Learning Study – the dual process of developing theory and practice

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 272-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Po Yuk Ko
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Teaching Strategies ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Dual Process ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Variation Theory ◽  
Learning Study ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – Variation Theory has been used as a source of guiding principles for pedagogical design, lesson analysis and improvement in Learning Study (LS). The purpose of this paper is to argue that the LS approach provides an important opportunity for teachers and researchers not only to improve the teaching strategies together but also refine the Variation Theory in action. Design/methodology/approach – A case study of teaching writing in Chinese at Primary 4 level of a LS project is selected using analysis of covariance to identify lessons that had significant differences in student learning outcomes. Analysis focuses on examining one of the major claims in Variation Theory which is that “contrast should precede generalization” in order to explore if this argument is able to provide a possible answer to the difference in student performance in the two classes of students of similar ability learning the same topic. Teachers’ contribution to the discussion of the application of the theory is analysed to explain the different teaching strategies chosen. Findings – The case study shows that in a LS platform, teachers’ teaching act and their interaction with theorists contributed to a dual process of developing the practice as well as the theory itself. The results of students’ learning serve as evidences for the claim that “contrast should precede generalization” as the theory suggested. Originality/value – Most of the lesson study and LS projects emphasize teachers’ learning through the participation in the process. This paper illustrates that in conducting LS approach, when there is conscious effort to direct discussion toward how to handle the content in terms of Variation Theory explicitly, the result could contribute to the development of the theory itself. Hence, the LS provides an important opportunity for teachers and researchers to refine strategies as well as theories of teaching and learning together.

How teachers’ practice knowledge is used and challenged in a Learning Study using Variation Theory as a tool

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Thorsten
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Variation Theory ◽  
Learning Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Practice Knowledge

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss how teachers’ practice knowledge is used as a tool in a Learning Study and how teachers’ practice knowledge is challenged by using Variation Theory as a tool in the process? Design/methodology/approach – The analysis is based on data from the research process in a Learning Study. The data consists of meeting notes of ten research meetings, field notes of the research meetings and from the enactment of the lessons, video recordings of the lessons and reflective notes after and between the meetings. The analysis is qualitative and the findings are described in themes. Findings – Teachers’ practice knowledge was used and challenged in different ways in the process. This is described in five themes. Teachers’ practice knowledge was visible in the process since it enabled relevant questions to be addressed and subtle signals from students to be taken into account. It also ensured that the activities used were suitable for the students. The theory provided a focus on the object of learning and a language to talk about teaching and learning. It also challenged teachers’ assumptions about teaching and learning and allowed them to be discussed. Originality/value – The paper addresses both teachers’ practice knowledge and Variation Theory in relation to a Learning Study. It focusses on how practice knowledge of teachers can be used and challenged in the same process. The perspective is from the inside, from a teacher researcher’s point of view.

Pedagogical and learning theories in lesson and learning studies – revisited

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulla Runesson
Keyword(s):  
Lesson Study ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Variation Theory ◽  
Learning Study ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Point Of Departure

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss two theoretical frameworks, Pirie and Kieren’s work (Pirie and Kieren, 1994) and variation theory of learning (Marton, 2015) in relation to lesson/learning study and mathematics teaching and learning. Design/methodology/approach The point of departure is the article: “Folding back and growing mathematical understanding: a longitudinal study of learning” (Martin and Towers, 2016) where it is demonstrated how Pirie and Kieren’s work (1994) and particularly the notion “folding-back” can be used as the theoretical framework in lesson/learning study. By dealing with similar arrangements and different theories, the two frameworks are contrasted. Findings It is suggested that the theory appropriated must be in resonance with the aim and focus of the study the theoretical perspective taken since it has implications for what becomes the focus of the process and subsequently the results of lesson/learning study. Originality/value This paper contributes to the discussion about how a more theory-informed lesson study and a broader theoretically framed learning study would improve and change the scope and progress of the two.

You can only see what you have chosen to see

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 170-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mun Ling Lo
Keyword(s):  
Lesson Study ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Current Issue ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Variation Theory ◽  
Learning Study ◽  
Inherent Limitation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research On Teaching

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to suggest ways that we can widen our vision since our views are limited by our theoretical lens. Design/methodology/approach – The paper first draws on articles in the current issue to illustrate how limitations imposed by our theoretical lens can be partly overcome. It then draws on the insights from two recent papers by Svensson (2016) and Lo and Chik (2016) to discuss some ways forward. Svensson’s paper argues for integrating research on teaching and learning using case-based studies and the contextual analysis approach. Lo and Chik’s paper is about how our learning can go beyond the single case through attending to fusion in the external horizon. The conceptual lens from these two papers which are from the phenomenography, variation theory and learning study tradition is applied to look at some of the papers in this issue which are from the lesson study tradition. Findings – Although there is an inherent limitation to what we can see as a consequence of the theoretical lens that we take, we can widen our vision by learning to see from others’ perspectives and gain insights that would be useful to us. Originality/value – The conceptual lenses from the phenomenography, variation theory and learning study tradition is applied to look at some of the papers which are from the lesson study tradition to reveal alternative ways of seeing.

