Professor Vanessa Kind | School of Education, Durham University, UK
Friday, May 14, 2021 | 10:30 am – 12:00 noon (PST) | via Zoom
Faculty Host: Dr. Samia Khan
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Abstract
This talk presents a combination of document analysis and qualitative data to illustrate the impact of teacher education policy and practice on outcomes of international tests, specifically, TIMSS and PISA. I set the study against a framework of teacher professional knowledge, drawing on extant literature. I show what this knowledge might look like in practice, drawing on data I collected from pre-service teachers in England. Next, I use outcomes of document analysis to show how various jurisdictions approach teacher education, again against the teacher professional knowledge framework. Conclusions illustrate contrasts between the foci adopted by high and mid-performing (ambitious) nations, indicating how improvements may be generated.
Short Bio
Professor Vanessa Kind is a trained biochemist and chemistry teacher. Teaching led to interest in the impact of teacher knowledge on student learning and achievement, focusing initially on misconceptions in chemistry. After headship of an international school in Norway, she joined Durham in January 2005. Vanessa’s current research explores how teachers’ science subject knowledge, beliefs, views about science, self-confidence and attitudes impact on teaching and student learning outcomes. She contributes to international debate surrounding the nature of teacher knowledge and connections between science teacher education policy and practice. Vanessa has directed a range of funded projects in teacher development and aspects of science education. She was Deputy Executive Dean in Social Sciences and Health at Durham from 2015 – 2020.