The mediating effect of social network identity management on the relationship between personality traits and social media addiction among pre-service teachers

BACKGROUND

The use of social media has become an important part individuals' daily lives and is used in many daily life activities, such as social interaction, education, and shopping. However, with the increase in the use of social media, a minority of individuals can experience problematic use (and in extreme cases, 'social media addiction'). The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of personality traits on social media addiction and the mediating role of social network identity management in this relationship among preservice teachers.

METHODS

The data were collected from 275 pre-service teachers at a university in Türkiye. The survey included the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10), the Social Network Identity Management Scale, the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and a personal information form.

RESULTS

The findings of the study indicated that there was a relationship between personality traits, social network identity management, and social media addiction. Specifically, neuroticism was positively associated with social media addiction, whereas extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness were negatively associated. The results also indicated that social network identity management mediated the effect of personality traits on social media addiction.

CONCLUSION

Given that the present investigation was only a preliminary study, further research is needed to examine whether social network identity management is an important determinant in understanding the relationship between personality traits and social media addiction.

Digital competency mapping dataset of pre-service teachers in Indonesia

This dataset used the Digital Competency Scale (DCS) to describe Indonesian pre-service teachers' perceptions. The DCS instrument consisted of five constructs/dimensions, which are: 1) data and information literacy, 2) communication and collaboration, 3) digital content creation, 4) safety, and 5) problem-solving, with a total of 36 items using five-point agreement Likert scale. The data was gathered from 23 education and teacher training faculties at Muhammadiyah Universities in 14 provinces across Indonesia in the academic year 2021/2022. A total of 1400 students (18 to 23 years old) in their first to fifth years of study were recruited using the convenience sampling technique, where they participated in filling in the survey electronically using Google Form. The dataset was analysed with the Rasch model measurement approach using WINSTEPS version 5.2.3 software for data cleaning and validation, and reliability and validity testing of the instrument. This dataset analysis can help teacher-training institutions, or higher education policymakers design effective programmes to improve pre-service teachers' digital competencies. Furthermore, researchers can compare this dataset with more rigorous data from other countries.

Development and in-depth investigation of pre-service teachers' digital competencies based on DigCompEdu: a case study

The purpose of this study is twofold: (a) To develop digital competencies of pre-service teachers in an educational process; (b) To describing their digital competences by examining artefacts designed by pre-service teachers based on DigCompEdu framework. Holistic single case study was employed in this study and the course was examined as a single unit. The study group consisted of 40 pre-service teachers. A 14-week course has been designed to develop the digital competencies of pre-service teachers based on the DigCompEdu framework. The e-portfolios and reflection reports of 40 pre-service teachers who participated in the study were examined and evaluated according to the indicators presented for each competence within the framework of DigCompEdu. Pre-service teachers' digital competences were assessed as folows: mostly C2 level in digital resources; mostly C1 level in teaching and learning, and mostly B2 level in assessment and empowering learning. An education process that blends theoretical and practical assignments for the pre-service teachers' digital competencies to be improved was conducted in this study. It is expected that the steps that were followed in the study in the process of training pre-service teachers be directive towards researchers who wish to study this subject. It is important that contextual and cultural qualities are taken into consideration in the interpretation of the findings in the study. This study contributes to the literature in terms of evaluating the digital skills of pre-service teachers based on reflection reports and e-portfolios, instead of self-report surveys.

The effects of a gamified online course on pre-service teachers' confidence, intention, and motivation in integrating technology into teaching

Teachers are gatekeepers of technology integration in the classroom. Pre-service teachers' attitudes, confidence, and competence in exploring emerging technologies play a critical role in teachers' adoption of technology in teaching. This study examined the effects of a gamified technology course on pre-service teachers' confidence, intention, and motivation in integrating technology into teaching. A sample of pre-service teachers (N = 84) at a Midwestern university in the United States in the academic year of 2021-22 was surveyed. The regression results revealed that the gamified course significantly and positively influenced pre-service teachers' confidence in using technology in education, intention to adopt gamification, and motivation to explore more emerging technologies for teaching, after controlling for gender. In contrast, gender did not affect pre-service teachers' confidence, intention, and motivation in integrating technology into instruction after controlling for the gamified course effects. Suggestions on gamifying course design while leveraging quest-based learning and active learning principles to enhance student positive attitudes and motivation to explore technology integration are discussed.

