scholarly journals Supporting wellbeing through scholarship of teaching and learning

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 871-881
Author(s):  
Jenny Lawrence ◽  
Tim Herrick
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Scholarship Of Teaching ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Recent Graduates ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact and value of a scholarship of teaching and learning-led (SoTL) professional development in higher education (HE), with a focus on practitioner wellbeing. Design/methodology/approach The research was a small-scale mixed-methods design, surveying 21 participants and interviewing 3 current students or recent graduates from a UK-based MEd in Teaching and Learning in HE. Data were mapped against an evidence-based framework for wellbeing. Findings A SoTL-led form of professional development, an MEd in Teaching in Learning in HE, offers participants opportunity to exercise the “Five Ways to Wellbeing in HE”, which has positive outcomes for staff and students. Research limitations/implications The research project was not designed to explore the programme’s impact on wellbeing, but to explore its impact and value on individuals and institutions. Reading data against the “Five Ways to Wellbeing in HE” was retrospective, and individual wellbeing was not measured. However, the theoretical implications are that wellbeing is an additional benefit, which adds to the value of SoTL-led professional development in HE, and that further research is required to explore this more fully. Practical implications The wellbeing framework outlined in this research and applied to HE can be used as a model for shaping SoTL-led professional development, to the benefit of the entire learning community. Originality/value This paper proposes a connection between wellbeing, SoTL-led professional development and the SOTL.

Lesson study beyond Japan: evaluating impact

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Seleznyov
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from a systematic literature review of recent studies of the implementation of Japanese lesson study beyond Japan, reviewing evidence of impact and robustness of the studies. Two studies of the implementation of lesson study from outside the timeframe for the literature review are also reviewed in detail, in order to explore the problematic nature of impact evaluation of lesson study. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review of 154 English language studies of the implementation of lesson study with in-service teachers beyond Japan published between 2006 and 2016 identifies 56 as a measuring impact. A lesson study-specific adaptation of Guskey’s (2000) five levels for the evaluation of professional development enables an analysis of the types of impact measured. An analysis using the Maryland Scientific Method Scale (MSMS) enables a review of robustness. Two recent robust studies from beyond this timeframe are then analysed in detail in terms of their framing of lesson study as an intervention and selection of related impact measures. Findings The literature review and subsequent analysis shows that studies are largely small-scale US case studies ranking as 1, or “least robust” on MSMS. Studies demonstrate the impact of lesson study on teacher learning and positive reactions, but little evidence of it making a difference to teaching, nor of the impact on schools’ professional learning cultures and structures, is present. The detailed analysis of the two recent studies shows that there are many potential pitfalls for researchers to avoid when measuring the impact of lesson study, specifically in relation to distinguishing lesson study as a professional development intervention, and measuring its impact accordingly. Research limitations/implications The systematic review is limited to articles available in the English language, and there is a clear bias towards the USA. The study suggests that future research on lesson study in the UK and beyond should evaluate the implementation of lesson study over a larger scale, gather evidence of the difference lesson study makes to daily teaching and learning, and to its effect on school culture and structures. Practical implications The study suggests that researchers should pay careful attention to the fact that lesson study is not an end in itself, merely a means to achieve an identified change to teaching and learning, and design impact measures accordingly. Originality/value Unlike other systematic reviews of lesson study, this study analyses the impact evidence for lesson study that might be seen as most relevant to its introduction in cultural and structural contexts beyond Japan. It also explores in detail the potential pitfalls of lesson study impact evaluations, offering guidance to both practitioners and researchers.

Challenging Malawian primary teachers' views on mathematics teaching and learning through lesson study

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janne Fauskanger ◽  
Nina Helgevold ◽  
Mercy Kazima ◽  
Arne Jakobsen
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Teaching ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mathematics Teaching And Learning ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Ongoing Project

PurposeThe aim of the study is to better understand how lesson study (LS) contributes to challenging teachers' views of mathematics teaching and learning.Design/methodology/approachThis study is part of a wider ongoing project aiming at improving primary mathematics teaching in Malawi through professional development (PD) of teachers using a LS model. The units being analyzed are teachers' written reflections and lesson plans. The analytical approach is qualitative content analysis.FindingsInitially, the participating Malawian primary teachers report traditional views of mathematics teaching and learning. After having participated in a LS cycle, they reported on the need to work on how to involve and create space for learners' participation in mathematic lessons and highlight the importance for learners to discover mathematics on their own.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a small-scale study due to LS being quite new in the Malawian context and the need to test before possible upscaling.Practical implicationsThe paper includes a description on how LS might contribute to challenging Malawian teachers' views of mathematics teaching and learning; this can be valuable information for others who are attempting to use LS in a similar context.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills an identified need to learn more about how LS might contribute to challenging teachers' views of mathematics teaching and learning worldwide.

