Understanding teacher education programmes in China and Scotland in the context of globalisation

Liang, Weijun (2024) Understanding teacher education programmes in China and Scotland in the context of globalisation. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

In the context of globalisation, there is an increasing demand for more knowledgeable and highly skilled teachers. Teacher education programmes play a crucial role in shaping the quality and effectiveness of teachers in the context of globalisation in education policy. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected and knowledge-based, these programmes are designed to equip aspiring teachers with the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies to meet learners' diverse needs and contribute to improving education systems. The previous research and literature have focused on various aspects of teacher education, including curriculum design, pedagogical approaches, assessment methods and teachers. Some researchers have investigated teacher education programme in different regions or countries, such as Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan and the USA. However, there is limited research that focuses on Scotland and mainland China. To address this gap, this research aims to understand two teacher education programmes in China and Scotland in the context of globalisation, with a particular focus on the perspectives and experiences of student teachers and educators in the programmes.

Three educators and six student teachers from the Scottish University and ten student participants from the University in South China are involved in this study. An interpretivist research paradigm and a qualitative case study approach have been applied. Data were collected through individual interviews with the educators and focus groups with student participants through online platforms, such as Zoom, WeChat or QQ Meeting, due to the COVID-19 restrictions. King’s Template analysis and deductive analysis were employed for the data analysing.

The findings reveal that there are different understandings of globalisation and its effects on teacher education: globalisation did not seem to be well understood by student participants and was mainly spoken about by the lecturers in terms of internationalisation. There were also different understandings of teacher effectiveness, teacher quality and the design of teacher education programmes in the two universities. Student teachers' experiences and perceptions of teacher effectiveness and quality were influenced more strongly by the teaching activities employed within the programmes than by globalised concepts of teacher effectiveness and quality. However, it is still important for teacher education programmes to strike a balance that prepares teachers to navigate the complexities of education in a globalised world while meeting the needs of their specific contexts. The findings also suggest that the design of both teacher education programmes is primarily shaped by factors that are specific to each country or region. Each country has its own traditions, values, and professional expectations regarding the teaching profession, which influence the design and content of teacher education programmes. Following from these findings, recommendations for teacher education are provided, including suggestions for pedagogical approaches, curriculum content development, and technology integration.

It is important to acknowledge the limitations of this research, including the small sample size and the subjective nature of personal experiences shared by participants in teacher education programmes. This research was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, this research contributes to the understanding of effective teacher education in a globalised world, informing policy and practice in both countries and suggesting potential areas for further research.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Globalisation, teacher education programmes, Scotland, China, teacher effectiveness, teacher quality, programme design.
• Subjects: L Education > L Education (General); L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Supervisor's Name: Patrick, Dr. Fiona and Morrison-Love, Dr. David
• Date of Award: 2024
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2024-84173
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 28 Mar 2024 14:01
• Last Modified: 28 Mar 2024 15:47
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84173
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84173