Krista Uibu

Teachers’ competence has a great impact on the development of knowledge and cognition in society. In order to teach effectively, university teachers need to know the content and structure of the subject they teach, knowledge of subject didactics and principles of general pedagogy. The aim of the study was to investigate how the university teachers perceive their competence in teaching subject didactics across its domains of knowledge, their attitudes and teaching skills. Data were collected by interviewing 11 university teachers instructing Estonia’s future primary school teachers and analysed by thematic analysis. The results revealed that subject content, teaching methods and goals as well as requirements of curriculum and educational legislation were important aspects for building up subject didactics courses. The university teachers aimed at developing students’ core competencies for delivering lessons. According to university teachers, teaching skills, creative teaching, different learning styles and formats in subject didactics courses were seen as tools for building an inspiring learning environment. The need for more systematic and coherent cooperation of teachers of subject didactics within the university and other educational institutions was highlighted and its potential impact to facilitate the advancement of teachers’ professional knowledge to enhance primary school teachers’ instruction was emphasized.

For more than 30 years, the study of teachers’ beliefs has been crucial to the mathematics education field since teachers’ beliefs may significantly influence students’ learning of mathematics. This study included 127 Estonian in-service primary and secondary school mathematics teachers teaching grades three to five. We examined their beliefs about the nature of mathematics, learning of mathematics, and their confidence in their ability to teach the subject (self-efficacy). Moreover, we aimed to explore the relationships between these beliefs. We also investigated the possible differences between subject teachers and class teachers and possible differences regarding teacher work experience. Teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs about goal setting, motivation, and cognitive activation were positively correlated. Self-efficacy beliefs on goal setting had positive effect on rules and procedures beliefs (nature of mathematics) and teacher-directed beliefs (learning of mathematics). In addition, the results showed a negative relationship between self-efficacy beliefs on cognitive activation and rules and procedures and teacher-directed beliefs. No statistically significant relationship was found between the teachers’ beliefs and their years of experience. Nonetheless, a strong correlation was discovered between the type of teachers (i.e., class teacher or subject teacher) and self-efficacy beliefs related to cognitive activation. These findings draw attention to the intricate links between teachers’ different beliefs and offer recommendations for teacher preparation programs and further study.

Varase eesti keele kui teise keele õppemängude kasutusvõimalused ja valikud õpetajate hinnangul

Teacher beliefs and practices related to them could provide varying opportunities for students to develop their agency related to learning math. The aim of the current paper is to explore how different math teacher beliefs (concerning the nature of mathematics, constructivist beliefs, and self-efficacy) relate to different dimensions of student agency in primary education. A two-level multilevel model was analyzed to find out to what extent selected teacher beliefs are associated with student math competence and agency dimensions. The study was conducted in Estonia and data from 3rd and 4th grade students (N = 1557) and their teachers (N = 121) was included in the analysis. The results showed that teacher self-efficacy beliefs, constructivist beliefs, and static views on the nature of mathematics were related to students’ agency dimensions. Possible explanations and directions for further studies are discussed.

Strategy interventions have been found to support students’ text comprehension, but little is known about the sustainability of these effects. This study examined short- and long-term effects of a strategy intervention on students’ vocabulary and text comprehension at the literal, inferential and evaluative levels. A pretest, posttest, and retention test design with experimental and control conditions was used. Ninety-nine six-graders from six Estonian schools were examined while using vocabulary and text comprehension tests. Comprehension strategies were taught in an experimental condition by Estonian-language teachers during a three-month intervention. The group-level analysis indicated short-term improvements in all skills when strategies were taught. The long-term effect was found in literal and inferential comprehension with continual improvements in literal comprehension. For the students in the control condition, short- and long-term improvements were detected in literal text comprehension. The individual-level analysis revealed three vocabulary and text comprehension profile groups: Average High, Average Low, and Low Combined. In the experimental condition, students from every profile group benefited from the intervention. In the control condition, enhancements were seen in the students in the Average High profile group. Thus, the explicit teaching of comprehension strategies supports students in becoming aware of using multiple comprehension strategies, despite individual differences.

Kui keeleliste osaoskuste õpetamine võõrkeeletunnis tavaliselt probleeme ei valmista, siis õpetajatele teeb muret õpilaste vähene suhtlusvalmidus. Probleemi aitavad vähendada suhtlussõbralik ja õppijaid motiveeriv keskkond, samuti loovust nõudvad õppijakesksed ning sihtkeele kultuuriruumi vastu huvi tekitavad ülesanded. Seda võimaldab simulatsioon fiktiivse identiteedi kasutamisega. Siinse sekkumisuuringu eesmärk oli välja selgitada, kuidas toetab fiktiivse identiteedi kui keeleõppemeetodi kasutamine üliõpilaste suhtlusvalmidust saksa keeles rääkimisel. Tulemustest järeldub, et meetod toetab üliõpilaste suhtlusvalmidust vaid osaliselt. Positiivsete külgedena märgiti, et fiktiivne identiteet aitab olla rohkem avatum ja spontaansem oma tegelaskujust rääkimisel. Ühtlasi paneb see otsima uusi väljendeid ja sõnu ning kiirendab sisseelamist saksakeelsesse maailma. Samas võivad selle meetodi ülesanded põhjustada rahulolematust. Osa üliõpilasi arvas, et ilma fiktiivse identiteedita oleksid nad tundides suhelnud sama palju. Negatiivset mõju avaldavate teguritena nimetati segadust erinevate identiteetide kasutamisel ja vähest huvi uue tegelaskuju väljamõtlemisel. Meetodis nähti eelkõige võimalust, kuidas keeleoskust aktiivselt arendada.  Summary