Teaching and Learning
Growing Well-Being Capacity in Teacher Education: Perspectives of Teacher Candidates across Canada View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Benjamin Kutsyuruba
This paper reports on the mixed-method pan-Canadian research study that examined programmatic considerations within teacher education programs in Canada to determine the extent to which teacher preparation institutions include support for and promotion of well-being as part of their organizational mandate of pre-service teacher development. This paper draws from the survey of teacher candidates across 7 participating sites (teacher education programs) across Canada (n=670). The questionnaire was developed from key literature findings with closed and open-ended questions about the programmatic components and initiatives and their perceived effectiveness and had a set of the same questions regarding dimensions of well-being. Quantitative data analysis will include frequency counts, means, standard deviations, and percentages. Qualitative data from the questionnaires will be inductively analyzed using the constant comparison method. Survey findings provide key insights on the theory and practice of preparing teachers with well-being as a foundation for their professional lives as leaders in education. Recognizing the importance of adult learning in general and professional learning for teachers in particular, the findings for this study provide opportunities for education and other organizations to develop system policies, procedures, practices, and approaching to foreground well-being in all leadership development. Recommendations for best practices from a holistic perspective to support teacher well-being during pre-service education and practicum teaching are highlighted.
AI and Academic Productivity: Research and Teaching
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sandra Trejos, Gustavo Barboza
Artificial Intelligence can be a tool to increase efficiency in scholarly work and teaching although it can create some other challenges. This study is based on a literature review of the topic. Some data analysis sheds light on the association between learning and performance in the classroom and overall academic productivity for both faculty and students.
Transforming the Field Education Landscape: Promising, Wise and Innovative Practices
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Julie L. Drolet
Practicum, also known as field education, is widely recognized as the signature pedagogy in social work education. Practicum is the site where students learn to integrate and apply the values, knowledge, complex practices and skills of the social work profession. Despite its importance, field education is in crisis. There is an urgent need for social work education programs to re-vision how the profession prepares the next generation of social workers. This paper discusses the Transforming the Field Education Landscape (TFEL) partnership that aims to integrate research and practice in the preparation of the next generation of social workers by developing partnered research training initiatives that enhance trainee research practice knowledge and applied skill development. The partnership is structured in three streams: (1) Digital Storytelling, (2) Development of Sustainable Field Education Models and (3) Applied Practice Research. Since 2019, a partnership approach has been adopted to transform social work field education through multi-partner engagement, from a crisis model to sustainable models. This paper shares the outcomes of the TFEL partnerships’s program, including research results from 104 interviews, 31 focus group discussions (n=99) and 9 roundtable sessions (n=218) on promising, wise, and innovative practices. The findings illustrate pathways to more sustainable models of field education that include 1) community-engaged placements, 2) field supervision, 3) partnerships and collaboration, 4) flexibility, 5) using technology, 6) macro-level placements, 7) Indigenous-centered practices, and 8) equity, diversity and inclusion. This partnership (2019-2026) is funded by a SSHRC partnership grant.