Impact of training and professional development on health management and leadership competence

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 354-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reuben Olugbenga Ayeleke ◽  
Nicola Henri North ◽  
Annette Dunham ◽  
Katharine Ann Wallis
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Interventions ◽  
Leadership Competence ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Management And Leadership

Purpose Training to improve health management and leadership competence is recommended. However, there is limited evidence showing the impact of training on competence. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the evidence for the impact of training and professional development on health management and leadership competence. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review was conducted using a mixed-methods design. Studies using qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods design were included. The following electronic databases were searched to October 2018: CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, NEDLINE and PsycINFO. Study eligibility and methodological quality were assessed independently by two review authors. Data from qualitative studies were synthesised using thematic analysis. For quantitative studies, odds ratio (OR) or mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for each intervention. Where appropriate, qualitative and quantitative data were integrated into a single synthesis using Bayesian methods. Findings In total, 19 studies were identified for inclusion in the review. Training and professional development interventions using flexible, multiple training techniques tailored to organisational contexts can improve individual competence and performance. Such training is typified by a leadership development programme. There was insufficient evidence to determine the effects of interventions on organisational performance. Originality/value This is the first systematic review evaluating the impact of training and professional development interventions on health management and leadership competence.

scholarly journals Industry professionalisation of strata title managers: what are the implications for governance?

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Altmann
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the rise of strata manager as a newly emergent profession and note their impact on the governance within medium and high density, strata titled housing such as flats, apartments, town-houses and CIDs. Design/methodology/approach – This research presents finding from a small scale, qualitative research project focused on the interaction between the owner committee of management and strata managers. Findings – The introduction mandatory certification is championed by industry bodies. The strata managers considered they already demonstrated valuable attributes desired by committees of management. These differed to the attributes targeted by the new training regime, and the attributes valued by the committees of management. Research limitations/implications – This is a small scale pilot study. A larger study will need to be undertaken to confirm these results. Practical implications – There is a disjunct between the training and what strata managers consider relevant to undertaking their duties. This has significance for the ongoing governance of these properties and industry professionalisation. The resilience of Australia’s densification policies will depend on how learning will translate into better governance outcomes for owners. Social implications – One in three people within Australia’s eastern states lives or owns property within strata titled complex (apartments, flats and townhouse developments). The increasing number of strata managers and professionalisation within their industry has the ability to impact an increasing number of people. Originality/value – The impact of this new profession, and their requirements in terms of expertise has not been fully considered within existing academic literature.

scholarly journals Classroom Observation: Linking Teacher Evaluation and Professional Development in TESOL

2018 ◽  
Vol III (II) ◽  
pp. 168-195
Author(s):  
Sayyed Rashid Shah ◽  
Roohul Amin ◽  
Hussain Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Classroom Observation ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Impact

This study examines the impact of increasingly challenging nature of classroom observation as part of teacher evaluation in English Language Teaching (ELT). This paper highlights the complex nature of evaluative classroom observation systems in various educational contexts. It also considers various issues that embody the challenging nature of classroom observation and teacher evaluation in connection to the professional development of teachers. In a small-scale study of Teaching of English to the Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) professionals in Saudi English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context, it adopts an interpretive approach and utilizes semi-structured interviews to collect data. The results, presented in four major themes provide a detailed account of teachers’ perceptions of the role of classroom observation in their professional learning and development. However, this development has not occurred due to the observation as a tool to elevate teaching and learning standards, alternatively, the managerial demands and the fear of being fired or transferred to remote campuses have stimulated teachers to develop professionally and offset this challenge. Despite their personal drive to professionalize themselves in a collaborative and professional culture, the challenge of observation still prevails owing to the teachers’ lack of autonomy and some insufficiently trained observers’ subjective approach.

