ABCs of Pre-service Teachers

Submitted by:	Jerry Gan
Department:	Education
Faculty:	Education

This image represents the essence of my research – pre-service teachers’ attitudes, beliefs and concerns (ABCs) on educating culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. A transformative educational landscape is emerging in Canada – one that is driven by the growing presence of CLD students. In this image, unripe apples symbolize pre-service teachers, intertwined with green, yellow and red, showcasing pre-service teachers’ unique status as learners and future educators. The letters ABC and icons in front of each apple symbolize pre-service teachers’ attitudes, beliefs and concerns. The stack of books in various languages, set against a world map backdrop, signifies the cultural and linguistic diversity within Canada’s education system. Reflections of the letters and icons represent the social cognitive theory underpinning the research – pre-service teachers’ ability to control their future outcomes is heavily influenced by their ABCs. It is crucial to understand pre-teachers’ ABCs on teaching CLD students as this research topic is not only a reflection of the evolving Canadian educational landscape but also an imperative effort towards educational equity and inclusion.

Was your image created using Generative AI?
No.

How was your image created?
This photograph, captured with an iPhone 13 camera with all elements present, serves as a visual representation of the cross-sectional design employed in my research, effectively mirroring the examination of associations and patterns within pre-service teachers’ perspectives at a specific moment in time. All elements, including the unripe apples, letters ABC, icons, stack of books, and world map, were carefully selected to convey the complexity and diversity inherent in the educational landscape. Similar to research procedures, collaboration was key throughout the image creation process which included multiple revisions and adjustments. I sought guidance from the Digital Scholarship Centre experts to enhance the visual impact of the image, fine-tuning aspects such as coloration, brightness, and shadow using Photoshop to ensure the photograph effectively communicated the intended message. This echoes the iterative process of survey refinement in my research. Expert consultation, technology utilization, pilot testing, and interviews with pre-service teachers guided revisions, ensuring the survey effectively captures pre-service teachers’ ABCs on educating CLD students.