Supporting the Development of Science Pre-service Teachers' Creativity and Critical Thinking in Secondary Science Initial Teacher Education

Creative and critical thinking (C&CT) capabilities are essential qualities of future ready scientific literate citizens. As teacher educators, developing C&CT in science pre-service teachers (PSTs) requires supporting PSTs' development of C&CT, in addition to supporting their understanding and capacity to teach for development of C&CT in their future school science students. In this study, four secondary science educators critically reflected on the development of our professional knowledge and practice for supporting secondary science PSTs' understanding of, and capacity to teach, C&CT as future teachers of science. Meeting transcripts, reflective journaling and curriculum documents were inductively analysed for key themes, utilising an iterative approach with multiple cycles of review. Findings showed that integrating C&CT in explicit ways in our teaching and assessment tasks was not as straight-forward as initially imagined. Three themes were identified, showing how our thinking evolved, namely (1) becoming sensitised to C&CT in our science ITE practice; (2) developing a shared language and understanding for science education; and (3) illuminating the conditions for teaching C&CT. A recurring feature in all themes was the value of tensions for sensitising us to specific aspects of C&CT and its teaching. We offer recommendations for others seeking to develop science PSTs' C&CT.

How social media and peer learning influence student-teacher self-directed learning in an online world under the 'New Normal'

The study aimed to investigate three aspects of Thai student-teacher self-directed learning (SDL) competency. These were the student-teachers opinions concerning their use of social media (SM), self-management (SM), and learning desire (LD). The sample group was 468 student-teachers enrolled in a Bachelor of Industrial Education Program at the King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang in Bangkok, Thailand, in the Academic Year 2021. The research instrument consisted of an SDL competency questionnaire whose discrimination (corrected item-total correlation) values were determined to be between 0.37 and 0.69, which also had a confidence level of 0.91. Data analysis used LISREL 9.10 for the study's second-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Descriptive statistics analysis included the mean and standard deviation (SD), which was accomplished using IBM's® SPSS® for Windows Version 21. Three models were developed for the study. These included the social media (SM) model containing 285 participants, the peer learning (PL) model, which contained 183 participants, and the total group (TG) model, which contained everyone surveyed (n = 468). The final analysis from the second-order CFAs showed that student-teacher SDL competency for self-control (SC) (0.96) was valued most by the student-teachers. However, their learning desire (LD) (0.87) and self-management (SM) (0.80) skills were somewhat behind. Moreover, in the Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) (r) analysis of the 24 variable relationships, the strongest was related to each student-teacher's learning desire. However, the weakest variable relationship was related to their ability to set high personal standards and the self-discipline to achieve them. Finally, quite interestingly, 60.90% of the student-teachers indicated that their SDL is gotten from social media (SM) resources compared to learning from their peers (PL) around them.

An investigation into EFL pre-service teachers' academic writing strategies

Recent research has shown writing strategies to have a substantial impact on language learners' writing performance but little is known about what strategies EFL learners use and how they use them in writing academic texts such as reports, final assignments, and project papers. The study reported in this paper extends this line of research by investigating the strategies Vietnamese EFL pre-service teachers use in academic writing. Data included document analysis of 17 pre-service teachers' final assignment papers (one paper per teacher) and individual semi-structured interviews with ten teachers. The study adopted a content-based approach to qualitative data analysis with reference to a comprehensive research-based taxonomy for L2 academic writing strategies, including rhetorical, metacognitive, cognitive, and social affective strategies. The results show that rhetorical, metacognitive, and cognitive strategies were most frequently used by the teacher participants. The results further show that self-efficacy and self-regulation determined the teachers' use of strategies during the writing process. Implications for the L2 writing classroom focused on academic writing strategies to enhance pre-service teachers' writing quality will be discussed.

Perception of pre-service teachers in using Google Docs for lesson plan writing

In the twenty-first century education is technology driven. The pre-service teachers are the future educators and lesson planning is an integral part of the curriculum of a pre-service teacher. Though at present everything is being digitalized and paperless, it has been seen that lesson plans are still being handwritten in the traditional way. This study aims at analysing the benefits of Google Docs in writing lesson plans. The sample for this study consisted of 60 pre-service teachers from two teacher training colleges in Goa, India. A 5-point Likert scale consisting of 15 items has been used to gauge the perception of pre-service teachers in using Google Docs. The data obtained has been analysed using SPSS 28. From the study it has been seen that a majority of the participants are in favour of using Google Docs for writing lesson plans.

Pre-service EFL teacher's perceptions of foreign language writing anxiety and some associated factors

Researchers have been striving to investigate the causes and consequences associated with writing anxiety experienced by students of foreign languages. This study aimed to investigate the level and nature of writing anxiety experienced by learners of foreign languages, considering gender as a variable. The study's second goal was to uncover the learners' perspectives on writing anxiety and the factors that contribute to it. The convenience sample method was used to choose seventy-six students to participate in the English language teacher training course. Second Language Writing Anxiety Reasons Inventory (SLWARI) and Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory (SLWAI) (Cheng, 2004; Kara, 2013) [1,2] were used in order to determine the levels and types of anxiety that are associated with learners' foreign language writing. Both inventories were used to determine what causes learners' foreign language writing. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of how students perceive the level of anxiety they feel when writing, a semi-structured interview was conducted with each participant. The data showed that there was no difference when taking into account learners' gender concerning their anxiety levels and kinds. The vast majority of individuals reported feeling a significant amount of anxiety. The subjects exhibited cognitive anxiety symptoms, although there were no indications of gender effect. The responses to the interview questions highlighted a deficiency in both writing practice and linguistic expertise as critical contributors to anxious sentiments.

