Session Information
10 SES 11 D, Student Voice, and Perceptions of Teacher Effectiveness
Paper Session
Contribution
Today there is consensus that pupil participation, which encompasses promoting experiences, programmes and actions where pupils are recognized as genuine stakeholders, plays an essential part in the advancement of educational inclusion. Various conceptualizations of Inclusive Education stress that, beyond the presence of pupils in the classroom, we must guarantee their effective participation, learning and development.
The present study is part of an initiative aimed at both expanding the role and increasing the participation of students in making decisions on educational issues that directly concern them. This initiative is known as the Student Voice Movement (Fielding & Bragg, 2003; Fielding, 2004, 2011; Rudduck & Flutter, 2004; Susinos, 2009, 2012).
Student voice focus requires a rethinking and reformulation of our traditional way of seeing children and young people: it accepts their participation and their opinions, and challenge the traditional tendency to portray them as immature. On the contrary, they are considered as active players in their life and educational experiences. Student voice supposes the creation of a space within schools for the development of knowledge and more inclusive practices, giving voice to all participants (teachers, family and pupils). It also recognizes the capacity and the responsibility of educational establishments and teachers in bringing about the changes they have identified as necessary for increased participation and inclusion. From this perspective, the interests and proposals of the pupils should be heard and taken into account as an “authoritative voice” (Susinos & Rodriguez, 2011).
One of the fields where pupil participation can be considered is the area of initial teacher training (Bragg, 2007; Flutter, 2007; Susinos & Ceballos, 2012; Charteris & Thomas, 2017). Pupils interact with student teachers during their practicum and therefore have a perception of them as teachers. From an inclusive perspective, insight from pupils should be considered when evaluating and reflecting on this training period. The student voice provides the opportunity to test new dialogue and learning scenarios in initial teacher education between schools, pupils, student-teachers and universities.
As distinct element in the student teacher training programme, the practicum occupies an intermediate position between the real world and teacher training college (Schön, 1991). Traditionally, the three key players in this process have been: the student teacher, the school mentor and the university supervisor. From the point of view of student voice, the involvement of one more player should be encouraged: the pupils in the school where the student teaching practices are developed. Incorporating the voice of children, who normally have a passive role in this process, adds and qualify the supporting evidences used to evaluate and reflect on the practicum (Ramos, Martínez-Figueira & Raposo, 2013; Raposo et al., 2013; Groundwater-Smith, Dockett & Bottrell, 2015).
In order to explore the opportunity to expand the pupil’s prominence in the teaching practice process, the objectives of this study are:
- To listen to the student voice to improve the education of future teachers.
- To help practicum students in early childhood and primary education to reflect on their teaching actions.
To improve the quality of the practicum via the active participation of the four key players: supervisors, mentors, student teachers and schoolchildren
Method
This qualitative study involved 67 students from the University of Vigo (Spain) who were carrying out teaching practice at early childhood and primary education. Over the last four academic years, these student teachers implemented a set of activities aimed at consulting and enhancing the student voice (Raposo et al., 2013) about their role as future teachers. The whole study implied the participation of more than 1,600 children along four years. In this paper we analyse the data collected by 23 student teachers during their practicum in the academic year 2016-17. Pupil narratives were used as a data-gathering instrument, since “narration is a way of organizing experience, constructing reality and understanding the world” (Callejón, 2008: 2). To accommodate the age of the schoolchildren with whom our practicum students carried out their teaching practice, pupils were encouraged to make visual narratives in the form of drawings (children in early childhood education) or written narratives (children in primary education). This allowed pupils to develop their thoughts and expressions in relation to how they saw and perceived their student teacher, how they experienced the classes over the period, etc. Content analysis was performed on the data collected, following the procedure developed by Ramos, Martínez & Raposo (2013). The practicum supervisors and student teachers first identified the codes and categories for analysis, and then subsequently compared outputs. The next step was to use these outputs to devise a common system, which grouped all the previous codes into five different topics: classroom methodologies; interpersonal relationships; qualities of the student teacher; issues to improve (values, behaviour, physical appearance...); and advice given. Listed below are just some of the results from one of the student consultation activities, in the form of a letter to an invisible friend where pupils recount their experience with the student teacher: what he’s like, what his classes were like, if they’ll miss him and why. In the case of pre-schooler students this consultation was made during a circle time (that was videotaped)
