understanding teachers as learning professionals: research perspective.' (national education...
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'Understanding teachers as learning professionals: research perspective.' University of Strathclyde, Workshop 6, GTC Scotland National Education Conference, 28 May 2009. This workshop will showcase research findings about teachers as learners in the context of their continuing professional development (CPD) from projects conducted by AERS Learners, Learning and Teaching Network and related studies. It will highlight: the importance of taking into account the different personal, social and occupational influences on teachers' learning; the extent to which teachers feel they have ownership of their CPD and the extent to which CPD transforms practice; the potential importance of both formal and informal settings and both planned and unplanned opportunities for professional learning, especially in collaborative contexts.TRANSCRIPT
GTC Scotland Conference 2009
Workshop: Understanding teachers as learning
professionals: research perspectives
AERS Learners, Learning and Teaching Network Project 2 Team
University of Strathclyde, University of Aberdeen, University of Glasgow and University of Edinburgh.
Outline Conceptual Framework (Triple lens) Research questions and methodology Snapshots from survey 1. Quantitative data
Teachers’ experiences of CPD and professional learning opportunities
Teachers’ views and attitudes to CPD and professional learning
2. Qualitative data Teachers’ needs as Learners Teacher learning- pupil gains? Triple lens framework themes emerging
Conclusions?
Summary of Triple Lens Framework
Framework (Lens)
Terms of categorisation
What is being categorised?
1. Aspects of professional learning
Domains:Personal/ social/ occupational
Domain of influence of professional learning
2. Analytical framework for CPD
Continuum:Transmission/ transitional/ transformation
Capacity for professional autonomy and transformative practice supported by the learning
3. Quadrants of teacher learning
Dimensions:Formal/informalPlanned/incidental
Sphere of action in which the learning takes place
Lens 3 – Sphere of action(Fraser et al., 2007)
PLANNED INCIDENTAL
INFORMAL
FORMAL
Chartered teacher module classesEducation Authority coursesIn-school coursesSchool development meetingsAction Research Projects
Joint forward planning
Web-based networks
Sharing professional experiences at assessment moderation meetings
Incidental conversations at teacher network meetings
Staffroom ‘chat’
‘Corridor culture’
Photocopier conversations
Teachers as Learners Research questions
How is teachers’ professional learning understood in Scotland?
How is professional learning for teachers realised in Scotland?
How do teachers currently advance/address their own professional development/learning?
To what extent are schools ‘professional learning communities’?
To what extent are teachers’ professional needs and aspirations currently realised?
Survey Methodology Online questionnaire (‘Snap’ software) currently
underway Three sections
1. background details: sector, promoted, etc 2. professional learning undertaken in last 12 months:
types, how beneficial?, any barriers? 3. attitudes/views on professional learning: school as
learning community; collaborative approaches; teacher professionalism (inc. statements derived from interviews)
Distributed electronically through four Scottish local authorities 1 urban; 1 mixed; and 2 rural (1 small, 1 large) Target population of serving teachers c. 10,000 Entry into prize draw incentive for participating
Some ‘taster’ findings N=1200 Quantitative data: frequencies of response
to closed items Qualitative data: comments from text
boxes
Teacher Survey: quantitative data
Responses from four local authorities (N=1144 teachers)
Analysis by Eleni Karagiannidou and Donald Christie
SampleType of school No. of responses Percentage of
samplePre-school/Primary
489 42.7
Secondary 571 59.9
Special 44 3.8
Other 40 3.5
Sample characteristicsN=1144
Promoted – 29% Unpromoted – 71%
Female – 77% Male – 23%
Award bearing course since qualifying? Yes: 567(49.6%); No: 575(50.3%); D.n.a.: 2(0.2%)
Engagement in different forms of CPD
18
28.9
35.6
10.86.7
28.8
42.4
25.3
30.5
18.913.8
38.8
20.4
8.2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Perc
enta
ge
External Event School Based Event School/Cluster workingparty
Type of CPD activity
Frequency (%) of participation in CPD activities in the past 12months
6 days or more Up to 5 days Up to 2 days Up to half a day Never
Engagement in different forms of CPD
Type of CPD (%)
Frequent Occasional One-off Never N/A
Team teaching/collaboration
43 40 7 9 1
Peer observation
21 42 13 22 3Mentoring as mentor
16 14 5 59 7Mentoring as mentee
10 7 4 69 10Informal discussion/ support
82 16 1 1 0
Individual activity
80 19 1 1 0
Different forms of CPD:How beneficial? Type of CPD
Highlybeneficia
lBeneficial
Oflimitedbenefit
Not at all beneficia
l
Not/applicable
External evente.g. conference, l.a. in-service
36 44 11 1 8
School-based event or in-service session
27 51 18 2 1
School/cluster working party or development gp.
