scholarly journals Enhancing primary science teaching: Interconnections of content, policy and practice in a New Zealand professional learning and development programme

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven S. Sexton
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Effective Delivery ◽  
Ongoing Development ◽  
Primary Science Teaching

This paper reports on an ongoing professional learning and development (PLD) initiative in New Zealand. The Academy is designed to provide primary and intermediate classroom teachers with the knowledge, materials and support needed for effective delivery of The New Zealand Curriculum 's science subject area. Specifically, this paper reports on the Academy's interconnections of government policy, professional learning and development, teachers' practice and students' learning. Results indicate how relevant, useful and meaningful education through science has influenced classroom teachers' practice. The implications support the critical importance of effective connections between content, policy and practice in the ongoing development of teaching practice.

Supporting teachers’ practice through professional learning and development: What’s happening in New Zealand early childhood education?

2020 ◽  
pp. 183693912097906
Author(s):  
Linda Clarke ◽  
Tara McLaughlin ◽  
Karyn Aspden ◽  
Tracy Riley
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Quality Teachers ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Full Picture

Early childhood teachers’ professional learning and development (PLD) is a significant factor in the provision of quality early childhood education (ECE), yet gaining a full picture of PLD in the New Zealand ECE context is problematic. Information about government-funded PLD programmes is available through evaluations, however, teachers access PLD from a range of providers, many of whom are not government-funded, nor subject to regular monitoring for quality. Teachers’ reports, therefore, represent important sources of insight into PLD. We surveyed New Zealand early childhood teachers about their experiences of PLD, including topics, delivery, and facilitation. We analysed 345 responses. Workshops were the most commonly experienced PLD model. Many respondents had also experienced job-embedded support, but may not have experienced the types of facilitation strategies likely to prompt shifts in teaching practice. This article reports the survey results, examines implications and discusses features of PLD that support shifts in teaching practice.

Classroom teachers’ and administrators’ views of teaching health and physical education

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 448-464
Author(s):  
Dominique Banville ◽  
Ben Dyson ◽  
Pamela H Kulinna ◽  
Michalis Stylianou
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Health And Physical Education ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand

Teacher efficacy influences what and how they teach. This may be particularly important to consider in Aotearoa New Zealand contexts where primary classroom teachers teach health and physical education and use physical activity breaks with little training. It remains unclear how classroom teachers perceive this role and how to better support them. The purpose of this study was to investigate classroom teachers’ and administrators’ views of teaching health and physical education, including physical activity behaviours, in primary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. Participants were 10 teachers and three administrators from two schools selected as a purposive sample. Data were collected through formal interviews, field notes, and photographs, and were analysed using inductive analysis and constant comparison. The findings are shared using four themes: (a) support for physical activity breaks; (b) support for curriculum content in health and physical education and ‘Kiwi’ sport culture; (c) teachers’ influence level; and (d) school environment. Overall, teachers and administrators felt very efficacious in their roles of creating healthy and active schools. These teachers also appeared to be confused regarding the difference between physical education, sport, and physical activity. They did feel, however, that instructional self-efficacy could be improved through enhanced content and pedagogy taught in teacher education programmes, and increased opportunities for professional learning and development. Potentially, this could lead to more time spent teaching the health and physical education content as well as a greater focus on the national curriculum for health and physical education being taught in Aotearoa New Zealand.

scholarly journals Breaking the Circle of One: Reflection in Montessori Early Childhood Centres in Aotearoa New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Ana Pickering
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Montessori Education ◽  
Teaching Teams ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
The Impact

