The contemporary research on the development of teachers' professional learning and professional identity for a large section of teachers in English as a foreign language (EFL) is woefully underdeveloped. Where previous research focuses on traditionally trained teachers, this project works with teachers trained and certified by private language schools. It examines their perception of development in learning and identity through the lens of Lave and Wenger's theories on professional learning and identity. The data comes from three in-depth interviews from a pilot project of a larger doctoral research project. The primary research questions are: (1) How do non-traditionally trained EFL teachers construct their professional identity? And (2) How do such teachers construct their professional development? The findings push back against and add nuance to the current framework for the development of learning and identity through practice as this teaching population come to and stay in teaching for reasons different yet related to their traditionally trained counterparts.
This paper reports on a teacher professional development (PD) programme addressing dialogic argumentation in mathematics and science classrooms. While argumentation skills are becoming more and more important in an increasingly polarised society, the social aspect of argumentation is often neglected in secondary education. Moreover, it is agreed that genuine argumentation requires time and space in classroom dialogue. There have been calls for research delving into how teachers could be familiarised with dialogic argumentation so that they could foster such dialogue in students. The described PD programme features versatile and continuous cooperation between scholars and participating teachers. The scholars are offering educational science’s latest knowledge to schools while the teachers are ensuring that it is implemented in a successful and sensible manner. Monthly recorded lessons related to the programme take place in three phases: pre-active (planning), interactive (teaching), and post-active (evaluating and reflecting). Six teachers, teaching both mathematics and physics at lower-secondary schools, are involved in the two-year programme. In addition to discussing our PD programme, we present preliminary results on the initial status of all six teachers and the development of two case teachers. Analysis of lesson videos and teacher reflections has revealed varying starting points for teachers' PD and dialogic argumentation, especially when it comes to teacher awareness. The implications for pre- and in-service teacher education are also discussed.
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a large-scale training programme on pupil well-being. The research questions are (1) to what extent did the training programme have an impact at the level of schools, and (2) to what extent did the training programme have an impact at the level of pupils? Using a survey with teachers and school principals (n=899), a survey with primary school pupils (n=2,612), and semi-structured interviews and focus groups with the main stakeholders (n=14), it was concluded that, notwithstanding high participant satisfaction, no substantial effects on school practices or on pupil well-being could be observed. Insufficient training time and the absence of post-training school counselling were key factors in the lack of success.
Pomáhajúce profesie sú vo zvýšenej miere vystavené riziku syndrómu vyhorenia, ktorý má negatívny dopad nielen na pracovnú oblasť, ale aj na celkovú kvalitu života. V tejto štúdii sme u študentov pomáhajúcich profesií skúmali vplyv sociálno-psychologického výcviku na úroveň syndrómu vyhorenia a takisto na úroveň osobnostných faktorov, ktoré sa vo vzťahu k vyhoreniu považujú za protektívne (sebaúcta, zmysel pre integritu).
V štúdii bol využitý kvázi experimentálny pre- test post- test výskumný dizajn, výskumu sa zúčastnilo 111 VŠ študentov psychológie a ošetrovateľstva rozdelených do experimentálnej a kontrolnej skupiny (priemerný vek 20,7; ±2,8; 86,1 % žien). Experimentálna skupina sa zúčastnila sociálno-psychologického tréningu v trvaní 6 mesiacov. Ako meracie nástroje boli použité štandardizované dotazníky SBI (School Burnout Inventory) pre hodnotenie úrovne vyhorenia, dotazník SOC (Sense of Coherence) merajúci zmysel pre integritu, a Rosenbergova škála sebaúcty (Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale). Na štatistické spracovanie sa aplikovala lineárna regresia a analýza rozptylu.
Výsledky ukázali, že sociálno-psychologický tréning mal pozitívny vplyv tak na úroveň vyhorenia, ako aj na úroveň osobnostných prediktorov syndrómu vyhorenia. Po absolvovaní tréningu sa úroveň vyhorenia v experimentálnej skupine významne znížila (95 % konfidenčný interval: 0,93, 9,25), zatiaľ čo v kontrolnej skupine nebola zaznamenaná zmena. Naopak zmysel pre integritu sa vo výskumnej skupine zvýšil (95 % konfidenčný interval: -9,11, -2,64). V prípade úrovne sebaúcty nebola zaznamenaná zmena ani vo výskumnej, ani v kontrolnej skupine.
Sociálno-psychologický výcvik sa ukázal ako účinná podporná metóda pozitívne ovplyvňujúca syndróm vyhorenia u študentov. Keďže mechanizmy zvládania záťaže využívané počas štúdia súvisia s copingovými stratégiami neskôr uplatňovanými v profesionálnej praxi, možno považovať túto metódu aj za účinný podporný nástroj prevencie vyhorenia pracovníkov pomáhajúcich profesií. and Helping professions are at a higher risk of burnout which has a negative impact not only on their professional performance but also on the overall quality of their life. In this research study we examined the effect of psychosocial training on the level of the burnout syndrome and the levels of personality factors that are supposed to have a protective function with regard to burnout (self-esteem, sense of coherence) in students of helping professions.
A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design was used in this study. A total of 111 university students divided into an experimental and a control group were included in the research (age 20.7, ±2.8; 86.1 % females). The experimental group participated in a six-month psychosocial training program. Standardized questionnaires were used as measuring instruments, SBI (School Burnout Inventory) to assess the level of burnout, SOC questionnaire (Sense of Coherence) for measuring the sense of integrity and Rosenberg selfesteem scale. Linear regression and analysis of variance were applied to the statistical analysis of data. The results show that psychosocial training had a positive impact on the level of burnout, as well as on personality predictors of burnout. After completing the training, the level of burnout in the experimental group decreased significantly (95 % confidence interval: 0.93, 9.25), while in the control group no significant change was observed. On the other hand, sense of coherence in the research group has increased (95 % confidence interval: -9.11, 2.64). No significant changes were found in the self-esteem levels in either group.
