The Student Discourse Observation Tool: Supporting Teachers in Noticing Justifying and Generalizing

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Melhuish ◽  
Eva Thanheiser ◽  
Joshua Fagan
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Professional Learning ◽  
Elementary Level ◽  
Classroom Observations ◽  
Teacher Noticing ◽  
Student Discourse ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Focusing Lens ◽  
Supporting Teachers

In classrooms, students engage in argumentation through justifying and generalizing. However, these activities can be difficult for teachers to conceptualize and therefore promote in their classrooms. In this article, we present the Student Discourse Observation Tool (SDOT) developed to support teachers in noticing and promoting student justifying and generalizing. The SDOT serves the purpose of (a) focusing teacher noticing on student argumentation during classroom observations, and (b) promoting focused discussion of student discourse in teacher professional learning communities. We provide survey data illustrating that elementary-level teachers who participated in professional development leveraging the SDOT had richer conceptions of justifying and generalizing and greater ability to characterize students' justifying and generalizing when compared with a set of control teachers. We argue that the SDOT provides both an important focusing lens for teachers and a means to concretize the abstract mathematical activities of justifying and generalizing.

scholarly journals CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY: INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 493
Author(s):  
Justinas Monkevicius ◽  
Renaldas Čiužas
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Organisational Culture ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Teacher Professional Learning ◽  
Organisational Structure ◽  
Teacher Professional

The article presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of institutional factors of creation and development of successful teacher professional learning communities. On the basis of the conducted theoretical analysis, institutional factors were systemised and divided into four groups:factors related to organisational culture, to processes, to organisational structure, and factors related to financial and material resources.The empirical research reveals the relevance of theoretically distinguished factors to the practical processes of creation and development of successful teacher professional learning communities. It also singles out new factors that have not been investigated by other scholars and highlights the encountered barriers.

scholarly journals Taking a Step to Identify How to Create Professional Learning Communities—Report of a Case Study of a Korean Public High School on How to Create and Sustain a School-based Teacher Professional Learning Community

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joonkil Ahn
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Teacher Professional Learning ◽  
Public High School ◽  
School Based ◽  
Teacher Professional

This study intends to identify some key factors in creating and sustaining school-based teacher professional learning communities (PLCs) through a case study of a South Korean public high school. To achieve this, the study identified some essential infrastructure, preparation, and necessary social organization for creating PLCs. The ideal unit and the encouraging/discouraging factors in the implementation process were also investigated. Data were gathered via classroom observations and by analysis of interview transcripts, questionnaire responses, and minutes from PLC meetings. Nineteen participants, including 16 teachers, a principal, an assistant principal, and a facilitator from a city department of education, who assisted the school reform process, completed the questionnaires. Three of the teachers who took the reform initiative participated in the in-depth interview. The study provides a detailed description of the school context before the PLC implementation, challenges that faced the teachers, and two main characteristics of their PLC initiative. The study indicates that participants perceived prepared teacher leaders, building trust and respect among faculty, and securing time for classroom observation and PLC meetings as the most necessary preparation in creating and implementing their PLC. Empowering grade level chairs, increasing teacher proximity, and employing additional administrative assistants were identified as effective administrative support. Participants recognized that each grade level had more advantage in implementing PLCs and thought positive changes of disruptive students and their own instructional practices were the most encouraging factors in overcoming implementation problems. Authoritative leadership of school administration and a city DOE that forcefully mandates PLCs were perceived as discouraging factors in PLC implementation.

scholarly journals Teacher Professional Learning Community’s Creation and Development Factors

Pedagogika ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 127 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-175
Author(s):  
Justinas Monkevičius
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Teacher Professional Learning ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Literature Research ◽  
Teacher Factors ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Theoretical Saturation ◽  
Positive Effect

Article analyses teacher professional learning communities (TPLC’s) creation and development factors. Literature research revealed the lack of theoretical approach of TPLC’s creation and development factors. Thus, grounded research theory is used in order to further analyze TPLC’s creation and development factors. Structured interview with school teachers and administration was conducted until it reached theoretical saturation. Analysis of literature research revealed Personal, interpersonal and managerial school’s principal and personal, interpersonal and managerial school’s teacher factors as very important ones. During empirical research schools’ principals and teachers identified factors having positive effect to TPLC’s creation and development in their own environment. Article analyses theoretical and empirical differences of PLC’S creation and development factors.

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