Evaluation as key to describing the enacted object of learning

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasen Pillay ◽  
Jill Adler
Keyword(s):  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
Variation Theory ◽  
Learning Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Lesson Analysis ◽  
Data Production ◽  
Learning Analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the methodology used by the authors to describe the enacted object of learning, a methodology where data production and analysis is rooted in a theorisation of pedagogy. The authors share how the authors used this methodological approach to provide a comprehensive description of the enacted object of learning and in so doing the authors hope to make a methodological contribution to the field of learning study. The lesson analysis foregrounds the importance of “evaluation” in pedagogic practice, and thus a key element of pedagogy. Tools from variation theory are incorporated into this broader approach that the authors suggest illuminates the enacted object of learning. The authors offer this approach as a methodological contribution to the development of research in and on learning study. Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach was adopted as the key research methodology in this study. The four teachers who participated in this study were purposively identified since in the first instance the design of the study warranted that the teachers who participated were teaching mathematics at grade 10. Second, the need to be purposive in the sampling strategy employed was based on issues around cost, logistics and convenience. Findings – While learning study foregrounds the importance of examining the constitution of the enacted object of learning, the contention is that it is through a focus on evaluation that the authors are able to fully describe what is constituted as mathematics with respect to the enacted object of learning. Analysis of evaluation thus adds to the description of the enacted object in critical ways. Originality/value – Within the domain of learning study, this paper provides a novel way of engaging with a lesson transcript in an attempt to fully describe what comes to be constituted as the enacted object of learning. This is achieved by combining the notion of evaluative events and authorisation on one hand and variation theory on the other.

Variation theory in Austrian initial EFL teacher education: potentials and challenges

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erwin Maria Gierlinger ◽  
Harald Spann ◽  
Thomas Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Variation Theory ◽  
Learning Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Cycles ◽  
Efl Teacher ◽  
Efl Teaching ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Efl Teacher Education

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to scrutinise the potentials and challenges of variation theory when adopting learning study in Austrian initial EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher education. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a hermeneutic and epistemological approach, projects, and publications employing variation theory in the context of EFL are critically evaluated. Findings – Variation theory and learning study turn out to have great potential for EFL teaching and learning in Austria. However, three critical issues need further conceptual and empirical research before new learning cycles can be implemented and evaluated: the object of learning, the SLA-variation theory interface, and the roles of variation theory on different educational levels. Originality/value – By identifying and discussing important critical issues within the current practice of variation-theory-oriented EFL teaching, this study could lead to further theoretical and empirical deliberations in various areas of modern language teaching. This in turn could help pave the way for both the development of theoretical underpinning and methodological refinement, ultimately fostering international co-operations in implementing learning cycles.

Learning study is “hard”: case of pre-service biology teachers in British Columbia

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuen Sze Michelle Tan
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Variation Theory ◽  
Learning Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Based

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a pilot learning study (LS) comprising of three biology pre-service teachers (PSTs) in British Columbia, which took place during an initial teacher education (ITE) course and school-based practicum. The study explored PSTs’ learning experiences, and identified conditions that supported and challenged their engagement with the LS discourse. Design/methodology/approach Drawing from a variety of methods including teacher semi-structured interviews and reflective entries, the PSTs’ experiences of teaching and reflection were described and themes were constructed; course assignments, classroom materials, meeting notes and fieldnotes served triangulation purposes. Variation theory framed the LS and analysis of this case study. Findings Findings highlight how the PSTs developed comfort with the tension of making mistakes that supported their interpretation of classroom pedagogy and refining of instructional strategies. As the study alluded to how LS is “hard,” the PSTs demonstrated how positive experiences in the course-based cycle sustained their pursuit of learning despite challenges faced in the school-based practicum. Research limitations/implications This small-scale study has limited generalizability. Practical implications Exposing PSTs to a variety of “mistakes” in ITE and to approach them not merely as ontological objects of pedagogical shortcomings are discussed together with factors that promoted teacher learning. Originality/value This study contributes to literature exploring the organization of LS within ITE, as situated in educational contexts where LS is unfamiliar and organizational structures are not readily in place to fully support its implementation.

Developing theoretical coherence in teaching and learning: case of neuroscience-framed learning study

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuen Sze Michelle Tan ◽  
Joshua Johnstone Amiel ◽  
Kwesi Yaro
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Brain Research ◽  
Cognitive Architecture ◽  
Variation Theory ◽  
Theoretical Knowledge ◽  
Learning Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Using Data