The perceived affordances of simulation-based learning: online student teachers' perspectives

In this study, we explore the perceived affordances of simulation-based learning (SBL) among online student teachers in Norway. We investigated how simulations mediate professional learning when coupled with educator-led debriefings and peer-led focus groups. Using an exploratory qualitative design, we examined 21 pre-service teachers' perspectives on their experiences of this SBL intervention. We analysed peer-led focus group data, as well as written reflection logs. Our findings reveal that despite experienced technical challenges, the overall intervention afforded work-life relevant practice, prompting collaborative reflection. In addition to expert feedback, the peer-led focus group discussions are found to be a key component of the SBL design, as these enabled collaborative reflection over a shared practice teaching experience. The findings imply that SBL can be used to bridge the theory-practice gap, a recurring challenge in the field. Consequently, SBL has transformative potential in teacher education.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41239-022-00366-2.

Pre-service teachers' use of ICT to collaborate to complete assessment tasks

This research explored the use of ICT products by n = 123 pre-service teachers to complete collaborative assessments. Students responded to a questionnaire relating to the use, benefits and limitations, and what would better enable the use of ICT for collaborative assessment purposes. The ICT products favoured by students did not support some key elements necessary for online collaboration, through either student use or product functionality. Poor Internet access was a commonly cited limitation with the effect of reducing access to available ICT skills training. Suggestions for changes to course structure and content and further research are made.

Mobile learning: Pre-service teachers' perceptions of integrating iPads into future teaching

This study investigated pre-service teachers' perceptions of using iPads in teaching, with a focus on motivation to adopt iPads, iPad-integration self-efficacy, and intention to adopt iPads for future teaching. Changes of pre-service teachers' perceptions of using iPads over time as well as the relationships of motivation, self-efficacy, and intention for iPad adoption were examined. Participants were pre-service teachers from a university in the northeastern United States. Data were collected using online pre- and post-surveys. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were performed to analyze the data. Results indicated that there were significant changes in pre-service teachers' motivation and intention to adopt iPads before and after their participation in a mobile learning project. Motivation and iPad-integration self-efficacy were significant predictors of pre-service teachers' intention for future adoption. iPad ownership and prior experience with iPad-integrated lesson plans were potential factors that had a significant impact on pre-service teachers' perceptions of using iPads in future teaching. Pre-service teachers' perceived advantages and disadvantages of using iPads were reported and discussed. The findings of this study not only contribute to the understanding of iPad integration among pre-service teachers, but also provide an evidence on the positive influence of iPad-integrated activities on pre-service teachers' perceptions of using iPads for future teaching.

What are pre-service teachers like? Analysis of their psychosocial profile

Modern society is becoming increasingly interested in people who are emotionally competent and who have the psychosocial skills required to be successful within the current social environment. However, no studies have been published on the assessment of the role of Emotional Intelligence (EI) on mental health if we assume the possible mediation of resilience and personality factors in the case of pre-service teachers. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyse the mediating role of resilience and personality factors in the relationship between EI and mental health of 1,022 pre-service teachers enrolled in different educational degrees. The results found support the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between emotional intelligence and mental health; nevertheless, this was not the case when personality traits were analysed. Furthermore, it has been found that EI and resilience positively affect mental health of university students. Practical implications of this study are oriented towards an advance within the emerging trend of deepening the EI and resilience constructs among mental health care providers. Only if we understand the complex interactions between the constructs which determine people will it be possible to develop educational and health programmes responding to current needs.

Flipped classroom: motivational affordances of spherical video-based immersive virtual reality in support of pre-lecture individual learning in pre-service teacher education

Flipped classroom (FC) is a "blended" instructional approach that requires students to complete pre-lecture individual learning tasks in preparation for participating in related in-lecture peer learning activities. One of the critical problems of FC has been students' lack of motivation to complete the assigned online pre-lecture tasks prior to attending the corresponding face-to-face lectures. Spherical video-based immersive virtual reality (SV-IVR), which can be produced without costly computing equipment and sophisticated technical expertise, is a technological tool with considerable potential for enhancing teaching and learning. This mixed-methods study was grounded in the instructional motivation theory of ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction). A total of 188 education students (i.e., pre-service teachers) who were generally knowledgeable about the pedagogical concept of FC evaluated the ARCS motivational affordances of SV-IVR in support of the pre-lecture stage of FC. These students were from teaching majors of (i) language education, (ii) social and humanities education, and (iii) mathematics and science education. The results indicated the participants across the 3 majors positively perceived SV-IVR as having desirable benefits on "A," "R," and "S," but not "C." This research provides new insights into adopting SV-IVR in FC, in particular, shedding light on leveraging this technological tool in pre-service teacher education.

