Student Teachers Researching Learner Diversity In School Classrooms: A Research-Based Agenda For Teacher Education

Author(s):

Alaster Douglas(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2014

Network:

10. Teacher Education Research

Format:

Paper

Session Information

10 SES 05 D, Learning to Teach: Literacy, Diversity, Enquiry

Paper Session

Time:

2014-09-03

11:00-12:30

Room:

B228 Sala de Aulas

Chair:

Shosh Leshem

Contribution

This presentation reports on a small-scale pilot study which explores the perceived benefits to student teacher learning when student teachers are engaged in a research project. The research was undertaken by a group of 12 Religious Studies student teachers on a one year teacher training course at a city university in England. The research seeks to explore the learning potential of integrating a research-based project into the first visits of a school-based teaching practice. The student teachers, after having received some research training at the university, undertook classroom research (each observing and interviewing three different teachers who taught the same class of students). The research focused on teachers’ differential behaviour and questioned how teachers understood and responded to diversity in their classrooms, which is suggested to be one of the most influential educational factors which affect pupil interest, motivation and academic achievement (Rosenthal, 2002). A concern for effectively meeting the needs of a diverse range of pupils has been identified in previous research projects across Europe (see Humphreys et al. 2006). Such research has cited an increase in immigration and special needs students attending mainstream schools as indications why in recent years schools in Europe have witnessed increasingly heterogeneous classrooms.

Undertaking research has been cited as an effective way for student teachers to increase their understanding of issues relating to educational practice (Eraut et al. 2000). An objective of this research study was to enable student teachers to compare the perspectives of classroom teachers on how they give meaning to diversity in order to facilitate their own development of theoretical and practical knowledge regarding responsive teaching and inclusive practices.

The research questions asked:

Did the study enable student teachers to integrate their empirical findings into a theoretical background?
Did student teachers view their development as researchers during the research process as significant to their learning about diversity?

The study explores how far the student teachers felt their own personally conducted research was a significant learning process (Maaranen and Krokfors 2007) and questions whether research should be considered an essential part of becoming a teacher (Toom et al. 2010). Student teachers in Australia have been seen to support the inclusion of research methods in their teacher education programme (Vialle et al. 1997) and another study has shown how reflective skills of student teachers are enhanced by participation in classroom-based qualitative research (Lambe 2011). However, research also suggests that more is needed than involving student teachers as researchers to overcome the gap between theory and practice (Korthagen 2010).

Previous studies looking at the learning opportunities for student teachers in school practice (Douglas 2014) highlight the value of all research participants jointly working on a shared motive (as in researching diversity in the classroom). A university researcher who did not teach the student teachers but supported them in the research process and a teacher educator (the principal lecturer for Religious Studies) worked with teacher participants and the student teachers. This went some way to building a collaborative approach.

The commitment to the pilot study was supported by a desire to integrate research with the teacher education course and to further develop staffing links in the university, counteracting a tendency to view Education staff as either academic or practitioner focused (see Deem and Lucas (2007) with regard to different research and teaching cultures in English and Scottish universities). A concern that higher education teacher educators in Europe are becoming solely trainers and mediators of government policy also provided impetus for challenging what has been termed the ‘training paradigm’ (examined in a recent study comparing English and Swedish teacher education policy (Beach and Bagley 2013)).

Method

The research presented draws upon the analysis of data generated from student teacher focus group interviews (audio recorded), questionnaires, course assignments and four research methods workshops (where the researcher took field notes of discussions). These different research methods were used in order to generate data on the student teachers’ experience of taking part in a research project and their perceived learning as a consequence. The group of students made up the full cohort of a Religious Studies one year postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) course. They all undertook their fieldwork individually (3 lesson observations of the same class taught by different teachers and 3 interviews with those teachers) in their first teaching practice schools. Their research work was written up as part of their Professional Studies assignment and assessed for the PGCE course. Therefore, the aim was to develop and pilot a small-scale qualitative study which was integrated into the teacher education course. The student teachers linked their data analysis to their reading of the literature which focused on an area of classroom diversity of their own choice. The task for the assignment was a compulsory part of the PGCE course. However, participating in the research pilot study with the university researcher and teacher educator was voluntary as was taking part in the focus group interviews, completing the questionnaires and giving consent for course assignments to be analysed. This pilot study considers in its analysis of the data on the student teachers’ perceived learning a three level model of teacher learning (Korthagen and Lagerwerf 1996) which takes the causes of the theory-practice divide into account. Using a content analysis method for both the oral (transcribed) and written accounts, the data was input into Atlas ti software in order to consider it from the viewpoint of the two research questions. Using coding techniques based on a grounded theory approach to the analysis of qualitative data (Glaser and Strauss 1967) an inductive process enabled all elements of the data to be analysed. Initial codes were then refined by repeated analysing and used to define recurring themes and patterns. This process resulted in the creation of categories which represented three levels of teachers’ thinking (thinking in action, thinking in terms of practical theories and thinking in terms of meta-theories of education). These categories were then considered against the criteria for the three level model of teacher learning.

