Session Information
26 SES 13 B, Educational Leadership, Agency and Performance Management
Paper Session
Contribution
Professional competence is linked to how teachers learn and how they apply their knowledge in practise to promote students’ learning (Avalos, 2011). Professional development (PD) implies a range of activities and interactions that can contribute to teachers’ personal, social and emotional growth and improve their teaching practice (Desimone, 2009). PD in school has received increased attention, and the competence development measures in Norway have changed from being traditional courses / advanced education courses for individual teachers to becoming a school-based competence development meant to include everybody, even administrative leaders (Hagen & Nyen, 2009). Hestad & Møller (2013) show that school-based competence development is a collective form of learning with a greater potential for promoting school development than shorter advanced education courses. However, we know less about what kind of features in terms of workplace-related knowledge development which can contribute to professional development (Elstad, Helstad & Maursethagen, 2014). Little is also known about spillover effects of continuous professional development (CPD) for teachers (Weissenrider et al, 2015). They are studying collegial interactions and the participants´ development of self-efficacy, and find that duration of the CPD course can make a difference. In particular, there is a shortage of studies that throw light on how experienced teachers develop knowledge in working-life contexts (Coburn & Turner, 2011). Consequently, it may be of interest to elicit what teachers experience that characterizes a school-based competence development contributing to their learning. We have formulated the following problem issue: What characterizes a school-based advanced education that teachers experience that contributes to their learning?
In the theoretical framework we build on a socio-cultural and situated view of learning, where active collective participation is a key element for the development of practice (Wenger 2003). Desimone (2009) identifies five characteristics related to the outcome of teachers and students which can lead to changes of practice: content focus, active learning, coherence, duration and collective participation. The importance of collegial interactions and professional learning communities is also emphasized by Hargreaves & Fullan (2012). With the term professional capital as a starting-point, they argue that much more happens when teachers get access to knowledge and proficiencies others have. Strategies for developing the social capital are the cornerstone for developing and changing the teaching profession. Thus culture becomes important. They identify two main categories of professional cultures in schools – individual-oriented and cooperation-oriented. Professional learning cultures are schools that have good cooperation-oriented cultures that are evidence-informed, take collective decisions and «are pushed forward by grownup, challenging conversations about effective and ineffective practice” (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012, p. 128). The perspective of Ertsås & Irgens (2012) is a central element when we discuss how teachers can develop their own professionality by means of theorization. Theorization is about teachers who can reflect on, formulate, analyse, justify and develop practice through theory. From their perspective it is through the strong reflection, when practice and thoughts are challenged, that the approach becomes investigating. The weak reflection is more characterized by superficial and consensus-marked discourse. Timperley et al, (2007) include an active school management as part of what they call effective context that promotes a professional learning environment for teachers. Robinson (2011) emphasizes that the leader is responsible for the learning and achievement of students. She finds that the quality of leadership can make a substantial difference to the achievement of students. There are five leadership dimensions and five leadership practises that have an impact on the students’ outcome. They all work together and have strong reciprocal effects, but the dimension she finds to have the greatest impact, is the following: leading teacher learning and development.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Avalos, B. (2011). Teacher professional development in Teaching and Teacher Education over ten years. Teaching and Teacher Education, 2(1), p. 10–20. Coburn, C. and Turner, E.O. (2011). Research on data use: A framework and analysis. Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Practice, 9(4), p. 173–206. Desimone, L.M. (2009). Improving Impact Studies of Teachers’ Professional Development. Educational Researcher; Apr 2009; 38; 3; ProQuest Psychology Journals, p. 181. Elstad, E., Helstad, K. and Mausethagen, S. (2014). Profesjonsutvikling i skolen. I Elstad, E. og Helstad, K. (red). Profesjonsutvikling i skolen. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, p. 17–39. Ertsås, T.I. and Irgens, E.J. (2012). Teoriens betydning for profesjonell yrkesutøvelse. I: Postholm, M.B. (red.). Læreres læring og ledelse av profesjonsutvikling. Trondheim: Tapir Akademisk Forlag. Hagen, A. and Nyen, T. (2009). Kompetanse for hvem? Sluttrapport fra evalueringen av «Kompetanse for utvikling. Strategi for kompetanseutvikling i grunnopplæringen 2005–2008». Fafo-rapport 2009:1. Halkier, B. (2010). Fokusgrupper. Oslo: Gyldendal Akademisk. Hargreaves, A. og Fullan, M. (2012). Professional capital. Transforming teaching in Every School. Teachers College, Colombia University. Helstad, K. (2014). Kunnskapsutvikling gjennom samtaler i tverrfaglige læringsfellesskap. I: Elstad, E. og Helstad, K. (red.). Profesjonsutvikling i skolen. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, p. 134–151. Helstad, K. og Møller, J. (2013). Leadership as relational work: risks and opportunities. International Journal of Leadership in Education, p. 1–18. Kvale, S. og Brinkmann, S. (2010). Det kvalitative forskningsintervju. Oslo: Gyldendal Akademisk. Morgan, D.L. (1997). Focus Groups as Qualitative Research. London: Sage. Postholm, M.B. (2010). Kvalitativ metode. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. Robinson, V. (2011). Student-Centred Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. A Viley Imprint. Strauss, A.L. og Cobin, J.M. (1998). Basics of qualitative research. Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2. edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Timperley, H., Wilson, A., Barrar, H. & Fung, I. (2007). Teacher professional learning and development: Best evidence synthesis iteration. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education. Weißenrieder, J., Roesken Winter, B., Schueler, S., Binner, E. & Blömeke, S. (2015). Scaling CPD through professional learning communities: Development of teachers’ self efficacy in relation to collaboration. ZDM Mathematics Education, 47, 27–38 Wenger, E. (2003). En sosial teori om læring. I Morgan Lave, J. og Wenger, E. (2003). Situert læring og andre tekster. København: Hans Reitzels Forlag.
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