Expected Outcomes
The pupil consultation highlights relevant aspects to be taken into account in the teaching and learning processes developed in the practice classroom. Pupil opinions have helped to reflect on how to innovate and improve the work of the future teacher. Their suggestions for improvement are both realistic and appropriate; they provide feedback to the future teacher; and they have also a strong formative nature. The evaluations suggest that the qualities and characteristics that pupils value most in the future teacher are: active listening and unconditional support. As for duties performed, pupils value the trainee teacher’s role as an enabler of learning, guide and facilitator. Regarding methodologies employed, pupils highlight those used by the student teacher to capture the interest and attention of the children and to promote pupils’ confidence and self-assurance. Among the less desirable aspects, the majority of pupils do not agree with shouting as a means of verbal expression, punishments or focussing on the negative. It is also worth mentioning that the future teachers were surprised by the input of the younger children, as well as by the feedback provided by the schoolchildren. They particularly valued the contribution in helping them to shape and examine their emerging professional image. The exercise also provided a valuable element to help university supervisors and school mentors assess the practicum. Finally, this study has provided evidence to confirm that it is both possible and desirable to accord a greater role to pupils in pre-service teacher education.
References
Bragg, S (2007). It’s not about systems, it’s about relationships: Building a listening culture in a primary school. In Thiessen, D. & Cook-Shater, A., International handbook of student experience in elementary and secondary school (pp. 659-680). Netherlands: Springer. Callejón, M D. (2008). Contándonos en la Escuela. Red Visual, 8, 1-10. Charteris, J.; Thomas, E. (2017). Uncovering ‘unwelcome truths’ through student voice: teacher inquiry into agency and student assessment literacy. Teaching Education 28(2), 162-177. Fielding, M. (2004). Transformative approaches to student voice: theoretical underpinnings, recalcitrant realities. British Educational Research Journal, 30(2), 295-311. Fielding, M. (2011). La voz del alumnado y la inclusión educativa: una aproximación democrática radical para el aprendizaje intergeneracional. Revista Interuniversitaria del profesorado, 10(25.1), 31-61. Fielding, M.; Bragg, S. (2003). Students as Researchers: Making a difference. Cambridge, UK: Pearson Publishing. Flutter, J. (2007). Teacher development and pupil voice. The Curriculum Journal, 18 (3), 343–354. Groundwater-Smith, S., Dockett, S.; & Bottrell, D. (2015). Participatory Research with Children and Young People. Los Angeles: Sage. Ramos, M. J.; Martínez-Figueira, M. E.; Raposo, M. (2013). El alumno de practicum visto por los escolares de Primaria: una experiencia interuniversitaria. In P. C. Muñoz, M. Raposo, et al, Un practicum para la formación integral de los estudiantes (pp. 1409-1424). Santiago: Andavira. Raposo-Rivas, M.; Martínez-Figueira, M. E.; Doval, M. I.; Zabalza, M. A.; Parrilla, A. (2013). También hay un lugar para la participación y voz de los escolares en el practicum. In P. C. Muñoz, M. Raposo, et al, Un practicum para la formación integral de los estudiantes (pp. 1425-1438). Santiago: Andavira. Rudduck, J.; Flutter, J. (2004). How to improve your school: giving students a voice. London. Continuum Press. Schön, D. A. (1991). Educating the reflective practitioner. Towards a new desing for teaching and learning in the professions. Oxford and San Francisco: Joseey-Bass. Susinos, T. (2009). Escuchar para compartir. Reconociendo la autoridad del alumnado en el proyecto de una escuela inclusiva. Revista de Educación, 349, 119-136. Susinos, T. (2012). Presentación. Las posibilidades de la voz del alumnado para el cambio y la mejora educativa. Revista de Educación, 359, 16-23. Susinos, T.; Ceballos, N. (2012). Voz del alumnado y presencia participativa en la vida escolar. Apuntes para una cartografía de la voz del alumnado en la mejora educativa. Revista de educación, 359, 24-44.
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