Teacher Responses to New Pedagogical Practices: A Praxeological Model for the Study of Teacher-Driven School Development

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 979-1013
Author(s):  
Sławomir Krzychała
Keyword(s):  
School Change ◽  
School Development ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Teacher Engagement ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Professional Orientation ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Tutoring Program ◽  
Orientation Pattern

This article focuses on the teacher community as an agent of school development, and in the context of teacher engagement in new educational practices, it discusses how school change can be analyzed as a process of creating and transforming professional knowledge (orientation pattern). The qualitative research was conducted in 2015–2016 at 12 schools participating in an innovative tutoring program in Wrocław (Poland). A total of 12 group discussions and 52 individual interviews were interpreted using Mannheim’s documentary method. As a result, a typology of the four forms of new professional orientation patterns—niche, instrumental, apparent, and synergic activities—was elaborated, and in a case study, they were applied as a theoretical model to the sociogenetic analysis of the school development process.

scholarly journals A study to understand the inclusion of learners with and without visual impairment in a secondary school in Lesotho

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Malehlanye Ralejoe
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Visual Impairment ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Special Schools ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
The One

The study reported on here was conducted to investigate the perceptions of 8 learners in a secondary school in the Maseru district of Lesotho about inclusive education as it relates to learners with visual impairment. This school had integrated children with visual impairment. The study was conducted using a qualitative research approach, and a case study format was adopted. Eight participants (aged 16–23; 5 girls and 3 boys) participated in the study. Two focus groups were formed: one comprised 4 learners without visual impairment, and another 4 learners with visual impairment. Focus-group discussions were followed up with individual interviews. The results reveal that learners (with and without visual impairment) had mixed opinions about the integration of learners with visual impairment in their mainstream school. On the one hand they pointed out that inadequate resources and the unwelcoming infrastructure of their school discouraged this integration. Those with visual impairment also pointed to their exclusion from sports activities by their peers, as well as the occasional use of exclusionary language by some of their teachers, as indicating that special schools were better places for them. On the other hand, the learners stated some of the benefits of including learners with visual impairment in their school. These included enabling peer tutoring, peer consultations, and a slower pace of teaching. Learners with visual impairment also stated that inclusion had improved their social life, by enabling them to learn better ways of living with people without visual impairment. Based on these benefits, learners welcomed the inclusion of those with visual impairment in mainstream schools.

scholarly journals Safety, advocacy, and the teacher’s role: Pre-service teachers and school shooting policies

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 31
Author(s):  
May Hara
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Case Study ◽  
School Shootings ◽  
School Shooting ◽  
Pedagogical Practice ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
The Core ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Teacher Policy

In this qualitative case study, I examine pre-service teachers’ experiences with school shooting policy.  Analysis of individual interviews, group discussions and reflective memos with pre-service teachers (n=7) in seven Massachusetts districts shows that pre-service teachers, while deeply concerned about the possibility of school shootings, viewed existing policies as ineffective, damaging to their pedagogical practice and relationships with students, and out of step with teachers’ concerns. Further, they interpreted proposed policies as undermining the value of teachers in contemporary society and threatening the core tenets of teachers’ work. Constrained by limited professional development around policy involvement, pre-service teachers expressed significant doubts about their ability to effect meaningful policy change. This research has implications for educational policy and teacher policy involvement.

scholarly journals The Role of Language Proficiency in Willingness to Communicate: A Case Study of Saudi EFL Learners

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hassan S. Alqurashi ◽  
Haitham A. Althubaiti
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Willingness To Communicate ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Efl Students

This study’s principal aim revolves around expanding comprehension of the facets affecting people’s readiness to use foreign languages. To achieve that, the study investigates the various elements of verbal interaction between undergraduate English as a Foreign Language learners and their instructors in the classroom. Linguistic skills are of particular interest, especially their connection to learners’ readiness to speak during classes. The research aims to answer the question ‘How does language proficiency affect the willingness to communicate among Saudi EFL students in the classroom?’ Qualitative data was gathered through the implementation of a triangulation strategy that incorporated focus-group discussions and individual interviews. Moreover, the research takes inspiration from the work of MacIntyre (1994) and MacIntyre and Charos (1996), who focused on learners’ readiness to speak as the conceptual basis for their studies. The study shows that learners exhibit an unwillingness to speak in EFL settings due to perceived linguistic inadequacies, a limited lexicon and concerns that they may make mistakes when attempting to speak English, which would, in turn, prompt further misunderstandings. The study concludes with recommendations for further studies in similar institutions to investigate other factors that may influence students’ willingness to communicate.