Development of pre-service early childhood teachers' technology integrations skills through a praxeological approach

How to improve and what should be carried out for pre-service teachers' technological competencies for teaching purposes is still an important issue on the agenda of the higher education field. In light of this, we aimed to reflect the individual and collective technology integration knowledge and skills construction process of pre-service early childhood education teachers with democratic participation. We utilized the praxeological approach as a method and learning approach to reveal the reflections of the instructional technologies course. The participants in this study were 52 sophomore pre-service teachers in the early childhood education department. We collected the data from various sources such as interviews, portfolios, researchers' field notes, e-mails, online course evaluation form. We carried out the thematic analysis method to analyze the data. The findings indicated that three main themes emerged as initial challenges, learning process, and learning outcomes during enhancement of pre-service early childhood teachers' technology integration knowledge and skills. As a result, the praxeological approach used in instructional technologies courses in teacher education programs leads to a crucial digital transformation to be ready to become future teachers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41239-022-00344-8.

Drivers of technology adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic: The motivational role of psychological needs and emotions for pre-service teachers

The vital role of motivation becomes even more evident when considering the digital transformation of learning and teaching environments, especially with the effect of the pandemic. Basic psychological needs and emotions, which have not been comprehensively examined together despite their important roles in motivating, draw attention. Accordingly, this study aims to reveal the psychological, emotional, and individual variables that influence the pre-service teachers' intention to use technology, and to evaluate and validate the predictive power of a proposed model. The technology acceptance model formed the basis of the proposed model, and the model was extended with the self-determination theory (competence, autonomy, relatedness) and a framework of emotions (enjoyment, playfulness, anxiety, frustration). Data were collected online from 591 pre-service teachers studying in 10 different departments of a state university. In data analysis PLS-SEM, PLSpredict and multi-group analysis were performed. The results revealed that the model explains 79.8% of the intention and that the predictive power of the model is high. The relationship between competence and perceived ease of use represents the strongest relationship in the model, and the most influential construct on intention is enjoyment. These findings suggest that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation play a major role in technology acceptance, especially during the pandemic. In addition, innovativeness, which is related to technology use and motivation, had various moderator effects on the relationships. Findings indicate that the model, which offers a motivational approach based on basic psychological needs and emotions, provides rare information and has high relevance for the field.

Exploring factors influencing pre-service and in-service teachers´ perception of digital competencies in the Chinese region of Anhui

The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the wave of digital social transformation worldwide and pushed the "Accelerator Key" for the digital transformation of education in 2020. This transformation has also impacted in an all-around way in China. Taking Anhui province as a case study, this research explores socio-demographic factors influencing the digital competence level of pre- and in-service teachers of primary and secondary education in China. The quantitative methodological approach emphasizes the study subjects' perception of their digital competencies in three factors: basic technology literacy, technical support learning, and technical support teaching. The study involved 250 pre-service teachers and 248 in-service teachers. The main findings are: (1) participants have good consciousness and attitudes towards using ICT in daily work, but their educational practice is weak; (2) in-service teachers have a digital competence level generally higher than pre-service teachers', which might be their professional practice promote them to reflect on perceptions and attitudes regarding technological education; (3) for in-service teachers, there are significant differences between their digital competence level and age, years of teaching experience, educational background; (4) current ICT courses have no influencing on in-service teachers' digital competence level, implying that current ICT training system may have problems. The study provides insights to improve pre-service teachers' digital competence education in universities and develop well-designed in-service teachers' ICT training courses.

Integrating augmented reality in language learning: pre-service teachers' digital competence and attitudes through the TPACK framework

Although the use of Augmented Reality (AR) in language learning has increased over the last two decades, there is still little research on the preparation of pre-service teachers as AR content creators. This paper focuses on analyzing the digital competence and attitudes of teacher candidates to integrate AR in the foreign language classroom. For this purpose, eighty-five college students were assigned into different teams to create their own AR-based projects which aimed at teaching English and content to young learners. The teacher candidates employed several software development kits (SDKs) to construct collaborative AR projects in a five-week period, including discursive and illustrative representations of the learning content. In this research based on a mixed method, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered trough AR project presentations and surveys encompassing two validated scales, the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework and the Augmented Reality Applications Attitudes Scale (ARAAS). The statistical data and qualitative findings revealed that the participants lacked practical knowledge on AR content creation and implementation in Education. The major problems were related to the TPK (Technological Pedagogical Knowledge) intersection since participants had been previously trained in AR technology just as recipients and not as content creators and educators.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10639-022-11123-3.

