 208) asked to describe their perceptions of teacher professionalism, I contrast the application of Polkinghorne's paradigmatic and narrative analyses. Using the crises of representation, legitimization and praxis, I interrogate both sets of results making an argument for the value of multiple and varied analyses.

A vignette detailing a discussion amongst elementary school teachers brings the ambiguity and challenges of implementing a democratic pedagogy into focus. Using this as a springboard, democratic pedagogy is explored through Dewey’s three democratic dispositions: all human beings are morally equal, we are all capable of intelligent and well-informed opinions, and we can solve any problem if we work collaboratively. Taking these dispositions as the structural necessities for enacting a democratic pedagogy, this paper provides practical field examples of these three democratic dispositions as implemented by teachers.