Facilitating Dialogues about Racial Realities

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Quaye
Keyword(s):  
White Educators ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Racial Issues ◽  
Difficult Dialogues ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
Postsecondary Educators ◽  
Support Students

Background/Context Facilitating dialogues about racial issues in higher education classroom settings continues to be a vexing problem facing postsecondary educators. In order for students to discuss race with their peers, they need skilled facilitators who are knowledgeable about racial issues and able to support students in these difficult dialogues. Yet previous research on difficult dialogues has largely focused on students’ experiences in these dialogues and the outcomes they gain from participating in them with little knowledge about the roles of facilitators of these dialogues. Purpose The purpose of the present study was to examine how postsecondary educators facilitate racial dialogues. Research Design In this study, I employed case study methodology and conducted semistructured individual interviews with 22 participants, as well as examined participants’ syllabi to see how they structured their courses. Findings Findings reveal the practical strategies educators used to facilitate classroom-based racial dialogues, including utilizing group discussions, using various practical resources, developing ways for learners to apply racial concepts and theories to their lives, and providing ample space for students to debrief at the conclusion of the dialogues. Conclusions/Recommendations Major conclusions and recommendations from this study include the importance of White educators facilitating these dialogues, educators conceiving of knowledge differently, the importance of paying attention to the institutional and classroom cultures for these dialogues, fostering collaborations between faculty and student affairs educators to enable students to grapple with racial issues in classroom and cocurricular settings, and connecting racial dialogues with other historical forms of oppression like sexism and classism.

Teacher Engagement With Technology-Enhanced Text Adaptation for Reading Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 100-112
Author(s):  
Kai Guo ◽  
*Jing Chen ◽  
Jun Lei ◽  
Tan Jin
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Reading Assessment ◽  
Reading Proficiency ◽  
Three Dimension ◽  
Teacher Engagement ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Efl Teachers

In the assessment of English as a foreign language (EFL) reading proficiency, text adaptation is an important and challenging task for teachers. Although an increasing number of technology tools are available to facilitate text adaptation, research exploring how teachers engage with technology-enhanced text adaptation (TETA) is scarce. Drawing on a three-dimension framework consisting of behavioral, cognitive, and affective criteria of engagement, this case study investigated four Chinese EFL teachers' engagement with TETA facilitated by Eng-Editor, an online text complexity evaluation tool, in preparing reading assessment materials. Data from multiple sources were collected in the study. Firstly, the teachers' original and adapted texts were analyzed to reveal their behavioral engagement. Secondly, individual interviews were conducted with each teacher to unveil their cognitive and affective engagement. Results show diverse characteristics of teacher engagement with TETA along the three-dimension framework; moreover, various factors that influenced their engagement are also revealed. The paper concludes by providing suggestions for designing training programs to support teachers' employment of TETA.

scholarly journals The Role of Language Proficiency in Willingness to Communicate: A Case Study of Saudi EFL Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 469-478
Author(s):  
Hassan S. Alqurashi ◽  
Haitham A. Althubaiti
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Willingness To Communicate ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Efl Students

This study’s principal aim revolves around expanding comprehension of the facets affecting people’s readiness to use foreign languages. To achieve that, the study investigates the various elements of verbal interaction between undergraduate English as a Foreign Language learners and their instructors in the classroom. Linguistic skills are of particular interest, especially their connection to learners’ readiness to speak during classes. The research aims to answer the question ‘How does language proficiency affect the willingness to communicate among Saudi EFL students in the classroom?’ Qualitative data was gathered through the implementation of a triangulation strategy that incorporated focus-group discussions and individual interviews. Moreover, the research takes inspiration from the work of MacIntyre (1994) and MacIntyre and Charos (1996), who focused on learners’ readiness to speak as the conceptual basis for their studies. The study shows that learners exhibit an unwillingness to speak in EFL settings due to perceived linguistic inadequacies, a limited lexicon and concerns that they may make mistakes when attempting to speak English, which would, in turn, prompt further misunderstandings. The study concludes with recommendations for further studies in similar institutions to investigate other factors that may influence students’ willingness to communicate.

scholarly journals Aboriginal Perspectives and/in Mathematics: A Case Study of Three Grade 6 Teachers

in education ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-22
Author(s):  
Kathleen Nolan ◽  
J. Harley Weston
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Curriculum ◽  
Aboriginal Education ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Mathematics Classrooms ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

AbstractThe marriage of Aboriginal perspectives and mathematics is complex and comes with multiple interpretations. Through the research presented in this paper, we propose that one possibility for a lasting relationship between Aboriginal perspectives and mathematics lies in understanding more about teachers' experiences and stories from their own mathematics classrooms, with their own students. The purpose of this paper, and of the research project informing this paper, is to understand how Grade 6 teachers in one particular Canadian province (Saskatchewan) are addressing Aboriginal-focused curriculum goals/outcomes and to listen to teachers' perspectives on teaching mathematics with a distinctly Aboriginal focus. Data collection consisted of focus group discussions, individual interviews, and classroom observations with three case study teachers (Chris, Joe, and Lindsay). In this paper, we present three brief vignettes constructed out of the data, which provide a glimpse into the uniqueness of each teacher, each classroom, and each interpretation of what it means to teach mathematics through a distinctly Aboriginal focus.            Keywords: Aboriginal education; mathematics curriculum; qualitative research; case study; Grade 6 teachers

scholarly journals A critical discourse analysis of adolescent fertility In Zambia-a postcolonial perspective