Data on pre-service teachers' experience of project activities based on the teacher education support project in Tanzania

Supporting teacher education in Tanzania has long been a common practice implemented by both local institutions and development partners. Despite a huge investment that has been dedicated to improve teacher education in Tanzania, a lot remains unclear on how direct beneficiaries perceive their engagement with the project activities including the milestones achieved by the implemented projects in teacher colleges (TCs). This article presents data on the experience of pre-service teachers (N = 2,772) participating in the Teacher Education Support Project (TESP), a project collaboratively implemented by the Governments of Tanzania and Canada. In this cross-sectional survey, data was collected from all the 35 public TCs in the Tanzania Mainland from May to August 2021. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted coupled with Monte-Carlo parallel analysis to examine the factor structure of the questionnaire alongside the descriptive analysis of pre-service teachers' responses. The data covers four dimensions of the project services delivered to TCs, including library facilities, teaching and learning materials, science and ICT support as well as teaching and learning methods employed by tutors following TESP intervention. Broadly, useful insights that enlighten the progress made by the TESP so far are presented to stimulate the debate on how to successfully implement a development project geared towards strengthening teacher education in Tanzania and elsewhere. The presented data provides opportunity for educational researchers, teacher educators, policymakers, and curriculum developers to rethink on the key areas that need immediate attention to enhance the important work of preparing teachers in TCs in Tanzania and possibly beyond.

Investigation of Pre-service Teachers' Conceptions of the Nature of Science Based on the LDA Model

This study used the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model to analyze pre-service teachers' views on the nature of science (NOS). This approach can be used to automate the classification of documents, and at the same time, the researcher does not need to deduce with a NOS framework prior to evaluation. Participants were 155 pre-service teachers studying at the Shandong Normal University in China. To gather our data, we used an open questionnaire, namely, the Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire-Form C (VNOS-C). LDA topic modeling was used to classify the document, which was divided into 12 topics. By comparing the LDA topic modeling results with the theoretical framework behind the VNOS-C questionnaire, we categorized these 12 topics into eight descriptive aspects of the NOS: The Empirical Nature of Scientific Knowledge, Observation, Inference, and Theoretical Entities in Science, Scientific Theories and Laws, The Theory-Laden Nature of Scientific Knowledge, The Social and Cultural Embeddedness of Scientific Knowledge, The Myth of The Scientific Method, The Tentative Nature of Scientific Knowledge, and The Nature of Scientific Theory. The results show that pre-service teachers usually hold naive or mixed views of the NOS. In addition, each aspect of NOS is not independent of each other but interrelated and influencing each other. In the future, more consideration can be given to the relationship between each aspect of NOS.

Perspectives of EFL teacher trainers and pre-service teachers on continued mandatory distance education during the pandemic

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the world experienced a fast transition to online education, starting in March 2020. This study aimed to review the process from the perspectives of prospective teachers and teacher trainers in a foreign language teacher education program after two semesters of mandatory distance education to make adjustments and take precautions for online possibilities in the future. Data was collected through questionnaires composed of open- and closed-ended items. A range of themes emerged from the responses, presented in terms of participants' preferences, their perceived benefits and challenges and recommendations for the future.

Micro-credentials in leveraging emergency remote teaching: the relationship between novice users' insights and identity in Malaysia

Micro-credentials have gained much popularity in recent years, and their popularity has skyrocketed due to emergency remote teaching instigated by the pandemic. It has been defined as a platform that provides credentials based on validated competencies. Nevertheless, in Malaysian HEI, such a concept is still novel and identifying insights on the benefits, challenges, and application are still scarce. Similarly, it was observed that there is a lack of observation on how students' digital learning identity and their perception of professional relevance are influenced by such platform. Henceforth, based on the adapted enriched virtual model approach, a micro-credentials course was implemented to complement the new "normal" classes for a pre-service teacher's instructional design course. A mixed-method triangulation design was used to explore the qualitative findings operationalized by open-ended questions (N = 74) with data obtained from the Digital Learning Identity Survey (DLIS) and Constructivist On-Line Learning Environment Survey (COLLES) (N = 72). The findings indicated that respondents had an overall positive perception of the use of micro-credentials to complement and overcome online learning challenges mainly due to substandard internet connectivity; nevertheless, they are unaware of the value of such credentials in their future profession. Conversely, their new identity as digital learners and experiences with a blended approach of online learning, especially with micro-credentials, was successful in shaping their identity as aspiring educators that embrace technology for teaching and learning.