<p>Little is currently known about how teachers in New Zealand Montessori early childhood centres reflect on Montessori philosophy and practice individually and collaboratively within teaching teams. The purpose of this research was to discover the current views about reflection on Montessori philosophy, the barriers teachers faced in reflecting and opportunities they identified for reflection. The impact that requirements for self review and teacher reflection have had on the approach taken to reflection, inquiry and professional learning by teachers in Montessori early childhood centres was also investigated. This research study used a mixed method case study and data was collected from teachers working in Montessori early childhood centres through semistructured interviews with three groups and an online survey of individual teachers.  Participants placed high importance on reflection. However some participants were reluctant to critique Montessori philosophy; either because they viewed it as ‘valid’ or because they were concerned about being regarded as ‘heretical’ by other teachers. Participants felt safe raising questions within their teaching teams, but were more wary of debating and questioning philosophical issues with teachers in the wider Montessori community. Others regarded reflection as an opportunity to develop a shared understanding of Montessori philosophy and practice in their early childhood centre. Despite the participants’ perception that their team spent time reflecting on Montessori philosophy and relating this to daily teaching practice, it was still a challenge to make these reflective activities a priority in limited centre team meeting times. In addition, it appears that more support is needed to improve skills and knowledge about how the cyclical process of review or inquiry can engage with Montessori philosophy, inform centre philosophy, drive centre practice and improve outcomes for children. This study suggests that teachers would benefit from the creation of ‘safe spaces’ where they can engage with colleagues from their own or other Montessori early childhood centres in debate and discussion so that teaching practice becomes based on critical engagement with the underlying theoretical or philosophical principles of Montessori education.</p>

scholarly journals Professional Learning Communities: Reflections on Cases in Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates

2021 ◽  
pp. 51-96
Author(s):  
Osama Al-Mahdi ◽  
◽  
Marloes de Munnik ◽  
Beatrix Henkel ◽  
Luke Meinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Educational Context ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
School Cultures ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Teacher Training Programs ◽  
Professional Teaching

This chapter explores the different definitions and, characteristics of international and regional research on a professional learning community (PLC) approach. The chapter discusses models of professional development that are used in international educational systems then it reflects on possible ways for adopting these models in the educational context in Bahrain, Oman and The United Arab Emirates. A focus on the educational context in the countries is included with recommendations for the implications thereof on policy and practice. This chapter has two parts: the first is a literature review that synthesizes key ideas, research, and results in the field of PLCs. The chapter thereby is connecting to ideas from a socio-material practice perspective in the field of workplace learning. This results in a focus on professional responsibility, accountability and experience. The second part includes two detailed cases that illustrate how PLCs are translated into learning and teaching practice in two private schools in Bahrain and Oman, and a third case reflecting on PLC initiatives in The United Arab Emirates. The chapter recommends promoting a PLC approach in educational systems in the Gulf Council Countries (GCC) and globally by focusing on the following practical implementations: expanding its use in pre- and in-service teacher training programs, adapting PLCs’ best international practices to the localized educational context, preparing school principals to lead PLCs in their schools, providing human and financial support to these communities, and working on changing school cultures to become more collaborative by using initiatives such as coaching. A shortage of studies about PLCs, specifically in the GCC region, may lead to a limited spread of improved professional teaching practices applied in GCC schools and the wider network of schools associated with GCC schools. This chapter highlights the importance of a PLC approach and provides examples of how this approach is being used. We suggest that other practitioners, school leaders and researchers may benefit by embracing a PLC approach for increased professional teaching practice, subsequent learner success and improved organizational education outcomes.

scholarly journals Dialogic reflection for social justice - He Anga Huritao

Teachers Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1and2) ◽  
pp. 38-55
Author(s):  
Tim Gander ◽  
Philly Wintle
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Rich Diversity ◽  
Reflection On Action

Critical reflection is the cornerstone of teacher education and professional learning and there are countless models to support and refine the practice of critical reflection.  This paper forms a narrative critique of the authors’ bespoke framework for critical reflection-on action, created to support the gradual transformation of trainee and beginning teachers working in New Zealand communities that are characterised by rich diversity. Entitled ‘He Anga Huritao’ (a framework for reflection), the framework draws from literature pertaining to both critical reflection and education for social justice, placing emphasis on tuakana-teina (or mentor/mentee) relationships. This framework was created following the analysis of how critical reflection was experienced by beginning secondary trainee teachers in employment-based Initial Teacher Education. Following investigation of the application of this framework with individual considerations at each stage, this paper concludes with recommendations for practitioners interested in applying He Anga Huritao to their practice or setting. This paper is to the interest of New Zealand teachers and school leaders, involved in using critical reflection as a tool for social justice to support the transformation of teaching practice. In reading this paper educators will develop a sense of the particular need for critical reflection to transform teaching practice towards social justice and be provided with a tool with which to do so.