Embracing educational disruption: a case study in making the shift to a remote learning environment

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Fatimawati Adi Badiozaman ◽  
Hugh John Leong ◽  
Wallace Wong
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technological Support ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Professional Development Needs ◽  
The Impact

PurposeAs an institution that has invested in e-learning infrastructure and technology for e-learning delivery, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak conducted The Digital Educator Series as a means of embracing this educational disruption. In particular, this paper reports on the first three courses held under the Digital Educator Series that aims to equip teachers with practical and effective online teaching to school teachers in Sarawak. While the training is still in effect, preliminary results are shared, and implications for practice and recommendations for further research are considered.Design/methodology/approachApproximately 136 questionnaires containing close-and open-ended items were distributed to the teacher participants of the Digital Educator Series. Close-ended items were designed to gather general information about their perceptions of online teaching and learning. Items were constructed to gather insights on familiarity with online teaching and learning, perceived usefulness of platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Google Classrooms. The open-ended items were designed to gather information on areas of improvement for the courses and professional development needs of teachers for online teaching.FindingsThe findings revealed very mixed responses in terms of teachers' familiarity with online teaching and learning. Nonetheless, it was encouraging that the majority of teachers felt positively about the impact and usefulness of the courses in the Digital Educator Series and have expressed that would like to learn more about online teaching pedagogy. Teachers reported the greatest familiarity with Google Classroom and were very positive about the applicability the Google Classroom Course (91.2%) in their own teaching practice. Conversely, all of the participants reported they were unfamiliar with Microsoft Teams. Accordingly, the teachers did not perceive its applicability to be as high as the Google Classroom. The qualitative findings further corroborated this and expressed the need for specific professional development programmes that include pedagogical and technological support. Overall, the teachers are strongly focussed in their professional development in order to improve their online teaching,Research limitations/implicationsLike other research, this too has its limitations. The sample size in this study was restricted to those who attended the Digital Educator Series training. Hence the results of this study, whilst have been enriching, and to a certain extent are supported by the current literature, the accuracy of the description may be unique to this particular group of individuals, within this particular setting. Additionally, the study only relied on self-reports from both the questionnaire and the semi-structured interviews. This study accepts that self-reports have shortcomings. Not all experiences of the courses would have been readily accessible through the teachers' conscious reflections. This makes it difficult to construct a complete picture of the experience, challenges and identify all salient factors within a particular workshop or training.Practical implicationsAlthough the adoption of teaching and learning to online platforms is undoubtedly the way to maintain continuity of learning for students, it has also unveiled glaring inequities in Sarawak. Therefore, continuous and personalised professional development needs to be provided, focussing on pedagogical and technological support. There is a need to embrace these changes as a long-term response that will develop and improve over the next few years. That response should include better infrastructure, policies for quality improvement, accessibility standards and strategic plans for continuous access in the future. This includes advocating for platforms that can fit into the core technology environment and for teachers to adopt an innovative mindset.Originality/valueIn light of the complex and multifaceted challenge of transitioning to online learning in Sarawak Malaysia, it was evident that the need for innovative solutions to optimize educational endeavours has become accelerated. To ensure that students are well-supported and widening participation and access to education, it is imperative that the education disruption be embraced. This starts with addressing teachers' digital literacy through a professional development programme of online reaching.

Broadening borders to build better schools

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Carpenter ◽  
Paul Munshower
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Perceptions ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Rural Teachers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how rural teachers provided a PLC by leveraging virtual technologies to connect educators of like subject disciplines from several schools, foreign and domestic. Design/methodology/approach A phenomenological case study-based approach was leveraged to investigate established vPLCs at schools (Creswell, 2013; Stake, 2010). Qualitative data were collected from multiple sources to obtain rural teacher perceptions on the impact vPLCs had on their practice (Creswell, 2013). Findings Teacher collaborative teams build relationships comparable to teams that met face to face as part of a similar PLC and PD experience. Participant reflections in this investigation showed that rural educators favored face-to-face meetings; however, vPLCs provided similar teacher experiences to that of the face-to-face PBL model. Results indicated that educators recognized virtual collaboration just as valuable a tool for enabling PLCs than face-to-face collaborations while still offering similarities to improved teacher practice. Research limitations/implications The research was limited to teachers in rural settings in the USA (Texas) and in the Dominican Republic. The research was limited to teacher perceptions of change, and observed changes as part of their participation in a research-based virtual PLC model. The research was limited to the school setting over an academic year. Practical implications The findings from this study have practical implications for rural teachers and school implementation of a professional learning community model. Originality/value The promise provided by this study is that vPLCs may provide opportunity for rural schools to provide a job-embedded professional development model (Croft et al., 2010) for otherwise isolated teachers (Barrett et al., 2015).