Expected Outcomes

Initial findings suggest that conducting research was a significant learning event for the student teachers in that their analysis of their development as researchers was seen to enhance their developing appreciation of the importance of differentiation strategies when observing teaching in diverse classrooms. Identifying through some of their observations and interviews how teachers’ thinking was seen to work on a number of different levels enabled student teachers to articulate more carefully how the literature in their chosen field of education could inform initial analyses from their empirical data. However, when comparing student teachers’ analyses of their own research data with the data generated by the university researcher and teacher educator, early analysis indicates that a ‘realistic approach’ to teacher education (as advocated by Korthagen and Lagerwerf (1996) developed at Utrecht University) based on the three level model of teacher learning requires a deeper level of reflection from the student teachers. This would be desirable in order to fully appreciate the possible conceptualisations of teacher learning (identified in the model as moving from the gestalt level (where learning is rooted in practical experiences) to a theoretical level (where a network of principles are logically ordered)). In order for student teachers to fully consider their empirical findings with a theoretical background we propose that they would need to further develop their conceptualisation of the teacher learning process which could be enhanced by their own developing and ongoing experience of teaching in the classroom. Ideas for building on the student teachers’ research analyses throughout their PGCE course and into their second teaching practice (where they experience more classroom teaching as teachers themselves) are currently being considered. This could potentially further help develop their understanding of teacher learning and be advantageous for embedding a research-based agenda within the PGCE programme.

References

Beach, D. and Bagley, C. (2013) Changing Professional Discourses in Teacher Education Policy Back Towards a Training Paradigm, European Journal of Teacher Education, 36(4) 379-92. Deem, R. and Lucas, L. (2007) Research and Teaching Cultures in Two Contrasting UK Policy Contexts, Higher Education, 54 115-33. Douglas, A.S. (2014) Student Teachers in School Practice: An analysis of learning opportunities. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Eraut, M., Alderton, J., Cole, G. and Senker, P. (2000) Development of Knowledge and Skills at Work, In Differing Visions of a Learning Society (ed. F. Coffield) 231-62, Bristol: Policy Press. Glaser, B. and Strauss, A. (1967) The Discovery of Grounded Theory. New York: Aldwin. Humphrey, N,. Bartolo, P., Ale, P., Calleja, C., Hofsaess, T., Janikova, V., Mol Lous, A., Vilkiene, V. and Wetso, G.M. (2006) Understanding and Responding to Diversity in the Primary Classroom: An International Study, European Journal of Teacher Education, 29(3) 305-18. Korthagen, F. (2010) How Teacher Education Can Make A Difference, Journal of Education for Teaching, 36(4) 407-23. Korthagen, F. and Lagerwerf, B. (1996) Reframing the Relationship Between Teacher Thinking and Teacher Behaviour, Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 2(2) 161-90. Lambe, J. (2011) Developing Pre-service Teachers’ Reflective Capacity Through Engagement With Classroom-Based Research, Reflective Practice, 12(1) 87-100. Maaranen, K. and Krokfors, L. (2007) Time to Think? Primary School Teacher Students Reflecting on Their MA Thesis Research Processes, Reflective Practice, 8(3) 359-73. Rosenthal, R. (2002) Covert Communication in Classrooms, Clinics, Courtrooms and Cubicles, American Psychologist, 57 839-49. Toom, A., Kynaslahti, H., Krokfors, L., Jyrhama, R., Byman, R., Stenberg, K., Maaranen, K. and Kansanen, P. (2010) Experiences of a Research-Based Approach to Teacher Education, European Journal of Education, 45(2) 331-44. Vialle, W., Hall, N. and Booth, T. (1997) Teaching Research and Inquiry in Undergraduate Teacher Education Programmes, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 25(2) 129-42.

Author Information

Alaster Douglas (presenting / submitting)

University of Roehampton

Education

London

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