Papers by Margareta M Thomson
Journal of Teacher Education
This study investigated developmental trajectories of novice elementary teachers’ efficacy belief... more This study investigated developmental trajectories of novice elementary teachers’ efficacy beliefs (i.e., personal teaching efficacy and outcome expectancy) and their mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT). Overall, study findings indicated growth in participants’ personal efficacy beliefs and in various assessments for dimensions of MKT. Additional relationships between participants’ MKT trajectories and their mathematics efficacy beliefs trajectories were found. Findings from our study can help teacher educators, researchers, and school leaders in better understanding how novice teachers develop their MKT and their teaching efficacy beliefs during the teacher education program and in their first years of teaching.
Journal of Interdisciplinary Teacher Leadership
This mixed-methods study employed a typological approach and an Expectancy-Value framework to und... more This mixed-methods study employed a typological approach and an Expectancy-Value framework to understand nontraditional prospective teachers’ motivational beliefs, teaching motivations, and goals for choosing a teaching career. All participants (N=88) were nontraditional prospective teachers, graduate students enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program in the United States. Data were collected in three phases, including quantitative (survey, pre-and posttest assessments), and qualitative (interviews). Analyses revealed three distinct typologies of teachers based on their motivational beliefs, and further differences among the identified groups based on other variables. The qualitative data showed general themes across participants about their teaching efficacy, motivation for teaching and quality of teacher preparation. Implications for teacher education programs are discussed.
Advances in Educational Technologies and Instructional Design
The ability to collaborate successfully with others is a highly valued skill in the modern workpl... more The ability to collaborate successfully with others is a highly valued skill in the modern workplace and has been reflected in the increase of collaborative learning methods within education. Research has highlighted the crucial role of self-regulation in successful collaboration, and more recently begun to focus on understanding how groups jointly regulate their interactions. The current chapter outlines a mixedmethods study that compared the impact of individual-and group-centered prompts on the frequency of social metacognitive activities during online group review activities with college students (N=48) from the USA. Tentative study findings suggested that group-centered problematizing prompts were moderately successful in shifting groups towards more social forms of regulation such as co-regulation; however, they were not enough to move groups towards shared metacognitive regulation. Further results revealed how the quality of group engagement was influenced by participants' perceived value towards activities, function and focus of metacognitive episodes, and group dynamics.
Educatia 21
The current study analyzed three prospective teachers' career path using an Expectancy-Value mode... more The current study analyzed three prospective teachers' career path using an Expectancy-Value model. All participants were nontraditional college students, enrolled in a master's of teaching program (MAT) in the United States, and participated in an in-depth interview about their teaching goal. Study results summarize the commonalities and differences among participants using a cross-case study analysis. The major categories from participants' interviews were related to their expectancies (i.e., expectations, ability beliefs), attainment values (i.e., importance), intrinsic values (i.e., enjoyment), utility values (i.e., practical significance) and cost (i.e., time, money) about the teaching goal. Implications for teacher education and practice are discussed.
Teaching and Teacher Education
Abstract The current mixed-methods study investigated the development of mathematics efficacy tra... more Abstract The current mixed-methods study investigated the development of mathematics efficacy trajectories for novice teachers over the course of their teacher preparation and into their first two years of teaching. Participants (N = 245) were graduates of an elementary STEM-focused program from a major university in the United States. Overall, quantitative results showed that participants’ efficacy trajectory increased during their teacher preparation program and decreased during their first years of teaching. Additionally, efficacy trajectories were identified for particular groups that displayed patterns of either increased or decreased efficacy over time. Qualitative data helped explain when and why changes in teaching efficacy take place.
IAFOR Journal of Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences
The current study aims at analyzing and comparing novice teachers’ motivations, values, and belie... more The current study aims at analyzing and comparing novice teachers’ motivations, values, and beliefs (N=810) from two different countries, namely the United States and Switzerland. Both groups, the US participants (n=327) and the Swiss participants (n=483) were enrolled in a teacher training program in their respective countries. Study results identified the main teaching motivations across all subsamples as related to participants’ personal values, social values, their teaching views, and instructional beliefs. Study results show that while motivational factors were similar at many levels between the two subsamples, their teaching views and their instructional beliefs were different and varied across participants from the two countries. Findings can help educators understanding the interplay between teaching motivations and beliefs as well as cultural nuances related to these concepts.