Distance Education among Italian Teachers: Differences and Experiences

The successful integration of technology in teaching is a key component of education. Although prior research highlighted factors fostering the use of technology by teachers, few studies focused on whether these factors vary among teachers of different grade levels and subjects. Moreover, no studies have investigated personal experiences related to distance education among a large sample of teachers. To address these gaps, the present mixed-method study sought to examine whether factors promoting distance education varied among Italian teachers of different grade levels and subjects. A further aim was to explore experiences of teachers using distance education. The sample involved 357 Italian teachers and preservice teachers who completed an online questionnaire during the COVID-19 pandemic that also contained open-ended questions. Findings indicated that teaching self-efficacy was greater in pre-service and primary teachers, while facilitating conditions were greater in humanities and science secondary teachers. The perceived ease of use of technology and technology for pedagogy skills were more pronounced among science secondary teachers. Advanced technology skills were lower in humanities secondary teachers while the behavioural intention to use technology was greatest among pre-service teachers. Four themes emerged from the qualitative study of teachers' insights. These included positive and negative aspects of using technology, the relationship with students, the versatility of distance education, and the quality of lessons. This study underscores the need to address training based on different teachers' grade levels and subjects, and to focus on the emerging themes to better integrate the use of technology in schools.

The discourse of design: Patterns of TPACK Contribution during pre-service teacher learning design conversations

Analysing pre-service teachers' learning design conversations in relation to Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework to understand their learning design practices has remained unexplored. This paper presents findings from a study of pre-service teachers' design discourses that identified how TPACK elements were used during their collaborative design of technology-enhanced lessons. Through thematic analysis of 81 design conversations in two cycles, it was found that pre-service teachers discussed design related issues, TPACK elements, and context in their design conversations with dominant references to design-related issues, substantial occurrences of single TPACK elements, and lower frequencies of integrated TPACK elements and context. Practical recommendations and a Design-TPACK or 'D-TPACK' framework were proposed to support pre-service teachers' learning design practices.

Determining the perceptions of pre-service teachers on technology-based learning during the Covid-19 process: a latent class analysis approach

In the study, latent class analysis (LCA) was used to determine the unobserved structures and the subpopulations of pre-service teachers' technology-based learning behaviours. According to LCA results, three latent classes were obtained. These classes are labelled as Class-1: "High-Level Technology Perception", Class-2: "Low-Level Technology Perception", Class-3: "Intermediate-Level Technology Perception". When Class-1(Reference Group) and Class-2 were compared, it was observed that the covariates of "gender" and "the Covid-19 pandemic affecting learning motivation" did not have a significant effect on Class-2. It has been determined that pre-service teachers who are older, studying in the 4th grade, using the Internet for more than 8 h a day, have advanced computer skills and have advanced technology-based learning experience are less likely to be in Class-2. In addition, in the study, while self-directed learning with technology was associated with pre-service teachers' attitudes towards online teaching in the Covid-19 period and class membership, the fear of Covid-19 was not associated with latent class membership.

Examining the influence of pre-service teachers' digital native traits on their technology acceptance: A Serbian perspective

Many seem to believe that today's pre-service teachers as born after 1980 are digital natives, or that they are "native speakers" of the digital language. Nevertheless, there is no evidence that their digital native characteristics determine whether or not they would use technology in the classroom. Although not widely evaluated, the four-factor, 21-item Digital Nativity Assessment Scale (DNAS) was one of the first instruments to assess digital nativeness (DN). This study aim is to explore the influence of pre-service teachers' DN on their intention to use technology in the future classroom in Serbia, by evaluating the DNAS on Serbian sample and using it for measuring the DN. Six variables were incorporated to examine their mutual relationships based on technology acceptance model: digital nativeness, behavioral intention (BI), perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), subjective norm (SN), and technological complexity (TC). Data were collected from 688 pre-service teachers in Serbia. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a four-factor model for the DNAS, and Serbian pre-service teachers demonstrated a high level of DN. To evaluate the hypothesized model structural equation modeling was utilized. The suggested model had a good fit for describing the BI of Serbian pre-service teachers, accounting for 27.1% of the variance in BI. It was found that direct dominant predictors of BI are digital native traits, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. Significant influence of digital native traits on all other variables in the model was also confirmed. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Pre-service teachers' perceptions of technological pedagogical content knowledge in mainland China: A survey of teachers of Chinese as a second language