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarate Nzala Munakampe ◽  
Charles Michelo ◽  
Joseph Mumba Zulu
Keyword(s):  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Fertility Control ◽  
Early Marriage ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Child Bearing ◽  
Adolescent Fertility ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background: Despite global and regional policies that promote the reduction of adolescent fertility through ending early marriages and reducing early child-bearing, adolescent fertility remains high in most sub-Saharan countries. This study aimed to explore the competing discourses that shape adolescent fertility control in Zambia. Methods: A qualitative case study design was adopted, involving 33 individual interviews and 9 focus group discussions with adolescents and other key-informants such as parents, teachers and policymakers. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data critically. Results: Adolescents’ age significantly reduced their access to Sexual and Reproductive Health, SRH services. Also, adolescent fertility discussions were influenced by marital norms and Christian beliefs, as well as health and rights values. While early marriage or child-bearing was discouraged, married adolescents and adolescents who had given birth before faced fewer challenges when accessing SRH information and services compared to their unmarried or nulliparous counterparts. Besides, the major influencers such as parents, teachers and health workers were also conflicted about how to package SRH information to young people, due to their varying roles in the community. Conclusion: The pluralistic view of adolescent fertility is fueled by “multiple consciousnesses”. This is evidenced by the divergent discourses that shape adolescent fertility control in Zambia, compounded by the disempowered position of adolescents in their communities. We assert that the competing moral worlds, correct in their own right, viewed within the historical and social context unearth significant barriers to the success of interventions targeted towards adolescents’ fertility control in Zambia, thereby propagating the growing problem of high adolescent fertility. This suggests proactive consideration of these discourses when designing and implementing adolescent fertility interventions.

scholarly journals Perceptions of Urban Pollution of River Dependent Rural Communities and Their Impact: A Case Study in Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 13959
Author(s):  
Dibash Deb ◽  
Petra Schneider ◽  
Zawhar Dudayev ◽  
Arian Emon ◽  
Songa Scholastica Areng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Urban Pollution ◽  
Effluent Treatment ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Fisheries Resources ◽  
Urban Solid Waste

This study considers the Old Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh, as a case study regarding community perceptions on urban pollution and its impact on rural communities. In doing so, in-depth individual interviews (n = 195), key informant interviews (n = 7), and focus group discussions (n = 7) were conducted by emphasizing different perspectives on urban pollution and its effects on people related to losses of fisheries resources, agricultural production, human health, and livelihood transformation. The findings illustrate that poor urban solid waste management and direct sewage discharge degrade rivers daily. The most vulnerable rural communities are directly dependent upon the river, including fishermen, farmers, and boatmen. Specific measures such as an effluent treatment plant should be established near the river, and households and commercial drains should be cut off from the direct connection with the river. Alternative income-generating activities for the stakeholders are suggested to safeguard the river from urban pollution and the wellbeing of the stakeholders.

scholarly journals Adolescent fertility in Zambia- a critical discourse analysis of adolescent fertility control from a postcolonial perspective

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarate Nzala Munakampe ◽  
Charles Michelo ◽  
Joseph Mumba Zulu
Keyword(s):  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Fertility Control ◽  
Early Marriage ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Child Bearing ◽  
Adolescent Fertility ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Despite global and regional policies that promote the reduction of adolescent fertility through ending early marriages and reducing early child-bearing, adolescent fertility remains high in most sub-Saharan countries. This study aimed to explore the competing discourses that shape adolescent fertility control in Zambia. Methods A qualitative case study design was adopted, involving 33 individual interviews and 9 focus group discussions with adolescents and other key-informants such as parents, teachers and policymakers. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data critically. Results Adolescents’ age significantly reduced their access to SRH services. Also, adolescent fertility discussions were influenced by marital norms and Christian-religious beliefs, as well as health and rights values. While early marriage or child-bearing was discouraged, married adolescents and adolescents who had given birth before faced fewer challenges when accessing SRH information and services compared to their unmarried or nulliparous counterparts. Besides, the major influencers such as parents, teachers and health workers were also conflicted about how to package SRH information to young people, due to their varying roles in the community. Conclusion The pluralistic view of adolescent fertility is fueled by “multiple consciousnesses”. This is evidenced by the divergent discourses that shape adolescent fertility control in Zambia, compounded by the disempowered position of adolescents in their communities. We assert that the competing moral worlds, correct in their own right, viewed within the historical and social context unearth significant barriers to the success of interventions targeted towards adolescents’ fertility control in Zambia, thereby propagating the growing problem of high adolescent fertility. This suggests proactive consideration of these discourses when designing and implementing adolescent fertility interventions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document