Action in Teacher Education, 2018
Teacher Motivation: ability beliefs and values
Teaching and Teacher Education , 2019
The aim of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the developmental science efficacy traject... more The aim of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the developmental science efficacy trajectories of elementary novice teachers from a STEM-focused program (N=245) over the course of their teacher preparation and into their first two years of teaching. Quantitative results showed that participants' efficacy trajectory increased gradually during their teacher preparation program, but slowly decreased during their first and second year of teaching. Additionally, group and individual efficacy trajectories were analyzed. Qualitative data (18 interviews) helped explain when and why changes in teaching efficacy take place. Contributions from this study can help enhance our understanding about the changes in teachers' science efficacy beliefs and factors that help or hinder teaching efficacy development over time. Key words: preservice teachers; efficacy beliefs; STEM education.
Teacher DEvelopment, 2018
In this study, conducted in the United States, the authors examined the motivational characterist... more In this study, conducted in the United States, the authors examined the motivational characteristics of teachers in the context of a large-scale performance assessment program. Teachers received professional development through their participation in the assessment program by writing items, reviewing items, and reviewing scoring criteria. An expectancy-value theory framework and embedded mixed-methods design were used to examine teachers’ (n = 119) motivations, ability beliefs, and values related to their professional development. Survey results showed that teachers generally had a high degree of intrinsic motivation for and associated social and pedagogical utility value with the professional development. Teachers reported positive ability beliefs, a high degree of usefulness, importance, and interest associated with the professional development,and positive changes to instruction and assessment. Results of multiple regression analyses showed teachers’ intrinsic motivations and ability beliefs predicted changes to instruction and assessments. Interview results illustrated the ways in which knowledge gained from involvement in the assessment program translated to practice. Results provided insight into the complexity of participants’ values, identifying factors that enabled or constrained changes to instruction and assessments.
JOITL, 2018
Four case studies of preservice teachers enrolled in a STEM-focused elementary teacher preparatio... more Four case studies of preservice teachers enrolled in a STEM-focused elementary teacher preparation program are used to document changes in mathematics and science teaching efficacy over the course of one academic year. Qualitative analysis revealed that all four case studies experienced changes in their mathematics and science teaching efficacy beliefs over the course of the year. Participants described unique ways of understanding their growth (or lack thereof) in teaching efficacy, the trajectory of teaching efficacy over the course of the year, and the role of teacher training in changing their efficacy beliefs.
This case study describes a dissertation research project in which a mixed-methods sequential exp... more This case study describes a dissertation research project in which a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was used. Both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interviews) data were collected to identify and examine typologies of preservice teachers (N = 215) with different motivational profiles. Furthermore, the study explored differences among the identified
Professional Development in Education, 2013
This study investigated aspects of elementary teachers’ motivations to engage in science professi... more This study investigated aspects of elementary teachers’ motivations to engage in science professional development and their views of science teaching. Participants (n = 20) attended a professional development program within a major university in the United States, but failed to complete it for various reasons. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Overall, study results showed that teachers had
In a mixed-methods study, the authors investigate teacher typologies of elementary teachers (N D ... more In a mixed-methods study, the authors investigate teacher typologies of elementary teachers (N D 132) in the United States based on their reformed science teaching beliefs. Additionally, the identified teacher typologies were compared with respect to their science content knowledge, self-efficacy and epistemic beliefs. Results revealed three clusters of teachers with different combinations of teaching beliefs and practices. Comparative analysis indicated significant differences among teacher typologies with respect to their epistemic beliefs and teaching efficacy beliefs. Additionally, interview results enhanced the depth of understanding of participants' views for reformed science teaching and further highlighted differences in the typologies. Study implications are considered with regard to improving teacher quality and preservice teacher training.
This study focused on investigating the types of schooling beliefs (teaching and learning) expres... more This study focused on investigating the types of schooling beliefs (teaching and learning) expressed through metaphorical images by prospective teachers (PTs) from the United States. Participants (N = 215) rated 10 schooling metaphors
illustrating the student–school–teacher relationships (i.e. Passenger–Bus–Driver; Student is a passenger, School is a bus and Teacher is a driver). Two main factors, a student-centred and a teacher-centred approach described the key
schooling beliefs of PTs. Additionally, differences in PTs’ schooling beliefs across typologies/clusters of PTs were found. Further, qualitative data from interviews illustrated how each cluster specifically expressed their instructional views.