Psychosocial training proved to be an effective supportive method positively influencing burnout in students of helping professions. Since coping strategies used during the study tend to be associated significantly with the strategies applied later in professional practice, this method can be considered to be an effective supportive tool in the prevention of burnout in helping professions.
Islandské střední školy byly roku 2006 pověřeny provedením autoevaluace. Přistoupily k tomuto požadavku různě a s velkými rozdíly v účasti učitelů. V některých školách si učitelé evaluaci práce školy a tvorbu plánu rozvoje vzali za vlastní, v jiných probíhala formou úkolu zadaného jedné či dvěma osobám. Zvláštní pozornost v této studii věnujeme tomu, jak k takovému pověření přistupovali vedoucí pracovníci. Prezentujeme zde dvě studie. Studie I proběhla ve dvou středních a dvou základních islandských školách. V rámci této studie probíhaly dvakrát ročně po dobu čtyř let (2000–2004) v daných školách diskuse se členy evaluačních týmů. Z diskusí pak vzešly náměty pro činnosti vedoucích pracovníků, které rozvoj evaluace podporují: (a) udržovat kulturu důvěry a spolupráce; (b) podněcovat smysluplnou týmovou práci; (c) podporovat učitele k využívání dat; (d) poskytovat příležitosti k učení. Studie II proběhla v roce 2006 v jedenácti středních školách za účasti 250 respondentů, kteří participovali na dotazníkovém šetření vyhodnoceném faktorovou analýzou. Pomocí regresní analýz y byla zkoumána variabilita v interních evaluacích, kterou bylo možno vysvětlit různými faktory. Identifikováno bylo pět faktorů: vedení, profesní rozvoj, cíle školy, spolupráce na iniciativách a účast na interní evaluaci. Faktory nejvíce vysvětlující variabilitu v účasti na interní evaluaci byly cíle školy, vedení a profesní rozvoj. Všechny se ukázaly jako statisticky významné. V zájmu podnícení aktivní účasti učitelů na evaluační práci by měli vedoucí pracovníci podporovat učitele ve využívání údajů o studijních výsledcích žáků pro stanovování cílů školy a zprostředkovávat jim profesní rozvoj. and Icelandic secondary schools were mandated in 2006 to do self-evaluations. They have met this mandate with different approaches and great differences in teacher participation. In some schools teachers own the process of evaluating schoolwork and producing developmental plans, whereas in others one or more persons are assigned the task of conducting evaluations. Leadership approaches to the mandate were of special interest in this text. Two studies will be reported here. Study I was conducted in two upper secondary schools and two primary schools in Iceland. Focus groups were held with evaluation teams twice per year in these schools over a four year period (2000–2004). From these, themes of leader actions supporting development of evaluation emerged: a) maintaining a culture of trust and collaboration; b) encouragement of purposeful teamwork; c) supporting teachers in using data; and d) provision of opportunities for learning. Study II was done in 2006, in 11 upper secondary schools, with 250 participants. Responses were factor analyzed. A stepwise regression was used to explore the variance in internal evaluations which could be explained with the other factors. Five factors were found: leadership, professional development, school goals, collaboration on initiatives, and internal evaluation participation. Factors explaining the most variance in internal evaluation participation were: school goals, leadership and professional development, all statistically significant. In order to encourage active teacher participation in evaluation work, leaders should encourage strong use of student achievement data to inform development of school goals and facilitate related and powerful teacher professional development.
The objective of this paper is to show the way in which trust within a teaching staff translates into mutual learning among teachers. Using a qualitative investigation of two purposively selected schools representing a high and a low level of trust within the teaching staff, we illustrate that trust is a multi-layered phenomenon which in the context of learning among teachers is not necessarily productive to work with as a whole. We therefore separate trust within a teaching staff into the head teacher's trust in teachers, teachers' trust in the head teacher, overall trust among teachers, and finally trust between specific teachers in a learning relationship. We relate these levels of trust within a teaching staff and the three components of this trust—competencies, relationships, and reliability—to the characteristics of mutual learning among the teachers at the selected schools. We conclude that our data shows that the key relationship influencing learning among teachers is that between the head teacher's trust and trust in the head teacher, which has the greatest impact on whether teachers accept the head teacher's concept of professional development and act accordingly. Overall trust among teachers has an influence on the level of independence of learning interactions and awareness of colleagues' learning but not on shared learning content.
Workplace learning is defined variously and plays a pivotal role in the enhancement of vocational education teachers' practices. Based on a comprehensive desk-based review of the related literature, this article defines and discusses the concept of workplace learning and its contribution to vocational education teachers' continuous professional development. The article demonstrates explicitly that the existing theoretical frameworks guiding workplace learning are mainly drawn from different learning theories. Among these, Illeris's (2011) learning model is found to be theoretically sound and to provide a foundation to be extended to hypothesise about the relationships of various key concepts discussed in association with the workplace learning of vocational education teachers. Three lines of arguments have been identified for providing support to Illeris' model: (1) the significance of workplace learning practices, (2) individual and social aspects of learning situations, and (3) individual and social levels of workplace learning. In addition, based on Illeris's model and related literature on teacher professional development, the article proposes a workplace learning model for vocational education teachers and evaluates its implications for vocational education teachers' professional development, work identities, and transfer of knowledge into practice in the working situation in vocational education and training.