The power of an intersectionality framework in teacher education

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-127
Author(s):  
Alisa Leckie ◽  
Maya Buser De
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Culturally And Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Diverse Student ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Diverse Student Population ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this study is to describe the use of an intersectionality framework to analyze and incorporate teachers’ lived experiences into critical professional development. Design/methodology/approach Researchers used qualitative coding based on the matrix of oppression and privilege (Ferber and O’Reilly Herrera, 2013) to analyze teachers’ multicultural autobiographies. Connections between multicultural autobiographies were then made between other course reflections and lesson plans that were developed throughout the 150 h of professional development. Findings Findings evidence the multiple sites of oppression and privilege, the importance of spaces and relationships in locating ourselves and others on the matrix and the possibilities for transferring knowledge to professional practice. Research limitations/implications The authors do recognize the limitations of their study. Although the participants were from differing educational contexts and backgrounds, the sample size was small. Additional studies of this nature can expand our understanding of privilege, oppression and the impact of critical professional development for educators. Our society, and therefore the education system, continues to become more culturally and linguistically diverse, and it is incumbent upon us as educators and researchers to identify effective approaches for preparing both teachers and students for a changing world. Practical implications The power of the matrix framework in pedagogical settings is that it facilitates the recognition and analysis of individual social locations and their relationships to various systems of inequality. Most importantly, analyzing both privilege and oppression allows individuals and instructors to reflect on their own experiences and initiate conversations that reduce the animosity toward those who have different experiences. Originality/value This study is significant, in that it offers a framework that addresses the perceived disconnect between teachers and their increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse student population (Banks and Banks, 2013; Darling-Hammond and Bransford, 2005).

Reflecting on outcome-based education for human services programs in higher education: a policing degree case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-122
Author(s):  
Michael Kennedy ◽  
Philip Birch
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Human Services ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Systems ◽  
Quality Of Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Outcome Based Education ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to consider the impact of outcome-based education (OBE) on students studying human services degrees, particularly those in a policing program. This work examines the validity of the notion that OBE is a progressive teaching approach that improves the quality of education and subsequently professional practice. Design/methodology/approach A critical analysis of a systemised outcome-based teaching and learning approach is adopted. Findings OBE has, as an idea, swept across most educational institutions in an apparently revolutionary wave. However, any critical scrutiny of this systemised approach to teaching and learning calls into question whether it is really progressive or empty rhetoric achieving reactionary ends. Any systemised attempt at social change by way of neo-liberal outcomes that are not principle-driven will serve only to reinforce a philosophy of aggressive competition and individualism at the expense of the rule of law and social policy that is situated on a social contract foundation. Practical implications The practical implications of this paper relate to the delivery of higher education teaching, with particular reference to human service degrees such as policing: the use of post-modernist theory to develop contemporary teaching and learning systems has created challenges with regards to scientific knowledge; a principled, deontological teaching and learning system rather than a utilitarian “outcome”-based delivery is proposed; the validity of the notion that outcome-based teaching and learning systems are progressive initiatives that improve the quality of education is questioned; and the impact of OBE for students entering human services professions such as policing has implications for public and community safety. Originality/value This paper considers the efficacy of OBE as a model for higher education teaching, with particular reference to human services degrees such as policing.

scholarly journals Researching with the Sturm und Drang of COVID-19: telling tales of teachers' teaching

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 393-403
Author(s):  
Ligia Pelosi ◽  
Mark Vicars
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experience ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sturm Und Drang ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Collective Experience ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reflect on the effects of COVID-19 on teachers' pedagogical approaches, and how this has consequences for student learning.Design/methodology/approachThis paper explores the impact of COVID-19 through teachers' experiences, perceptions from a critical cultural perspective. The paper draws on preservice and graduate teachers' narrative reflections as articulated through Instagram posts.FindingsThis paper articulates a comparison between the concept of Sturm und Drang and the contemporary landscape of teaching and learning remotely as a result of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and limitations.Research limitations/implicationsThe data upon which this paper is based were limited to five participants' accounts taken from the teacherwhispers Instagram site. They indicate relevant themes but are not representative of the overall phenomenon that COVID-19 has generated.Practical implicationsThis paper is representative of the particular elements encountered when drawing upon an online-based methodological approach. It suggests the productive affordances of technology for narrating lived experience in a professional context.Social implicationsRetelling embodied narratives can be a fraught affair. This paper brings together associative experiences of COVID-19 to draw together individual stories to narrate a collective experience.Originality/valueThis paper addresses a dynamically evolving phenomenon. As such, it is highly original and explores dilemmas, situations and implications that have not previously been addressed.

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