In this article, we present a mixed-methods study of 2 schools’ elementary science programs inclu... more In this article, we present a mixed-methods study of 2 schools’ elementary science programs including outdoor instruction specific to each school’s culture.We explore fifth-grade students in measures of science knowledge, environmental attitudes, and outdoor comfort levels including gender and ethnic differences. We further examine students’ science and outdoor views and activity choices along with those of adults (teachers, parents, and principals). Significant differences were found between pre-and posttest measures along with gender and ethnic differences with respect to students’ science knowledge and environmental attitudes. Interview data exposed limitations of outdoor learning at both schools including standardized test pressures, teachers’ views of science instruction, and
desultory connections of alternative learning settings to ‘school’ science.
This study explored the U.S. prospective teachers’ motivations for teaching, teaching goal develo... more This study explored the U.S. prospective teachers’ motivations for teaching, teaching goal development, and views of their commitment to teaching. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed.
The urgent need for improvement in the teaching of STEM content to young children led one univers... more The urgent need for improvement in the teaching of STEM content to young children led one university in the Southeast to create a STEM-focused elementary teacher preparation
program. This exemplary program—called ATOMS (Accomplished Teachers of Mathematics and Science)—is characterized by four key features: program
coherence; rigor in the general education program; innovative, conceptually focused methods courses; and extensive fieldwork aligned with coursework. This article describes the features of this highly scalable program in detail, illustrated
through participant reflections and contextualized in the research literature on effective teacher education programs.
The current literature review explores the factors that contribute to academic persistence for ad... more The current literature review explores the factors that contribute to academic persistence for adult learners. The aim of the study is to identify current research-based strategies aimed at supporting learner persistence , particularly for low-skilled adults. Elements of three theoretical frameworks, namely, expectancy-value theory (EVT), goal theory (GT) and self-determination theory (SDT) are conceptualised in a new, melded cog-nitive model to explain better the constructs that contribute to academic persistence. These theories are used to frame and explain the challenges that adult learners face when returning to school and to understand better the psychosocial demands on adult learners, based on social cognitive theory. This study is particularly significant in the light of current national attention directed towards redesigning adult basic education programmes to include more workforce development and strategies aimed at accelerating the progress of adult learners through basic skills and into post-secondary education and/or career training. Questions guiding the current study include identifying research-based strategies that instructors can use, and elements of programme design that support student persistence.
The challenges presented by students who struggle to connect with curriculum learning in school c... more The challenges presented by students who struggle to connect with curriculum learning in school constitute an issue that confronts education systems worldwide. This article reviews ways in which such students can be encouraged to engage more positively in their own learning, a process that benefits both the child and the whole school community. In this article a range of strategies to do this is proposed, based on a set of theoretical considerations.
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Papers by Margareta M Thomson
illustrating the student–school–teacher relationships (i.e. Passenger–Bus–Driver; Student is a passenger, School is a bus and Teacher is a driver). Two main factors, a student-centred and a teacher-centred approach described the key
schooling beliefs of PTs. Additionally, differences in PTs’ schooling beliefs across typologies/clusters of PTs were found. Further, qualitative data from interviews illustrated how each cluster specifically expressed their instructional views.
desultory connections of alternative learning settings to ‘school’ science.
program. This exemplary program—called ATOMS (Accomplished Teachers of Mathematics and Science)—is characterized by four key features: program
coherence; rigor in the general education program; innovative, conceptually focused methods courses; and extensive fieldwork aligned with coursework. This article describes the features of this highly scalable program in detail, illustrated
through participant reflections and contextualized in the research literature on effective teacher education programs.
illustrating the student–school–teacher relationships (i.e. Passenger–Bus–Driver; Student is a passenger, School is a bus and Teacher is a driver). Two main factors, a student-centred and a teacher-centred approach described the key
schooling beliefs of PTs. Additionally, differences in PTs’ schooling beliefs across typologies/clusters of PTs were found. Further, qualitative data from interviews illustrated how each cluster specifically expressed their instructional views.
desultory connections of alternative learning settings to ‘school’ science.
program. This exemplary program—called ATOMS (Accomplished Teachers of Mathematics and Science)—is characterized by four key features: program
coherence; rigor in the general education program; innovative, conceptually focused methods courses; and extensive fieldwork aligned with coursework. This article describes the features of this highly scalable program in detail, illustrated
through participant reflections and contextualized in the research literature on effective teacher education programs.