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe two cycles of learning study (LS) involving eight elementary teachers in British Columbia, Canada. The study explored the teachers’ experiences of learning to plan and teach lessons as informed by recent brain research. Design/methodology/approach The case study was constructed using data sources including teacher semi-structured interviews (pre-study, post-study and delayed post-study), classroom materials (including student assignments), LS training materials, fieldnotes and recordings of meetings and research lessons; sources were triangulated. Thematic analysis was applied. Contemporary neuroscience perspectives framed the LS discourse and analysis. Findings The teachers developed theoretical coherence and could better articulate reasons for their pedagogy. They developed understandings of the cognitive architecture underlying functions like learning and memory, allowing them to identify pedagogical actions that are consistent with human biology and understand why these actions are effective in promoting learning. Practical implications LS is shown to be an effective professional development (PD) model where theoretical knowledge, like neuroscience, could be employed and tested in classroom settings to provide depth to support teachers’ praxis. This teaching–research nexus supports exploration of fruitful connections between theoretical knowledge and education to advance the science of learning and the science of instruction. Originality/value Findings demonstrated how LS could be employed with alternative theoretical perspectives to promote teacher PD, thus extending beyond the dominant use of variation theory. Also, illustrated is the potential use of LS to bridge the knowledge gap between neuroscience and education.

Transcending conventional assessment boundaries in conducting learning study

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 212-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Po Yuk Ko
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Formative Assessment ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Variation Theory ◽  
Learning Study ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

Purpose Assessment for learning (AfL) or formative assessment is an idea widely embraced by the education field; however, it is recognised as difficult to practice at classroom. This paper, with a case study, explores how an action research activity, learning study, helps a group of teachers in Hong Kong transcend some assessment boundaries and develop assessment tools that are more conducive for student’s learning. As guided by variation theory, a distinctive feature of learning study is its intensive use of formative assessment tools, including pre- and post-tests and interviews with students, to provide feedback to teaching and evidence of learning. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how teachers learn to use the formative assessment tools to overcome practical problems in teaching and improve their instruction. Design/methodology/approach A case study was conducted. Data collected included field notes on classroom observations, records of meetings, students’ interviews and students’ writings in both pre- and post-tests. The general framework for qualitative data analysis by Miles and Huberman (1994) guided the data analysis process with the foci on the change in teachers’ perceptions and improvement of their skills in adopting formative assessment tools. Findings Although the initial aim of conducting learning study was examination-driven, i.e., to improve the students’ performance in an external examination, it became evident over time that teachers participating in the inquiry process had gained a better understanding of making use of the assessment results as feedback to improve student learning and their instruction. This constituted an ideal case for studying the learning process of the teachers as they practiced AfL and transcend some conventional assessment boundaries in an authentic classroom situation. Originality/value This is one of the scarce studies, which demonstrates how the assessment elements of learning study, i.e. pre/post tests and student interviews, can be integrated into the working practice of teachers as a form of AfL and become an integral aspect of classroom practice.

The learning study approach to comparing two typologies of the cost concept for project management teaching

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 300-312
Author(s):  
Eddie W.L. Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Transfer Of Learning ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Variation Theory ◽  
Learning Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
First Case ◽  
The Cost

Purpose The epistemology of project management has been considered imperfect because the gap between theory and practice has not become closer due to unsatisfactory project performance. Without effective learning, the transfer of learning to the workplace would be uncertain. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to use the learning study approach, exploring the value of Variation Theory in comparing two typologies of the cost concept for project management teaching. Design/methodology/approach To illustrate the application of the theory of variation, a case of teaching the two major cost typologies was demonstrated. A pedagogical setting was designed from the theory for helping students discern the object of learning. Findings Students of the target cohort had much fewer errors than previous cohorts in transforming the costs of the first typology used in project management textbooks to those of the second typology used in Microsoft Project. Originality/value This is perhaps the first case study to appreciate the use of Variation Theory in project management teaching. Apparently, thinking of how to induce learning and facilitate the transfer of learning should be a productive way for creating excellence in practice.

scholarly journals “You would expect the successful person to be the man”

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Jones
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Symbolic Violence ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Multiple Method ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to to explore power and legitimacy in the entrepreneurship education classroom by using Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological and educational theories. It highlights the pedagogic authority invested in educators and how this may be influenced by their assumptions about the nature of entrepreneurship. It questions the role of educators as disinterested experts, exploring how power and gendered legitimacy “play out” in staff–student relationships and female students’ responses to this. Design/methodology/approach – A multiple-method, qualitative case study approach is taken, concentrating on a depth of focus in one UK’s higher education institution (HEI) and on the experiences, attitudes and classroom practices of staff and students in that institution. The interviews, with an educator and two students, represent a self-contained story within the more complex story of the case study. Findings – The interviewees’ conceptualization of entrepreneurship is underpinned by acceptance of gendered norms, and both students and staff misrecognize the masculinization of entrepreneurship discourses that they encounter as natural and unquestionable. This increases our understanding of symbolic violence as a theoretical construct that can have real-world consequences. Originality/value – The paper makes a number of theoretical and empirical contributions. It addresses an important gap in the literature, as educators and the impact of their attitudes and perceptions on teaching and learning are rarely subjects of inquiry. It also addresses gaps and silences in understandings of the gendered implications of HE entrepreneurship education more generally and how students respond to the institutional arbitration of wider cultural norms surrounding entrepreneurship. In doing so, it challenges assertions that Bourdieu’s theories are too abstract to have any empirical value, by bridging the gap between symbolic violence as a theory and its manifestation in teaching and learning practices.

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