There is an urgent need to address the critical demand for qualified Chinese language teachers against the background of China's seeking greater Sino-foreign cultural and educational cooperation. The literature on integrating technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) in language teaching has been increasing in the last few years. However, most of these studies focus on English language teachers. The objective of this study was to examine pre-service teachers' understanding of TPACK for teaching Chinese as a second language (TCSL). This study investigated the TPACK factor structure of 286 pre-service TCSL teachers via exploratory factor analysis, which yielded a six-factor structure. The results revealed that the teachers could not distinguish the boundaries between technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) and technological content knowledge (TCK); and TPK and synthesized TPACK. Further, confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling substantiated the validity and reliability of the adapted 32-item TCSL-TPACK survey instrument. The study also found that the teachers were slightly satisfied with their overall TPACK but were least confident of their technological knowledge (TK), and the more experienced teachers exhibited higher confidence in all six factors. These findings not only remind educators and policymakers of the need to revise current teacher training programs but also persuade TCSL student teachers to explore methods that can help integrate technology into lesson designs.

Wellbeing in initial teacher education: using poetic representation to examine pre-service teachers' understanding of their self-care needs

Creating psychologically safe spaces for pre-service teachers to talk about their hopes, dreams and tensions of becoming teachers is complex work that requires teacher educators to engage with a range of pedagogical practices. A teacher educator must consider how they create this safe space, offering opportunity for vulnerabilities to be revealed. But a teacher educator must also be vulnerable them self; with an awareness for not always knowing what one will be told, will hear or will see. I argue that a mindfulness practice supports being grounded and an ability to hold the space for pre-service teachers as they explore their wellbeing and thus develop, grow, maintain and protect their self-care. In this paper, I draw on reflective and goal setting data to examine pre-service teachers' understandings of their own wellbeing and self-care needs. I use poetic representation to illuminate practices that provide insight into what resources are drawn upon, and what concerns pre-service teachers have as they prepare for their last professional experience placement before graduation. Poetic representation of data provides opportunity to connect with the experiences of pre-service teachers and reveals where there are gaps that can provide us opportunities to consider where we locate pre-service teacher wellbeing in initial teacher education.

An associational study: preschool teachers' acceptance and self-efficacy towards Educational Robotics in a pre-service teacher training program

PURPOSE

This study explores pre-service preschool teachers' acceptance and self-efficacy towards Educational Robotics (ER) during a university course, and also examines their perceptions of the course.

METHODOLOGY

This is a one-group intervention study with an associational research design that includes both quantitative and qualitative research methods: two pre-questionnaires and two post-questionnaires on pre-service teachers' acceptance and self-efficacy towards ER, and participants' training journals.

FINDINGS

The results show that pre-service teachers' acceptance and self-efficacy towards ER improved after they completed the ER teacher training course. There was a significant difference between the start and the end of the ER training in the pre-service teachers' acceptance of ER in the areas of perceived ease of use, enjoyment and attitudes, and in their self-efficacy. The findings based on the training journals show that participants positively evaluated the course. The participants also provided suggestions for improving it, such as additional training sessions, resources and time for experimentation.

VALUE

Our study reveals the impact of an ER training program and showcases the importance of integrating ER in pre-service teachers' education.

Investigating Prospective Teachers' TPACK and their Use of Mathematical Action Technologies as they Create Screencast Video Lessons on iPads

The increasing number of technological devices available in schools, aligned with curriculum guidance, set an expectation for mathematics teachers to incorporate these devices into their teaching. This qualitative study investigated prospective teachers' use of TPACK and mathematical action technologies as they created screencast video lessons using iPads. Results showed prospective teachers' effective use of pedagogical techniques and the screencast app as an amplifier tool, according to the amplifier-reorganizer metaphor. Half of the participants used mathematics technology to confirm and expand the results they had found without technology. The other half had mathematics technology integrated into their solution exercising the balance among TPACK components. For some, their use of the mathematical tool had the potential of expanding the mathematical repertoire of virtual students. We conclude by making recommendations for teacher educators to implement cycles of learning for pre-service teachers to design, enact, and reflect upon the creation of screencast video lessons.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11528-020-00578-1.

Pre-service Teachers Perspectives of Google Expedition

This article explores pre-service teachers' personal experiences as they implemented immersive virtual reality using Google Expedition during a summer STEM camp for primary students. The research is situated around semi-structured interviews conducted to determine how pre-service teachers view their experiences using Google Expedition in primary classrooms, and the pedagogical challenges they encountered during this process. The semi-structured interviews provided insight into the planning, the pedagogical applications, and the obstacles or challenges they encountered during the planning stage and execution of their lesson using a highly interactive, three-dimensional tool such as Google Expedition. The data indicated that pre-service teachers had confidence in implementing virtual reality lessons in the class and considered it a new horizon for teaching. Yet, it also identified pedagogical challenges associated with implementing virtual reality in a primary classroom.

