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Traditionally, preservice teacher education has been conducted in college and university classrooms and has relied heavily on what Shulman (1992) called “the twin demons of lecture and textbook” (p. 1). This educational model neglects the importance and strength of preservice teachers’ beliefs about teaching and content (Nietfeld & Enders, 2003; Putnam & Borko, 2000) and has been termed a transmission model in which teaching is telling (McLeskey & Waldron, 2004; Russell, McPherson, & Martin, 2001). The type of knowledge conveyed is considered to be declarative (Sternberg, 1999) or formal (Lundeberg & Scheurman, 1997) and is derived from theory and comprised of facts, concepts, and rules. Whitehead (1929) and more recently Bransford, Brophy, and Williams (2000) reported that this type of knowledge tends to remain inert and is unlikely to be retrieved in the very circumstances that call for its use.

The authors examine authenticity in relation to Alternative Political Commentators (APCs) on YouTube and Twitch. Drawing on Owens (2019) provocative claim that contemporary (online) culture may be ‘post-authentic’, the authors use the term post-authentic engagement to explore in/out-group dynamics between influencers and their audiences. This view is evidenced through an examination of the usage of emojis and emotes by audiences to engage in the fast-paced chats that accompanied the livestream coverage of two APCs, HasanAbi and The Young Turks, during the 2020 US Presidential Election.

Who really teaches student teachers how to teach? Utilizing a sociology of childhood and youth theoretical framework and a descriptive phenomenology design and method, this study sought to ask children and youth about their experiences as the student teachers placed in their classroom developed classroom management skills. This study utilized questions, observations, drawings, and focus groups to address the research question: “How do children and youth in the classroom impact the experience of classroom management for student teachers?” The goal of the study was not to find instances where children or youth in the classroom assisted or negated the development of classroom management but instead, to observe if this occurred and if it did, how it occurred. In asking this question, this study extends beyond the existing literature and considers the role of children and youth in the development of classroom management for student teachers.

Key findings indicate that children and youth attempt to communicate their classroom management needs with their student teachers verbally, physically, and behaviorally. Through observations, a model emerged of behavior demonstrating increased student engagement or lack of engagement. During focus groups, participants elucidated the thoughts and or feelings behind their classroom behavior. Although drawings were collected during focus groups, this study would have benefited from more discussion with children regarding their drawings.