scholarly journals Professional learning and development in early childhood education: A shifting landscape of policies and practice

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Sue Cherrington
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Education Literature ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Early Childhood Professional ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Childhood Professional

This article traces shifts in the New Zealand early childhood professional, regulatory and policy landscape, and examines how these shifts create challenges and opportunities for early childhood teachers’ engagement in professional learning and development (PLD). It presents current understandings about effective PLD for teachers in the early childhood and wider education literature before arguing that professional learning communities offer promising opportunities to support early childhood teachers’ engagement in effective PLD in a shifting policy and practice landscape.

scholarly journals Breaking the Circle of One: Reflection in Montessori Early Childhood Centres in Aotearoa New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Ana Pickering
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Montessori Education ◽  
Teaching Teams ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Outcomes For Children ◽  
The Impact

<p>Little is currently known about how teachers in New Zealand Montessori early childhood centres reflect on Montessori philosophy and practice individually and collaboratively within teaching teams. The purpose of this research was to discover the current views about reflection on Montessori philosophy, the barriers teachers faced in reflecting and opportunities they identified for reflection. The impact that requirements for self review and teacher reflection have had on the approach taken to reflection, inquiry and professional learning by teachers in Montessori early childhood centres was also investigated. This research study used a mixed method case study and data was collected from teachers working in Montessori early childhood centres through semistructured interviews with three groups and an online survey of individual teachers.  Participants placed high importance on reflection. However some participants were reluctant to critique Montessori philosophy; either because they viewed it as ‘valid’ or because they were concerned about being regarded as ‘heretical’ by other teachers. Participants felt safe raising questions within their teaching teams, but were more wary of debating and questioning philosophical issues with teachers in the wider Montessori community. Others regarded reflection as an opportunity to develop a shared understanding of Montessori philosophy and practice in their early childhood centre. Despite the participants’ perception that their team spent time reflecting on Montessori philosophy and relating this to daily teaching practice, it was still a challenge to make these reflective activities a priority in limited centre team meeting times. In addition, it appears that more support is needed to improve skills and knowledge about how the cyclical process of review or inquiry can engage with Montessori philosophy, inform centre philosophy, drive centre practice and improve outcomes for children. This study suggests that teachers would benefit from the creation of ‘safe spaces’ where they can engage with colleagues from their own or other Montessori early childhood centres in debate and discussion so that teaching practice becomes based on critical engagement with the underlying theoretical or philosophical principles of Montessori education.</p>

scholarly journals A framework for professional learning and development in science for New Zealand upper primary teachers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Theodore Cizadlo
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Subject Matter ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Physical Science ◽  
Concept Maps ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Subject Matter Knowledge ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Support Materials

<p>This doctoral thesis describes the development of a framework to guide the creation and delivery of bespoke professional learning and development programmes (PLD) in physical science for groups of Year 7 and 8 teachers. It identifies key principles and provides practical advice needed to produce PLD programmes specifically focused on the topics selected, in consultation with the teachers involved, that are tailored to the school environment and adhere to design principles informed by research, and tested in the New Zealand context. The framework was developed using a design-based research approach involving three iterations of use, analysis, and improvement. Audio recordings, structured interviews, classroom observations, concept maps, and field notes provided data for a qualitative analysis paradigm. The research employed a social-constructivist lens, with an emphasis on learner-centred science investigations, leading to the development of a new framework for physical science PLD design and delivery consisting of five major focus areas: Subject selection / curriculum, Subject matter understanding, Teaching practice, Support, and Logistical considerations. This research highlighted the challenges faced by generalist teachers with limited science backgrounds in working with New Zealand's non-prescriptive national curriculum, to develop specific physical science units that are relevant to their local school environment. Specifically, teachers with limited subject matter knowledge face challenges selecting topics from the New Zealand Curriculum, balancing breadth and depth of topic coverage, and selecting curriculum support materials. After participating in the PLD teachers were able to use their subject matter knowledge and teaching experience to select materials and confidently teach the physical science topics covered in the PLD.</p>

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