The data on exploratory factor structure of [pre-service] teacher beliefs about educational research scale

This article presents data on factors that depict [pre-service] teacher beliefs about educational research. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect the data that involved 352 final-year students working on their undergraduate theses. The students were registered in the faculty of teacher training and education in one of the private universities with an A (excellent) accreditation in Jakarta, Indonesia. The participants were selected conveniently. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to reveal the factors comprised in the data. 49 out of 72 items formed five factors: negative views about educational research, positive views about educational research, knowledge about educational research, open-mindedness, and accessibility.

Digital literacy and e-learning experiences among the pre-service teachers data

The data show different issues connected with the digital literacy of pre-service teachers. The data were collected in 2019 among 450 teachers of pedagogical studies in Poland. The research was conducted in the biggest Polish university that trains educational staff, the Pedagogical University of Cracow. The data describe issues related to the self-evaluation of digital literacy in using text editors, spreadsheets, and presentation and graphic software. They also describe experiences with e-learning: participation in obligatory online classes, searching for information on the Internet, participation in paid and free e-learning courses, and participation in informal study groups.

The dataset for validation of factors affecting pre-service teachers' use of ICT during teaching practices: Indonesian context

This dataset describes two main variables, technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) and Beliefs on ICT, which may affect pre-service teachers' (PSTs) use of ICT (UICT) during teaching practices. TPACK assumes that PSTs should actively combine some domains of knowledge to design good quality of ICT-integrated courses lessons. Beliefs on ICT in this study consist of a mix of behavioral, normative, and control beliefs on ICT integration in education. In addition, UICT is defined as ICT used by PSTs during teaching practices. Three approaches were applied for the purification of the dataset; development of instruments, survey, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The dataset consists of demographic information, TPACK, Beliefs on ICT, and UICT. The dataset is beneficial to teacher educators in designing effective programs that best nurture PSTs' UICT during teaching practices. Researchers sharing similar sample characteristics in developing countries may adapt this dataset for more rigorous statistical analyses.

Pre-service Teachers and Stress During Microteaching: An Experimental Investigation of the Effectiveness of Relaxation Training with Biofeedback on Psychological and Physiological Indices of Stress

Pre-service teacher stress is an understudied research area, with the majority of research focusing on subjective reports of stress. The present study sought to examine the influence of stress-reduction techniques on both subjective and objective indicators of stress during microteaching in preservice teachers. A sample of 44 preservice teachers were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups; biofeedback, relaxation, or control. Participants in the biofeedback group received relaxation-assisted biofeedback training designed to teach participants the physiological signs of the stress response using HeartMath monitor, along with the HeartMath Quick Coherence® technique. Those in the relaxation group were given training in the HeartMath Quick Coherence relaxation technique, with no biofeedback training. Finally, those in the control group did not receive any relaxation or biofeedback training. Using a repeated-measures design, both psychological and physiological indices of stress were measured before and after students engaged in microteaching approaches. Examination of the psychological ratings identified that feelings of calm increased across time; this showed that participants were more comfortable with the microteaching situation with repeated practice. However, none of the physiological interventions were effective in reducing stress. The present study highlights practice as a useful strategy to reduce stress in microteaching situations and points to the importance of employing evidence-based interventions when attempting to reduce stress.

Pre-service teachers' perceptions of sluggish cognitive tempo

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is characterized by a passive form of inattention that may not overtly disrupt classroom goals. Due to the nature of these symptoms, children with SCT may be "falling through the cracks" in schools. The current study examined pre-service teachers' perceptions of SCT in the classroom. Undergraduate education majors (n = 161) read vignettes describing fictitious fourth-grade boys presenting with symptoms of SCT, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or a non-ADHD-related control: social anxiety disorder (SA), and rated each of the vignettes in terms of their perceptions of the boy described. Results were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVAs and paired-sample t tests. Pre-service teachers viewed all three sets of symptoms as concerning, but viewed ADHD behaviors as the most problematic. These results are promising, as they suggest that pre-service teachers are concerned about both hyperactive (i.e., ADHD) and non-hyperactive behavioral problems (i.e., SCT and SA). Implications and future directions are discussed.

Combating substance misuse: competences and preparation of special education department students

Background

This study examines Jordanian special education department students’ competences and preparation relating to combating substance misuse (SM).

Method

Thematic analysis was performed on data from interviews with 150 students.

Results

Some participants denied the possibility of addiction among students with disabilities, and presented negative attitudes toward their role in combating SM. In general, the participants displayed low levels of professionalism relating to combating SM, and the results revealed that they felt that their preparation programme had been inadequate and they desired more courses that related to combating SM.

Conclusions

These results suggest that Jordanian Universities should emphasise the role of teachers in a preventive approach to SM.