29 42 13 3 13
Percentage frequency (N=1144)
Different forms of CPD:How beneficial?Type of CPD
Highlybeneficia
lBeneficial
Oflimitedbenefit
Not at all beneficia
l
Not/applicable
Peer observation 36 30 7 1 26
Mentoring (as mentor)
15 15 3 2 65
Mentoring (as mentee)
13 6 2 3 76
Percentage frequency (N=1144)
Different forms of CPD:How beneficial?Type of CPD
Highlybeneficia
lBeneficial
Oflimitedbenefit
Not at all beneficia
l
Not/applicable
Team teaching/collabor-ative working
51 32 5 0 12
Support from/ informal discussion with colleagues
77 19 1 0 4
Individual activity 63 31 2 0 4
Percentage frequency (N=1144)
Views about professional learning Experimenting with new learning and
teaching strategies can help me develop my practice
Strongly agree/agree: 96%
Professional learning is not just about knowing what to do, but also why I'm doing it
Strongly agree/agree: 93%
Professional learning is mostly about learning in the workplace during collaboration with colleagues
Strongly agree/agree: 58%
Views about professional learning If I have a problem with my teaching I
usually turn to colleagues for helpStrongly agree/agree: 89%
I feel that it is the individual's responsibility to undertake professional learning
Strongly agree/agree: 79% The responsibility for my professional
learning should lie with the management of my school
Strongly agree/agree: 13% I feel I need more time to spend on
professional learning activitiesStrongly agree/agree: 73%
Teacher Survey: qualitative data Responses from two local authorities
(N=198 teachers)
Interim analysis by Lesley Reid & Chris Fraser
Open-ended Survey Questions
Give examples of ways in which you have benefited from these activities
Give examples of ways in which any of these activities were not effective
Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about your professional learning?
Teachers’ needs as Learners.. too many courses which are powerpoint and not enough
discussion or practical examples…
The problem is that they are never practical, only lectures which hardly practises what they are preaching about active learning!
When would you ever talk to a class for over an hour and expect them to listen and learn? NEVER! Why can these days not be more interactive and involve more activity based exercises?
How many boring CPDs, HGIOS rubbish can any one person sit through?….and this Curriculum for Excellence mince…!
Teachers’ needs as Learners (contd.) Personal reading is
particularly helpful
Being part of AifLworking group enabled interaction with latest research and stimulated practice.
Feedback from colleagues
Co-operatiive learning course
Peer collaboration Moderation External courses Chartered teacher
programme Network meetings Discussion with colleagues Mentor support
Teacher learning – pupil gains? It encourages you to try .. And to go and find new
ideas , then assess their effectiveness Some of the training I have been on, I have put
into action straightaway Discussing behaviour strategies with colleagues
to understand better how to deal with pupils Invaluable for sharing good ideas, reassuring
each other about our teaching, evolving new activities for use within the department
Has made me change my practice to the benefit of pupils
TRIPLE LENS FRAMEWORK 1. Domains of Influence
personal/social/occupational
“From my own reading and research I have been able to find new ideas for working with children in my class which are sometimes more successful than things I have done n the past. Informal discussions with peers always produce constructive ideas for dealing with problem children or introducing interesting materials.”
2. Sphere of Action Collocation Cooperation Collaboration
Serendipity
Discussion reminds me of methods that I had forgotten or or encourages me to try new things.
3. Capacity for professional autonomy
Contextualised learning Broad professional landscape Acquisition of knowledge, skill stressed
rather than understanding
Triple Lens Framework
Bell and Gilbert Reid’s Quadrants Kennedy’s Continuum
Feeling valued and supported Many respondents refer to increased confidence… Feeling supported and being able to support each
other ‘especially when SMT are negligent with praise’
Being a valued member of the school/belonging. A sense of ownership, a feeling of not being alone
and having a safe place to discuss problems also seemed important.
Do these indicate feeling in control in a system that is largely controlled by others?
Some interim conclusions from survey Teachers do not construe their professional
learning only in terms of delivered courses Teachers particularly value the informal support
from, and professional dialogue with, colleagues Teachers value collaborative working in small
groups located in their own school context (but this was more strongly evidenced in individual comments than in quantitative data)
Teachers see professional learning as their own (and not management’s) responsibility, but they feel that more time should be allowed for their professional learning
Occasionally CPD can serve as a source of inspiration and motivation, e.g. ‘Rekindled some enthusiasm for job which has flickered recently....
Task: sort examples on sheet into the four quadrants of teacher learning
formal
informal
planned incidental
1 2
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